Bloggerview #30: Dale Cruse

Posted by Tom Wark on Jan 6, 2010

Bloggerview #30

 This Dale Cruse character is an interesting guy. Wine is his sideline, as it is for probably the majority of bloggers. His real life is as an outstanding web developer. I've followed his mercurial work and uneven temper at Drinksareonme.net for some time now. It's an odd site that is unpredictable. One day you get a lengthy investigation of Dales' own palate, another day you get a recipe, another day a commentary on what's new in wine marketing, technology, another day a semi naked woman. What you always get is an engaged, quick mind that you just know could be used for more nefarious purposes if it wasn't already focused on wine and web development.

1. When did you begin blogging and why?
Drinks Are On Me started clogging the arteries of the Internet in September 2007. The site combines all my interests: Writing, photography, wine, & website publishing.

2. In two sentences describe the focus of your wine blog.
I publish the website I want to read. It includes smart writing with an attitude & pictures of beautiful women enjoying wine.

3. What sets your wine blog apart from the pack?
Boobs. Who doesn't like boobs? Some friends on Twitter have taken to calling me the Hugh Hefner of wine. I gladly accept that moniker! Hef has done so much to make what was once taboo acceptable while changing the publishing world. I haven't done anything yet that's even remotely in his league, but I'm honored to mentioned in the same sentence.

4. How would you characterize the growth in your readership since beginning your blog?
It's a fact of life that people like boobs more than they like wine.

5. Do you accept samples for review?
Yes, but I rarely write about them. Sometimes I'll Tweet about them but not often. I think that's one of the many things broken in the wine industry. Public relations folks send out samples hoping someone will mention them. Even when people don't, they still keep sending samples. Why? You might as well pour that bottle down the drain & save postage. Seriously, stop sending me free wine. I'm not going to write about it. You're just wasting effort.

6. What kind of wine rating/review system do you use and why?
I don't believe in trying to objectively measure a purely subjective experience.

7. How do you fit the maintenance of your wine blog into your daily schedule?
That's the easy part. I'm a website developer with a high-profile client list. I can't believe people pay me to wear whatever I want & listen to music while I code their websites! Lately I switched blog platforms from WordPress to Tumblr. WP is awesome but I was spending too much time fiddling with it – there was always some new plugin to update or whatever & I wasn't spending time publishing. So I threw that out the window and started over on Tumblr. I can publish from the web, via email, or instant message. I can even phone in a post. I'm back to publishing & I'm doing it more often than ever!

8. Have you utilized any particular techniques to successfully market your blog?
Be everywhere. Friend everybody on Twitter, Facebook, & all the rest. Don't give anyone any reason not to be able to connect to you.

9. In your view how, if at all, is blogging different than traditional wine writing for print?

We need to stop thinking of the online world as somehow different or separate from real life. We buy things online & can meet people online. Just about anything you do online you can do in real life. The lines have blurred so much to have become irrelevant to me.

10. Which other wine blogs do you read regularly?
I don't read many wine blogs – I mostly skim the headlines via Google Reader. The problem I see over & over again is wine bloggers writing with only other wine bloggers in mind. After a short time, the community becomes an echo chamber at best & some sort of sick circle jerk at worst. The blogs I pay the most attention to usually have nothing to do with wine. Dooce.com is the gold standard to me. That woman can make constipation interesting. That being said, there was one wine blogger who captivated me every time she wrote: Leah Hennessy. She's so good I had to have her. I convinced her to publish on my site instead & soon you're going to start seeing her featured there.

11. Do you believe wine blogs have made any marked impact on the wine industry or wine culture?
Not in my opinion. Here's a dirty little secret: Wine consumers don't need us. They don't need Parker or Wine Spectator or anybody else either. Instead, they need to determine what tastes good in their mouths & vote with their pocketbooks. I'm all about that level of empowerment.

12. Vacation: Paris or the Caribbean?
If you're doing what you love, you never need a vacation.

13. Pet: Dog or Cat?
My Maine Coon named Clifford is pretty cool for a creature whose poop I have to scoop.

14. Airplane Reading: New Yorker or People?
Neither. I'm currently reading Mark Bittman's "Food Matters" & Tim Ferriss' "The Four-Hour Work-Week."

15. Car: Prius or BMW?
I have been a proud Toyota Prius owner since 2002, the second model year they were available. I love my car & am happy to show it off to anyone who's willing to listen.

16. Chablis or California Chardonnay?
Some subscribe to the "ABC method": "anything but Chardonnay." Fuck that. I don't believe in any system that completely eliminates any type of wine. Though I might choose Chablis first, there's a time & place for Chardonnay.

17. Describe what you would have at your last meal?
My f
riends Rich Auffrey & Jackie Church & I have this running debate about what wine pairs with "long pig." I think it depends on the method of preparation. And of course sauces speak loudly.

18. What is Heaven Like?
Forget waiting to find out. Instead, truly live every moment here on Earth & create your own personal Heaven right here right now.

19. If you could invite 4 people dead or alive to your fantasy dinner party, who would they be and who would you have bring the wine?
Heather Armstrong. Danni Ashe. Hunter S. Thompson. My son. Gary can bring the wine.

20. What advice would you give to someone considering starting a wine blog?
Wait it out – that feeling is probably just gas.