We are thrilled to welcome wine writer Joelle Thomson to the BeautyEQ team. She could not live in a better spot to review the latest New Zealand wines than from her home in sunny Martinborough in Wairarapa. Trudi Brewer shares a slice of Joelle Thomson’s life.
Photographer Rebecca Kempton
Writing about wine, until Joelle Thomson filed her first column in 1994, was strictly a man’s domain. But for Thomson, who now has 15 wine books under her belt, the only way to truly hit that glass ceiling was to be the best. After securing the UK's Wine & Spirit Education Trust level four diploma - (the highest qualification a wine writer can arm herself with), today, those doubters have become her friends and peers. Thomson continues to review wine and divides her time between marketing and educating as the programme director for Wellington-based Regional Wine & Spirits. And now joins BeautyEQ as our wine expert. Read on to learn more.
CAREER
How long have you been writing about wine?
An embarrassingly long time; 26 years. I started in 1994 at the Capital Times newspaper and wrote a weekly column. It has flown by because I love it.
What's a typical working day for you?
Good question. I usually begin each day with a walk for at least 30 minutes, a takeout coffee, home to the YouTube 7-Minute Workout, and then writing. I usually work three days as a wine adviser to Regional Wines & Spirits in Wellington, which means lots of tastings, planning, and marketing events. The other two weekdays are spent at my home office or travelling to wine regions.
What attracted you to work in such a male-dominated industry?
I had no idea it was until I was up to my neck in decadent wine lunches and wine samples arriving thick and fast. I could also say ignorance is bliss because I was genuinely surprised to discover so many older men and very few women in the wine industry when I first began writing. Many of them were surprised that a young female would tread on their turf, so it wasn't all plain sailing.
What is the biggest challenge you've had to overcome?
I was young, and I approached wine writing as a journalist who loved wine rather than as a wine expert. I have since rectified that, publishing 15 wine books and writing about wine for nearly every mainstream newspaper in this country. I now have the UK's Wine & Spirit Education Trust level four diploma - the highest qualification - which helped.
The stack of books Thomson has written over the years and her home office
I am a big fan of...
Tim Atkin. He's an English journalist, wine writer, and also a Master of Wine. His writing is accessible, intelligent and often tongue in cheek. I like his style; we are also like-minded in our wine and literary tastes, so it's nice to look up to such a talented person whom I can now regard as a friend.
Wine and cheese are ageless companions; what’s your favourite combo?
Dry Riesling with fresh goat's cheese - I love the Drunken Nanny Goat Lemony Lush cheese from Martinborough, it's an amazingly clean tasting and refreshing cheese. Just like a good Riesling wine.
What is your favourite wine to drink on a winter's day by the fire?
Red, usually Pinot Noir, preferably with some age. I love North Canterbury Pinot Noirs when they are at least six years old. These wines are so underrated and totally wow me, from the humbly priced Crater Rim From the Ashes for $15 to the big blockbusters from Pegasus Bay.
Nothing beats a North Canterbury Pinot Noir with cheese and olives
What is your best wine tip, you find yourself sharing often?
Try something new. Expand your horizons. Spend $5 to $10 more than you usually would; it will soon reveal some great flavours and nice surprises.
Thomson and her partner moved into their country home on Christmas Eve 2019 and spent the recent lockdown finally settling in.
“I love North Canterbury Pinot Noirs when they are at least six years old. These wines are so underrated and totally wow me.”
Thomson at home with, Patsy
HOME
Favourite room in your home and why?
Our hallway, my favourite artworks hang there, and I can see from the dining table. It's still early days in this house (we moved in on 23 December 2019), so we are still figuring out where everything goes. The kitchen is my second fave because of the little sofa in the corner with my gorgeous cushions on it. I usually love cooking, but after lockdown and seven weeks of solid home cooking, I'm a little over the stove at the moment.
What makes a stylish interior?
Freshness and surprise. I love the look of old and new together. A couple of years ago, I refurbished my grandparents' oak furniture, sanding it back and gently finishing it with a low-sheen clear gloss. It looks gorgeous with my Kartell Italian lamps and art. I loathe clutter—it makes me feel confined.
What do you collect?
Lamps, wine, books, and plants, but I'm always editing. Bubbles, Riesling and Chenin Blanc are my favourite dry whites, and I love collecting them with screw caps because it preserves their freshness, so I know it's worth keeping them for a few years - when my willpower allows. I've got two temperature-stable wine fridges. Unfortunately, I probably need a lock on the most special one for late nights with friends when we feel like 'that extra special bottle' we don't need… but life is short too, not to drink great wine. We're here for a good time since we certainly not here a long time.
What would you never be without at home?
Lamps and fragrance. I love subdued, relaxing lamplight rather than an intense overhead light. Scent can be calming and refreshing, and since I train my nose for the world of wine, I love beautiful aromas.
BEAUTY
What does beauty mean to you?
Beauty comes from within. Looking after our well-being impacts how beautiful we are on the outside as well.
What was your last beauty buy?
A bottle of Maison Louis Marie - No. 04 Bois de Balincourt fragrance; it smells fresh and earthy, and I'm a sucker for the blend of sandalwood, vetiver, and cinnamon. It makes me feel like I've just walked to the top of a mountain and can breathe in that fresh air.
“It makes me feel like I’ve just walked to the top of a mountain, and can breathe in that fresh air.”
Maison Louis Marie - No. 04 Bois de Balincourt
What's your beauty indulgence?
A keratin hair straightening treatment. I have insanely curly red hair, and it makes me feel a million dollars without having to spend quite that much.
Photography Rebecca Kempton.
In her gorgeous Eastern Bays home.