Feel free to suggest questions
Why is the wine selection in the new Richmond, VA store so weak? Very pedestrian and very overpriced.
Do they have a ‘target’ price range on the retail side? What is their strategy in pricing when compared to other retail establishments, suggested retail prices, or even discount retailers, given they have pretty decent buying power?
How do they determine whom to buy locally? We see some attention to Ohio wines here. Obviously this applies less in CA, but do they attempt to buy from local wineries in each state? If so, do they attempt to taste those wines and market them in other states? Do they allocate a certain percentage of their purchases to local wineries?
How do they store and ship between stores? I have been in several of the larger Whole Foods wine departments. They had a very nice selection and had some higher end wines. All were just on shelves - not in temperature controlled areas.
Also - do they have wine buyers in each store? The manager at the store I have used is very knowledgeable and helpful.
Does he actually visit Spanish wineries in his search for bargains 
For a very brief time, I worked for Doug Bell in '97 at Harry Farmers Market Alpharetta, Ga. The wine program there was one of the top in the state covering all bases. It was a HUGE wine department, pretty much dwarfing most Whole Foods wine dept’s. I’ve seen recently.
I imagine Doug is buying based on his clientele that shops at Whole Foods, which is a very specific group. But with the economy changing, I would be interested in his direction, and if those higher end wines are still moving like they used to. Hey, those folks shopping at Whole Foods are STILL buying the foods at those prices. But are they still buying the wines?
Doug Bell was a great guy to work for. Very happy to see his success.
Does a wine being organic / biodynamic / natural / sustainable enter into their decision making process? And with what weight if yes? At one point, this was their turf.
I am under the impression “organic” is ingrained in their branding
Not when it comes to wine, Jay. At least not any more.