Does anybody read wine publications anymore ?

[markg]

Just curious if anybody buys the newspapers for the wine supplements or buys any glossy monthly publications these days ?

Personally I dont buy a paper (I browse news.com.au and listen to the economist weekly podcast to find out what is happening in the world).
I dont listen to a radio.. as above, I listen to podcasts.
I dont watch live TV, I record any programmes I want and watch them later, download movies from Bigpond or iTunes and surf YouTube.
I do go to the movies rarely, maybye once per two months.
I read eBooks but not eMags.
If I want wine info ie whats drinking nicely, I dont bother with the Newspaper supplements, I browse this forum or google.

I thought I was unusual (well I am.. but besides that) but speaking to a few other people they have similar habits.. I wonder how long before paper publications die out completely ?

Do we need them if we can read comfortably on an iPad or electronic paper ?

[phillisc]

Mark, I better jump in the car and come and rescue you man, you sound like you are stir crazy and might need to get out more......know the feeling

I used to buy SMH good food/wine and the Age epicure religiously every Tuesday cause it was a good read, and used to buy pretty well all of my wine through Sydney and Melbourne retailers, amazing you could get Barossa or McLaren Vale wines plus freight consistently $5-10pb cheaper than here in Adelaide, a good saving on a 6 or 12 purchase. Then along came Uncle Dan who would price match, even though the advertised wine was in another state, they did not care.

A wine mag based here in Adelaide is now a shadow of its former self with a very condescending editor, stopped buying 10 years ago, don't even pick it up in the newsagent any more.
AGTW is ok, but as is want of me, gave them a big spray because the content of a number of recent editions has just been way below par.
The great man's new mag is trying to wring out the last drop, with an ex Aussie off spinner featuring prominently, again a very thin read, and have never purchased.

That leaves the weekend Oz and Max's column.
So would have to agree, I purchase very little in the way of hard copy.I am thankful for people like Gavin and Bert, 90+% of what I get now is through these two forums.
Cheers Craig
PS. if I could be bothered with twitter, apparently thats where ALL the action is!

[ticklenow1]

I subscribe to GTW magazine, but I agree with Craig, the content gets thinner each month. I got the free 6 month subscription to the big fella's magazine for being a subscriber, but it is only OK at best and I don't think I'll renew. Both magazines have the occasional decent article, but just rehash things all the time. I do enjoy reading Phillip Whites blogs and I consider him the most imaginative wine writer getting around.

I think this and the other forum (more for foreign wines) are a great source of information as well.

Cheers
Ian

[daz]

Haven't removed the last 3 or 4 editions of TWC Magazine from the plastic.

[dave vino]

I have subscriptions to AGWT, TWC and Decanter. I read them all cover to cover but am a sponge of information when it comes to reading (I love reading about wine/regions/food) and there is something comforting about a magazine when you are in bed/on the couch/eating brekky, that I don't get from an Ipad/notebook/PC.

I also get the Whisky Advocate. (which still has a realistic scoring system, so if it gets in the 90's it's a pretty good dram)

[michel]

TWC??what is that?
I am sure it is pretty obvious.

[dave vino]

The Wine Companion (Hallidays new magazine)

[sjw_11]

I have a subscription to the AGWT magazine but find I am rarely reading through them these days... at only about $40/yr though its no great cost to me... I would buy it just to read the articles each month from Halliday recounting his epic wine dinners ...

[cuttlefish]

I subscribe to AGWT, but I have to admit, I wonder why...I'm getting tired of the format. They rarely have articles that are of any real interest to me. They tend to review the same producers year after year. Their style is to just skim the surface, and I think they should work a bit harder and really dig up something new.
I guess it's a magazine who's prime purpose is to market brands. I wouldn't mind it if they got a lot more technical about certain topics from time to time.
The magazine can only be so big, though, and all of the writers have to get their fluff pieces in, after which there's no room for anything new & exciting.

[Chuck]

Maybe I'm old fashion but I read at least 2 newspapers a day (Advertiser which is junk but local and AFR) and crave the SMH and Age that are lightyears ahead of News. Also subscribe to AGT and JH's mag and get a free copy of Winestate they have to give away now to maintain circulation figures. All 3 mags are good reading. I can't get with online newspapers and mags. Hard to read on the loo.

Carl

[Barney]

Not I...get everything I need on line via forums such as these, personal wine blogs and a few by subscription sites.

Similarly get all the news I need on line via various local and international news sites.

Would estimate 90% of my wine purchases are on line, the balance direct from CD.

Have not deserted the local book and music stores entirely.....purchases probably 50/50.....

[rens]

I get the AGWT every so often. Normally my wife finds it in the shop and buys it for me. If it was not for her, I wouldn't really bother too often. The magazine needs a bit of a make over in it's layout and some more in depth information would improve it.
I get most of my info from here, the other forum and a few wine blogs/google

[Craig(NZ)]

Don't buy any wine mags or books. Hardly bothered to pick up and browse at book shop either

[Polymer]

The only time I might buy one is if I'm getting on a long flight....but once Internet access becomes easier to get on flights even that will end...

[via collins]

Also a traditionalist. But can see the future! Newspaper reads:
Epicure in the Age - terrific spread of writers, plus a fun semi-regular column by Tony Lee on wine-making
Weekend FT - Jancis Robinson
The Australian - Max Allen
Our house is always full of papers, will be until the wife and I shuffle off I expect!
Magazine-wise, same problems with GWT as expressed above, same cheap subscription as above
Wine Companion. Magazine much worse than GWT, so don't bother.
I'll buy a Decanter if long haul flying.
Main information gleaned from the usual on-line suspects, and a wee bit from Twitter to boot.
Heck, too much time spent obsessing with wine??

[Panda 9D]

100% unpaid online sources. I once had a subscription to Parker's site but I find Cellar Tracker to be far more reliable than the usual critics.

[burgster]

I don't mind Gourmet Traveller Wine, its probably the best of the ones I see and usually buy it. The one that has probably gone down hill the most in NZ is Cuisine, it used to have a decent wine section but is now very basic and poor.

I think the more you know about wine the less interesting many of the magazines and wine features become as they are usually aimed at people with much more basic knowledge, which is understandable as the genuine wine enthusiast is hardly a big enough market to interest most newspapers and mags.

I do rate Geoff Kelly's website, but there are sometimes decent gaps between updates.

One thing that does bemuse me is Hallidays's column in Gourmet Traveller Wine about some wine dinner he went to 30 years ago. That must surely appeal to a tiny little group of pedants.

I suppose the fact that these wine columns in newspaper and wine magazines still exist does show that people are still interested in learning about wine, so we shouldn't be too precious now that most of us have already gained our knowledge.

[Luke W]

I buy GWT just to see whether Bob Campbell gives every NZ wine 95 points and above! Sometimes they have good articles but I concur that it needs a good shakeup. I like to read human interest stories in wine stories and sometimes u can find them. What I don't see is where to find bargains like Redbigot's site which I think would be valuable. Seriously this forum and winestars give me my pleasure in reading and contacting others about wine.

[rooman]

I pick up GWT and Decanter pretty well every month unless its on South America. I just dont have the time to get my head around the wines that come regions I am interested in let alone those I have given up entirely on such as Chile or Argentina. Plus I like reading about new regions such as Spain which I always promise next year I will start adding into the cellar.

[phillisc]

I pick up GWT and Decanter pretty well every month unless its on South America. I just dont have the time to get my head around the wines that come regions I am interested in let alone those I have given up entirely on such as Chile or Argentina. Plus I like reading about new regions such as Spain which I always promise next year I will start adding into the cellar.

Guess it is a credit to all the regulars on here. I picked up a copy of said magazine yesterday, took less than an hour to read, once you take out all the promotion ads, the rather useless new releases section, (the problem with print, some of the new releases have been out for months) there is precious little left. I have given them a stack of ideas for features but none taken up...so far
My purchase days are numbered.

It is perhaps an irony, but I usually spend far more than one hour every 2 months penning and reading the vibrant contibutions to be found at Auswine.

Cheers
Craig.