Blogger Discloses Wine Samples and Tastings

New FTC rules require bloggers to reveal when they receive free wine or tastings.

Published on Feb. 15, 2026

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A blogger discusses the new Federal Trade Commission requirements for bloggers to disclose when they receive free wine samples, tastings, or other perks from wineries or wine publicists. The blogger explains that while some may view this as a way to influence coverage, the blogger's goal is to provide honest impressions of the wines they experience, whether paid for or not.

Why it matters

The new FTC rules aim to increase transparency around potential conflicts of interest or biases in blogger reviews. This is an important issue as bloggers have become influential voices in the wine industry, and readers deserve to know if the blogger received any free or discounted products or experiences.

The details

The blogger outlines various scenarios where they may receive free wine samples, tastings, or other perks from wineries or publicists. They acknowledge that this could lead some to question the objectivity of their reviews, but the blogger maintains that their goal is to provide honest impressions of the wines, regardless of how they were obtained. The blogger compares this to the practices of traditional media outlets, where writers may receive free products or experiences but are still expected to provide unbiased coverage.

  • The new FTC disclosure rules for bloggers went into effect in 2026.

The players

Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

The U.S. government agency responsible for enforcing new rules requiring bloggers to disclose when they receive free products or experiences.

Rolling Stone magazine

A music and pop culture magazine that the blogger references as an example of how readers can understand a reviewer's biases and preferences.

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What they’re saying

“Whenever I write about a bottle wine, if it came to me for free, I must disclose. If a winery offers me a tasting without charging me for it, I must disclose that when I write about the visit.”

— The blogger (nowandzin.com)

“If Wine Spectator showers praise upon a Sonoma County Pinot Noir, how do we know they're not dirty? Sure, the Russian River Valley in Sonoma County is a source of truly fantastic Pinot. But did the magazine receive that wine as a free sample? Do Sonoma County Vintners advertise in the magazine? What about the Sonoma Chamber of Commerce? Maybe it's just that the wine is good.”

— The blogger (nowandzin.com)

The takeaway

The new FTC disclosure rules aim to increase transparency around potential conflicts of interest in blogger reviews, but the blogger maintains that their goal is to provide honest impressions of the wines they experience, regardless of how they were obtained. Readers should consider a blogger's preferences and biases when evaluating their reviews, just as they would with traditional media outlets.