If you’re looking for a clear sign that the wine blogging world is getting more serious, committed and professional, look no further than the European Wine Bloggers Conference, which is starting just about now in Logroño, Spain.
A few dozen bloggers are gathering over this weekend to discuss wine blog writing, blog technology, monetizing (some of us dreamers actually think we could make a bit of a living out of this…) and, in a related question, standards and codes of conduct that should guide bloggers. Interestingly enough, ethics and standards have been generating a huge amount of discussion, following a very pointed PR operation by Rodney Strong winery, which enlisted wine bloggers as the first reviewers of its new Rockaway wine: see here, here and here – oh, and here… and here for the debate.
Oh yeah. They’ll also be tasting wine, especially Spanish wines, thanks to co-organizers Ryan and Gabrielle Opaz, from Catavino, who prepared this world first along with Robert McIntosh. They got the thing together, got sponsors… everything you’d expect from a professional event. Congrats.
Can’t be in Spain? No problem. You can take a look at the live blogging, or see conference pictures on Flickr, to get you in the spirit of things. And I’m sure a lot of the participants will be blogging sooner than later about the conference, the tastings… just the tough weekend this will surely have been.
I wish I could be there, but I’m not feeling blue, since I’ll be taking part in the second such conference, taking place in late October in California. Close to 90 participants are already registered. Should be quite a blast. A very professional blast. Of course.
The OLD Wine Case 
hey, thanks for the support. Check in again tomorrow for more fun!