This is Chris Macias with the Sacramento Bee here. First of all, thanks for turning my column (“Nose in the Glass, Not in the Air”) into a talking point for your blog. Your points and those from commentors are well taken, and just wanted to clarify some of my sentiments. First of all, I don’t believe wine writing should be “dumbed down” at all. The issues related to wine – be it sensory sciences, history, soils, agri-business, etc. – can be very complex. I think the challenge for wine writers is to cover these subjects in a way that’s both engaging and informational for readers – whether they’re longtime collectors or casual drinkers. In short, a good writer can be serious without being stuffy or boring. My belief is that wine is one of life’s great joys – whether it’s from a bottle of 1971 Giacomo Conterno Riserva or a $10 malbec from Trader Joe’s. I want my own writing to reflect that, instead of being a jumping-off point for badly written tasting note haikus. But this is just my $.02, and thanks for hearing me out. And just for the record, I do love Rush … Chris M.