Interesting that the '09 is totally sold out, but they link to Cellartracker from their own website, and yet only one review posted (and I think it was the only bottle inventoried). None available on Wine Searcher. Based on the drinking window for the '09 (2 hour decant if consumed in the next 2-4 years, but should hold up for about 10 years), I’m guessing this will be about $40-60. Might be a tough sell, though, given the presumed overall weakness of the 2010 Cali vintage. I’d love to hear more about the '09.
Bill,
Your post implied a cause/effect relationship with the wine going into the retail chain and the retail price doubling. I don’t see it that way at all. Generally the winery sets the ‘suggested retail’ for their wine and works backward from there as all markets can vary. By selling direct and ‘cutting out the middlemen,’ the winery is generally taking the greater profit for themselves.
Your 3 tier pricing model is a fine representation for the sake of argument, but that’s not an example of the price ‘doubling’ for consumers.
Also, if you talk to most of the smart shoppers around here, I think they’ll tell you that any time a wine is available at retail it can almost in every case be found somewhere for less than what it’s sold for at the winery.
I think there is a cause/effect, but it is at the beginning when a wine maker sets his “suggested retail”. A winemaker has hard costs and overhead that must be covered If selling through wholesalers/retailers, retail is set at price that allows all three to stay in business plus what the winery thinks the market will bear (assuming the wine sells of course). If selling direct like a David Coffaro then only what they think is reasonable profit needs to be considered. Coffaro Forum: Letter to Wine Business Monthly
Yes because wholesalers/retailers can discount to move wine, a winery generally cannot without pissing off their distribution channels.
I am not trying to complain about retailers profits, or blame any downstream parties for wine pricing. The winery chooses there distribution method and set the “retail” pricing accordingly.
Roy, your photos are tremendous. You should do an appellation photo book!
Sorry for the unintended hijack. It is a beautiful area with some outstanding vineyards.
No worries Bill. Brent is right BTW, generally retailers will be offering at the winery price for a tiny production, mostly mailing list type situation (if at all) as I think this will be. Or more, of course, if the market makes it so, e.g. SQN, etc.
I got on the list. WTF- it’s a great name. And TRB doesn’t make plonk. And Blicker has a decent palate 9although he hoards the really cool stuff instead of selling it). And Piper takes good photos. No brainer.
Thanks, Truett. Of course I meant Mike Smith. That’s who we were talking about.
My thoughts exactly…not just only one review, only one bottle listed in stock. The entire vintage is sold out and only one bottle is listed on CT? That’s a bit of a stretch for my imagination. I would have expected at least a few buyers would be using CT.
The wine has not been released, so it’s not sold out. It’s upcoming.
Stefan… according to their website, the 2009 is sold out.
Hm. Well, I don’t know. I just drank it and liked it!
A bit of a stretch? A wine that is not yet available for sale is already ‘sold out’ and not available anywhere or listed on CT? But yet they’ll sell you the lesser 2010 vintage when that becomes available? To me, that is one heck of a stretch.
The only explanation I can come up with is that '09 produced a VERY small crop.
That must be it, because I certainly can’t think of any other explanation. ![[snort.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/b/bdc3944606213c4dca6c1169cf0a166c8bc4f8c9.gif "snort.gif"){kind=small}
Not to go too far OT, but this comes from the STC website:
It will fill out over the next two to four years and drink well for up to ten years.
10 years? That’s it? Shouldn’t it last significantly longer?
Interesting to see it said.
Just got this.
Our Apologies for any confusion caused by the phrase “sold out” with respect to the 2009 vintage of Stone The Crows. Only thirty-five cases were produced and they were made available to friends and to the wine industry on a complimentary basis. Any remaining bottles are in our wine library. We are considering the possibility of making a very limited number of bottles of the 2009 available to purchasers of the 2010 vintage.
Very truly yours,
Stone The Crows
Being a winery owner and winemaker, I just asked them to send my “complimentary basis” bottle to me. I think I deserve it.
That…or a swift kick in the nvtz.