Shortlisted for an award - and the value of wine in a crisis

Amid the madness of Covid-19, a brief but welcome distraction: I’ve been shortlisted for an award in the Best Editorial / Opinion Wine Writing category of the Born Digital Wine Awards.

As I wrote here four years ago, awards have an important role to play for wine writers, and with the imminent end of the Roederers, there are fewer platforms to help writers get exposure. At a time when freelancing has suddenly become even more unstable and unreliable, any effort that supports the wine-writing industry should be applauded.

So, congratulations to everyone who persists with communicating about wine, and especially those who have been shortlisted this year - over 50 different people across five categories that cover many different areas of the wine world.

Wine may be a low priority in these abnormal times, yet it is something that can bring much-needed daily escapism to millions of us all around the globe. That fact makes me confident that when the pandemic has passed, the wine trade will be able to return to full strength, on a mission to keep on providing one of life’s great pleasures.