Maria C Hunt had her first taste of sparkling wine at the age of 7, when she was accidentally sprayed as her cousin struggled to open a bottle. Since then, she has committed to learning about sparkling wines and sharing what she learns on her blog, The Bubbly Girl, and as an award-winning journalist and wine educator. Based in California, Hunt is a Culinary Institute of America Certified Wine Professional and has written for Esquire, Dwell, Architectural Digest, the New York Times, and Wine Enthusiast. Hunt is the author of The Bubbly Bar: Champagne + Sparkling Wine Cocktails for Every Occasion (Clarkson Potter, 2009) and The Smart Traveller’s Wine Guide: Napa Valley out on 1 June 2025.
How long have you been writing about wine?
I’ve been writing about wine for 25 years.
What’s the oldest wine you’ve ever tasted, and what was it like?
There was a Bordeaux from the 1940s or 1950s that I can’t recall; I was gifted a 1966 Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg Riesling Spätlese that was magical and surprisingly fresh and a 1966 Chateau Margaux that showed its pedigree.
If you had to drink wine from one region for the rest of your life, what would it be, and why?
I’d be very happy with the wines from France’s Loire region. Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc are both amazingly versatile and satisfying.
Who is/was your mentor?
Dori Wilson, my cousin, a model and Chicago publicist who had an amazing sense of style; Brenda Butler, my first freelance editor at the Chicago Tribune; and Jerry DiVecchio, the longtime food editor of Sunset magazine who I met recently when I was inducted into Les Dames d’Escoffier.
What is your greatest extravagance?
Nutrient-dense foods that support my health.
What do you consider the most over-used word or phrase in wine writing?
There are so many: age-worthy, collectible…words like these assume what’s important to the reader and overlook the emotional experience of tasting a wine.
Which wine-tasting talent would you most like to have?
Being able to know the region and year from just one sip.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
My perseverance in the wine industry.
What is your most treasured possession?
My intellect.
Which fictional character would you love to share a bottle with?
I’d rather share a bottle with a historic figure such as James Hemings, Ursula Granger or Mary Ellen Pleasant.
