The month of March for more reasons than St. Patrick's Day just feels Irish. It's rains here in March, it's cool but when the sun comes out it is gorgeous green everywhere. So here at Fitzpatrick's we celebrate all month long starting right now.

And when I think Irish certain words come forward like Luck, Magic, Trinity, green, the numbers 3 and 17, potatoes, Guinness, stew, brown bread, whiskey and on and on. As you read on watch for these words to pop up because like magic these words may bring you luck.

 

Traditions like every Saturday and Sunday throughout March Katie and I make Potato Soup and brown bread in memory of the Great Hunger (the Potato Famine) as an addition to our lunch menu. Then on Saturday March 17th (and on Sunday if any is left and there should be) we'll make a big pot of Guinness beef stew. That, plus our Irish Cobb salad, crab cakes, turkey sandwiches and Ploughman's lunches should give you and friends some healthy nourishment to enjoy a fun day in Fair Play's wine country. If your Irish, an Irish wannabe or just feel the Irish spirit make sure you visit Fitzpatrick's this month for a taste of Ireland and Uncork the Magic of Fitzpatrick wines.

 

That slogan goes way back to our beginning in 1980 when at that the time Bailey's Irish Cream was sporting the slogan Taste the Magic so I said to meself well let's Uncork the Magic of Fitzpatrick wines and so we did and printed it on everything including our case boxes. A few years down the wine road I notice a wine ad that said uncork the magic in their text. Then one wine tasting event that same winery had a table display with a slogan the same as did I at my table. Overtime this winery being much bigger than I (more than 100 times and possibly 1000 times in production) started headlining their ads with my slogan. Hey I'm small potatoes but I'm not afraid of some big bubbles.

Another year down the wine road and I opened a letter from this bubbly brand's law firm demanding Fitzpatrick wines cease and desist using their Uncork the Magic slogan and enclosed a copy of their copyright. Well, you bastards I thought, as I rummaged through my file cabinet looking for receipts of all the different times I'd printed Uncork the Magic on things promoting our wines. And sure enough my receipts predated their copyright like a raisin is older than a table grape ( actually predated their use by a couple years) but I never copyrighted anything. End of story, right? Hell no.

It's not just a race to the copyright office, one has to search wide and far to see if in fact you are unique in the use of the words you claim to copyright. So I called up this big bubbly house and ask to talk to the president but I got the vice president instead. Now I need to give you a little more background here. Behind the scenes on my side customers were telling me to go after this big bad bubbly and one customer even offered to finance the fight chuckling that we'll end up owning the bubbly house too. Ha Ha but I opted for a little Irish diplomacy first and let my vocal cords release the Irish gift of gab. So after introductions and stating the reason of my call, I said to this VP on the line that after thinking long and hard about this dilemma how they were using my slogan but since they had done such a good job of promoting Uncork the Magic and obviously had spent a million bucks or more so far that it may be in their best interest to negotiate a small settlement with me to clean the slate and truly own the rights to my Uncork the Magic. There wasn't much pause, in fact I don't remember any pause at all, before this little man with the title of VP from the big bubbly house on the other end of the long phone line (no cell phones back then) started preaching to me how there would be no such settlement nor even the thought of negotiations. Then it was my turn. And in my finest Irish manners I told that little VP to get off of his high horse, eat his cease and desist letter and he'll have one stubborn Irishman to deal with in the future. Good day said I (not really) and I've never heard from that bubbling idiot again. 

Notice I haven't mentioned the name of this wining bubbly house. Out of courtesy? Courteous, me? Why I'd rather have a little fun and make you all an offer. Whisper to me the name of this shameless winery as your checking out at the tasting room and I'll add a fourth bottle to your purchase of three (only club members will enjoy combining discounts). Fair Play to you for reading this far and figuring out the name.

 

It's March and things are greening up. Let's Celebrate the Magic of the Vineyards and Uncork the Magic of Fitzpatrick wines. Oh, I didn't tell you from that day on the phone forward I decided to crank up our use of our slogan and you know as famous as they made that slogan I don't even think they use it any more. Who cares right? We've got some celebrating to do, stop by and join us or pull a cork at home and Uncork that Magic that is Fitzpatrick's.