It's a Small World

We’ve seen it in the movies for years; we’ve even experienced it ourselves first hand thanks to new age technology. I’m talking about long distance conference call meetings where everyone can join in no matter how far away their office. Ok, now how about long distance wine tasting? Think it can’t be done, think again. Oregon winemakers have recently joined Hong Kong business people in a wine tasting event without ever leaving their tasting rooms. With the help of FedEx shipping and videoconferencing technology Willamette Valley vineyard owners were able to share their fine wines with distributors and restaurateurs who were sitting in a tasting room over six thousand miles away. The piece de resistance was being able to actually have visual contact as a group. With the recent elimination of import duties and sales tax on alcoholic beverages of 30 percent or less alcohol content by Hong Kong the videoconference couldn’t have came at a better time. They’ve always said it’s a small world, and it just keeps getting smaller all the time.