Sent: Thursday, October 11, 2001 11:19 AM

Subject: Wine at Orangewood Consulting - 6 - Additional outlet

To our wine cohorts,

Do you feel like a cohort? - if not, please suggest an alternative salutation!

I know that we sent out a newsletter last Friday - for which I got the response "Don't give up your day job!" - so I am excited to let you know that as of today the Duck and Decanter has the Il Poggiolino wines in stock. Il Poggiolino has a Chianti Classico Riserva and a Super Tuscan named "Le Balze". Both are excellent wines - Laurie and I had to rechecked the quality over the last couple of days so that we could write up "shelf talkers" for the wines. (Shelf talkers are what retailers call the little notes that hangs below the shelf that the wine is on.)

If you don't know the Duck and Decanter, or even if you do, the first problem is finding it. It's on the SE corner of 16th and Camelback, but it's so well hidden that I had to ask for directions. They are due south of Copenhagen Imports, just keep looking and driving South!

One corner of Duck and Decanter is a little wine bar managed by Michael Reitsma. The remainder is a deli you can get sandwiches and salads to eat there or take away. Michael gets his most of his wines from small wineries. An indication of his thought process was when he pointed out a wine and said "That was a mistake, you can get it in supermarkets."

People show up, buy a sandwich, buy a beer or glass of wine and find a table to eat and drink what they bought. I have been there on Wednesday afternoons around 4:00 as people show up just to drink after work. It's a fun (and smoke free) atmosphere. Wine distributors also show up to talk to Michael - I was third in line one time. I watched him tasting several wines, there is an art to looking professional as you taste wine - he has it.

I was there also this morning to deliver the wine, it's always fun (I'm easily amused) to see places preparing for the day. There were 10 people running around like the proverbial one armed paper hangers. "Are you usually this busy?" I asked. (I have lots of dumb questions that work well in any situation) It turned out that a company had ordered 350 lunches, so all hands were making the sandwiches, putting chips and pickles and cookies and napkins in bags, and so forth. I stood by the cheese counter waiting for someone to free up enough to write me check. It's amazing how peckish you can get at 9:00 in the morning with all that good food looking and smelling so good.

So stop by Duck and Decanter to purchase some of the Il Poggiolino, tell Michael that you are disappointed that he is not carrying the Noceto Sangioveses (just kidding) and perhaps hang around, have a drink and chat about whatever.

Portfolio/Wine Tasting

We did get a few people signing up about the wine tasting for the "Thoroughbred Race Horse oriented" cabernet sauvignon. So consider the time and place fixed - Friday 26th October at 6:00 pm. I will send directions to those who sign up. Again the objective is to see how the wine stands up to competitive cabernet sauvignons that are already available in the Phoenix area. I will have some hors d'ouevres so it could be a light meal. I will also have the Noceto and Il Poggiolino wines available for tasting. I do need to get a headcount - so if you have not already done so, please let me know if you plan to attend.

In the meantime enjoy your wine drinking.

Richard and Laurie Corles