You think the relative value has gone down over time at CSW? But that’s because of general inflation in the wine world and nothing specific to CSW?
Either way, I’m not so sure. I’ve been shopping at CSW pretty much since the beginning and never really thought of them as a ‘bargain’ shop. They did specialize in regions with good value (like the Loire) and they continue to stock wines from those regions with good value. But maybe the names don’t leap out at your eyes anymore because they’ve become more commonplace.
I think it’s mainly been David’s finds that they DI which have been the real bargains. Thinking of things like Gonon before it went over $30. Guion when it was something like $12, or even the early LDM days when working closely with Chambers.
“Bargain shop” to me evokes the image of cheap metal racks and case stacks. Anyone familiar with the place knows that isn’t the case (and, again, I worked there). David was always about “Why buy that bottle, this is as good and it’s half the price.” Jamie, god bless him, not so much. The tussles they would get into. Grower Champagne was never “cheap” and they were cutting edge. Croix Boissee was never cheap. Lopez Gran Reserva was never cheap. And so on. My only point is that were one a “bottom feeder” one could fill a case with very credible and interesting wines. Inflation has brought prices up, of course. What was $10 is now $15. What was $15 is now $22. And so on. So any “bottom feeder” has to adjust. Or switch to Corona.
Also, I think store buyers have changed over time (why wouldn’t they) and there’s more natty wines than in the past. Not my interest. CSW is not alone in this, gotta change with the times.
I could have picked a half a dozen other stores as examples. All the places I mentioned were illustrative of the “does the house pay for good staff/service” balanced against “getting the client the best prices possible.” As a born and bred Manhattanite I feel very little tug to NYC any longer, including sojourns for this or that wine. Cest la vie.
Only one example, but a 30ish YO friend and former co-worker told me last week she can’t handle it. There’s too much. “Buying a 6 pack of Sam Adams is so much easier.”
Gonon price inflation is a dynamic that is much broader than CSW!
But they’re still selling Guion at $14.99 for the Candide, $16.99 for the Authentique and $25.99 for the Deux Monts, which is pretty much the same pricing spirit of old. I know lots has changed in the shop over the years, but a lot has remained the same (e.g. great Loire values, lots of old Piedmont).
Yes, I don’t think this is really a CSW issue. Still lots of lower priced wines (in today’s dollars) for bottom feeders. Not sure if you think there are other places that do a better job of catering to that spirit? Maybe it’s just that the bottom feeder wines are less thrilling to you these days?
Yes and no. CSW always had lots of unstable natty wine. Puzelat, Overnoy and Montrieux (and many others) were always a gamble in stability, and they were core CSW selections in the early days.
For me, the big change is the place of (wine) retail in the culture, as it used to be more of a hangout. But that seems to pick up on some of the points you’re raising about being able to afford knowledgeable staff. And also obviously the rise of online shopping.
It is a chart of wine cellar demand from the major suppliers. Most of the vendors listed in their sample sell standalone units while some others are larger cellar solutions. Hence why you can have many people say they have a 1000+ bottle collection but the market shows a lot of demand for 500 bottle standalone units.
That depends on what you mean by “better”. I like that home RO devices are so common now, but I’d much rather buy a bottle of spring water than drink chlorinated tap water.
