Couldn’t they just open up their mailing list instead of selling to retail?
That would seem to make more sense, but I assume that some SQN is always available at retail, no? It’s ‘readily available’ now because fewer people are buying it.
Maybe more people than normal are selling theirs to shops.
Yahtzee!
Well that and manfred seems pretty loyal to the original retailers who bought his early vintages. Not a bad thing to put a small amount into retail. Some w deep pockets but knowledge of RP or WS may see it purchase and then become a big fan
Yes, and I suspect that SQN is also loyal to certain restaurants that supported the wines way back when, before all the hoopla.
That said, I would assume that MOST SQN you find on retailers’ shelves is wine bought from people on the mailing list and resold/consigned to
the retailer.
Bruce
I’ve found that just about every wine imaginable is available at retail now…
…and at prices you can afford. 
Are you sure you’re not seeing it at retailers who have been getting it for multiple vintages? I’m sure they wouldn’t be selling out of it as fast as they have in the past. I had this same question when I saw Sea Smoke at the New Hampshire state owned liquor stores. I found out that Sea Smoke had been allocating some of their wine to a NH distributor for restaurants, who evidently hadn’t been buying the wine for the past few vintages. Instead of giving up their allocations, the distributor sold to the state stores. There are obviously a lot of things that could be going on, but I learned that I had been wrong to assume that Sea Smoke was selling more through retailers while keeping me on the waiting list. This also begs the question of what prices you’re seeing the wines at in stores. It’s likely that, as has been mentioned, more people on the list are selling their wines, a practice over which SQN has no control.
SQN has been at retail for longer than I have been in the retail business.
In fact, 6 or 7 years ago, we used to get 10+ cases of the stuff at good prices. Now we see just a few cases.
From the winery through a distributor or from mailing list members?
We’ve always received some through our distributor, it’s not winery direct here in CA . I’m not sure how it was for Daniel.
Ken,
Maybe you’re next present I will refill the bottle with some Petition or Body & Soul (the wine that is !) 
You must be a lot younger than you look…
The stress of the job.
I think the 2006’s (Raven Series) are available at more retail stores because from the TN’s I’ve read (at least the syrah), it is not the typical SQN experience (home run!)… The prices on the secondary market (retail, auction, & commerce corner) reflect this relative disapointment some people are having, at least at this point in it’s development…
I disagree, it might be mostly due to the economy they were released in and the RP score of 96. Without the 98-100 RP these just aren’t flippable in this economy. I really like the raven syrah and it is my favorite over poker face and Atlantis.
Yes I said it, I liked it better than poker face… 
Heathen.
+1
With its usual score, these wines would be worth twice as much. Amazing what a couple of points can do.
David,
How many people are drinking these wines with Parker’s score in the back of their mind?
Look at JFTLOI…the Papa poo poos that wine, IMO, yet when Papa only got a 97, everyone said the JFTLOI is better. Since Parker’s upgrade of Papa, everyone is swaying now.
Sheep…my favorite customers!
Hey…I resemble that remark.
The Raven Syrah was very disjointed following release. I don’t score wines, but RP’s score was quite generous for how the wine showed at that time. I drank the first of my Raven Syrah a couple of weeks ago after reading Tyler’s note and the wine has evolved into something quite delicious and harmonious. If/when Parker revisits, my guess is he will be very pointy with Raven. And the price will go up as a result.