With the stutter of a finger....
I have discovered wine. Yes, I know wine itself was discovered ages ago, but I have never been a wine drinker really. Too acidic and bitter. Even "the good wines" that people say "oh you'll love this!"
And then I went to Taste of Athens, and tried a peach wine from Boutier Winery from Danielsville (about 30-45 mins away) and went "Oh holy shit I want some more!" So when mom was in town over Memorial Day weekend, we took a trip out to the winery. We were met by the wife of the wine maker and she immediately got out the glasses and we had a wine tasting of 14.. yes.. 14 different wines. From a light chardonnay through an old vine zinfandel through every single one of her fruit dessert wines (which they have blackberry, blueberry, peach, strawberry, pear with coffee, fig in a reisling, and a peach ice style wine fermented in chocolate... omg..)
I left with 6 bottles. Ok, so 2 were for other people, but still. *I* left with 4 bottles for my own personal consumption. I love this place. I really really do.
They were having a "Ladies' Night" wine tasting last Thursday, where they were also going to unveil their watermelon wine. $10 for a night of food, wine and just in general fun stuff. Also, the excuse to drive 45 minutes to get more wine for myself. I was out (well, no.. the peach ice style with chocolate was still around, but I needed more).
Had a wonderful time. Tasted a few that we didn't get to taste while we were there last. I had mentally drawn up which ones I'd take home, and ended up getting 6 bottles (3 for me, and 3 for someone else). That's when the fun started.
Naturally everyone in the room (and there were a lot of people) wanted to buy a few bottles to take home, so the front counter was VERY VERY busy. As I was getting 6 bottles, I got a 10% discount, which came to $106.23. When they swiped my card, a finger stuttered on the last three. And it wasn't caught before they hit "send".
I was charged $1062.33.
As it was put as credit, and I have overdraft protection, my bank immediately shuffled money from my savings into my checking to cover it, and the charge actually went through. Unfortunately, they had never had to do a refund before, so they had no idea how to do one, and ended up trying to charge me again. Thankfully that one did get declined. The owner offered to write me a check for the difference (Some $956.10) and told me to take a bottle of whatever I wanted. I took a bottle of the watermelon wine. She told me to take two. I shrugged and did. So, 8 bottles of wine.
I immediately deposited the check, and checked my bank to see what had gone on. Which is a lot of shit. Long story short, I had very long conversations with the bank that night to make sure everything would come out fine. They couldn't do anything until all the charges had cleared and had actually hit my account, so all I could do was wait.
And watch as two other bills (student fees of $481... ugh.. and my power bill of a nice $43 or so) hit yesterday as well.
I spent yesterday with an available balance of -$0.88.
I've never had a negative balance in my checking account in my life. It bugged me.
Today, however, all the charges have cleared, and I am happy to see that not only am I not getting hit with any overdraft charges, but because I deposited the check that night, the bank went "Oh.. you did have money. No need for this stuff. Put it back in her savings."
While on the phone with Mary yesterday morning, we talked and she even offered that the next wine tasting would be free for me.
So all in all, a bunch of hoopla. A day of stress and no money. But 2 free bottles of wine and a free wine tasting next month.
It pays to be nice sometimes.
And to anyone in the Athens area, I highly recommend the winery. Highly. As in.. if you like wine at all, you need to go. Now. Don't wait until later. Go now. You will thank me for it, though your checking account might not. If I can't leave without getting 6 bottles, just imagine what a wine lover will do! :-p
And then I went to Taste of Athens, and tried a peach wine from Boutier Winery from Danielsville (about 30-45 mins away) and went "Oh holy shit I want some more!" So when mom was in town over Memorial Day weekend, we took a trip out to the winery. We were met by the wife of the wine maker and she immediately got out the glasses and we had a wine tasting of 14.. yes.. 14 different wines. From a light chardonnay through an old vine zinfandel through every single one of her fruit dessert wines (which they have blackberry, blueberry, peach, strawberry, pear with coffee, fig in a reisling, and a peach ice style wine fermented in chocolate... omg..)
I left with 6 bottles. Ok, so 2 were for other people, but still. *I* left with 4 bottles for my own personal consumption. I love this place. I really really do.
They were having a "Ladies' Night" wine tasting last Thursday, where they were also going to unveil their watermelon wine. $10 for a night of food, wine and just in general fun stuff. Also, the excuse to drive 45 minutes to get more wine for myself. I was out (well, no.. the peach ice style with chocolate was still around, but I needed more).
Had a wonderful time. Tasted a few that we didn't get to taste while we were there last. I had mentally drawn up which ones I'd take home, and ended up getting 6 bottles (3 for me, and 3 for someone else). That's when the fun started.
Naturally everyone in the room (and there were a lot of people) wanted to buy a few bottles to take home, so the front counter was VERY VERY busy. As I was getting 6 bottles, I got a 10% discount, which came to $106.23. When they swiped my card, a finger stuttered on the last three. And it wasn't caught before they hit "send".
I was charged $1062.33.
As it was put as credit, and I have overdraft protection, my bank immediately shuffled money from my savings into my checking to cover it, and the charge actually went through. Unfortunately, they had never had to do a refund before, so they had no idea how to do one, and ended up trying to charge me again. Thankfully that one did get declined. The owner offered to write me a check for the difference (Some $956.10) and told me to take a bottle of whatever I wanted. I took a bottle of the watermelon wine. She told me to take two. I shrugged and did. So, 8 bottles of wine.
I immediately deposited the check, and checked my bank to see what had gone on. Which is a lot of shit. Long story short, I had very long conversations with the bank that night to make sure everything would come out fine. They couldn't do anything until all the charges had cleared and had actually hit my account, so all I could do was wait.
And watch as two other bills (student fees of $481... ugh.. and my power bill of a nice $43 or so) hit yesterday as well.
I spent yesterday with an available balance of -$0.88.
I've never had a negative balance in my checking account in my life. It bugged me.
Today, however, all the charges have cleared, and I am happy to see that not only am I not getting hit with any overdraft charges, but because I deposited the check that night, the bank went "Oh.. you did have money. No need for this stuff. Put it back in her savings."
While on the phone with Mary yesterday morning, we talked and she even offered that the next wine tasting would be free for me.
So all in all, a bunch of hoopla. A day of stress and no money. But 2 free bottles of wine and a free wine tasting next month.
It pays to be nice sometimes.
And to anyone in the Athens area, I highly recommend the winery. Highly. As in.. if you like wine at all, you need to go. Now. Don't wait until later. Go now. You will thank me for it, though your checking account might not. If I can't leave without getting 6 bottles, just imagine what a wine lover will do! :-p