The (almost) Case of the Chateau Rayas

On July 18th, while perusing wine searcher, I found an astonishing price on 3 bottles of 2004 Rayas at $118 per. I purchased them on-line without confirming the price with the retailer (Collectible Fine Wine), expecting that I would be contacted if the price was an error. Here is the exchange that followed. This was my first experience with Collectible Fine Wine, but I suspect it will not be the last. And thanks again, Chadd.

On Jul 19, 2014, at 9:10 AM, Collectible Fine Wine <chadd@collectiblefinewine.com> wrote:

Sean

I made an unfortunate mistake affecting your order. I originally had
2004 Rayas Reserve and 2004 Rayas CdP Blanc. I copied the pricing for
the Blanc over to the Rouge as well. The bottles you ordered, the
2004 Rayas Reserve Rouge were intended to be priced at $300/btl, not
the $118/bottle as shown.

You have not been charged for anything as of right now. If you are
still interested in these bottles I will discount them to $225/btl for
you due to my error, but I can’t, again unfortunately, sell them at
$118/btl.

Please let me know how you would like to proceed, and please accept my
apology for the confusion and the error.

-Chadd

–
Chadd Biehler
Collectible Fine Wine
chadd@collectiblefinewine.com
(707) 238-4095

On Sat, Jul 19, 2014 at 8:38 PM, Sean Moore <moorese@comcast.net> wrote:
No worries, Chad. Seemed like a ridiculously low price. How about two bottles at the $225 price? And thanks for the honesty and gesture.

Sean Moore

Sent from my iPad.

On Jul 21, 2014, at 10:28 AM, Collectible Fine Wine <chadd@collectiblefinewine.com> wrote:

Thank you for understanding, it’s greatly appreciated. I have
attached a revised invoice, let me know how it looks and we can move
forward if everything is as requested.

-Chadd

On Mon, Jul 21, 2014 at 1:55 PM, Moorese <moorese@comcast.net> wrote:
Hey Chadd,

Considering the shipping cost (and time of year), please just go ahead and cancel the order. But I appreciate your flexibility, and will keep an eye on your site. Thanks.

Sean Moore

Sent from my iPhone

(For some reason the 2-day air shipping on the new invoice was listed at $120 for the 2 bottles.)

On Jul 21, 2014, at 10:58 AM, Collectible Fine Wine <chadd@collectiblefinewine.com> wrote:

Whoa. I have no idea where that shipping cost came from. Major typo.
I’ve revised. If you still want to cancel, completely understand.

-Chadd

On Mon, Jul 28, 2014 at 1:54 PM, Moorese <moorese@comcast.net> wrote:
That looks good. Let’s go forward.

Sean Moore.

Sent from my iPhone


From: Collectible Fine Wine <chadd@collectiblefinewine.com>
Date: July 28, 2014 at 8:35:29 PM PDT
To: Moorese <moorese@comcast.net>
Subject: Re: Order #1299
Sean,

I’m holding your order until the weather cools unless you would prefer otherwise. Let me know.

-Chadd

Where’s the indignation and furor over him not honoring it!?!?
Good for you and Chadd is a good guy.

As an aside, Rayas has really gone nutso. Bummer.

I still got 2 bottles at a good price and found a great new retailer. ATL is a bit far from me, but hopefully others more nearby that don’t already do business with Collectible Fine Wine will see this and give them a try. And your aside is most definitely true!

A refreshing story - well played by both parties!

I’ve also had great experiences buying from Chadd.

Wait… so wine isn’t just about getting a product at dirt cheap prices, it’s also about forming good relationships?

Agreed, well played by both parties.

I’m amazed at the price though. I’ve had the wine/vintage in question a couple of times, and I thought them very nice both times - but at US$300/bottle, I can get nice, aged Burg for that. Oh, well…

Best,

N

In fairness to the Bouchard thread, I’m no saint and would have happily paid $118 per for the 3 bottles. I suspected there might be a mistake, and I did not go out of my way to correct it as I thought the retailer would. He did, but it was the way he did that impressed me. And this thread is not about me somehow being a good fellow for not demanding that a seller make good on an error. It’s about a wine merchant meeting a wine drinker in the middle, and me learning a bit about how I will act in such situations in the future.

I got a single bottle of the 2004 Rayas Rouge at a fire sale at Centennial in Dallas for something like $80. I knew it was a good price but later regretted not buying more. It was in a locked, temperature controlled cellar so I feel pretty good about it.

On that same trip I found some 2004 Beaucastel VV Blanc for about $60. Bought it off a room temp shelf but it drank wonderfully a year or two later.

I’ll go $118 for that bottle, Nolan.

The bottle has been on its side for years, based on the sediment it’s throwing it’s only about 3/4 liquid. I’ll have to sell it to you for 25% off.

Good to see that misunderstandings/errors always can get worked out with correct correspondation - that´s how it should always be done, and that´s why we´ve got an intellegent brain for …

(sadly often it´s the opposite …)

By Laws in Quebec, Canada, SAQ needs to sell you one bottle of the wine as the listed and lower price. If the wine is cheaper than $ 10, the client will receive a credit of $ 10.