Does anyone actually “save the date” with the emails we get from wineries regarding the upcoming release. We do it for weddings - because we need to avoid scheduling anything else that day. However, I am never literally marking my calendar with the upcoming release date when I get notification from one of the lists/allocations I am signed up for. I don’t need to keep track of this myself - I can just wait for the inevitable email on the day the release is open, and go from there.
I suppose the main purpose of these emails is simply to drive up some anticipation and maybe discussion/hype on boards like these. Are you guys actually “saving the date” and putting these on your calendar? Just curious…
I’m obviously not in the in category of wineries that sell out immediately, but I never quite understood the practice either. Why would a customer buying from a winery that’s at risk of always selling out be benefitted from this vs. just buying when the email blast comes out?
Yes, I add them to my calendar. As Sherri notes, allocations are often not guaranteed.
Plus, knowing what releases are coming in the next month helps me decide how deep I want to go on any given release. If it’s a busy month, I spread the love around more vs. making larger purchases from any given winery. Knowing that a month is going to be busy with releases I anticipate buying from also prompts me to slow or forgo purchases from other places like auctions and retailers. My wine budget isn’t bottomless.
I’m only on a small amount of lists but I appreciate the heads up and alway put them in my calendar. Main reason is I only check my personal email a few times a week so I could miss it on the day it hits.
Because if alerted ahead of time, I can put it on my calendar with a reminder and I can be sure to be available. I don’t always promptly get/check my “internet purchase” email account (I can’t be the only person who does not use their “real” email for mailing lists), not to mention that some go to spam. A couple of the highly allocated lists send a card or note by regular mail in advance, which I have appreciated as well.
I like advance notice. I don’t buy tons but am attached to the ones I buy and ike the chance to think through budget and what’s already here and which I am drinking most.
Well stated. I don’t do these for my releases either - but mine are not as ‘anticipated’ or sought after as the likes of Bedrock, Carlisle, Sandlands or the innumerable Napa Cab producers. It makes sense as a consumer - and in this board, we see plenty if reminders of "save the dates’, so they certainly seem effective.
For me, it helps allocate funds. If I know a release is coming up that I want and will be a big hit to the cc, I’ll make sure I don’t consider other offers from retailers or wineries that might be secondary in my preference.
But, practically speaking, I’ve stopped buying wine other than about 3-4 lists per year and no more BDX futures so it isn’t all that important other than a heads up that my wallet is about to hurt and I can get mentally prepared. 2020 being a wipe out year for Napa will also be a nice break, although it’s terrible for the wineries.
I like the advance notice so I can see which wines I’m interested in, plan a bit that day- much better than just getting a random email during the workday “hey time to buy now!”
Yes & that is why I pulled off the road in Lost Hills on Hwy 46 at the big cut out of James Dean. It was a first come, first serve allocation and I knew I’d be driving that day so I set a reminder in my phone.
Release dates are important because of wine that will sell out and also if we have wineries with release grouped together we need to make dollar decisions about where our money goes.
I like them, I put an electronic notifier in my calendar so I don’t miss the tightly allocated wines. I try to avoid email when on vacation knowing that if someone needs to get ahold of me they will call. Well, the wineries don’t call! Still pissed (at myself) that I missed Outpost’s 2014’s, especially their Immigrant bottling, while on a vacation.
In the summer I try to get out camping with the kids for 1-2 weeks at a time often out of cell signal. Just got back from a 10 day trip during which Saxum released. If they hadn’t sent the “save-the-date” email I would have missed that. Instead I emailed them my interest before I left and they took care of me.
I think they are helpful. I was out of town for Marcassin’s release letter and when I got back 2 weeks later it appears they were sold out (at least they haven’t cashed my check yet). Had I known, I would have likely called and sent in a check before I left.
There are a handful of lists I would not be on or wouldn’t have certain wines in my collection if I didn’t log in about 1/2 hour prior to the release and click the refresh button a few times, since a lot of these allocations that sell out quickly or do first come first serve for their waitlist, and often open anywhere from 1/2 hr to a few minutes earlier than indicated in the “save the date” emails.
As others have noted, some wines will sell out quickly, so I always put a hold on my work calendar at the release time to make sure nobody schedules a call with me at that time.
2nd, 3rd or 10th the sentiment that it’s nice to know in advance for allocations that sell out. Not only is it a good reminder but I can block the calendar so a client meeting doesnt pop in there.
Also, I’ve noticed I tend to go deeper on allocations if they’ve been in my mind for a week or so, especially if I know what is on the release as well. I’m not on many lists but RM, Bedrock and Kutch all came out today.
RM I had time to think about and read the release notes well in advance. I went deep knowing that this year was the last of HL for a long while and next year is going to be very limited.
Bedrock, I was aware but didn’t know the offering until today. I defaulted to my go to’s.
Kutch I didn’t see until today and bought a couple of bottles as an after thought since I already had my RM and Bedrock purchased.