Comments on The Gray Report: Wine Advocate in Sonoma County: No scandal, so far...

Ah..... Just in time for Festivus.... The airing o...

2011-12-23T07:59:56.736-08:00

Ah..... Just in time for Festivus.... The airing of grievances....
And now for my feat of strength: lifting this here coffee cup to my mouth.... It's warm... A miracle!

Diogenes told Alexander the Great to "get out...

2011-12-23T07:22:38.060-08:00

Diogenes told Alexander the Great to "get out of my sunlight." I think in the 21st century he wouldn't have a problem telling people to go read somebody else's blog. And Adam, I'll leave it up to you to interpret how Diogenes might have responded to being told he must do an unpaid job a certain way for somebody who came solely to criticize him.

Happy Christmas!

Julie, FYI,Diogenes made a virtue of poverty, did...

2011-12-22T20:18:37.816-08:00

Julie,

FYI,Diogenes made a virtue of poverty, didn't complain about it.

Adam Lee
Siduri Wines

@Julie Ann Kodmur: http://tinyurl.com/7sh47re

2011-12-22T20:16:43.396-08:00

@Julie Ann Kodmur:

http://tinyurl.com/7sh47re

Mike: I published this piece because I really beli...

2011-12-22T14:31:31.101-08:00

Mike: I published this piece because I really believe in service journalism, in getting facts on the record.

I didn't expect it to stir up the pot quite like this.

Quite simply, if the story changes in the next six months, any other journalist can point back at this story and say, "this is what Galloni and the SCVA said then." If I don't publish it, these

Blake is a modern-day Diogenes, shining his lanter...

2011-12-22T13:16:13.634-08:00

Blake is a modern-day Diogenes, shining his lantern on a very important issue---let's commend him for that instead of getting negative!

This article was fairly priced, unless one can put...

2011-12-22T12:48:19.025-08:00

This article was fairly priced, unless one can put a price on time, that is. Then it looks expensive.

Sorry Blake. Didn't mean to imply your articl...

2011-12-22T12:46:06.925-08:00

Sorry Blake. Didn't mean to imply your article was a hatchet job like the Thompson story. Nevertheless, I really can't figure out why you published this piece. I think it's pretty clear that Antonio has done nothing wrong in asking the SCVA to set up a tasting of some of Sonoma County’s wines to supplement his visits and other tastings. (By the way, he’s scheduled to try my wines

Blake, hang in there. Don't listen to these at...

2011-12-22T11:42:48.904-08:00

Blake, hang in there. Don't listen to these attackers. You are only letting some sunlight into a normally closed-off set of facts.

Mike: These ARE facts. I'm quoting directly fr...

2011-12-22T11:40:15.248-08:00

Mike: These ARE facts. I'm quoting directly from what the SCVA and Galloni sent me.

I'm sorry you didn't like this post. Comparing it to the hatchet job on Mike Thompson ... ouch! You know how to hurt a guy.

@ Andy: Nuclear Medicine with a background in and...

2011-12-22T09:52:08.570-08:00

@ Andy: Nuclear Medicine with a background in and applications to Neuroscience.

Blake and I had an experience together that would counter the idea that one cannot expect "scientific precision from wine reviewers". The person leading the seminar had the gall to tell some participants that they were..... wrong (gasp!).

Had you been present, you might have a

Not sure I could do a better job than Adam in poin...

2011-12-22T09:24:41.115-08:00

Not sure I could do a better job than Adam in pointing out how ridiculous this story is. Reminds me of a recent hatchet piece on Rep. Mike Thompson. A writer (I use the term loosely) for the NY times tried to create a scandal claiming Mike Thompson, who owns a small vineyard in Lake County, was helping to pass favorable legislation for the wine industry. Hmmm… His district includes Lake,

I 'll tell you what the scandal is: that peopl...

2011-12-22T09:16:52.840-08:00

I 'll tell you what the scandal is: that people give such weight to this guys, or anyone's, opinion at all. I know how it all works with the scoring system and how it sells wine, blah-blah-blah. But why is Tony's palate better than anyone elses? Why does his opinion matter so much? Just hope he doesn't have a bad tasting day due to a cold, acid reflux, or stroke, not that I

Well, I think your post isn't factual in that ...

2011-12-22T08:49:59.136-08:00

Well, I think your post isn't factual in that the original email invited SCVA member wineries to submit more than Pinot and Chardonnay. Which is what I pointed out in my email to you two days ago (not yesterday).

I think it isn't factual in that you wrote, "A vintner contacted me and told me that Antonio Galloni will only taste wines from members of the Sonoma County

Just realized I share something other than Marylan...

2011-12-22T08:45:21.266-08:00

Just realized I share something other than Maryland roots with Robert Parker: When the comment board at erobertparker.com was open to the public, he used to take umbrage occasionally at people who would go there for free to snipe at him.

And there's the fact that I now own 2 Ravens t-shirts ...

Adam, I'm not suggesting that the Sonoma Count...

2011-12-22T08:41:35.556-08:00

Adam, I'm not suggesting that the Sonoma County Vintners Association or any other trade group shouldn't be promoting the interests of its members. I understand that that is how they work. What I'm curious about is how serious the Wine Advocate is about promoting "maximum inclusion." By asking the SCVA to include non-member wineries, Antonio Galloni seems to be looking for a

Adam: Forgive me. Instead of doing the story for a...

2011-12-22T08:02:35.448-08:00

Adam: Forgive me. Instead of doing the story for a publication that was paying me yesterday, I should have dropped everything to respond to your email and rewritten this post. Clearly I have made an error in judgment.

But what gives you the idea that this post is "not factual"? It quotes directly from statements sent to me by the SCVA and Galloni. If it's not factual,

The reason you are irresponsible is people believe...

2011-12-22T07:02:37.834-08:00

The reason you are irresponsible is people believe what you write. Look at the posts of those who think "you are on to something".

FACTS
No winery here has ever been denied a rating or been denied a tasting from WA or anyone else because they don't belong to an association. In Napa, only one tasting was arranged by the Napa Vintners Association and Galloni was

Andy here... Blake -- This is the best blog I'...

2011-12-22T05:59:42.557-08:00

Andy here...

Blake -- This is the best blog I've read in a awhile. There is no need for you to qualify the reporting based upon how much you got paid (or lack thereof).

Adam -- when your wine reviews were published in the WA, were official scores given or were official scores based upon blind tastings on a later day?

SUAMW -- I am assuming your are a

This is a quality, well-written article with engag...

2011-12-22T05:10:55.434-08:00

This is a quality, well-written article with engaging content full of original, distinctive and tangible views. Much of this content falls in line with my own views. Thank you for sharing your knowledge this way.

Blake, Seriously? I sent you a private email bec...

2011-12-22T04:21:07.202-08:00

Blake,

Seriously? I sent you a private email because you wrote that it sucks if you make Syrah or Zinfandel, showing you that the Sonoma County Vintners Association asked members for more wines that just Pinot Noir and Chardonnay (that was the entire first paragraph of the email). I figured that you might want to make your blog accurate, especially a blog that begins with "An

So, let's see if I have this correct: Antonio...

2011-12-22T03:58:48.727-08:00

So, let's see if I have this correct:

Antonio Galloni is coming to Sonoma County, the most far-flung and varietally diverse wine county in California. So he approaches the largest and most-geographically diverse Winery marketing organization in the county about putting on a tasting for him. They contact Member Wineries first and these tastings largely fill up the two days that

Blake-- I think you are onto something here. I b...

2011-12-22T00:34:20.400-08:00

Blake--

I think you are onto something here.

I blog about it on Thursday and come down on your side.

Neither you nor I mentioned that much of Galloni's time will be spent tasting at favored wineries with the labels showing and winemaker and owner telling him about the wine.

Oh, and did I mention that my comments about our sometimes frank

Lemme try that again: "Thanks, Blake. I don&...

2011-12-21T21:24:37.209-08:00

Lemme try that again:

"Thanks, Blake. I don't always get it, but when I do I take Cipro".

Thanks Blake. When I do get it, I take Cipro.

2011-12-21T20:54:24.917-08:00

Thanks Blake. When I do get it, I take Cipro.