Handshake

Hello! Thanks to those who have followed (and even subscribed) to this Substack, despite 17 debut months of deafening silence.

This will change. Slowly, initially; later – we’ll see.

Here’s how it all works.

I write a monthly column for Decanter, and I write the ‘One Bottle’ column in every issue of the quarterly World of Fine Wine. These columns will continue to appear until the editors (Amy Wislocki at Decanter and Neil Beckett at World of Fine Wine) decide that they and their readers have had enough AJ, or until I feel that the quality of my own writing is thinning and growing repetitive.

Access is initially limited to subscribers … but in most cases, the magazines eventually post the columns on a promotional basis. At that point, I try to post links via my LinkedIn account.

This is around 25%-35% of my working time, depending on research requirements. Tasting (for Decanter World Wine Awards, for World of Fine Wine, and for other events and competitions, notably in Latvia and Georgia), including writing introductions to those tastings and competitions, account for another 20-25%. Education (notably wine-tour guiding for Wine Scholar Guild, as well as some lecturing and writing work) and consultancy (for one client only – Sketch restaurant in London) account for another 30%. The rest is ad hoc work.

My wife and I have two sons, both still in full-time education.

Once they are economically fully fledged, I will cut back on some of this paid work and liberate time for other writing, much of which will (I hope) appear on Substack.

A few of you know that I have, since 2011, posted a 3-line short text of around 17 syllables weekly, initially (and substantially) on Twitter. Publication on Twitter ceased with Musk ownership and the rebrand as X but continued on Mastodon and Threads. By my count, the 1,000^th short text will be published on 28^th June 26, and the series will then cease. My brother Michael and I plan to publish a book-length selection of these short texts, which he will illustrate. When this happens, I will provide details on Substack and LinkedIn. The complete set will be available as a Word document on request from July onwards.

I formerly had accounts on Facebook and Instagram but ceased contributing to these when Mark Zuckerberg bent the knee to Trump and hymned ‘masculine energy’ as being something the world needed more of. There will be no further posts on Threads or Instagram. I use Facebook only for re-posting urgent campaigning messages from Oxfam and Amnesty International.

I will use Substack for writing on a wide variety of topics.

Yes, I will write about wine – emotionally, or to say things about wine which I cannot say elsewhere. I will write about wine people and wine places, though my columns will continue to be the primary outlet for this material.

I will write about politics, trying not to repeat that which is much-repeated elsewhere. (No rants.)

I will write about literature (using quotations) and music. Perhaps occasionally philosophy.

I will write about nature and the natural world. There may be a few photographs, but I’m a technophobe so it won’t look very slick.

I will write about existential matters, notably death. Perhaps trivial matters also.

The pace will initially be slow, as I am unhappy about using the little spare time I have in front of a screen, and would prefer to be running or walking. This pace should change: my assumption is that I will still be writing here once I have ceased to write everywhere else. Please forgive technical ineptitudes. I will try not to bore you. Thank you.