Me? A blog? You ask! Well, first I suppose you need to love wine enough to make a go of being a wine blogger, but there really is no other reason anyone shouldn’t or couldn’t be a wine blogger or wine writer. Most wine blogging/writing that I’ve seen has been someone’s viewpoint or perspective on a particular wine, variety, winery, or winemaker. Well, guess what? We all have opinions and viewpoints so why can’t we share them?
If Robert Parker scores a wine at 95 or at 80…what does that mean to me? It’s his opinion, and granted he may have an education that I don’t have, or maybe he’s tasted thousands of wines versus however many I’ve tasted, but at the end of the day it is still what his palette enjoys versus mine…right?
The problem is this, so many people that enjoy wine are too insecure in their opinions on wine, just like with any subject matter…and insecurity is a killer. I’m okay with you feeling “not as educated” as another person but why not educate yourself, in whatever manner you choose?
My belief is this: wine blogs should be somewhat educational, which I think most of them are for the most part. But I think they need to be entertaining and fun, because that IS what wine is about after all…entertainment and fun!! We can “over think” wine just like we over think so many things nowadays…but why not share a bottle with friends while telling stories and laughing? That’s always more fun to me, and most people I know, than trying to scientifically break down the juice that’s in my glass!
Anyone that knocks someone else for a wine they like, is showing their insecurity, or ignorance. Many people are apprehensive about wine, more specifically about picking a wine, so to mock them in any way about a wine they like is foolish…at least they’re drinking wine!!
Open your minds, and just get out there and drink and blog! Oh yeah, and enjoy yourself while you’re doing it!
Absolutely agree. There’s so much fear of being judged for one’s wine tastes — it’s crazy. If I tell people that I have a wine blog, chances are they’ll say something like, ‘Wow — I could NEVER do that: I don’t know anything about wine.’
Nobody would say that if you told them you had a *food* blog. But wine has this entirely unwarranted air of (often pretentious) faux-academic inaccessibility. And that needs to be torn down!
Good post.
Hey Tom, you’re preaching to the choir! Wine isn’t anything for people to be intimidated by…it’s just juice in a glass! I think people assume that there’s some sort of magical knowledge that they need to have before they can form an opinion about it. How about this: put it in your glass, smell it, taste it, opinion = did you like it or not?
I guess we’ll just have to keep “practicing” and learning!
Thanks for the feedback…cheers!!!
I agree, but with a caution – a successful blogger knows their audience, and provides something of value for them. That could be information, education, news, humour, insight or several of the above.
In my opinion, those blogs that are most interesting and worthwhile reading are written by people who have formed a definitive, interesting or at least different viewpoint on their chosen subject. And, they need to be able to express that in a reasonably concise and accessible way. So, yes I suppose anyone CAN be a wine blogger. But whether that blog will hold any interest for the world at large depends on the factors above.
(By the way, I don’t count myself as a successful blogger – but it’s fine to have aspirations in this life!)
Hey there Simon…I agree with you. Blogging is like capitalism, the strong will survive…let me re-phrase, the ones that can market their blog and find a niche will succeed. The only blogs I go to are the ones that entertain me or teach me, so I believe we’re on the same page.
I think everyone should spend more time starting stuff, creating…see where it goes. My biggest complaint about the wine world is that it is still so daunting to people…I think wine blogs have had great success because many of them are funny and down to Earth, which many wine consumers enjoy.
Cheers brother, and have a good one!!
If you can do it, and want to do it, do it. Who cares if no one reads it, as long as it brings you satisfaction, a creative outlet, whatever…
Right on, Joe!!! Totally agree! After all, what is a blog? It’s an online journal…it’s you putting yourself out there and if it’s only to your family, your people, or the entire world, it’s still your thoughts and words in the hyperwebs! Go for it!!!