Welcome to Maker’s Table.
I’m Meg Maker, an American writer, artist, and educator curious about nature, culture, food, wine, and place. Those topics permeate my work, but I’m equally curious about the craft of writing itself.
Maker’s Table is a commingling of these interests. It features essays, profiles, and criticism about wine and food, illustrated with my own artwork and photography. It also includes reflections and insights on the craft of narrative food writing.
Maker’s Table originally launched in February 2008 with a focus on wine criticism and producer profiles. The site rapidly became a respected voice in independent wine journalism, with my feature writing collecting various awards and accolades and mentions in the New York Times, Washington Post, Jancisrobinson.com, and elsewhere. In 2025, shortly after migrating to Substack, the publication was also recommended by The Wall Street Journal.
Today, the Maker’s Table archives contain hundreds of stories about wine, regions, and producers, plus reflective essays on the nature of wine, writing, and wine writing.
Why subscribe
Readers are a writer’s life blood. Reader comments and messages teach me what readers care about and whether my stories hit the mark. Subscriptions show me that this material truly connects.
Paid subscriptions support the work that goes into producing an active drumbeat of independent commentary. They let me to devote the significant time and resources required to research, report, draft, and produce up to three posts per week.
Paid subscribers have access to the full archives, including all posts in the following sections:
Essays & Features: long-form writing about the most compelling issues in wine, food, and gastronomy
Notable: Wine reviews, tasting notes, and producer stories
Abecedaria: Wine and gastronomy from A to Z; definitions and discussions of key ideas
Craft: Essays and tutorials on the art of visual and narrative storytelling, mostly about food and wine
The Salt: weekly dispatches with my favorite stories about wine, food, and culture; The Salt is free for now
Paid subscribers are also welcome to contact me directly with questions or advice about wine, pairing, regions, and producers.
If you enjoy what you read on Maker’s Table, please consider becoming a paid subscriber to support my work and receive these benefits. Thank you!
More about me
I have formal training in the literary and visual arts and biological sciences, which provides a foundation for evaluating contemporary topics in wine and food. I travel extensively in Europe and North and South America to conduct research in wine regions and understand how producers are grappling with cultural, environmental, and economic pressures.
I’m inclined toward sustainable, organic, artisanal, and small-batch wine and food production. I admire producers who are mindful about how their work fits into the continuum of historical and regional foodways, but I’m not anti-modern; food is always evolving, and I value production that embodies tradition while expressing something wholly new.
Since 2009, I’ve contributed freelance writing to various outlets, including World of Fine Wine, Art of Eating, Trink, Meininger’s Wine Business International, Tasting Panel, Serious Eats, and many other trade and lifestyle publications. I frequently lecture and speak about wine and wine communication. I’m also Chair of the Circle of Wine Writers, serving a diverse global membership of professional wine and spirits communicators.
Learn more about at megmaker.com.
Enjoy,
Meg Maker
