Except during the occasional social outing, I'm not much of a drinker.  So when it comes to opining on what's good and what isn't, I'm not the person to ask.  But like anyone else, I use context and other hueristics to reach reasonable conclusions.  People do this everyday while they shop.  The better their perception of the store and their perception of the price, the better they believe the products on the shelves are.  So, if I'm sitting in a nice, upscale restaurant, I'm likely to believe that the owner, chef, or sommelier has a good handle on what a quality should taste like.  Essentially, what's offered is a reflection of the establishment and vice versa.

So, while you're getting comfortable, would you like a glass of Chardonnay... from 7-Eleven?

In concert with their Japanese partner, the ubiquitous convenience store chain, 7-Eleven, is going to be offering up their own private label Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon.  The question is: will wine drinkers buy into the bargain-priced wines or will perceptions of 7-Eleven keep them away?

Certainly, 7-Eleven doesn't have the cachet of outfits like Trader Joe's, whose entire business is largely built on private label goods.  For casual drinkers who aren't especially picky, it might be a reasonable move for the Dallas-based chain, but for the more discerning, the very idea of buying wine made by 7-Eleven might be a turn-off.  While spokesperson Carole Davidson claims the move makes sense with respect to 7-Eleven's efforts to brand as much of their edible goods as their own, I'm inclined to think that it doesn't jibe with their image.

It may not be unlike fashion, in which the branding and origin of the clothes and baubles you buy have some alleged reflection on your character.  For some time, I've been aware that within my circle of friends the connotation of liquor sales at convenience stores is somewhat negative, an idea that was reinforced by the opening of new Walgreen's locations without liquor deparments.  Coincidence?  Perhaps, but curious all the same.

All of this leads makes me wonder who 7-Eleven is really targeting with these inexpensive wines. Even for someone who doesn't cop to the trappings of "class," admitting that you purchased 7-Eleven's private label wine might be just a little too far south of chic -- even if it does end up tasting good.