Knowing what you mean but the region’s importers list is distributed towards the Domaine and so this for me is still “the list”.
So interesting to see the original post from 2015 and how times have changed.
Off the Saxum list after 4 years but I’m going to pass and let others jump in. Just not my style after trying a few.
What are the current domestics where if you sign up right now, you won’t have an offer to buy within 1 year?
Screagle
SQN
Macdonald
Cayuse
Saxum
Kinsman?
Scarecrow?
Jasud?
I think Harlan and Promontory are right at 1-2 years last I heard? Bond I think is shorter.
I am basically down to Macdonald’s list at this point, and have dropped or passed on anything else. I have too much wine already and don’t really need a steady annual inflow of any one wine. Too many other wines I want to explore.
I’d guess a few on that list may keep the wait a bit longer than necessary (or have no actual wait at all) to keep the scarcity and exclusivity alive. Harlan comes to mind (from my own experience), and I’d also wonder about SQN and Cayuse, with so many follow up emails. Jasud was my last purchase and I’m not sure I’ll go in on the next offer if I get one.
I think you can get on Harlan and Promitory right away if you sign up for automatic allocation.
Pretty sure I got a Harlan offer within 2yrs but that was 2023-24 and I passed
I’ve had mixed results with Saxum. Sometimes they are alcoholic and jammy, sometimes they carry the huge profile welll. It seems to vary based on bottling and occasionally bottle age. For myself, I don’t feel the cost is justified.
Leonetti just notified me I’d be added to the mailing list after 2 years, but almost certainly going to pass.
Maybe so, but a waitlist is a waitlist regardless of the cause. I have my doubts on Screagle too. I think the amount that seems to end up in distribution for restaurants suggests they’re not fully selling out to the mailing list.
Even if they were, they’d surely make more clearing someone off the waitlist and selling D2C than through distribution. How many restaurants are there that REALLY give them a halo effect of association with their brand? Like 2-3 dozen? Yeah, it’s great to be on the list at Per Se and 4 Charles, but there’s no need - from their perspective - to be on the list at the best restaurant in Huntsville, AL or Providence, RI.
Screagle has an endless list of people waiting and I would surmise unless you are someone they want on their list that they believe will drink it it themselves you arent getting on. A very high percentage of those on the list signed up to buy and flip it. They don’t need to address that market they are well aware of
The funny thing is how many e-mails I keep getting from producers still trying to play up the scarcity/FOMO card.
If I was a producer Id open up a release and say who ever wants to buy it come and get as much as you want.
Marcassin just added some new folks, though still a wait. I think Piper has a waiting list, and possibly Palisades Canyon as well.
I heard Rivers-Marie just had a spot open up the other week. ![]()
FOMO is real. I too am long-time collector-drinker. Finally opening "good stuff’ on a weeknight. With Mike Officer ceasing operations fairly soon, am surprised passed if you’re a fan. I passed on last three Aubert releases, never bought R-M or Saxum. Big fan of Mowe and KE. No hope of drinking Macdonald so began purchasing Palisades Canyon.
Easy “no,” since you can routinely get it for less money at auction, with no wait list or minimum purchase.
Of course, that goes for a lot of allocated wines.
Saxum doesn’t have a minimum. In regards to auction, it might be less, but add buyer’s premium and shipping and it’s probably a wash with no provenance guarantee.
The Saxum I own post 2012 was all purchased on the secondary market for a lower price than from the winery, and I factor in all costs from any source. I agree with you about the provenance, its always nice to buy directly from the winery.
I just looked at Winebid as an example and by the time you pay all the costs, it’s $2 less than release price. So I guess you’re right.
I need a bigger discount than that! ![]()
If you don’t buy from them regularly, they drop you. So yeah, that’s a minimum.