It was terrible. It was so bad. Google "synonyms for awful" and that will tell you everything you need to know.
To start- I'm a recent college graduate with a background in the wine industry- from working wine tastings to stomping grapes as a harvest intern. I'm no expert, but I know a good deal more than the average person.
I found the posting on Craigslist and sent in my resume. I received a call from Montesquieu and was asked to come in for a group interview.
I then looked up Montesquieu and should have run in the opposite direction after seeing its atrocious Yelp and Glassdoor reviews. Instead, maybe just for kicks, I went in for the interview.
First, I was led through a loud and unappealing "sales floor." Bad music was blasting and poorly-dressed people were scattered around the room. Why do I mention poorly-dressed? Because Montesquieu loves to brag about how much money its "wine brokers" make. If these people were truly making between $60-$100k per year, at least a couple would be wearing decent clothes. It looked like a commercial for a dating site for people who shop exclusively at Old Navy outlet. Again, I don't mean to sound superficial. As a student of economics and statistics, I know that it is very unlikely that not one out of 30-plus well-paid adults would be dressed nicely.
Next, I sat down at a large table with other Montesquieu hopefuls- a motley crew indeed. A manager came in and spouted a bunch of nonsense about wine and making money and such. He clearly knew nothing about wine. He also told us about the sales model- it is LITERALLY telemarketing. You get a call list of rich people, call them at work and then try to sell them wine they've never heard of. Look at Montesquieu's Yelp reviews- people hate this. Obviously. He also tried to convince us that the "sales floor" was a super-fun, wild, party-time atmosphere. Anyone who has ever had actual fun would not look at that mess and think, "Wow, cool!"
After that came the individual interviews. As the rest of us waited, I asked if anyone had looked up Montesquieu and seen its terrible ratings/reviews. About half had. We awkwardly laughed.
Eventually, it was my turn to be interviewed. The manager asked me typical interview questions. When it came time for me to ask him questions, I asked if people were ever angry when they were called at work. I knew the answer- yes, duh, they get angry- but I wanted to hear his response. He said that they are NEVER upset (a blatant lie) and got peeved. He also seemed angry that I knew anything about wine. Their ridiculous pitches probably only work on people who know absolutely nothing about decent wine.
Not surprisingly, I was not offered a job.
Honestly, I don't think Montesquieu is a legitimate company. I think they buy wine in bulk and slap on their own label. My former boss, a well-respected winemaker, had never heard of them. Neither had his wife, who happens to be a Master of Wine. I don't think anyone who gets hired makes good money. Reading reviews on Glassdoor, it seems like most get fired pretty quick.
In short: If you are looking for a job, don't look to Montesquieu. If you are an investigator looking to bring down this sham, give me a call. I'd love to chat.
