Statement of Purpose
Elsewhere on this website I have posted up notes on my background, tasting methodology and contact information for submission of wines. Here is the reasoning and purpose motivating this new venture.
It's fair to ask... why would I voluntarily give up what has been a privileged and rewarding role as a Contributing Editor/Reviewer for Wine Enthusiast? The answer boils down to this: by so doing I gain the type of journalistic freedom that can never exist in a work-for-hire environment.
In no way am I unhappy, disgruntled or burned out. I have always received generous support from my numerous editors as well as the owners of the company. But companies have rules, and I have come to realize that those rules, however fair and reasonable, have placed significant limitations on my ability to cover the wine industry as thoroughly as I know I can.
While setting out on a completely independent path I will continue to focus on the wines of Oregon. But I will also be able to compare and evaluate them in relation to the wines of Washington, California and other important wine-producing regions, as I did during my years as the Seattle Times wine columnist. I will be able to cover all of Oregon, including the essential coverage of the Rocks District sub-AVA of the Walla Walla Valley AVA. I will be able to cover wines from both sides of the shared AVAs that Oregon has with Washington and Idaho.
I will resume in-person tastings with winemakers, both at my home near Walla Walla and during visits to wineries. I will no longer be bound by the rules of blind tasting as I will no longer be scoring wines. Blind tasting eliminates context, and the mass tastings—blind or otherwise—of dozens upon dozens of wines at a single sitting, which is standard operating procedure for many reviewers, further conceals any true measure of quality in young, recently bottled wines.
I will continue to taste regularly and post up notes and reviews and specific recommendations. But not scores. I believe it is time for wineries to find other ways to promote their wines rather than just listing the highest numbers they can find from the myriad of options. For those wineries who have never sent wines to me because they objected to scores, my door is now open and I welcome the opportunity to connect.
By going entirely digital I will be able to post up notes and recommendations as soon as I have tasted the wines. This in turn will allow consumers to find these often limited wines before they sell out. Recommended wines will have links to winery websites, so that consumers may purchase directly from the wineries. DTC is becoming vitally important for wineries in these pandemic times and I will support connecting consumers and businesses in every way possible.
Along with wine reviews and recommendations this website will feature industry news and discussions on topics such as closures, regenerative farming, proposed AVAs, misleading and vague terms... the list is a long one. The intent is to encourage dialogue. There are plenty of websites offering a single point of view, be it from a critic, a winemaker or a wine business entity. But those offering a chance for diverse opinions, including from consumers, are few and far between. I intend to make this site a place where differing points of view are welcome, where anyone who loves wine may weigh in without fear of getting a bad score or review in return.
Most importantly this will jumpstart my research for a proposed book on Oregon wines and wineries. PaulG on Wine is entirely my own self-funded project. There are no advertisers or sponsors, no solicitations or back door deals. I do ask that you send new releases regularly, and email all winery news to me at paulgwine@me.com. Your thoughts, suggestions and comments will always be welcomed. Your participation will be what makes or breaks this enterprise.
