So after a year or so of being quiet, Cork’d and its overarching concept have been given much recognition in the past 2 weeks. Gary Vaynerchuck has gone from strength to strength over the past two years, and we can only wait in anticipation to see what he does with Cork’d. Already Cork’d has been tipped as one of the top 10 best designed sites in the world, and as Gary V. is undoubtedly heading toward being one of the most successful players in the industry, the two will surely make a happy union.

This year we’ve seen Wine X magazine fall by the wayside, and perhaps Cork’d'll now rise to fill the niche which Wine X was never quite able to: the community of young, experimental and down to earth wine consumers.

Grapethinking waits in anticipation for Wine 2.0 where much of the future will be delineated and many partnerships will be forged as a group of young world beaters step up to discuss how things are going to be once direct-shipping laws are loosened and distributors lose their stronghold.

Gary V. has begun to check the boxes needed to ensure his place in history by:

1. Establishing a reputable, nationwide, tech-driven, with-the-times medium to promote and sell high-class hand-selected wines to the American public at large.
2. Winning the hearts and minds of the Wall Street Journal, NPR, Eric Asimov, bloggers, Grape Radio and a wide spread of enthusiasts around the country who take his word as gospel.
3. Purchasing the first community for wine, with cutting edge Web 2.0 design and strong community features. (more…)