I am often asked how I review wines and why I publish stories on wines that inspire me. The truth is that I try so many wines each year that I am not physically able to write on every wine or every producer. My blog highlights the special wines and wineries that I have recently tasted. Many of my reviews are posted to my website but I do not post reviews on every wine that I try. I am not interested in posting negative reviews on wines. On my 2020 Pacific Northwest Rose Report, I only posted on roughly one half of all of the wines that I tried. This is because I want to share the wines that I feel stand out either as the top wines or the top value Pacific Northwest Rose wines.
All the wines that I try are judged using indoor tasting conditions and proper varietal stemware. Whether it is Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir or Chardonnay, I always use proper stemware regardless of varietal because I know that wines that are not reviewed using proper varietal stemware will not show the same or as well. If a wine is muted or not showing well, I always come back to it. If needed, I ask for instructions from wineries about their wines. I will decant wines that I feel need more air, as some wines needed several hours in the decanter to reach their full potential. I ask for tech sheets for each of the wines that I try and also research the wines that I try, even if I am familiar with the wine or brand. I take my time with each wine and do not do 30 second tastings as I feel that does not give wines the amount of attention that they deserve. Wines can be truly part of a winemaker’s soul and I want to ensure that the wine is showing at its best when I sit down to write my reviews.
Why I Do Not Post Negative Reviews
It may seem to some that my reviews are overly positive and that I only post positive reviews on wines. As a clinical psychologist, I know the effects that negative feedback can have on a product that someone has potentially put their heart and soul into. Therefore, unless I am asked very specifically, I do not provide feedback to those reviews that I do not post or the wines that I did not judge favorably.
When I evaluate personality in my clinical practice, it is admittedly a very sensitive practice to share with a patient when the data reveals that there is something wrong with someone’s personality. You do not openly publish this information, because sharing this data involves so much emotional connection for the patient and can evoke sadness, grief, anger and a host of emotions. The same can be true with sharing a negative review on a wine that the person most likely spent a very personal connection with. From my perspective, posting an openly negatively review about a wine is something that can be quite shaming to someone, just as sharing a personality problem would be. I am not interested in shaming an individual or winery but I am very open to having an individual conversation with a winery owner or winemaker about a wine. If a wine did not show well according to my palate, I am not interested in sharing that publicly.
I realize although I am an expert in Washington, Oregon and California wines, I am only one palate. That does not mean that I am necessarily right in my critiques of wines, it means only that I am an expert in my field based on the massive amount of wines that I have tried from these regions since I began seriously reviewing wines in 2011. My reviews do not fit everyone’s perspective or palate.
I am Committed to Promoting Wines From Washington, Oregon and California
Just as I am not interested in posting negative information or negative reviews on wineries, my posts focus on promoting these glorious wine regions. I post varying articles from Walla Walla, the Willamette Valley, Sonoma, Napa, Paso Robles and many more. I hope that you enjoy having a breath of content. When I try a wine that is truly special then I will post on it, as I regularly post about special Champagnes and wines of Sauternes. I have been reviewing wines from Champagne, Sauternes and Spain now for more than five years not only for Washington Wine Blog but International Wine Report. This is a glorious opportunity to keep abreast of these regions as well. I am now writing for Decanter Magazine as well, which will help them keep updated with wines of the Pacific Northwest in particular.
I continue to use not only my website but Facebook and Instagram to promote these three regions. I feel that my coverage interviewing winemakers and winery owners on Instagram Live has been unprecedented in our field and I will continue to use this outlet to share more content that I find to be unique and interesting. Covid-19 conditions permitting, I will continue to host what I consider to be the premier tasting event in Washington State, and a special thanks to all of you who attended WWB 2020, it was a sensational event to remember back in February.
Thank You Readers and Wineries
Finally, I want to personally thank all of you for reading Washington Wine Blog and helping my vision of creating content that shares the stories of the top wineries of Washington, Oregon and California in particular. I cannot share this information without your support and the help of these illustrious wineries. I am very indebted to all of you, from near and far, that read my features and take interest in this fascinating world of wine. I will continue to work hard to create content that I hope you find as interesting as I do.
Cheers,
Owen Bargreen