Mate, I'm not to say anymore because I don't want to detract from your site as it is. If it's as great as it is you can let your subscribers speak for themselves and no need for you to come and be defensive about it.
I just don't agree with charging people for information that's already available online. But kudos to you for making a service that works and people that are happy to subscribe to it. What I'm doing is for friends so it's a different target audience and it's something I do for fun anyway.
/edit: Hell when I started this thread inadvertently, I posted for fun and didn't expect it to grow as big as it did. I just enjoy people sharing stuff!
So posting derogatory/defamatory throwaway lines is a bit of fun for you?
I'm a pretty small cog in a very big machine, I have some small influence in some areas, but nothing like the power to "cause damage to wineries", many of them are their own worst enemies when it comes to pricing, marketing etc., that's how their wines end up on VinoMofo.
My site started way back in the late 90's in similar fashion, I was doing the research for myself and decided to share it for free to anyone. It grew from there.
The fee was initially $12 and implemented so I could see who was using the site, about a quarter of the subscribers still pay that amount, another 10% have free memberships.
I'm retired, the site is a hobby, not a business.
You don't seem to understand that sometimes access to good information in a timely fashion has a value far greater than the small cost.
And not all of it is "already available online", you might be surprised at how much isn't.
And you get the value added of my opinion and those of other members, some in the industry, many knowledgeable in aspects of wine that I am not, including imports.
And two regular tasting groups in Melbourne and Sydney have formed via the interactions on the forum.
I could go on a while, but you aren't interested, and that's fine by me, I don't need any more subscribers.