Halliday wine mag

[Thommo]

I don't know about you lot, but I got a bit of a laugh from the latest Halliday Wine mag... The main cover stories were "How to Become a Wine expert FAST", with one of the headline pieces of advice being to pour the wine into a receptacle of some kind to drink it, rather than swigging direct from the bottle; and a tasting article on cask wine by Mr Stelzer himself. Sadly there was no mention of the place of the cask-wine layback under the hills hoist in the modern wine expert's tasting regimen.
I understand that there are other wine publications with slightly loftier goals but seriously, cask wine reviews, and the importance of not drinking straight from the bottle? All they needed was to review a contiki tour of Bali and they would have gone the full bogan.

[phillisc]

Agree Thommo, dreadfully thin and editorially weak.
Can not see it lasting out the year.
However, the money from advertising will keep it afloat for a little longer.
Cheers
Craig.

[dave vino]

Needs more RTD reviews to be honest. "Is Jim Beam and Coke, really worth the premium over Woodstock Bourbon and Coke - Our Blind Tasting has some revealing results!" or "Smirnoff Double Black vs Smirnoff Red - Best Bang for Buck? We Crunch the Numbers"

[griff]

Surely Smirnoff Red?

[sjw_11]

Surely Smirnoff Red?

Smirnoff Black ... extra alcohol. The greatest gift Smirnoff ever gave to university students anywhere (a drink loved by the girls, with far more alcohol)...

[Loztralia]

"Has goon surprise lost its shock value?"
"The 500ml beer can: why Australia is missing out"
"Generations at war: New versus Old"

[ticklenow1]

Agree Thommo, dreadfully thin and editorially weak.
Can not see it lasting out the year.
However, the money from advertising will keep it afloat for a little longer.
Cheers
Craig.

I agree and didn't get another subscription. It is a wine magazine that manages to more often than not, not talk about wine!. I think GTW is better value and much more educational. It used to be on the stand at my local newsagent, but I notice that he doesn't stock it any more either. I would be curious to find out how many of the WIne Companion website subscribers actually paid for another subscription.

I'm only guessing, but I imagine that a lot of the advertisers would be wondering if they are getting VFM. I'm also forming the opinion that Halliday is starting to lose credibility as well. I mean he is now flogging wine as well as rating it. There has to be some sort of conflict of interest there??

Cheers
Ian

[phillisc]

Ian, I really take your point about James Halliday.

I am struggling (apart perhaps from Jeremy Oliver) of a wine journalist/writer/commentator/proprietor past or present who spruiks for so many wine companies.

It is a whole roundabout thing, he gets invited to something on the premise that it will be a lovefest or at the very least a favourable review. In return for said appearance/ endorsement, money changes hands. In turn for said endorsement wineries then advertise with him, and again the money comes flowing in.

Far be it for me to be critical..probably jealous actually that JH has been clever/fortunate/opportunistic enough to not have to put his hand in his pocket too often and the gravy train still seems to be running at full steam. I suspect with the annual Pennies releases, the wines or hype by a zillion others does the talking and he is not needed. Still I am sure at 75+, (thats what he will be) he will put his hand up for the next rewards of patience.

The mag had disappeared from my local newsagent as well.
Cheers Craig

[Michael McNally]

In return for said appearance/ endorsement, money changes hands. In turn for said endorsement wineries then advertise with him, and again the money comes flowing in.

Hi Craig.

Is this saying that Halliday charges appearance fees? Not sure if you mean 'money changes hands' directly for his appearance or whether it is through the subsequent advertising that he reaps the rewards of his 'endorsement'. Or both?

Cheers

Michael

[phillisc]

In return for said appearance/ endorsement, money changes hands. In turn for said endorsement wineries then advertise with him, and again the money comes flowing in.

Hi Craig.

Is this saying that Halliday charges appearance fees? Not sure if you mean 'money changes hands' directly for his appearance or whether it is through the subsequent advertising that he reaps the rewards of his 'endorsement'. Or both?

Cheers

Michael

Michael, my thoughts would be the following.
I do not and would not know if there is a perscriptive "formula" for what JH does, and it is none of my business.
However, for a person who has built themselves up as being knowledgable, articulate and respected by many...engagement with this is not free.
If large companies what his opinion, feedback, representation...whatever, they will pay for it.
If the small companies "invite" him for a tasting..."costs" will be incurred.
I am sure if there are transport, accomodation and expenses, then these too are covered.

Then on top there may be a consultancy fee for service, keynote address at a conference, wineshow etc. The word entrepeneur comes to mind and as such, payment, fee for service, endorsements are part and parcel.

This is all standard practice in my line of work as I am sure it is for many professions represented here on the forum.
Where JH is different is that he has an identity, a presence and like it or not an opinion that people will listen to and subsequently pay for.

Apart from being sued for suggesting any thing improper, I don't think the wine community needs to be precious about this. I am sure that there are many people who make a similar living as an alternative to a Monday -Friday 9-5 PAYE job. I went to a wine book launch a few weeks ago and there was a $50 dollar "entrance fee". We got to listen, have a few drinks and a few canape's..but the fee goes elsewhere..

Cheers Craig.

[Thommo]

JH has been a wine entrepreneur from the get-go. He has established and financially backed numerous wineries and quite happily describes himself as a vintner. That he is also a wine critic (and best known for being so) is kind of beside the point. Sure, anything from the Hunter or made by Larry Cherubino gets a bump from him, but expecting one critic to be some sort of impartial judicial arbiter or what is good/sophisticated/cool/tasteful is a little bit lazy IMO. Drink widely, watch closely and read deeply. Or just drink deeply.

cheers,
Tom