During the Wine Blog Awards dinner at the Wine Bloggers Conference 2012, I had the pleasure of sitting next to Ben Simons from Vinotology. As the “Best New Wine Blog” winner was about to be announced, Ben whispered to me, “one of the best new blogs isn’t even among the finalists.” Who might that be, I asked? “Wine Folly,” he answered.
Since I greatly respect Ben’s opinion (and his writing), I checked out Wine Folly the next time I was in front of a computer. Within five minutes, I agreed with Ben — Wine Folly is definitely one of the best new wine blogs I’ve seen. So why wasn’t it considered at the Wine Blog Awards? My guess is that the home page of the site looked more like a magazine or a front for a wine school, rather than a typical blog (i.e., where all the posts are stacked in one vertical column by date, such as on this site). But let’s focus on why you should check it out.
First, it’s easy on the eyes – clean, uncluttered, and simply but pleasantly laid out, with sharp photography and vibrant color contrasts. Second, the content is extremely well-written — the copy is compelling, well-researched, concise, entertaining (sometimes laugh-out-loud funny) and grammatically correct. That last point is a personal stickler, as I abhor blogs that ignore simple grammar rules and punctuation, are rife with misspellings, and require editing. But then, I’m an old-schooler with an English degree and spent several years of my working career as an editor. I digress …
It’s now almost 8 months that I’ve been following Wine Folly, and since then, the esthetics and layout have changed — there’s now a clear button telling you were where the “blog” section of the site resides. It’s still clean and supported with rich, vibrant imagery, though perhaps more so now. The design is such that reading seems easy and a pleasure; as someone who has spent time managing website overhauls, I have a special appreciation for simple things like that. But enough about me, this is about you and your discovery of wine, which can be more enriching and enjoyable by visiting Wine Folly. Some of the more recent and informative posts include “How to Order Wine Like a Sommelier,” an infographic on “How Red Wine is Made,” and an incredibly easy-to-understand explanation of tannins in wine.
But if my glowing recommendation isn’t enough, check out the video below to get a hint of what Wine Folly offers.
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