as the english wine trade faces a debt-fuelled crossroads and france prepares to uproot thousands of hectares of historic viticulture, this week we dig into the reality behind the press releases.

we sit down with richard siddle, co-founder of the buyer and former harpers editor, to discuss his journey from optics to becoming a key voice in trade journalism. siddle shares vulnerable expertise on how the industry actually buys and sells, why ai lacks the guts for true analysis, and surviving redundancy. an honest look at global trends moving the needle in commercial winemaking and trade logistics.

skip the generic wine fluff and try not to get the sack.

[00:00] – intro: bank holiday vibes and the reality of redundancy.

[01:09] – news: english wine at a crossroads, debt, exports, and the price of growth.

[03:28] – news: national careers week and the breadth of hospitality.

[04:35] – news: france uprooting 28,000 hectares and the tragedy of old vines.

[06:11] – introducing richard siddle: trade journalist and co-founder of the buyer.

[07:18] – the journey from optics to grocery retail to harpers.

[09:24] – the birth of the buyer: finding a gap in the market with peter dean.

[11:32] – actual news vs. press releases: setting a different agenda.

[13:53] – defining the role of the buyer in the producer-to-glass chain.

[15:10] – interview highlights: sir john hegarty at the groucho club.

[16:22] – the difficult ones: terry leahy and lord rose.

[17:46] – the ai impact: why interpretation and "guts" still matter more than facts.

[21:32] – how ai might encourage braver, more risky journalism.

[22:38] – personal life: liverpool fc, family, and the south african cricket mishap.

[25:51] – wine dinners: why the reverential atmosphere is often "painful".

[28:01] – the perfect pour: wine at home, guinness in the pub.

[28:56] – why everyone calls him "chief" (and the chief constable story).

[31:00] – post-interview recap: the "journalist's angle" on wine.

[31:40] – vineyard update: blending light reds and the stress of frostwatch.

[32:27] – brad’s week: wine society tasting and matt gant.

[33:59] – wrap-up: football round tables and substack community reviews.