Oceans of Overpriced Swill 4: Two Jobs Are Better Than One

originally posted by Chris Coad:
The morale: don't buy Vouvray in San Francisco. Or, as the locals like to say, "Frisco."

Which locals would those be? Only 35% of the city's residents are even native Californians. Almost 40% are non-native Americans. Admission is closed only to those with a heartbreaking affliction that causes them to mispronounce the city's name. Most of these would be residents seem to reside on a small island between the East River (which of course isn't a river at all) and Hell Gate. Hawaiian's too. People from Down Under, the Midwest, and most red states seem to prefer "San Fran" (usually spoken with a sing-song lilt and accompanied by a slap on the back), while the Global Village set goes for SFO, the airport call letters. As a marketer, I know it as DMA #5.

According to Wikipedia, Vouvray sales were quite strong in SF up until the 1906 quake during which several warehouses of the stuff were destroyed. This allowed a ragtag band of Napa vintners the opening they'd been looking for. The pioneering Dresel brothers (run out of Texas for their anti-Confederate sentiments) relabeled all of their white wines and even a few reds "Voovrey" (sic), thus beginning a dark history of mislabeled wines that plagues the market to this day.
 
I am not a native Friscoan, but I am a native Californian, although whisked westward at a tender age. By "locals" I just meant the people around me in the standing room section of whatever they're calling your ballpark this year.
 
originally posted by Chris Coad:
The latter. My apologies for the lack of clarity.

No problem. But in that case one wonders the last vintage you bought the wine? I hope not 04 because that is a big jump for non-Musigny wine!
 
originally posted by Rahsaan:
originally posted by Chris Coad:
The latter. My apologies for the lack of clarity.

No problem. But in that case one wonders the last vintage you bought the wine? I hope not 04 because that is a big jump for non-Musigny wine!

'02 or '03, not sure which.
 
originally posted by Chris Coad:
'02 or '03, not sure which.

Ok, in that case it's not as bad. Currency movements alone might account for that.

Here's hoping they continue swinging the other way! While still paying the winemaker a fair share!
 
Perhaps, although there are certainly a number of French wines I enjoy that were $16 a few years ago and are $18 now, or $20.

But hey, good for them, they should charge what they can get, it's nice wine. This was mostly just a case of my own psychological vinous pigeonholingI'd always put that wine in the 'good value/non-special-occasion/under $20' category.
 
originally posted by Chris Coad:
Perhaps, although there are certainly a number of French wines I enjoy that were $16 a few years ago and are $18 now, or $20.

Far be it from me to opine on the economics of imported wine, but if a 2002 wine sold for $16 and the same wine from 2005 sold for $18 it seems to me that there is less profit for someone along the line due to the currency movements.

Of course there are so many people analyzing books at various points along the line that it is probably best not to worry about their machinations and just focus on what's in the glass/shelf.

mostly just a case of my own psychological vinous pigeonholingI'd always put that wine in the 'good value/non-special-occasion/under $20' category.

I know of what you speak and I conduct the same pigeonholing myself.
 
Far be it from me to opine on the economics of imported wine, but if a 2002 wine sold for $16 and the same wine from 2005 sold for $18 it seems to me that there is less profit for someone along the line due to the currency movements.

I'm sure you're right, it's something to which I pay scant attention and about which I know little.

"What's that?" I hear you cry aloud. "Someone on the internet offering up opinions on something about which he knows very little?! Unbelievable!"

And yet, somehow, true.
 
originally posted by Chris Coad:
I am not a native Friscoan, but I am a native Californian, although whisked westward at a tender age. By "locals" I just meant the people around me in the standing room section of whatever they're calling your ballpark this year.

Unlike hidebound Easterners, we prefer to keep our names timely. We had a Proposition on the ballot to rename the Oceanside Water Pollution Control Plant to the George W. Bush Sewage Plant. The measure failed.

Of the several options under consideration for 2009, I'm partial to Bailout Ballpark, We-Love-You-Obama-Please-Help-Us Ballpark, WaMu Memorial Park, New Shantytown, and the dark horse Pinon Park.
 
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