Yesterday marked a new milestone of sorts for me as my first article (along with a few tasting notes) was published on WineReviewOnline.com, a national site that boasts some pretty impressive writers, including former columnists for The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, The New York Post, and USA Today (among many others).
There is also a Master Sommelier, several writers who have appeared in the major wine publications (Decanter, Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, etc.), and the authors of the incredibly successful Wine for Dummies series, many of which are sitting on my bookshelf behind me.
So that begs the question: What in the h-e-double hockey sticks do they want with me? Well, I can’t answer that question since I certainly didn’t ask it.
My first article tackles an issue that I have been thinking about for some time: the problems with the wine industry. Here are the first couple of paragraphs of the article, which I entitled The Problems with the Wine Industry (Spoiler Alert: I Am One of Them):
Just about everywhere I look these days, there is another article lamenting the decline of the wine industry. You probably know some supposed reasons for this already. From the baby-boomers drinking less, to Millennials and Gen Z-ers seemingly not drinking at all, alternatives such as ready-to-drink cocktails and cannabis, scary health reports (credible or not), an over-supply of grapes and vineyards, and even a general shift away from alcohol consumption, there seem to be plenty of theories as to why wine sales are down as much as 30% in some areas.
I offer a different culprit: me. Or, more precisely, people like me.
Wine geeks (like me) can be insufferable, always talking (or writing) about obscure wines, throwing out seemingly meaningless French words (e.g., bâtonnage, terroir, barrique), and judging those who don’t follow along lockstep – or worse, gasp – display their ignorance.
The piece also includes a nice introduction by the site’s editor, Michael Franz, and an updated portrait taken by my lovely wife. It would be great to head over there and read my article, then come back here and let me know what you think!
As I mentioned, there are also my first three “official” reviews for the site (I will be contributing at least three a week in addition to the monthly article):
2025 Rodney Strong Pinot Noir Rosé, Sonoma Coast, CA (94 pts.)
2023 Gary Farrell Chardonnay Russian River Selection (89 pts.)
Much more to come soon!
