2012: The Vinsomniac in Review

2012: 206 blog posts covering some 60 countries/ regions/ appellations, and 43 stated grape varieties.

It's been a great year in that respect, diverse, with the full gamut of highs and lows, the peaks and troughs. There have been times when I would just like a damned drink, and to not have to worry about the thought of the matter.  Oh well...

January 2012 saw the birth of thevinsomniac.com. Prior to that it had been known as thewinewankers.com.  A rationalisation of media used, combined with a more positive outlook prompted the change. 

Some significant highlights for me in 2012 follow.

People
I've had the opportunity in the year to meet some fantastic inividuals - and some complete wankers - I've no need to highlight who sits in either camp, they'll know who they are!

Jibes aside, people make this past-time what it is. To those individuals who have provided samples, comment, discussion and engaged in any way - Salut! 

Scoring
I set out at the start of the year to score wines. The rationale behind doing so can be read here. It's a contentious subject, the distillation of a wine in to a 2-3 digit rating. For some, there will always be that temptation to 'drink by the numbers'.

Some wine professionals maintain a stance whereby they don't score wines, and yet those same individuals, as part of their role on the wine circuit, have to do so there. I respect their decision, but still smirk at the irony. As ever read a review rather than just a number where it's published.

I did note with interest that two other writers that I hold in regards chose to start attaching a score to their own reviews in the year. I don't think doing so detracted in any way from the quality of their output. 

Biodynamics
I set out at the start of 2012 trying to gain a little more insight into Biodynamic practices.  Not for any other reason that curiosity and an open mind.

This was only really possible through the Bio Garden iPhone Application where I was able to see whether a particular day was a 'fruit' or 'Flower" day etc. For each wine review I now add the day a wine was tasted on, along with whether it was a Fruit/ Flower/ Leaf/ Root day. As I say, this is purely a personal thing and something done for my own interest.        

Challenges for 2013
My biggest challenge for the year ahead will be to only use one space after a full stop (period to my American readers ;). Years of automatically double-tapping the spacebar will have to be undone...it won't happen overnight.

Blogging is a rather lonely art. Tapping away behind a keyboard at the end of a night, looking to do a wine justice through some attempt at the written word. If you're here, reading this, do say hello.

Happy New Year all. 

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