IPNC

[Kcwhippet]

Anybody know about this? We'll be in the area the end of July and some friends suggested we all go to the one day public event associated with the IPNC. Sounds interesting, but the cost of $125 per seems a bit steep to spend a few hours drinking PN.

[Brian_Loring]

The IPNC is a great event - at least everyone who's ever attended has told me so. I've never been. The thing is you can't just decide to go. They limit the number of tickets, and each year they hold a lottery for them. So, if you want to go, you'll need to get your request in as soon as possible.

[Bucko]

I've never been just for the reason Bryan lists -- a lottery. Sorry, that strikes a wrong chord with me.

[Thomas]

Glad you said that Bucko. My immediate reaction was, well this is a family board. Anything that stinks of exclusivity makes me cringe!

[Brian_Loring]

That seems like a bit of an over-reaction. Just because they limit the number of people doesn't mean they're bad guys. In fact, it makes the event manageable. I've been to tastings where there were WAY too many people - and that ain't fun. It's just that they have more demand than space, so they chose to implement a lottery to allocate the tickets. I guess they felt it was the fairest approach.

[Bucko]

So get bigger facilities. ZAP had so many complaints that they expanded to two warehouses instead of one. Putting up a lottery is not the way to manage it in my humble opinion, increasing size to accommodate people is.

[Brian_Loring]

ZAP is "lucky" in that they have their event in San Francisco. The area around IPNC can't support unlimited growth - especially when it comes to accomodations. Also, ZAP has hundreds and hundreds of wineries participating, so increasing attendence doesn't mean that each table is going to be overrun. True, IPNC could allow in some more wineries (I'd actually like that), but do you really want to go to another ZAP sized event where you can't possibly get to everyone there - or more likely, can't get to even 10% of the wineries there? Or worse, have 50 people waiting at each table, trying to get a pour?

For me, it's no different from there being a set number of tickets to a ball game. When it's sold out, it's sold out. You can argue over whether it should be first come, first served - lottery - or auction. But limiting the numbers of attendees is nothing new. [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]

[Thomas]

What's wrong with the egalitarian first come, first serve? Lotteries can be fixed!

[Bucko]

Brian, you KNOW that I have to bitch about something. Come on man! I think it's genetic. Just suffice it to say that I've never been and never will unless changes are made, or they allow trade and press in early to try the wines like ZAP.

Now git yer butt out to Yaniger's and get some Neocorks before I start bitchin' about your wines..... [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/biggrin.gif[/img]

[Brian_Loring]

I've already committed to using Neocorks this year [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img] Of course, that's just a temporary solution on my path to Screw Caps!!!