Honest question: Have you ever boycotted a winery you once supported because of their business practices or politics?
I ask because today I emptied my shopping cart after nearly buying some back-vintage Rhys Skyline Syrah.
I think the wine is one of the best CA Syrahs out there and they won’t be making anymore of it.
However, I am torn because It doesn’t feel right (to ME!) to support a winery that has paid $3M fines for bulldozing protected wetlands, illegally filling in streams with dirt in Mendocino County and other environmental rules in an important watershed.
I’m not here to retry that case, which has been settled.
I am here to ask if you’ve faced a similar quandary.
I know some people never forgave Hubert de Montille in Burgundy for his insensitive comments about 9/11.
Some friends don’t buy Firestone Walker beers because a related family trust are big Trump supporters.
Similarly, many people will no longer watch Woody Allen movies because of allegations that he molested his daughter.
Are you able to separate your purchasing decisions about a given product from the person/people who created it?
It’s a slippery slope … why am I targeting Rhys when I still willingly buy other products made/delivered with harmful labor and environmental practices , e.g. Amazon warehouses, meat packing plants, iPhone factories, Nike sweatshops, etc.
It’s a complex question. All I know is I couldn’t buy the bottles of Rhys today.
Yep. I avoid anything that Chuck Wagner touches. In general, I am finding myself supporting more of the smaller guys and up & comers. Better customer service and more appreciation for my purchases.
Wine Spectator and Jordan Winery for their recently reported financial support of Donald Trump. Chick-Fil-A for their Christian fundamentalist support.
The only winery that I can actually say that I boycotted was Bressan in Italy. There are a number of wineries that have owners/winemakers with political views that I don’t agree with, but I wouldn’t say that I boycott them. I just take my money to wineries that better align with my views.
When it comes to artists/musicians/etc, I separate the art from the artist without any problem. Michael Jackson isn’t less talented because of his personal shortcomings (especially so given that his were probably the result of mental illness that may not have even been under his control).
When it comes to businesses, I’m happy to avoid supporting business that commit what I consider to be egregious bad acts. I try and give grace, because as a business owner myself, I understand that nobody is perfect and I won’t claim that we always strike the right chord in our messaging. But we’ve also never said something like “there’s fine people” at a klan rally, so… hopefully people give us some grace too.
Similarly, many people will no longer watch Woody Allen movies because of allegations that he molested his daughter.
ALLEDGED. That for a start. If proven then game on.
Jeez, once the righteous peoples court gets going where does it end?
Anyway, where does the human race get off on a moralistic level in the last million years?
There’s many things we all despise and abhor, but bringing politics etc into our wine buying decisions seems a tad far fetched.
Having said that I do understand your horror at this winery abusing and totally disregarding an important watershed - being a lifelong trout fisherman that boils my piss!
So I guess I’ve just unraveled my original argument!
I guess the way I see it if you ignore what you consider bad behavior by a person or business, you’re enabling it. If you let the papa john’s guy be racist and keep buying his pizza and running his ads, then he’s not encouraged to change. I’m not a huge fan of cancel culture and internet Lynch mobs but I do feel like I’m not going to support businesses/ppl with my money if I’m offended by their behavior.
History is full of great artists who were detestable human beings. As an art lover, I think it is cutting of my nose to spite my face not to appreciate their art. But, first, the issue is different with living artists. My pleasure in a Cellini statue or (in a lesser example) a Dickens novel, doesn’t enrich either of them. The cases of Woody Allen and Roman Polanski are not the same. If one dislikes their morals or ethics, it is coherent to boycott them. Second, personal boycotts are, well, personal. So I don’t know that I would criticize someone for a)judging the evidence against Allen to be credible and b)deciding that one does not wish to give him money. That said, I wish someone would distribute Roman Polanski’s Officer and a Gentleman in this country.