Meet the Chronicle’s New Wine Reporter

Nearly five years after the San Francisco Chronicle added a second wine reporter, the team is welcoming another: Lucy Hodgman. Her predecessor, Esther Mobley, left in March to return to Boston, where she is now food editor at the Boston Globe.

Hodgman has already begun covering the region’s wine industry. Her recent reporting has examined obstacles facing vineyard events under a new California law, robots used to combat grape disease, and Caymus Vineyards’ opposition to a disputed water-conservation plan. She has also reported on new San Francisco wine bars, a winery’s tasting room overlooking Silicon Valley, and the growing presence of Croatian wines in the Bay Area.

A Brooklyn native, Hodgman studied English at Yale and was editor-in-chief of the Yale Daily News. She developed her reporting experience through the Hearst Journalism Fellowship, including a statehouse reporting placement at the Times Union in Albany. She joined the Chronicle in 2025 and covered climate, homelessness and breaking news before moving to the wine beat.

That broad experience will support coverage that reaches beyond tasting rooms to include land use, politics, climate change and farmworkers’ rights. Hodgman and her colleague will share breaking news, openings and feature stories. Based in San Francisco’s Mission District, Hodgman is expected to focus especially on stories from the city, East Bay and South Bay, while continuing to travel to Wine Country.

About the Author: Chris Lehoux

Meet Chris Lehoux, an experienced wine connoisseur and dedicated blogger with a deep passion for all things wine-related. With years of expertise in the industry, Chris shares insightful wine reviews, valuable wine tasting tips, expert pairing advice, and captivating tales of vineyard visits. Join Chris on a journey through the world of wine, where every sip is an adventure waiting to be savored!