When, where and why did you begin blogging?

Aristide, blogging around the world of wine, was born in January 2005, during the night of the 16th. It all started at home, sipping a vintage Porto. Blogging was a former professional experience I started in 2003 with a personal blog.

In a few short sentences, summarize your intention with your wine blog.

Side A: consumers’ advocacy. Side B: helping wine producers to become more transparent and more open to Internet innovations to the wine business.

How would you describe your readers?

Equally divided between consumers and professionals.

Is blogging a professional endeavor for you or more of a personal outlet?

It started as a personal outlet, but the real intention was to reinvent myself as a professional marketer in wine business. And I succeeded in this.

What tools or resources have you found to be successful in marketing your blog?

Social networking, Google, etc. Innovate, innovate… and plain language (sorry… only Italian).

How would you describe wine blogging to be different than print media?

Interaction. Disintermediation. And the unique opportunity to mix in the same community producers and consumers.

Do you believe wine blogs have made any marked impact on the wine industry or wine culture?

Absolutely yes. Blog started a deep process of innovation that goes well beyond mere communication.

Where do you see wine blogging in 10 years?

Ten years equal to almost three geological eras in Internet and information technology time! I think it’s impossible to predict anything in such a long term.

What do you hope to gain from this conference?

One result it’s already achieved: sharing different experiences in a physical space; meeting all together will be an important starting point to build an influencing community. And to learn something new.