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The Vine : Wine Country Tastings Blog

Tasting and tripping to wines fresh off the vine.

Lady's Night upheld in NY Court - What about Douche Bag Fee?

» posted by Rich
on 2 Sep 2010

Where would we be without Ladies Night at the clubs? Some dude named Roy Den Hollander, a so-called "anti-feminist lawyer", tried to argue in court that it was unfair for clubs to charge guys and not girls. Now if only we could use that same system to instill a "douche bag" fee at all tasting rooms and wine bars! How would it work? All A-holes get charged twice as much as anybody else. Done.

Check the article:
'Ladies Nights' OK'd by appeals court

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From The Cellar: TreeHouse Tasting No.10 - Balletto 2006 Pinot Gris

» posted by Rich on 2010-09-01 10:18:10

Once in a while we like to dig out a classic TreeHouse Tasting. Consider it a "Best Of" episode, highlighting one of the tasty wines we reviewed in past. On this occasion we were still in our old WT Headquarters in a secret location in the NOPA neighborhood of SF. Memories...

Anyway, click the link below to read the full review of Balletto 2006 Pinot Gris... one of our favorites that we picked up at the Balletto tasting room in Sonoma's Russian River Valley.

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Just Order Whatever the Lady Wants - The Wine List Debate

» posted by Rich on 2010-08-30 21:22:22

I see it more and more - the awkward moment when the server at the restaurant has to decide who to hand the wine list to, the man or the woman. The Wine Market Council study, sited in the story in the Seattle TImes, shows that woman now make up more the half of the wine drinkers in the United States. So why does it seem that the man is the default when it all plays out in the restaurants in the real world? Is it really a big deal?

I've seen servers avoid the issue by placing the wine list on the table then scurrying away. They are sure to place it at exactly the same distance from the man and woman to avoid any ill-favor. Let them work it out! I'll come back later and take the order and by then the wine issue will be resolved. Whew!

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The 100 Point Rating System Can Go Screw Itself - WineMatch.com Profile Wheel

» posted by Rich on 2010-08-30 21:01:34

The 100 Point Rating System Can Go Suck It -
The New WineMatch Profile Wheel Shows the Way

I don't know about you, but wine rating systems, particularly the 100 point system, seem to just confuse me. It's borderline useless and worthless. I mean, why have a 100 point system when just about every wine gets rated between 80 and 95? What's the matter with the school teacher grading from "A" (the best) to "F" (Fail)? Not good enough for wine snobs? [I know cool folks like 1WineDude use it].

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Bloggers Beware! - Business License Fees?

» posted by Rich on 2010-08-27 10:45:32

Did you guys catch the article the other day in the Washington Examiner online about how bloggers in Philadelphia are being required to cough up a $300 business fee? This fee, officially a business license fee, seems to be doled out to any blogger who's made any kind of money from their website - even if yearly "profits" are in the double digits!

Most bloggers are hobbyists with no thoughts of profit or business, but who also don't mind making the $20 in Google ads to help pay for the web hosting fees, &c... That's not to say that some bloggers don't make a business out of their websites, they do. Obviously there needs to be some kind of standards before Cities and States begin collecting $300 fees from everybody with a blog. I know the governments are hurting for cash... but come on, we all are! And we have to do something while we're sitting at home jobless! We blog.

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Hanna 2003 Two Ranch Red - TreeHouse Tasting No.44

» posted by Rich on 2010-08-27 07:03:43

TreeHouse Tasting No.44 - Hanna 2003 Two Ranch Red, Sonoma County

This wine confused me a little. At times I really liked it, and at others I though it was a bit soft. Then I though, "Hey, the softness is kinda nice..." and then I though, "...but it seems to die on the finish..." but then I thought, "...let me try another glass." Before I knew exactly what to think the bottle was gone!

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