Do you read this newsletter every week and think “I could do that job”? Do you ever wish that instead of merely reading Drinking with Esther, you could actually be drinking with Esther?
If so, and if you’re an experienced journalist with an eye for compelling stories, a nose for scoops and typing hands that can handle quick deadlines, then I invite you to apply for a job with us. Last week, we announced that we’ll be hiring a Wine Reporter, who will work directly with me to expand our coverage of California’s infinitely fascinating wine scene.
This is a big deal for the state of wine journalism at large. By my count, The Chronicle will be the only newspaper in the country (maybe the world?) with two fulltime wine writers. That means we can delve deeper into the stories that the Bay Area’s wine industry illuminates. It means we’ll be able to make more recommendations to our readers about which bottles to buy and which wineries to visit. Does this excite you? Maybe you’re the one.
As my colleague Soleil Ho pointed out in her recent newsletter announcing the search for a second restaurant critic (that’s right — we’re hiring for two positions!), we are extremely, unspeakably lucky to be growing our team at a time when many newspapers are not able to invest in their food and wine coverage. The fact that we’re bringing on these two new restaurant and wine hires is a testament to The Chronicle’s longstanding commitment to the Food + Wine section. To whomever we hire, I can promise you that you’ll be joining an all-star team.
A warning, however. Writing about wine may sound glamorous, but it’s hard work (cue violin music here). The wine beat at The Chronicle involves reporting on wildfires, climate change, business mergers, politics, bar openings and yes, even what’s happening with White Claw. After all, the most important wine regions in the western hemisphere are in our backyard.
We work in a fast-paced news environment, and we’re held to the same standards as other Chronicle beat reporters. Yes, there is breaking wine news — quite a lot of it, in fact. We need a reporter who’s hungry to break it.
And here’s the good news. You do not need to have sommelier-level knowledge of wine in order to apply for this role. Ability to recite the levels of the German pradikat system is not a prerequisite (guess what? most of our readers have no idea what that sentence means, and we don’t cover German wine anyway). What you do need to have is a love of wine and a desire to learn more about it. Trust me, there’s no better wine school than reporting on the topic every day.
So if you think you could be the person for the job, here’s the link to apply. If you think you know someone who’s perfect for it, go ahead and forward this newsletter along to them. Any questions? Shoot me an email.
And for the rest of you, dear readers, get ready — because our wine coverage is about to get a lot more comprehensive and, I hope, a lot more fun.
Source: https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/wine/article/Are-you-The-Chronicle-s-next-wine-writer-16549504.php