27: Gripping Wine Stories with San Francisco Chronicle Wine Columnist Esther Mobley

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, we’re chatting with Esther Mobley, on the gripping stories that catapulted her to become the columnist for one of the most prestigious wine columns in North America, the San Francisco Chronicle, at just 24 years of age. Enjoy!

Highlights

• How did Esther’s college admissions essay end up in the New York Times?
• Should wine writers all experience winemaking?
• What has changed about California winemaking since Esther started writing for the San Francisco Chronicle in 2015?
• What is Esther’s opinion on natural wine and its growing popularity?
• How did Esther connect with Alecia “P!nk” Moore and end up interviewing her?
• What does the $315 million sale of Meiomi wines mean for the wine industry?
• Can a brand be authentic without owning a vineyard?
• What are some interesting insights that Esther uncovered in her exploration of food and wine pairing with Ali Bouzari?

About Esther Mobley

Esther Mobley is a staff writer at the San Francisco Chronicle. She writes primarily about wine, and her beat also includes beer, spirits, drinking culture and, occasionally, doughnuts. In her regular Drink Up column, she reviews Bay Area bars. Before joining The Chronicle, Mobley was an assistant editor at Wine Spectator magazine in New York. She has worked two harvests, in Napa, California and Mendoza, Argentina. She studied English literature at Smith College.

To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.