Press Fraction Thoughts Leading Into 2023

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Yours truly on the bluff at Macari Vineyards (Credit: Lipyanskiy Photography)

When I was running my first wine-focused blog, the New York Cork Report, at least once a year (often more), I’d have what I now call a “wine existential crisis.” I still have them, just less often.

During these episodes, I’d get so frustrated about one thing or another related to the site or New York wine or the wine industry at large that I’d talk with Evan Dawson, the site’s managing editor at the time, about shutting it all down completely and finding another way to scratch my wine itch.

I’d talk about launching a wine brand or opening a wine shop. I’d talk about getting a job in winery marketing or sales. If I were feeling absurd, I’d talk about quitting my day job in tech and trying to write about wine full-time for other people.

Just something different from what I was doing that would still have some sort of impact on local wine.

Evan would always talk me down, and we’d carry on, usually adding something to the site to appease my ADD and constant desire for something new or different.

My move to Substack a year ago has been awesome in this regard. If I want to do something different, I just do it. I don’t have a team to talk through it with, and I try not to overthink it. Fail fast and try something else.

The only people I have to answer to are myself and you — my paid subscribers.