According to my very rubbery estimations, this website – Australian Wine Review or ozwinereview – turns eight today. Eight years old! Wow.
Those original (backdated) posts are a tad cringeworthy now, but I think everyone feels the same way about their early work. Rubbish, but important all the same.
Really there is just one purpose of this post – a massive thanks for reading. I wouldn’t have bothered sinking thousands of unpaid hours into this website if I didn’t think that at least somebody was out there.
I’m grateful for every person who comments, emails, texts, proofreads, complains and occasionally writes an angry/complementary message in response to what I post. Thanks to everyone. All of it. Everything.
Much has changed over the last eight years. This site started as a repository for my tasting notes, but has now morphed into something much bigger. This past year, in particular, has been a big one, with the first major refresh in eight years. A busy time for me all round, actually, with my own wine business now several months old (more on that soon).
I’m crap at acceptance speeches but I did a two part video about being a wine blogger that wraps up the sentiment quite well (have a squizz here and here).
Otherwise, again, I can’t say enough thanks. Thanks to everyone who keeps this show on the road. Thanks to my family, my wonderful (long-suffering) partner, my friends. Thanks to all the generous winemakers out there who’ve given me their time and opened up great bottles, just because. Thanks, thanks, thanks and more thanks.
That decade is nearing fast…
Oh and the picture? It was from my first published article in 2009.
8 Comments
Happy birthday. I love the reviews on your site, I find them much more accurate and honest than those on some of the subscription sites. I hope you continue on with it even after you finish your Masters or move on to other things.
Thanks Simon!
Congrats; another great milestone for Aus wine media. Onya mate.
Cheers mate.
Thanks for creating a great website that I have learned plenty from. Your style of writing impresses many and your candid and honest approach is appreciated. Pick a special wine for dinner tonight to celebrate !
Thanks Chris! I’m not drinking this week as racing on Sunday – will be purely tasting something good!
Keep at it, enjoy your writing!
Thanks Bob!