On Mon, 12 Feb 2007 15:44:31 +0100, Emery Davis
> wrote:

>On Sun, 11 Feb 2007 20:58:04 GMT
>Ed Rasimus > wrote:
>
>> On Sat, 10 Feb 2007 14:42:09 +0100, Emery Davis
>> > wrote:
>>
>> --magnificent story of joy and desparation snipped mercillessly--
>>
>> >Even though we bought 30 bottles from the second, it's clearly low margin
>> >stuff. After factoring 10 EU for gas, he probably made around 50 EU, for
>> >an hour tasting, opened 4 bottles fresh. Plus he has to go down to get the
>> >wine, (he ships only a little), which must cost a bundle. And, he deals only
>> >with individuals, not restaurants. (One wonders: why?) What a tough way
>> >to make a living...
>> >
>> >-E
>>
>> Think about it. He loves wine and loves people apparently. He roams
>> the country side bringing joy and wonder to folks who appreciate what
>> he offers. There's no hassle of fitting in between the sous-chef and
>> the maestro's argument in the aspiring Michelin kitchen, only relaxed
>> time spent with people who welcome his arrival. Gotta be a GREAT way
>> to make a living.
>>
>
>You're a dreamer, Ed. And I mean that as a compliment.
>
>Good Willie, (we called them Good Willie and Bad Willie), actually
>expressed some pleasure at the fact that we knew something about
>wine. He estimated that 5% of his clients are reasonably knowledgeable.
>So I think most of the comments he hears are of the "yeah, pretty smooth"
>sort.
>
>However unlike Bad Willie he only shows up on appointment, so that's
>got to make things quite a bit easier.
>
>-E

As I get older, I tend more toward the philosophical and less to the
pragmatic. Doing something you enjoy is a great gift. Doing something
you hate because you have to in order to make ends meet is a dreary
existance for certain.

That being said, I can relate the experience of last week visiting a
few wineries in the Texas Hill Country. I've already mentioned my
pleasant surprise, in general, at the quality of the offerings, but I
can imagine the tedium of dealing daily with a parade of redneck
bubbas asking if they've got anything a bit more like Annie
Greensprings or maybe Mateus.

Almost had a cardiac trying to stifle the laughter at a ill-mannered
eight year old running amok at Becker Vineyards tasting room raving to
his mommy about the great wine smells emanating from the spit
bucket--Sideways for youngsters....


Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
www.thunderchief.org
www.thundertales.blogspot.com