Benchmark Wine Group: Caution!

[Mo_K_a_n_g]

@Rick Gregory

@Mo K a n g

@Rick Gregory

Mo -

Is it POSSIBLE that a staff order will win even though it’s second? Sure. That contradicts what Mike said though. I see no reason Mike would lie and in fact, no reason for any retailer to prefer staff orders over web orders (or vice versa). A sale is a sale. If Benchmark wanted to give preferential treatment they’d segment their mailing list by interest group or length of time one’s been a customer, amount purchased, etc. And guess what? It would be their right to do that.

At the end of the day, this is just whining. Whenever you have a large retailer who sends out 50,000 emails and a small quantity of desirable wine you will see this. Not all of the time, but occasionally. Guess what? Life goes on. Suck it up and move on.

I asked MIKE for clarification. It is not obvious how a credit card can be charged or how an order confirmation (with a non-zero quantity) can be sent out and then canceled on “reconciliation” after the fact if there is no human intervention. As far as a retailer giving preferential treatment to staff-placed orders vs. anonymous web orders in cases where there is conflict-- I would think that this would be quite understandable. This is not contradicting what Mike said, and please do not imply that I accused Mike of lying. Yes, the original post was a bit of whining but if you don’t want to read whiny posts about things that don’t matter much in the big picture, stay away from wine boards! The only thing I have to whine about is people who inexplicably want to defend someone (Mike/BWG) who is not being attacked in any way (and in fact has gotten deservedly nice comments here), and those who answer questions posed to someone else, despite having no direct knowledge of the matter.

No, you directly implied that Benchmark might be favoring internally placed orders over web orders. And Mike’s clarification was simply a restatement of his initial post. What I don’t like is that innocent-seeming questions like yours can be restated by others to sound less innocent - that’s how rumors get started. And since this is much ado about not a damn thing, I commented on it.

If you just want Mike’s comments and no one elses, send a PM.

I ASKED, I did not imply, based on the OP’s experience. I thought the answer may be useful to other people, which is why I did not use the PM route. You may want to ask yourself who is making “much ado” about this. It seems like the only “rumor” to come out of this thread is how great Benchmark is…I didn’t realize that “others” could nefariously damage Benchmark with my question, but I guess I’ll take your word for it. Feel free to add the final comment, as this is getting silly.

[john_holdredge]

I’LL add the final comment: Rod- damnit, you opened a 69-71 Lot Z without me. My heart is broken. My faith is destroyed.

[Rick_Gregory]

John,

In the finest tradition of WB I suggest an open letter about your angst.

[Rod_Berglund]

@john holdredge

@Rod Berglund

@john holdredge

That doesnt make the pain of my “missing” 72 Swan any easier to bear.

John, I remembered your tale of woe so I brought our last bottle to the "bored" meeting this morning. Alas, you were not there so I took it home. Unfortunately our neighbor in Trenton (and your winery neighbor) Guy Davis saw it at our annual Trenton Town Party tonight (remember Trenton--no longer a town, it's an illusion") and we decided to open it in your honor. Don't worry, he'll tweet about it![/quote]

He just sent pics.

I just emailed him back with a picture of how we roll in HBG.

3 Old Barolos and some white truffles the size of tennis balls.

Bite me.

Yeah, photo shop does amazing things these days.

[Rod_Berglund]

@john holdredge

@Rod Berglund

@john holdredge

That doesnt make the pain of my “missing” 72 Swan any easier to bear.

John, I remembered your tale of woe so I brought our last bottle to the “bored” meeting this morning. Alas, you were not there so I took it home. Unfortunately our neighbor in Trenton (and your winery neighbor) Guy Davis saw it at our annual Trenton Town Party tonight (remember Trenton–no longer a town, it’s an illusion") and we decided to open it in your honor. Don’t worry, he’ll tweet about it!

And now he has sent a pic of the “69-71 Lot Z”. You sir know well my penchant for this wine. You have repeatedly stated you had none, and in fact even said the only guy you knew with any lived in SoCal. Now, I have photo proof of that very wine being poured by you for the Trenton event. I have further verified the guy from SoCal was not present last night. My pain is searing and unending. Shame on you sir. Shame.[/quote]

I found a bottle in an odd box mixed in with our newer library wines. There was also a '73 and some other stray wines. I must have hidden them there the last time you were over but the alcohol haze was too strong for me to remember much. However, I did find another half case in the cellar. Not sure how I missed it before. I would put your name on a bottle but you would be even more pissed when I opened it without you.

Oh, I am not biting you. I am thinking about becoming a vegetarian and only bite herbivores.

[john_holdredge]

I found a bottle in an odd box > mixed in with our newer library wines. There was also a '73 and some other stray wines. I must have hidden them there the last time you were over but the alcohol haze was too strong for me to remember much. However, I did find another half case in the cellar. Not sure how I missed it before. > I would put your name on a bottle but you would be even more pissed when I opened it without you> …

[/quote]

“I found a bottle in a box”- the California equivilant of my childhood catch-phrase: “It fell off a truck”.


“I would put your name on a bottle…etc.”…This is jihad Berglund. Jihad. (hope I spelled it right)

[Cris_Whetstone]

I assume those were “found” in order to bring them down for the pre-Falltacular dinner in January?

[Rod_Berglund]

@Cris Whetstone

I assume those were “found” in order to bring them down for the pre-Falltacular dinner in January?

Now that John knows about them, and also knows how to get into the cellar, I am not sure that they will last that long!

As for the winter Falltacular I am not sure that I can make it this year. The first part of the year is already getting jammed. We have Winter Wineland up here on the weekend of the 15th and after a few years of not doing it we are planning on doing it again this year (if I can figure a way to cover my absence on Saturday as I am supposed to be at Pinot Days in Santa Monica). I am not sure that I am up to back-to-back weekends in SoCal. Add to that an early February trip to Minnesota and another one to Orange county about the same time for a friends '70 Bordeaux tasting and that is probably all of the air miles I want to accumulate for awhile. If I could fly directly to John Wayne instead of LAX from Sonoma County it would be a lot easier.

[john_holdredge]

@Rod Berglund

@Cris Whetstone

I assume those were “found” in order to bring them down for the pre-Falltacular dinner in January?

Now that John knows about them, and also knows how to get into the cellar, I am not sure that they will last that long!
.

If I’m late arriving to dinner tonight, don’t read anything into it. Nothing at all…

[Bill_Tex_Landreth]

@Rick Gregory

John,

In the finest tradition of WB I suggest an open letter about your angst.

Gregory, you better watch that shit.

[Rick_Gregory]

@Bill Tex Landreth

@Rick Gregory

John,

In the finest tradition of WB I suggest an open letter about your angst.

Gregory, you better watch that shit.

Eh, write me a letter. Oh wait, you did…