i think it semi-worked out for Eric. He was able to speak to someone that mattered. Despite initially (or maybe still?) feeling victimized, they apologized and they all made their peace. Maybe he didn’t get the resolution he ultimately wanted, but he seems okay with how it turned out.
The winery/partnership learned a lesson in paying attention to their customer based. Tusk is a pretty small mailing list so I’m sure they’ll find a replacement in the end and those that buy will still buy after reading this thread.
Eric, I think your post revealed perhaps some of the weaknesses in these ultra premium wineries which is basically, customer service. No matter the claims you make on your website or consulting winemaker etc… you REALLY need great communication between your winery staff and its customer’s (especially at this level/price point).
Most negative comments are in reaction to their website, and have nothing to do with the original issue. I don’t understand the idea of “not naming names” because one wants to – what? – protect the winery from honest and - quite frankly - reasonable negative comments about the winery’s website. The winery published(-es) their website, not anyone else. The winery chose how to advertise themselves, and - yes - a reasonable viewpoint on the winery’s choices regarding their website is that the website induces gag reflex. Are there other valid viewpoints? Sure. But that doesn’t invalidate the negative ones.
If the website on which everyone in this thread has been commenting wasn’t the way it was, all those negative comments disappear. The website practically invites criticism and mockery. Many of us actually actively fight against the reputation that “being into wine” carries — generally, a snobbish, rich white guy thing; the website in question, among other things, perpetuates this reputation.
As a restaurant wine buyer and consumer who biught and drank Napa wines beginning with the ‘89 vintage the appearance of Opus One and Dominus seemed expensive and, particularly with Opus One, a touch pretentious it never felt outlandishly so. No one held a gun to my head, and $45-60 was expensive but a three pack of each was no where near a mortgage payment.
Devil’s Advocate, as a winery owner-I might prefer kinder terminology than “called out on my bullshit” but honest opinions are, IMO, necessary for most business owners. While I am not looking for 10,000 emails listing everything I have ever done wrong, if a mailing list member has a bad experience it’s beneficial for me to know about it and be able to 1) let the person know that even if I can’t change the situation I’m still sorry it happened and 2) review whether or not I can make real changes to our operations to address what created the negative experience. I can’t fix everything but I would still rather know.
Pretty much why I’ve never shared an experience at a high end winery that was sort of the opposite end of this one. Even though it wouldn’t be a “pile on magnet” I’m sure some would still find a reason to.
This experience is one of the main reasons why I preface any email to a winery (related to a tasting/visit) indicating whether or not I am a current mailing list member. I get the winery position of people wanting something for nothing and wanting to avoid being taken advantage of, but if you support a winery with your pocketbook, there should be an implied preferential treatment for at least you and your spouse/SO.
Also, as Napa prices continue to inflate, it’s a solid reminder to trim the mailing list and truly support those who deserve your dollars.
This makes 100% sense. To be clear, i was shaming those who were going after certain wineries on this thread for the text and aesthetic of their website. As for bad customer service, there are (almost) always constructive and thoughtful ways of complaining!
I totally agree, particularly when the tasting is supposed to be a unique experience and the interaction is very personal.
My good friend here, Judd Finkelstein, owns Judd’s Hill with his wife. It’s at the bottom of the Silverado Trail. His parents were original co-founders of Whitehall Lane (they sold it decades ago). Judd’s Hill makes wines that are targeted towards the casual wine enthusiast, someone who is coming out on vacation, doesn’t want to pay a lot of money for a tasting, likes wine but doesn’t think too hard about it, and wants something that’s drinkable now, well-made, and is priced in a range that’s a bit of a splurge to make it special but isn’t shocking. In other words, this is very much a Napa winery that’s at the other end of the price spectrum from those mentioned on this thread.
They focus, above just about everything else, on insanely high-quality hospitality and service at all points in the process. Judd is kinda known for that. As a result, they’re highly-rated on travel sites and they keep their wine club members very happy. It’s how they’re able to distinguish themselves from the hundreds of other places slinging juice that’ll be happy to step into the fold.
Almost everyone is coming to Napa (or any other wine region) because it’s an indulgence into a lifestyle that’s almost certainly nothing like real life. They want and deserve to be pampered and treated right whether they’re dropping $1k for a tasting or $20 at the bar. Of course, not every employee is going to be perfect and there will always be poor interactions. But, it’s really freakin’ hard to sell wine, and the hospitality program exists for that very purpose.
There’s presumably more than one wine because there are different bottle prices so let’s say it’s 1/5th of a bottle, but I otherwise agree. It upends the purpose of a tasting.
My most generous assessment of what they’re doing is allowing you a taste of wine you already bought so that you can gauge the drinking window you want to enter on CT without needing to open one of your own bottles.
I’ve tried in vain to find that image of [I think it was] The Todd, standing atop a red Shelby cobra, shotgun on hip, slamming some Napa cab. What an image!
