Tribute to Neville Blech

Neville Blech passed away on 6th September 2019, aged 82, following a long battle with cancer. Neville was an active member of the Circle of Wine Writers and also served as Honorary Treasurer. A wine writer, importer and restaurateur, Neville had worked in many aspects of the trade throughout his career. His co-founder at Wine Behind the Label, David Moore, shares his tribute to Neville, f...
Read More

Congratulations to members shortlisted for LRIWWAs!

Congratulations to Circle members who were shortlisted for the 2019 Louis Roederer International Wine Writers' Awards! Tim Atkin MW (shortlisted for Online Communicator) Simon Woolf (shortlisted for no less than three awards - Online Communicator, Feature Writer and International Wine Book) Janet Z Wang (shortlisted for International Wine Book) Jon Wyand (shortlisted for Artistry of Wine...
Read More

Notes for Circular contributors

We welcome members to contribute to our monthly publication, The Circular, with their articles, features, photography and news. The Circular includes content from our members all over the globe and we aim to publish an informative and interesting monthly read for fellow members, Friends of the Circle and subscribers. Some months we have a focus region or country, which we will advertise in adva...
Read More

New Member: Julian Wiseman

Julian Wiseman is the author of Port Vintages, an authoritative reference book on old vintage Port (print run one pipe; happily all sold). He is married (with three children and four cats), lives in London, works in the interest-rate markets, has a degree in mathematics, and is an Honorary Confrade with the rank of Knight in the Confraria do Vinho do Porto. More relevantly he has drunk about ten t...
Read More

Circular Editor Amanda Barnes receives another award

Keith Grainger celebrates two awards Circular Editor Amanda Barnes has recently won and shares insight into why these awards, in memory of Geoffrey Roberts, Tim Derouet and Geoffrey Jameson, were created. I know she is much too modest to sing her own praises and trumpet her achievements so I’ve taken it upon myself to tell readers about awards that Amanda Barnes, editor of The Circular, has won i...
Read More

Circle photographers take home top trophies at Wine Photographer of the Year

Congratulations to wine photographers and Circle members Mick Rock, Matt Wilson and Jon Wyand for winning 1st place awards at the Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year and the Errazuriz Wine Photographer of the Year Awards! Jon Wyand took home the trophy for Wine Photographer of the Year, winning overall on the evening for his image of 'Cleaning the Cuverie' at Domaine Faiveley in Mercure. Th...
Read More

New member: Victor Smart

Victor Smart is a long-time wine enthusiast who has worked for national media, including the Observer. He has appeared as a pundit on BBC, Sky News and CNN, covering everything from politics to business. He writes regularly for publications such as The Buyer and Financial Times specialist publications. He believes that behind every wine there is a story to tell about people, places and traditio...
Read More

Tribute to Lena Inger

Lena Inger was a longstanding Circle member and an influential educator for over three decades. With her long-time partner, Sandy Leckie, and fellow Circle member Vivienne Franks, she managed one of the most important wine schools in the country, The Wine Education Service Limited. Fellow members pay tribute to Lena:   "So many people who enjoy wine will be sad to hear of Lena’s death. ...
Read More

New member: Laura Donadoni

Laura Donadoni is an Italian wine journalist and blogger, based in San Diego, where she founded "The Italian Wine Girl" blog and La Com Wine Agency (a licensed wine importing company and P.R. and communications firm) five years ago. Laura is a columnist for SommJournal and Tasting Panel, a certified sommelier (also with WSET Level 3), a certified wine educator and is a Vinitaly International ...
Read More

New Member: Billy Abbott

Billy Abbott is a London-based drinks writer with a focus on whisky, fine spirits and beer. Formerly a computer programmer in the finance industry, he jumped into the world of writing full time in 2011. By day, Billy works for The Whisky Exchange, writing, blogging, managing online communities, leading the internal training program and acting as the company's whisky ambassador. The rest of the ...
Read More