When we left off yesterday, I was explaining how you need to be careful what you wish for. Don't get me wrong... it's not that I don't enjoying drinking free wine. It's just that the job comes with its fair share of burdens. Today, I am going to share with you the most difficult position I have ever been faced with as a wine lover.

Just last Friday, it happened again. You always know when it is coming. It starts with an automated message from UPS and when you get home from work, there's a little orange and white post-it note stuck to your front door. I'll save my rant on FedEx and UPS for a later date as it could easily fill up an entire session, but what I will say today is that if you are able to intercept a package in one of the three strategically random scheduled delivery attempts, consider yourself very lucky.

Ok, so you got the package... now what?



Getting packages in the mail, minus the headache of having to deal with the carriers, is like Christmas. You anxiously rush home in anticipation. You look at the box, shake it, and try to guess what's hidden inside. It's only a matter of minutes before the package is torn open and the contents revealed. It's a different surprise every time but there is one surprise that is the equivalent of getting a sweater your mom knit... you know, the one with the arms that are completely different sizes and three sizes too small in the neck. Awesome! :(

You have no choice but to say thank you while trying to hide the disappointment behind a weakly composed smile. It's a very uncomfortable position to be in. I’ll never forget the Christmas when my folks pulled this crap on me… I’ll never forgive them. It wasn't because they tried to give me a lousy gift. I understand how hard it is to pick out a perfect gift, especially when times are tough. Instead I was pissed off because they PURPOSELY gave me a lousy gift just to see the reaction of my poorly disguised disappointment. After I politely accepted my grossly misconfigured sweater with a smile, hug, and a thank you, they brought out the real present. It sure taught me a lesson. It taught me that while 9 times out of 10 you may be dealt something you don't like, you should always be thankful. You never know what may happen or what awesome surprise it may bring.

What the heck does this have to do with wine?

Getting back to last Friday, as I said, it happened again…I was lucky to intercept the following brown box after only the second delivery attempt:



It was heavy too! For those of you who don’t ship wine often, I’ll give you some math to remember. A bottle of wine ships at about 4 pounds and this package weighed in at about 24 pounds. Sure enough, I tore it open to find SIX bottles of wine and one heck of a dilemma. I pulled out the first tray of bottles to discover a bottle of Merlot, Cabernet, and Chardonnay. The second tray held an entire duplicate set of the first three bottles: Merlot, Cabernet, and Chardonnay. Bonus! This would be good news except for the fact that when I looked up the retail cost of each bottle, they all topped out at a staggering value of only $8 each.



You may be thinking: So what's the big deal?!?

The MOST difficult position I have ever been put in is to have to FAIRLY review an $8 bottle of wine. The reason: everyone's expectations of such a value wine are so different. If you say that the wine tastes great, people think you are full of crap and if you say that it sucks, you seem snotty and elitist. If you don’t believe me, I can provide examples.

So here’s the million dollar question about a cheap bottle of wine:

What do you EXPECT from an $8 bottle of wine?

An impromptu survey from Twitterland revealed the following diverse and somewhat humorous results:

• I often apply the term "quaff-able:" Fine to quench a thirst, but not a taste to slowly savor. Except for the surprises.
  
• Not much. Just absence of anything offensive or off.
  
• Depends on where it's from. Had some nice surprises. Generally, good ones are pleasant if unsophisticated. Better w/ food.
  
• I don't think I have many expectations from a bottle like that.
  
• A headache and lots of sulfates!
  
• Nothing fancy and ponderous, but definitely drinkable.
  
• nada...
  
• If it goes down nicely with a cheeseburger maybe? ;)
  
• A good drinking wine that can be enjoyed w/friends.
  
• an 8 euro wine should give me foreplay...i dont expect an orgasm for that price.
  
• A headache! Actually it depends on where it from, and the style its going for.
  
• Is it a good $8 bottle or a not so good $8 bottle? ;)
  
• OK for every day. Good taste, with little or no character.

I'd like to thank everyone for their positive feedback on yesterday's introduction. This whole process is very liberating for me and also a little scary at the same time. Sharing your life in print is a strange feeling. For me, there is a little voice in my head which tries to sensor the personal or unacceptable thoughts. From now on, I am telling that voice to shut the hell up. This is going to be real, at times shocking, and 100% true. Buckle up!

Today’s shocking secret is sure to make people hate me...



As I was saying yesterday, I became a Wine Whore to satisfy my palate's thirst for wine. I had no idea where it would take me. Although I hoped that wineries would want to be associated with a whore like myself, I never thought people would actually send ME free wine.

My affairs started off slow and dirty. A few bottles here and there, half a case of Barefoot wine… it all felt so dirty yet exciting at the same time. Word about my affairs spread like a bad case of herpes. It didn't take long before things got out of control.



My clientele quickly climbed. The bottles lined up waiting for me to enjoy them: a challenge for my liver equivalent to climbing Mount Everest or the Himalayas. In this whore’s opinion, it is unacceptable to spit out of throw out a bottle of wine, especially if you got it for free. Throwing away perfectly good wine just seems wasteful. My daily routine is to come home from work, choose the lucky bottle, and crack in to the night's affair. My wife often joins us unless she finds the bottle of wine unattractive to her palate or she just isn't in the mood.



Everything started off great. With cases of free wine arriving weekly, the daily affairs brought new experiences to my palate. I didn't realize is that there is a huge burden that goes along with being a Wine Whore. The luxury of free wine comes with an even bigger price tag. Once you receive samples, you begin to get pressured into trying the wine. With so many customers to satisfy, it's hard to make everyone happy at the same time. Unless you are willing to sacrifice on quality, it is impossible to review them all at the same time. You also find that once you become a Wine Whore, people begin to think that you give out wine for free. I am more than happy to enjoy wine in the company of others, or maybe even exchange a bottle for a favor or two, but that doesn't mean I am just going to hand the stuff out for free. What kind of respectable whore do you think I am?

So here's the shocking secret of being a Wine Whore: Satisfying the demands of free wine can be a huge pain in the ass... but you have to accept it as part of the job.



Just to give you an idea of how bad it's gotten, here's a list of clients lined up and waiting for my service right now:

• Bluenose Dry Creek Valley California Zinfandel 2005
  
• Bluenose Sonoma County California Zinfandel 2006
  
• California Cellars 41st Avenue California Chardonnay 2007
  
• California Cellars 41st Avenue California Merlot 2007
  
• Cinnabar Santa Cruz Mountains, California Chardonnay 2007
  
• Clos La Chance Central Coast California Estate Viognier 2008
  
• Clos La Chance Central Coast California Hummingbird Sauvignon Blanc 2008
  
• Clos La Chance Central Coast California Hummingbird Syrah 2006
  
• Clos La Chance Central Coast California Hummingbird Zinfandel 2006
  
• Clos La Chance Central Coast California Lila's Cuvee Red Wine 2006
  
• Collier Falls Dry Creek Sonoma Private Reserve Zinfandel 2004
  
• Collier Falls Dry Creek Valley Sonoma Primitivo 2006
  
• Collier Falls Hillside Estate Dry Creek Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon 2003
  
• Collier Falls Hillside Estate Dry Creek Sonoma Petite Sirah 2005
  
• D'Argenzio Mendocino County California Tocai Friulano 2005
  
• D'Argenzio Russian River Valley California Pinot Noir 2005
  
• Fortant Skalli Family France Chardonnay Kosher 2005
  
• Graffigna Centenario San Juan Argentina Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
  
• Graffigna Centenario San Juan Argentina Pinot Grigio 2008
  
• Graton Ridge Bacigalupi Vineyard RRV Sonoma Zinfandel 2007
  
• Graton Ridge RRB Sonoma County A+ Apple Dessert Wine 2007
  
• Graton Ridge RRV Sonoma County Pinot Noir 2006
  
• Grgich Hills Estate Grown Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
  
• Harvest Moon Russian River Valley Sparkling Zinfandel 2007
  
• Hawkes Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
  
• Hazard Hill Western Australia Shiraz 2006
  
• J. Keverson Mendocino California Janes Vineyard Sangiovese 2006
  
• J. Keverson Russian River Valley California Labyrinth Vineyard Pinot Noir 2006
  
• Jacob's Creek Reserve South Austrlia Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
  
• Jacob's Creek Reserve South Eastern Austrlia Pinot Noir 2006
  
• Jacuzzi Family Vineyards Barbera Mendocino County, CA 2007
  
• Jacuzzi Family Vineyards Pinot Noir Sonoma County, CA 2007
  
• Jacuzzi Family Vineyards Rosso di Sette Fratelli Estate Merlot Carneros 2006
  
• Jacuzzi Family Vineyards Sangiovese Sonoma County 2006
  
• Jacuzzi Family Vineyards Valeriano Estate Carneros 2005
  
• Joel Gott 815 California Cabernet 2007
  
• Kilikanoon Killerman's Run South Australia Shiraz 2007
  
• Kim Crawford East Coast Pinot Grigio 2008
  
• Kim Crawford Marlborough Dry Riesling 2008
  
• Kim Crawford New Zealand Unoaked Chardonay 2008
  
• Krutz Anderson Valley Pinot Noir 2006
  
• Krutz Sleepy Hollow Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay 2006
  
• Krutz Stagecoach Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
  
• Matthiasson Napa Valley Red Wine 2005
  
• Matthiasson Napa Valley White Wine 2007
  
• Murdoch James Martinborough Blue Rock Pinot Noir 2007
  
• Murdoch James Martinborough Blue Rock Riesling 2008
  
• Murdoch James Martinborough Saleyards Syrah 2006
  
• Murdoch James Martinborough Wairarapa Pinot Gris 2008
  
• Murdoch James Martinborough Wairarapa Sauvignon Blanc 2008
  
• Optima Alexander Valley California Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
  
• Optima Dry Creek Valley Sonoma Unfiltered Zinfandel 2005
  
• Optima Dry Creek Valley Sonoma Zinfandel Port 2005
  
• Parducci California Pinot Noir 2007
  
• Parducci Mendocino County California Chardonnay 2007
  
• Parducci Sustainable Red Mendocino County California Red Wine 2005
  
• Penley Estate Phoenix Coonawarra, South Australia Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
  
• Raymond Burr Sonoma California Cabernet Franc 2006
  
• Raymond Burr Sonoma California Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
  
• Raymond Burr Sonoma California Chardonnay 2007
  
• Robert Mondavi Winery Napa Valley Chardonnay 2006
  
• Shoofly Australian Shiraz 2007
  
• Sojourn Sangiacomo Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2007
  
• Sonoma Creek Dry Creek Valley Sonoma Cabernet Merlot 2006
  
• Sonoma Creek Sonoma County Chardonnay 2006
  
• Stryker Sonoma Monte Rosso Vineyard Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon 2003
  
• Stryker Sonoma Rockpile Vineyard Rockpile Petit Verdot 2005
  
• The Wait Mendoza Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
  
• The Wait Mendoza Malbec 2007
  
• Thumbprint Cellars Alexander Valley four play 2006
  
• Thumbprint Cellars Dry Creek Valley three some 2006
  
• Thumbprint Cellars Sonoma County climax 2005
  
• Toquade Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2008
  
• Torbreck Barossa Valley Australia Cuvée Juveniles 2008
  
• Truchard Vineyards Carneros Napa Valley Pinot Noir 2006
  
• Truett Hurst Dry Creek Valley Sonoma Old Vine Red Rooster Zinfandel 2006
  
• Truett Hurst Sonoma County Black Sheep Pinot Noir 2007
  
• Veramonte Reserva Casablanca Valley Pinot Noir 2007
  
• X Winery California Red X 2006
  
• X Winery California X3 Cabernet 2006
  
• X Winery California X3 Cabernet 2007
  
• Zonte's Footstep Langhorne Creek, Australia Shiraz Viognier 2007
  
• Tango Real Argentina Gran Reserva Malbec 2005
  
• Napa Cellars Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
  
• Naked Winery Oregon Pinot Noir 2007
  
• Chalk Hill Sonoma Merlot 2006
  
• Chalk Hill Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2007

My name is Randy Watson, I'm 30, and I'm a Wine Whore.

I wasn’t always addicted to wine...

Being born in North Miami Beach, Florida isn't exactly the same as being raised amongst the rolling hills garnished by vineyards found in wine country. I grew up thinking I would become a doctor. Didn't happen. I went to the University of Miami with a dream and a heavy course load of science, math, and everything else most people don't enjoy learning, and I came out with a Bachelors in Science (Biology and Chemistry) and a desire to go into business instead of medicine. Mom was so proud!

Isn't it funny how things change so quickly in life?

Instead of going to med school, I painfully worked through my MBA degree. Let me just say that "painful" doesn’t quite sum up how much it sucked having to get up, work a full day, take classes at night and then have to start it all over again the next day for almost four years. If I learned anything by this experience, I learned that I no longer wanted to spend time learning in a classroom. Instead of this grind, I wanted to learn about the world firsthand.



Where would anyone looking to satisfy their desire to learn about the world move to but the wonderful city of Tampa, FL. Okay, given the fact that I love wine, maybe this was a bad choice. Oddly enough, after living here for almost 5 years, I think I made a great decision. Life is good. The people I've met are among the best friends I could ever hope to have, I have a solid day job working as a Manager in I.T., and I will have been happily married for two years this coming February. (I have to tell you more about my honeymoon, but I'll save that for another post)

You may be wondering, what does any of this have to do with wine?

The answer: absolutely nothing and everything all at the same time.



My affair with alcohol began with hard liquor. In high school (I know… underage but hey, who didn't drink before they were 21) I would drink the cheapest, crappiest vodka I could get my hands on. Looking back it seems pretty pathetic, but these are amongst some of the my fondest memories. I was young and stupid… really stupid. The thrill of discovery of how alcohol, when enjoyed responsibly of course, can lead to great conversations, fun, and friends made up for the lack of quality. The hangovers, on the other hand, were not so desirable.



In college, my buddies and I would anxiously plan out and await the end of the day because it afforded us the chance to hang out and enjoy a case (or four) of beer. College drinking was very similar to high-school drinking. It wasn't about quality, it was just about having fun. Before college, I never really drank much beer, but these are the years that taught me how to tap a keg, kill a beer funnel in less than 2 seconds, and create a punch concoction in a garbage can that could keep a tailgate going for hours.

Good times!



At some point towards the end of college I was turned on to something I never before had known. It was right in front of me the whole time, I just couldn’t see it. It took someone blatantly pointing it out for me to realize what it was. The moment that made it all clear: the first time I enjoyed a first-class bottle of wine, a fine glass of Cognac, and a beautifully bold cigar. Although I couldn't tell you exactly which bottle of wine it was, I could tell you exactly why I enjoyed it. Aside from a nice buzz, it tasted pure Zen.

It was at this point, I sought out perfection. The more I learned, the more I realized how little I really knew. I became addicted to this pursuit, spending much if not all of my free time, researching and learning. Unlike my immature high school days, my palate was thirsty for discovery. It didn’t take long before I became sick of scouring the internet and magazines only to find the same mundane information over and over again, I realized that there was only one way I could ever satisfy my addiction. It would be a sinfully dirty adventure that my liver would be sure to regret undertaking. I had no choice but to have an affair with wine…

It was at this point that I became The Wine Whore.

We are all out of time for today’s session. Tomorrow, I'll reveal the shocking secret about what my addiction to wine has done to my life. In the meantime, if you love wine, take a second to introduce yourself and share the memory of your first affair with vino with others who have the same passion here.




(This message brought to you by The Wine Whore)

Wine Whore Review

After more than six exciting months of being The Wine Whore, I'd like to thank everyone for their comments both negative and positive. You have given me a lot to think about and hopefully make my site even better.

Starting today, I am directing the focus of my site away from "advertorials" and on to my daily affairs with wine.

I don't promise to be an expert on wine, writing, tasting, or anything else for that matter. Instead, I will simply share my story in my own voice as an average person who just really enjoys drinking wine.

Although I hope you will want to read what I have to say, I don't expect everyone to be a fan. That's okay. I welcome your different views and opinions which will hopefully help me develop as a person and wine lover.

Until then...

Cheers!



(Read more wine reviews and info at The Wine Whore)

Today's lesson: Mistakes can lead to greatness with enough patience and perseverance.

In life, love, and wine, there are always ups and downs. This week, I am sorry to say that I experienced a low point. Unfortunately, while trying to broadcast and record this week's episode of TWWTV, there were some technical difficulties which ended up cutting the show short. While I am disappointed that those who took the time to tune in weren't able to watch the end of the show, I am thankful for all to all of the people who join me every day on my journey if nothing else than to just say hello. I am also very thankful to those wineries who have been sending me wine to enjoy.

For me, this is a dream come true.

As in life, every experience offers the opportunity to learn something new. I am reminded as to why I began this site in the first place: the desire to explore the world of wine. While I can't promise that I won't make mistakes, I do promise to learn from my experiences and share what I learn with you.

Here's a quick summary from the show:

We tasted the following three wines from Naked Wines:

• Naked Winery Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
  
• Naked Winery Columbia Valley Merlot 2005
  
• Naked Winery Columbia Valley Sangiovese 2006

Wine Whore Review



I have been called a lot of things. Jealous critics have attempted to rile my fans while others strive to discredit my reviews by simply saying that I don't trash enough wines. I have even been told by a PR rep in the wine industry that I am "ballsy".



Today, the haters and critics are about to be silenced once and for all. I am proud to announce that the Global Association of Awesomeness has awarded me the title of "Most Awesome Wino in the World". Well actually, I allowed them to give me the title, but who's counting.




Check out the press release:

----
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wine Whore Announced as Most Awesome Wino in the World

Tampa, FL, August 24, 2009--(PR.com)-- In a press conference held by the Global Association of Awesomeness, it was announced that the title of "Most Awesome Wino in the World" has been given to Randy Watson otherwise known as The Wine Whore. According to sources present at the conference, Watson gladly allowed the Association to bestow the awesome title which he was honored to accept. When asked what he would do to celebrate his achievement he stated that “nothing has changed, except for the fact that awesome just got cooler.”
-----



So what exactly qualifies me as the "Most Awesome Wino in the World"?

Clearly you know nothing about wine and being awesome if you have to ask, but in any case, here are just a few of the infinite reasons why:

• Instead of Listerine, I use Latour.
  
• I can age a bottle of wine before it's even bottled.
  
• I don't smell a glass of wine, I tell it how to smell.
  
• I actually turned Parker on to wine.
  
• I don't sleep, I just take small breaks between bottles.
  
• I don't get hangovers... ever! (okay, maybe sometimes)
  
• I sued the famous wine magazine over the original title of Wine Whore Spectator.
  
• If you have five bottles and I have five bottles, I still have more wine than you.
  
• There are actually two people who can turn water into wine.

• I absolutely love sharing a glass of wine with good friends, and family.

Wine Whore Review:



WWCrew photographer, Jen Senel, is back with a fun lesson in housework. This is the best way to do dishes... just don't accidentally drink the soap!




When you're down with the dishes, it's time to sit down and enjoy a nice piano lesson. Just watch out for those pesky and distracting insects!





Show your love for the grape!

Download any of these images by right-clicking the image and selecting "save link as" or "save target as" and then select the desired location on your computer to save the image. Mac users can also just click the image to open the full size view and drag that to their desktops.

To set the image as your desktop wallpaper, Mac users should follow these instructions, while PC users should follow these.



Like What You See?

To own your very own archive quality, limited edition print of these images, go to Jen's site for details.



(Read more wine reviews and info at The Wine Whore)

Tune in for the excitement!

This week, TWWTV is going exotic. Showcasing some of the hottest handcrafted wines from Oregon and Washingtion, this week's LIVE show will reveal some excellent selections from Naked Winery.


"The Barringer and Michalec families hooked up at the turn of the century and have since formed Naked Winery. In addition to our Washington based winery located in Wishram we've recently opened our downtown winery in Hood River, Oregon (our hometown and company headquarters) about 60 miles east of Portland on the Columbia River separating Oregon and Washington State."

... and this week, I am going to get the chance to undress a handful of sexy bottles of this Oregon and Washington vino with you!

Tune in Thursday @ 7:30pm ET (note the new time) to drink with me as I taste and review their excellent wine selections LIVE. In the meantime, study up on Naked Winery and make sure to check out their website.

Wine Whore Review:




This week, TWWTV stayed closer to home. Showcasing one of Virginia's finest, this week's LIVE show featured some excellent selections from Rappahannock Cellars. If you missed the show, make sure to scroll down to catch the re-run.

Here are some of the highlights:

• Tasted the 2007 Viognier and the 2006 Meritage
  
• Meritage is an 'old world' blend of 31% Cabernet Sauvignon, 63% Cabernet Franc, 1 % Merlot, 1% Malbec and 6% Petit Verdot
  
• Rappahannock is a great family friendly winery to visit
  
• Wines were soft, well made, and very enjoyable!

• 2007 Viognier
  
  
• 2006 Meritage
  
  
• Rappahannock Cellars Website

Wine Whore Review:

The hottest wine lover gets hot under the collie!

Justin Wylie - Va Piano Vineyards

"Justin’s meticulous attention to detail along with his passion for winemaking has proven to be a great combination in making outstanding wine. Justin firmly believes that exceptional wine comes from exceptional fruit and continues to carefully manage the vineyards as well as by following Vinea’s strict standards of sustainable agriculture."

Ashley Trout - Flying Trout

"Winemaker Ashley Trout has been making wine since 1999, when she was 18 years old, traveling for equally as long, and is now pleased to share with you both of her passions.
Argentina's lure was irresistible and so started her bi-annual, bi-hemispherical crushing and Flying Trout Wines."

Poppie Mantone - Syncline Wine Cellars

"Coming from seven years of world travel, university study and love for wine, Poppie moved to Oregon from Provincetown, MA in 1997 to become involved in the production of wine."

Moose Rombauer (dog) - Rombauer Family Vineyards

"His role in the day to day winery operation quickly sky rocketed him to fame when he was approached by a talent scout and asked to pose for the local winery dogs picture book. He's now a household name in the dog community of Napa Valley."

Wine Whore Review



IT IS FINALLY HERE!!!

The moment you have all been waiting for... first ever WW Online Wine Scavenger Hunt! Participants in the hunt are competing for the chance to win the coveted, limited edition "Whiney" award. To be entered to win, submit the correct answers to all of the scavenger hunt clues using the form below. The deadline for the contest submissions is Friday, August 28th at 10pm EST. Only one submission allowed per person.

HURRY UP AND START THE HUNT TODAY!!!



Don't miss out!

Make sure to check back for the results and other official Wine Online Scavenger Hunt contest info!



(Read more wine reviews and info at The Wine Whore)