9/11 Commemorative Wine

[Jill]

I just heard of this on the news this morning, and thought it could make an interesting discussion. Here is the story:

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http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/08/22/long-island-winery-selling-911-themed-merlot-and-chardonnay/

Long Island Winery Selling 9/11-Themed Merlot And Chardonnay

Plans To Donate Between 6 & 10 Percent Of Proceeds To Victims' Families

 

The sale of 9/11-themed alcohol by a Long Island winery is likely to raise some eyebrows and draw ire despite some monetary benefit to charity.

Lieb Family Cellars of Mattituck says it has produced the 9/11 Memorial Commemorative Chardonnay and 9/11 Memorial Commemorative Merlot to mark to the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and the opening of the 9/11 Memorial.

The company says it has 247 cases of the Chardonnay and 251 cases of the Merlot and that each will sell for $19.11 per bottle if purchased directly through the winery.

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At the bottom of the article, there are a few opinions you can choose to record. None totally fit what I think, but I clicked the closest match.

To me, it seems tacky and even though a portion is being donated to charity, it is a for profit venture and that also doesn't feel "good" to me given the subject. Also, to have something that is commemorative, to me, is nearly the same as denoting something to be celebratory, which of course also feels bad to me. But, I believe in the free market and I support the right of the family to put out this wine. Will I buy it? No. If I want something to go to charities related to the families of 9/11 or for the support of the memorial, I am sure direct donations are still accepted.

Not sure if it's worth a mention, but I rarely drink wine when vodka is always in stock...

What about you folks? What do you think?

 

[tagalong]

Tacky. Opportunistic. And just plain bizarre.

I love wine... but this? Not a chance. What an extraordinarily bad idea...

 

[Mominis]

I agree. This is in very poor taste.

 

[2minis4us]

Well for one thing it would make me sad to drink it, and I also don't like the trying to make money off of such a horrible tragedy.

 

[minimomNC]

Tacky and cruel I think, maybe if they were donating 80% - 90% but the pititful amount they want to donate is nothing. Just trying to make money on someones else misery. Even if I drank enough wine, I would never buy that.

 

[Jill]

It surprised me when I heard the story.. maybe the winery doesn't have a marketing consultant? Or maybe we're all wrong. So far, I guess no LB members are slated to get tipsy from it.

 

[miniwhinny]

As a devout capitalist who believes in the ability of everyone to make an honest buck - this I find tasteless to the extreme. I imagine the only people wanting to toast 9/11 with a bottle of this wine would be the terrorists still alive because they didn't make the cut to pilot the planes that killed so many Americans.

Bad taste (no pun intended)

 

[Riverrose28]

As a devout capitalist who believes in the ability of everyone to make an honest buck - this I find tasteless to the extreme. I imagine the only people wanting to toast 9/11 with a bottle of this wine would be the terrorists still alive because they didn't make the cut to pilot the planes that killed so many Americans.

Bad taste (no pun intended)

Couldn't have said it better, Amen!

 

[REO]

this I find tasteless to the extreme. I imagine the only people wanting to toast 9/11 with a bottle of this wine would be the terrorists still alive because they didn't make the cut to pilot the planes that killed so many Americans.

Bad taste (no pun intended)

 

[weebiscuit]

I think it's a crock of crap! The winery is simply out to make a buck for themselves by capitalizing on a very traumatic event. If they were "truly" altruistic in motive, they'd do what Paul Newman did with his "Newman's Own" label, and donate 100% of the profits to the victim's families.

 

[weebiscuit]

I was so incensed by this winery's plan that I went to their website to email them. There is no actual "contact us" link, but there is a "Guest Book" which you can fill out, and if you scroll down past the two questions about wine there is a place for comments, which is what i did. Here is the link

http://liebcellars.com/guest-book.htm

Unfortunately, I think it subscribes you to their email newsletter, but when you get the first one you can just block it from your email program or go to unsubscribe from it, which is what I'll do. I think they need to start hearing from more people about this disgusting marketing scheme.

 

[REO]

At the very bottom of that page link you posted, on the bottom right is a CONTACT US link!

 

[Watcheye]

Very poor taste. They are making a profit off of it and excusing themselves from guilt by offering a small portion to the charity. I agree that if we wish to make a donation a direct donation is far more fitting.