Over the Barrel... with Lenn Thompson

Blogs: Where to Learn About Wine on the Web

Go to any bookstore or newsstand and you'll see magazines such as The Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, Decanter, Wine & Spirits, etc. To many, they are the go-to sources for information on wine. And, I'd be remiss if I didn't include Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, a newsletter published by the most powerful man in the wine world today.

You can, pretty easily, get a basic level of wine understanding by just reading a book or two. One of my favorites is Karen McNeil's The Wine Bible.

But, as with many topics, the Internet has become a premier - and free - resource for everything wine. And while the "big guys" in wine publishing - those glossy mags again - all have websites (of varying quality), wine blogs are the most exciting frontier in online winedom.

A blog - short for web log is a website that is usually run by a single person (or small group) where stories are posted in a journal style and displayed in reverse chronological order. Things like podcasts (audio) and vlogs (video blogs) have also grown out of the blogging movement and offer unique looks at topics that range from knitting to baking to cancer to our topic today - wine.

There are hundreds of wine-related blogs, vlogs and podcasts available online, but here are a few of my favorites.

In the video blog category, it's hard to do it any better than Wine Library TV (tv.winelibrary.com). Tied to online wine retailer WineLibrary.com, host Gary Vaynerchuk blends down-to-earth attitude, infectious energy and a deep understanding of wine in each of his almost-daily episodes. I dare you to watch just once - it's that addicting. My favorite blog by a big-time wine writer is Eric Asimov's The Pour (thepour.blogs.nytimes.com). Asimov is the head wine writer/critic for the Times and his writing is probably the best available in the wine blogosphere. He covers topics in his blog that either don't fit into his columns or are divergent completely. It's a daily read.

Wine blogs come in as many flavors as there are styles of wine, but for general-purpose wine information you should check out Dr. Vino (www.drvino.com) published by Tyler Colman who actually is a doctor (he has a Ph D). With a wide array of content, Dr. Vino is a veritable one-stop-shop if you only have time to read one wine blog. He also teaches wine classes at NYU and in Chicago.

Another terrific all-purpose wine blog - with a healthy dose of passion that borders on obsession - visit Vinography (vinography.com). Founded and run by San Francisco resident Alder Yarrow, Vinography represents wine blogging at its finest. There are detailed wine reviews, event information and blunt, to-the-point commentary that is always thoughtful and refreshing. I've had the pleasure of dining with Alder and he is one of the most genuinely passionate wine lovers I know. There are also blogs that have very specialized, focused content.

For instance, Tom Wark's Fermentation blog (fermentation.typepad.com) is maintained by Tom Wark, who owns and runs a PR firm in California wine country. He can always be counted on for up-to-the-minute information on various industry topics, including shipping laws, wine trends, label and branding issues and of course winery promotion and public relations. I read it every morning.

As a local wine enthusiast, regionally focused wine blogs are among the most interesting and useful to me. They cover wine regions that either go ignored - or nearly so - by larger media outlets.

If you enjoy Spanish and Portuguese wines and want to learn more, check out Catavino (catavino.net). For Italian wines, visit mondosapore (mondosapore.com), published by a former teacher in New York City who is now planning to import Italian wines himself.

Virginia wines are gaining popularity in wine circles these days and Dezel of Virginia Vine Spot (vinespot.blogspot.com) does an outstanding job bringing his local wine country to his readers.

And, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention my own blog here, LENNDEVOURS.com, where I focus on the wines of not only Long Island but the entire state of New York.

Lest you think wine blogs are yet another spot for wine snobbery, there's even a blog for lovers of boxed wines. The Box Wine Blog (boxwines.org), as its name suggests focuses on affordable wines that are often found in alternative packaging like boxes, cans and the like.

These are just some examples of what the wine blogosphere has to offer. For a near-comprehensive list of wine blogs, visitwineblogwatch.arrr.net.

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