"Mark Lipton" > wrote in message
...
> Ian Hoare wrote:
>
> > > The real thrust of my remarks of course, was that I feel it's
dishonest to
> > charge through the nose because it's a "local product". I felt
this was the
> > case for the Biltmore Estate, I felt it was the case in Texas, and
I feel
> > it's the case for Mille et Une Pierres. I've no problems about
paying a
> > premium when it's accompanied by excellence. But I don't feel any
need to
> > support british wine makers (for example) irrespective of the
quality (or
> > otherwise) of their wines, just because they are my fellow Brits.
It's
> > _their_ choice to start up a vineyard in an area of only marginal
viability,
> > high wages, and no tradition of winemaking. If their wines don't
hack it in
> > vfm terms in comparison to similar wines from all over the world,
then _I_
> > certainly don't feel duty bound to support them. And as far as I'm
concerned
> > that applies to any product from anywhere. And I would not want or
expect
> > any British visitor to pick ME out to stay with here, out of a
misguided
> > sense of solidarity, just _because_ I'm British.
>
> I couldn't agree more.
>
> Mark Lipton


As a Marylander, I wish I could say good things about the wines made
in my home State but often they are rather good examples of
"dreimänner Wein" or at best, uninteresting, and are sometimes made
from grapes grown some distance from the winery. Strangely, IMHO,
there *are* decent wines made on the other side of the Potomac river,
in Virginia just a few miles away.


--
James V. Silverton
Potomac, Maryland, USA