Walking a Fine Line
The assumption any blogger makes is that they have something to say that may be of interest to someone else. This assumption may be overrated. Nevertheless, here at Fermentation it applies. A bit more on the application of this view…
Cynicism is unavoidable. If you read the wine media you see it on display in fairly blatant ways. Some wine writers specialize in cynicism. It is that state of mind that propels some writers to question the real purpose of the winemaker. It is the result of tasting large numbers of wines that are clearly made for the market rather than for the mind. Cynicism is bred after hearing some excitable marketing type tell you once again that “this wine exudes terroir”, when they really mean to say, “the idea of terroir’s hot, isn’t it?”.
Well, I’m a member of that group of wine marketers that is probably most responsible for allowing the crushing kind of cynicism that can alienate palate after palate. I’m a public relations consultant that specializes in promoting the bottlings of small to medium sized vintners. And I’m pretty good at it. But, I’m a cynic too.
Read Fermentations on an ongoing basis and you’ll understand a cynicism that results from a career in wine public relations. But you’ll also come to understand why I know the work I do is important…even subversive, in a “Down-with-the-WTO” kind of way.
We are going to talk about wine, how it’s covered in the press, my trials and successes and failures, and the way wine marketing intersects with American culture and society.
I’ll be fun…right?
MESSAGE
I always like to go back and read a blog’s first posting to see if there was clarity at the inception of the blog. You obviously have….not to say you haven’t grown over the years. Keep it up.