WSJ Wine: Wall Street Journal Launches Wine Promotion

Newspapers have used all sorts of goodies to promote themselves, like branded umbrellas, tote bags and ball caps, so why not Wall Street Journal wine?

There is no WSJ label, no Journal vineyard. But two weeks ago, Journal subscribers began receiving brochures for WSJwine -- essentially, a mail-order wine club run by Direct Wines, a major wine-by-mail company. The club offers new members a deep discount on the first case of wine purchased, and a cork puller.

Now, this might sound a bit odd to anyone who has heard conservative commentators lump wine-drinking with arugula-eating and other supposed signs of effete, snobbish, elitist liberalism.

But in fairness, The Journal has not indulged in that particular stereotype -- not even its famously rightist editorial page, no doubt aware that even the most robust capitalists can be oenophiles. Given that The Journal has some of the most enthusiastic wine-writing to be found anywhere, and that it appeals to a -- dare we say it? -- elite audience, the whole wine thing might make sense.

Read more on New York Times