Point your browser to the website for the video.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/06/dining/06tipsy.html?ref=general&src=me&pa…
Cheers,
Jim
August 5, 2010
How I Spent My Summer of Riesling, by Terroir
By FRANK BRUNI
On June 21 the sommelier and restaurateur Paul Grieco did something mischievous, idealistic, provocative, ornery and, in its way, rather sweet. Which is to say he summed up, in one sweeping gesture, what makes him such an indelible character in the New York dining and drinking scene.
He revised the menus at his two Terroir wine bars in downtown Manhattan so that anyone interested in a white by the glass would be channeled . nay, forcefully herded . in a certain direction.
Chardonnay? Not an option, unless you were in for a whole bottle. Sauvignon blanc? Same deal, along with verdicchio, séllon, grüeltliner. In their stead you could order riesling, riesling or, if those didn.t appeal, riesling. And that will remain so through Sept. 22, when Mr. Grieco ends what he calls the Summer of Riesling, an act of evangelism for a grape he worships and a distillation of his idiosyncratic ways.
Mr. Grieco celebrated his first Summer of Riesling in 2008, but that year and the next it affected only the Terroir in the East Village, with just 24 seats. (The second Terroir, in TriBeCa, with about 75 seats, opened this April.)
He recalls that at the start, the chef Marco Canora, with whom he owns the wine bars and the East Village restaurant Hearth, suggested that he could make his point and have his fun but run less risk of disappointing patrons if he devoted, say, just half of the whites by the glass to riesling.
Mr. Grieco declined.
Some of the servers working for him implored him to consider the awkward position he was putting them in.
Mr. Grieco told them to buck up.
Riesling, he reasoned, deserved uncompromising advocacy, so that its popularity might finally catch up with what he sees as its extraordinary expressiveness, its underrated nimbleness, its food-friendliness and its cool counterpoint to a hot August day.
.There should be no fallback,. he said recently at his TriBeCa bar. Actually, he declaimed it. I could almost hear the trumpet blasts bracketing his words.
And this was the corresponding visual: above sneakers and cargo shorts he wore a T-shirt with, front and center, an image of a hokey, oversize, fill-in-the-blank tag that read, .Hello, My Name Is ... Summer of Riesling.. That same image immediately greets visitors to the Terroir Web site (wineisterroir.com)
Mr. Grieco, 44, tends to dress for effect. In a fancy mood he favors seersucker and striped suits, and pairs brightly colored shirts . Paul Smith is his preferred label . with boldly patterned ties. His philosophy when he puts together an outfit, he explained, is that .if, upon first reflection, you look at it and say it clashes, then I.ve accomplished my goal..
He grooms for effect, too, maintaining a mustache so thin that it prompts a double take . is that lip liner or actual hair? . and a goatee that on this occasion crawled like a spider plant to a destination below his chin. His natty-meets-naughty aesthetic is all his own, and it carries over to his phraseology, which weds scholarly words and cheeky colloquialisms. A little-known wine, for example, is .esoteric juice..
Riesling as a category isn.t esoteric, but a by-the-glass list of whites with about two dozen rieslings and nothing else certainly qualifies. I asked him: doesn.t it invert, or at least pervert, the usual relationship of restaurant host to guest?
He nodded, pensively.
.I.m taking a somewhat inhospitable view,. he conceded, adding, with a sparkle in his eye: .Let.s be honest. I.m forcing it down your throat..
He has been building toward this brand of naughty defiance since Hearth.s opening in 2003, when the wine list was less a presentation of alternatives than a volume of gonzo literature, thick with messianic riffs and madcap digressions.
Hearth.s current list preserves that spirit, presenting this meditation on one of the proprietors of Chateau Musar, a Lebanese winery: .If Jesus and Satan had a son (I guess the first question should be: in which state would Jesus and Satan get married?), he would be called Serge Hochar,. Mr. Grieco wrote. .He is my savior and tormentor..
At Insieme, a restaurant in Midtown that Mr. Canora and Mr. Grieco ran from 2007 until late last year, Mr. Grieco used an entire page of the wine list to link a celebrity in the news with a bottle of muscat on the menu.
.I cannot express the joy I felt earlier this week with the release of Paris Hilton from L.A. County jail,. he wrote, with gentle sarcasm. .The previous three weeks had been a living hell, wondering how she was doing.. This went on for many sentences, concluding with an exhortation that customers .celebrate with a cool little superfluous wine from southern Italy. It sparkles like Paris.s eyes, it titillates the soul like Paris.s video..
Where in the world did Mr. Grieco come from? Toronto, where his paternal grandfather opened what Mr. Grieco says was that city.s first formal Italian restaurant, La Scala, in 1961. It was a true family business, employing Mr. Grieco.s father and then Mr. Grieco, who bartended there after dropping out of college.
He relocated in 1991 to New York, where he worked as a waiter or manager in various Manhattan restaurants, starting with Remi. Its general manager at the time, Chris Cannon, says Mr. Grieco stood out for his fierce work ethic and vivid attire, which included a jacket with such broad gold and blue stripes that it called to mind pajamas.
.He likes to stir the pot,. Mr. Cannon said.
Mr. Grieco later moved to Gramercy Tavern, where he was named the beverage director in the late 1990s. By then, he said, he had caught the wine bug and, through travel and tasting, educated himself extensively. He largely credits a predecessor at Gramercy, Steven Olson, with opening his eyes (and palate) to the full magnificence of riesling.
I first really talked with him back at Insieme, asking him to choose the wines for my table. He brought us two bottles of red, each label obscured, and challenged us to guess which was from the Old World (Italy, say, or France) and which from the New (e.g. the Americas). This wasn.t conventional sommelier behavior, but it perfectly read the table.s mood . and captured Mr. Grieco.s particular charisma. For him playfulness and passion trump propriety.
At the Terroirs the wine lists, in three-ring binders, are chaotic with stickers, maps, photos, cartoons and, of course, Mr. Grieco.s musings, which touch on the Tea Party, Lindsay Lohan, the Emperor Palpatine in the .Star Wars. movies, Eliot Spitzer, global warming, Greek mythology and the Greek debt crisis, for which he proposes an oenological palliative: riesling, on account of its .bang for the buck..
The current Summer of Riesling is his most aggressive, and included a recent four-band concert at the Knitting Factory, where the only alcoholic beverage on hand was . you.ll never believe this . riesling.
I.m not nearly as mad for it as he is, and have cursed him at times for his stridency. But thanks to him and the two Terroirs, I do appreciate riesling more than ever. In that sense, I guess, Mr. Grieco has saved me . amid a minor measure of torment.
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* Dr. James Ellingson, jellings(a)me.umn.edu *
* University of Minnesota, mobile : 651/645-0753 *
* Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *
* james(a)brewingnews.com James.Ellingson(a)StThomas.edu *
FYI:Amazon.com has a terrific deal on Riedel Vinum Bordeaux glasses. In the following link, you can find at the top of the first page, a set of 6 plus 2 bonus (total of 8) Vinum Bordeaux glasses for $136.83. If you can wait 5 to 9 business days, you can get free Super Saving Shipping. That means you get the 8 glasses for $17.10 each!!!! Regular price is typically $25-$28 each, plus sales tax.Ted Trampe
http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&rh=n%3A1055398%2Ck%3ARiedel%2Cp_8%3A222903…
Just in time for the dawg days of August (Daug Days?)
Cheers,
Jim
2009 Pinot Gris
Lynne Char Bennett
Sunday, August 1, 2010
2009 Acrobat Oregon Pinot Gris 2009 Castle Rock Willamette Valley Pinot Gris 2009 Cline Cellars Sonoma Coast Pinot Gris 2009 Etude Wines Carneros Pinot Gris More...
Say the word "Pinot" and although most folks will answer "Noir," nowadays "Gris" is often the reply.
Pinot Gris - a mutation of Pinot Noir - is perhaps the most important white grape variety in Oregon, and increasingly in California. California bottlings made up nearly 40 percent of 3 dozen wines in this tasting.
Pinot Gris can offer more body, acidity and definitive fruit than Pinot Grigio (another name for the same grape), which is usually a fresh but unassuming, straightforward quaff.
This year, we were pleasantly surprised to discover more consistent quality. Most were bottlings that we would enjoy with dinner - a testament to the very food-friendly nature of this grape and a familial character shared with its Pinot Noir cousin.
2009 Acrobat Oregon Pinot Gris ($12): King Estate's second label sees time on its lees, though less than the King Estate Signature bottling. Medium-bodied; ripe and fruity with apple, pear and white peach underscored by tart citrus and hint of mineral. Fairly long, crisp finish.
2009 Castle Rock Willamette Valley Pinot Gris ($14): Castle Rock, a consistent performer in tastings, began sourcing Oregon fruit about five years ago. This is the company's second Pinot Gris but the first from Willamette Valley. Fresh and clean with sweet fruit and floral hints to accompany the light, lively palate. Well balanced with a long finish.
2009 Cline Cellars Sonoma Coast Pinot Gris ($12): Cline Cellars - known for its Rhone varietals and Zinfandel - also makes a goodly amount of Pinot Gris, sourced from the cool, breezy Petaluma Gap. An interesting light coppery-pink color; red apple, pear and cantaloupe with a savory hint; zippy but balanced acidity. Good availability.
2009 Etude Wines Carneros Pinot Gris ($24): Fruit for this wine comes from estate vineyards planted to certified Alsatian clones, which were planted a decade ago. A richer style, with Granny Smith apple, stone fruit and delicate tangerine; citrus zest on the finish.
2009 King Estate Winery Signature Oregon Pinot Gris ($17): Winemaker Jeff Kandarian kept 100 percent of this wine on the yeast for five months, which gives it the weight and mouthfeel to support this wine's riper style. Apple, pear and papaya with high citrus notes. Good acidity.
2009 Kings Ridge Oregon Pinot Gris ($13): This brand is from Union Wine Co., which brought on winemaker Greg Bauer last year to manage the new winery. Kiwi, apple, slight tropical fruit and stony aromas. A slightly round palate that hints at a bit of alcoholic heat; ending with more citrusy finish.
2009 Taz Santa Barbara County Pinot Gris ($15): After growing Napa Valley grapes for 40 years, Bob "Taz" Steinhauer moved to Santa Barbara County to further his craft. Fresh peach and yuzu with honeydew melon and pineapple. Juicy, tangy and a little creamy. A lovely, expressive bottling.
Panelists: Lynne Char Bennett, Chronicle staff writer; Pierre Gulick, sales representative, Dee Vine Wines; and John Vuong, sommelier, Gary Danko.
Lynne Char Bennett is a Chronicle staff writer. E-mail her at lbennett(a)sfchronicle.com.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/08/01/FDFD1EL6N4.DTL
This article appeared on page K - 6 of the San Francisco Chronicle
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* Dr. James Ellingson, jellings(a)me.umn.edu *
* University of Minnesota, mobile : 651/645-0753 *
* Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *
* james(a)brewingnews.com James.Ellingson(a)StThomas.edu *
>From todays SFG Chronicle.
Cheers,
Jim
Signs of hope for Pinot
Thursday, July 29, 2010 at 3:05 PM in Events, Pinot Noir, Wine
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Pulling a cork for Pinot's true nature. (Lance Iverson/The Chronicle, 2007)
The Pinot zeitgeist nowadays is dour. Yon beloved grape has jumped the shark, they say. It has become Syrah (or Cabernet, or Merlot, or whatever). It has lost its transparent soul.
Sitting here in California only magnifies this belief, because California Pinot seems to bear the brunt of this trend: extended cold soaking (to further extract flavor and color), lots of new oak and excessive alcohol. Not all, of course, but the Pinot-as-jam trend certainly has its roots in California, and on average we.re more likely to see specimens here than anywhere else.
So I went into tasting at the International Pinot Noir Celebration last weekend in McMinnville, Ore., with that lingering sense of fear that we would see a grape fully exploited by fame. Five years ago during my last visit to IPNC, that was the worry.
Happily, I can say that Pinot hasn.t fully succumbed. IPNC is, admittedly, an event for Pinot purists, and the wines shown there are a fastidiously selected grouping . which is a nice way of saying that Pinots crafted to be Zinfandel aren.t really so welcome. Oregon, as home base, gets a heavy representation, as you might expect, and Oregon still hews to some bit of restraint.
But on balance, tasting across a global cross-section, there are no shortage of Pinot producers still committed to Pinot as it was in the pre-fame days: defined by transparent fruit, earthy nuance and a light hand with winemaking. This was true across the range of 2007 and 2008 vintages being poured. It could be found in Italy.s Alto Adige, in Canada.s Okanagan Valley, in Australia.s Yarra Valley, in New Zealand and Argentina and of course, Burgundy and Oregon. Some of the California specimens on display seemed robust by comparison; ironically, a label like Dutton-Goldfield that comes across as restrained versus its Russian River counterparts was among the more fruit-packed bottles on offer.
I.ll mention a few wines that particularly underscored this finding. The 2007 Cristom Louise Pinot Noir from Oregon was plenty meaty but with the quintessential whole-cluster spice that Steve Doerner.s wines often show. Though Oregon.s light 2007 vintage was generally panned, the best wines are now coming around and showing a delicacy and complexity that will probably force some reconsideration. Same with the 2007 Brandborg Bench Lands, from far south in Oregon in the Umpqua Valley. That wine had seemed almost insubstantial to me on last tasting, but it has found its flesh. And the 2007 Eyrie Dundee Hills Reserve, from perhaps Oregon.s defining Pinot label, shows a beautiful, lighter mineral presence that gives me confidence in Jason Lett (son of founder David Lett) as he guides that house forward.
In previewing the 2008s, there were ripe, subtle standouts from Bergstrom, Brooks, Patricia Green, Scott Paul, St. Innocent and the relatively new Winderlea, to name a few. All showed a lovely ripeness without sacrificing the foresty edge that Oregon can display. While Oregon has been trending toward that deep-extract style of late (and a few were on display) most of these showed the quintessential somewhereness (thanks, Matt Kramer) that Pinot demands.
But the California contingent wasn.t far off. It was a pleasure to see Jason Drew from Mendocino on the roster, one of our Winemakers to Watch last year. His 2007 Drew Monument Tree was a pleasure before, and it has opened to show just a bit more subtle musk. This was the California wine that put the Burgundians and Oregonians in their place. From just south on the coast, the 2007 Flowers Sea View Ridge was full of tar and mint aromas, remarkably focused for a .07 California Pinot.
To look farther afield, the 2007 J. Hofstatter Barthenau Vigna S. Urbano from Alto Adige showed beautiful tobacco and deep cherry notes, a young, tight Pinot with Alpine kick. The 2008 Tantalus from the Okanagan Valley was a leathery, bright thing, with lots of wild currant highlights. And the 2008 Churton from Marlborough further shows why that region.s Sauvignon Blanc obsession is worth diversifying.
Finally, on Burgundy, we had a curious cross-section of producers, but it was a pleasure to encounter Olivier Leriche from Domaine de l.Arlot. His 2007 Nuits Saint George 1er Cru Clos des Forets Saint Georges is still a tannic baby, though its pretty underbrush and plum-skin notes are hopeful signs that it will settle into the more delicate steps of the 2007s. The wines of Maison Ambroise were on full display, and when Francois Ambroise reins the oak a bit, the wines shine. The 2008 Nuits Saint Georges Veilles Vignes still got 70 percent new oak, but the 80-year-old vines provided intense enough fruit to match. The straight village 2008 Chambolle-Musigny from Jean-Jacques Confuron was a study in elegance, with just a bit of suede-like texture and surprising power for the satiny Chambolle style.
And of course, I had to try the two-fer efforts of Alexandrine Roy, who makes both her own wine in Gevrey-Chambertin as well as an Oregon effort for Phelps Creek. The 2008 Domaine Marc Roy Cuvee Alexandrine Gevrey-Chambertin showed a subtle smoke, while the 2008 Phelps Creek Cuvee Alexandrine Columbia Gorge was tangy and full of funky citrus. Both memorable, and both made me happy because Alexandrine was one of the true finds at the last IPNC I attended.
To the doubters, then, I would say: Hang in there. The chaos part of the Pinot revolution is likely to subside soon as the next big thing (i.e., Malbec) gets its due.
In the wake, true Pinot believers will still be there . and so will true Pinot.
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* Dr. James Ellingson, jellings(a)me.umn.edu *
* University of Minnesota, mobile : 651/645-0753 *
* Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *
* james(a)brewingnews.com James.Ellingson(a)StThomas.edu *
Surly Beer Dinner
We are excited to announce that we will be hosting a special dinner
featuring Omar Ansari, owner of Surly Brewing Company. We love his
beers and we are proud to pair them with chef Matt and chef Mike's
kitchen creations. Featured beers: Bitter Brewer, Cynic Ale, Hell,
Abrasive Ale, and Four. Menu coming soon on our website:
www.bewicheddeli.com. Four courses plus reception/$55. Wednesday, July
21, 6:30 pm. Call us to place your reservation soon - we expect this
event to be a sell-out!
http://bewicheddeli.com/
Some ideas for additions to your wine bucket list.
Trip Report.
FYI we found reasonable, serviceable selections of wine and beer in
the Black Hills and even in Ortonville.
Now if you need chipotle chilis in adobo sauce, be aware that Custer SD
is a green chili town. A full rack of canned green chilis but no chipotles.
We bought the last can at the last market.
Cheers,
Jim
July 12, 2010
12 Reasons to Look Beyond the Usual Wine Selections
By ERIC ASIMOV
IT.S entirely possible to go through life eating nothing but the most familiar foods, reading books by the customary best-selling authors or listening to a stock set of composers. Taking great pleasure in the same things over and over is not a bad thing.
Similarly, many people are content to drink only well-known wines. Why not? They satisfy again and again. Alas, producers around the world learned years ago that they could exploit the desire for the familiar, planting a lot of cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay and other international grapes, regardless of the local traditions, to appeal to a global market.
I understand the thinking, yet the world of wine has so much more to offer.
For anybody truly curious about the glorious extent of wine, now is the greatest time in history to be a wine lover. Never before has such a vast diversity of wines been available to so many people. Many are made from unfamiliar grapes, grown in little-known places, yet they offer thrilling drinking for those eager for new experiences.
Like sea creatures discovered at colossal depths, these unfamiliar wines are not new at all. Many represent traditions that reach back centuries. Sadly, in some cases, these traditions barely hang on. The survival of the diversity we now enjoy depends partly on building appreciation of these little known grapes and wines. In other cases, the grapes, though uncommon, have already gained a following.
Either way, here are a dozen obscure grapes that are the foundation of some wonderful wines and will reward intrepid explorers.
ASSYRTIKO, from the volcanic island of Santorini in the Aegean Sea produces dry, deliciously minerally wines that are superb with seafood and just about any other light dish that smacks of the Mediterranean. If you like assyrtiko, it.s worth exploring other Greek white-wine grapes like moschofilero and roditis. Top producers: Gaia, Sigalas and Spyros Hatziyiannis.
BLAUFRÄKISCH, a red grape grown mostly in the Burgenland region of eastern Austria, can produce gorgeously savory wines that combine the grace of pinot noir and the spice of syrah. Producers worth seeking include Moric, Paul Achs, Umathum and, from Carnuntum, a region north of the Bergenland, Muhr-Van der Niepoort.
FRAPPATO, from southeastern Sicily, makes lovely, fresh and lively wines that are delicious summer reds, especially when lightly chilled. When frappato is combined with nero d.Avola, it makes the slightly more substantial Cerasuolo di Vittoria, which goes wonderfully with a wide range of foods. Producers to seek out include Arianna Occhipinti, COS and Valle dell.Acate.
FUMIN comes from the Valléd.Aoste, the peculiar Alpine borderland that is technically Italian, though the language is French. In the hands of a top producer, like Grosjean, fumin makes a spicy, floral red that can be complex and structured. I love these Alpine wines, and a bottle of the Grosjean fumin may cause you to seek out other little-known grapes, like the superb red cornalin and the racy white petite arvine. Around $35 a bottle, these wines are not cheap but are stunningly good.
FURMINT, not to be confused with fumin, is the great white grape of Hungary. It.s a crucial constituent in the lavish sweet wine Tokaji aszu, and increasingly is being used in distinctive dry wines with rich textures and complex floral aromas. Look for producers like Kiralyudvar, Royal Tokaji, Dobogo, Oremus and Disznoko.
GRIGNOLINO, mostly from the Piedmont region of Italy, makes a pale, easy-drinking red that is fresh, slightly bitter and somewhat akin to frappato, but even lighter. A delicious wine for casual drinking, perhaps with salumi or pizza. I very much like the grignolino from Cascina .Tavijn. Strangely, Heitz Cellar in Napa Valley also makes a little from an old eight-acre vineyard. I.ve yet to find it, but am looking forward to trying it.
LAGREIN from the Trentino-Alto-Adige region of northeastern Italy produces earthy, minerally reds with the flavor of dark fruits that are enjoyably spicy and fresh. Look for wines from J. Hofstäer or Elena Walch.
MENCÍ is the source of excellent red wines from the regions of Ribeira Sacra and Bierzo in western Spain. The dense Bierzo reds have a haunting wild fruit flavor, but I.m partial to the lighter, more minerally wines from the steep, terraced vineyards of Ribeira Sacra. Look for Guíro, Dominio do Bibei, Raúrez and D. Ventura.
PINEAU D.AUNIS, an ancient red grape from the Touraine region of the Loire Valley, is once more finding favor in the more avant-garde wine bars of France and among discerning wine lovers. The wines can be spicy, peppery and, depending on the producer, attractively funky. Look for Domaine le Briseau, Domaine de Belliviè and Thierry Puzelat.
ROMORANTIN, another ancient grape from the Touraine, can make utterly succulent whites that are perfect balances between sharp citrus freshness and rounded floral, honeyed flavors. Cour-Cheverny is a tiny appellation that has been carved out to showcase Romorantin. Françs Cazin makes two versions: Le Petit Chambord is dry, while CuvéRenaissance is slightly sweet.
TREIXADURA, when meticulously grown and vinified in the Ribeiro region of Spain, can make profound whites, richly textured and mineral-flavored, especially in the hands of a producer like Emilio Rojo. Wines from the godello grape are also well worth sampling.
TROUSSEAU, from the Jura region of France, makes lovely reds with a presence at odds with their light body. Top producers include Jacques Puffeney, Ganevat and Philippe Bornard.
Well, that.s a dozen, and I.m just starting. We haven.t even mentioned poulsard and savagnin from the Jura, or kerner from Germany, or even duras from Gaillac in southwestern France. Cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay, even riesling and syrah, are only the beginning.
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* Dr. James Ellingson, jellings(a)me.umn.edu *
* University of Minnesota, mobile : 651/645-0753 *
* Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 *
* james(a)brewingnews.com James.Ellingson(a)StThomas.edu *
Dear friends,
Amid the constant drumbeat of sleazy and outright criminal business practices, here’s a breath of fresh air:
Followers of the California wine scene know that more than 500 forest and brush fires punctuated the 2008 growing season. Grapes grown in a smoky atmosphere produce smoky-tasting wines to a greater or lesser degree. Few areas of California were free of brush fires in 2008, but Mendocino County and the Sonoma Coast were most strongly affected. The Anderson Valley, in western Mendocino, was especially hard hit. Pinot noir, which can translate into the bottle every nuance of soil, climate and viticulture, is and was the grape most vulnerable to smoke influence. Considerably more detail can be found at www.princeofpinot.com/article/906/ .
Reactions to the 2008 pinot noirs that show smoke character (I won’t say “flaw” or “taint,” since not everyone regards it as such) have been wildly varied, with some tasters finding the wines undrinkable eau de cigar ash, and others finding them fascinatingly complex. People differ in their detection thresholds for, and reactions to, smoky aromas and flavors in wine; the 2008 pinots are especially polarizing in this regard.
Navarro Vineyards, a family-owned winery based in the Anderson Valley, makes one of California’s great wines: their flagship pinot noir, the Deep End Blend. (The “deep end” is Anderson Valley argot for the most oceanward, therefore coolest, part of the valley.) Navarro sells most of the Deep End Blend to their mailing list as futures, the summer after the vintage, roughly six months before the wine is bottled and a year before it’s released. Typical futures price is around a third off full retail.
I’ve been buying Navarro Deep End Blend futures for some time, including the 2008. So, they’ve had their customers’ money (including mine) for the 2008 since last summer. Faced with the probability that some customers will be disappointed whereas others will like the wine just fine, Navarro has made its customers the following offer:
1. Here’s a FREE bottle of 2008 Deep End Blend. (I received mine yesterday.) Try it between now and August 15 and see how you like it.
2. If you like the 2008, we’ll ship you the amount you ordered, or more if you want more, at roughly 25% off the previously announced futures price.
3. If you don’t like the 2008, we’ll give you a full refund of what you paid for it; OR we’ll switch your 2008 futures order to vintage 2009; OR we’ll send you the same number of bottles of the (fabulous, incidentally) 2007 as a substitute for the 2008.
All I’ve got to say is that the Navarro people weren’t paying attention at MBA school when they got taught that “business ethics” is an oxymoron used only to describe long-obsolete commercial practices.
Best regards,
Russ
