The wine trade has unexpectedly misplaced a voice of authority and perspective.
By Jeff Siegel
Meininger’s Worldwide, maybe the premier wine commerce publication of the previous decade, has closed. Its German writer, Meininger Verlag, introduced Wednesday that it was shuttering the English-language web site and publication instantly, citing a must “give attention to strengthening its core media manufacturers.” It stated it hoped to supply chosen digital content material from its German shopper and wine commerce publications in English by early 2026.
On this, Meininger’s, because it was recognized to the commerce, is seemingly one other sufferer of the wine enterprise hunch, which has seen world wine consumption drop to its lowest degree since 1961, in line with the OIV commerce group — and, in the USA, the worst downturn in 30 years.
“[This] actually, actually hurts,” says Sonoma wine marketer Paul Tincknell. “Meininger’s was essential in being a venue for actual data and clear-eyed opinion – one thing we don’t see sufficient of today. Meininger’s was unflinching in the way in which it appeared on the wine enterprise.”
A wide range of voices and subjects
Every challenge of Meininger’s was an eclectic combine from nearly any of the world’s wine areas, together with some many readers most likely hadn’t thought of. Its tales may (and did) embrace all the pieces from a take a look at hybrid grapes in Poland, the challenges of ‘wine farming’ in South Africa, analyses of enterprise circumstances in China and itemizing an important folks within the wine enterprise in Amsterdam.
On this, it did one thing few different wine trades had ever tried; its focus was on the exhausting enterprise of wine because it was practiced around the globe — who mattered, what firms have been essential and why enterprise was the way in which it was in that a part of the globe. It often achieved this broad spectrum of reporting with a minimal of the cheerleading widespread to trades in most industries.
A who’s-who of journalism
Since its formation in 2006, its editors and writers have included among the most revered names in wine journalism from around the globe. The primary editor-in-chief was Joel Payne, an American who was beforehand editor of the Gault Millaut wine information and one in all Germany’s main critics. Robert Joseph, the long-time editor-at-large, was an acknowledged skilled in French wine who has written a wide range of books concerning the topic.
The second editor-in-chief, Felicity Carter, has established herself as one of many world’s main journalists writing about wine enterprise and wine and well being. Among the many contributors have been Adam Lechmere, a former editor at Decanter; Wojciech Bońkowski MW from Poland; Rebecca Gibb MW, an editor at Vinous; Jim Boyce from China; Subhash Arora from India; Jeni Port from Australia; and Michael Fridjhon from South Africa. (Full disclosure, this author has been a contributor to Meininger’s since 2014.)
In an e-mail to Wine Trade Advisor, Dr. Anja Zimmer, the third and last editor-in chief, stated: “It was an awesome privilege to work on such an essential publication, with a gaggle of proficient journalists. As a result of it supplied a window into the worldwide world of wine, it let producers from one nation see that their friends elsewhere have been dealing with the identical choices and challenges — and we additionally confirmed what among the options are. I’ve been overwhelmed with messages from folks telling me how essential and helpful they discovered it.”
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Jeff Siegel
Jeff Siegel is an award-winning wine author, in addition to the co-founder and former president of Drink Native Wine, the primary locavore wine motion. He has taught wine, beer, spirits, and beverage administration at El Centro School and the Cordon Bleu in Dallas. He has written seven books, together with “The Wine Curmudgeon’s Information to Low-cost Wine.”
