More than 120 press samples received. Zero verdicts bought. Anyone who pays is named in the article. That is the short version. The long version follows, so you know what you are getting into.
What I like to receive
Bottles that fit what I write about. Champagne and other sparkling wine, sherry, Greek wine, alcohol-free wine and drinks, and wine made organically, biodynamically or regeneratively. Anything else is welcome too, but the odds of an article are lower; I write about what I would open myself.
One bottle per cuvée is enough. A set of three or four related wines, a vertical or the range of one house, often works better than a single bottle, because it gives a story rather than a tasting note.
The ground rules
- No payment. A press sample is a bottle, nothing more. No invoice changes hands, in either direction.
- No guarantee of publication. I write about what interests me. A bottle that leaves me cold goes unreviewed.
- No preview. You get a fact check on the wine data, never on the verdict.
- A negative verdict is possible. If the wine disappoints, the article says so, with the reason.
- The label is on the article. Every review of a press sample states at the bottom that the bottle was sent and that the verdict is independent. See the editorial policy.
- No scores. I give no points or stars, so there is nothing to put on a shelf talker. What you can do: quote from the article, with attribution.
How it works in practice
- Email first through the contact form, subject "Send a sample". Say which wine, which vintage and why it belongs on VinoVonk.
- You get the address back by email. Do not ship unannounced; parcels I do not know about cannot be received.
- I taste by the tasting methodology: at temperature, in a clean glass, often on two occasions.
- Allow four to eight weeks between receipt and article. Sometimes faster, for a topical subject; sometimes longer, when the bottle fits better in a larger piece.
What you get back
On publication: an article in Dutch and in English, with wine data, tasting note and verdict. I send you the link. If a Dutch shop or importer sells the bottle, it is listed and the review also appears on that shop's page under Where to buy. Social media sometimes follows, not always, and is not part of the arrangement.
Frequently asked questions
Can I read the article before it goes live?
No. You do get a fact check: producer, cuvée, vintage, grapes, alcohol and price are put to you before publication. The verdict and the text are not.
What happens if the wine disappoints?
Then the article says so, with the reason. A bottle that leaves me cold may also go unreviewed; I would rather write about what interests me than knock something for the sake of it. Both outcomes are possible and I do not announce them in advance.
Can I pay for a review?
No. Paid collaborations exist, but they cover a subject or a format, never the verdict, and the article carries a red banner. See work with me.
For campaigns, workshops and paid formats: work with me and the media kit.