Archive for the 'Blogging' Category

One of my favorite things to come out of the rise and proliferation of social media is the online or synchronized tasting. Whether it’s for wine, beer or spirits, online tastings have become one of the best ways to share the same bottle and informative experience with hundreds or even thousands of people simultaneously all over the world. Through the use of networking sites like Facebook and Twitter as well as personal blogs and organizational sites, people can share comments and opinions about a beverage and learn from participating representatives or producers all from the comfort of their home. Aside from being there one on one with the respective producer, what could be better than that?

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Hip…Or Just Tragic?
Decanter.com is reporting that Château d’Arche will be “bottling” the second label of its Sauternes in 100-ml test tube-like packages aimed at the nightclub market in the Far East. Are shots of Carruades de Lafite next?

Redefining Weekday Wine
Usually it’s an inexpensive bottle casually consumed alongside a family dinner—a nonevent. Why not make it an event by choosing a more elevated alternative? Monday evening I chose a 1999 Karl Lawrence Morisoli Vineyard Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from the cellar, which turned a humdrum evening at home into a memorable night.

Dire Straits for Print Media?
As Appellation America found out, Internet readers balk at paying for content. Online advertising spending is growing, but evidently not fast enough to support all of the budding wine sites. As Tom Wark points out in his recent blog on the subject, print is where the money is—at least for the moment. Ultimately, people will pay for the best content and advertisers will pay to reach those audiences. Unlike in rock-and-roll, you can’t get “Money for nothing and your chicks for free” online.

Planning Ahead
Next week, our contributors will be gathering for our annual editorial conference, where we try to figure out what stories you’d like to read next year. But despite all that brainpower in one room, we inevitably overlook a few things. Write in below and let us know what you really want to read about.

I spent last weekend with thirty prolific and passionate wine bloggers on the North and South Fork of Long Island for a new event called, TasteCamp EAST. It was hosted by the king of New York wine blogging, Lenn Thompson. One of the many highlights of the trip for me was a flavor-filled lunch and vineyard walk at Shinn Estate Vineyards, on the North Fork. 

Owners Barbara Shinn and David  Page know a thing or two about food, after spending years building elegant restaurant Home on Cornelia Street, in Manhattan, which celebrates “farm to table” cuisine. They bring that same spirit to the cooking at the winery. David prepared a beautiful spread of dishes and laid out dozens of wines from Shinn, Jamesport, and Macari Vineyards. So, when assigned the difficult task of filling up a plate and pairing lunch with any wine you like, what does one do? I experimented to my heart’s delight.

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