Saturday 31 August 2013
Riesling, Riesling, and more Riesling
Riesling, Riesling, and more Riesling was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WinePeeps/~3/cBuKHj8aQeg/
The Real Reason Wine Bloggers Are Not Relevant To Advertisers
The Real Reason Wine Bloggers Are Not Relevant To Advertisers originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/XmEQn_LBewI/
Decanting decanting
Another decanting article = sigh, right? I gave the topic a whirl in an article over on wine-searcher.com to separate the good advice from the sediment. I am not even synthesizing it here since it would be as reduced as a young Cornas; uncork something and surf over to check out the whole article.
The post Decanting decanting appeared first on Dr Vino's wine blog.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/-WifSwC_m_s/
Whitehall Lane Chardonnay Sauvignon Blanc Riesling Chenin Blanc
Challenging Wine Pairing: Peach Cobbler
Challenging Wine Pairing: Peach Cobbler was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WinePeeps/~3/mt_hsGpzmhI/
Blue Ostrich 2011 Roussanne
Source: http://thegrapesaroundtexas.com/2013/04/07/blue-ostrich-2011-roussanne/
Friday 30 August 2013
Protected: The Zinfandel Festival 2012: A new AVA to be reckoned with
Source: http://www.beyondnapavalley.com/blog/the-zinfandel-festival-2012-a-new-ava-to-be-reckoned-with/
5 Point Chardonnay 2011
Source: http://thegrapesaroundtexas.com/2013/03/27/5-point-chardonnay-2011/
Chart of the day: soda down, wine up
Americans love soda so much that we drink 44 gallons a head last year. But soda sales have slowed, as Americans drank 52 gallons of soda in 1998. So that’s a decline of 18%. Even though that change hasn’t been reflected entirely in America’s waistlines, the secular decline has led to some to argue that […]
The post Chart of the day: soda down, wine up appeared first on Dr Vino's wine blog.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/8ABrvA-HhlA/
Red Willow Vineyard: 40 Years and Just Beginning!
Red Willow Vineyard: 40 Years and Just Beginning! was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WinePeeps/~3/7faxIwSwKVc/
Canonica A Cerreto Sandiavolo 2004
Source: http://www.wine4freaks.com/46/canonica-a-cerreto-sandiavolo-2004/
St. Clement Staglin Stag\\\'s Leap Stags\\\' Leap Santa Barbara
Wine Bloggers? Wines from Oddbins
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/0KjB-LdU1U0/
Field Notes from a Wine Life ? Power Structure Edition
Odds and ends from a life lived through the prism of the wine glass…
Naked Wine and Occupy Wall Street
It’s not hard to notice the parallels between the natural wine movement and Occupy Wall Street - both are valid causes sorely lacking coherence and a rallying point that would move them from fringe head-scratcher to mainstream momentum.
• Natural wine is about purity of wine expression—shepherding grapes grown without chemicals to the bottle with as little human manipulation as possible, representing the place where they came from in the process.
• Occupy Wall Street is about re-calibrating the world’s best economic system – capitalism—to preserve the middle-class, the labor force that has allowed the U.S. to create the most productive economy in the world.
Neither movement represents fringe radicalism as some would have you believe. I look at both as being valid inflection points and, at their core, about keeping a balance between big and small, allowing every man and woman an equal opportunity at pursuing success around their particular truth.
What reasonable person would deny the validity of either if not clouded by confusion?
One idea well-conceived and well-communicated can change the world, but, unfortunately, both the natural wine movement and Occupy Wall Street are prevaricating from their essential truth, rendering them both toothless and feckless.
No need to crib from Che Guevara, but appealing to base logic and the common denominator would do both movements some good.
Just one man’s opinion…
On the Aussies, Redux
A few weeks back, I noted how the Australian wine industry was poised for a rebound in public perception due in part to two things happening in concert – public backlash to Yellow Tail wine, what I call the, “Derision Decision,” and an unspoken coalition of influencers recognizing Australia’s artisanal wine production – the antithesis of Yellow Tail. I cited recent sympathetic mentions from Jay McInerney in the Wall Street Journal and Dan Berger, wine writing’s current patriarch, as proof points.
You can add to the list of sympathetic mentions about artisanal Australia with recent mentions from Jancis Robinson and James Suckling.
Don’t sleep on Australia. It’s making a comeback slowly, but surely in public perception.
Tim Mondavi and Wine Spectator
Thomas Matthews, the Executive Editor for Wine Spectator magazine (WS), has commented on my site a few times. Each of these instances has been to protect or project Wine Spectator around its editorial goals.
Good on Thomas for not being afraid to get in the ring. Certainly, WS takes its fair share of shots from the wine chatterati, mostly with grace and aplomb.
Lest I cast myself as anything but objective, I should note that James Laube’s article on Tim Mondavi and Continuum in the current issue of WS (November 15th issue) is everything right about what mainstream wine media can offer wine consumers that online wine writing (mostly) doesn’t –long-form, depth, first-person access and an effort that takes weeks and not hours.
Laube’s piece is excellent - well-written and balanced; acknowledgement thereof is in order.
Besides the Wine
Jordan winery has two wines – a Cabernet and Chardonnay, but they really have a triumvirate in terms of things to buy. Jordan focuses on food and wine as being partners at the table and, to that end, any purchase from Jordan should also include their olive oil. Wow!
The Jordan olive oil makes Trader Joe’s EVOO seem like Two Buck Chuck, comparatively speaking. A little whole wheat Barilla pasta, some homemade pesto using the Jordan olive oil and some artisan bread in five minutes a day and you’re assuredly living the good life. The rub is I wouldn’t pour the round Jordan Chard with the pesto, probably a Sauvignon Blanc, but don’t let that dissuade you from picking up their olive oil – it’s good stuff.
Source: http://goodgrape.com/index.php/site/field_notes_from_a_wine_life_power_structure_edition/
Time to Sniff, Swirl, Spit
Thursday 29 August 2013
Wine & The Connected Consumer
Wine & The Connected Consumer originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/nrx_xWDCG2s/
Challenging Wine Pairing: Peach Cobbler
Challenging Wine Pairing: Peach Cobbler was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WinePeeps/~3/mt_hsGpzmhI/
Red Willow Vineyard: 40 Years and Just Beginning!
Red Willow Vineyard: 40 Years and Just Beginning! was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WinePeeps/~3/7faxIwSwKVc/
Domaine Pierre Usseglio
But I [...]
Source: http://www.wine4freaks.com/42/domaine-pierre-usseglio/
On Self-Actualizing Wine Interest, Purple Pages, the Kindle Fire and Gutenberg
While it has been cited that we’re living in a “Golden Age” of wine writing, what is interesting to me these days is NOT the subject of wine writing.
My interest is in a broader understanding of the consumption of the wine writer’s output – self-identified wine interest by consumers who are seeking out wine information. This is a seismic shift more important than the vagaries of who writes what, where, when and for how much.
Something much bigger and amorphous is at work.
It used to be that people self-identified by their job or some other affiliation that produced recognition from others, a status-marker of sorts—“I work for IBM, I have two kids and we’re Protestant.”
However, nowadays, people, principally online (which is moving center stage in our life), are self-identifying by their personal interests which, often times, diverges greatly from their profession and their family situation.
Look at Twitter profiles or a body of status updates from somebody on Facebook. People are no longer duotone and defined by work and family. They’re multi-layered and complex and defined by their interests. The modern day self-description goes something like this: “Passionate about wine and travel. I build furniture, follow the San Francisco Giants, and work in a non-profit by day. I also volunteer to ensure clean water for sub-Saharan Africans. Dad to two wonderful kids”
In diamond-cutting terms, it’s more Peruzzi than table cut and it seems we’re all on a journey to be the most interesting man person in the world.
This kaleidoscopic advancement in sense-of-self is a very important development because, on an individual level, we tend to project externally how we see ourselves in the mirror. By stating publicly online that we’re a wine enthusiast, a foodie, a jazz lover, who does dog rescue and loves college football with a fascination for all things digital, it’s like writing down a goal. A goal written down means something to most people and people are likely to actuate their activities around it, even if aspirationally.
This is a very subtle point and I hope I’m conveying it faithfully: Societally, we’re changing how we view ourselves, we are stating how we view ourselves and consequently we’re more likely to pursue knowledge around those interests because we’ve put it out there.
In Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, we’re all self-actualizing.
So, when it comes to wine writing, while I’m very happy for Alder Yarrow’s assignment in writing a monthly column for Jancis Robinson’s Purple Pages, I also tend to look at it within a much broader context because there will be more Alder Yarrow Horatio Alger-like stories in the years to come.
More to the point however, and within a bigger picture, what Alder writes now and in the future on his own site or at Jancis’ site is likely going to be viewed by an increasingly larger audience who, based on the aforementioned self-actualization, have become more inclined to seek a wide-range of information that supports a myriad of personal interests, including wine.
This online growth in information-seeking is, indeed, a very good thing particularly for the wine business who is caught up in a focus on Gen. Y, when the more important point is that there is a mass of people of all ages who have increasingly ready access to information online that allows them to easily pierce the veil of wine. And, the implications for that for shouldn’t be understated because the view of the wine world is likely to be altered to be much more inclusive of all types of viewpoints – think the streets of New York instead of Pottery Barn.
The Kindle Fire tablet by Amazon.com may represent the next step in this evolution, driving the potentiality of mass on-the-move content delivery. No, it’s not as important as the printing press or any other God Complex hyperbole that is assigned to Steve Jobs, but it’s an important step forward nonetheless.
Where laptop computers are functional machines designed to execute work, and tablets (like the iPad) are a lightweight, portable device that act as a multi-functional hybrid between a smartphone and a laptop, here comes the Kindle Fire which is a device designed almost exclusively for content consumption, all kinds of content – blogs, digital magazines, digital books, videos, music, etc.
The Kindle Fire, to me, is a device that enhances the trend we’re seeing in the increased complexity of how we define ourselves because here’s a device that lets users pursue content around their interests anytime, anywhere and it’s reasonably affordable at $199, at least half the cost of other tablets on the market.
For example purposes, let’s say I have an interest in German Riesling, but I don’t really want to buy another paper-based book because I already have a stack of 14 books at my bedside that I haven’t read (or, perhaps, I don’t buy that many books, period). Likewise, it isn’t convenient for me to read a book on my laptop because, well, that’s not really a form factor that works for me because I’m already hunched over my laptop for 12 hours a day. In addition, I don’t want to print out a 150 page pdf because that’s paper I have to carry around. Previously, with all of the aforementioned caveats, I would have let a deep dive into knowing more about German Riesling be a fleeting thought—an opportunity that would lay fallow.
Ah, but the Kindle Fire will let me consume this German Riesling content in a nice, portable, convenient, lightweight manner that is designed to do expressly that. I’m now looking forward to pouring through Terry Theise’s 2011 German Riesling catalog and reading part II of Mosel Fine Wines 2010 vintage report.
All of this distills down to an essential takeaway: When Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press with movable type, the tangible output was the ability to have ready access to print books. However, the bigger impact was the spread of knowledge which led to the Renaissance period which inalterably changed the culture of the world.
That’s where I think we’re at now, particularly with wine and the spread of information. The conversation can be about who is writing and where they come from, but the conversation with far greater impact is what the end game is for this mass adoption of personal nuance lived out loud.
In simpler terms, the wine writer, like Descartes in the Renaissance era, had a great, lasting influence, but the Renaissance period was much bigger than Descartes.
The key for the wine business in this seismic shift in wine affiliation and the pursuit of information thereof is to decide whether they want to support the status quo and perpetuate business as usual or open themselves to all kinds of thought.
Wine writers already are and so are the consumers seeking out this information.
Napa Valley Taste of Victory
I?m not sure why an official wine region is needed, but nonetheless that is how it is. The benefit for the Napa Valley wineries and related industries is plenty of PR, and the only wines poured at all the official venues for America?s Cup are from the Napa Valley.
The post Napa Valley Taste of Victory appeared first on Napa Valley Wine Blog.
Source: http://www.winecountrygetaways.com/napablog/napa-valley-taste-victory/
Alan Kerr?s Vintage?s August 17th Release ? Tasting Notes
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/gangofpour/uncZ/~3/B6SOeq6whCw/alan-kerrs-august-17th-release
Pub Grub with Two Michelin Stars ? Marlow,UK
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/vagablond/ysSN/~3/OPabAoD6-S4/
Pinot Blanc Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Pinot Noir Syrah or Shiraz
First Look: Jolie-Pitt Miraval Ros�
The brand is Miraval - and by all accounts the celebrity couple's participation in the project is more than a rubber stamp branding affair. According to Wine Spectator the couple participated in determining the blend of the wine as well as the bottle/label design. They've partnered with the Perrin family which is responsible for, among other things, the well-regarded Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape. The final results are impressive.
The only mention of Jolie-Pitt is a subtle "mis en bouteille par Jolie-Pitt & Perrin" on the back label of the uniquely shaped bottle. It's just enough to confirm to those seeking the wine they've found what they were looking for.
This ros� is the first wine to be released. According to the winery website a white and red are slated to follow. If they're anything like the ros� I'll look forward to tasting them.
Here are my tasting notes on the ros�:
2012 Miraval Ros�
$28 Release Price
Street price: Just south of $20 retail
15,000 Cases Imported
13% Alcohol
My goodness - this is an outstanding wine. It's so well balanced. I have a hard time finding a flaw with it. There wasn't an off note in the bottle.
The color is a gorgeous watermelon candy pink with a hint of copper. An inviting fruit forward/floral nose conveys to the palate with medium/full weight almost like a light/medium Oregon Pinot Gris. It's never overly heavy yet is tremendously satisfying to drink.
Full of flavor but doesn't get out of whack. No distracting herbal notes - just pure enjoyable fruit balanced with medium-low acidity. Overall it strikes me as a very well made Proven�al ros� targeted for the American market.
92/100 WWP: Outstanding
Wine Spectator rated the wine 90 points
CellarTracker
Wine-Searcher
There was some talk when this wine was released in Europe of it being quickly sold out. However, there does seem to be good availability in the US. Retailers and consumers: If you've seen this around at a good price (I'd say $17.99 to $19.99 is a good price) let us know in the comments!
How to improve the use of social media in the wine business?
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/dLfNv2Jzzxw/
Five Recommended Spanish Ros�s
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| Bodegas del Rosario Monastrell vineyards in Bullas |
 |
| Hard to complain about anything with this one. |
 |
| Look for an upcoming vintage of this at Wegman's for $5.99 |
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| Solid. A crowd pleaser. |
Bodegas la Purisima is a cooperative in Yecla that's just bringing their wines to the US. Their rosado has an inviting nose of plush strawberries with leafy briar patch notes in the background Very clean and dry. 12.5% alcohol.
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| Not quite available in the US, but soon! |
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WellesleyWinePress/~3/b03svsBkbGc/five-recommended-spanish-roses.html
Wednesday 28 August 2013
Event Report: Francis Ford Coppola Winery at Ruth's Chris Boston
- Sofia
- Diamond Collection
- Votre Sante
- Director's Cut
- FC Reserve
- Archimedes
- Eleanor
- Director's
- Rosso & Bianco
- Su Yuen
On to the wines...
2011 Sofia Blanc de Blancs
2011 Diamond Chardonnay
Though the alcohol was moderate (13.5%) wine didn't seem particularly Burgundian to me, but if you like your Chardonnay with a creamy texture and a cr�me br�l�e finish this one's got it.
The Chardonnay was paired with a Chilled Shellfish salad with tiger shrimp, lumped crab meat, spring greens, and white balsamic vinaigrette.
The Diamond Chardonnay carries a $16 retail price. You'll find it on sale for $11 or $12 a bottle at retailers.
2011 Votre Sant� Pinot Noir
It was a soft, plush wine with sufficient California Pinot markings (strawberries, supporting herbal notes, etc) that it felt like legit Pinot. It also featured just a touch of baking spice warmth yet bright fruit kept it feeling fresh.
It paired very enjoyably with a Wild Mushroom Risotto featuring cremini mushrooms, fresh thyme, and Romano cheese. Fantastic comfort pairing.
The best part? The Pinot retails for just $14, meaning you'll be able to find it at retail for just over $10 (search for it using Wine-Searcher) or for $8 by the glass in restaurants. I hear they sell tons of it at The Cottage in Wellesley and I believe it's poured at Ruth's Chris as well.
2011 Diamond Claret
The winery website is quite good - it includes a video showing how to open one of these bottles while retaining the netting. They're big on presentation: "It's all entertainment," says Francis Ford Coppola.
The Claret is mostly Cabernet-driven wine (79%) but labeled as a Claret to denote the inclusion of other Bordeaux varieties.
The wine retails for $21, though discounters seem to drive it down in the $12 range.
If you've never been to a Ruth's Chris, their signature move is delivering steaks to your table on very hot plates sizzling with butter. I wondered how they'd pull that off in this setting with 20+ people being simultaneously served in the room.
Winemaker Corey Beck quickly sensed it was time to stop talking when the sounds and smells of the sizzling steaks entered the room! The restaurant did a fantastic job presenting the entrees concurrently.
2010 Director's Cut Cabernet
Beck described the mindset of Director's Cut being analogous to a filmmaker deciding what he wants to keep in the final picture. In producing Director's Cut, Beck gets to decide which lots and barrels work best together when creating the final blend.
It's produced from grapes from Sonoma's Alexander Valley and is a nice value at $29 retail, and available for less if you look around.
Conclusions and Recommendations
The Coppola empire of endeavors is impressive. Filmmaking, wine, resorts... The list is long. Many celebrities get into winemaking as a side hobby that loses money. But in the case of Coppola's wine brands they actually kick off money that's in turn used to create independent films. Fascinating guy. I think I'll have to go back and re-watch The Godfather.
For more information, visit:
- http://franciscoppolawinery.com -and-
- http://ruthschris.com for more information.
Related Reading
- An in-depth review of The Capital Grille Boston
- A first look at Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse
Chart of the day: soda down, wine up
Americans love soda so much that we drink 44 gallons a head last year. But soda sales have slowed, as Americans drank 52 gallons of soda in 1998. So that’s a decline of 18%. Even though that change hasn’t been reflected entirely in America’s waistlines, the secular decline has led to some to argue that […]
The post Chart of the day: soda down, wine up appeared first on Dr Vino's wine blog.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/8ABrvA-HhlA/
Challenging Wine Pairing: Lobster Casserole
Challenging Wine Pairing: Lobster Casserole was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WinePeeps/~3/nHrGFBSRX_c/
Five Fun Things to Do in the Napa Valley in June
Don't just have a great time in the Napa Valley, have a phenomenal time! We suggest these five fun things to do in the Napa Valley in June. Enjoy!
The post Five Fun Things to Do in the Napa Valley in June appeared first on Napa Valley Wine Blog.
Source: http://www.winecountrygetaways.com/napablog/five-fun-things-to-do-in-the-napa-valley-in-june/
Champagne Sparkling White Wine Rose Alex. Vall. Vyds Andrew Murray
Rockin? at Wine & Cars
?Germany produces some of the best dry white wine in the world frequently sold at very affordable prices?
“Germany produces some of the best dry white wine in the world frequently sold at very affordable prices” originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Tuesday 27 August 2013
Hello world!
Chardonnay m�l�e
The folks at Kermit Lynch wine merchants started a minor twit-flagration the other day by tweeting this provocative quote from the esteemed importer himself: “To me Chardonnay means white Burgundy, and the rest are, for better or worse, pretenders to the throne.” The descent immediately ignited, lead by P. Cap, the fastest saberer in the […]
The post Chardonnay m�l�e appeared first on Dr Vino's wine blog.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/GTbMPwfRRk0/
TasteCamp East: Voracious Wine Bloggers Taste Throughout the Finger�Lakes
Field Notes from a Wine Life ? Autumnal Equinox Edition
Odds and ends from a life lived through the prism of the wine glass…
The Power of Intent in Biodynamic Wine
I wrote a heady post in September about Biodynamic wine. The story is too complicated to summarize here (link to post), but one of the things that I touched on (and that interests me on an ongoing basis) is the notion of “intent” in the vineyard particularly as it relates to viticultural quality and Biodynamic preparations.
They say that you can taste “love” in a food dish, so, while not scientifically quantifiable (at least not yet), it stands to reason that extra attention and loving preparation with BioD preps. might have a positive benefit on the vines and subsequently the wines.
This notion of intent isn’t my idea; I culled it from Voodoo Vintners, Katherine Cole’s Biodynamic-related book published earlier this year (she has a different supposition about ‘intent’ than I do). A passage from the book notes, “The belief is that the preparations aren’t merely herbal treatments for plants; they’re carriers of the farmers’ intentions, which have been swirled into them through the powerful act of stirring. While it isn’t a requirement for Demeter certification, intention is that little bit of witchcraft that separates the most committed practitioners from the unbelievers.”
My point in September and my point now is that “intent” isn’t witchcraft, its science – science that is still emerging and not completely understood.
To that end, I read an incredible, eye-opening, mind-bending article in the current issue of Time magazine about a new technology device called the BodyWave. An iPod sized device, the BodyWave is based on electroencephalography (EEG), the study of how brain activity excites neurons to emit brain waves that travel the central nervous system and can be measured.
So, here’s the thing. Not only can this BodyWave device measure the fluctuations in the brain’s electrical activity, but when connected to a computer it can perform functions based on brain waves.
It’s a holy crap moment to realize that by focusing brain activity somebody can shut off a valve in a nuclear power plant, via computer, with the power of their mind, as elaborated on in the article.
The full Time magazine article is subscriber-protected (darn publishers that try to run a business…), but the intro. to the article is available here.
I’m a liberal arts guy, as far removed from science as one can get by education, vocation and lifelong learning interest, but I do have the ability to suspend my disbelief and it seems likely to me that in 10 years’ time the Biodynamic conversation is going to be around an entirely different set of conversational conditions than the current ‘bunkum vs. belief’ precept that we have now.
On Knowledge
I’ve never reconciled the “demystify” vs. “knowledge frees you” debate as it relates to wine. Many will say that wine is needlessly overcomplicated for the average consumer and the arcane aspects act as a barrier to entry.
Well, sometimes you find defining wisdom in the unlikeliest places.
Scott Adams, the creator of the cartoon Dilbert, noted in a blog post recently what I’ve thought, but have never been able to say quite so eloquently.
Indeed, you are what you learn. You don’t have to know much about wine to drink it, but it sure makes it that much more enjoyable if you lean into the door…
Thanksgiving Wine Recommendation
Thanksgiving is the wine world’s national holiday. I get that. It’s my favorite holiday, too. But, the attendant wine pairing articles are exhausting. Does it really matter what you drink with Thanksgiving dinner? Nope. If it did, somebody, anybody would care that I’ll be having Sparkling Rose, German Riesling and New Zealand Pinot, but, really, nobody cares. At the end of the day, the below picture encapsulates what really matters when picking a wine for Thanksgiving (Hint: Focus on the food).
It Was a Good Week for Lot18
My eyes bugged out like a virgin at a nudist camp when I saw that Lot18 secured $30M in additional funding. That money coupled with clarification from the California Alcohol Beverage Control (CA ABC) on some wonkiness in legalities, means the first week of November 2011 will go down as a watershed moment for Lot18.
Perhaps equally interesting to me is a passage noting, “Radical Transparency” in an email sent to Lot18 members from Lot18 (ostensibly founder Phillip James). The email noted:
As Lot18 moves into its second year of existence, our goal is to ensure that, with more money in the bank and compliance questions behind us, Lot18 can continue to deliver on its responsibilities to our suppliers and to our members alike. We must hold ourselves accountable to ensure we maintain trust with everyone who produces and consumes goods offered by Lot18.
We do this through a policy called Radical Transparency, which simply involves sharing more than was once considered wise. We believe in this because it drives our focus and ensures that all of our employees and our members feel that they have a role in shaping our future. Together we can create a service that will not only help you find great value, but also encourage you to spread the word to friends and family so that they may also share in the delight.
We’re all aware of “transparency” as an online buzzword the last several years. It’s a word that has been co-opted, commoditized and rendered meaningless, as well. It seems, transparency is really code word for faux sincerity and empathy and that makes adding the modifier of “Radical” to transparency all the more interesting.
These days, every new business success story comes with hagiographic mythologizing and I wouldn’t be surprised if, in this area, “Radical Transparency” is where Lot18 stakes their claim. After all, culture and customer service is already taken by Zappos.
Yet, radical transparency isn’t a new concept either. If you’re interested in seeing how a hedge fund called Bridgewater Associates (founded by Ray Dalio) has codified a brutally honest feedback loop see this profile piece from New York magazine and Dalio’s 123 page “Principles” document (worth the read).
Source: http://goodgrape.com/index.php/site/field_notes_from_a_wine_life_autumnal_equinox_edition/