I agree, perhaps a nice dry zin rose may be a better choice. Do you know any good ones?

But I think you have me wrong if you feel I’m accusing you of “painting all bloggers with the same brush.” I was simply defending someone I have follwed for the past few years that I feel was undeserving of some of your comments.

As I said before, many bloggers could and should be brought to task, I just don’t feel Bill is one of them. I also said above that I feel (and I hope you do) that Bill, by the tone of his own post here, is not one of the “touchy lot” you describe. I think he simply pointed out a few facts, showed his appreciation to you as a blogger, and was nothing if not proffesional in his comments. In fact, I’m sure Bill feels that he can learn from you just as I can (and have) learned from you both. It just seems to me that the tone of your post doesn’t encourage that. Listening to Bill’s podcast’s would have me believe that he and I have very similar passion’s and knowledge regarding wine. Yet I can still pick up nuggets now and again that make him worth following, and have never found him to be a “shill.”

The revelation you feel that you can (and do) learn from bloggers is encouraging.

Now, do I follow your blog on a regular basis? Guilty as charged. I have checked in now and again, but perhaps your open mindedness (is that a word?) regarding this issue, your willingness to discuss it and your undenialable talent, allows that perhaps I should be follow you here on a more regular basis. I hope you’ll welcome me as a regular follower. As I previously stated, I’ve been reading you in print for years and have always learned and appreciated you as a journalist and commentator.

I guess, simply stated, that I saw this as you, as a titan of the genre, calling out one of the little guys that I felt didn’t deserve it. (Sorry about that misplace article. See why I don’t blog myself?) And again, to your credit, I’m sure I’m one of the few here, or anywhere that knew who you were discussing as you didn’t name names, a fact not lost on me.

Finally, I apologize if my comment’s felt like a personal attack on you. Let’s make this water under the bridge and write off my comments as not so much an attack on you but as a defense of one of the little guy’s that I think is fighting the good fight.

Thanks Steve