This morning started with a small thrill–Château Giscours liked a recent post I made about enjoying their wine with dinner. A few minutes later, a much bigger surprise landed in my inbox: I’m longlisted for the 67 Pall Mall Global Wine Communicator Awards!
My name is on the 2026 longlist in two categories:
• Laurent-Perrier Award for Best Global Wine Communicator in Long-Form Writing
• TEXSOM Award for Best Global Wine Communicator in Short-Form Writing
I’m in exceptionally good company. The 67 Awards longlist includes many of the most respected voices in wine, as well as some emerging writers that I’ve had the pleasure of meeting at recent classes and seminars. I’m honored and delighted to be mentioned alongside them.
This detail is making me especially giddy: I submitted two long-form and two short-form items for judging–all blog posts from the past several months. While I have no way of knowing which pieces advanced my entry, both of the short-form articles I selected were bottle reviews.
Single-bottle reviews are probably my favorite thing to write. This is where I hone my palate and my pen. It’s where I take risks–with obscure wine styles, off-the-cuff tasting notes, and the occasional clumsy metaphor. It’s where I examine what makes a wine work (or not), and where it fits in the framework of everyday life.
The bottle reviews don’t drive a lot of traffic compared to other stuff I could be posting. But they’re where my writing voice feels the truest. Opening a bottle and giving it my full attention is a personal act of devotion. If those reviews played a role in this recognition, then I’m especially glad–because they represent the work that feels most authentic and essential.
My thanks to the judges, the sponsors, and everyone who has read and supported my writing so far!
Finalists will be announced in July, and the Awards will be broadcast live from London on September 9, 2026.
The complete longlist is available here.
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