by Ethan Johnson
September 7, 2006
(Updated as noted.)
As seen on the Vinography wine blog (and tipped off by Winecast), I will take a moment to lay out the terms and conditions that my food and drink writing is informed by. I will update this page as necessary. If something is not addressed that is of concern to you, please let me know and I will attend to the matter.
General: I have not received any samples, promotional consideration, monetary or non-monetary rewards for any of the food or drink articles I have published as of December 1, 2008*. I now work for a beer/wine retailer in Texas and have vendor relationships that have resulted in the receipt of free product. Any free or promotional products that appear on this site will be prominently disclosed as such.
(*Updated 12/4/2008 to reflect receipt of promotional/free product from a local distributor.)
"Freebies" in no way guarantee a review, let alone a favorable one.
Food and drink reviews are presented for entertainment purposes only, and unless otherwise specified, do not represent an endorsement of the reviewed item or its producer. Your personal preferences and dislikes will inform your ultimate decision-making process. It is assumed that the reader does not possess any allergies, addictions, or life-threatening aversions to the reviewed items, and if so, bears the responsibility of his or her personal safety and well-being. It is assumed that the reader is of legal drinking age and that the reader will abide by local laws and customs pertaining to the consumption of all reviewed items. Please designate a driver if you intend to drink away from home, and please do not leave the house without a designated driver if you have been drinking.
Wine: I use an "I would, and you may" scale to rate the wines that I consume and choose to review. I can and will publish "negative" reviews as warranted. However, I do not review every wine that I come into contact with. Reviews are written and published at my sole discretion. Wine is fairly subjective, and point and star ratings, while flashy, really don't answer some fundamental questions: Would I drink it again? And did I enjoy it? And perhaps most importantly, was it worth the expense?
Wine can be compared to foods in this way: Lobster for me is a "sometimes/rarely" food. I don't keep pounds of lobster meat flash-frozen in my freezer for regular enjoyment. In fact, I order it in restaurants, but very rarely. Same with some wines. Many are great for special occasions or if you're out somewhere and inspiration strikes, but not necessarily "must haves" for one's collection. BUT, your opinion of which wine fits that profile and mine may differ greatly.
Cork vs. Screw-Tops: Yes. Meaning, this is not factored in to my wine-buying decisions, although I am liking screw-tops for the sheer convenience. Plus after a gawd-awful swig of much-anticipated wine that turned out to be "corked" (the cork rotted into the wine), screw-tops or synthetic corks are earning my trust. The wine can still stink, however, in my learned estimation.
Food/Drink: I use an "I would, and you may" scale to rate the foods/drinks that I consume and choose to review. I can and will publish "negative" reviews as warranted. However, I do not review every food/drink that I come into contact with. Reviews are written and published at my sole discretion.
Anything to add? Let me know and I'll take care of it. Thanks! <EM>
