I mean, sure, most brothers don’t listen to their sisters about anything. But he definitely knows what I do for a living.

He’s read the articles (I assume). He’s watched the reels (I think). He’s even attended some of the tastings (and didn’t appear to be asleep). Most importantly though, he’s tasted the good wine. Wine that I’ve opened carefully; that I’ve said a couple of lines about as I pour (acutely aware of not saying too much, as to not overwhelm or put off). Wine that he’s remarked upon, with an insightful phrase, such as: “That’s nice.”

Non-wine people always know good wine. It’s because good wine is harmonious in the mouth; it is quietly perfect. It stops the conversation – just briefly. Momentarily, it takes centre stage, rather than being the background music, which is how I’ve come to see generic, homogeneous, commercial wines.

There’s nothing wrong with enjoying commercial wines, by the way; they are designed to have mass appeal. That’s the point of them. It’s the same with commercially-made anything – music, fashion, whatever. Things made fast, made cheap, made to hit the spot. Not everyone wants nuance.

But sometimes we want to feel something more – or, at least, something different. Something that hits us at soul level. Something that’s been made with care, made slowly, made from a vision, made from the heart. These things cost more, but the experience is the reason why so many of us feel it’s worth it.

How do you communicate that? For a long time in wine communication, “that” has been received as this – pretentious, over the top and expensive, rather than special, thrilling and excellent value.

Beyond the liquid

Most good wine is excellent value. Let’s take a £20 bottle from an independent wine merchant. That £20 goes so much further than people think. It’s stuff like trying to farm the land with a conscience and avoiding harsh chemical sprays on the vines. It’s healthier grapes with layers of flavours and aromas, resulting in little or no intervention in the winery. It’s employing a skilled team and paying that team fairly. It’s investing in high-quality ageing vessels and releasing the wine when it’s ready, rather than quickly churning out enhanced or corrected wines that taste the same year after year. And it’s supporting the madcaps who choose to make wine for a living to keep making interesting, delicious bottles for us to enjoy.

But you probably know all of this because you’re reading this column. The people wine communicators communicate to already have an interest in wine. They’re already trading up. I know that about the people I communicate to because they found me – I didn’t find them. They met me where I was, not the other way around.

Wine as a drink is not niche, but wine as an interest is. Take something like knitting, for example. I don’t get knitting content on my Instagram feed. Sure, I like a nice woolly jumper in the winter as much as the next person, but something would have to shift in me to start seeking out a breathable eyelet mesh for the summer months. The knitterati would have to find me, because I’m not typing ‘diamond leaf stitch’ into my search bar right now.

So, the question is: how do I find my brother and people like him? He’s a dad to young kids. He’s at family festivals. He’s at the supermarket. He’s at the gym. He’s in the car. He’s listening to the radio; he’s listening to podcasts; he might dabble on social media a bit. But he’s not looking at or listening to wine content. I need to go to where he is.

And, when I get there, I won’t be telling him not to buy the £4 wine. It’s not about making people feel bad for buying cheap wine. Sometimes you just want something to wash down the kids’ leftover fusilli. Let’s also not overlook that trading up your wine costs significantly more money. Sure, there’s the “drink less, but drink better” trend, but what if you don’t want to drink less? And, what if you don’t want to pay more? Yet the soul knows what’s good. I don’t know if you can taste the ethics or the care in a wine, but whatever it is, a well-made wine tastes better and we all know it. We just need wine communication to leave the cosy corner and get out into the wild.