Pieroth

My sister has been given a Christmas present of a "free wine tasting" for 90 minutes in her own home delivered by Pieroth. She asked me for my opinion.

My response to her in private whatsapp message was:

Don't. Just Don't. Burn the voucher. Sprinkle holy water on the ashes and bury them 100 feet deep at the end of your garden. But nothing will grow there for 1000 years.

Was I being unfair?

Under Qualified Privilege what does the panel think I should have advised her?

Qualified privilege - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 
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You should advise her that better quality and value is available elsewhere.

I had a strange evening at a friends house who had won this tasting evening and invited us because we like wine. not an experience I wish to repeat. Embarrassing.
 
I once somehow had a Pieroth man in my house.He turned up with an attache case full of warm samples of poor wines which were mostly near empty and had been open for days. I felt sorry for the fellow, who clearly knew nothing whatever of wine and had been dragooned into this job as a last resort. I ended up opening several bottles to demonstrate what wine was meant to taste like and he was both grateful and impressed-I wonder how long he stayed with them.
 
Problem with this type of sales technique is that you have a salesman in your own house who doesn't want to leave without out having taken an order.

Without ordering you're made to feel guilty that you've taken his time, drank his wine.....

You can't get up and walk away, because it's your home.

Better to go to Majestic and taste their wines there at the counter at your own pace, or check their websites for one of their hosted tastings.
 
I once somehow had a Pieroth man in my house.He turned up with an attache case full of warm samples of poor wines which were mostly near empty and had been open for days. I felt sorry for the fellow, who clearly knew nothing whatever of wine and had been dragooned into this job as a last resort. I ended up opening several bottles to demonstrate what wine was meant to taste like and he was both grateful and impressed-I wonder how long he stayed with them.

Fantastic story. 10/10.

Warren, there must be some potential for fun here. I love the idea of the supermarket sting. Perhaps she could insist on trying all the wines through a straw.
 
Just looking at the Pieroth site, I assume Warren's sister's friend or relation must have paid good money for that present. That makes it tricky to handle.

I imagine the £49 to £99 listed prices are there in classic BOGOF / Groupon style to tempt punters when offered for £5 at a whopping 95% off.
 
For my story.
Our friends had paid for the tasting I went to at their house,especially as they knew my love of wine. My wife had to juggle our dates as we were the only friends they had who were into wine.

The case of open bottles I remember and not only were they not all fresh but they hadn't been very good when they were.

The Pieroth guy seemed to know very little of wine as such just the company line, which was how great they were as they were made in a clean factory.

Our friends were taken by one over sweet rose which they brought. As was said the Pieroth guy wasn't too happy that I didn't find anything I liked. As I said embarrassing. I could have easily brought a case of something I didn't like just to get out of the situation, but I'm not like that.

As to our friends, last time we spoke they were regulars at Pieroth's tastings.

As to the question, if it's been paid for, then why not go for it, but be strong and don't buy unless you like something enough. Make this clear before you start.
 
Can't say any of that surprises me, Russ, though it's good to hear first-hand experience. I imagine, though, that there is an added feeling of obligation if you are the host.

Warren - I'm sure you are probably right about discounting going on in the background, but I'm also willing to bet some people buy at full price too. But I think my main point was that of not appearing to reject a gift somebody had bought for you.
 
It also wouldn't be nice to have a totally clueless salesman over giving the company line - and then laying into him. He is probably fresh out of the job centre. The same as The Encyclopaedia Britannica model.
 
I am flabbergasted to learn that they now charge for their sales sessions. £49 for two people!!
Me too. I thought they were free, or for a nominal charge. Perhaps charging properly makes (some) people value them more. Also, if they were free you wouldn't get one as a present and feel you have to attend!

As Warren says, the "Wine Consultants" don't deserve abuse. When I was checking up on Pieroth several years ago, it became clear that they have to work bloody hard to scrape a living out of their commission, particularly in rural areas where they need to cover large distances to get to clients. I think it is also a myth that most of them use high pressure sales tactics. Their business is not like selling double-glazing - they want to build good relationships so they can get repeat orders. Perhaps someone here ITB would like to offer them a proper job...?
 
Steve, yes, a friend of mine had one who just knocked on his door many years ago. He lives in Somerset. There are four houses in their hamlet, including the farmhouse next door. Tom felt sorry for the guy, as he'd come out from Taunton, and so bought some wine, but it was the direst German stuff, seemingly of the kind you find for one or two Euros in Germany (IIRC). We tried a couple of bottles and it was real sugar water. Maybe they've moved on from the German stuff?

But I do know, from having Everest Double Glazing and new kitchen/bathroom, that it's a real pain having sales people come to your home. They waffle and chat until it gets late. They've already ascertained you need to get up at five thirty for work nex day, and the kids will be awake by then. They hit you with a price about two or three times higher than the maximum you thought it would be and then slowly grind you down hoping you'll cave before you chuck them out and they have to conjure up a mythical 50% discount. Even then, their manager (sic) will call the next morning if you said no, with a special offer of a further discount.

Perhaps the Pieroth people are not like that, but it does sound as if they're paid so poorly they'll do almost anything to sell a few bottles. It's not a selling method I can cope with.
 
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