True or not true?
You can find tons of information about wine on the Internet. Who look things up in books nowadays? (Actually, as we write wine books, we hope that many do!) It is practical to be able to find everything quickly and smoothly in your computer or phone, but it is also dangerous. It is dangerous if you do not read with discernment. Anyone can write on the internet and that is a good thing. As long as you don’t swallow everything, hook, line, and sinker…
Much that is written about wine on the Internet is so totally wrong that you hardly believe your eyes. Of course it is not always easy to know what is right and what is wrong. But don’t trust the first thing you read. We have lately read some strange things on, for example, organic and biodynamic wines, wood ageing, fermentation and yeast, clones and grape varieties and quite a few other things.
Read what many people write about the same subject. Read wisely! If it doesn’t sound credible, chances are it is not. If you read carefully you can get a feel for if the person knows what he/she is talking about. If the writing is muddle-headed, maybe the writer hasn’t understood the subject.
Sometimes a book can actually be a good thing. For a book the author often (but perhaps not always…) makes extensive research to be sure that everything in the book is correct. On the Internet, people write fast and sometimes sloppy. The author of a book makes an effort to be as accurate as possible because a book will be around for a long time. But maybe what’s on Internet will be around even longer.
Caveat emptor.
Britt & Per
PS: Recommend to your friends to read the Brief !
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