Irregular Update
Sydney Time
Copyright © Ric Einstein 2008
Welcome to this weeks Irregular Update which contains loads of wine reading for your enjoyment. Firstly my thanks to all those people who sent emails welcoming me back; it was most gratifying to know that so many people care, but onto more important issues.
Last weeks article titled "More on the Fizzics of Corks - (Article with Questions and Answers)" drew surprising little feedback. Often times, people will shoot off a short email with comments letting me know their thoughts. I expected a lot of feedback, as many of the thoughts expressed by John Casey totally went against conventional thinking. The sum total of responses was one! Go figure.
Speaking of feedback, one article I posted earlier in the year is still receiving comments from time to time and those comments make for very interesting reading. There are two diametrically opposed camps. Customer service in the wine business is a hot topic. (As an aside, I hate that expression. When people apply for a job and I ask them about their previous employment, they often state "customer service." When asked what that actually meant, it can range from being a telephone call centre operator to stacking shelves, or being a trolley collector in a supermarket car park. Some time ago, the NSW Police Force changed their name to the "Police Service." They no longer had victims, they had customers. Instead of looking for criminals, they were looking for people of interest. Service? I think not!) Unfortunately, based on my experience in Australia, many retail employees don't understand what the word "service" means. When you read the responses to "I am too Busy to Serve You" it clearly shows that when it comes to customer service, many of the staff who work in retail have no idea that it's the customers who actually pay their wages.
A new Snippet titled, From “Greed and Ignorance” to “Avarice and Stupidity” has been posted. Fifty thousand bottles of wine from the Heritage Wine Liquidation have just started to go on sale via a local auction house. Now that may not seem like news, or even of much interest, but when you read some of the details contained in this Snippet you will be amazed.
Now for long overdue Final Chapter of the 2006 South Australian Tour
Diary. The best has been saved till last! Visits to Kurtz and
Elderton were followed by a Rockford tasting, which was followed by
an all afternoon lunch at the Rockford Stonewall Dining Room. That is not
all; the next day we spent all morning and got the good oil, as well as a
behinds the scenes perve at some amazing things at Yalumba.
Chapter Seven
is a big one and should not be missed.
The News section has been about average over the past week. Stories of possible interest include:
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Hunter floods: buildings inundated but vineyards escape
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GM use in US sets stage for Aust wine debate
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Lion axes cellar-door jobs
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Drop in wine export prices slows
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EU Happy With Wine Deal With Australia
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America 'baffled' by screwcaps
Those stories and more can be found here.
This weeks quote "Mr Speaker, I withdraw my statement that half the cabinet are asses. Half the cabinet are not asses." - Benjamin Disraeli
Until next week: Cheers!
Ric
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