Four newsletters worth exploring
Some wine writing helps you choose a bottle. Some helps you understand the people drinking it. The most useful reading list has room for both.
These four wine Substack newsletters cover everything from supermarket finds and drinking history to hospitality, sustainability and the business of selling wine. Each offers a different reason to subscribe, whether you work in the trade or simply enjoy a good read with a glass. There is also a bonus recommendation beyond Substack.
1 Thirst Behavior by Bodhi Landa
For understanding why people drink what they drink.
Why does one bottle become fashionable while another struggles to find an audience? Bodhi Landa approaches wine through the social world around it, particularly New York and the Hamptons. Rosé, natural wine and Champagne become ways into conversations about taste, status and the image people want to project.
His experience in hospitality gives the cultural commentary something concrete to work with. It is opinionated, observant writing for anyone curious about the gap between what people say they want and what they actually order.
Start with: Younger Drinkers are not Stupid
2 Drinking Culture by Henry Jeffreys
For drinking history and a good story.
Henry Jeffreys, author of Empire of Booze and Vines in a Cold Climate, writes about the history and culture of alcohol. Wine features prominently, but whisky, cocktails and other drinks get their turn too. His range makes this a good choice if your curiosity extends beyond the vineyard.
The appeal is his ability to find an entertaining story behind a familiar drink. “Guns for wine”, for example, examines the rumours surrounding the Bulgarian Cabernet that once filled British dinner-party glasses. There is plenty here for readers who enjoy history, and for wine professionals looking for stories that might get a conversation going across the tasting table.
Start with: Guns for wine
3 Harry’s Wine
For approachable recommendations and everyday enjoyment.
Harry’s Wine is an inviting place to start if you want to enjoy wine more confidently. Bottle recommendations sit alongside food pairing, travel and reflections on how wine fits into ordinary life. The tone is conversational, with an emphasis on sharing bottles and finding occasions to enjoy them.
There are practical buying guides, including supermarket selections and comparisons between different price points, as well as encouragement to explore independent wine shops. For people working in wine, it also offers a useful reminder of the questions customers bring with them: what should I buy, what is worth spending more on, and when would I open it?
Start with: 5 Things in Wine that are WORTH the Money
4 Resilient Wine by Stevie Stacionis
For thinking about the future of wine.
Sommelier, writer and wine retailer Stevie Stacionis takes a broad view of what responsible wine production involves. Farming and cellar practices matter, but so do the people doing the work, the economics of the business and its effect on the surrounding community.
Her starting point is a dissatisfaction with the limits of the word “natural”. Resilient Wine asks more detailed questions about how the industry can adapt and improve. Coverage ranges from regenerative agriculture and climate discussions to producer profiles, including a look at sustainability work at Opus One. It is a thoughtful choice for readers who want to look beyond a label and understand the decisions behind a wine.
Start with: Introducing Resilient Wine
Bonus Trina Plamondon on LinkedIn
For the commercial side of wine.
For this recommendation, head to LinkedIn. Trina Plamondon DipWSET writes about the practical business of wine, from restaurant lists and staff training to pricing, stock and customer behaviour.
Her posts are particularly relevant to anyone who needs wine to earn its place on a shelf or menu. Why is an expensive bottle sitting unsold? Does the team know how to recommend it? What makes people feel that a wine is for them? Alongside the operational advice, she explores identity and belonging, including the communities that form around particular wines. A useful follow for merchants, hospitality operators and anyone trying to turn wine knowledge into a stronger business.
Start with: The Holiday Wine Playbook
Who else deserves a place on the list? Let us know here.