What is “netiquette,” you ask mon cheri? Why “netiquette” is network etiquette — the etiquette of cyberspace.

Like any culture, cyberspace also has its own etiquette. If you were dining in Japan or a guest at the Rabbi’s Passover Seder, I mean, we wouldn’t stick chopsticks in our nose to imitate a walrus nor would we bring a bacon cheeseburger to the Rabbi’s house now, would we? So, should we behave any different when we are in cyberspace?

Of all of the cyberspace groups I have been a part of, I think wine bloggers really give it their best – they are the best. Now let me say, I am not perfect in my netiquette. What you see on my blog, mouth and all, is pretty much my personality. What you read is what you get. But in spite of it all, I still remember the golden rules my parents and kindergarten teacher taught me and I really treasure Robert Fulghum’s, All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Kindergarten.

Share everything, play fair, don’t hit people, say you are sorry when you hurt people, wash your hands before you eat, flush, hold hands and stick together, cookies and milk are good for you …

In fact, I think these rules should be a wine tourist’s motto, of course trading out the milk for wine.

In the crazy, fast and free world of cyberspace, I think there should be one important rule: remember the human. We need to remember, what we pound out on the keyboard, would we be willing to say it to the person’s face? I probably would, but I also have to remember the mischief in my eyes, my scrunched up smirk, and the smart aleck tone in my voice (and even me sticking out my tongue like a juvenile) doesn’t always convey to everyone, only after they know me (So I apologize to anybody I may have offended this week – but, just this week).

Recently, I was seeking journalistic advice on an online message board. I was “told” by one of the journalists that my messages on that particular board needed some polish. I was told I was nothing but an amateur writer. I was told my sentences were clunky and often didn’t make sense.

Yeah, I know – sometimes. Again, I am not perfect, but nobody is harder on me – than me! Sometimes I even talk “clunky.” Sometimes I stutter, twist words and cannot finish complete trains of thought. I forget. I’ve had a few head injuries in my youth and developed adult dyslexia. There are times I cannot read a newspaper article without it being a struggle. I use to be able to read a book in one night and now it can take me almost a month to process a book. Writing and blogging has helped. I think it has kept my noggin’ from getting worse. I am grateful to my readers and editors who put up with my foibles.

So, did the criticism from this person hurt my feelings? Naahh. I considered the source. Was I surprised by the brazen tact? A little. But later it got me to thinking, wonder if that person said the same criticism to a very sensitive person whose feelings would be hurt or had a severe challenge? And in the end, what did this miserable source of criticism really hope to gain? Was it from their own source of insecurities? And if they had an opportunity to be with me in person, as well as with all of the people in the message board, would they have been able to say that to my face in front of all of these people?

Last year, some of the wine bloggers had a few heated debates in cyberspace with editors and wine enthusiasts, Robert Parker and Anthony Dias Blue. Sure, an emoticon of (sticking out tongue) and a (_x_) (kiss my a … well you get the message) was thrown around here and there. But hey, it was a debate of sorts – a disagreement. There is no doubt in my mind the same words would have been slung around even if the debate was face to face in a wine bar. But in my opinion, Parker and Dias Blue lost the debates, even with their best and most reasonable points.

They lost when they called the wine bloggers names in a magazine editorial and online. If either of these public speakers were addressing a group of wine bloggers at a seminar and a comment was made they didn’t agree with, would Parker and Dias Blue address the group as “blobbers and bitter carping gadflies” for retaliation? I would hope not. It might stifle their careers a bit. So why should it be any different from the keyboard?

Two days ago I received an email from a woman who is a retired English teacher, recipe blogger and a wine lover. As a fun hobby, or she may even believe it is her calling from the Goddess of Grammar, she sends emails to owners of wine websites about their incorrect spelling and grammar. So, my offense was that I had used the word “compliment” instead of “complement.” Now this woman didn’t introduce herself and her approach was just, “You misspelled a word. Common error and you need to correct it.”

Was I offended? Hell no! (I mean, “Heck no!”) Was I surprised. Well, yeah because of the intrusion, so to speak, and without an introduction. My response? Like a playful cat, I knew I had a mouse I could bat around and have some fun with. After I got ahold of my uncontrollable giggling from daydreaming about Machiavellian tactics I could use, I looked her up on the web. I read her recipes and sent her an email. I asked her if she was the Chief of Spelling and will I be arrested if I didn’t correct my spelling error?

I asked her if she typically spent her time correcting websites without any kind of introductions? I mean, approach and style is everything, right? I also pointed out she had several errors on her own blog, such as run-on sentences, over use of commas, and some sentences needing proper punctuation, but I would never dream of pointing out her errors without a proper introduction – -

Hello my name is Catie …

She wrote me back and said I didn’t need to be so defensive and there was nothing wrong with her written grammar. She said I should have been more appreciative of her wanting to help me, because everyone else is. To make a long story short, she apologized, I accepted her apology and we parted well with her leaving me a compliment (or was it a complement?)

It’s nice to see young people taking the initiative to make something of themselves.

Now, what would I say to her if I ever meet her in person? I would introduce myself, give her a hug, and ask if she thought I made some thing of myself. Also, I would remind her to be cautious about using too many contractions in a sentence and that she should have put a period at the end of “It’s important to whip your cream until it’s stiff and let your meatloaf rest “

You’ve heard of a “gaggle of geese,” a “pod of whales,” a “murder of crows?” So, what do you call a group of self-proclaimed wine critics? Bloggers, what else?

Who are these people? Anthony Dias Blue, senior wine and spirits editor of The Tasting Panel Magazine, asked the same question in his July 2009 editorial, “… And Who Regulates the Bloggers?”

“And who are these bloggers anyway, and, more important, what is their motivation? It would be comforting to find that they are altruistic wine lovers who see their purpose as bringing insight and valuable information to like-minded consumers. But the image that presents itself is of bitter, carping gadflies who, as they stare into their computer screens and contemplate their dreary day jobs, let their resentment and sense of personal failure take shape as vicious attacks on the established critical media.”

Who are these bitter, carping gadflies? They are your relatives, neighbors and co-workers. Wine bloggers are attorneys, professors, schoolteachers, journalists, psychologists, marketing directors, hiking tour guides, sommeliers and winemakers. Their motivation is simple — they are lovers of the grape and want to share their experience with wine lovers and bloggers around the world.

I have been wine blogging since 2005, and it has been a very rewarding experience. When I first started I felt alone. It was up to me to reach out to these wine lovers, and I was paid back tenfold when they reached back. As bloggers we have collaborated on writing projects, virtual wine tastings and face-to-face gatherings and conferences.

We also have been dissected under a microscope by traditional media, and unfortunately, some of the media have felt threatened and lashed out. The more flexible of those journalists took the attitude of “If we can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em,” while others want to join the phenomenon without looking like “one of ‘em” (wine blogger).

Blue asks a question that all serious wine bloggers have asked themselves. Who indeed regulates the bloggers? Well, who regulates sports journalism? Who regulates investigative, gonzo, celebrity and ambush journalism? Who regulates any assemblage of mutual interests? The assembly regulates, of course. But ultimately it will be the wine lovers who will regulate what they choose to read.

We have seen wine bloggers come and go. It’s not to say there aren’t any bad wine blogs and “posers” out there — there are. But, like wine, what makes a wine blog “bad” is purely subjective. A wine blog that is not often updated, has no or little original content withers on its own. “The Posers” who join anything they deem trendy and cool soon get bored and jump onto the next trendiest ship. As long as wine bloggers consistently share their wine passion and put enthusiasm into their writing, they will maintain, if not grow, their readership and will gain the respect of their peers and perhaps even traditional wine journalism.

It’s been exciting to be a part of this new form of wine media and to watch it grow. A few years ago, two other wine bloggers from Washington state, Margot Sinclair Savell, of Write for Wine and Thad Westhusing, who writes Beyond the Bottle, and I contacted the Washington Wine Commission about the power of the wine blog. Unlike a biodynamically grown grape, our message was not in harmony with the lunar and planetary cycles, as our enthusiasm was met with automated “On Vacation” e-mails.

In 2008, the North American Wine Blogging Conference was formed. The Napa and Sonoma wine industries embraced the concept, and the 2008 and 2009 North American Wine Bloggers Conferences were held in Santa Rosa, Calif.

As it turns out, someone at the Washington State Wine Commission was paying attention. The third annual 2010 North American Wine Blogging Conference will be hosted in Washington state, June 25-27.

In fact, Walla Walla will find out first hand who these bloggers are. The Washington Wine Commission, our Walla Walla Wine Alliance and Chateau Ste Michelle are the premier sponsors for this third annual three-day event in Walla Walla.

My hope is that Blue will attend the conference to join 250 wine bloggers, as they will share their altruistic, wine-loving insight and valuable information. He will find it comforting. Perhaps I will send him an invitation.

Who is “them?” Points. Wine points — those two little digits, or rare three digits, created by Robert Parker of the Wine Advocate newsletter. These numbers communicate to the wine consumer if a wine is worthy of purchase.

Several professional wine groups and wine publications have adopted the point system. And it’s important to note these digits are based on one palate or a group of peers who blind taste and determine the scores. These digits are powerful: They can either make or break the sale of a wine.

Sometimes they can be magical numbers. Scores of 90 to the elusive 100 can bring accolades and sales to the winemaker who has worked so diligently. Scores of 80-89 means a barely above average to very good score for a wine that shows no character flaws. These B+ scores can be just as important, especially to a new winemaker’s first wine release.

Of course, there isn’t anything magical about an average score of 70-79, and who wants a below average score of 60-69? Let’s not even discuss the scores of 50-59, especially when Parker starts all wines with 50 points for, well, merely existing in a bottle, I guess.

Parker’s numbering system has met with controversy. Some wines have been accused of purposely being designed to meet Parker’s personal preferences and changing certain traditional “old world” wine styles.

The Parker digits certainly have influenced prices and sales, driving some customers to buy only wines rated at 90 or above, while making perfectly good wines rated from 75–89 hard to sell, when in fact these wines may be excellent bargains for the quality. Besides the prices, does the average American wine consumer’s palate really meet the same standards of a man who has devoted his lifestyle and occupation to the world of wine? Even Parker has stated:

“…there can never be any substitute for your own palate nor any better education than tasting the wine yourself.”

In the late ’70s the rock band Three Dog Night released a song, “One,” with the lyrics, “One is the loneliest number that you’ll ever do.”

When it comes to wine scores, “89 is the Loneliest Number.” You see, a wine given a score of “89” teeters on that edge of not being good enough to be a 90. The score of 89 can be the “kiss of death” to a perfectly well-crafted bottle of wine, as one local tasting room manager pointed out to me.

And really, what is the difference between a wine that has been given 89 points and a wine with 90 points? It’s just one point people! And yes, I am talking to those of you who will not walk into a winery unless the wines have scores of 90 points and above. Don’t you trust your own palate? Do you not appreciate the true art and romance of the fruit and terroir or are you just into trophy collecting?

Oh the humanity! Is there any help for the “point-less?” Or is it pointless?

Attorney and self-educated oenophile, David Honig created “The 89 Project,” and has invited wine bloggers to post opinions and reviews regarding wines that were given an 89 rating. It is his hope these “red-headed stepchildren of the wine world” can be given a second chance to shine. And yours truly has done her best to give Walla Walla wines their 15 minutes of fame, as well.

In the meantime, to challenge the point system is rather pointless until someone comes up with another reasonable alternative to rate wines. The wine bloggers of the 89 Project won’t change the point system, but if it gets wine consumers thinking about their own personal palate and wine purchases, the project has served its purpose. Besides, wine bloggers have already come under criticism by Parker. In April, he announced on his message board:

“… bloggers … or should I say blobbers … are the source of much of the misinformation, distortion, and egregious falsehoods spread with reckless abandon on the internet …”

“Blobbers?” That’s a pretty funny name, especially from a guy by the name of — Bob.

I know when I fi rst started blogging I felt alone. I was one of the few women wine bloggers. I also was the only wine blogger in Walla Walla, and the only one at the time just blogging about Walla Walla wines — and even one of the few blogging about Washington state wines. I was met with: “Walla Wall- where did you say? Washington DC makes wine? Oh, you have that little blaaawg. Isn’t that cute (pat-pat-pat), she’s writing about wines from her little hometown.”

How things have changed. Wine blogging is so popular now conventions are held in the United States and internationally. And Walla Walla is garnering recognition for the town and its wines, most recently in the February issue of Gourmet magazine.

For those of you unfamiliar with the term “blog,” Wikipedia describes it as a contraction of the words “Web” and “log.” A blog is a Web site, usually maintained by an individual, with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. “Blog” also can be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.

Like anything new and unfamiliar, the explosion of wine blogs has been met with controversy. The word on the wine blogging street is that it’s the “old
(traditional print/journalists) versus the new.” And the “new” has been described as a group of “self proclaimed wine critics … lazy person’s journalism” by the “old.”

Wine blogs bring a democratic approach to what was previously perceived as a luxury item that could be written about only by insiders.

What wine blogging has done is to fl ing open the windows and clear out the intellectual dust – the time-honored prejudices in particular. The immediacy of a blog where posts are made daily or, in some cases, hourly, makes it a good source of wine news. Thoughtful essays on wine, wine making and sales are also common.

At best wine blogs are written by knowledgeable people who are passionate about wine and want to share information that can help wine lovers and the wine industry. There are some who don’t live up to that level of professionalism, but a blog lives and dies by the dedication, accuracy and reliability of its content. And, of course, some are more fun to read than others.

So, what wine subject do you want to read about?

Wines from Washington state? From Long Island or the Finger Lakes regions of New York? Wines under $20? Care about the politics and marketing of wine? Want to learn about the wines from Italy, Spain and Portugal? Are you a Pinot Noir enthusiast? Or follow a specific winery? Prefer to watch videos about wine? How about Walla Walla Valley wines? It’s all a URL away.

For me, it was either not knowing any better or stubbornness, but I hung in there — like a small yapping terrier dog chewing on whatever bare ankle was visible. My remarks must have left some toothy impressions, because that stubbornness is paying off.

More writers are climbing on the blog wagon, and it’s exciting to read new blogs coming out of the Walla Walla Valley, especially now from the wineries, such as Bergevin Lane, Pepper Bridge and Cadaretta.

In the future, I suspect the wine blogosphere will settle down and everyone will find their niche in the World Wide Wine Web — if they work hard enough at it.