Wine is my profession, but moderation is my starting point. I taste a lot, I write about it, and I deliberately drink less. That sounds contradictory for someone who spends his days among the bottles. It is exactly why VinoVonk exists.
Who I am
I am Jeroen Vonk, a wine journalist and educator. I built my knowledge through WSET Level 3 and CIVC Level 4, the Champagne qualification run by the Comité Champagne in Épernay. I do not use that background to hand out scores. I use it to give context: where a wine comes from, how it was made, and what that means for the glass in front of you.
How I work
I do not give points. A number reduces a wine to a ranking, and you learn little from that. Instead I describe what I taste in plain prose, with attention to origin and technique. My tasting notes read like a story, not a form with nose, palate and finish in separate boxes.
Where I do use figures, they come from the field: IWSR, Silicon Valley Bank, the Wine Market Council. Data over gut feeling.
Sparks
On my podcast Sparks I talk with winemakers, importers and the people shaping the trade. Not interviews full of superlatives, but conversations about the choices and the craft behind them. You can listen to Sparks at vinovonk.com/sparks.
What it comes down to
Drink less, choose better. That is not a marketing line but an attitude. Drink less and you can afford a better bottle, and you taste more deliberately. That is what I want to help with, through honest writing without hype.