Even more wine incompetence

I've been told that using only the top 10 of the Wine Spectator list is too selective, and if the number of wines checked was a larger sample, the PLCB would do better. I agree: as we get closer to mediocrity, the PLCB should do better because that is where their strength lies.

But how much better? Not that much; in fact, not at all.  Have a look at the next 20 wines in the Wine Spectator top 100 list. With three times as many top wines to have been selected by the PLCB's "experts," they only get two more on the State Store shelves, and three by SLO special order only.

(This is broken down by In Stock (Y/N), How Many Stores Carrying, Item Name)

Yes	3%	Hamilton Russell Chardonnay Hemel-en-Aarde Valley
No		Abadia Retuerta Selección Especial Sardon de Duero
No		Reynvaan Syrah Walla Walla Valley In The Rocks
No		Carlisle Zinfandel Russian River Valley Montafi Ranch
No		M. Marengo Barolo Bricco delle Viole
No		Château Coutet Barsac
Yes	3%	Merry Edwards Sauvignon Blanc Russian River Valley
No	SLO	Condado de Haza Ribera del Duero
No		Arcanum Toscana Il Fauno
No		Turley Zinfandel Paso Robles Ueberroth Vineyard
No		Sparkman Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley Holler
No		Cune Rioja Gran Reserva
No	SLO	Mocali Brunello di Montalcino
No	SLO	DuMOL Syrah Russian River Valley
No		Villa Pillo Toscana Borgoforte
No		Bodegas y Viñedos Maurodos Toro San Román
No		Matthews Claret Columbia Valley
No		Domaine Carneros Brut Carneros Ultra
No		Tenuta di Trinoro Toscana Le Cupole
No		Mollydooker Shiraz McLaren Vale Carnival of Love

This state agency will never have the knowledge or will to select exceptional wine except by accident. They will never have the passion that their customers do and so will never be able to satisfy them. It seems that the monkeys are winning; listen to those typewriters...

Privatize.