Amusing View of the Wine Bloggers Convention

WINE TALK
21

TomHill, thanks for generous compliment. For those that found the post bad or douchey, thanks for taking the time to read and sharing your opinion. I suppose I’ll try to explain the post and the idea behind the whole Harry Oldman persona.

TomHill is somewhat correct. My “extern” is persona that I’ve tried to develop to spice up my blog, and is actually a caricature of no fewer than three people in the wine world. If it wasn’t obvious, Dr. Oldman was inspired by the Hosemaster’s intern Lo Hai Qu. Just as Lo Hai Qu is the antithesis of professional wine writing, Dr. Oldman is the antithesis of a more open and less opinionated wine consuming generation. I decided to write in the Oldman voice after reading another blog post I found so obnoxious that I assumed it just had to be satire. As Brian points out, there is far too little humor in the wine world. Dr. Oldman is my poor attempt to make a few people laugh, and think at the same time.

The Oldman posts are not meant to damn the topics, but more to poke fun of those doing the damning. As he has done before, Oldman bashes bloggers to illustrate’s Larry’s point that it’s “not as simple as ‘bloggers suck’ or ‘bloggers have no impact’.” The mere fact that so many large, non-SBC companies were throwing around money is evidence that wine blogging matters in some small way. I know that SBC and the wineries that were present will see a benefit far greater than selling seven bottles of wine. I suppose hyperbole and satire may not be the most explicit way of communicating.

I tried to be over the top with Harry’s criticism, but with enough honesty and truth thrown in that the wine blogging community can reflect on itself before the WBC becomes a caricature of itself. I think that the conference is a good thing for those that attend and the regions that host it. I wish that I could have made it. The seminars that Larry mentions sound great, but I’m sure that Larry would also agree that the conference could use some improvement.

The reason that I poked fun of Elaine, Jamie and Jameson was because I actually agree with Vincent that they are the top of the wine blogging pyramid. Completely attacking the inconsequential bloggers would have been truly low hanging fruit. And I actually critiqued the “elite publications” as much as the “blobbers.”

I hope that clears up any confusion on my intentions with writing that post.

Oh, and I wasn’t jabbing Ray Walker with that Maison Ilan quip, I was jabbing those on this forum that make such a big deal out of waiting for wine.

22

I laughed. Sometimes it’s a no win whatever you say.
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23

Kyle,

Well done. My criticism was not as much at your post, as I knew it was tongue in cheek - it was more at those that have a knee-jerk reaction to the term ‘wine bloggger’ - just as some have a knee-jerk reaction to ‘high alc pinot’ or ‘buttery chard’. There are examples of each that some find exemplary . . .

Cheers!

24

maybe the point is that sometimes people should just keep their mouths shut

25

Larry, I did not read your comments as criticizing me or my post. I was nodding in agreement as read what you wrote.

26

[winner.gif]

27

What, people not commenting? Can it be?!?!?

Can’t wait to read more posts, Kyle - keep it up!

Cheers!

28

Be my guest! neener

29

That’s a funny comic. True. Guilty here.

Wine writing is messy. Democracy is messy. In both, I definitely side with the more, the merrier camp. Thank god the age of only a few people with the mic is over. People are both full of shit and genius. I’d rather try to figure it all out than listen to a few so-called experts like the old days.

This from a guy who has a poorly written blog read by only five friends. I’m definitely not doing it for the money.

30

Ditto.