The beer and wine discussion done wrong
This morning I received an e-mail newsletter from Natalie MacLean, a wine writer whose work I like enough that I subscribed to the newsletter (and have a link to her site under wine sites to read).
This time I got a silly diatribe about beer and wine that invited comment. It read like one of those flames designed to get us beer types all riled up. But I was prepared to take the bait. While I was thinking about clever ways to slice and dice what she wrote, Jack Curtin rode to the rescue.
Then I read it.
And was appalled.
This thing is so ham-handed, so ill-informed, so juvenile, I was literally stunned.
He’s posted the letter, then a few more words. I don’t think further discussion is needed. He handled it just fine.
Posted: May 8th, 2007 under Beer & Wine.
May 9th, 2007 at 5:03 am
Further discussion? Maybe not. But a barrage of e-mails sent her way?
Oh yes indeed.
Or mail her a quarter (Canadian of course) so she can purchase a clue.
Sheesh.
May 9th, 2007 at 5:14 am
I going to be honest and say … I thought it was quite funny!
She’s clearly just trying to provoke an equally tongue-in-cheek, yet strident, response. Go for it, guys! Stand up for American beer!
May 9th, 2007 at 5:53 am
“There’s a good reason why there are so many wine clubs, wine courses, wine country vacation planners, and wine writers.”
Yeah. Pretentiousness.
Her article goes so far beyond ignorance that it’s embarrassing to her and more learned wine lovers.
S.
May 9th, 2007 at 5:53 am
Stonch – I like Loren’s idea. Send her e-mails and point out this was too heavy handed to be truly clever (of course that you laughed at it kind of wrecked that notion).
On our side of the pond this sounds way too familiar. It is frustrating because she is a very good writer – I own her book – and would likely do an excellent job were she to take beer as seriously as wine.
May 9th, 2007 at 6:02 am
It was tired, Stonch, and unoriginal. You can see the same thing, with almost the same words, done by a number of wine-wankers over the past 10 years. Ho-effing-hum. Natalie sent me an advance copy of this, and I was so shocked that she had written it — I REALLY like her wine writing for its freshness and honesty — that I didn’t know how to respond. I was left dumbfounded by the note at the end warning that it was copyrighted and that I couldn’t quote it without permission…as if someone would want to disseminate it? (No judgment on Jack; someone had to do it.)
I’m guilty: I’ve done this too, in favor of beer (http://www.coldhardfootballfacts.com/Article.php?Page=919), but I don’t think I was quite as…cliched.
May 9th, 2007 at 6:22 am
Sounds like nothing more than an opportunity to get coverage to me after the last few beer v. wine or craft beer v. PBR sorts of columns. It become a bit of a tired game and also exposes the limitations of pro writing about foods, wine, beer, etc. Unless it is done very well, it serves little purpose. I am reminded about many books on beer and wine that I have received over the last couple of years that have either glaring errors or glaring egos. I am very happy to note that present company is excepted.
May 9th, 2007 at 6:42 am
“…and would likely do an excellent job were she to take beer as seriously as wine.”
And therein lies the inherent trouble between our 2 factions. Has Natalie expressed such disdain for beer in the past? Has she recently been harassed by “beer advocates” (as she seems delighted to use tauntingly in her essay).
Maybe it is all TIC, but Stan and Lew are right, heavy handed and tired, and shouldn’t be fuel for controversy – just for the sake of.
May 9th, 2007 at 8:28 am
Here’s something that’ll make you laugh.
A pal of mine’s an opera singer. He’s from a posh, high-falutin family – his uncle’s one of the most prolific London architects ever, his parents are leadng medical consultants, he’s got Law Lords, actors, music stars in his family. All lovely people and very talented to boot.
Recently I went to see the friend at a pub-opera (I wrote an account of this unlikely coupling on my blog
here).
I happened to sit next to the parents of the friend. Now they’re real gastronomes, you better believe it.
His mum said “hello, lovely to see you, Benjamin tells me you’re doing a bit of beer writing these days. But why don’t you write about wine?”
I couldn’t think of a reply.
We have the same problems with perceptions of beer over here, but I don’t let them get me down. It’s so easy to challenge most people’s prejudices, and a lot of fun doing it. I’ve converted lots of people, and I bet you all have too, many more folks than myself I’d bet.
I agree with Lew that this article was “writing by numbers”, but it’s clearly intended to provoke a response. In fact, it’s written in a way that so obviously invites riposte, it’s almost generous!
May 9th, 2007 at 10:06 am
Stonch – I would be shocked if you sat down with her and suggested a few beers that she wouldn’t “get it” immediately.
That’s why her screed is so disappointing. It’s like she hit the off switch on her brain.
May 12th, 2007 at 6:11 am
Sigh.
It’s so obvious that she wrote this specifically to stir up “controversy”. I half suspect that she probably knows full well that beer deserves more respect than she gives it in this poorly written and poorly researched screed.
Replying to her would be a complete waste of time, IMO.
Too bad, too, as I had a fair bit of respect for her before this. I don’t know much about wine, but I’ve read a bit of her stuff and enjoyed it. I won’t be bothering in the future.
May 12th, 2007 at 6:35 am
OK, I lied – I wrote her a response:
—–
Ms. MacLean:
My name is Greg Clow, and I am an amateur beer & food writer based in Toronto.
While catching up on some online reading this morning, I came across a post on Jack Curtin’s website featuring your recent article comparing beer and wine. Having read some of your writing in the past, I expected a well thought out and accessable piece with a bit of humour.
Instead, I found a poorly executed attempt at “humour” that did nothing but disappoint me. Your supposedly “tongue in cheek” suggestion that beer drinkers are typically six-pack pounding yokels who like to fight at hockey games, ogle girls, and fart comes across as heavy-handed, mean-spirited, and frankly, snobbish.
Your introduction suggested that you intended to write a well meaning and good natured attempt at starting some collegial debate. Instead, you spew mean spirited insults at beer and beer drinkers, while championing the wonders of wine.
As someone who is a admittedly a wine neophyte, I’m doing what I can learn more, and I’ve even started doing a bit of writing about it. As with beer, I’m learning that there are wines that I like and wines that I don’t like, that certain wines pair well with certain foods, and so on.
As part of this learning, I’ve been looking towards wine writers and experts to help guide me, keeping an eye open for those who also have a respect for beer (not to mention spirits), as that shows me that they have a mind and a palate that are as open as I’m hoping mine can be.
I guess I’ll be scratching you off of that list.
Greg Clow