About

Amanda Barnes is an award-winning British journalist and editor who specializes in wine and travel writing. She is an expert in South American wine and regions and a regular correspondent international wine and travel publications (including Decanter, Fodor’s, SevenFifty, The Guardian & The Telegraph). She is currently studying to become a Master of Wine and is author of the South America Wine Guide.

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Awards & Achievements

Geoffrey Roberts Award

Amanda was awarded the sought-after Geoffrey Roberts Award for her contribution to promoting and communicating New World wine. Awarded every two years, the award-winners are selected by a panel of experts for their contributions to the industry. She has used the award to partly fund the first edition of the South America Wine Guide.

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The Peter Hampson Memorial Prize 2018 & Derouet Jameson Prize 2019: WSET Diploma

Amanda was awarded two prestigious prizes during her WSET Diploma study for outstanding results. In 2018, she was awarded the Peter Hampson Memorial Prize to study a wine region for her outstanding results in the winemaking and viticulture unit of the exam. In 2019, she was awarded the Derouet Jameson Prize for achieving outstanding results on the completion of her Diploma and given the scholarship to start the Master of Wine qualification. 

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Millesima Blog Awards 2018

Amanda was the first blogger in the history of the awards to be selected by the judging panel as a finalist in all three categories – Wine Reporter, Food & Wine Writing, Travel & Wine Writing. She was then awarded as Food & Wine Writer of 2018 and spent a week in Bordeaux’s en primeur events as the prize. Amanda was also a finalist for Best Food & Wine Writing in 2017.

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Fellow at Wine Writers Symposium 2017

Amanda was awarded this exclusive fellowship at the Wine Writers Symposium in 2017 to attend in Napa Valley.

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Born Digital Wine Awards 2016

Amanda was awarded Best Wine & Travel Content in the Born Digital Wine Awards in 2016 for her writing at www.80harvests.com

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Wine Bloggers Conference – Scholarship

Awarded the Rodney Strong scholarship for the Wine Bloggers Conference 2016. In 2018, Amanda returns to the Wine Bloggers Conference as a presenter delivering a masterclass on Uruguay’s wine.

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Young Wine Writer of the Year Award 2012 & 2013

Amanda was shortlisted for this annual award based in the UK in November 2012 and 2013 and was announced as Runner Up for the Award at both awards ceremonies.

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Great Wine Capitals Blogger of the Year

Amanda was runner up for the Great Wine Capitals Blogger of the Year competition in 2014.

She has since become the Mendoza correspondent for Great Wine Capitals.

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Mendoza Winner Great Wine Capitals: Wine Republic Magazine

Wine Republic magazine won the Great Wine Capitals Mendoza award in 2014 for its contribution to communication on wine tourism during Amanda’s editorship.

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Member of Circle of Wine Writers

Invited and selected as a member of the UK’s wine writing circle. Amanda has been a member since October 2012. She is now the Editor of the Circle of Wine Writers monthly publication, since 2017.

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Presenter & Wine Judge

Amanda is, and has been, a wine judge and critic for the following panels:

• Decanter World Wine Awards & Decanter Magazine (UK)
• Michelangelo International Wine & Spirits Awards (South Africa)
• Erste Lagen Tasting (Austria)
• Mondial du Chasselas (Switzerland)
• Descorchados (Chile)
• International Wine & Spirits Challenge (UK)

Amanda has presented masterclasses and tutored tastings at:

• Vinexpo, Bordeaux (Wines of Uruguay)
• London Wine Fair (South America Masterclass, Circle of Wine Writers)
• Wine Bloggers Conference (USA, Wines of Uruguay)
• Private wine tasting and evening presentation in Zurich, London, Santiago, Mendoza

Work & Projects

Editor & Creator, Around the World in 80 Harvests: January 2016 – present

Award-winning global wine adventure visiting 80 wine regions around the world and present why they are each unique through articles, videos and photography.  Over five years Amanda is travelling to 80 wine regions, in 42 countries, in order to share regional guides and in-depth expert interviews from each region. The project encompasses well-known classic wine regions as well as exotic wine regions that are off-the-beaten-path. www.aroundtheworldin80harvests.com

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Editor & Creator, South America Wine Guide (formerly The Squeeze Magazine): January 2013 – present

Amanda developed and wrote the first online winery guide and app on Argentine and Chilean wineries, The Squeeze Magazine, for which she was awarded a place in the Start-Up Chile incubator program for entrepreneurs. The Squeeze Magazine developed into an important resource for wine and travel in the Southern Cone regularly organising tasting events and education on South American wine. In 2018, The Squeeze Magazine was rebranded South America Wine Guide to incorporate the wine regions and travel destinations of Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Brazil and Uruguay. The first edition of the South America Wine Guide book is being published in 2021. www.southamericawineguide.com

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Freelance Writer: May 2006 – present
Freelance writer for international travel and wine publications including Decanter, The Drinks Business, Daily.SevenFifty, Hugh Johnson’s Wine Guide (South America correspondent), The Telegraph, Oz Clarke’s Pocket Wine Book (Chile correspondent), Mr & Mrs Smith, Vivino, The Guardian, Wines of Chile, Berry Bros, Wine-Searcher, The Tasting Panel, Fodor’s travel guides (Chile & Argentina), Norwegian Air Magazine and Time Out among others. Sought-after specialist in South American wine since relocating to Mendoza, Argentina, in 2009.

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Editor, Wine Republic: February 2010 – January 2015
Bi-monthly English language wine and travel magazine based in Argentina with a printed distribution of 14,000 copies and an international electronic subscription of over 6,000. Amanda was Editor for five years and led the editorial, design and advertising team; managed and developed the website; and developed its local and international network. She organized the magazine’s first local commercial awards (which became annual) and started the first annual professional wine tasting in May 2010, as well as coordinating numerous social events.  Under her editorship, Wine Republic won the Great Wine Capitals Award for communication and tourism services in Mendoza.

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Editor, Playground Buenos Aires: January 2014 – January 2015
Amanda was headhunted by a VC to start a new english-language magazine for tourists and expats in the city (30,000 copies/bi-monthly) featuring articles on different aspects of life and experiences in Buenos Aires and further afield. As well as editing and writing responsibilities she conceptualized the magazine and was a key adviser in distribution, advertising, printing and recruitment, and manages a team of designers, writers and administrative assistants.

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Editor, Alton Post Gazette and sister titles: June 2007 – September 2009
After graduating from University Amanda started as a junior reporter at this weekly local newspaper. Working on four titles she wrote on all aspects of local news: politics, crime and local features as well as writing for the arts and leisure pages. In April 2008 she was promoted to Editor and led a small editorial team and was responsible for training new reporters and staff. Proven ability to manage a team, handle pressure and produce four weekly titles with a combined circulation of 30,000. Amanda also completed her National Qualification in Journalism, the highest-level journalism qualification in the UK, through personal study during full-time employment.

Other experience from July 2003:
Amanda dedicated herself to work experience in local newspapers each Summer, wrote as a King’s College correspondent for the largest student newspaper in the UK (London Student) and wrote freelance for various online travel publications.

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Qualifications:

NCE (fully qualified), National Council for the Training of Journalists: Nov 2007 – July 2009
Awarded NCE in July 2009 after passing all NCE and NCTJ Preliminary examinations and portfolios through distance learning over two years. This is the highest British journalism standard which includes all aspects of reporting including the study of law and politics, writing skills and 100wpm shorthand.

BA Hons Comparative Literature, King’s College London: Sep 2004 – May 2007
Achieved a 2:1 (68) for undergraduate study of Comparative Literature: studying world literature, translation and different cultures at one of the UK’s leading universities (top 3 at the time for Literature).

WSET: Diploma. Wines & Spirits Educational Trust 
Amanda has completed her WSET Diploma and graduated in January 2019. She was awarded two prizes for her outstanding results during the Diploma.

The Institute of Masters of Wine
Currently a Year 1 student for the prestigious Master of Wine qualification.

Additional Information:

• Speaks fluent Spanish and a bit of Italian and Portuguese (and wine words in French)
• Has achieved a speed of 100 words per minute in Teeline shorthand (and her own Spanish version)
• Full British driving license and a few hours flight time as an aeroplane pilot and skydiver
• Once tasted over 200 sausages as a judge in The Great Hampshire Sausage Competition
• Previous hobbies include boxing, flamenco and the drums. Today she is more preoccupied with wine
• Has taken cookery courses in Italian and Argentine cuisine, Indian BBQ, a butchery course, and a master class in Japanese Whisky

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From the horse’s mouth…

“Hailing from a quaint hamlet in Hampshire, England, I’ve always dreamed of ‘exotic’ places from a young age. At first London was enough to suffice for my University years along with frequent trips and travels in Europe. After a couple years working as a reporter and later editor of regional newspapers in Southern England, my wandering feet and eyes adjusted to a new horizon a bit farther…

“Since September 2009 I’ve been living in and exploring South America based between Mendoza, Argentina, and Santiago, Chile, where the dynamically growing wine world has kept me captivated. In 2016 I also started on a global venture to the wine regions around the world with 80 Harvests.

“I have a very fresh-eyed approach to meeting new people, trying a different wine or devouring a new dish, and I think this hunger for life is what keeps me eager to continue exploring and sharing those new experiences through writing. I believe the only way to really learn and write about something is to jump right in and get your hands a little dirty.”