Tamburlaine, Reserve Chardonnay 2008 :: BoozeMonkey wine review :: http://ping.fm/koAQM

De Bortoli Hunter Valley Winery, Vat 7 Chardonnay 2009 wine review on BoozeMonkey http://ping.fm/d56ER

Schubert Estate, "The Gander" Reserve Shiraz 2004 wine review on BoozeMonkey http://ping.fm/m7gFt

Schubert Estate, Goose-Yard Block Shiraz 2007 wine review on BoozeMonkey http://ping.fm/KT3Nf

What's New In Paradise? BoozeMonkey wine http://ping.fm/l5jn0

HAITI JUST ISN'T NEWS ANY MORE... boozemonkey wine http://ping.fm/bHPSV

People Dying In Haiti -- Australian Media's Shame

As you know, Sandie, Ross and myself have been working hard to promote the wine auction since news of the earthquake broke last month. The response from the winemakers and from many others in the wine industry has been amazing. Humbling, in fact.

However, getting publicity for the WINE FOR HAITI auction in newspapers, magazines, radio and TV has proved very difficult over the past few weeks, even for the professional PR companies who have been helping us. 

The problem, we're told, is that "HAITI JUST ISN'T NEWS ANY MORE..."

I think the poor bastards who are now living in tent cities with no food, no water and no sanitation would beg to differ: it's been just four weeks since their lives were decimated, and already they have been consigned to the "no story" pile. I don't know about you, but frankly, that leaves a bitter taste in my mouth...

And classing the disaster as "over" is really turning a blind eye to the horror which is to come.

The earthquake itself was bad enough, but I can promise you that the impending disaster -- the disease, disability and blindness which will spread and become rife through lack of sanitation when the rains come and they're wading knee-deep in a toxic "soup" because there's no sewerage system -- that disaster and the effects it will have on the lives of tens of thousands more people over the coming months (many of them children) is something which they will be dealing with for many years to come.

A million and a half people have been made homeless. And now they're living cheek by jowl under tarpaulins and bits of corrugated iron: precious little food, no running water and not toilet between them. Can you imagine?


And can you imagine how disgusted I am to be informed by news editors (who will remain nameless) that this is a NON-STORY? One of these DOGS even had the temerity to tell me that his BIG STORY for the week was "Sydney bus fares" and that's why he couldn't spare any room on any of his six pages of editorial space. I'm just glad we were talking on the phone and not in the same room -- I don't think I would enjoy prison food.

What's interesting is that the Haiti disaster is still news in the USA (where our friends at PalatePress have had stories published in national daily newspapers and had segments on major radio stations).

It's still news in the UK too.

So why not Australia?

Even the professional charity organisations like the Red Cross and World Vision are having to admit defeat when it comes to getting publicity for the cause and one of their representatives told me that they have given up promoting the Haiti disaster here because they just cannot get anywhere with the press.

But it's not that people don't care -- clearly we do! The response from our winemakers in donating wine to the cause has been nothing short of phenomenal. So what's the deal with the embargo on Haiti news? Personally, I don't think our press have their finger on the pulse if they think we don't care about Haiti. And I'm not keen to have my news dictated to me by news editors who think that the price of local bus fares is more important than people's lives.

Right now we have $65,000-worth of of premium wine in our Sydney warehouse, and try as we might, we just CANNOT get the word out. We've been doing our best -- working 14-hour days to make the auction a success -- but I have to admit that we're struggling.


That's not an admission of defeat, mind you -- we're still kicking and screaming and doing everything we can to tell people about it -- but we need as much help as we can get.

But what can we do about it? What can we try that hasn't already been tried?
Well, you could call your local newspaper for one thing. We have sent numerous press releases and made a lot of phone calls, but we're not prepared to take "no" for an answer.

Another thing you could try is TALK BACK RADIO: phone your local station and tell them about the auction. Or just encourage people to donate to the Red Cross or to World Vision.

It's easy to forget about disasters. It's easy to ignore them.

But we're better than that. Aren't we? We do care. Don't we?

The one thing which has worked best for us in getting the word out so far? The shining light? YOU GUYS! Our faithful monkeys. Where would we be without you? Your support has been overwhelming!

Here is a list of some of the websites who are displaying a WINE FOR HAITI BANNER like the one at the top of this blog (GET YOURS HERE!) to help spread the word:

• JESTER HILL WINES
• LONELY GRAPE
• OLIVER HILL
• WINE COMPANION
• WINE INDUSTRY JOBS
• WINE INDUSTRY CLASSIFIEDS
• EMPIRE AUCTIONS
• MILLDALE ESTATE
• WINDOWS ESTATE
• GLAM ADELAIDE
• NEAGLES ROCK
• PALATE PRESS
• WINELIBRARY TV
• ZOQY.NET
  
  

Please leave a note in the comments section below if you have added a banner to your site (you will need to log in first, to leave a comment) so we can add your site to the list.

Cheers!

Matt

Kirrihill Wines, Single Vineyard Pinot Grigio 2008 BoozeMonkey wine review http://ping.fm/dkzCt

Jeanneret Wines, Big Fine Girl Riesling 2009 boozemonkey wine review http://ping.fm/m5E7p

Sally's Paddock 2008, 90pts BoozeMonkey wine review :: http://ping.fm/wjsGz

Rippon Vineyard & Winery, Rippon Pinot Noir 2005 :: BoozeMonkey Australian wine http://ping.fm/7zzov

A Very Merry Xmas From BoozeMonkey!

Well, Xmas is finally upon us. I've been predicting this for months now. It had to happen.

Are you still working like me, or have you already finished for the holidays? If you're already in holiday mode -- whether you're shivering in bed in the northern hemisphere (hi to all our friends in the UK and the USA) or relaxing in a hammock by the beach with us here down under -- then I hope you're enjoying yourself. Wherever you may be, Xmas is a time for friends and families, and I hope you have yours around you this year.

:: THE BEST WINES OF 2009
Since  we started reviewing wine on BoozeMonkey just six months ago, we have tried more good wine than is strictly legal: we almost feel guilty about it. If someone tips off the booze police then we're in big trouble...

We can't name all the great wines we've tried because the list would enormous, but a few names stick out in our minds which we all agree are something really special. Among them are SABELLA (amazing Shiraz), SYLVAN SPRINGS (Cyril's Reserve), SINGLEFILE (Reserve Chardonnay), MOOROOROO PARK (Silentium Sparkling Shiraz), CAUGHT REDHANDED (2008 Shiraz and Fortified), BLOWFLY (the legendary Maelstrom), CAPPA STONE (Moscato), and PENNY'S HILL (pretty much anything Ben Riggs puts into a bottle).

There are plenty more of course: Anderson, Zema, Kirrihill, 2 Mates, Neagles Rock, Glencari... and I personally guarantee that you won't be disappointed by any of the wines you try from these remarkable winemakers.

And that's one thing which makes the current downturn in the fortunes of the Australian wine industry so frustrating -- we produce some world-beating wines, but the majority of our amazing winemakers are so small that they don't have the cash to promote their wine properly. Which is why BoozeMonkey was born of course: with 10,000 ~ 12,000 page views per day, we are the busiest wine community in the southern hemisphere, drawing wine-lovers from around the globe and providing our miracle-working grape-stompers with a platform to shout about their work.

:: LOOKING FORWARD TO 2010
This year has been an exciting one for us, launching BoozeMonkey and watching it grow from strength to strength, month by month.

We are very grateful for all your help: we couldn't have achieved all the things we have without your continued support.

We are already planning big things for 2010 -- we will be re-vamping the website, adding new features and promoting events -- and we really hope you will join us for the ride, and that you will invite some friends along too. The more the merrier.

So please stop by and say hello over the holidays, make a few new friends, chat to the winemakers... and if you're lucky enough to try a good bottle or two, please tell us about it: you can review wines alongside the pros and tell us what it really tastes like.

:: AND A VERY MERRY XMAS TO YOU ALL!
Quite honestly, this year has been the greatest pleasure, and it's largely down to all the great people we have had the chance to meet and to chat with on BoozeMonkey. You guys rock!
I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas, and a very happy, healthy and prosperous 2010.

Enjoy the holidays, enjoy each others company and smile.

Cheers!

Matt
www.BoozeMonkey.com

Heartland Wines Stickleback Red 2008 "spicy and sweet" BoozeMonkey wine review :: http://ping.fm/fv3US

hot off the press, the latest BOOZE NEWS :: wine BoozeMonkey http://ping.fm/GC8Yr

Okay, it didn't happen *quite* in the blink of an eye (as I have been claiming since June), but December is here at last and the fat man is upon us. And apparently he's making a list and checking it twice... who knew Santa had OCD? Are you looking forward to Christmas as much as I am? You'd better not shout, you'd better not cry...

So once again, it's Friday... What's HOT?!

You really wanna know? Okay, I'll tell you what's hot...

:: FREE ADVERTISING IS HOT!

Free advertising? Well, 'tis the season to be jolly, so this week we're running a special offer to put a smile on the faces of our winemakers: if you take out an advertising banner on BoozeMonkey this month, we will run it next month too FOR FREE. Better be quick if you want in though... the offer is limited to the first dozen ads (the boss mumbled something about the twelve days of Xmas and then wandered out of the room again... looks like he's hit the sherry early today). And our regular FREE ARTWORK offer still applies too.

:: THE BOOZE CRUISE IS HOT!

I mentioned the Sydney Harbour "Booze Cruise" event last week, and now the date has been finalised: 22nd January. Preparations are well underway and we are already receiving wines for the tasting panel later this month. Whites, reds, roses... not many stickies and fortifieds yet, but we're working on it.

:: THE KARRIBINDI COMPETITION WINNERS ARE HOT!

The winners of last week's KarriBindi competition (and the answers to the questions) are RIGHT HERE IN KARRIBINDI'S BLOG. Well done guys, and congratulations. The competition was a great success and had over 130 entries.

:: THE CAUGHT REDHANDED 07 SHIRAZ IS HOT!

Another 90+ point review for the Caught Redhanded 07 Shiraz: Phil Rogers, the winemaker, is on FIRE! And for all those who haven't been lucky enough to try the 08 Shiraz (as I have... jealous?!) it's EVEN BETTER. No kidding, it's ridiculously good.

So in case you missed it last week, Phil is organising a Food & Wine Extravaganza in Sydney early in the New Year, and along with five course meal, there will be wines to match. Tickets are selling fast so you'd better book now while there are still tables available.

Okay, You guys have a great weekend, enjoy the sun, enjoy the beach if you get the chance, and most of all, enjoy each other. I will leave you with just one thought today: what's the funniest thing you have ever seen at Christmas? Anything at all. Mine is from a trip to Japan where I saw Santa nailed to a cross in a shop window. To this day I'm not sure if it was a very bitter shop-keeper who had run out of Christmas spirit or just utter confusion about the relationship between Santa and Christianity.

Cheers!

Matt
www.BoozeMonkey.com

KarriBindi Shiraz 2007 wine review BoozeMonkey :: http://ping.fm/Cc4WX

BoozeMonkey wine review Booths Taminick Cellars Chardonnay 2008 :: http://ping.fm/fXZzi

Eleven "how to..." videos now on BoozeMonkey :: need your ideas for more :: wine video BoozeMonkey http://ping.fm/Fj1jS

Tuesday's BoozeNews, hot off the press :: wine BoozeMonkey http://ping.fm/dF7mn

Eden Springs High Eden Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Boozemonkey wine review http://ping.fm/M70e0