My name is Sara Danese and I write about fine wine through the lens of markets, economics and data. My background is in investment management and fine wine trading, and I spend far too much of my time thinking about why some wines become great investments while others simply become great stories. I believe the wine world deserves more analysis and fewer clichés.
Below you’ll find a little more about me—and about this newsletter.
What Is “In the mood for wine”?
In the mood for wine is an independent newsletter covering the business of fine wine.
Rather than tasting notes or scores, I focus on the numbers behind the market: pricing, producer strategy, investment cases, consumer trends and the forces shaping one of the world’s most fascinating luxury assets.
Subscribers can expect:
Thought-provoking articles at the intersection of finance, economics and fine wine.
Deep dives into producers, regions and market trends.
Investment cases on wines and estates I find particularly compelling.
Data-driven analysis of pricing, supply, demand and the secondary market.
Commentary on the people, businesses and ideas influencing the future of fine wine.
Whether you’re a collector, investor or simply curious about how the fine wine market works, my aim is to help you understand why things happen—not just what is happening.
I publish new articles every week.
About me
I studied Economics at the University of Padua before completing an MSc in Risk Management and Financial Engineering at Imperial College London. Before moving into the wine world, I worked in investment management as a portfolio analyst, where I developed a passion for markets, valuation and data-driven decision making. I later co-founded AZYA, a digital fine wine company connecting European producers with collectors in China. Today, I combine that entrepreneurial experience with my background in finance to research and write about the global fine wine market.
In the mood for wine brings together everything I enjoy: rigorous analysis, independent thinking and exceptional wines.
My ambition is simple: to make fine wine easier to understand, more transparent and more intellectually engaging for anyone who loves the market as much as the bottle.