I don't farm. I don't vint. I don't bottle. But, I do drink wine. That interest, combined with my feeling that I'm largely ignored by the wine media and wine industry, has led me to start the Drink Plonk web site and this Blog. Most wine media is focused on wine that I can’t afford or find. Yes, I’ve ordered a few highly rated wines directly from small wineries, and been abused as a consumer by the best of them. Fabulous to taste but Joe Plonk is no Joe Rockefeller, and he doesn't appreciate the abuse that many cult winemakers serve with their wine. While I’m not against occasionally buying more expensive wines, I’m more interested in maximizing the bang for my buck. And, there are many tasty wines without the "designer label" that don't require you to break the bank. As for me, I readily admit to having a “California pallet.” Serve my big bold red with fish… serve it with chicken… just make sure that it sat on the skins for a prolonged period of rest.
To me the word of Wine Spectator’s James Laube is almost sacred. If he likes a wine, odds are that I will be like Mikey eating Life cereal. For years, I would make notes and memorize vintages and vineyard designations from high scoring wineries, only to find that his recommended wines do not appear in my local wine shop or grocery. Wines from his world do exist -- I simply cannot dedicate my life to finding them. I need help. You can provide it.
The premise behind this site is that you, and others like you, help create a community where wines are rated both for taste and value. I may not care what one guy named “Bob from Boise” thinks about a particular wine, but if 20 people named Bob and Betty review that wine you can bet that there will be some consensus. That consensus is reflected in the Drink Plonk Value Index, which is the average score of the wine reviewed on a 5 star system. Was this wine a good value for the amount of money you paid? Want to know what lots of people think, instead of one discerning pallet who isn’t going to like your $10 Wednesday night quaffer anyway? If so, here is the place. Drink Plonk can help you decide between the $10 Ravenswood Zin, the $12 Rancho Zabacco Zin, and others on the shelves. Review information is collected in a survey format, based on typical varietal characteristics and other key information. The survey is easy to complete, and the results are easy to understand. We’ve also asked for scoring on a 100 point scale, for no reason other than most people are familiar with that type of review. Hopefully, that is also helpful information.
I think the world needs this site; maybe not. In the internet age, only time will tell. Thanks to Craig Newmark, Leo Laporte, and Jonathan Coulton for the inspiration to just go try. We’re starting out slow here. Please be patient. I’ll be making semi-regular postings on a variety of topics, so check back here soon.
With the help of Bill Plonk (web design, plonk consumer, auto racing guru, and granddad extraordinaire), we proudly present…
www.drinkplonk.com
Best, Joe Plonk
Copyright 2008 Drink Plonk LLC. All rights reserved.
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