About

When we started WINO Magazine in the summer of 2008, we did so out of an awe of wine and wine culture. It’s a pretty broad topic, and realizing how much there was to say about what’s right here in our own back yard, we decided that WINO would largely be dedicated to the Washington wine scene. With the explosive growth of the wine industry over recent years–in quality, number of bonded wineries and sheer production volume–it would be a challenge to even shave off the tip of this delicious iceberg, let alone try to tackle wine as a broader category.

We launched as a monthly print publication, with much support from the wine industry and fanfare from enthusiastic consumers. We hit the road and visited each AVA, interviewed winemakers, talked with vineyard managers, gabbed with sommeliers, restauranteurs, retailers and educators, and brought it all to you–on paper and online.

Since our launch, a couple of things have evolved. We gave paper the axe in the winter of 2009, because while the free magazine would fly off the shelves, we received a ton of feedback that even those that religiously grabbed copies of WINO were actually reading it online. The print edition, we realized, though sexy and sleek, was unnecessary in the fulfillment of our mission statement.

We also have begun to include content on beer and liquor on occasion, adding to our foodie content, to flesh out what we consider the “wino lifestyle,” which is to say, the enjoyment of fine beverage and food. We also write about wine from regions beyond Washington on occassion, because, why not?

In the November 2010 issue of Harper’s Magazine, essayist Lewis H. Lapham eulogized the end of the publication’s “Notebook” section after twenty-six years, and in his exposition about his approach to writing–a learn-as-you-go or thinking-outloud method appropriate for essays–he quoted Michel de Montaigne who rose to fame during the time of Shakespeare and Cervantes, and Montaigne’s thoughts seem appropriate here as well:

I have no doubt that I often speak of things which are better treated by the masters of the craft, and with more truth. This is simply a trial of my natural faculties, and not my acquired ones. If anyone catches me in ignorance, he will score no triumph over me, since I can hardly be answerable for them to myself, and am never satisfied with them….

This is relevant for WINO, because while we take journalistic pride in getting the facts right, so much of what we do is anchored in opinion, and rightly so, because enjoyment of food and beverage is by nature a subjective endeavor. If you disagree with our take on things, so much the better. Leave us comments, add to the conversation, and let your voice be heard. You can also leave us comments if you agree whole-heartedly.

We sincerely hope that you enjoy WINO Magazine, our not-so-stuffy approach to the finer things in life, and the breadth of content we cobble together for you. We love it, and we think you will, too.

WINO Magazine Mission: To inform, educate, and entertain about Washington wine and wine culture. (We love beer and liquor, too.)

WINO Magazine
2606 2nd AVE #200
Seattle, WA 98121

Email: contact@winomagazine.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/winomagazine

Twitter: www.twitter.com/winomagazine

WINO Magazine Is:

Doug Haugen
Email: doug@winomagazine.com

Josh LaRosee
Email: josh@winomagazine.com