In California's Sonoma Valley, where vineyards cater to wine snobbery, a woman phoned the classified ad department of a newspaper.

She offered for sale what sounded like "well-aged Caumeneur." The ad-taker was used to the infusion of French words into the local vocabulary, but was unfamiliar with that particular wine. "Could you please spell that?" she asked. "You know, " said the woman impatiently, "C-o-w M-a-n-u-r-e.

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