After 30 years of work in a particular industry, one comes across some pretty interesting and titillating information. You witness and hear about a variety of incidents and circumstances that would provoke headshaking, surprise, shock and awe. The wine industry is no different. After years of working in this industry, I love I could relate the stories of: -The Sonoma winery owner who remains a gay man but still hides it by employing a strategy of dating an array of…
There is proper etiquette and there are good rules for those seeking to engage in #WineTwitter or any other form of social media when the wine person or people you are conversing with are not in front of your face. They are simple rules and simple etiquette and if you adhere to them you will stay safe and happy. 1. It’s just wine. 2. Never assume the worst first about a person. 3. Know to whom you are talking or…
Proposing to raise the tax on beer and cider by 2,700% and raising it on wine by 1,500% (YES…between 2,700% and 1,500%!) is in and of itself comical. But it’s not a comically bad miscalculation by the sponsors of an Oregon bill that would do just this. It is the political equivalent of virtue signaling: Attempting to get credit for taking a strong position on, and making a bold proposal to address, an issue when there is little to no…
On Tuesday, March 2nd, we will finally have the opportunity to hear someone give a justification for why Tennessee ought to pass a law (HB 742) that would result in 60% of all wine shipments from out-of-state wineries being shut down. That Tuesday there will be a hearing in the Department and Agencies Subcommittee on the bill that, if passed, would ban any shipments from out-of-state wineries that use fulfillment houses. Personally, I’m looking forward to hearing the justifications for…
Diversity and inclusion in the wine industry have been top of mind for some while now within the trade. And it seems appropriate that this topic has been frequently addressed by the industry’s communicators: media, writers, and reporters. Let’s state for clarity the obvious: There is no downside to a diverse contingent within the communications side of the wine industry. If you need proof of this, think back to the time when blogs emerged on the scene and there was…
