@skibob will appreciate this.
So yesterday afternoon at my local market a wine distributor's rep had a tasting table set up. I'm tasting through the lineup (and spitting). Young guy is there swirling a glass and chatting up the rep. (She was very much worth chatting up.) He looks very familiar. "Don't you work here?" "Yes," he says. "What's your name again?" "Andrew." Apologetically he says, "
I had to take my name tag off because I'm drinking." (Emphasis mine.)
I'm standing there gobsmacked because this is one of the stupidest things I'd ever heard. I mean yes, I get it. In our litigious and humorless society everything is about covering your ass. But I will go miles out of my way to buy from someone who actually knows something. From my perspective I'd think the store would want to be putting its logo all over the the kid to demonstrate that they're encouraging their wine people to be engaged with the substance of their trade, and constantly be learning. Instead they're covering their light with a bushel basket.
The point is that if you're going to do something, do it with real expertise and first hand knowledge. So yes, get drink first.