Amanda Barnes, Author at Circle of Wine Writers

New Member: Shelley Boettcher

Posted on October 30, 2024 by Amanda Barnes

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...

Natural Trailblazers should stop us in our tracks

Posted on October 29, 2024October 30, 2024 by Valerie Kathawala

Valerie Kathawala is inspired by Natural Trailblazers, a recently-published book that profiles European winegrowers who are pioneering ways of reducing wine’s environmental impact. She argues that there are implicit lessons about how we wine journalists might rethink approaches to our own work. ‘What guides me is the idea of less,’ says Alsatian winegrower Yannick Meckert. “Less, less, less.” M...

New Wine Writing Awards: Bumper crop of CWW winners

Posted on October 29, 2024October 30, 2024 by Wink Lorch

Wink Lorch reports back from the inaugural 67 Pall Mall Global Wine Communicators Awards, in which members took home a clutch of awards and nominations. Friday September 6th at midday saw a glittering collection of wine communicators and trade gather at St John’s, Smith Square also known as the Sinfonia Smith Square, in Westminster, London. We were there for the inaugural gala awards ceremony fo...

Go Turkiye go

Posted on October 29, 2024 by Lindsay Oram

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A classical combination at Grafenegg

Posted on October 29, 2024December 10, 2024 by Jochen Erler

Stephen Barrett: A tribute

Posted on October 16, 2024October 30, 2024 by Amanda Barnes

Stephen Barrett was a popular wine writer and educator, as well as a successful restauranteur. Well loved by many members of the wine trade, Stephen was a long-standing member of the Circle of Wine Writers and Association of Wine Educators (AWE). He passed away aged 77 in his home in Plymouth. Fellow members pay tribute. "I have fond memories of Stephen, particularly of his passion for food and...

New Member: Valerie Kathawala

Posted on October 1, 2024 by Amanda Barnes

Valerie Kathawala is a journalist, author, and editor who lives and works in New York City. As an occasional resident of Germany and Austria, and a lifelong student of German language and culture, she specializes in the wines of these two countries. Her work appears in the pages of Noble Rot, Full Pour, The Art of Eating, SevenFifty Daily, and a range of other publications. Together with fel...

The time is nigh for Tardif et al

Posted on October 1, 2024 by Liz Sagues

Liz Sagues discovers once-abandoned grape varieties from south-west France and sees their new and growing importance in mitigating the climate crisis. For too long, south-west France has been in the shadows when there's discussion on indigenous grape varieties. But with ever-increasing recognition of the effects of the climate crisis, there is new focus on a region with a unique vine heritage. An...

The secrets to Istrian Malvasia: Dimitri Brečević interview

Posted on October 1, 2024 by Amanda Barnes

Amanda Barnes shares her video interview with winemaker Dimitri Brečević, one most celebrated producers in the region of Istria. Making his own wines under the Piquentum brand and consulting to Clai d.o.o., this video interview focuses on the particularities of Istrian Malvasia. One of the most important native grapes in Croatia, the Malvasia from Istria is unique in form and flavour, and requ...

Golden Slavonia and its gorgeous Graševina

Posted on October 1, 2024 by Dijana Grgić

Dijana Grgić calls in on Kutjevo, the Croatian heartland of the grape variety that has nothing to do with Riesling, as well as the neighbouring strongholds of Pakrac and Požega-Pleternica, and also takes the Rose and Wine Road. Požega-Slavonia County is home to three notable sub-regions and is the home of Croatia's most important white wine variety, Graševina. The vineyards of Kutjevo, Po...