Meet My New Client — You.
This is how I'll be serving you.
I’ve been preparing for this for 17 years.
Since 2004 I’ve been publishing a free blog called “Fermentation”. Among the hundreds of blogs and websites and podcasts and newsletters and magazines that focus on wine, I believe Fermentation is and has been unique for two reasons:
Fermentation was solely my voice
Fermentation focused primarily on the cultural and social meaning of wine, its political implications, and wine impacts society and politics
Now after writing for low 17 years, publishing 3,500 posts, generating more than 25,000 comments, receiving a remarkable number of hate emails including two death threats (but many more “love emails”), and writing specifically for members of the alcohol trade (not consumers), I’ve come to the decision that it’s time to ask for compensation.
“All of us get many emails, yet the one I always enjoy receiving is Tom Wark’s FERMENTATION. His writing is fun to read, full of insights and makes me think. I am sponsoring a group of key employees for this subscription for their continued development in our industry”
JIM BERNAU, Founder, Willamette Valley Vineyards
This might be too much to ask. But we’ll see, cause I’m asking. Politely.
My observations at Fermentation over the past 17 years have been described publicly as “criticism”, “muckraking”, “insightful”, “bullshit”, “self-indulgent” and “inspirational”. This all sounds correct to me. But if I had my way, most of you who are familiar with my writing will recognize that what I’ve tried to do (succeeded in doing?) is train our attention on the impact that society, culture, and politics have on the alcohol industry and the way the alcohol industry impacts society, culture, and politics.
A NEW RESPONSIBILITY
At this new venue where I will ask for your support, this will remain my focus. But in asking for your support and asking for your compensation, my responsibility to my readers changes, doesn’t it. If you are going to pay for access to my perspective and insights, then I better deliver, hadn’t I? Believe it or not, for the past 17 years this specific kind of responsibility hasn’t intruded into my consciousness as I published Fermentation. Sure, I never wanted to embarrass myself or get it terribly wrong or be viewed as providing readers with surplus tangents. Rather, the primary responsibility I’ve felt has been to accurately represent my thoughts on this industry in a well-reasoned, timely, and cogent manner.
“In my opinion, there are plenty of strong wine tasting/wine scoring resources in our industry. But there are very few insightful, topical and credible wine industry resources. Tom Wark’s Fermentation has been that resource for well over 15 years and is my go to for thought-provoking industry insights on a daily basis.”
JUDD WALLENBROCK, CEO, Charles Krug Napa Valey
Here at my new paid newsletter/website, that remains my focus, but now I’m also acutely aware that I have a responsibility to give my subscribers value. This is good for you and it’s good for me. But it doesn’t mean I’ll be delivering up a new attitude. And to this point, let me reiterate what I believe and what principles animate me and my writing so there is no confusion.
WHAT I BELIEVE
The alcohol industry must first and foremost be responsible for providing its consumers with honest value.
Consumer access to products they want, regardless of where they are found, must be the animating principle of alcohol regulation and laws.
Wholesalers (the middle tier) have proved themselves over the past three decades to be the enemy of consumers, the primary force holding back the wine, beer, and spirits industry from far greater economic success, and a cohort that has successfully corrupted and influenced regulators, lawmakers, and the industry.
The marketing and promotion of alcohol can be virtuous, should be virtuous, but isn’t always virtuous.
The members of the wine media are often inspiring and remarkably talented but are always an essential element in keeping wine relevant.
Excellence, bravery, innovation should be recognized.
Prevarications, insults, self-dealing, overreach, faulty logic, and deception should be recognized.
The judgment of the marketplace is almost always right.
American Exceptionalism accurately describes this country and motivates and informs my thinking about society, politics, culture, and the future.
I will be providing both free and “subscriber-only” content that reflects these beliefs and principles. That means that when you subscribe to this newsletter you can do so for a monthly or annual fee—or for nothing. But it will only be paid subscribers to get to mosey through all of my posts, have access to the archives and read and post comments, while the free subscribers only get access to a minority of articles published here. But all this means something else.
“Tom Wark’s Fermentations blog has been the life’s blood of small brand current events reportage and advocacy for 17 years. Tom really is in a class by himself among wine journalists and bloggers. His insider knowledge of the industry combines with political science and a finger on the pulse of current events to make him the go-to guide for where we are headed in these crazy times.”
CLARK SMITH, Clark Smith Consulting
WHAT HELD ME BACK?
Because there is a great deal of competition for eyeballs and for the subscription dollars behind those eyeballs, far fewer people will be reading my work than they did prior at the old Fermentation. In all honestly, this fact and the prospect of thousands of folks no longer reading me is primarily what held me back for so long from switching to a paid publication model, Well, I got over that, didn’t I?
In a switch of perspective, I will be treating subscribers to this new FERMENTATION as a new client of Wark Communications, my long-time consulting business through which I provide public and media relations, marketing, and management consulting primarily to wine-related firms. I think I’ve survived as a wine industry consultant for more than 30 years because I don’t like to disappoint clients. Instead, I like to over-deliver. So, that’s something my smaller audience can look forward to.
“Tom Wark is the most perceptive observer of the wine industry writing today. He has his finger on the pulse of progress and is not afraid to tell it like it is, for good or ill.”
JOHN HINMAN, Founding Partner, Hinman & Carmichael
So, come on. Join me. I promise it will be an E-ticket ride. I promise it will provide a unique perspective. I promise it will be honest. I promise it will deserve your attention. I promise the community we build here will be robust and opinionated and well worth the $10 a month. Thank you. And thank you for supporting the new FERMENTATION.