Amanda Barnes, Author at Circle of Wine Writers

Tuning in to the tools of the AI trade

Posted on May 30, 2026 by Per Karlsson

Per and Britt Karlsson already use artificial intelligence quite extensively in their work, but certainly not to write text, nor to create images, which are two of their core vinous activities. So, how do they use AI? Here, Per takes a look at some of the areas where it can come into play. “Do you use AI?” Today, this is no longer really a question. We use AI, everyone uses AI. You cannot refuse ...

Honing the human touch

Posted on May 30, 2026May 30, 2026 by Simon J Woolf

Simon J Woolf sets out his stall on how wine writers will ultimately survive AI, and even thrive from it. While it will not make us redundant – far from it – we need to work out how it best fits into our workflows, without allowing it to do the writing, which remains our greatest strength, he opines. It takes a brave person to stand up in front of six publishers and ask them whether they would co...

Let’s talk about… Keeping afloat?

Posted on May 30, 2026 by Helen Savage

In our online Circular seminar on the crisis facing French vignerons, Helen Savage, sets the scene by showing the seriousness of La crise viticole, before concentrating on case studies on how three wineries are faring. A highlight of the session is Helen’s interview with Fanny Rey of Domaine des Graves d’Ardonneau, who left the prospect of a career as an opera singer behind to return to a family w...

How AI is advancing ampelography

Posted on May 30, 2026May 30, 2026 by Dr José Vouillamoz

From DNA to data, artificial intelligence is beginning to read the vine, according to grape geneticist and ampelographer Dr José Vouillamoz, who also explores whether it will also decide its future. The possibilities are boundless, with an electronic nose already being used to classify cultivars, and Vouillamoz, one of the world's leading authorities on grape variety origins through DNA profiling,...

New Member: Miranda Long

Posted on January 29, 2026 by Amanda Barnes

Miranda Long writes for the on-trade publication The Buyer, reporting on tasting events and wine trips across the world. She also runs the Instagram account @fizzonfriday, focusing on premium sparkling wines and champagnes - and London’s vibrant restaurant scene. She loves nothing better than to discover al fresco terraces with stunning views. Miranda started on the Observer newspaper and then BB...

The Mythology of Etna

Posted on December 22, 2025 by Kevin Day

To access this post, you must purchase Premium Friend of the Circle (inc one-off joining fee) or 2026 Premium Friend of the Circle (current Friends renewal only/April), or log in.

Perusing Planeta’s broad and colourful palette of Sicilian wines

Posted on December 21, 2025December 23, 2025 by Robert Smyth

Robert Smyth takes a tour through Sicily’s wine regions while visiting Planeta, a prolific producer with vines and wines spanning the large Italian island. After having long enjoyed Planeta’s wines from afar, it was a wonderful to finally get the opportunity to visit them in Sicily, and also catch up with their Hungarian winemaker Patricia Tóth. Driving up the winding roads to Planeta’s winery ...

Age like a fine rośe

Posted on December 21, 2025 by Dominic Buckwell

Libertation Tardive, in tandem with renowned rosé expert and Circle-member Liz Gabay MW, take a deep dive into the question of how well refined rośe can age. Dominic Buckwell, a co-founder of the aforementioned organisation, whose mantra is “Great wines take time”, and also a Circle-member, reports. In October 2025, the not-for-profit organisation called Liberation Tardive, co-founded by myself, ...

Old vine time is nigh

Posted on November 30, 2025 by Amanda Barnes

To access this post, you must purchase Premium Friend of the Circle (inc one-off joining fee) or 2026 Premium Friend of the Circle (current Friends renewal only/April), or log in.

All change in Alsace

Posted on November 30, 2025 by Sue Eames

Sue Eames scopes and scans Alsatian soils, studying how the different grapes varieties perform in them, and also senses the strong shift to organic and biodynamic farming. Back in March, I was lucky enough to be invited on the Association of Wine Educators’ visit to Alsace, and found it be a region that has changed dramatically since when I last visited in 2022. We learnt so much about how the di...