The Auswine Forum

So let me know if it’s untoward to ask about the competition in this forum, but I was wondering if anyone is familiar with any other Australian wine forums or communities that you can guide me to?

In general just wanting to keep a pulse on the Australian wine scene.

I like the forums here but am just not sure if there are more communities out there also ?

As I’ve seen some say they are on numerous forums, and some subscription sites too ?

Cheers,
Steve

I'd also be interested to know.

I'm not sure there is another Aussie forum. Winestar was popular in the day, but that fizzled out and died. I'm trying to remember the earlier forum, back around 2000-2005. Very old school software with little formatting.

Probably worth looking at newer platforms like Reddit and Discord, though the former very much not a format I can be bothered with (a backwards step visually / feature-wise IMO, but maybe ok for those that grew up on Twitter).

I recall Brian (aka red bigot) setup a bargain hunters site, but don't know if it's still going.

I drifted away from the UK based Wine Pages, but that might appeal. Aussie wines discussed less than Burgs, but there are devotees there.

Wine Berserkers in the US is the big forum these days, which effectively replaced the Wine advocate / Parker forum, when Parker and Squires went on a banning spree (night of the long knives). A crazy act of self-destruction. It started off a bit 'no holds barred' as a reaction to the oppressive moderation on the Parker forum, but has matured over time. Aussie coverage relatively thin, but at least they represent a more balanced view of Aussie wines, rather than the Parker focused 'oak and alcohol' fad that well and truly imploded in the US.

Ian S wrote: ↑Wed Feb 12, 2025 11:34 pmI recall Brian (aka red bigot) setup a bargain hunters site, but don't know if it's still going.

Last updated 23 October 2021. https://redbigot.info/

Bytown Rick wrote: ↑Fri Feb 14, 2025 5:03 am

Ian S wrote: ↑Wed Feb 12, 2025 11:34 pmI recall Brian (aka red bigot) setup a bargain hunters site, but don't know if it's still going.

Last updated 23 October 2021. https://redbigot.info/

Its forum only now, but still going strong

Yes, don't let the "last updated" put you off the Red Bigot site - it's well active.

As Ian mentioned, wine-pages and wine berserkers are also very active but with less of an Australian focus.

The Winefront allows comments to be posted on individual wine reviews, which whilst not quite a "forum", still allows for something approaching discussion.

There are a couple of other international sites, but the ones mentioned above are the ones I frequently view. I suppose one could also mention the Australian Frequent Flyers forum for a few wine-related threads.

Jimmya wrote: ↑Fri Feb 14, 2025 11:08 am

Bytown Rick wrote: ↑Fri Feb 14, 2025 5:03 am

Ian S wrote: ↑Wed Feb 12, 2025 11:34 pmI recall Brian (aka red bigot) setup a bargain hunters site, but don't know if it's still going.

Last updated 23 October 2021. https://redbigot.info/

Its forum only now, but still going strong

Is it free or subscription only?

Mick

kenzo wrote: ↑Fri Feb 14, 2025 1:18 pm Yes, don't let the "last updated" put you off the Red Bigot site - it's well active.

As Ian mentioned, wine-pages and wine berserkers are also very active but with less of an Australian focus.

The Winefront allows comments to be posted on individual wine reviews, which whilst not quite a "forum", still allows for something approaching discussion.

There are a couple of other international sites, but the ones mentioned above are the ones I frequently view. I suppose one could also mention the Australian Frequent Flyers forum for a few wine-related threads.

FF Forum.
https://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/c ... ssion.323/
https://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/c ... deals.325/

marmi01 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 14, 2025 3:13 pm

Jimmya wrote: ↑Fri Feb 14, 2025 11:08 am

Bytown Rick wrote: ↑Fri Feb 14, 2025 5:03 am

Last updated 23 October 2021. https://redbigot.info/

Its forum only now, but still going strong

Is it free or subscription only?

Mick

Subscription only, however I have found I've saved the subscription fee several times over, given some of the alerts to bargains I've found through posts on the forum. Plus tasting notes and other commentary from the wine lovers who subscribe!

I'm here and on RedBigot, as is phillisc. Have visited freq flyer, but not much these days. Starforum did fizz out years ago, which was a pity.

Ian S wrote: ↑Wed Feb 12, 2025 11:34 pm I'm not sure there is another Aussie forum. Winestar was popular in the day, but that fizzled out and died. I'm trying to remember the earlier forum, back around 2000-2005. Very old school software with little formatting.

Probably worth looking at newer platforms like Reddit and Discord, though the former very much not a format I can be bothered with (a backwards step visually / feature-wise IMO, but maybe ok for those that grew up on Twitter).

I recall Brian (aka red bigot) setup a bargain hunters site, but don't know if it's still going.

I drifted away from the UK based Wine Pages, but that might appeal. Aussie wines discussed less than Burgs, but there are devotees there.

Wine Berserkers in the US is the big forum these days, which effectively replaced the Wine advocate / Parker forum, when Parker and Squires went on a banning spree (night of the long knives). A crazy act of self-destruction. It started off a bit 'no holds barred' as a reaction to the oppressive moderation on the Parker forum, but has matured over time. Aussie coverage relatively thin, but at least they represent a more balanced view of Aussie wines, rather than the Parker focused 'oak and alcohol' fad that well and truly imploded in the US.

Great post and thanks for taking the time to respond.

I just reckon it’d be good to be tapped into the Aussie wine community to keep tabs on what’s happening. I haven’t found much on reddit and also don’t get onto discord. Will keep my eye on red bigot.

The community here seems pretty good with a lot of diverse and considered views which I like

There are also a few good wine groups on Facebook. I'm not on there at the moment (Thanks Zuckerberg for blocking my account after your platform was hacked).

I'm still on my digital/social media detox (until I figure out how I can recover my Facebook account) but i'll be checking those groups out when I'm back.

Mick

Yes, there is AWCC - Australian Wine Collectors Club on Facebook, which I follow as well. Easy enough to find and follow.

Yep I’m on there too. Facebook is ok for random posts but I feel like you get better discussions in forums like this for example

Yes, more discussion here, rather than people just showing off on fb

mjs wrote: ↑Sun Mar 02, 2025 3:33 pm Yes, more discussion here, rather than people just showing off on fb

Agreed. For that reason, I post here first, and then copy the link into any posts I make on Perth FB wine sites.

mjs wrote: ↑Sun Mar 02, 2025 3:33 pm Yes, more discussion here, rather than people just showing off on fb

I resemble that remark.

Like never before, information on any wine is available at the touch of your fingers. Wine forums have become obsolete. Wine Experts proliferate due the availability of so much information. In my area of passion, Piedmont, I do think all this information cycles and gets regurgitated in different slants and I question how much drinking experience many Wine Experts have.

That’s where wine forums deserve comeback. The best discussions are with those seasoned and experienced with a wine.

That's certainly echoed in wider society at the moment Jamie, and in wine we can see it that much clearer, because we have decent self-developed insight.

Read widely is an option, but there is a danger as you say, where groupthink results in regurgitation of opinions, presented as accepted fact through this repetition. Not that wine forums can't be guilty of similar groupthink. I see that mostly on US forums, but it can be true to a lesser degree across the board.

In some cases we see good wines talked up so much, they become 'icons', and the prices become silly. e.g. I like Burlotto (pretty much across their range), and they used to get a fair share of discussion, and their prices remained appealing. Galloni bigged them up, and the prices rose, but then the forum chatter also rose and prices went further. Still lovely wines, but Monvigliero for a few hundred quid?!!!!

Nothing beats experience, and even more so when we buy based on our experience, so we get what we like. That experience will never be perfect, so being open to recommendations to expand our experience is fine and natural, but there are plenty of critics who are happy to exploit blind trust, whereas there's no financial incentive for wine forum posters to act in that way.

dave vino wrote: ↑Wed Mar 05, 2025 7:08 pm

mjs wrote: ↑Sun Mar 02, 2025 3:33 pm Yes, more discussion here, rather than people just showing off on fb

I resemble that remark.

^^^^

Not obsolete, still going strong in a Forum format since October 2010, a small but active paying membership, the fee keeps out the freeloaders and riff-raff, a few from here and the AFF wine section too. (Thanks for the comments above from some of you).

Stats as of today: 170120 Posts in 13561 Topics by 387 Members

My statement on the obsolescence of many wine forums was due the length and breadth of the industry coupled with the information and social media revolution.

Congrats on your niche.