MFWT Voted Favorite Site in Food & Wine Magazine

Over the years that I've been writing here at MFWT, I've always taken great pleasure in spreading the word about other blogs and sites that I truly enjoy. One need only check out my Blogs of Note category to get a sense of what I'm talking about. It's rare that I feel quite so comfortable about dabbling in self-promotion. Once in a while, though, it's necessary for everyone to reach around and give him or herself a good old pat on the back. This, if you haven't sussed it out already, would be one of those occasions.

In the October 2010 issue of Food & Wine, their annual wine issue, McDuff's Food & Wine Trail was listed among the Top 5 Favorite Websites by 25 nationally recognized sommeliers participating in the magazine's "What Sommeliers Know Best" section. It's a quick mention, but more than enough to make me feel just a little proud. Hey, it's not every day that I get such a nice shout-out from some of the country's hardest working somms in a nationally distributed and internationally recognized magazine.

As happy as I was when I learned of the news, I was equally happy to find myself in such good company, right alongside the other four faves:

• Burg-guru Allen Meadows of the subscription-only site Burghound


• Iberian wine enthusiasts and social media entrepreneurs Ryan Anerson Opaz and Gabriella Reynes Opaz of Catavino


• Winechap, a site dedicated to reviewing restaurant wine lists in New York City, Hong Kong and the UK


• And Wine Opinions, a portal devoted exclusively to consumer and trade related research in the field of wine.

My appreciation goes out to those 25 participating sommelier(e)s, just as it does to each and every person reading this. Thanks as always for your support!

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Best of the Main Line… And a Brief Sojourn

Some of you may have already noticed the shiny new badge – the one that says BEST – in the left column of this here blog. For those of you not attracted by the frill around the edges, I thought I’d lavish a bit of shameless self-promotion upon you, front and center, right in the meat of the page.

The July edition of Main Line Today has just hit newsstands. In it, you’ll find yours truly featured as proud recipient of the title of Best Local Wine Guru in the magazine’s annual “Best of the Main Line and Western Suburbs” awards. My photo was withheld in order to protect my anonymity as a critic (though I may have spoiled that when I put my real name on the masthead of my blog…). In all seriousness though, my thanks go out to the critics and editorial staff at MLT who saw fit to lavish their praise upon me. It’s always nice to be recognized for something you love doing.

In celebration – actually, it’s pure coincidence – I’m headed off for a few days in New York to participate in a fringe event at the Fancy Food Show and to enjoy some food, wine, friends and fun along the way. As a result, it may be quiet around these parts for a couple of days. But I’m sure I’ll have plenty to report upon return.

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