(Manfred Klimek / Editorial team / pic: royaltyfree)
There’s always a good time to pause and reflect. For Wineparty, that moment has now arrived. As of today, we’re taking a summer break, which will last until 1 September. There will be one exception: the in-depth wine features for *WELT am SONNTAG* will, of course, continue to appear here (particularly the Markgräflerland articles). And should anything happen in the world of wine that nobody should miss, we’ll be in touch. Otherwise, however, we’re taking a break. Because we’re getting ready for autumn.
Because when Wineparty returns in early September, it will be a different one.
Not in terms of journalism – that will remain exactly as it is. Wineparty 3.0 will have a new look; it’ll be clearer, more modern and, at the same time, even more focused on what has been important to us from the very beginning: precise writing, clear opinions and the conviction that wine is far more than just a drink. At the same time, the Drink app will also launch with a new look, which we’ve been working on for many months. It will add a whole new dimension to Wineparty and link our content more closely to the world of wine, bars and restaurants.
Above all, however, this autumn we will be taking a step that even major media organisations have not yet dared to take. The digital media world has been debating for years how quality journalism can be funded in the future. Many talk about it. Few actually make a difference. We have decided not to wait any longer for others to provide the answers. Wineparty will be trialling a new model. One that gives readers the greatest possible freedom whilst, at the same time, linking good journalism directly to its value once again. Will it work? We don’t know that today. But we’re convinced that innovation always begins where someone is prepared to take a calculated risk.
Incidentally, that has always been the story of wine, too. Every significant development began with people who were prepared to go against convention. New grape varieties, new winemaking techniques, organic viticulture, natural wine, low-alcohol wines – none of these came about because everyone was immediately enthusiastic. They came about because a few people had the courage to try something new.
We want to preserve this courage as a media outlet too.
Wineparty was never intended to be merely a news platform. We have always been interested in the stories behind the bottles, the people behind the wineries, and the cultural shifts that are often visible in the world of wine before they appear elsewhere. That will not change in the future. On the contrary. We intend to pursue this idea even more consistently.
Until then, we wish you a summer that offers exactly what wine has stood for for millennia: time. Conversation. Friends. A good meal. Perhaps a bottle you’ve been meaning to open for ages. Or maybe just a simple glass under a shady tree. Wine knows no hierarchies. It works wherever people come together.
We’ll see you again on 1 September.
With new ideas.
With fresh energy.
And with Wineparty 3.0. 🍷