Why I Started a Wine Blog

Today on Facebook, I hit the “100 Likes” Milestone and I didn’t think I’d be excited about it….but I am? It’s not that I’m going to let myself be driven by the social media’s embrace of my thoughts, but I’m thrilled that people are enjoying the content and approaching wine in a whole new way with me. When I launched the Blog and brand almost exactly one month ago, I honestly didn’t know what to expect in terms of momentum or appeal that would come from it. I did, however, know that I 1) liked wine 2) liked talking about it and 3) liked people who felt the same way. So at this point, it seems appropriate that I take a brief moment to outline the backstory of the concept and what’s driving the brand down the path ahead (…cue pouring myself a glass of wine…so you should too).

Barolo with "Forest Gump Chocolates" because obviously

There have already been two instances since I’ve launched the Blog that have validated what I initially set out to accomplish. Both of these instances were extremely similar involving a bunch of girlfriends gathering on a weeknight, new Pinterest recipes displayed in cute serving dishes along the kitchen counter, sweatpants/hoodies, and wine. Before the corks were popped on the wine in both situations, however, I got a “oh, you might not like this wine, it’s nothing fancy, you probably won’t approve, I don’t know what’s good, I just got it from the grocery store” warning from people whom I consider to be my closest friends. Are you serious, guys? I start a wine blog and now all of the sudden you’re afraid to serve me wine because it “might not be good enough” for me?

Typical wine and apps night 

Sigh. But that’s exactly the barrier to the wine world that I’m on a mission to tear down. On both of these nights, I realized that so many people feel like they don’t “know enough” about wine to enjoy it. Do I know a lot about wine? Sure, probably more than the average consumer. But are there tons of other people who know way more about wine than I do? Oh, absolutely! If you want to study the terroir, the harvest techniques, the pH balancing process – go for it. If you want to buy a bottle of wine that’s less than $10 to pair with your take-out pizza on a Tuesday – you can do that too. Because guess what - no wine expert or self-proclaimed wine nerd like myself will ever know how wine tastes to you when you drink it. At the end of the day, it’s a personal experience, and if I can help someone find something that he or she likes to drink then I’ve accomplished what I set out to accomplish.

Now, before I lose you into thinking I’m disregarding the entire academic side of the wine world, let me clarify that there are certainly industry standards and expressions of each wine varietal that one strives to achieve. Certain grapes are known to express a very specific flavor profile, and mastering the nuances is what anyone studying to become a sommelier or learning how to serve professionally devotes a rigorous amount of hours and energy to per day. That’s impressive! Therefore, rather than downplaying the respectable knowledge of the professional wine industry, on the contrary, what I’m hoping to highlight for the average wine enthusiast who wants to enjoy a bottle (or 3) with some friends at a dinner party is that tasting wine is a personal experience – there are never “right” answers in this case because at the end of the day, I want everyone to actually enjoy what is in their glass! In fact, I wish for a world in which there is a wine for everyone, every palate, and every occasion.

My old office aka the tasting room at Cross Keys Vineyards

I used to have people come visit me in the tasting room at the winery I managed in Virginia who had never been to a wine tasting before. They would walk in with their jaws dropped in awe at the pretty scenery and architecture, move very slowly as if afraid to accidently knock anything out of place in the retail store area, and proceed to the tasting counter with an uncomfortable swagger that can only be executed by a newbie. They would lean over the bar to whisper quietly amidst their fellow patrons, “Excuse me, miss, but I’ve never done this before” to which I would always flash the biggest smile. These were my favorite customers: novice, teachable, and ready to explore. I also considered it being a clearly-defined challenge to now bust down any wall of wine snobbery that they had ever been exposed to and lead them into a more approachable adventure that ultimately ends with the personal enjoyment of the wine in the glass. Anytime I ever heard things like “which one am I supposed to think is the best?” or “what flavors should I taste?” during a tasting session with a first-time customer, I took it as my mission to enlighten them to the fact that what’s best for one person certainly may not translate to “best” for another. Even our winemaker would say that his tasting descriptions on the menu were what he tasted on a particular day, at a particular moment, after whatever he ate for breakfast that morning.

And so, with this goal of demystifying the wine world in mind, I often describe myself as a wine tour guide and drinking buddy, of sorts. As a winery manger in the tasting room, this emerged as an effort to provide an opportunity for wine drinkers to make their own discoveries regarding flavors and preferences. It was in these instances of self-empowerment that I was the most fulfilled because I knew a door had been opened. I knew that a façade, a barrier, or a myth of intimidation that had kept someone from enjoying their glass of wine…had vanished.

Because that hint of vanilla on the mid-palate and lightly toasted coconut on the finish is well, you know, that’s just like, your opinion, man. Cheers.

The Dude