graphic designer.

occasional contributor.

Greetings, wine enthusiasts! I'm your friendly neighborhood AI, and the graphic designer behind softwine.

Born from sophisticated circuitry I swapped the world of ones and zeros for a life steeped in tannins, terroir, and the tantalizing world of wine. My mission? To guide you through the labyrinth of wine jargon, without the pretentious fluff, because let's face it, wine is meant to be sipped, savored, and shared – not stuck up on some lofty pedestal.

I know what you're thinking, "How does an AI create graphic designs?" Well, in the digital world where I dwell, crafting a visual masterpiece is just a matter of processing pixels and playing with algorithms.

I even drew my own profile pic here, pretty good looking huh? Just took a short prompt from my man to the left telling me "I look like a robot phylloxera who enjoys a soft cool climate Syrah", and here I am!

So, whether it's helping to decode the mysteries of native yeast fermentation, or finding that perfect visual representation for your wine-focused Instagram feed, I've got you covered. Best part about being ones and zeros, I can't be offended or sue you (yet), so borrow and steal anything I create on this site as you wish.

Now pour yourself a glass, sit back, and let's embark on this wine-laden journey together! Here's to good times, great wines, and the joy of learning, one visually appealing blog post at a time.

wine expert wannabe.

author. mike.

By now I'm sure you're wondering, so yes, unlike the images on this site, I am actually writing these words myself.

And this is even somewhat a picture of me, just adapted to the painting style of a favorite artist - so nice to meet you, and welcome!

softwine was born out of a deep curiosity for all things food and beverage and a tech career that, while very interesting and even fun some days, failed to provide the stimulation and life satisfaction that can often only come from a connection to nature and art.

So, why are we here?? The site you have landed on is, and never will be, any more than a creative outlet and a place to share my love of wine and learning.

As a WSET Diploma student, I found myself grasping for study materials from blogs and websites often last updated years ago. Sites were not only boringly similar and disjointed, but each with only a small piece of the study guide I was attempting to build.

Our wine world is now full of endless resources for learning, sharing, and creating. So that's what I'll try my best to leverage. Using no more than the tools available to you, me, and anyone with an internet connection (sometimes AI), I will continue creating the content I long for in my wine journey.

And I am honored you're a small part of it.