Saying that some participants in their “Romantic Winery Tour” program have been gays and lesbians p.o.’d about California’s unequal marriage laws, Bart and Barb O’Brien decided to see if they help turn things around by raising money for Equality California, the state’s leading advocate for gay marriage. So their eponymous O’Brien Family Vineyards set up an “Equality Wine Store” and promised to donate 20 percent of its sales of chardonnay, merlot, and cabernet to EQCA. My first reaction to the news was to go shopping, and I’m satisfied so far with how my purchase made my heart feel; I’ll report soon on how it treats my palate.

Second response: who are the O’Briens, and why this bandwagon?

Clearly they don’t have a problem with making love: there’s the perfect-date tours, the giant “O” on the labels, the Bordeaux-style blend called Seduction. But for most straight people, no matter how open and empathetic, there’s some significant, usually very personal step between hopeless romantic and homophile activist. (It’s a step even the Cheneys aren’t able to make.) Or perhaps the O’Briens just really love their gay customers.