Four Buck Chuck at 7-11? Yosemite Road Wines or Yosemite Road Kill?

Good Morning Gentle Readers,

The demand for wine continues unabated and the newest exploitable demographic are those who dash into the local 7-11 convenience store for a Slim Jim and a cup of coffee or a suitcase of Bud after a long day on the job. 

In its first foray into global merchandising, 7-Eleven, Inc. (SEI) in the U.S. and Seven-Eleven Japan (SEJ) are jointly introducing two proprietary wines -- a Chardonnay and a Cabernet Sauvignon -- today under the Yosemite Road label. These are California wines produced by The Wine Group exclusively for 7-Eleven(R) stores and its parent company, Seven & i Holdings Co., Ltd. of Tokyo.

Experienced, award-winning wine-makers John Willumson and Jim McDonald were tapped for the task. The winning vintners created a Chardonnay, described as fresh and zesty with notes of apricot, peach and honey, and a full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon with juicy plum overtones. Both are well balanced, offered at an affordable price and can be enjoyed anytime of the year.

7-11 is the largest convenience store chain in the world with more than 36,000 stores and 53 billion in annual revenue. With that kind of economies of scale and marketing experience we might accidentally see a half decent wine at a more than decent price. Let's hope for the latter. Stay tuned. 

Story here and here.

Note: There was a Yosemite Road Vineyards but this ain't it.

Bonus:

Take a good look at the clock through the window, and then the date on the photo.  You can click to enlarge the picture. Only one person on the planet would have ever noticed this in a billion years and he made the immediate connection. Yelping and scrambling, he sprinted to the rental car, popped the trunk, and grabbed the camera. All before the time changed to 7:12.

That's right. It's 7:11 at 7-11 on 7 November (7-11) 2001

As Always,

TWC

Tip of the glass to Raphael Knapp. 

Photo Credit: Will (Mrs TWC's twin sister's hubby. Didya follow that?) taken on the North Kohala coast of the Big Island of Hawaii at the only store within 15 miles.

Comments

[smartass sob]

Photo Credit: Will (Mrs TWC's twin sister's hubby.

Perhaps he should buy a lottery ticket now and then.

sasob

[Random Comment]

There are really bizarre liquor laws in NY. Depending on how 7-11 is classified, wine may be illegal for them to sell. Wine coolers and malt beverages are OK, beer can be purchased just about anywhere (gas stations have cans on ice right out at the pumps), but liquor and wine are restricted to stores that only sell those items (and NYS lottery). It is illegal for the wine and liquor stores to offer soft drinks (or ATM machines!!). Wanna make a rum and coke? Gotta make two stops.

[Response to Random Comment]

Plainly the anti-mixed-drink crowd hates Mother Earth. Forcing you to drive to two separate locations to get your drink fixin's is going to lead to a larger carbon footprint.

Won't somebody please think of the children?

[Another Response to Random Comment]

TWC--the liquor laws in Utah are the most bizarre--on a successful hunting trip to Utah with two deer hanging in the tree and an ice-chest full of trout, I left my less successful bretheren to attack the mountains, as I went to town to stock up on provisions--I had to sign for a bottle of vodka, but the gas stations sold beer. Then in Tennessee, the distilleries can offer you a tour, but not a taste--you have to go to the next county for that.

[Another Response to Random Comment]

-I have many friends that blame the children for the carbon footprint--they actually drive their parents to drink