Anya Spethmann
@anyaspethmann.bsky.social
Wine & words. Perpetual student.
I now so desperately want to hide away for a healthy stretch with good soup and high-acid whites.
A little countercultural, hedonistic, grounding, community-cultivating story
Seasonal Floundering and a Pairing to Punch It In the Face
Wine writers are supposed to write about food and wine pairings. So, here you go.
open.substack.com
December 2, 2025 at 10:36 PM
I now so desperately want to hide away for a healthy stretch with good soup and high-acid whites.
This is no commentary on the wine below, but I’m pretty sure JamesSuckling.com has given 93 points to a bottle of mouthwash at least once.
Alcohol-free wine is receiving critical acclaim. As the first still wine, Schloss Johannisberg Grünlack X was awarded 93 points by Stuart Pigott (for James Suckling). The wine is a "cuvée of wines from the 1960s, 1970s, and beyond”, costs €100, and is already sold out.
December 1, 2025 at 4:04 AM
This is no commentary on the wine below, but I’m pretty sure JamesSuckling.com has given 93 points to a bottle of mouthwash at least once.
Reposted by Anya Spethmann
This is one of the most depressing things I've ever read, and I read that poem your boyfriend wrote
November 30, 2025 at 7:55 PM
This is one of the most depressing things I've ever read, and I read that poem your boyfriend wrote
Reposted by Anya Spethmann
Or as Confucius said, and I quote, "if your version of a phrase is the one that actually gets remembered, you've won. Big ups to you, Zizek."
November 30, 2025 at 9:33 PM
Or as Confucius said, and I quote, "if your version of a phrase is the one that actually gets remembered, you've won. Big ups to you, Zizek."
Golly.
I was trying to track down the source of Gramsci's "time of monsters" quote and found that it's a "mistranslation" (ie he just made it up) by Slavoj Zizek. Gramsci's line clearly translates as "morbid symptoms" instead. Mad that you can just rewrite a famous quote and get it widely accepted.
December 1, 2025 at 1:59 AM
Golly.
Reposted by Anya Spethmann
Listen people to the Queen of Sherry. If you're telling people sherry is difficult YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG!
Just wanna say to all of you wine people constantly saying that sherry is a "hard sell"...just stop please. I get total converts everytime I meet people and do a sherry & tapas tasting...they are sold! They want to go home and buy sherry. They even want to do a home sherry party, just to show off.🥂
Say hola to our newest sherry converts: Linda and Darren from Manchester 🥂 Another fun and delicious #SherryTapasTasting at Casa Morales #sevilla #sherry #sherrylovers #sherryclass #azaharsherry #spain
azahar-sevilla.com/sevilletapas...
azahar-sevilla.com/sevilletapas...
November 29, 2025 at 2:52 PM
Listen people to the Queen of Sherry. If you're telling people sherry is difficult YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG!
Reposted by Anya Spethmann
Former Washington Post contributing columnist here — let’s help the Onion smash the Washington Post!
Hi everybody,
It's Black Friday, a big day for us at The Onion, since we rely almost entirely on your memberships.
Our goal for 2026? More print subscribers than the Washington Post.
This is, somehow, feasible.
So sign up! A year of print is $75 for the year today. Help us do a very funny thing.
It's Black Friday, a big day for us at The Onion, since we rely almost entirely on your memberships.
Our goal for 2026? More print subscribers than the Washington Post.
This is, somehow, feasible.
So sign up! A year of print is $75 for the year today. Help us do a very funny thing.
Join The Onion
Don’t just read the news. Feel it. Be among the first to feel the news.
membership.theonion.com
November 28, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Former Washington Post contributing columnist here — let’s help the Onion smash the Washington Post!
💕 Can we please make this a thing? A vastly superior option to fighting crowds or online traffic to buy unnecessary stuff that was never its non-sale price, anyway.
I abhor #BlackFriday, the day after we mark our gratitude for what we have. Celebrate #NoirFriday instead, as I have for a dozen years. Gather friends and family and open a few Pinot Noirs. It'll be the best deal of the day. Here is one from two of my favorite wine folks. #wine #winewriter #Winesky
November 28, 2025 at 3:10 PM
💕 Can we please make this a thing? A vastly superior option to fighting crowds or online traffic to buy unnecessary stuff that was never its non-sale price, anyway.
Exactly. I semi-confidently predict any AI-generated Alberta Whisky Act will be a hot mess one way or another.
This is a remarkably bad idea but not surprising that it's Alberta's government. Policy requires the kind of nuance AI lacks because AI draws upon frequency of information rather than credibility of information. Boy this will be interesting.
November 28, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Exactly. I semi-confidently predict any AI-generated Alberta Whisky Act will be a hot mess one way or another.
Reposted by Anya Spethmann
Counterpoint: The UCP government has no understanding of nuance anyway… let’s see how this goes
a group of people wearing face masks with the words yeah sure why the hell not on the bottom
ALT: a group of people wearing face masks with the words yeah sure why the hell not on the bottom
media.tenor.com
November 28, 2025 at 4:13 AM
Counterpoint: The UCP government has no understanding of nuance anyway… let’s see how this goes
Reposted by Anya Spethmann
we have to go back. to warn them.
November 28, 2025 at 2:49 AM
we have to go back. to warn them.
The Alberta government (not known for its wisdom) is using AI to draft the Alberta Whisky Act.
The entertainment possibilities here are, frankly, enticing.
globalnews.ca/news/1154415...
The entertainment possibilities here are, frankly, enticing.
globalnews.ca/news/1154415...
Alberta minister reportedly putting together first AI-generated legislation in Canada | Globalnews.ca
The Alberta government is about to take the next logical step in artificial intelligence — using it to draft a proposed law.
globalnews.ca
November 28, 2025 at 3:33 AM
The Alberta government (not known for its wisdom) is using AI to draft the Alberta Whisky Act.
The entertainment possibilities here are, frankly, enticing.
globalnews.ca/news/1154415...
The entertainment possibilities here are, frankly, enticing.
globalnews.ca/news/1154415...
Reposted by Anya Spethmann
I am a little tired of being yelled at for this but apparently not tired about: heroin addiction is not RFK’s problem. He’s a sociopath. Most addicts aren’t. Honestly, walk into an NA meeting, grab the first person with a few years to be head of HHS and they’d probably do a better job than Bobby.
This is what happens when you put a privileged, 14 year heroin addict in charge of health. Duh
November 27, 2025 at 12:15 AM
I am a little tired of being yelled at for this but apparently not tired about: heroin addiction is not RFK’s problem. He’s a sociopath. Most addicts aren’t. Honestly, walk into an NA meeting, grab the first person with a few years to be head of HHS and they’d probably do a better job than Bobby.
Ontario’s grocery chains have evil down to an art. www.thestar.com/politics/ont...
Deal reached to allow grocers to avoid accepting beer and wine empties
Ontario grocers and The Beer Store have reached an agreement-in-principle on alcohol recycling that will allow the retailers to avoid collecting empties at their stores.
www.thestar.com
November 26, 2025 at 10:13 PM
Ontario’s grocery chains have evil down to an art. www.thestar.com/politics/ont...
This offer goes for me too, but only if I get to specify the wine.
I get to wrap presents tonight.
Reminder, buy me wine I’ll wrap your presents.
Reminder, buy me wine I’ll wrap your presents.
November 26, 2025 at 1:08 AM
This offer goes for me too, but only if I get to specify the wine.
Neat.
"This is not a corporate project layered with social gloss – it is an ongoing cultural exchange"
The Buyer | Why Chile's Tayu Pinot Noir is such a ground-breaking wine project
What happens when you teach an indigenous community to grow vines? In Chile’s remote Malleco Valley, Viña San Pedro’s Tayu project brings together science, sustainability and the spirit of the Mapuche...
www.the-buyer.net
November 25, 2025 at 9:18 PM
Neat.
Reposted by Anya Spethmann
Fossil fuel enthusiasts keep arguing that we need to increase our exports of LNG and oil to address energy poverty in the developing world.
I call bullshit — and I bring my receipts. #abpoli #cdnpoli
www.nationalobserver.com/2025/11/25/o...
I call bullshit — and I bring my receipts. #abpoli #cdnpoli
www.nationalobserver.com/2025/11/25/o...
The energy poverty trap
Will more oil and gas production in Canada help alleviate energy poverty in the developing world? Of course not — but that hasn't prevented Danielle Smith and other industry champions from pretending ...
www.nationalobserver.com
November 25, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Fossil fuel enthusiasts keep arguing that we need to increase our exports of LNG and oil to address energy poverty in the developing world.
I call bullshit — and I bring my receipts. #abpoli #cdnpoli
www.nationalobserver.com/2025/11/25/o...
I call bullshit — and I bring my receipts. #abpoli #cdnpoli
www.nationalobserver.com/2025/11/25/o...
Hell is other people's Wordpress sites.
November 25, 2025 at 3:14 AM
Hell is other people's Wordpress sites.
There I was drinking decent pinot noir, waiting for a show to begin at 4 PM on a Sunday, and feeling every one of my years upon this planet.
Then Hawksley Workman broke into "Maniacs" and I wouldn't give a second of them back. Utterly magical.
Then Hawksley Workman broke into "Maniacs" and I wouldn't give a second of them back. Utterly magical.
November 23, 2025 at 11:46 PM
There I was drinking decent pinot noir, waiting for a show to begin at 4 PM on a Sunday, and feeling every one of my years upon this planet.
Then Hawksley Workman broke into "Maniacs" and I wouldn't give a second of them back. Utterly magical.
Then Hawksley Workman broke into "Maniacs" and I wouldn't give a second of them back. Utterly magical.
Turning on AI by default in a bookkeeping system is annoying but making it practically impossible to turn off is sus.
November 23, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Turning on AI by default in a bookkeeping system is annoying but making it practically impossible to turn off is sus.
This might act be the perfect fate for a celebrity branded Lambrusco but I will not be finding out first hand.
November 23, 2025 at 3:16 AM
This might act be the perfect fate for a celebrity branded Lambrusco but I will not be finding out first hand.
Clients who know when early-morning meetings can be an email instead 🫶
November 20, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Clients who know when early-morning meetings can be an email instead 🫶
Serious question: With the resurgence of Canadian nationalism, how has this *absolute banger* not become our de facto anthem? I want to hear it every time I'm boycotting U.S. lettuce at the grocery store.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnRI...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnRI...
True Patriot Love
YouTube video by Joel Plaskett - Topic
www.youtube.com
November 20, 2025 at 12:35 AM
Serious question: With the resurgence of Canadian nationalism, how has this *absolute banger* not become our de facto anthem? I want to hear it every time I'm boycotting U.S. lettuce at the grocery store.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnRI...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnRI...
Reposted by Anya Spethmann
Triple no thank you.
Beginning Monday, a Frozen Peppermint Hot Chocolate drink will be available exclusively at Starbucks cafés inside Target stores.
The chains are hoping the drink can drum up excitement from customers this holiday season.
🔗https://tinyurl.com/yrshv45s
The chains are hoping the drink can drum up excitement from customers this holiday season.
🔗https://tinyurl.com/yrshv45s
November 18, 2025 at 11:45 PM
Triple no thank you.