The Wine Makers – Blood Of Gods Ep2: The Angry Somm (Hayden Stewart) Wine Industry Anarchist
Hayden Stewart is a wine director, sommelier, and food & beverage consultant based in San Diego, California, with extensive experience across the wine industry — from vineyards and tasting rooms to large-scale events and private club beverage programs. He holds a WSET Level 3 certification and has worked in sales, distribution, fine dining, and education.
Stewart created the @the_angry_somm Instagram account as a satirical, snarky take on the wine world. The persona is designed to highlight what he sees as pretentiousness, hollow buzzwords, and overhyped marketing in the industry. Through humor, irony, and sarcasm, he critiques trends like chasing “rarity, prestige, and heritage” without substance, and argues that popularity doesn’t equal quality.
Hayden and his colleague Joe LoBue have started a new distribution company, Paragon Pacific Imports, to create a better way to communicate with small producers and buyers, reaching younger wine drinkers by meeting them where they are, and speaking to them in a way they understand. paragonpacificimports.com [Ep 423]
Why He’s “Angry”
His “anger” stems from:
Industry pretension — Stewart believes wine culture has become overly elitist and disconnected from everyday enjoyment.
Misuse of expertise — He criticizes sommeliers and marketers who focus on serving the same “five wines” without expanding their horizons.
Disconnect from younger drinkers — He argues the industry’s approach alienates the next generation, and that the true value of a sommelier is in meaningful, educational recommendations.
Pushing authenticity — He turns down most paid partnerships to focus on “subliminal education” that encourages people to care about the why behind a bottle.
@the_angry_somm
