Comments on: Wine Bloggers Have No Credibility

By: Mariella

Mariella — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 21:03:03 +0000

Ryan, it saddens me deeply to read this. I try hard everytime to be as open and candid as possible. I note down when I have received a bottle or when I bought one. I go to tastings, paid for or free for all, and try to write objectively. I really think that is all we can do: be open about the background of the wine received and the venue attended.

I document my articles as best as possible, and always state clearly that it is MY opinion, never present my own experiences as facts (or try not to).

Luckily, I get credit for that from a lot of people, so I will continue in the best way I can.

No, we are not hurting anyone, is my opinion, we are helping people try to find their own voice on wine, be a little more confident on what they like and don't like. For me, that's enough.

By: Wine Harlots

Wine Harlots — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 22:34:25 +0000

Great post.

As a “long-time wine drinker and a short-time wine blogger”, it seems like there is a lot of bruised egos and high emotion. Clearly that was evident in the Robert Parker comment strings and the blogger responses.

However, it obscures the real issue: ethics. I’m not proposing that everyone follow the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics (hell, even professional journalists have difficulty adhering to the standards). But I think as writers talking about a consumer product, we need to be open about the origin of the products we’re talking about. Otherwise it raises the specter of being undisclosed paid promotional pitchmen.

Thanks again, keep up the good writing.

Cheers!

By: wineportfolio

wineportfolio — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 18:28:09 +0000

If anything, wine bloggers have created a democratic platform to discuss and review wines with little or no influence from advertisers. Suddenly, the current publications now have to deal with consumers and bloggers to justify their reviews on wines that were once followed blindly - no more!

As a specialty wine importer, I'm confident enough of my experienced palate and knowledge of my markets that I make my own choices, independent of these journals' reviews.

Leo J. Baduria
Wine Importer, Distributor and Blogger.

By: Saint Vini

Saint Vini — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 16:31:54 +0000

Well done!

Time for those in traditional media to bring forth their evidence.

By: Vitor Mendes

Vitor Mendes — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 12:13:31 +0000

Honestly Ryan, i believe that the issue here is the threat that bloggers mean to this so called wine critics. We know that to be independent is the main thing and possibly the common characteristic among wine (and other) bloggers… So the freedom of making our comments about some wine we BOUGHT somewhere, is something amazing for us wine lovers! Its too bad that people like this critic don´t understand the final goal of blogging, and for me that only show one thing, they are feeling exceeded by the reality of the wine industry! Keep bringing us all your comments and tasting notes! And remember like Pink Floyd say´s “Together we stand, devided we fall…”

By: Larry Chandler

Larry Chandler — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 12:06:36 +0000

It's clear that the established print wine writers (among others) feel threatened by new ways of communicating information. Because the barrier to entry is so low (anyone can set up a blog, anyone can use Facebook and Twitter), there are many people doing the job that only a few did earlier.

As with any industry, there are good and bad players. The established writers see their influence waning and are trying to hold on for as long as they can. But the better writers wherever they are and whatever medium they use will become more influential, and the lesser ones will fail.

What is interesting is this exact same thing happened years ago. At one time, the only way to find good wine was to ask your local merchant. Then wine magazines and newsletters started to appear, and people could decide what wines they wanted before they entered a wine shop.

Even Robert Parker displaced someone else. Before the Wine Advocate, there was a newsletter by Robert Finnegan. When Robert Parker praised the 1982 Bordeaux and Finnegan disparaged it, people paid more attention to the Advocate and Robert Parker's influence soared.

Whole industries can disappear almost overnight as new technology makes them redundant. Laws can be passed and contracts written to slow down the advance of something new, but it only delays the inevitable.

By: Justin

Justin — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 12:01:12 +0000

Time will tell, the public will choose…