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+--- Thread: Wine Snob Strikes at is-wine (/thread-13006.html)
- Thomas - 08-08-2002
Roberto, you will love this. Last night a couple come into the shop smelling of money and attitude. When I asked if I could be of service I was dismissed with a shaking head and the comment, "we'll take a look around."I could feel the end of that thought in their minds--something along the lines, "and then we'll judge if you are worthy of our patronage."
Well, they picked up two bottles of the lowest priced items we stock--good wines, but not exactly representative of the many knock-outs on the shelves. While they were "looking" a guy comes in, buys a Finger Lakes Riesling, talks a while with me about the virtues of the region, and then leaves. The couple ambles over to the NY section and the guy says, with disdain, "so you sell NY wine here!"
"I do, and I would like to show you the layout of the place, and tell you our philosophy."
As I go along, coming to the New World section, he interrupts with, "you should stock more California wine."
Me: "By whose authority should I do that?"
Him: "Well, I drink a lot of CA wine and it is good."
Me: "Good, with regard to wine, is a relative term. Besides, most CA wine I have been tasting does not fit in with our philosophy (I explain the phil. once again). We offer a second way for those with open minds to all so-called good wines."
Him: "Well, you stock NY wines, and they aren't good."
Me: "Have you tasted any of the NY wines I have on the shelf?"
Him: "Well, no, but I made a trip upstate many years ago and did not like what I tasted. You really need CA wine in here."
Me: "I need only what I determine I need. This happens to be my store, and I do not simply take orders, I taste and then buy what suits my store. I also do not like you insulting my ability to select wine by blanketing all NY as not good, even the ones on my shelf which you have not tasted."
The rest of the story winds up with me taking back the two inexpensive wines and bidding the snobby b------ goodnight.
- Botafogo - 08-08-2002
Oh, Thomas, you'll LOVE this one then:
There is a guy here who is obsessed with Parker and particularly with oversexed Turleyesque Zins and Shiraz / Motor Oil blends from OZ. He has been in a few times and always ranted to us about how much money we could be making if we just stocked the HE wants to buy (although I know from the people he DOES buy them from that he would then want them at Wholesale MINUS a discount so what would be the point?).
So, I am sitting in a wonderful restaurant in Rio de Janeiro last week (Quadrifoglio, equal to Valentino but at 30 cents on the dollar), tasting some samples with our new partners in Brasil who are going apeshit about how food friendly and interesting the wines are and who walks in and gets seated right next to us but Mr. Obnoxious! And some people don't belive in Karma...
Not only does he get to hear my friends and the owner of the restaurant go off about Sfurzato, Buttafuoco and Rosso Conero being more interesting and better values than Super Tuscans and New Wave Barolos (and the owner of the Restaurant proclaims Saladini Pilastri to be her favorite winery) but HIS guest (a female brazilian lawyer) knows my friends, tastes the wines and heartily concurs THEN tells the guy how lucky he is to live near our store.
Ba-da-friggin- BOOM!
Roberto
[This message has been edited by Botafogo (edited 08-08-2002).]
- Thomas - 08-08-2002
...and he learned from the experience--NOT!
Meant to tell you that a guy who moved from CA to NY came in a while ago; said you guys recommended our store to him; he said he could feel the affinity with WINEXPO as he watched us work. Thanks for the referral.
One of ours got away to San Franc and asked if I knew a retailer on the Left Coast; told him to contact WINEXPO and am sure you would ship to him. This guy is an earger learner who started out as red wine snob, now drinks all colors, including Rose.
This must be my week for pennance (sp). A fellow recently enlightened me as to why men should drink only red wine--something along the lines of why real men don't eat quiche...
[This message has been edited by foodie (edited 08-08-2002).]
- wondersofwine - 08-08-2002
My parents had an amusing story about snobbery. They used to vacation in the Virgin Islands for two weeks in February and became well acquainted with Prince Georg of Denmark (uncle of present queen and was married to Princess Anne, cousin of Queen Elizabeth of England). (Both Georg and Anne are dead now). Since Virgin Islands were a former Danish colony, Prince Georg may have had business interests there and vacationed regularly in February. He was not a snob and wore faded old swim trunks to the chagrin of his wife who tried to get him to update. One day he is on the beach when a phone call comes (before cell phones were ubiquitous) so he takes it in the hotel lobby in his faded swim trunks. He's speaking in Danish and an American couple probably think he doesn't know English. The wife sniffs to her husband that she "doesn't like the clientele of this hotel and maybe they should go somewhere else." Georg told this story on himself with a hearty chuckle.
- Bucko - 08-08-2002
I only drink DRC -- you low lifes get away from me.... [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/biggrin.gif[/img] [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/biggrin.gif[/img]
- winoweenie - 08-08-2002
First post youses' made this whole year that makes cents to moi! WW [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/biggrin.gif[/img]
- Botafogo - 08-08-2002
That's Diet Royal Crown cola, right?
- winoweenie - 08-09-2002
BINGO!ww
- mrdutton - 08-09-2002
Wonder if'n he eats moon pie with them DRC's?
Love the stories...........
I work as a courier. The other night I delivered to a gentleman's home on the ocean front. One of these places that has 8 bedrooms and baths, costs a couple of million and only the old man and his wife live there....
I had to deliver papers to him from an accounting firm (one that has had national press coverage lately).
During the entire delivery process his stupid little miniature poodle was yipping and yapping and jumping/humping the backs of my legs, and the gentleman was only snarling and humphing to any pleasantry I tried to throw his way, despite his damned dog.
After I'd managed to get him to sign for the package, I wished him a good evening and turned to leave (never once complaining about that damned little poodle I should have kicked back into his house).
As I turned my back on him, he grumbled, "Make sure you shut the gate on your way out."
I just turned around to him, smiled, and said, "It is shut now isn't it?" Then I left.
Foodie, that NY attitude will get you into trouble all the time. [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]
[This message has been edited by mrdutton (edited 08-09-2002).]