You’ve got to have some confidence to tell your wine shop customers that a wine you’re recommending tastes “taste like sunshine” and “tells of brighter days ahead” but that seems to have worked for at least one Brooklyn shop. [level-members]
That’s a quote from a recent NPR story about wine tasting and what’s wrong with it. The article’s title? Oaky, with Notes of BS. And that’s just perfect.
We’re certainly not encouraging that kind of over the top description. (Click through to the article above. The descriptions get better.) But we do applaud the impetus to stand out from the crowd. As I said at the top, you have to have some confidence to pull off a gambit like this, and maybe your BS meter, like mine, is set to Super Sensitive, but there are other ways to stand out. Interesting pairing suggestions. An unexpected way to organize your shop. (How many people are looking for a French wine, anyway, as opposed to a wine that has a particular taste profile?) Or tying wines to fun pop culture references.
The point is that there’s a fine line between an attitude that will help you stand out and BS. And even though I’m no fan of BS, you’re probably better off finding yourself on the wrong side of that line once in while than steering clear of it entirely.
In other words, get out there and make a name for your shop.
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