Creating a wine blog – or a blog of any topic for that matter – is a lonely venture at first. You often feel like you’re blogging into the ether, and for the most part you are. It takes a while for people to discover your blog. And it takes even longer for readers to trust you and become a regular audience.
Another thing that makes it lonely when you start a new blog is the fairly cold reception you typically get from other bloggers. Blog communities are generally distrustful of newbies — at least that’s my perception. I’d like to change that in the wine blogging community to make it more inclusive and welcoming toward new bloggers. And to do so, I plan to highlight new wine blogs that I find which I think hold promise. I can’t write about every new blog, as it seems like there’s a new one every day, but I will pick out those that really grab my attention and focus particularly on blogs that feature value wines.
The first blog I want to spotlight is Everyday Wine by Gretchen Roberts. This blog is only just over one month old, but it is already on my regular reading list. One thing I like about this wine blog is the fact that it’s focused on affordable, everyday wines. Obviously, that is the sweet spot to which I relate.
Another thing about Everyday Wine that stands out is the great writing. Gretchen is an experienced writer who has written for magazines like Wine Enthusiast, Cooking Light, Better Homes & Gardens and several others and her experience shows. (Note: I realize that if I were writing in a serious journalistic style I would have written “Roberts is and experienced writer…” but I prefer to be more conversational with my writing. If you don’t like that, too bad.)
Everyday Wine features some reviews, but also includes a number of posts that are more topical and interesting than simple reviews. (I know I need to do more of this too, but reviews are my priority.) She writes about What to do with bad wine, How to save a sparkling wine and How to open champagne. Gretchen also shares my perspective on shopping at local wine shops and making friends with the staff. She discusses this in her Twin Palates post.
Among her affordable wine recommendations there are a few that I haven’t had, but I’ll need to try. And there are others that I have had and wholeheartedly agree with, such as Cousino Macul Cabernet Sauvignon, Brancott Sauvignon Blanc, and Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel. (Note: While I agree that Rosenblum is a good Zinfandel, I think you can do better and my summary on Zinfandels will be posted within the next few weeks where you can see my top picks.)
Be sure to check out Everyday Wine and add it to your everyday reading list. Cheers!