Having had it “up to here” with all the criticism Bay Area wineries spew at the San Francisco Chronicle’s wine reporters and their “venomous coverage of our winemaking backyard,” as one Bay Area winemaker put it, the reporters have finally exacted revenge.
In August, an unpublicized update to the newspaper’s “Top 25 Wineries” list revealed a complete overhaul of its earlier recommendations. Now, instead of wineries, public restrooms and California State Park porta potties are recommended in each Bay Area AVA.
Julie Quachenbush, a resident of Kenwood, was thrilled. “I tend to pick my hikes based on the availability of a tidy Honey Bucket,” said Quachenbush, referring to one of the tongue-in-cheek porta potty brands. “This is the first time the Chronicle has printed something truly useful.”
A spokesperson for Schramsberg Vineyards, which had been a featured winery before being replaced by an outhouse in nearby Bothe-Napa Valley State Park, bubbled over with fury: “You’d think they could at least recommend our tasting room bathrooms. We’ve got Dyson hand dryers.”
