LogFAQs > #973145603

people who want something specific but don't know what it is.

I am not talking about people needing recommendations or people who are new to wine and spirits and just don't know too much. Need a good tequilla? Sure! Need a wine to pair with Easter ham? No problem. Something a 21 year old who has never drank before might like to enjoy on their birthday? Alright!

But the people who are looking for something specific but do not know what it is called infuriate me.

Today a woman comes in asking about ice wine. My store doesn't carry any ice wines to my knowledge. You'd think being the GM of a tiny liquor store I'd know if I carry a niche product like ice wine because it's so unique how could I not know? Now, I am not too experienced with wine, and ice wine is not really something i know much about. The only ice wines I have seen when I worked at stores that did carry them were all like $40+ for a 375 mL split bottle. Maybe I have something from my state(which has a lot of wineries that could produce ice wine up north) or Germany I don't know about, but I do know nothing on my shelves says "ice wine" on the label.

I tell her I don't have any, and she says she looked on the internet and it said I did.

I ask her what it is called and she says "I forget but it begins with an A"

Now sometimes something this vague does trigger a thought, but not this time. I showed her a few things that merely were sweet and began with an A and they weren't it so she walked away. I truly don't know what she wanted, since to my knowledge I don't have any ice wines, and I spent 30 minutes after she left looking for what it could be and I drew a blank. I just don't know how you could look up online to verify we have something and then also not know the name of it when you get to the store. There is a location that does carry ice wine 5 minutes away from my store but my colleague verified with her she was in the right spot.

That is a story from today but people all the time asking for specific bottles but not knowing anything about them happens a lot. Once in a blue moon we do find 'em for them, but you can't give me nothing and expect me to find it. I do try to help these people but it makes me so dang mad though when it takes up over 10-15 minutes of my time(because I do try to help. I WANT them to find it) because it is needle in a haystack even in a small liquor store when they don't know the name or anything about it.