Purpose - This exploratory study was conducted to analyze the content of influential wine blogs.Design/methodology/approach - The study used content analysis software, Leximancer, to analyze the entire contents of five influential amateur wine blogs. Findings - A key finding is that these blogs all balance self-promotion with the content of their blogs, namely wine and wine-related topics. The wine blogs, though evaluating wines in different ways, review not only the product attributes, but also the experience surrounding wine.Research limitations/implications - Limitations of this study include that the analysis only included five wine blogs and the content analysis was conducted by a sole researcher using a computerized approach.Practical implications - Wine blogs have increasing influence in the wine industry, especially those written by amateur wine bloggers. As such, understanding the tactics used by wine bloggers is of interest to practitioners who aim to market their wines using such channels, as well as providing insight into this contemporary platform for current and aspiring wine critics.Originality/value - This is the first content analysis study that analyzes the content of wine blogs as the readers themselves see it. It provides insights of value not only to those involved in marketing in the wine industry, but also to those interested in the developments of amateur blogs in marketing.