A New Wine Blog That’s Important
It's just not very consequential when a new wine blog launches. But sometimes you take close notice of a newly launched wine blog because of who is behind it.
You ought to take notice of SVB ON WINE.
Rob McMillen, the founder of Silicon Valley Bank's Wine Division, is one of the most respected minds in the wine businesses. For the last few years, his mind was on display via his annual Silicon Valley Bank Wine Report. You might also see Rob at a conference or two. But it was this report that summed up his thinking on the current state and future of the California wine market. The report is widely read and studied.
Beginning in early June, Rob's mind and voice have been given greater access through his new blog, SVB on Wine. On what appears to be a weekly schedule of posts, this new blog has been giving some pretty deep dives into the various factors and conditions that influence the wine industry here in California. Given Rob's experience in assessing the California wine industry gathered from 30 years of involvement, it should be no surprise that after only 8 posts SVB on Wine is set to be a source if critical insight for members of the wine industry.
In his 8th and latest post, Rob re-considers the conditions that informed his prediction earlier this year that the grape marketplace is trending toward shortage and speculates that reactions to this perspective along with uncertainty in the financial markets around the world may in fact lead to an equalized market of supply and demand for grapes. It's not the kind of post you get from the "My Journey To Learn About Wine" kind of blog. It's the kind of post you get from a blogger who has sources, who thinks pretty deeply about this specific subject matter and who has decades of analytic framework development to inform his conclusions.
There is not a clunker among Rob's initial posts on the new blog. In fact, not only has Rob put on display his unique insights, but also his excellent and accessible style of writing. It's uncommon. While it's true that more often than not a bloggers best work is accomplished out of the gate since they tend to initially write about topics they have thought deeply about prior to launching a blog, I don't think this is the case with SVB on Wine.
I'm hoping that Rob keeps on his once a week schedule for posting. I'm finding that I'm a better equipped consultant and better informed member of the wine industry as a result. There are only a handful of wine blogs about which I can say such a thing.
I was pulling up your blog to read about the Missouri Miracle Tom, and was pretty surprised to see my picture at the top. Thanks so much for the kind words and encouragement to keep on track for the Sunday posts. Its been interesting adding an additional deadline to my hectic schedule, but I am going to try and do just that and post every Sunday afternoon. I might take a little time off at the start of the year when I’m writing the SVB State of the Industry Report. That takes a little too much of my “copious free time” already.
Thanks again for the recommendation to your readers. That is the highest form of praise!
Kind regards,
Rob
Rob,
I like to think of FERMENTATION Readers as fairly savvy folks. So it wouldn’t surprise me if many or most have already found SVB On Wine.
In any case….THANKS for writing this.
Cheers,
tom….
Rob- I too have found your blog to be insightful. I agree with your assessment
of the CA grape and bulk- we have always said the market was fundamentally balanced not short. The consumer, when faced with the overwhelming number of choices in the market, turns to brand they trust and often regardless of where they are sourced from, primarily though for under $12 bottles; nevertheless, these wines underpin the bulk supply market.
I’ve enjoyed reading Rob’s posts. Thorough and insightful.
Thanks CH and LM …. and Tom. Appreciate the encouragement.
Rob