Happy 1st Birthday Winorama Thursday, Oct 19 2006
Pithy Comment and Pithy Competitions
I could never wait to open up my presents as a little boy and I am no better now…Winorama is celebrating it’s first birthday. Woooohoooo. We turn the big one nothing on Saturday 21 October and what a year it has been. I kicked things off with a review of one of my all time favourite Hunter Shiraz - the Meerea Park Hell Hole Shiraz 2003 and would never have imagined that we would have some 1000+ reviews under our belt in less than a year. Of course I could never have done it without enlisting the help of the most charming, poetic and urbane Lincoln Scott. A man who I not only consider a great taster, but also a great friend. And then along came David bringing a wealth of wine making knowledge and experience to the site. One day I might actually get round to meeting him proper!

Like any good (slightly nauseating) Academy Awards speech there are just too many people to thank. The lovely JP for all support, her input into the wines that we taste (which is so often written into the notes with little or no acknowledgement), for putting up with all the hours that I throw into this site and for being the bestest wife ever. To the retailers who have supported us almost from day one by using our notes and getting the word out there. To the wineries for sending in so many bottles of tasty booze for review. It would send us broke to buy them all! To the wine writers and media types like Mattinson, Gregor et al who have been great supporters of the site. Last but not least to our readers, who like the universe, keep on expanding and expanding. Thanks for inviting us into your PC. Looking forward to another year of tasting and foolishness of the highest order.
But wait…there is more. More? Yes more! What exactly? Look below….it’s a bird, it’s a plane..no it’s a competition! Yay!
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16 Responses to “Happy 1st Birthday Winorama”
October 19th, 2006 at 6:13 pm
Congratulations!! A great achievement.
I can feel the love radiating out of my PC Monitor.
Nope, it was that last bottle of shiraz, with 15.5% alcohol. hehehe
October 19th, 2006 at 6:53 pm
Well Done Gary, Lincoln, David and everyone else who comments, discusses, informs and sometimes argues the point.
Great Site
October 19th, 2006 at 7:49 pm
Congrats guys. I have really enjoyed the reviews, discussions and info on the site. Cheers.
October 19th, 2006 at 7:52 pm
Hearty congratulations on the first anniversary of a valuable,topical and entertaining resource for the Australian wine community.
October 19th, 2006 at 7:58 pm
I’m just going to bide my time *rolls fingers montomery burns like* I have 8 plane trips and 16 cars booked to find these bloody cellars before November 4.
Although I reckon picture B is from the hunter. I can see hints of wet saddle on the barells
October 19th, 2006 at 8:00 pm
And why on earth would the aircon be pointing out the door. Picture A is a sucker job.
October 19th, 2006 at 11:51 pm
Well done chaps however, no Swan Valley wine yet..??
October 20th, 2006 at 12:13 am
Cheers GW and Lincoln. The site I most often visit first to see what’s latest tasted. Lincoln’s a harder marker than GW but am still gaining insight into David’s ratings.
I wonder if some who visit appreciate the TNs of wines from your own cellars.
Do you get any flak from some of the winery’s that send samples and can’t wait to see your assessment/s? As GW said, nice way to try a lot of wines you may not have bought or been able to afford to buy.
Great job fellas!
Best
daz
P.S. Maybe GW can convince JP to write her own TNs occasionally just to add a female point of view, even if he actually enters it on the site.
October 20th, 2006 at 12:29 am
Well done. The 3 of you have set high standards and a cracking pace. Hope and trust you will be able to keep it up next year. . .
October 20th, 2006 at 9:06 am
Gary: Judging by the number of unregistered entries in the competition, I think a lot of us on your email list thought, as I mistakenly did, that we were automatically registered. It might be worthwhile clarifying this.
October 20th, 2006 at 9:32 am
GW- the unregistered Buzz and the Registered Buzz are one and the same- (oops)- having previously posted I thought I was registered.
Congrats. on the milestone
Buzz
October 20th, 2006 at 9:49 am
Well there is subscribing to the weekly newsletter and registering as a user on the site. So many choices! The registering thing is a legal thing mainly to confirm you are over 18. Having seen Buzz I am not entirely sure he is..but I have seen him drinking…I tried to make it clear. Hmmmm.
Daz,
The wineries get a pretty good chance of being reviewed when they send stuff in. Far higher than the print media who may only write on 6 bottles in 200+ every month (or whatever). That being said I am sure not too many of em are hanging out for a review. With regards to wines from the cellar I can only go on the fact that I would like to read about them myself. It is a good thing…and a point of difference.
GW
PS. Thanks all!
October 20th, 2006 at 10:00 am
Flattery will get you everywhere. I can confirm I am over 18……..stones.
so many choices- I’ve now subscribed to the weekly newsletter.
October 22nd, 2006 at 12:46 pm
Congrats guys, a brilliant job and a great achievement over the 12 months. All the best for the next 12 months.
October 27th, 2006 at 6:59 pm
It has only taken until after your 1st birthday for me to spend some time on your site
It is worth the trip, though.
So, one of the barrel rooms might be MarkG’s… time for a quick trip to MR this weekend
October 27th, 2006 at 7:01 pm
Not Mark G’s….I don’t think he makes that much wine..hint hint.
GW