I once consulted on a wine guide to Georgia and tasted hundreds if not thousands of wines and 85% of the wines were not just not good they were awful. And I wish I could have written about it.
As loyal Wall Street Journal subscribers for the past 10+ years, my wife and I are writing to express our disappointment with the current Saturday Off Duty section.
Off Duty used to be our favorite part of the paper, offering great writing on food, restaurants, drinks, and travel. Now, it seems entirely dominated by high-end fashion. We frankly cannot relate to pages dedicated to $800 jeans, $500 baseball hats, and $25,000 watches. Furthermore, we sorely miss Lettie Teague's wine column and the previous editorial balance.
We still flip through Off Duty out of habit, but we find ourselves disengaged and quickly moving on to other sections. We value the WSJ, but we hope you will reconsider the current direction of the weekend lifestyle coverage.
Thanks so much for the kind words Michael- I haven’t read Off Duty in several months so I will have to take your word for that. I’m sorry to read the section has so greatly shifted but I am glad you found my Substack! Cheers!
Yes, yes! Wine writing and ratings need reality. Text analysis has shown that most wine reviews contain little information, and analysis of wine ratings shows that they are somewhat random and inflated too. Bring us information!
I had no idea you had been cut from the Journal, thought you were on break and glad I've found you again.
To the question yes, let us know about bad or over rated wines. I really appreciated your column on Veuve as my friends always ask me if it's really that good. I recall on our first trip to France many years ago we were in a grocery store and came upon this huge orange end cap of Veuve, sort of an out of body experience. If there's a way to send you a photo I will share how I was over come by the same situation as I poured for a tasting at a Binny's in Chicago.
Thanks so much for finding me Woody! Alas quite a few longtime WSJ staffers were laid off a few months ago in a restructuring plan. Thanks for your readership and kind words and yes please send a photo! Cheers!
I am so annoyed that you were laid off from the WSJ. The only articles I ever read in off duty were yours and Dan Neil's. Glad I found you. Columns including bad wines would be so much more fun than columns only describing good wines.
So glad to have found you here! I’ve never joined Substack until now (honestly, didn’t know what it was until today). Maybe I’m a Luddite. Echoing others, my weekend spent with the WSJ Off-Duty section isn’t as enjoyable as it used to be. Your column was my favorite! As for the question of writing about bad wines, I have to admit my guilty pleasure is reading a review by a critic who knows how to break out the sharp knives, when deserved. If it’s done with wit and humor, it can rise to the level of art. For example, I’ve saved a 2017 issue of The New Yorker that had a four paragraph review by their late (great) dance critic Joan Acocella on a Danish dance group that performed naked. I bet I’ve read it 50 times, and I laugh every time, because it’s brilliant. Having said that, as far as wine reviews go, I get more use from your positive recommendations (try this, it’s really good!). In fact, like many of your fans, you have cost me a lot of money over the years 😂, as I think about all of your great recommendations that I have tried (and loved). So glad to have found you again.
Thanks so much - and so glad you found me too! I have to say I have found pleasure in negative reviews too when written by immensely talented writers who equal parts venom and wit! Pete Wells's review of Guy Fieri's NY restaurant in the NYT comes to mind..and of course Alan Richman's many restaurant reviews! Cheers!
Glad you transitioned to Substack, Lettie. You own the platform as well as the words now. Your observations and opinions have always been valued and appreciated.
I'm not sure if the wines or the movie is less mentionable but the wine is definitely overrated. Soooo much more you can pick up for 50€ in Europe for a sparkling wine these days, even from la France.
I think that there are so many bad wines out there, it is natural and normal to focus on the ones that have something uplifting to offer.
I would never bother to trash an obscure producer. BUT if a wine somehow vaunted for its reputation, and is asking an extraordinary price, it is not only fair game but relevant and a service to know how and when they fall short.
I remember that Guy Fieri review and it was brilliant. But I seldom read such cutting reviews about the emptiness of Michelin starred celebrity chefs serving $250 lunches.
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts- agreed! Alas I am not a member of the $250 Michelin restaurant lunch crowd so I will never know if a cutting review of such a place is warranted or not. Cheers!
In the Thomas Keller-sphere (never been personally) lunch is over $400 a head and in NY’s PerSe the top menu is $1,000! Wells wrote a somewhat cutting review of PerSe 10 years ago. When the farm-to-table movement started decades ago it wasn’t so damn elitist. At this moment these places are not just out of reach but seem out of touch.
Honestly, this is something I have considered doing as a podcast or YouTube channel. I get angry and offended when I open a bottle that is obviously flawed and a failure of winemaking. Natural wines: shooting fish in a barrel.
I once consulted on a wine guide to Georgia and tasted hundreds if not thousands of wines and 85% of the wines were not just not good they were awful. And I wish I could have written about it.
Email to WSJ sent today:
As loyal Wall Street Journal subscribers for the past 10+ years, my wife and I are writing to express our disappointment with the current Saturday Off Duty section.
Off Duty used to be our favorite part of the paper, offering great writing on food, restaurants, drinks, and travel. Now, it seems entirely dominated by high-end fashion. We frankly cannot relate to pages dedicated to $800 jeans, $500 baseball hats, and $25,000 watches. Furthermore, we sorely miss Lettie Teague's wine column and the previous editorial balance.
We still flip through Off Duty out of habit, but we find ourselves disengaged and quickly moving on to other sections. We value the WSJ, but we hope you will reconsider the current direction of the weekend lifestyle coverage.
Thanks so much for the kind words Michael- I haven’t read Off Duty in several months so I will have to take your word for that. I’m sorry to read the section has so greatly shifted but I am glad you found my Substack! Cheers!
Yes, yes! Wine writing and ratings need reality. Text analysis has shown that most wine reviews contain little information, and analysis of wine ratings shows that they are somewhat random and inflated too. Bring us information!
I had no idea you had been cut from the Journal, thought you were on break and glad I've found you again.
To the question yes, let us know about bad or over rated wines. I really appreciated your column on Veuve as my friends always ask me if it's really that good. I recall on our first trip to France many years ago we were in a grocery store and came upon this huge orange end cap of Veuve, sort of an out of body experience. If there's a way to send you a photo I will share how I was over come by the same situation as I poured for a tasting at a Binny's in Chicago.
Thanks so much for finding me Woody! Alas quite a few longtime WSJ staffers were laid off a few months ago in a restructuring plan. Thanks for your readership and kind words and yes please send a photo! Cheers!
Well that's why I've noticed that I'm not as interested in reading the Sat edition and tired of a section full of watches.
Can't figure out how to attach a photo
🥂Happy to see you here, Lettie!
Thanks Simone!
That would be of enormous service!
Hi Lettie,
I am so annoyed that you were laid off from the WSJ. The only articles I ever read in off duty were yours and Dan Neil's. Glad I found you. Columns including bad wines would be so much more fun than columns only describing good wines.
Rob Klein
Thank you so much Rob - thanks so much for finding me! And guess what? A column on some bad wines is coming up very soon! Cheers!
So glad to have found you here! I’ve never joined Substack until now (honestly, didn’t know what it was until today). Maybe I’m a Luddite. Echoing others, my weekend spent with the WSJ Off-Duty section isn’t as enjoyable as it used to be. Your column was my favorite! As for the question of writing about bad wines, I have to admit my guilty pleasure is reading a review by a critic who knows how to break out the sharp knives, when deserved. If it’s done with wit and humor, it can rise to the level of art. For example, I’ve saved a 2017 issue of The New Yorker that had a four paragraph review by their late (great) dance critic Joan Acocella on a Danish dance group that performed naked. I bet I’ve read it 50 times, and I laugh every time, because it’s brilliant. Having said that, as far as wine reviews go, I get more use from your positive recommendations (try this, it’s really good!). In fact, like many of your fans, you have cost me a lot of money over the years 😂, as I think about all of your great recommendations that I have tried (and loved). So glad to have found you again.
Thanks so much - and so glad you found me too! I have to say I have found pleasure in negative reviews too when written by immensely talented writers who equal parts venom and wit! Pete Wells's review of Guy Fieri's NY restaurant in the NYT comes to mind..and of course Alan Richman's many restaurant reviews! Cheers!
Glad you transitioned to Substack, Lettie. You own the platform as well as the words now. Your observations and opinions have always been valued and appreciated.
Thank you so much Donald! I appreciate your kind words.
Sure. I certainly agree with your assessment of Agent Orange. Give me a grower champagne any day.
Thanks Neal! Can’t say I disagree- although I’m also happy with Pol Roger and Louis Roederer too!
I'm not sure if the wines or the movie is less mentionable but the wine is definitely overrated. Soooo much more you can pick up for 50€ in Europe for a sparkling wine these days, even from la France.
I think that there are so many bad wines out there, it is natural and normal to focus on the ones that have something uplifting to offer.
I would never bother to trash an obscure producer. BUT if a wine somehow vaunted for its reputation, and is asking an extraordinary price, it is not only fair game but relevant and a service to know how and when they fall short.
I remember that Guy Fieri review and it was brilliant. But I seldom read such cutting reviews about the emptiness of Michelin starred celebrity chefs serving $250 lunches.
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts- agreed! Alas I am not a member of the $250 Michelin restaurant lunch crowd so I will never know if a cutting review of such a place is warranted or not. Cheers!
In the Thomas Keller-sphere (never been personally) lunch is over $400 a head and in NY’s PerSe the top menu is $1,000! Wells wrote a somewhat cutting review of PerSe 10 years ago. When the farm-to-table movement started decades ago it wasn’t so damn elitist. At this moment these places are not just out of reach but seem out of touch.
I remember that review!
‘‘Twas a great read. I have been to both (someone else paid the tab) yawn
Yes please on the wines not to drink…cheers till next time!
Honestly, this is something I have considered doing as a podcast or YouTube channel. I get angry and offended when I open a bottle that is obviously flawed and a failure of winemaking. Natural wines: shooting fish in a barrel.
Where can I find this review? Veuve yellow label is my everyday Champagne.. so I’m curious to read it
Hi Theresa- It was my WSJ column about a month or so ago… but it’s behind a paywall. You have to be a WSJ subscriber to access.
Yes, I would like to read about wines to avoid.