Galloni next to leave the stinking ship...

[M_Dildine]

@Gobindjit S. Dhaliwal

Antonio leaving makes me rethink resubscribing to TWA. I got into wine fairly young, at 19, as to connecting with the young crowd in my opinion Gary Vaynerchuck and WLTV did really good, still haven’t seen anyone do something similar with the same amount of passion or excitement. I look forward to Antonio’s new venture, I do think it is a saturated market though, I initially subscribed to Suckling’s site but left since it seemed lacking. Just my 2 cents.

Me too. And my subscription is up … right about now.

[Alan_C_h_a_n]

I attended the dinner with Antonio that Mike Pobega organized a few weeks ago, and though Antonio didn’t say anything about this… I am not surprised. Just got a vibe that night…

Good for Antonio. Big loss for TWA. Presumably Parker picks California back up in the interim? Whither Burgundy and Italy?

[Neal.Mollen]

I hope you are right Roy. As Gobindjit says, the market for “guys writing about wine on the internet” is super-saturated. I wonder what his business model will be. If a subscription model, he is taking a huge risk leaving the TWA nest such as it is.

[Vamsi_Kaipa]

The short time at TWA gave him the visibility, prominence and the trust of many more than. Time to capitalize on the that. Very intelligent move!!!

[Brady_Daniels]

I’d consider subscribing, especially if Antonio abandons 100 pt scoring. I like his palate.

[James_Wright]

@Neal.Mollen

BTW, the OP misspells Antonio’s name

fixed; beg pardon.

[Lewis_Dawson]

Perhaps Galloni needs to associate with a wine BB. I’ll bet Todd and Antonio could create some synergy.

[Bruce_Leiser_owitz]

I did laugh at this passage, though:

Mr. Galloni said that he had been considering the move for several years but that it began to crystallize last June, when, at the Food and Wine Classic held in Aspen, Colo., he ate at a wine-oriented restaurant and was struck by how few people were drinking wine. It occurred to him that consumers were simply overwhelmed by the number of wine choices. “It was so stark, you should have seen people with great wines, and instead you saw them deferring to beer,’’ he recalled. “I have this vision of going to a restaurant and seeing a bottle of wine on every table. Everything I want to do is centered on how do I make that happen, how can I help people make these choices.’’

Why didn’t it occur to him that perhaps the consumers were overwhelmed by restaurant wine pricing, rather than the number of choices?

Bruce

[Evan_Dawson]

@Lewis Dawson

Definitely a big blow to TWA, and a major risk to Antonio. I hope he does not seek to emulate Suckling!

Galloni understands how to make money. But I have to believe he’s smarter than Suckling, who is as subtle as a broken ankle.

Also, I’m much more inclined to follow AG than JS. I wish him well.

[Neal.Mollen]

@Bruce Leiserowitz

I did laugh at this passage, though:

Mr. Galloni said that he had been considering the move for several years but that it began to crystallize last June, when, at the Food and Wine Classic held in Aspen, Colo., he ate at a wine-oriented restaurant and was struck by how few people were drinking wine. It occurred to him that consumers were simply overwhelmed by the number of wine choices. “It was so stark, you should have seen people with great wines, and instead you saw them deferring to beer,’’ he recalled. “I have this vision of going to a restaurant and seeing a bottle of wine on every table. Everything I want to do is centered on how do I make that happen, how can I help people make these choices.’’

Why didn’t it occur to him that perhaps the consumers were overwhelmed by restaurant wine pricing, rather than the number of choices?

Bruce

Thought the same thing

[Mike_During]

@Lewis Dawson

Perhaps Galloni needs to associate with a wine BB. I’ll bet Todd and Antonio could create some synergy.

Good thought.

[Alan_C_h_a_n]

Parker just posted on eBob that he found out about this a few hrs ago…

[Brady_Daniels]

Antonio’s new venture… Like Suckling with twice the palate and half the ego.

[Mark_C]

I wonder if he left b/c of the new management or the old or both?

My TWA subscription is up in a month or two and will not be renewed.

[larry_schaffer]

Here’s what RMP posted not too long ago . . . .

Antonio told me several hours ago…it was not surprising in that he didn’t want to be an employee in the new structure of TWA as he has, and wants to maintain his own business, which was possible since I had hired Antonio as an independent contractor…I fully understand his decision and,as I told him, he did a great job for over 6 years,has a brilliant future in my opinion, and will be missed, but we need to find some superb replacements, and I think we will…I told Antonio that I would always support him,his work ethic,integrity, and grasp of new wine regions was fabulous and to be admired…as much as I hate to see Antonio go in a different direction, I am also very happy for him and his family,and wish him all the good fortune he most deservedly merits…

I also wish AG the best of luck in his new venture. Stuff like this happens all of the time in other industries, so why not ours as well?!?!?

Yep, the challenge will be for RMP to hire someone who can gain the respect not only of the readership but also of the wineries who submit their wines . . . not an easy challenge at all.

Cheers.

[mmarcellus]

I really wonder how this is going to work:

“He said that he retained the rights to his work at The Advocate, giving new subscribers access to it.”

I believe that is unprecedented. I’m not aware of any other case where TWA has allowed outside access to their content like that. Either the parting was very amicable, or Antonio had really good lawyers when he signed on as a consultant.

M @ r k

[Roberto_Rogness]

Lyle Fass on twitter: David Schildknecht is next but he is writing his 200 page resignation letter so it will take time.

[Sanjay_Nandurkar]

@Keith Levenberg

I’m waiting for Klapp’s take.

AG’s departure is nothing to Klapp about!

[George_Tita]

In a bold move, Parker and Suckling join forces and Suckling takes over Italy… It would be hugely entertaining to watch heads explode here!

[George_Tita]

@Roberto Rogness

Lyle Fass on twitter: David Schildknecht is next but he is writing his 200 page resignation letter so it will take time.