Ellington

When I first became obsessed with learning all I could about wine, I subscribed to Wine Spectator, the premier publication on wines in the U.S. The problem was that I hardly read it, and when I did, I was often annoyed. The articles seemed to assume that the reader had unlimited funds to purchase futures of Bordeaux, dine at extravagant restaurants and invest in separate glassware for the many grape varieties. Sometimes, Wine Spectator is like a private men's club that requires a secret knock to enter. Granted, some of the wines on their "Top 100" are affordable. However, you can't always get those wines, which can make the list frustrating.

What's the alternative for getting wine information? Blogs. When I started writing my blog, "Wine Outlook," a whole new world presented itself to me. As I entered into the realm of wine blogs, I realized that instead of paying for a magazine that might not help, blogs abound with free, straightforward answers to every wine question.

"Pah!" you might declare. Writers like James Laube and his colleagues are superbly educated connoisseurs with sophisticated palates, and it can be tough to know what experience and training a wine blogger has. That's true, but the trade-off is that on wine blogs, gratification is instant. If you want to know what other people think about the bottle you just had, you can find reviews with the click of a mouse. These, in turn, will lead you to food and wine pairings or recommendations for wine from regions you've long ignored.

There's no telling how many wine blogs are out there—new ones start every day—but sites like "Wine Blog Watch," "Ala Wine" and "Scrugy" help keep track of updated content. "Wine Life Today" allows users to vote on submissions and might be a good place to start.

Some blogs I read regularly include "Vinography," which has been around for ages. San Francisco-based "Alder Yarrow" is one of the most respected wine bloggers out there. Dr. Debs at "Good Wines Under $20" helps me track down bargains, and John at "Brim to the Dregs" provides thoughtful posts from a like-minded (i.e. southern) point of view. Beau at "Basic Juice" provides attitude and music suggestions. "El Bloggo Torcido" from Twisted Oak Winery cracks me up, and I'm following the birth of Capozzi Winery over at "Pinotblogger."

I've also met some interesting writers behind the blogs: Russ, who combines two of my favorite pastimes at "Winehiker Witiculture" and Megan at "Wannabe Wino," who makes me feel less guilty about my rate of consumption.

The point is that for any question you might have about wine, there's likely to be a blog or two with the answer. Get to reading, and learn a bit more about the wine in your glass.