This is the weekly column
I find Perplexity a useful AI tool researching wine and other topics. In an act of hubris, I challenged it to evaluate Gus Clemens on Wine.
Today’s column addresses some of the Perplexity results. You can generate your own evaluation of the column at the site, or evaluate yourself if you have an online presence and the nerve to so venture. Here I address Perplexity’s principal findings:
• No wine scores. From the start of my wine writing in the newspapers and online in 2008, I chose to emphasize narrative, backstory, nuanced tasting notes. I consider 100-point systems falsely specific, while acknowledging their marketing value. Perplexity: “By focusing on narrative-driven evaluations and contextual insights, Clemens aims to demystify wine appreciation while resisting the homogenizing effects of score-driven criticism.”
• No negative reviews. Perplexity accurately portrays me as a curator rather than a critic. If I do not like a wine or find it underwhelming, I do not publish a review. If I publish a review, it means I found something worthwhile in the winery’s effort, as may you. I do not waste your time with negatives. I also snarkily note: “If you want snark, watch cable news.” Life is too short for me to savor putting down other people or their products.
• Texas wines. Perplexity gives me more credit than I deserve for promoting Texas wines. For the first decade, I rarely visited Texas wine, reflecting my original Texas editor’s dictate to write about wine that people could find and afford, an approach I agreed with. At that time, Texas wine was challenging to get and often over-priced. Times changed. In 2019, I devoted several columns and online wine reviews to Texas wineries and wines, reflecting the significant emergence of Texas in the wine world. My audience now reaches well beyond Texas—where I live—but I have no shame or reluctance in telling today’s Texas wine story.
• Welcomed kind words. Perplexity generally delivers positive reports. Indulge me as one of its conclusions affirmed what I hope readers get from my work: “Following Gus Clemens offers more than wine recommendations—it’s an invitation to join a global conversation about wine’s role in culture, history, and daily life. His work bridges the gap between expert critique and everyday enjoyment, empowering readers to explore with confidence. Whether dissecting Texas’ emerging wine scene or decoding Portuguese Porto production, Clemens equips his audience with knowledge, humor, and ethical clarity.”
Last round
How do you throw an egg at a wall without breaking it? It does not matter. Eggs do not break walls. Wine time.
Email: wine@cwadv.com
Newsletter: gusclemens.substack.com
Website: Gus Clemens on Wine website
Facebook: facebook.com/GusClemensOnWine/posts/
Twitter (X): @gusclemens
Long form wine stories on Vocal: Gus Clemens on Vocal
Links worth exploring
Diary of a Serial Hostess Ins and outs of entertaining; witty anecdotes of life in the stylish lane.
As We Eat Multi-platform storytelling explores how food connects, defines, inspires.
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