Reader's Letter Nr. 1

This is our first Reader's Letter. We will be publishing all serious (i.e. well-argued) letters, including those from readers with contrary opinions to our own. In fact, we may also publish stream of bile and venom, if they strike us as being significant. We are NOT AFRAID of strong opinions, but we REJECT prejudice of all kinds since it leads to persecution.

Oh Stuart,

Thank you so much for this article (let me speak about that first, website second): You just nailed so many things in this article, that are surely true for Gunther, but much rather for the whole wine world….it felt SO good to read this - even though it makes me even more depressed when thinking about my future in the business. Aside from all the economic pressure, climate change and changing consumer behaviour, I am just absolutely disgusted by many of the so-called experts. Everyone wants to be super important, and the only way to show how superior your knowledge is: to DISLIKE things.For whatever reason, the world agreed that disliking is easier and leaves you less exposed than liking. It obviously takes a lot more balls to be the only one in a room LIKING something, than being the only one DISLIKING something…..It’s stupid, arrogant, and it all derives from insecurity, fuelled by the lack of expertise and experience in your field of work - be it wine, art, food or pretty much ANY OTHER topic on the planet. FUCK that I say, and being a winemaker I can hear wine whining….he used to be amused about all of the bullshit and all the fuzzy dance around him, but I can feel wine is getting more and more upset, because people fail to really deal with HIM instead of spinning around themselves only. Wine only wants two things: To be enjoyed. To spread happiness. He doesn’t care about your expertise, he cares about your heart, your soul. He is sad and angry, that almost no one uses their own palate and brain to spark an interesting conversation about the EXPERIENCE…instead, it’s all about making yourself sound more important/interesting than you really are. 

Don’t get me wrong, wine appreciates people knowing all about the topic…just like a musician enjoys the fact, that some listeners know EXACTLY what they are doing - but it’s not a precondition to enjoy the music, the wine, the car (imagine Porsche only selling cars to people who can ACTUALLY drive well - insolvency would hit within weeks)…to the contrary: Sometimes knowledge masks the core of the experience, because we all have prejudices based on former experiences. It’s not easy to stay open and neutral, and maybe we don’t have to be all the time. But STAY FUCKING HUMBLE; YOU FUCKING SNOBBY CUNT! Guys like Gunther Künstler KNOW THEIR SHIT way better than most of us ever will, so you're welcome to have your opinion, but don’t sell it as the fucking truth of the universe! FUCK YOU and your bullshit, GET A LIFE! 

Felix Adelmann

Weingut Graf Adelmann in Kleinbottwar/Württemberg