Normal Winery Merger and Acquisition Market in This Last Quarter of 2019
I don’t usually report on real estate in the wine industry. I’ve just watched – for nearly 30 years – so many wineries changing hands, fading into the sunset, changing the name due to notoriety, the failings of venture capitalism, no legacy planning, etc.. It really is the game of Monopoly, with each county having […]
Andy Blue Redo
UPDATE, or an Andy Blue Redo… When I wrote my original blog story called “More brewhaha from Andy Bluehaha,” it was in response to Anthony Dias Blue’s editorial about Petite Sirah, and how he just doesn’t “get it.” I understood on a gut level; I don’t eat foie gras, for instance. I’d gag if I […]
Slogging along in the wine blogging world
My friend Steve Heimoff just wrote: Wine bloggers: Blogging, or slogging? Well, this week it’s more like slogging for me, versus wine blogging. I’ve actually not posted anything since this past Tuesday, and today is Friday. Why? Life has just taken over. Wines to taste, wine competition forms to fill out, reports to write, bookkeeping […]
Nine years of wine blogging, should I have just written a book?
I’m reflecting on nine years of wine blogging this morning… having started just about this time nine years ago, in terms of thinking I should, and then getting Jose to build a site for me. I’ve had about four wine blog sites in the process. In 2005, I eagerly waited to write that first story, […]
Some common misconceptions about wine blogs + reality checks
The following are some are common misconceptions about wine blogs, and I’m taking it a step further by presenting a reality check to go along with each misconception. This is coming from a seasoned wine pro, who is also blogging. Additionally, I’m very aware of the cadre of wine writers who’ve come before many of […]
99 Bottles of Wine On the Wall, it’s no longer a joke
It’s easy to joke about 99 Bottles of Wine on the Wall, when you’ve got it going on. I’ve been doing it for years. We got this wine storage unit from a client as payment, years ago. I loved it when I got it… Who wouldn’t? In July 8, a pipe burst in our upstairs […]
You can’t ride two horses with one behind + professional ethics
Whomever said, “You can’t ride two horses with one behind,” never saw the circus act where the pretty, young girl is riding two horses while standing up. You can ride two horses, but you have to be on your feet to do it, not on your behind. That’s where I am… I’m riding two horses, […]
When a wine blog is a personal journal
If you’re reading this blog, please note, it’s my personal journal about being in the wine business…
Sonoma Wine Country Weekend ~ This Labor Day Weekend
This coming September 2 – 4, 2011, another beautiful weekend festival will be set among the vines and redwoods, drawing thousands of people. The Sonoma Wine Country Weekend features over 200 wineries and chefs, and is a popular way to spend the last days of summer in wine country. It’s always hosted at the MacMurray […]
Beyond Blogging II ~ a.k.a. Living
In Steve Heimoff’s story, called Beyond blogging, he talks about fellow blogger Jeff LeFevre of Good Grape. Steve wrote: I was glad to see that Jeff LeFevre, the author of Good Grape: A Wine Manifesto wine blog, now is writing an column for Forbes.com. This is a big step for Jeff, whom I’ve come to […]
