By Lenn Thompson, Executive Editor

Wbw Before bloggers and social media-interested winos took their virtual wine tastings to Twitter, there was Wine Blogging Wednesday, the monthly tasting I created back in 2004 (after being inspired by a similarly styled food blog event).

As an online wine community, we worked our way through 69 straight months of themes, hosts and wines. Then, somewhat abruptly, we went on an unannounced hiatus.

Personally, I think the proliferation of winery-, importer-, PR agency-driven (and thus free sample-driven) Twitter-based tasting events pushed WBW interest to the side. People will taste anything if they don't have to pay for it, right?

I say this mostly in jest of course. I've taken part in and even coordinated several Twitter-based tastings and will do so in 2011.

But with the flip of the calendar year, I'd like to encourage bloggers to get back to being just that — bloggers. WBW is a blog-based event, something meant to be a bit deeper than 140 character and more permanent than an abbreviated tasting note that quickly gets pushed down a Twitter stream.

On February 16, I hope that you'll join me, and our hosts, Gabriella and Ryan Opaz of Catavino, for WBW #70: Spain!

Their proposal:

  • Choose a Spanish wine or wines to taste on Wednesday the 16th of February.
  • Seek out Spanish wines that you