One year ago, nearly to the day, I posted my thoughts on why you should be a wine blogger.

A year later, on the eve of the 2nd annual American Wine Bloggers Conference, I find myself posting about almost the exact same topic.

While writing last year’s post, I found myself asking what I imagined many readers of that article would ask.  Namely, Why Should I Care What You Think? And today I find myself answering that question.

You shouldn’t care what I think.

Ironically, I’m saying this in response to an increasing amount of questions that I am getting from those new to blogging (and in particular those new to wine blogging) – at least, newer to it than I am – about how to be a “successful” wine blogger.

My advice is this:  Wine blogging has arrived.  So stop caring what I think and get on with it…

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And just like that… it was all over.

What was arguably the largest publicity-minded event in the history of U.S. winemaking is over, as the reality-TV-inspired A Really Goode Job contest thrown by Murphy-Goode winery has finally come to an end.

I’m extremely pleased to report that 1WineDude.com friend Hardy Wallace of DirtySouthWine.com has been named the winner, and will begin his 6-month post as Murphy-Goode main media man on August 15th.

Frequent 1WineDude.com readers will recall that Hardy was my pick back in May when the contest first started taking off.  Personally, I’m pleased as sangria-punch to see Hardy get the attention, accolades, and the job of his dreams. You can view the entire press release on the winning announcement here.

The entire event garnered a massive amount of publicity (both positive and negative), and saw job opportunities open up to several of the participants as wineries were exposed to the increasing power of social media and Internet-based marketing as a result of the campaign.

What does it mean for the world of wine? It’s good news for Hardy, great news for Murphy-Goode, and even better news for wine and social media as a whole…

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This past Saturday saw yet another successful Twitter Taste Live! event, with the theme being Summer wine selections (read: value-priced, easy-quaffing vino) from Frederick Wildman & Sons, the venerable importing business that celebrates its 75th birthday this year.

I suppose it’s hard not to like a company with as diverse a portfolio as FW&S, but I think it’s even harder not to like a company launched by a man whose nickname was “The Colonel” and who once said:

“Business, and particularly the wine business, should be conducted as to bring pleasure, pride and friendship to those engaged in it.”

The fine wine industry could use heaping portions of all three of those elements these days.  I suppose the pleasure part is easier for the wine industry than it is for most other business endeavors – but it’s the pride and friendship piece that reminds us that what we do needs to feel good in our heart-of-hearts and should ideally to foster mutual benefits (those last two also separate the Colonel’s description of the ideal wine biz from being able to describe prostitution using the same sentence…).

Anyway, let’s get off that topic before I get tempted to add pics of NYC street hookers in this post.  Following is a recap of the twitter banter that flew fast, wittily, and furiously as we tasted through six (yes, I’m hungover) FW&S wine selections…

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