Posted By Joel on January 25, 2013

Wine Bullies

Yes, there are plenty of wines which I don’t particularly like and a wine-world of behaviors, politics and opinions that challenge my personal viewpoints. I simply choose to not write about them.

Not everyone plays it like that. Many writers and bloggers covering wine offer counter-opinion with grace and style. I respect, read and follow many of them, in fact. To be clear, these are not wine bullies.

Wine bullies use the power of their pen or keyboard to intimidate. You can taste it right away, like sour wine.

For me, the decision is a personal energy thing: I prefer to move in the positive. But, when I look closer, I can see it’s also an influence of my roots and early training as a musician. There is something very un-artist-like about trashing the work of another because you don’t appreciate it, disagree with it or, worse still, because you don’t understand it. The work of another might not be your thing, but you can’t say it is wrong, bad or not relevant. Very uncool.

I think of it rather like listening to a music album: when you don’t like the current tune: next track. Simple. It’s all part of the listening experience.

Weird thing about it is that I apply the rules to everyone, wine bullies included. So, even though the bully-press has been recently active, I won’t say that they are wrong or that their work is bad or irrelevant. I am perfectly happy, though, to note that intimidation is just not my thing and that anonymity is a better place for such writers than on this page IMHO.

But, let’s end with a bit of a flourish, a guiding suggestion for all about directing one’s wine-related behaviors: if you’re an evolving wine lover, strive for good wine karma. If you are an old hand at the wine game, well, try hard to set a good example for the young ‘uns. At the end of the day, there will be more good bottles and more people enjoying them.

Over n’ out.

THANKS to dictionary.reference.com for the inset definition.

Categories: Culture, Wine
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