A couple of weeks ago, Armchair Sommelier won Monthly Wine Writing Challenge #11 (#MWWC11) and just like all winners of the Challenge, her “reward” was to choose the theme for the following Challenge (in this case #MWWC12).

A few of us started the Monthly Wine Writing Challenge last summer with the desire to promote more creative wine writing. The thought was that we get caught up in tasting notes, winery visits, and the occasional food porn and we soon forget that part of the reason we put in all the hours that we do on these silly blogs is that we love to write!

I have been a bit out of the loop these last couple of weeks as I have been out on the West Coast visiting my wife’s family and spending quite a bit of time in Dry Creek Valley and a wonderful day in a new appellation: Pine Mountain-Coverdale Peak. I have been slowly adapting to the time zone, which certainly has affected my blogging schedule. I also was awakened by an earthquake, stung by a wasp, and had to blind taste 54 wines in two hours.

Did I mention I was visiting my in-laws?

Yes, it has been rough out here.

So, without further ado, here is this month’s Challenge (#MWWC12) theme:

Certainly a bunch of possibilities here (at least I think there are). I am going to be in Europe for the month of September, so I decided to add a couple of weeks to the normal time line. A quick recap of the rules:

The rules

1. The Challenge is open to anybody and everybody. It helps if you have a blog, but that is certainly not a requirement (contact me if this is the case).
2. Write a post based on this month’s theme: “Local”.
3. The post should be at least tangentially related to wine (after all, it is the name of the challenge).
4. The post should be more or less around 1000 words (I routinely violate this rule, so it is just there as a “guide”).
5. Include the Monthly Wine Writing Challenge badge (above) that was designed by the very first winner, The Armchair Sommelier.
6. Remember to vote!
7. I will try and secure another outside judge for this month’s Challenge. If I succeed, the judge will choose the winner from the top three vote-getters. If I fail, the winner will be the top vote receiver.
8. Once you post on your blog, please do at least two of the following and I will be sure to include a link here as well as on all subsequent posts about this month’s challenge:
   1. Include a link back to this post in your entry.
      
   2. Use the hashtag #MWWC12 somewhere in your post.
   3. Tweet, using the #MWWC12 hashtag and include a link back to your post.
   4. Send me an email: jeff(at)thedrunkencyclist(dot)com

The all important dates:

Deadline for submission:  Monday, October 13th, 2014

Voting Begins: Tuesday, October 14th, 2014

Voting Ends:  Monday, October 20th, 2014

Winner Announced:  Tuesday, October 21st, 2014

Previous winners:

If you’re looking for some inspiration here are the links to the previous winning posts:

MWWC1 – Transportation

The Armchair Sommelier

MWWC2 – Trouble

My Custard Pie

MWWC3 – Possession

The Wine Kat

MWWC4 – Oops

Confessions of a Wine Geek

MWWC5 – Feast

The drunken cyclist

MWWC6 – Mystery

The SAHMmelier

MWWC7 – Devotion

The Sweet Sommelier

MWWC8 – Luck

The drunken cyclist

MWWC9 – Fear

The Sybarite

MWWC10 – Value

Dracaena Wines

MWWC11 – Friend

Armchair Sommelier

Please contact me if you have any questions: jeff (at) thedrunkencyclist (dot) com