Best known for his blog, “Pardonthatwine.com” – the most unbiased wine review forum in the world – Chris Riccobono is a completely independent young American taster (30 years old!) who has caused a stir since September on the Internet and on several television stations. We welcomed him at Brane today, in the company of his parents. They visited our cellars and enjoyed a filmed tasting! His goal is to teach amateurs – not specialists – to taste and appreciate all kinds of wines, all styles of wines, with no commercial motivations, unlike the just-as-famous Gary Vaynerchuck from “The Wine Library” for example who sells the wines that can be found in his store in New Jersey and on his website. Chris became an overnight sensation and represents a new generation of ‘online’ critics targeting a new audience of ‘online’ novices. It’s a business that, according to the NBC piece, represents over 27 billion dollars. Something to think about!

http://pardonthatvine.com/merlot/2010/01/24/show-68-nyfanbc-news-piece-on-video-wine-blogs-and-me/