I began writing about wine in the early eighties and have, over the years, in addition to some thirty guide books that I published as the chief editor, written almost a thousand articles in numerous magazines and various languages. The first were researched long before internet and portable phones were available. Moreover, travel at that time was not nearly as easy as it is today, often along poorly maintained back roads. In addition, in many of the now popular growing regions there was nary a hotel or restaurant for what many now consider to be the necessary minimum of creature comforts. In those early days, I took my notes with pencil on paper. Once back in my office, I drafted my articles on an old typewriter and sent the original to my editor by snail mail, keeping only a carbon copy for my files. Included below is a smalll selection of a few of those pieces organised by the title of the individual publication. With any luck, I’ll gradually flesh out the collection in order to have a more complete digital record.
Alles-Über-Wein was, for a generation of readers, Germany’s leading wine magazine.
When it first appeared in 1982, Alles-Über-Wein quickly established itself as Germany’s leading wine magazine. At its peak, it had a print run of 60,000 copies. In 1990, I began writing for the publication with Armin Diel. Shortly thereafter, our articles were highlighted as a separate, twenty four page section featured as a wine guide within the magazine. This format continued until 2007 when Alles-Über-Wein was sold to Vinum. Here are a few articles in German from those halcyon days.
Appetite was a well-established food, wine and lifestyle magazine with its finger on the culinary pulse of Singapore.
Despite being well-received and winning second place for food magazines in the 2013 Magazine of the Year awards, Appetite was shut down in early 2014 due to lack of advertising revenue. I only wrote three short pieces for the publication.
Bar was one of the first mixology magazines on the German market.
Although beer and spirits, as the name implies, were the focus of this magazine, I wrote a column about wine in each issue of the Bar magazine from 1997 to 1999
Corriere Vinicolo is the leading wine business publication in Italy.
Since 1928, the Corriere Vinicolo has appeared weekly in Italy to shed light on any- and everything that effects the wine trade. I have often written for this publication about how things that happen in Germany might have an impact on Italian producers.
Capital is Germany’s leading business publication, similar to the Economist, Forbes or the Financial Times.
The business publication, Capital, is where my writing career began on a more regular basis in the 198os and where it then slowly germinated. A series of 36 monthly articles written with Armin Diel later lead to Alles-Über-Wein and then the Gault Millau Wein Guide.
Decanter is certainly the most well-known English wine publication.
Printed in Great Britain, Decanter tows a line quite different from its American counterparts and has established an international following. I have written numerous features for this publication over the years, including the three below.
Falstaff has long been Austria’s leading wine magazine. Printed in a lifestyle format, it now also has a German edition.
After Alles-Über-Wein and Wein Gourmet ceased to exist, Falstaff has since 2010 ventured more prominently onto the German market in an attempt to be the leading wine publication in German. I wrote quite a number of pieces for them, including this trio on wines from the Far East, until a conflict of issues with my other publishers forced we to limit my exposure here.
Gault Millau Magazine was a food and wine publication run for many years in collaboration with the guide below.
Although it ceased operations after the chief editor of the magazine escaped to Switzerland with all the profits, for a number of years there was a popular food and wine publication of the same name as the guide. As the chief editor of the guide, I wrote both monthly columns and numerous pieces for the magazine as well.
Gault Millau Wine Guide was for a generation of readers the leading guide to German wines.
German Wine Review was a publication launched by Wines of Germany to promote the country’s culture abroad.
Although the German Wine Review only existed for a few years, it was an instrumental voice for German wines at an important time. There were was not much being written about them elsewhere at this critical moment when dry Riesling was becoming fashionable…again.
Indian Wine Academy was the first source of information on wine in India.
In 2003 Subhash Arora founded the Indian Wine Academy to promote wine culture in India though tastings, courses, wine dinners and numerous articles. As a friend, I often wrote short pieces for his site when I visited him in New Delhi.
Küche in German means kitchen and this publication is, as the name implies, about food and wine.
Founded in the 19th century, this publication is the voice of the German association of professional chefs. I wrote numerous articles for them over the years, including a series on all of the wine growing regions in the New World. The three below were part of that collection.
Meininger’s Wine Business International was one of the first truly international wine business publications.
Established in the fall of 2006 with the goal of being a truly international wine business publication, this magazine quickly became a point of reference for people involved in the business of wine at an global level. I was for three years its first chief editor and wrote numerous pieces for each issue of the magazine. When I stepped down, Felicity Carter and Robert Joseph took responsibility for its contents. Of late, Anja Zimmer has also joined the team.
Magnum was the first publication in Russia dedicated to fine wine.
While I was the chief editor of Meininger’s Wine Business International, I met Igor Serdyuk, one of the leading Russian leading wine journalists. He wrote about the Russian market for us and asked me to write the occasional piece about Germany for his magazine.
Relais & Châteaux is the magazine published by the well known chain of luxury hotels and restaurants.
I was working at Gala in Aachen as a wine butler when I became Germany’s best sommelier. As our restaurant was a member of Relais & Châteaux, their editor asked me to write a number of pieces for their magazine.
Revue du Vin de France is the leading wine magazine for French consumers.
While Michel Bettane was the chief editor, I wrote a number of small pieces in French for this magazine. However, that was long before the digital era. I thus no longer have any trace of them, but did find this from a conference that I did with them at Vinexpo years later.
Sommelier India is the leading publication on wine in India.
Based in New Delhi, Sommelier has established itself as the leading publication on wine in India. The name hints that it is written for the trade, in particular those working in restaurants, but it is mainly read by affluent consumers. I have helped editor Reva Singh establish an international team and also regularly write articles, columns and opinion pieces for the magazine.
Stern is the largest and most well known weekly news magazine in Germany.
As a weekly news magazine similar to Time in the United States, wine is not generally a topic that is covered on a regular basis. However, they have asked me from time to time to write articles on subjects that they found worth sharing with their readers.
Steve Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar was for many years one of the great wine newsletters in the United States.
Established in the same year as Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, Steve Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar was for years the other great wine newsletter in the United States. Although not as widely circulated, he had an avid following of wine lovers and collectors who respected his opinion. In any case, it was certainly the more well-researched and edited of the two publications. In 2010, under Antonio Galloni’s influence, it merged with Vinous.
Vinous was launched by Antonio Galloni in 2013 when he left the Wine Advocate.
Antonio Galloni originally planned to take over Robert Parker’s newsletter, where he was then working, but founded this website in 2013 when the Wine Advocate was instead sold to Chinese investors. When he later merged with Steve Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar, I continued writing articles for several years, but given my other responsibilities never joined the core team.
Vinum Magazine is the leading Swiss wine publication and has now become considerably more active in Germany.
For many years, Alles-Über-Wein, Vinum and Weinwelt were the three dominant consumer wine magazines published in German. Founded in 1980 in Zurich, and originally focused only on the Swiss market, Vinum purchased Alles-Über-Wein in 2005 in order to have a better access to the larger German market. That was where most of my work had been appearing for almost twenty years. Since then, I have written most of my articles in German primarily for this magazine and then, ten years later, brought the Gault Millau Wine Guide to Vinum as well.
Vinum Wine Guide was first published in only 2018, but has already established itself as the leading guide to German wine.
When the French owner in Paris sold Gault Millau to Russians in 2017, I left with my team to launch the Vinum Wine Guide, which has now become the leading guide in Germany. Although still actively involved, and currently working on the 2026 edition, which will be my 33rd, I stepped down as chief editor four years ago. Below are a few forwards from my final years in that position.
Weinfeder, which means something like “Wine Quill”, is the association of German wine writers.
I was a founding member of this association and have written various pieces for our journal over the course of the years.
Weinwelt is the consumer wine magazine from the Meininger group, the largest wine publisher on continental Europe.
Weinwelt is the consumer wine magazine from the Meininger publishing group, whose principal business is the Weinwirtschaft and Mundus Vini. I wrote regularly for this publication during the three years that I was the chief editor of Meininger’s Wine Business International.
World of Fine Wine is the leading international magazine on fine wine. You should be subscribing to it.
The World of Fine Wine is a British quarterly published since 2004 for a wealthy audience of wine enthusiasts and collectors. With longer, more in-depth features, credible tastings and less advertising it is not so much a consumer magazine, but rather the first cultural journal of the wine world. It is my favourite magazine.
Wine in China is, as the name implies, a consumer magazine for Chinese readers.
Since I wrote for them over ten years ago, this publication has evolved and is now known as Fine Wine and Liquor.
Wine Press China was under Chantal Chi and Martin Hao the leading wine magazine for aspiring consumers in China.
Based in Shanghai, Wine Press quickly established itself as one of the leading consumer wine publications in mainland China. I helped chief editor Martin Hao and guest editor Chantal Chi establish an international team and regularly wrote articles, columns and opinion pieces for the now defunct magazine.
Wine Review is the only magazine in Korea with both an online and a print format.
As they also host the Korean Wine Challenge, this magazine is taken seriously not only by the trade, but also by producers who wish to promote their wines in Korea. I have written for this publication on and off for some ten years.
Winies was founded by Jeong-mi Kim to promote wine culture in Korea.
I met Jamie, as she is called in English, in Bordeaux at the first tastings of the 2010 vintage for the international press and, as she had no car, escorted her to Latour, Lafite and Margaux. Since then we have remained in contact. She has helped me organise tastings of Germany’s finest wines in Seoul and, as you can see below, asked me to write for her magazine.