Comments on: Being a blogger, press trips and different ways to visit and learn… http://www.missinwine.com/blog/2012/08/bloggers-press-trips-and-other-ways-to-learn-and-convey-a-message/ Caroline's champagne and wine adventures Mon, 20 May 2013 09:22:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: ♔Donna Jackson WQ http://www.missinwine.com/blog/2012/08/bloggers-press-trips-and-other-ways-to-learn-and-convey-a-message/#comment-1056 ♔Donna Jackson WQ Thu, 04 Oct 2012 16:38:00 +0000 http://www.missinwine.com/blog/?p=1131#comment-1056 Caro the reason we weren't included in any wine judging was a strategic one. that way they  could get more mileage and credit for themselves by bringing with them 8 international voices,who they claimed to speak for. Caro the reason we weren’t included in any wine judging was a strategic one. that way they  could get more mileage and credit for themselves by bringing with them 8 international voices,who they claimed to speak for.

]]> By: Caroline Henry http://www.missinwine.com/blog/2012/08/bloggers-press-trips-and-other-ways-to-learn-and-convey-a-message/#comment-1050 Caroline Henry Mon, 03 Sep 2012 14:59:00 +0000 http://www.missinwine.com/blog/?p=1131#comment-1050 Hi Denise, I see my reply to you, as Donna's, also never made it to the site - so I have copied and pasted it here below as well! Hi Denise, Thank you for your comment!! The trip was as Donna described it at best chaotic and even embarrassing... I guess we all gave up stressing in the end and tried to make the most out of this bad situation hence my referral to the free holiday... Or maybe that is cause we seemed to spend more time at the pool than tasting...:-(  I agree with you that press trips are not that glamorous and often very tiring - but if we get to learn and understand the wines, host region and people I don't really mind - I feel it is all part of the package and I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to explore and learn so I can later share my experiences. I was invited to the Loire trip you wrote about but due to previous engagements I could not make it. I followed the event on Social Media though and heard great things about this trip so I am sure it was a success for the "Vins de la Loire" as well as great fun to be on!! What I mean by more personalized trips though are trips we/you/I instigate - ie we have an idea, contact he right organisation and see if they can help us turn this idea into a reality. This is how I organised my organic Bordeaux trip and how Onne and I will go to the US... It is a lot harder, and often there are more costs involved, but at least you discover what really interests you, and as you are really passionate you tend to bring the message across more enthusiastically - so everybody wins in the end!!However for this particular trip - the only thing which really stood out and overshadowed everything was the total lack of organisation... That is why I felt the best thing to give back was to expose the organisers so the wineries can make alternative plans for future trips. I am pretty sure I will not be invited on any trips organized by the same crowd because of what I wrote - in fact I have already been excluded on a trip they have planned to Sicily where they invited everybody bar Onne and I, and if I am really honest this has been a great relief!! As I wrote - I do not belief in wasting people's time nor money as it leaves a bitter taste in way too many mouths:-) Hi Denise, I see my reply to you, as Donna’s, also never made it to the site – so I have copied and pasted it here below as well!

Hi Denise,

Thank you for your comment!! The trip was as Donna described it at best chaotic and even embarrassing… I guess we all gave up stressing in the end and tried to make the most out of this bad situation hence my referral to the free holiday… Or maybe that is cause we seemed to spend more time at the pool than tasting…:-( 

I agree with you that press trips are not that glamorous and often very tiring – but if we get to learn and understand the wines, host region and people I don’t really mind – I feel it is all part of the package and I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to explore and learn so I can later share my experiences.
I was invited to the Loire trip you wrote about but due to previous engagements I could not make it. I followed the event on Social Media though and heard great things about this trip so I am sure it was a success for the “Vins de la Loire” as well as great fun to be on!! What I mean by more personalized trips though are trips we/you/I instigate – ie we have an idea, contact he right organisation and see if they can help us turn this idea into a reality. This is how I organised my organic Bordeaux trip and how Onne and I will go to the US… It is a lot harder, and often there are more costs involved, but at least you discover what really interests you, and as you are really passionate you tend to bring the message across more enthusiastically – so everybody wins in the end!!However for this particular trip – the only thing which really stood out and overshadowed everything was the total lack of organisation… That is why I felt the best thing to give back was to expose the organisers so the wineries can make alternative plans for future trips. I am pretty sure I will not be invited on any trips organized by the same crowd because of what I wrote – in fact I have already been excluded on a trip they have planned to Sicily where they invited everybody bar Onne and I, and if I am really honest this has been a great relief!! As I wrote – I do not belief in wasting people’s time nor money as it leaves a bitter taste in way too many mouths:-)

]]> By: Caroline Henry http://www.missinwine.com/blog/2012/08/bloggers-press-trips-and-other-ways-to-learn-and-convey-a-message/#comment-1049 Caroline Henry Mon, 03 Sep 2012 14:41:00 +0000 http://www.missinwine.com/blog/?p=1131#comment-1049 Dear Donna, I just see the reply I posted ages ago never showed on the site;-( So have copied and pasted it here below... Hi Donna,  Thank you for your support! You are right - the winemakers lost out and that is the point I tried to bring home with this post. We had a wonderful time indeed as our group was mega fun - but the fact that it was more like a fun free holiday remains... I know the trip to Friuli as the Chianti one last year after the EWBC were very well organized so I am not sure if it was an Italian thing - or just too many semi organisers wit no-one to take overall responsibility... I am looking forward to our US trip and think I will focus on doing more independent trips in the future!! Dear Donna, I just see the reply I posted ages ago never showed on the site;-( So have copied and pasted it here below…

Hi Donna, 
Thank you for your support! You are right – the winemakers lost out and that is the point I tried to bring home with this post. We had a wonderful time indeed as our group was mega fun – but the fact that it was more like a fun free holiday remains… I know the trip to Friuli as the Chianti one last year after the EWBC were very well organized so I am not sure if it was an Italian thing – or just too many semi organisers wit no-one to take overall responsibility…

I am looking forward to our US trip and think I will focus on doing more independent trips in the future!!

]]> By: Amandini Ch http://www.missinwine.com/blog/2012/08/bloggers-press-trips-and-other-ways-to-learn-and-convey-a-message/#comment-1046 Amandini Ch Sat, 04 Aug 2012 01:04:00 +0000 http://www.missinwine.com/blog/?p=1131#comment-1046 I have to agree that it was chaotic at best, and even embarrasing, perhaps Ive become indifferent to the italian way of doing things, there was a lot of time wasted, something I feel we all agree on. The winemakers lost out, and those of us who like to add value did our best with the few oppotunities there were. We certainly have some amazing pics of our feelings towards the processing of all those poor little pigs. I enjoyed the time we had to catch up with each other while waiting, Thanks for being brave enough to write this up Caro. I continue to arrange my own trips, for this reason, and that way can give back more. Good luck with Onne and yourself on the US trip. Donna I have to agree that it was chaotic at best, and even embarrasing, perhaps Ive become indifferent to the italian way of doing things, there was a lot of time wasted, something I feel we all agree on. The winemakers lost out, and those of us who like to add value did our best with the few oppotunities there were. We certainly have some amazing pics of our feelings towards the processing of all those poor little pigs. I enjoyed the time we had to catch up with each other while waiting, Thanks for being brave enough to write this up Caro. I continue to arrange my own trips, for this reason, and that way can give back more. Good luck with Onne and yourself on the US trip. Donna

]]> By: Denise Medrano http://www.missinwine.com/blog/2012/08/bloggers-press-trips-and-other-ways-to-learn-and-convey-a-message/#comment-1045 Denise Medrano Fri, 03 Aug 2012 23:38:00 +0000 http://www.missinwine.com/blog/?p=1131#comment-1045 WOw! What a nightmare! You call it a "free holiday" but what you described does not sound relaxing at all! I guess I have been very lucky in all the press trips I have been on as they are organized by and for the English wine press/trade who are absolutely more organized than their Italian/Friulian counterparts, or so it seems from your description. I can tell you, as I'm sure you will agree Caro, that the vast majority of press trips are not "holidays" in the least. 3 or 4 tastings plus lunch and dinner, with matching wines, in one day may sound like fun, but if each tasting comprises at least 10 to 20 wines (or more), it quickly loses its allure. It's work and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Plus the fact you have to write it all up when you return and the SM you do whilst on the trip (provided there is internet, let alone wifi, which is patchy at best in the Continental vineyards) and the resulting mobile bill from all the tweeting and posting whilst out of the country, can be considerable! Press trips are not that glamourous, and while it's true we get to go to beautiful places and usually with fun (but not always) people (I've been stuck on one or two trips with some dreadful people), we are still there to do a job and usually have to be up at the crack of dawn to get on the coach after staying up past midnight with the previous nights producers at dinner talking about and drinking their wines. I do like you're idea of more tailored trips. I went on a bicycling trip through the Loire with Interloire not long ago and it was probably one of the most fun, albeit, non traditional press trips I've ever been on. I'm all for making wine press trips more then just get on the coach/get off the coach. I'm a wine blogger but I always take my wine press trips seriously and do my best to write them up sooner or later. Which may be the reason why I get invited back again and again. WOw! What a nightmare! You call it a “free holiday” but what you described does not sound relaxing at all! I guess I have been very lucky in all the press trips I have been on as they are organized by and for the English wine press/trade who are absolutely more organized than their Italian/Friulian counterparts, or so it seems from your description.

I can tell you, as I’m sure you will agree Caro, that the vast majority of press trips are not “holidays” in the least. 3 or 4 tastings plus lunch and dinner, with matching wines, in one day may sound like fun, but if each tasting comprises at least 10 to 20 wines (or more), it quickly loses its allure. It’s work and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Plus the fact you have to write it all up when you return and the SM you do whilst on the trip (provided there is internet, let alone wifi, which is patchy at best in the Continental vineyards) and the resulting mobile bill from all the tweeting and posting whilst out of the country, can be considerable!

Press trips are not that glamourous, and while it’s true we get to go to beautiful places and usually with fun (but not always) people (I’ve been stuck on one or two trips with some dreadful people), we are still there to do a job and usually have to be up at the crack of dawn to get on the coach after staying up past midnight with the previous nights producers at dinner talking about and drinking their wines.

I do like you’re idea of more tailored trips. I went on a bicycling trip through the Loire with Interloire not long ago and it was probably one of the most fun, albeit, non traditional press trips I’ve ever been on. I’m all for making wine press trips more then just get on the coach/get off the coach.

I’m a wine blogger but I always take my wine press trips seriously and do my best to write them up sooner or later. Which may be the reason why I get invited back again and again.

]]> By: Caroline Henry http://www.missinwine.com/blog/2012/08/bloggers-press-trips-and-other-ways-to-learn-and-convey-a-message/#comment-1044 Caroline Henry Thu, 02 Aug 2012 13:32:00 +0000 http://www.missinwine.com/blog/?p=1131#comment-1044 Thank Andrew! I am happy to read you feel the same way about giving back. Lacklustre bloggers have a lot to answer for I feel as they do tarnish us, in the same way as inadequate agencies or trip organisers can tarnish the whole region... I really hope you never have he bad fortune to be part of such a badly organised trip:-)) Thank Andrew! I am happy to read you feel the same way about giving back. Lacklustre bloggers have a lot to answer for I feel as they do tarnish us, in the same way as inadequate agencies or trip organisers can tarnish the whole region… I really hope you never have he bad fortune to be part of such a badly organised trip:-))

]]> By: Andrew Barrow http://www.missinwine.com/blog/2012/08/bloggers-press-trips-and-other-ways-to-learn-and-convey-a-message/#comment-1043 Andrew Barrow Thu, 02 Aug 2012 12:48:00 +0000 http://www.missinwine.com/blog/?p=1131#comment-1043 what a terrible sounding trip; I would be livid if something so badly managed came my way! I have to agree though that Press Trips should work both ways - I want to learn something new, vino/food/cultural, and in return will write up as much as I can (in addition to tweeting the trip, if given wifi). I too feel quilty if I dont give an equal ammount of coverage in return for the expense. It really annoys me of those bloggers who go on such trips and in return either give lacklustre blog posts or dont even bother writing it up... tarnishes us all I feel. what a terrible sounding trip; I would be livid if something so badly managed came my way!

I have to agree though that Press Trips should work both ways – I want to learn something new, vino/food/cultural, and in return will write up as much as I can (in addition to tweeting the trip, if given wifi). I too feel quilty if I dont give an equal ammount of coverage in return for the expense. It really annoys me of those bloggers who go on such trips and in return either give lacklustre blog posts or dont even bother writing it up… tarnishes us all I feel.

]]>