DiWineTaste: an Evolving Project

 The first issue of DiWineTaste was published in September 2002, almost five years ago. That first issue, which, as a matter of fact, was referred to October 2002, marked the beginning of our editorial adventure, an idea which was born at the end of 2000 and which was realized at the end of the spring of 2002. Officially, the publication of that first issue of DiWineTaste also determined the publication of our internet site, which was exactly published at 10:10PM of September 9th, 2002. Since that day DiWineTaste has walked a long way, an evolving path during which to the original editorial project have been added other services and goals. DiWineTaste begins its adventure with the PDF edition only - by claiming in this sense its e-magazine nature - to which was added, in September 2003, the HTML edition which can be directly read from the site. In September 2003 also took place the first substantial change with the publication of the new internet site and new interactive services.

 Among the many services offered to our readers, one of the most appreciated ones on a daily basis certainly is Wine Guide - also available from mobile phones - receiving over 3500 consultations a day. Another service being very appreciated by our readers is EnoGames, with over 1500 daily players. The last service offered to our readers - in order of time - is the Alcohol Test which in less than a month received a high appreciation and use from our readers, in particular from mobile phones and mobile devices connected to the internet. Moreover, one of the most recent successes and which rewarded our efforts, was the reaching of one hundred thousand monthly readers, a result repeated - and improved - also in the months of April and May, hopefully getting better and better in the next months. Reaching one hundred thousand monthly readers is a goal we were waiting for a long time and for which we worked hard, being aware of the fact it is just a new starting point and which can be improved.

 In these five years of editorial activity we did not worked on our publication only. Our editorial project has always been joined by a parallel activity of enogastronomical education and spreading, such as classes about sensorial tasting of wine, food and distillates, as well as events dedicated to wine and enogastronomy, very appreciated by our readers. One of the main activities has always been about wine reviews, something existing since the beginning of our project and which continues to represent - after five years - an important aspect. In the course of these five years we tasted more than 2300 wines of more than 440 producers. On June 2004 we began to be involved in critical review of distillates - therefore starting the Aquavitae Guide - which now counts more than 150 distillates of more than 50 producers. Just like the Wine Guide, also Aquavitae is very appreciated by our readers, also by means of its use from mobile phones and mobile devices.

 The appreciation and the encouragement for the job done in these five years has been witnessed by the many letters we received from our readers of the world, of course also criticizing and suggesting new ideas in order to improve the quality of our services and of our publication. Today, after five years, we believe it is the right time to further develop our project, by also dedicating our efforts to other activities as well as to the ones we are doing already. The results obtained so far encourage us to dedicate our efforts also to the educational side of wine culture, by strengthening our offers about wine courses and events. We also believe we have to make our activity of wine reviewing more effective, by also providing our readers a more punctual and frequent information, instead of the current monthly periodicity. In order to do this, new changes will be introduced, both to the magazine as well as to the contents offered through our site. The magazine will continue to be published, of course, however it will change both its aspect and contents.

 The most evident change on the magazine will be the reduction of articles - but not of columns, which will be alternated in the course of the publications - and will change in every issue according to the editorial plans. The tasting activity of wines sent by producers is something done all month long and, you already know this, every tasted wine is added to the Guide, whereas a selection of the best products of every producer is published in the “Wines of the Month” column. In this sense, we want to offer our readers a more punctual information, by publishing every week in the home page the reviews of wines evaluated in the last tasting sessions, while in the “Wines of the Month” column will be published the best wines according to our tasting committee. As of September 2007, our readers will find these new changes - although the magazine changes from this issue on - hopefully offering a better and more punctual information to our readers about our wine review activity.

 Besides all that and according to our intention of improving our educational activity, we are also planning new editorial projects, while continuing to have the goal of offering to our readers and to all wine, distillate and food lovers, a better service and the chance to know in a more “direct” and practical way. In these five years we have always considered DiWineTaste an evolving project, aware of the fact everything can be improved, including our job and our contribution. Our activity - as usual - will be proposed and told through the pages of our site. Also the home page will change in order to give our readers both the usual summary of the magazine as well as the activities taking place and proposed to our readers and to all wine lovers. It will be a new step - which will follow all the ones done so far - and that, we are sure of this, will take us to new steps and to new ways the future will tell us.