It’s that time of year again, people.

The time when you get to have your say on what constitutes the best of alternative wine coverage on-line. The time for you to vote in the 2012 Wine Blog Awards.

The 2012 WBA finalists have been announced today, and as it has been since the WBA’s inception, that list solicits mixed emotions from me.

I’m thrilled to be a finalist again this year for both Best Overall Wine Blog and Best Reviews On A Wine Blog. The latter is a particular point of pride for me, as reviews have become such a large part of my little corner of the wine universe on-line, and the nod comes despite the fact that not a single numeric value has ever been levied against a wine in a review on this site. I think that speaks to the fact that there really is a place for alternative takes on wine quality, and that the time for wines of context – and reviews with context, with story, with humanity – is quickly coming upon us. But I’ve no idea why everyone insists on separating the name of my blog with spaces when it gets listed in things like this, as if the title needed to be pronounced with tension and gravity, like someone on the bridge of the Enterprise was announcing the countdown to impact of an incoming proton torpedo… “twenty… seconds… to… impact… 1… (space) Wine… (space) Dude…!”

Anyway… I’m equally thrilled to see great writing and fantastic independent wine coverage by friends of mine acknowledged in that list (re-posted below after the jump in its entirety). Congrats to all of the finalists!

I’m not so thrilled that the list fails to include others that I admire (such as Courtney Rich, whose wine pairing photography blog is among the most daring pieces of alternative wine coverage to hit since, well, since wine blogs themselves hit the scene about five years ago… there are others, too many to mention probably…).

I’ve had firsthand experience in how the WBA judging process works, so I know not every great blog will make the finalist cut, and massive kudos are due for Joel Vincent and the team organizing the WBAs; I was on a WBA improvement committee during the last several months, and I debated, conversed, and watched as Joel and the WBA team implemented nearly every one of he great suggestions that came out of that committee (most notably opening up the judging process to the same transparency that we in the wine bog-o-world demand of ourselves and of others).

Enough of my babble – polls close July 26th, so get out there and vote, and make your voice heard! I won’t turn down a vote for me, but I won’t be giving you any free wine if you do throw me a vote (well, not unless you come to my house to drink with me…)…

Best Overall Wine Blog

• Jamie Goode’s Wine Blog
• 1 Wine Dude
• Terroirist
• 4488: A Ridge Blog
• Jameson Fink

Best Blog Post of the Year

• Evan Dawson’s “Why do I write about wine?“
• Alder Yarrow’s “2009 Burgundy Vintage According to Domaine de la Romanée-Conti“
• Jim Bud’s “Pancho Campo resigns his MW“
• Lily-Elaine Hawk’s “Thinking Frank Cornelissen: Considering Wine’s Natural Drinking Window via Munjebel 7 White & Red, and Contadino 8“
• Meg Houston Maker’s “You Just Opened a What? Cooking Tips to Make Food More Wine-Friendly“

Best Original Photography or Video on a Wine Blog

• Brunellos Have More Fun
• Wineoh.tv
• Vinsanity
• A Long Pour
• Visiting Freixenet

Best Industry/Business Wine Blog

• RJ on Wine
• Vintank Blog
• The Gray Report
• Wilma’s Wine World
• ShipCompliant Blog

Best Wine Reviews on a Wine Blog

• Benito’s Wine Blog
• Ken’s Wine Guide
• Enobytes
• 1 Wine Dude
• Vinography

Best Single Subject Wine Blog

• ELLOINOS
• Washington Wine Report
• On the Wine Trail in Italy
• Libation Law Blog
• Paul Gregutt Unfined and Unfiltered

Best Winery Blog

• A Ridge Blog
• The Journey of Jordan
• The Kendall-Jackson Blog
• Wolf Blass Wines – Our Winemakers Blog
• Blog Tablas Creek
• King Estate Winery

Best Writing On a Wine Blog

• Hosemaster of Wine
• Intoxicology Report
• Wild Walla Walla Wine Woman
• Been Doon So Long
• Bigger Than Your Head
• Vinography

Best New Wine Blog*

• Hawk Wakawaka Wine Reviews www.wakawakawinereviews.com
• I Love Riesling http://iloveriesling.co/
• Intoxicology Report http://intoxreport.com/
• The Frugal Wine Snob www.TheFrugalWineSnob.com
• Wine Julia http://winejulia.com/

* – NOTE: The Best New Wine Blog Category initially reported incorrect finalists due to a clerical error, this has now been corrected and voting for that category only has been extended to July 29.

Cheers!