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Project Wine Blog: Challenge #9 – You’re the Wine Blog Critic

For this challenge we had to channel some positive ‘criticism’ ….(and throw in a little networking!) by posting a list of our top 5-10 favorite wine bloggers and let our readers know why we like them and why they might too!

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Yes, yes. I know this post is a bit over due and I have been just a tad MIA … thesis/internship/jobs have been needing extra focus lately. But never fear, I always return :)

And with that, here we are folks, my 2nd to last Project Wine Blog Challenge!! (If you have no idea was PWB is, read here).

For this challenge we had to channel some positive ‘criticism’ ….(and throw in a little networking!) by posting a list of our top 5-10 favorite wine bloggers and let our readers know why we like them and why they might too!

[OVER-ACHIEVER WARNING] I couldn’t keep my list to 5-10, so I went with 20 … gimme a break! It’s just more wine blogs for you to check out and enjoy :)

Now my list is not in any order of preference. I decided to split it up between the wine bloggers I have met and the ones I have yet to meet. Getting to meet the wine blogger in person certainly adds to your attraction to their blog. Then when I read their post, it is like I can hear/see them narrating it. (I am lucky enough to have never met a wine blogger that made me not want to read their wine blog after meeting them, and I don’t imagine that will happen.)

So without further ado …

The wine blogs I frequent and that I have had the pleasure of meeting the personalities behind them.

Catavino (Ryan and Gabriella Opaz) When I decided to embark on the VS Wine Blog journey – I had to stop at a “gas station” and pick out a road map … I chose the Catavino one (it came with a free coffee and donut). And now that my internship will turn into working with them … I like to think I will be helping with the next edition of their road map. Also it’s my ‘one-stop-blog’ for Iberian wine, food, and culture knowledge.

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Wine Conversation (Robert McIntosh) Both a vinous role model as well as my social one! Even though his blog is aimed at the everyday UK wine consumer, I still find his posts useful and insightful. Also I admire him for having business cards that match the print on his dress shirts at wine conferences.

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The Wine Sleuth (Denise Medrano) & Spittoon (Andrew Barrow) You will always meet the most interesting wine bloggers at the extreme back of the bus :) I knew these two would be great friends when I realized our senses of humor lined up perfectly! And they happen to be equally as entertaining in their wine blogs.

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O’Vineyards Winemaker Blog (Ryan O’Connell) My partner in crime from the first conversation we ever had. We feed off each other’s humor and wit. Ryan is also a major online voice for the Languedoc wine region. You can also catch him on his other region blog – Love That Languedoc.

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The Wine Hub Blog (Luiz Alberto) A hands down genuine person and someone who you feel incredible to be around. He exudes happiness and passion for what he does and he has a contagious smile and laugh! I also enjoy keeping my wine chops up by taking the fabulous weekly wine quizzes on the main Wine Hub site.

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The Wine Maestro (Brett Jones) Look up the word ‘charming’ in the dictionary, Brett’s image is pictured. He is incredibly intelligent. His wine blog is easy to read and learn about wine from – and his charm shows in each post!

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Wink’s Wine and Travel World (Wink Lorch) Her wine blog is a wonderful combination of posts on wine, travel and social media – all three things I have an interest in. She is a brilliant woman that I admire, who brings smiles and laughter each time I meet her. I value greatly what she says and writes.

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Quevedo Winery Blog (Oscar Quevedo) When the wine is that good, you can’t help but want to follow what they do. Luckily they keep a great example of a winery blog – it makes you feel like you are living right there at the winery with them. And Oscar is warm-hearted and has a great spirit – very fun to be around and to share a glass (or 5) of wine with!!

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Miss Vicky Wine (Anne-Victoire Monrozier aka Miss Vicky) We started blogging about the same time and I am so proud of all the great things she has done with, and via her wine blog in such a short amount of time. She is making waves in the french wine blogging/social media world and when she is all sorts of famous, I can say “I knew her when!” haha.

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Elloinos (Markus Stolz) He connected with me on Twitter about joining a wine blogger’s meeting at ProWein wine fair in Germany. I appreciate that even after we briefly met, he still interacts with me via my blog, Twitter and Facebook. I also have him to thank for all the greek wine/food/culture knowledge I have gained though his fantastic and thorough Greek focused wine blog.

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Wine Blogs I frequent but have yet to meet the (I imagine fabulous) personalities behind them :)

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The first 3 are part of my “Texas Represent Crew” … a true Texan is a proud one!

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Vintage Texas (Russ Kane) The place I go for all things about Texas wine and the industry.

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Vinotology (Ben Simons) A formerly Texas-based wine blogger who recently decided to cash in on his wine passion in Washington. I ‘the Good, the Bad, and they Ugly’ posts and I enjoy the overall content and fun feel of his blog! I wish him all the luck in the ‘big switch’ he made to cash in on his passion and love for wine and social media!

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Do Bianchi (Jeremy Parzens) He has a general focus on Italian wine, food, culture, etc. but I also love how each post is so poetic and shows his passion for life, wine, music, and the Mrs. I am excited to finally get to meet him (and the ever-famous Mrs. P) in Texas soon! And we have a saying about non-native Texans … they may not have been born Texan, but they got there as quick as they could ;)

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Wine Blog (Jo Diaz) If you can call your wine blog … Wine Blog … and ‘work it’ the way she does – you have my vote, haha. But really, it is quite a respected blog amongst us wine bloggers. I like her ‘tell you like it is’ style and her posts are always informative and intellectually stimulating.

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Samantha Sans Dosage (Samantha Dugan) Because even though it is a wine blog, she can make me blush with her words :) Love her self-expression, honesty, wit, and the ‘I’m gonna say it like it is’ attitude of her blog.

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Hosemaster of Wine (Ron Washam) Seriously a man after my own humor – dang hilarious … bar none.

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Swirl, Smell, Slurp (Sacha Baumann and Jason F. King aka She and He) Inspiring to see a wine blog go from start to famous in just under 6 months … also its edgy and an entertaining read. I love the post topics they have chosen and the he said/she said format from someone who has some experience in the wine industry and someone who started out with the basics.

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Dirty South Wine (Hardy Wallace) My kind of quarky sense of humor and someone who I feel is very down to earth. Certainly on my ‘Must Meet’ and ‘Make an outrageously funny/quarky wine video with’ Lists! I appreciate how interactive he is on Facebook, and not forgetting to chat it up with us lil’ people who haven’t made it to the ‘Big Dog’ Wine Blogs yet :)

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1 Wine Dude (Joe Roberts) Always one of the top 5 of ‘Big Time’ wine blog lists … and of those 5, the one I feel is ‘Most likely to respond/interact with you’ ..which I value A LOT. I also appreciate his hip and fun-to-read blogging style. Also dig the look of his redesigned blog!

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So yes folks, those are the wine blogs I frequent the most. It is by no means a complete list. I also like a bunch on wine marketing/wine industry/wine business blogs, but that’s for another post, or another Project Wine Blog ;P

I look forward to seeing you on the next post! I have an awesome surprise for all you VS readers!

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