So its been over a year since I last published. Shame on me. I got a “real job” and have been working for the past year and a half in PR & Marketing for food and wine accounts. One of whom was Georges Duboeuf – a brand I’ve actually written about right here on this little blog! The whole situation was the very definition of serendipity.
It felt a little weird writing about wine while also working for a wine client… it’s tough enough being a writer and a publicist as it is. Lots of blurred lines. No one at work made me feel like there was any conflict of interest, but it was also important for me to focus on my career and get it off the ground. My company was/is super supportive of my writing (I’m lucky!) and they even have me writing for our company’s blog, The Buzz Bin, in a weekly installment called The Booze Bin. If you’re curious as to what a wine publicist actually does, and what, specifically, I’ve been up to the last year and a half, you can check out my most recent post.
Why the sudden comeback? A couple of reasons… first of all – GIFS! You guys – we did not have gifs when I last blogged!
Ok, no, that’s not really (but kinda is) why I’ve decided to reboot. The real firs reason is that I’m not longer working primarily on a wine account. My focus has shifted back towards food so I don’t feel that there is as much a conflict of interest. Second of all, I learned a TON about the wine industry over the past year and a half and feel that I can bring a new refreshed perspective to my writing here. One of the most striking things I learned was that there’s a huge gaping void in the world of wine writing when it comes to analysis (and criticism) of the industry. Also, while there are tons of blogs writing tasting notes, posting reviews, and interviewing winemakers, there are very few that do so with any kind of focus besides, occasionally, a local one.
Now is one of the most exciting times to be working in or even interested in wine. We have access to more wines at better prices from more places around the world than ever before. And yet, when it comes to the industry and the way it works, not much has changed except the product.
There are people and forces at work to change this and I’d like to join their ranks. That is going to be the sharpened focus of this blog – an element that was always there (hello! See my blog title!?) but that was always more of a context than a platform.
Keep an eye out for my first real post on Monday… after that I’m headed to Italy (Emilia-Romagna) for a few days and should come back with some exciting reports from the land of Lambrusco. There is plenty of good stuff to come.
Cheers!
Caroline
Forget Burgundy 