I visited the new wine store at 1600 S. 300 West twice last week. And while I was impressed with the selections, I couldn't help but wonder who designed the new building?

The large windows on the east and west sides of the store as well as the center skylight let in so much sun and heat that the chardonnays are cooking in their bottles. (An employee said a retractable shade for the front windows is ordered.)
When the Park City store opened more than a year ago, I heard similar complaints about "too much sun" on the wines. I figured with the new Salt Lake City store, the Division of Alcohol Beverage Control wouldn't make the same mistake twice.

Ironically, the DABC doesn't have to go far for expert help. Brett Clifford, the premium wine buyer for the state, is already on staff and paid big bucks for his wine knowledge. If he had been asked, no doubt he would have told them that sun, heat and temperature variations are the enemies of wine. (Not surprisingly, Brett's favorite wine "picks" are against the north wall, away from the sun)

As taxpayers, do we chalk it up to government inefficiency? Or is it just further proof that problems occur when you put teetotalers in charge of alcohol?