If you're reading these words, I'm going to assume that you're interested in seeing wine's image change for the better. I'll even crank-up my assumption a few more notches to outright blind belief simply by the sheer fact that you're holding a copy of Wine X in your hand. To discover a periodical with the budget and distribution of Wine X, you have to be lucky or tenacious in the pursuit of your interests. Let's face it, it doesn't exactly take hard research to find slick rags such as Wine Enthusiast or Wine Spectator at the local newsstand. On the other hand, to locate a magazine that has emerged from the primordial pulp of obscure newsletters to its present bound form - its success driven solely by the vision and passion of its publisher - places you somewhere outside the realm of mainstream wine drinker. Cheers to you!

When Darryl Roberts first showed me Wine X's expanded list of editorial contributors and contemporary content last December, I felt a great surge of excitement in a certain part of my anatomy that shall remain unnamed. The idea of reading a wine magazine that is relevant to my own life and those of my peers is truly inspiring. We at the Wine Brats cannot thank Wine X enough for giving a positive new direction to the presentation of wine in both print and electronic publishing.

But where do we go from here? Sure, it's great having a magazine we can relate to, to call our own - something tangible to show our friends and immediately destroy preconceived notions that wine is only for boorish snobs with fat wallets. Truth is, you can't distill these pages down into fermented grape juice, or stack copies of it like a house-of-cards to create your own hot-spot where you can hang-out with friends and sip wine. So where do we quench our thirst in a social environment with an attitude as relaxed and as familiar as Wine X?

Let's look at the big picture. How many local restaurants in your area serve wine at a decent price while offering a large list by the glass? How many establishments will let you taste a wine before you commit 20 bucks to a bottle? And when was the last time you saw a decent glass of wine served at a nightclub? Apart from some forward-thinking wine bars (can we find a better name?) and sitting at home with friends, there's an extremely short supply of places that offer wine in a way that relates to our generation. Three to five hundred percent mark-ups in restaurants just ain't gonna do it. Bulk swill served in stemware at a crowded nightclub is even less appealing.

If there's any hope of change, it will come through economics and a unified voice demanding change. So here's the pitch. With your subscription and commitment to Wine X Magazine, and by joining groups like Wine Brats, we can all take the first steps in transforming wine from an elitist beverage to one that is accessible, fun and affordable. Let's gather in numbers and drink wine on our terms. Let's share with each other the names of establishments that sell wine at fair prices and without the old-school attitude of intimidation. The benefit? We'll all have more places to enjoy a good glass of vino with friends.

So that's the "now what." Get active. Speak up when not spoken to. Drink what you like. Demand change. And one last suggestion. You might not be able to drink Wine X. Or build your own nightclub with back issues. But you certainly can roll it up tight and smack the next wine snob who uses his knowledge for self empowerment. The experience could be as satisfying as reading Wine X itself.