New Store in West Orlando

[robr]

Hi,

I'm still pretty knew to all this, so maybe I'm off base here, but I just wanted to relate this story and see what you have to say.

A new store just opened here a month or two ago between Bay Hill and Windermere, west of Orlando, Florida. It's just a wine store, not a liquor store, and it's absolutely beautiful. About 1000 bottles, all in custom built racks, and a huge walk-in cooler in the back, lots of expensive price tags. The problem is, I have yet to talk to anyone there who seems to know anything much about wine.

Granted, I have only been in twice, but both times I was pretty much ignored (even though I was the ONLY customer in the place) until I asked questions, and the employees seemed baffled. I asked them if they ever read Wine Spectator, and they looked at a pile of the magazines wistfully. One of them picked a copy up, and muttered, "I keep meaning to read it, but, there's just so much..." as if it was too much to do, just to read the magazine.

Then just about a mile away is a liquor store with a very small but wonderful selection of wine, and the manager-owner is very friendly, approachable, knowledgable,and eveything he recommends is great. Plus, he quickly figured out my price range (without me even telling him) and recommended only bottles within that range.

Where do you think I will be buying my wine?

Anybody else have an experience like this?

Rob in Orlando