Post 100: State Of The Blog Q&A

I started this blog because I like writing and I like wine, neither of which are really related to my day job of Software Engineer.  When The Wife and I moved back to Maryland, I thought it would be nice to document our experiences with giving local wines a try.  Thus Vinotrip was re-born.

How’s Posting Going?

This is post 100 on this blog.  When I started, my goal was to post three times a week give or take a few posts here and there.  The posts haven’t come quite as easily as I’d hoped but it still isn’t laborious.  Writing is something I enjoy and so is posting on this blog.  When that changes, I’ll stop posting.

How’s The Traffic?

I’m surprised at even the modest traffic that my site receives.  Starting from when I enabled the Wordpress stats plugin, my traffic was beautifully linear. It spiked in May and leveled off in June.

Feb 215
Mar 295 (+80)
Apr 376 (+81)
May 577 (+201)
Jun 563 (-14)
Jul   e^Πi (-564) (Projected)

My post on Carpaccio Tuscan Kitchen in Annapolis gets a ton of traffic from Google for people seeking information about the restaurant.  The website for the restaurant is hard to find and the place is pretty new and this equals high Google rank.

The single biggest day was May 22 with 42 views.  This was strange because I didn’t have a noteworthy post that day, just something about freezing wine.

My story The Last Chinon from Wine Blogging Wednesday generated a lot of traffic too.  Getting your blog on sites like this drives a lot of traffic, especially if you put a little effort into the post.  Just link-hounding all over the place doesn’t get it done.

After Six Months, What Do You Think Of Maryland and Virginia Wine?

I feel like a putz for saying this, but frankly I’m disappointed.  I call myself a wine snob frequently but it is usually in jest.  I like all sorts of wines and see wines as a creation of the winemaker.  I feel bad when I write a post expressing my dissatisfaction over a wine, which is why some of the wines I drank didn’t merit a blog post.  It may be best to keep my mouth shut because I appreciate the effort.

I knew Maryland was in a nascent state of winemaking when I moved back here.  Thankfully, so are their prices.  Blowing $10 on plonk doesn’t bother me, I chalk it up to a learning experience.  It’s like watching a bad movie in that there is something to be gained in examining why it was bad.  And, the wine isn’t all bad.  I just wish there was more that was “not bad.”  I like Boordy and the Deep Creek Cellars (though I’ve only had the Deep Creek Cellars Artisan Red).  Elk Run’s Malbec wasn’t bad.  In the face of opposition from my friends, I liked St. Michael’s Winery Riesling.  It’s an exciting time in Maryland and I like how everyone is in on the game, including the Baltimore Sun.

Virginia deserves a stern look and a wag of the finger.  My first experience with Breaux went well and the wine route has been rocky and mucky since.  Again, as I’ve posted before, the wines do not justify the asking price in many cases.  The quality just has not been there on a consistent basis.

But Can’t You Just Enjoy Wine? Why Do You Have to Ruin Everything?  You’re Not Even A Wine Expert!

That last one wasn’t a question

You’re Not Even a Wine Expert, right?

No, I’m not.  I’d advise against taking seriously my opinions on wine.  Except my 1000 point system, believe that.

Even if I don’t enjoy a wine I’ll usually enjoy the experience of the wine: uncorking or unscrewing or whatever I did to this one, swirling it, smelling all sorts of whatnot, sipping it, then pouring it down the sink and lamenting the price I paid.  It’s fun.

And, it’s subjective.  If you adore the Chateau Morisette Cabernet Sauvignon and think I’m a fool for saying the finish tasted like tree bark then by all means order a case and go on a picnic to a park and fall in love.  I’ll be there with a White Burgundy.  Have fun, that’s what it is all about.

Super happy picture is a CC licensed photo from Flickr user Donna Cymek