I know this has been gone over in the past but is it really this easy to get an "Award of Excellence"?

Fake restaurant gets WS Award.

pwn3d!

Sounds like normal Italian wine tasting notes to me...........

I expect to pay 120 euros for a WS 58 point cab these days.

I don't think I've ever seen that many sub-seventy pointers in one place, EVER!! Bravo for the absolutely monumental gaffe, WS!

AMAZING story! I look forward to seeing the WS response and how long this thread lasts...

Hilarious!!

But in the defense of the low scores, they must have been Italian wines made in a traditional style and not modern.

Will WS even give a response (computer error, over sight?)or will the thread just disappear?

quote:

Originally posted by Brunello Drinker:
Will WS even give a response (computer error, over sight?)or will the thread just disappear?

I think that they HAVE to give a response...

"We cannot examine every restaurant, therefore there are inherent risks of fraudulent misrepresentations....."

We've heard it before

quote:

Originally posted by sprnplr:

quote:

Originally posted by Brunello Drinker:
Will WS even give a response (computer error, over sight?)or will the thread just disappear?

I think that they HAVE to give a response...

"We cannot examine every restaurant, therefore there are inherent risks of fraudulent misrepresentations....."

Or they could act like Putin and make all of this go away.

quote:

Originally posted by sprnplr:

quote:

Originally posted by Brunello Drinker:
Will WS even give a response (computer error, over sight?)or will the thread just disappear?

I think that they HAVE to give a response...

"We cannot examine every restaurant, therefore there are inherent risks of fraudulent misrepresentations....."

They say that they can't visit every restaurant, but they've got to examine every restaurant's list!!! Can't $250 buy at least 20 minutes of one of the taster's time?

Now that is funny! Kudos to Mr. Goldstein for exposing the level of care that goes into examining the entries.

quote:

Originally posted by seanr7:
Or they could act like Putin and make all of this go away.

Except that there is now a PR issue at hand. A response is imperative, and it SHOULD happen before tomorrow morning, but probably won't.

Look at how Brian Rosen attacked the PR issue of Sam's Bordeaux Futures gaffe over the weekend. Although the original issue shouldn't have happened, he handled it well. Will WS?

quote:

Originally posted by sprnplr:

quote:

Originally posted by Brunello Drinker:
Will WS even give a response (computer error, over sight?)or will the thread just disappear?

I think that they HAVE to give a response...

"We cannot examine every restaurant, therefore there are inherent risks of fraudulent misrepresentations....."

We've heard it before

All WS appears to have time for is collecting the checks. Makes one wonder what other jokes of restaurants and lists are included in those "Award of Excellence" winners? Zero credibility in my mind right now.

The sad thing about this is I have a friend, he posts here some, that has a restaurant on the West coast. He spent a lot of time putting together a very nice wine list and sent it into WS. He was very proud of getting the AofE and even called me last week to tell me that the Award had paid for itself with several new customers that had come in just because they read about his place in WS. WS needs to get their sh*t together or the awards will be nothing more then a $250 piece of toilet paper.

quote:

Originally posted by sprnplr:
Look at how Brian Rosen attacked the PR issue of Sam's Bordeaux Futures gaffe over the weekend. Although the original issue shouldn't have happened, he handled it well. Will WS?

Uh I don't want to thread jump but while Mr. Rosen acted quickly, I would not say he handled it well.

Oh, that is PRICELESS.

"Osteria L’Intrepido" has apparently been removed from the WS website.

Respect for WS..... dwindling....dwindling....dwindling....gone

I'm glad I can'd my sub.

That's absolutely hilarious. The fact that for $250 per application the Wine Spectator can't hire someone to do a "Google" search and confirm that the restaurant has a verifiable address is both hysterical and pathetic.

Perhaps some one will offer a better solution for the WS Dining Awards program?

quote:

Originally posted by sarbuze:
That's absolutely hilarious. The fact that for $250 per application the Wine Spectator can't hire someone to do a "Google" search and confirm that the restaurant has a verifiable address is both hysterical and pathetic.

My guess is the award will now cost $250 PLUS a $100 "background check" done by a third party vendor. And Tom, you deserve a more than anyone here.

This has got to be the "Dewey Defeats Truman" headline in the wine industry. Maybe change the name to BS Dining Awards?

Send a check, get an award! Ha-Ha!!!!!!