Something for the holidays

It’s that time of the year again, when after the mad rush, you are hopefully able to finally settle down to a number of days of relative calm. Your thoughts start to turn to wine and which bottles of your stock to sip during the holiday season. Ellen Wallace provides a touching personal reflection, but one that’s relatable to all, of a wine that not only celebrates the memory of a loved one, share...
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Sardinia sparkles

Nicole Wolbers discovers how the magical Mediterranean island, which is renowned for its centuries-old wine tradition, is preparing for a bubbly future. Sardinia's winemaking history is impressively ancient, dating back to the Nuragic civilization around 1500 BC. Furthermore, recent archaeological findings suggest that Sardinia may be the oldest known wine-producing region in Europe. The Bronze A...
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New Member: Christy Frank

Based on New York, Christy Frank is a freelance writer and a leader of the independent wine retail scene. With 25 years’ experience in the wine and spirits industry, she has held positions in all tiers of the US wine trade from large, global drinks firms such as Moët Hennessy USA, to small, boutique distributors to on- and off-trade retail. Her freelance writing focuses on the commercial aspect...
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The Circle’s festive party goes out with a bang!

Robin Goldsmith rounds up the fabulously jovial Circle of Wine Writers Festive Party 2024. 'Twas a cold evening outside, but the warmth positively radiated inside urban winery, London Cru, on the 9th December.  This was the venue for the eagerly anticipated Circle of Wine Writers Festive Party.  Attended by an international jamboree of joyous journalists and specially invited wine trade guests, a...
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New Member: Michele Padberg

Michele Padberg is a freelance writer, international wine judge, advanced sommelier, and member of the Association of Wine Educators. With over 23 years of experience in the wine industry, she was part of the editorial board and a contributor on the e-book The New Normal in the Wine World, and has published work in the USA as well as Europe. She crafts insightful lectures and hosts elite V...
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New Member: Diana Thompson

Diana Thompson is based in Edinburgh and writes the wine column for The Sunday Post – Scotland’s most read Sunday paper as well as other local publications including Spotlight Magazine. She contributes to various digital food and drink online platforms such as Tom’s Food! With over 30 years’ experience in the wine industry Diana has worked with various international companies and now runs Wine Ev...
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New Member: Margot Mazur

Margot Mazur is a wine writer, educator, and sommelier who specializes in American wine and sustainability. With a passion for making wine accessible and engaging, Margot writes for publications like Wine Enthusiast and Travel and Leisure and runs "The Fizz," a newsletter featuring interviews with wine industry professionals across the United States, highlighting American wine and culture. As a...
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Chile or not Chile: the place of growth question

Liz Sagues, along with a bevy of other experienced communicators and sommeliers, participates in a fascinating tasting hosted by fellow CWW member Tim Atkin MW and Ventisquero winemaker Felipe Tosso, with a scientist also on hand, to explore whether Chilean terroir can in fact be tasted.  Is terroir tosh? That, essentially, was the question at 67 Pall Mall in London on 21st November. More specifi...
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The tricentennial Bolgheri birthday bash

Sitting at a one-kilometer long Super Tuscan table, Filippo Magnani celebrates three decades of the daring DOC, which shook up the wine world for ever, and continues to set the highest of standards. He also gets in a sneak preview of the 2022 vintage. On September 4, 2024, Bolgheri, the small yet iconic wine region on the Tuscan coast, commemorated a significant milestone: 30 years of the Bolgher...
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New Member: Shelley Boettcher

Shelley Boettcher is a wine writer based in Canada and Italy. She holds her master’s degree in journalism and her advanced WSET certification, as well as her level 2 International Sommelier Guild certification. Shelley has written three books about wine and her byline has appeared in magazines and newspapers around the world, including the New York Times, The Guardian, The Globe and Mail and Po...
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