These stories always bring a big smile to my face!

I’m talking about ones that feature difficult customers who get what’s coming to them in the end…

And this story really hits the spot!

Take a look at what happened.

You want wine? I’ll give you wine.

“I work as a salesman in a wine store.

It’s not a normal wine & liquor place, it’s a curated selection, meaning we pick out all the wine that we sell (this is irregular in retail, most selections are curated by the distributor).

As a result, all the employees have to really know their stuff and we are regularly asked a lot of questions and need to give detailed and honest answers.

Our customer base really likes us and new customers are either pleasantly surprised by the experience or endlessly mad we don’t carry their name-brand thing they like (**** you, whispering angel).

The other day a couple came into the store at the recommendation of a friend (I will call them Asher and Blake).

Asher was very excited and was super happy when we had the bottles they had taken pictures of at a party the other day.

Hmmm…

Blake however immediately started making comments like “really? That one” or “that tasted awful, you want that?”

Asher was clearly a little upset at this but I gathered this was just a normal dynamic in their relationship as it was brushed off rather quickly.

After we put those bottles aside, they tell me they are going to do a garden party since its warm.

Nice sunny day, light apps and snacks, average spring party.

So they ask me to recommend some wine and I start going through the store and showing them some options.

I hit all the big guys, Loire and New World Sauvignon blancs, Provencal Roses, Albarino’s, Toscana’s and New World pinot noir for the red drinkers.

A good selection for the food they had described.

They weren’t impressed…

Well Blake did not think so.

Every suggestion I made was met with a counter.

I show them a nice floral un-oaked white burgundy “I think we should do chablis”. Pinot noir “don’t you think pinot is too heavy?” Sauvignon blanc “too sweet”.

Albarino “too heavy.”

At this point I’m at a loss, I’m running out of stuff to give Blake so I scale up a bit, offer some fuller bodied wines.

Not great pairing to the event or the food, but not destructive.

Blake is still not happy.

Asher is clearly mad at this point, they’ve been holding their tongue but every denial makes their face a darker shade of red until they finally pop.

Asher apologizes to me and says they are going to go with my suggestions, and tells Blake that they can pick out a bottle they want because clearly they are not willing to listen to me.

I go through and put their cart together, listen to them argue a bit at the register, and then check Blake out after Asher storms out of the store.

Whatever, I’m free of it, Asher is a saint for dealing with Blake, it’s done.

It was not done…

They’re back!

The next morning when I show up Blake is waiting for me with the three bottles they picked (got three of the same thing). “The wine is off” Blake says, holding the bottle out like its some sort of weird bug.

I tell them that yeah it happens sometimes, I’ll check it out.

To be clear, it is rare that the wine is actually off, most of the time the customer just doesn’t like it.

It doesn’t hurt us and we want the business so we always accept exchanges and just agree that it wasn’t right.

The customer has been right twice that I have seen, and I was one of the two customers (compromised cork).

So I open up the store with an impatient Blake standing over me before finally taking the bottle. I kid you not this thing is like 80 degrees, it is HOT.

The sun hasn’t been out long enough to do this either, so I’m pretty confident they did something to it.

Anyway, I pour myself a glass and taste it.

Seems fine to me!

Even through the mire of hot booze, I can tell it’s good.

All of the flavors I expect stand out, it smells fine, no evidence of oxidizing or mildew.

Good bottle.

Feeling petty I tell Blake as much, wanting them to admit that they just don’t like the wine.

Blake turns a bit red and says as much.

Good. Lets pick something else out then.

“Where are your super Tuscans?” Blake asks.

I Iight up, because this is the perfect chance to mess with them.

We have two true ones in the store.

One is a very accessible price, pretty standard, sangiovese, cab franc, merlot, syrah.

Really nice and medium bodied.

Wouldn’t be too bad for the garden party, but still on the heavier end.

They had an idea…

The other?

Expensive as hell, Syrah and cab franc.

It is the inkiest, blackest, heaviest wine you could imagine.

I love it, but I think it might kill anyone who drinks it in 80 degree weather.

Well, I give Blake the heavy one.

Blake of course is in love when I tell them about it.

Big bold flavors, heavy, crushes the flavor of whatever you eat with it.

Perfect for Blake. They get three to replace the bottles they returned, and end up spending an extra $130 even with the cost of the refunded wine deducted.

Now I know I’m way more sensitive to wine and food than others are, but this was perfect.

Even somebody who’s demolished their palate with years of cigar smoking would be able to tell that wine is awfully paired.

I’m happy knowing Blake is going to get some weird looks from their guests and a tongue lashing from Asher, and Blake is happy with the bottle of grape based olive oil they now own.

Compliance given maliciously.”

Check out what people said on Reddit.

This reader chimed in.

Another person spoke up.

This individual shared a story.

Another Reddit user shared their thoughts.

That guy got a rude awakening when he took a swig from that bottle!

I wouldn’t mind a taste myself, though.

If you liked that post, check out this post about a rude customer who got exactly what they wanted in their pizza.