Spam haters, 1st amendment lovers, how can we help?

I got a typical spammish email today:

Subject: Pontet-Canet USB flash drive & bottle of wine
Date: Thu, 3 Jan 2008 16:43:20 +0100

"Hello, I take the liberty to contact you while my company (located in Bordeaux - France), just launched a new cute and modern international concept about wine. I joined you an English press release about it. You can also have a look at : http://www.bewineconnected.com Maybe this information could interest you, and my best wishes for this new year J Thanks in advance, Best regards, Emmanuel Etcheparre

I blessed Hotmail for its Spam catching abilities [somewhat new found], but something made me respond:

Interesting. I'm interested in reviewing your site on a number of wine boards. How did you get my email address? I need to know if this is a legitimate website. Thanks, Bob

The reply was a bit evasive:

Dear Sir, Thanks very much for your answer. I found your mail within a wine lover forum. I know that my request is originally not wanted from you, and I apologize for that. But my very small French company tries its best to let know people about our own creation... it is not so simple ! If you feel you would need some more information, or get suggestions feel free to mail me ... Thanks in advance for your answer, Best regards, Emmanuel Etcheparre

I was still pretty suspicious:

Dear Mr. Etcheparre, Thank you for your kind reply; you seem like a honorable person. Could you tell me which wine lover site had the email address? I'm asking because many wine lovers are very sensitive to what is called "harvesting" email addresses. I would like to address the issue in my review. For example, on on the Wine Lovers Discussion Group, there would be an indication that the email came to me through the discussion group, but I didn't see that indication on your email. Just to be clear, I have no trouble with unsolicited email, but many of my wine loving friends do. Regards, Bob

His reply was a bit reassuring:

Dear Bob, I read within stratsplace forum, an article from you about Leoville Lascase... and found your mail there.... [True enough.] I also read and noticed other articles from you on Internet... [Again, true enough.] That's why I took the liberty to contact you...

However, I won't lie you, and of course, I try to "harvest" manually wine lovers mail, but all the time, only after reading each post, for people who seem to enjoy wine and share their passions for it... That is today my only way to promote our product through Internet, and to try to make people enjoying our concept.... My best regards Emmanuel Etcheparre

I'm still not convinced, of course:

Dear Emanuel, Thanks for your open and honest response. Let me think about how we can present your message to wine lovers in a more effective way. I'll write again in a couple of days with some suggestions; right now I'm drinking a 2000 CdP that's made me pretty mellow. No charge for my advice, of course, and you are totally free to ignore it. But I really like your site. Regards, Bob

So what do you think, folks?

1. Is a bleeding heart, First Amendment, OF being snookered one more time?

2. Or, how could we help this fellow?

Regards, Bob

Bob, are you saying that this email went in your spam folder in the first place and you retrieved it?

I also got the same one some time ago on a few of my wine related emails.

It doesn't bother me. Its a one off email targeted at wine lovers. As you say, its an individual trawling through the web for wine related email addresses, (Just hope he doesn't sell them) and that individual is responding to emails.

(If that sounds contradictory to my comments about Benchmarkhere its because they are sending daily emails which they claiim I asked for)

Hotmail caught it just fine, Peter.

I'm just empathizing with him a bit -- how should a relatively small winery publicize itself?

Regards, and Happy New Year. Bob

[Jenise]

I try to "harvest" manually wine lovers mail, but all the time, only after reading each post, for people who seem to enjoy wine and share their passions for it... That is today my only way to promote our product through Internet, and to try to make people enjoying our concept.... My best regards Emmanuel Etcheparre

I didn't get any spam from him so obviously I'm not passionate enough. Well, I never....!

I'm just empathizing with him a bit -- how should a relatively small winery publicize itself?

Is this a winery? I first got this email in Nov, and ignored it. But because of your post I checked site. What I see is someone offering for 35 euros a really cheesy product- a USB drive containing a bunch of things that are usually free- a freeware cellar program, a vintage chart, a promo video from a chateau. I guess some people pay for ringtones, but usually of copyrighted stuff, not the sound of bottles opening (and what's the ringing sound- Jancis hitting a spitoon from 3 meters?).

I don't get too upset about targeted emails, I just junk them. As far as I can see, he's not repeating the emails enough to be a real annoyance, nor is faking an address. But I don't see anything about his product that makes me feel I would want to help him spread the word!

One thing I didn't say in the previous (Benchmark) discussion is that I don't get too upset by unsolicited business email if it doesn't violate Can Spam act:
No misleading header information
No misleading subject lines
An opt-out method
Give valid physical postal address

Not because I'm wedded to legalities, but because all of those things are important to stop abuse. The ones that piss me off are the faked headers, so creating rules doesn't help. Now that pisses me off.

Thanks, Dale. I'm not sure it's a winery either. Bob