Wine Outlook

We just got off the train from Eugene, Oregon. When we arrived at the Amtrak station last night to check our luggage, I almost had a heart attack when the ticket agent told us we couldn’t check our case of painstakingly-chosen Pinot Noir. On the trip up, there was no problem with the shipper of Rosenblum that I intended to trade (though the trading part was not so easy, and I ended up giving bottles away). She did allow us to carry on the bulky box, making the on and off through the crowds a lot harder. At least we got to take it, as I’m not sure what we would have done otherwise. I think the two options that crossed my mind were crying hysterically and hitting her over the head with one of the heavy bags. Luckily, neither was necessary and all bottles arrived safely.

What with all the unpacking and unwinding and the intense urge to cook after eating out all week, I hope to have the very short (seems that not many participated this go) WBC 4 round up done sometime tomorrow.

WBC 4, Oregon wine, evil ticket agents, carrying wine on a train

Sadly, we spent most of the day yesterday calling our Ohio wine club members breaking the bad news. Somehow, a provision got slipped into the state budget which will forbid larger wineries from shipping directly to consumers. Wineries producing over 150,000 gallons (about 63,000 cases) will not be able get the shipping permits, all effective October 1. The worst thing about it? It was all very sneaky, with no chance for debate. Is it the Wholesale Beer and Wine Association wanting a bigger piece of the pie? If so, that’s as manipulative as a football team breaking the opposing quarterback’s leg cause they’re scared of losing. Is it the state wanting more money? If that’s the case , Ohio could choose to charge sales tax on shipping purchases, as many other states do.

Either way, we’re losing over 50 wine club members plus other customers who enjoy purchasing many of our wines not widely available, such as the Reserves and smaller-production vineyard designates. But they don’t have to take it quietly…. Let the state know you’re ticked: call, send letters, visit Free the Grapes.

Ohio wine shipping laws, Free the Grapes, sneaky wine laws

This is just to say if I suddenly disappear, it may be because I’m sequestered in a motel room somewhere, destined to sit in judgment of some alleged murderer or embezzler. I made the call and do indeed have to report for juty duty tomorrow…

Unless it involves some small producer suing Constellation or another such conglomeration, this probably won’t do me any good. And as I’ve been apartment hunting (with no success so far) in order to move across the Bay and cut down on my terrible commute, it couldn’t come at a more inconvenient time. Not to mention harvest is quickly approaching.

Cross your fingers and clink your glasses that they’ll not want to keep me.

They say (in more places than you can shake a glass at) that the majority of wine purchases are made by women, though often in reference to those bought in stores. However, I have to wonder if that number is different for restaurant selections because sometimes it doesn’t seem to be what’s expected…especially after my experience the other night.

BK and I were having dinner at Il Fornaio–a lovely time over glasses of Mumm Brut and calamari made by someone other than me. At that point I preceeded to order a Primitivo. Except when the server came back to the table, she presented it to BK, who knew better and sent her over to me. Sadly, this was not the first time for this to happen nor surely the last. Read these comments at Uncorked, or this article in Boston Business Journal for more examples. And I have other stories, too, from back in Mississippi. How even if I asked for the wine list, the server would often question my boyfriend (who didn’t know much about wine, bless his heart) for the order.

Why? I ask you. (more…)