Two readers comment on The Most Powerful Person In Wine blog post.

Arthur writes:

I applaud this decision by Costco.
I also think that Alvare-Peters is a lot more savvy than she is being given credit for.
In an era where wine has been commoditized and "democratized" (the consequence of which is its availability at Walmart, Target and Costco) it is right to consider it as a consumer good and not some magic potion wrapped in bullshit spin and story.

I hope this is the first step towards a time when rational appraisal of wine quality replaces the current asinine approach.

It's a consumer good and it should be measured based on the same level as toilet paper (does it break up and get my finger dirty when I use it?) or disc brakes (do they last as long and squeal as little as the ones that came with the car?)

But maybe we're all getting our feathers ruffled for nothing, because it may just be that the "common man" (who likely shops at Costco) drinks a different kind of wine (and for different reasons) than us bourgeois.... [http://www.leaderpost.com/life/Wine+common/6539149/story.html]

Another reader has a different take:

It is not uncommon these days for major wine buyers to seemingly have never had a glass before. Many wine buyers from major grocery chains were once buyers for say, home supplies. With these same stores hiring wine professionals at the retail level, it becomes a frustrating experience for those viewing wine as more than a commodity.