Friday, February 25, 2011
Truth in Advertising....
In today's in-box was an email whose subject header promised: "The finest Cabernet Sauvignon I have ever tasted..."
In advertising parlance, there is something called "pure puffery." Snapple, for example, claims to be "Made from the best stuff on earth." How are you going to argue with that?
And yet, it seems this quote was lifted directly from Robert M. Parker Jr.'s Wine Advocate newsletter.
What I find so galling about this offer is the three little dots. Beware the ellipses. Those three little dots can hide a myriad of sins. In this case the full sentence reads:
"The finest Cabernet Sauvignon I have ever tasted from Far Nient may be the 2007 Estate."
It goes on to offer the tasting notes, that read like every other tasting notes--full of fruity analogies and olfactory sensations and timed finishes--and offers up a so called "sale" price of $99, quite a bit higher than I can buy it for around the corner.
Did I ever tell you about the fish I caught that one time...?
