Thanks for taking the time. Were it only as simply correct as you suggest!

For those who don't know him, Tom is a writer of some renown, particularly regarding Italian wine. And had the good (or mis?) fortune of being edited by me during my Wine News days. There, he had to score wines, but as anyone who reads my next installment on this subject will see, brought more to the table than a number.

Tom, you must have got wind of my pecking fingers. I typed your name just yesterday!

Well said. I especially like your thoughts about points meaning different things to different tasters. It's clear this can never be stratified.

Bottom line - wine is a personal, sensory experience. We all taste differently. How can you put a number on that?

The Netherlands' model is similar to the U.K.'s. Marks & Spencer is really no different than the supermarkets in Florida I wrote about (except, of course, Marks & Sparks, as it's affectionately called, has underwear on offer, too). Both have fairly large selections, but most of the wines on the shelves are there because of the price point, not the "interesting point."

Mom & pop's problem is that mom & pop are often lazy. The reason mom & pop will disappear is not strictly because of Whole Foods. It will be because mom & pop decided to open a liquor store instead of, for example, a hardware store. Most of the mom & pops I've come across, both in the big city and in South Florida, simply don't care much about wine. They're just trying to sell brands that sell themselves, such as Yellow Tail, Clicquot, etc. There's nothing wrong with that, of course, until it no longer works. That day will come, which is sad, but ultimately it will be better for consumers.