jamie goode's wine blog: The future of wine writing?

Sunday, April 27, 2008

The future of wine writing?

Mike Steinberger, a US wine writer who I rate highly, has just written a piece for the excellent World of Fine Wine titled 'Everyone a critic: the future of wine writing'. It's a good article, and for the time being at least is available as a free pdf on the WOFW website. Whaddya think?

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6 Comments:

At 2:48 PM, Blogger Dan McGrew said...

Excellent article, Jamie. Thanks for posting it.

I have been a user of Cellar-Tracker for more than a year now and I find that it is now my first source for wine ratings. I spend perhaps 15 minutes a day looking at the tasting notes and I've discovered perhaps a dozen or so members whose tastes seem to mirror mine. I read most everything that small group of individuals writes.

The amazing volume of notes the site now contains means to me that there are very, very few wines from anywhere in the world that I cannot find a reference to and a tasting note for.

I have made two donations to the site because I appreciate what it is and what it does.

 
At 6:27 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Of course it's a good article, Jamie. It says how great you are on the last page!

 
At 12:03 PM, Blogger bsmith said...

Thanks Jamie, that is an interesting piece, and for once doesn't seem to have an agenda beyond setting the scene in the world of wine writing.
It is my feeling that there is still space in the market for more online wine writers - particularly with a uk slant.

Ben

 
At 1:25 PM, Anonymous GIANPAOLO said...

Interestingly the same concern expressed by Tanzer applies to all sort of subjects found in the net, i.e. everything that exists. It seems to me rather obvious that someone like Tanzer, that became a recognized wine writer before the internet age, feels worried that he'll loose audiance with all these other voices that can be found, for free (that's also important) on the net. But as it's already been stated for other subjects, people have the capacity to make sense of the cacophonie of voices in the end, and there is no need of fenced gardens because there is already a lot of information outside the fences, where people, and I, would rather be found.
Plus, as the article correctly states, this cacophonie has already produced a good deal of new, intersting wine critics, that are expanding their action outside the internet and on the traditional wine press, whilst the already known wine critics from the magazine are experimenting (sometime with success, sometime without)the internet.
It's allgood, and people can have their choice.

 
At 11:57 PM, Blogger Jamie said...

Dan, thanks for the comment

Ben, agree

Gianpaolo, thanks for that perspective, which I agree with

 
At 5:05 AM, Blogger Paul Tudor said...

Jamie

Thanks for posting this link. My sub to WOFW has died (temporarily hopefully). One of the issues the article raises is that the cost of gaining experience are astronomical. I have been spending a great deal of money lately tasting as many 2005 Burgundies as I can. Meanwhile, I have subscriptions that are due (Harpers, WOFW, MW fees etc). And so having just taken over an existing column, I find I am agruing with my editor over a trifling amount of money.

There is no way a freelance writer can support her/himself in this country. It may be better in the UK, I do not know (for one thing you are paid two or three times more per word then we are, but that is still a pathetic amount when you calculate your earning on an hourly basis.) This is why people are inevitably drawn to other activity (in my case, consulting and training) which may compromise the message.

I must say - I admire your enthusiasm and energy levels. After 15 years hacking away at wine writing (with a brief period off during the height of my studies), it is hard to get oneself motivated with the small sums involved. This is why I have decided to go back into training - instant gratification from the satisfied people attending your tastings/courses.

Good luck with your career!

Paul

 

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