Features Archives - Circle of Wine Writers

Members’ Voices: Can you make a living as a wine writer?

Posted on September 20, 2026September 20, 2026 by Amanda Barnes

For our Question of the Quarter, we ask members the very direct question, can you make a living as a wine writer? "I think you can make a living as a wine writer, but writing alone is unlikely to be enough. As outlets shrink and shift priorities — or disappear altogether — consistent assignments have become harder to rely on. For me, the answer has been to build around the writing. My podcast g...

How to make money as a wine writer

Posted on September 20, 2026September 20, 2026 by Amanda Barnes

Amanda Barnes takes an honest look at the reality of how to survive and make money as a wine writer in 2026, in her Editor's Comment for this edition of The Circular on the economics of wine writing. Ever since my first jobs in journalism, I remember writing for free. As a young journalist, I accepted that I needed to do a fair share of unpaid work to gain experience, build a portfolio and, occas...

From the Chair: From competition to collaboration

Posted on September 20, 2026 by Meg Maker

Meg Maker analyses how our sphere as wine writers has changed over recent years, and what - if any - opportunities remain for writers to make an income in the future. As an active writer and chair of the Circle, I’m in routine contact with a diverse crowd of journalists, critics, and commentators about wine and spirits. I cannot recall any recent conversation in which my correspondent has reporte...

Time to pen a vinous tome?

Posted on September 20, 2026September 20, 2026 by Wink Lorch

Wink Lorch explores the economics of wine books and ways in which to publish them, by drawing on her own experiences and interviewing Circle members who’ve authored according to different models. While being anything but a licence to print money, books do nevertheless remain a valuable asset for wine writers, she finds. “I think if you write a book expecting to make money you will come ba...

The futurenomics of wine writing

Posted on September 20, 2026 by Janet Wang

On a relatively recently- but dramatically-changed landscape, Janet Z. Wang ponders the role and opportunities of our occupation going forward. She discovers some substantial silver linings, based on originality and sensory experience, which cannot be machine generated, in a somewhat otherwise cloudy forecast. While information may have become cheap, judgment has not, she observes. For mu...

AI and the wine writer

Posted on June 3, 2026 by Amanda Barnes

“Knowing everything you do about me, what would you imagine are my feelings about AI in the world of wine writing?” It took Claude less than a minute to come up with a 610-word response to my question that, honestly, wasn’t bad. And slightly sycophantic (because AI is always so much more polite than humans). So, did Claude get it right? “Based on everything you've shared over time, I suspect...

New Member: Florence Tilkens Zotiades

Posted on May 30, 2026 by Amanda Barnes

Florence Tilkens Zotiades is an award-winning wine writer, speaker, and international wine judge, renowned for her expertise in the wines of Greece. French-born and based in London, she brings a distinctive international perspective shaped by a previous career in international development. Her journey into the world of wine led her to become a certified sommelier, combining analytical depth wit...

New Member: Jill Barth

Posted on May 30, 2026May 30, 2026 by Amanda Barnes

Jill Barth helps consumers learn more about wine, from collecting for beginners to which wine regions offer the best travel 'bang for the buck'. She also keeps up with wine-related news, having written about supply chain shortages, AI in the wine world, and electric tractors. Jill Barth writes about wine creators, with culture, community, ecology and travel pivotal to the stories. She’s a Prove...

New Member: Stefano Tesi

Posted on May 30, 2026 by Amanda Barnes

Born in Siena and a professional journalist since 1987, Stefano Tesi writes for many Italian magazines and appears on television and radio. Currently he is a jey contributor for James Magazine, Civiltà del Bere, Touring, Espresso guide and others. He also runs his own online publicationAlta-Fedelta.info and is a member of IGP wine writers network, as well as a teacher of journalism ethics and pro...

New Member: Małgorzata Partyka

Posted on May 30, 2026May 30, 2026 by Amanda Barnes

Małgorzata Partyka is a WSET-certified wine educator and writer based in Poland. She specialises in the wines of Central Europe, particularly Austria, but also - Portugal. Her work appears in both Polish and international publications, where she often explores the cultural and culinary context of wine, with a strong focus on wine and food pairing. Małgorzata travels regularly to deepen her unde...