And the winner is.............

[winecollector]

Geezzz! I'm off line for a few hours, and look what happens! Where should I start?

First of all, I do subscribe to "the rag," as some of you like to affectionately call it. I've got to agree that I'll never visit most of the places or restraunts they discuss. But I do pay attention to the tasting notes, as they cover a whole lot more wines than I'll ever have the opportunity to drink, maybe not as many as Bucko or Winoweenie get to taste though, heeheehee.... I do try to buy the higher rated wines when available, but I'm not going to cry in my glass of $8 chianti if I can't get my hands on a bottle. If a wine receives a lot of press, and I'm curious about it, I'll buy it at least once given the chance. If it turns out to be something I like, then it's on my regular shopping list. If not, then I know not to buy it again.

Second, I split my wine budget between everyday drinkers, cellarables, and collectables, depending on the time of year, and what I'm in need of, or out of. It's nothing for me to spend $400-$500 an average month on wines, and this time of year, I'll spend between $1,500 to $2,000 a month with all the new releases coming out. I shop at about 10 different wine stores in three states. (Sorry, but if your store were only closer, Foodie....) Why so many stores? For the variety. I look for either rare wines, obscure countries, favorite wines, or off the wall stuff that no one else is really looking for, and the merchant has a hard time selling. For example, just recently picked up a black muscat from Shennendoah Vally from 97', that I do not have a clue of how it tastes, but me and about 5 or 6 friends will find out soon enough. And no, it wasn't written up in Winespectator. I buy most of my everyday drinkers at about three of the ten stores. Maybe I don't pay the rent at most of them, but I think it's safe to say I easily pay a portion of their payroll!

In my humble opinion, there's a lot of stuff that I could complain about with regard the Winespectator, and I do at times. But there are also benefits to it as well. Those benefits vary from person to person, depending on your budget, taste, location, likes and dislikes, etc. You have to take the good with the bad, if you can't do that, then hey, don't read it! They do some great food related articles in there from time to time, nowhere near as good as Innkeeper's recipies of course, (cough,) but hey! There's a little bit of something in there for everyone. Not too many people are going to pick up a newspaper and read every article in it from cover to cover. One guy may just want to read sports, someone else classieds, world news, or editorials.

As for me, give me the comics and the wine reviews. A good laugh, a good meal, and a good glass of wine (as well as something else, but I'll keep it clean here), makes my day. So whether I buy a wine on the recommendation of a friend, wine store clerk, a Winespectator or other publication's review, or just buying it blind to see what it tastes like, the fact is I'm buying wine, and giving someone my business. No, I'm not in retail. I'm only a lowly consumer. I'm just one guy that helps only some of the retail people stay in business. Other consumers with different objectives than mine, can keep the rest of the merchants going, if they so choose to.