Impression of a Retail Wine Tasting

Where do college students, business people, the wheelchair bound, Harley riders and winedreamers find common ground? Yesterday, that place was a retail liquor store's wine, beer and liquor tasting. Some folks brought their wine glasses from home, others formed lines around their beverage of choice, while a few posed questions to the distributors. Those, unfortunately, were in the minority.

My biggest impression was that most of the customers were not as interested in learning about the beverages they were served. That verified what I had heard from our local independent retailer. In his experience, most come to a tasting for the free samples and door prizes.

Although this might seem disheartening, I saw it as an affirmation that my dream to educate and entertain this community is a goal worth pursuing. It just may need a more creative approach laced with "shots" of patience and persistence.