But first ... Thank you
Hello everyone!
I want to take a moment and thank you all for being such wonderful wine enthusiasts this past year. You really helped make my job enjoyable!
Before we jump into 2017 and embark on a journey of new and exciting wines, I would like to welcome all the new followers to The Wine Old Owl.
Let's talk about reviews
For those of you who have been to my in-store wine tastings, you know that I like to push the boundaries of my tasters and help to broaden their horizons. You also know that I love Italian and Spanish wines. We'll get to those eventually.
I started The Wine Old Owl (with the help of some great friends) to highlight select wines and provide reviews that anyone can understand. I do not rate the wines on a points system—I simply taste them and give my PERSONAL, HONEST breakdown—good or bad. I do not work on commission, nor do I get paid by any wineries.
I like to keep things simple, so that anyone can understand what to expect from a particular bottle.
Review Basics
Each of my reviews has three basic components: aroma (smell), taste, and possible pairings. The reviews you see in stores and wine shops are typically written by professionals who have spent many years in the wine business. They write their reviews as if they are writing for their peers.
A lot of these reviewers have forgotten that the vast majority of wine drinkers out there are new to the wine world. One can hardly expect a novice drinker to appreciate a review that states that a wine has "...aromas of pencil shavings and shale on the nose...".
You can imagine what would be going through a novice wine drinker's mind upon reading such a description. Who wants to taste pencil shavings or shale?! No thanks! And another great wine gets left behind on the shelf. I see it everyday.
Hopefully my reviews will make much more sense to you, my wine enthusiasts, than the reviews printed under a wine's price on the store shelf.
So, now that you know my goal for this website, let's have a great year and get started tasting some wines! Cheers!
Michael F. Moore, WS
AKA: The Wine Old Owl