So the Wine Bloggers Conference is over, its 300 participants back home and vowing to become followers of each other’s blogs, to keep in touch and now armed with the tools to drive more traffic to their blogs, monetize their blogs or whatever it is they are trying to accomplish. I myself have become a bit disenfranchised with the whole awards and conference thing. The last little bit of hope that I had for the awards were dashed when I saw very real talent cut from the nominations and marketing blogs, (that sponsored the event) taking home awards while real writers were, in my opinion simply used as bait or to give the awards and conference more credibility. Cynical? Absolutely. Bitter? Not even close. This whole event is so very industry and as with any industry driven event the bottom line is how to make money or a name for yourself. Nothing at all wrong with that, just not at all what drives me.
I started this blog just over two years ago, my mission was simply to spotlight wines that move me, drive me wild, keep me deeply in love with what I do and with any luck introduce The Wine Country to people outside the reaches of our newsletter or who happen to be driving down Redondo Ave and see us. To use whatever voice or talent I have to inspire people to visit the store that stirs my passion and whose philosophy about wine; its place at the table, the pleasure in it, a store that places more value on your palate than on scores or industry buzz. A place and vision that I believe very much in and am convinced creates and nurtures more wine lovers than any score ever could….scores might get people started but to carry them through to the next level of enjoyment, well I think there is nothing that can replace a store full of people that know you, know your palate and want nothing more than to keep you inspired and excited to wrap your lips around the next glass.
So I too was and am looking to sell something, a feeling, an idea, a vision….never myself. In fact when I was thinking of names for this joint I was not even going to use my name, just Sans Dosage and describe myself as a retail wine buyer but seeing as that would have no connection to the store I opted to use my name and with each post….more of me. Sure I could crank out tasting notes and stories about wine regions, spend my time regurgitating information that quite frankly can be found anywhere, I could but….seeing as I get very little inspiration from that kind of wine writing, (not to mention there are a thousand others out there covering that beat) it doesn’t tingle my bits or tell me anything about the way the wine makes you feel, well I knew that the people I was looking to reach were not going to moved by that either.
For me wine has always been very personal, the flavors, the aromas, what gets one person off and leaves another flat. It’s fascinating and within each bottle I seek the wine’s personality; the way it tastes, feels, tells me about itself. I am not a clinical thinker so each wine is another personality to discover. Is that the right way to write and think about wine? Dunno but it is how I have always done it and how I have been able to connect with wines beyond knowing what’s in it and simply what it tastes like. Like I said it’s personal to me and the more I wrote here the more I walked down that personal path. I opened myself to anyone that chose to read me…shared my exploration, discovery, frustrations….my life and my story, the way wine has weaved itself into my flesh, made me the person I am. It’s all I have to give and I have been more than willing to do so in the hope that even one person is moved enough to see wine as more than a number, more than a beverage….worth every late night post, worth every exposed, unpolished second I stood naked before you.
I’ve gotten so much out of spending my time here with all of you fine people. I’ve been praised far beyond what I have truly earned. Been befriended by some of the most remarkable people, been trusted to pick out wine, and made to feel adored beyond what I have ever experienced, ever dreamed even remotely possible. Thank you. I just wanted to thank you for taking the time, lending your voice and making me feel as loved and appreciated as I ever have before. I wish there words to describe the way this feels, or that I had the talent to express it in all its magnitude but my words fail me, all I can think of is Thank You. You are the award that I display, not here on this blog but inside me each and every day.
So congratulations to this year’s Wine Blog Award winners and to all the bloggers that made the conference and were able to connect with one another, find inspiration to keep plugging along with their vision of what their place is to be in this big wine blogging world. I too was given an award this week and while not the kind I may have hoped for….initially anyway, it showed me that I have been able to do what I always wanted to, stand out in a sea of tasting notes….good or bad at least my voice made this cat feel something.
http://www.qrw.com/10summer/derniercri.htm
I was sent a link to this award givers site, a publication and man, (Randy Sheahan) I had never heard of before and after reading some of their tasting notes and demographic I can see why. Guess I don’t really play that well amongst the higher tax bracket, college graduate males that are uncomfortable confessing their age. That one cracked me up, there were three categories describing the age bracket of their readership; under 35, 35-49 and 25-55 the latter being the one with the highest percentage..um, what? At first I will admit that I was crushed and a tad embarrassed to be singled out like that, I mean being named the worst of anything kind of sucks but the thing that bugged me the most is the piece that he abridged from this blog was not a tasting note at all, well that and he used words like gushing and quivering…ick dude. So while I feel it was unfair to give me the Worst Tasting Notes award, seeing as is was not, (I did however write that wine up for the newsletter, was a very different piece as it was in fact…a tasting note) it went a long way in reminding me that I am in fact very far removed from the pears, caramel and toast style of writing….at least here and I am very proud that whatever it is I am doing here speaks to all of you.
Mr. Sheahan I will proudly wear your “stinker” award and just hope that one of those readers, maybe a 60 year old woman, will find something here worth reading and connecting to. Because you see, as silly and useless as you may have found that piece it was one of the ones that brought a crap load of women in looking to feel, experience and taste that wine…and they came back for more. Much like wine writing is very subjective, our goal is the same but we come at it with a very different approach. You through notes and articles and me through my heart and my life….the end result should always be to have more people drinking and falling in love with wine. Just doing my part kid, my way.
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