You would think the major newspaper in a metropolis located just 90 minutes south of Santa Barbara County wine country (and another 90 north of Temecula) would have a staff wine writer or wine critic. If not to speak for the wines of those two regions, then to only “represent” the West Coast wine writing contingent (if not perspective). For some time, the Los Angeles Times has had that role filled by a few staff writers and Corie Brown.

In a Time.com piece of some time ago, I read that the LA Times was going to lay off one sixth of its staff. “Not a good time to go pitching a column to the chief editor”, I thought. Then, by way of GoodGrape, I heard of this post by Jancis Robinson. (more…)

Network

Ever since I started this blog, I have been graced with some very kind and flattering endorsements. I am grateful to all who have indicated wine sooth as a blog worthy of reading. Taking a moment out of the current whirlwind of activity in my life, I want to acknowledge and reciprocate this kindness.

I read a large number of blogs and wine news services daily. I love Tom Wark’s blog for being at times philosophical, soulful, provocative and always interesting and relevant. One certainly has seen the intellectual sparring between Alder and myself on Vinography. I also appreciate Tyler Coleman’s posts which help keep things light and serve as a barometer of the general public’s views on wine-related matters. I also visit Eric Asimov’s blog regularly as my philosophy and preferences in wine tend to be aligned with his. (more…)

My sandbox

Blogs should not be the private playgrounds of their authors. They should be written for the benefit of readers and those who participate in the discussion.

Recently, Tom Wark put up a post on his blog outlining some tips for starting a wine blog. While I had commented that I don’t like to jump on the band wagon of topic trends, there is one thing I want to add to Tom’s list: share your sandbox. (more…)

Copycat.

It’s been a rough week and I’ve really indulged tonight. The wine I am drinking is helping keep the distractions in my mind at bay. And that’s a good thing. There is a lot going on in my life and in my head. The common thread through it all is: “legacy”.

This weekend, I was reading an L.A. Times piece about the AP coming to a head with bloggers over copyright issues. This reminded me of a conversation I had at the time of J.K. Rowling’s law suit against the operator of a Harry Potter fan site. For me, this all ties in with the resurgence of interest in and discussion of organizing the wine blogging world and the legacy that will forge. (more…)

Voltron. The power of one big cat.

After reading this story on CNN, I thought about the upcoming Wine Bloggers Conference and the challenges and opportunities facing wine bloggers. There is an ironic parallel between the lay of the land in today’s TV and wine blogging: While television is seeking to move its entertainment content past the conventional and traditional medium and into the digital ether, many bloggers are looking to expand their brands, presence and visibility to the off-line realm and monetize in both spheres. In both mediums, though, there is an overabundance of choice, and the CNN piece suggests TV viewers may be feeling overwhelmed. Perhaps the same is true for seekers of online wine information.

This boom in wine blogging will undoubtedly be followed by some sort of settling or involution and (as discouraging as it may sound) a weeding-out process. That can have good and bad consequences. One argument would be that diversity of thought and opinion would be lost. Another would be that those left standing were “fit” enough to survive. I personally believe that there is strength in numbers and the loss of those who are currently minor players will be a detriment of the wine blogging genre. (more…)