amybethwright

An Essential Guide to Olive Oil, for Wine Enthusiast

I’m terribly behind in updating the blog, but am so thrilled with how this story turned out that I want to go ahead and post it. I’ll update the site to share a few new features that have posted since last November soon. (They are all on the Travel Journalism page.) This story has aContinue reading “An Essential Guide to Olive Oil, for Wine Enthusiast”

Researching the Texas Wine Industry, for Wine Enthusiast

For this piece I chatted with winemakers and industry pros from the High Plains to the Hill Country to get a sense of the environmental and infrastructural challenges growers contend with, as well as the tremendous creativity and talent that drives winemaking in Texas.

Immersion in the Bull City, for StyleBlueprint

It was a treat to revisit Durham, North Carolina for this piece for StyleBlueprint—Durham was my first home after college, for two years. The town continues to distinguish itself as a top-tier foodie destination, and in new hotels, shopping districts, revitalization projects and protected historical sites that value and preserve local architecture and history.

Winemaking in Fredericksburg, Texas is a Local Art

I loved working on this piece, and talking with so many creative and passionate winemakers and industry professionals in Fredericksburg, Texas. Growing conditions pose a unique challenge, as the growing season is short due to high heat and late autumn freezes. Winemakers in Texas Hill Country are finding the varietals that will thrive by experimentingContinue reading “Winemaking in Fredericksburg, Texas is a Local Art”

Celebrating the Centennial of Hot Springs National Park, for Fodors Travel

https://www.fodors.com/world/north-america/usa/arkansas/hot-springs/experiences/news/this-100-year-old-national-park-recently-opened-its-doors-for-the-first-time-in-over-a-year Hot Springs is a unique national park with a great story. After the Hunter-Dunbar expedition documented the springs in 1803, a new industry of wellness began in central Arkansas. Hot Springs was also the first federally protected natural resource, predating Yellowstone! Check out the article to learn more about its cultural, social, and geologicContinue reading “Celebrating the Centennial of Hot Springs National Park, for Fodors Travel”

Defining Salinity, For Wine Enthusiast

I had so much fun reporting on salinity, a tasting note that is prominent in higher-acid wines and made from grapes grown in coastal regions, for Wine Enthusiast. You can read more on the characteristics of saline-expressive wines, as well as about suggested pairings, here:

Announcing Parks & Points’ First Book, Wayfinding

My husband Derek and I are thrilled to announce the publication of our first book, Wayfinding. Published by the venerable Finishing Line Press, Wayfinding is a collection of poems inspired by parks and public lands. More than 50 poets share moments of transformation and wonder alongside photography and design by Derek and Nicholas Wright, and short essays byContinue reading “Announcing Parks & Points’ First Book, Wayfinding”

A Deep Dive Into Texas High Plains Wine Country, Wine Enthusiast

I loved working on this piece for Wine Enthusiast. Especially as the toughest period of the pandemic seems to be subsiding, it was amazing to revisit my time in Lubbock and recall the vast, arid, agrarian landscape and the extraordinary wine.

Revisiting My First Essay For Healthline

In July of 2019 Healthline kindly published a short essay I wrote about how yoga, travel, long solitary walks, and reevaluating my thinking were all integral to my building a new relationship with my body post-IVF. I didn’t promote the piece very much at the time, as something about it made me feel very self-conscious.Continue reading “Revisiting My First Essay For Healthline”

Interview in TriQuarterly with Ellen O’Connell Whittet

It was such a pleasure to chat with Ellen O’Connell Whittet about her debut memoir, What You Become in Flight. A former dancer, Whittet grapples with leaving her ballet career behind after a serious injury, and examines the compromises that ballet necessitated, exploring ultimately how ballet was a training ground for much of womanhood. OurContinue reading “Interview in TriQuarterly with Ellen O’Connell Whittet”