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01.19.2009

Five Years of Vinography

Did you ever forget your birthday was coming up and only realized a few days after the fact that you'd missed it? Amidst the post-holiday cleanup and beginning of the New Year we passed a milestone here at Vinography.

When I started this blog five years ago I had no idea where it was going to take me. It was merely a personal project that became a creative outlet, that became an excuse to drink more wine, that became something entirely with a life of its own.

I'm not entirely sure when this blog ceased to be an experiment and started being a real media outlet, but sometime within the first year, my relationship to the writing and to my growing audience changed. In short, I started to take the blog seriously, and for the first time, considered what it was that I thought I was doing.

While I still may not have entirely answered that question for myself, I do know that I'm trying to honestly present an alternative to the "glossy" forms of wine journalism. That's not just about dropping an occasional F-bomb or exercising the other liberties that come with no editor, publisher, or financial concerns. I've been trying to write about wine the way I want to read about it: with some humor, with some intelligence, and above all, with the stories that help wine transcend points and tasting notes.

I'm proud to have helped to pioneer wine blogging, and thrilled at the increasing numbers and quality of wine blogs that continue to proliferate throughout the blogosphere, thanks to other passionate consumers like me, as well as the host of professional journalists that have taken up the practice.

Pride isn't enough, however, to sustain me and push me to keep writing about wine nearly every day for five years. No amount of awards or mentions in the mainstream press could have kept me at this for so long, if it weren't for you folks that actually read what I write and talk back. I'm constantly humbled, delighted, and impressed by the contributions that you readers make to this site. Your reactions, thoughts, expertise, and insights have turned what might have been a lonely exercise into a wonderful conversation that I hope will continue in the years to come.

As Vinography begins its sixth year of existence, I'd like to thank you all for your support, your continued readership, and your love of wine which keeps this whole thing going.

Cheers,

Alder

Posted by: Alder on January 19, 2009 10:22 PM: Tweet; Share this post elsewhere: Digg it! - Add to del.icio.us - Add to Stumbleupon - Add to Reddit; Filed under: Ramblings and Rants

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Comments (26)

David G wrote:

01.20.09 at 2:02 AM

Wow, first in, and first comment. Congratulations on five years. I've learned a lot from your blog and admire your passion for wine. Keep up the good work.

I wonder where wine blogging will be at your tenth anniversary?

Julie Ann Kodmur wrote:

01.20.09 at 6:22 AM

Go Alder! Words don't quite suffice...!

1WineDude wrote:

01.20.09 at 6:59 AM

Well - Cheers & Happy B-day!

Arthur wrote:

01.20.09 at 7:59 AM

Congratulations!

Alder wrote:

01.20.09 at 10:09 AM

David,

Anyone who says they can predict what the online or publishing world will be like in 5 years is not to be trusted. 5 years ago YouTube didn't exist.

Alder

Dylan wrote:

01.20.09 at 10:21 AM

5 years? Alder, 5 years ago, I was getting excited for my senior year of high school. Can you imagine? And yet, here I am, through a series of unforeseeable events bringing me closer to the wine world than I ever imagined; having read your blog and contributed to my own for what has only been the past six months.

You did say it best in yesterday's post, it is a daunting climb, but looking at the heights you've scaled in 5 years time, it makes that climb seem worthwhile.

Rob wrote:

01.20.09 at 10:47 AM

Happy Birthday!

Sonadora wrote:

01.20.09 at 10:53 AM

Congratulations as you march into year 6!

Neil@WineExpedition wrote:

01.20.09 at 11:05 AM

Happy Birthday...! (glass raised, though only ceremoniously; it's only 11am here a bit too early to have a glass..!)

Alfonso wrote:

01.20.09 at 11:06 AM

Buon Compleanno, Alder...

You are such a gentleman, and one who lifts the tide for all of us.

Cheers,

CalActive.com wrote:

01.20.09 at 11:11 AM

Happy birthday Blog!!!

Eric wrote:

01.20.09 at 12:17 PM

Congrats on the momentous achievement, Alder!

Sobre Vino wrote:

01.20.09 at 2:45 PM

Congratulations Alder.

LEt's go for 5 more years :-)

Benito wrote:

01.20.09 at 10:41 PM

Congratulations! I can't wait for the first wine blog to hit the 10 year mark--I'm thinking global online wine drinking party. At this rate you may be the first one to achieve that.

Sean Calder wrote:

01.20.09 at 11:23 PM

Congratulations, Alder!

Catie wrote:

01.21.09 at 3:56 PM

Congratulations Alder! You are a role model for the rest of us.

fabio wrote:

01.22.09 at 3:07 AM

happy birthday, vinography!!!

CheeseToast wrote:

01.25.09 at 7:20 AM

Congratulations on five years of great wine!

Mitzi wrote:

01.25.09 at 12:03 PM

Congratulations! What wine(s) did you celebrate with?

Jean-Louis wrote:

01.25.09 at 1:17 PM

Congratulations from Grace and yours truly, Alder, and keep it up!

Alder wrote:

01.25.09 at 1:26 PM

Mitzi,

well, seeing as I forgot to mark the occasion at all, I can't tell you what wine I celebrated with. I might not have even had any wine that night at all! (gasp). The horror.

I am celebrating a bit tonight with friends, but haven't chosen the wine yet...

nowino wrote:

01.25.09 at 5:48 PM

Happy Birthday Alder and Neil get a life. It's 5 pm somewhere.

tom farella wrote:

01.26.09 at 10:20 AM

Congrats, Alder. Thanks for making the "internets" an interesting place beyond the weather, local/world news and shopping jags for my favorite telemark equipment. Oh, yea, and Pandora.com. 5 years is an eternity, it seems. All the best for the next 50!

Gilberto Salinas wrote:

01.26.09 at 10:53 AM

Estimado Alder,
Muchas Felicidades.....

Lenn wrote:

01.27.09 at 11:24 AM

Alder, happy blog birthday from one old-timer (in the wine blog world) to another.

No one does it better. Congrats.

Alder wrote:

01.27.09 at 11:31 AM

Thank you all for your good wishes!