Wine Retailer Check: Cellar Raiders

[Ramon_C]

I buy quite a bit of mature/old Bordeaux from this merchant. Considering the age of the wines, the bottles were in very good, clean, shape when shipped, and always on time.

[Ken_V]

@Adam Noble

There’s a couple of guys who used to work there that started their own shop. They work faster than the old place. It’s called Ex Cellar Raiders.

[Peter_Metzger]

@Gregory Dal Piaz

@Peter Metzger

@Gregory Dal Piaz

I’ve never bought directly from them but have had some bottles that a friend purchased. I helped him put together a set for a tasting and the wines roughly performed as expected. I drive past the place all the time. It’s not a retail shop but rather a storage facility, though I do believe you can stop to pick wines up.

Thanks to all.

Greg - where are they located?

Brewster NY, on the way towards Danbury.

Thanks. Know where it is. Often in that area.

[Greg_K]

@Jayson Cohen

Signing up for this list sounds way too dangerous…

If you like 80s Bordeaux…yeah.

[Mattstolz]

@Adam Noble

There’s a couple of guys who used to work there that started their own shop. They work faster than the old place. It’s called Ex Cellar Raiders.

they just keep getting faster and faster too

[John_Glas]

Update on Cellar Raiders? Some older stuff I am looking at.

[Richard_Albert]

Bought three 1964 Cheval Blanc from Ben a few years ago, all of which had seeped wine and had been wiped semi cleanly, but left obvious traces of seepage around the capsule edges.
My discussions with him did not go well. Somehow nobody there looked at the bottles carefully, or worse. He actually had the balls to charge me freight to return the bottles well after the fact!
I have not done business with him since.

[Rodrigo_B]

Purchased a good amount from them with no issues. Ben has always been pretty responsive.

[scamhi]

Also, had a bad experience with him. Refused to do anything on a purchased 3 pack and the first 2 of the bottles corked. He would only give me credit for the unopened third bottle which had to be returned. (and I bet he resold it).

[larry_schaffer]

Also, had a bad experience with him. Refused to do anything on a purchased 3 pack and the first 2 of the bottles corked. He would only give me credit for the unopened third bottle which had to be returned. (and I bet he resold it).

Always a tough and challenging situation with older bottles, especially since he probably cannot get anything back from a distributor or producer.

Cheers

[Carter_Pelham]

Also, had a bad experience with him. Refused to do anything on a purchased 3 pack and the first 2 of the bottles corked. He would only give me credit for the unopened third bottle which had to be returned. (and I bet he resold it).

I don’t think I would ever expect any business selling private collections to do anything about corked bottles.

[Andrew_K]

The last couple times I had cork bottles from him he gave me 50% credit on my next order and I didn’t return the bottles. However I will say that the provenance on some of his older selections are suspect. I don’t believe that he does significant digging in the storage conditions or is particularly careful in his buying looking for signs of improper storage. It’s a little bit buyer beware with him on the older stuff. I had some amazing provenance, excellent buys like a single owner OWC of 82 Canon, and some that we’re obviously not well stored with fully saturated corks upon opening. For that reason and also because he charges NY sales tax, l’ve reduced my purchases from him in the last couple of years.

[Cris_Whetstone]

This is well worn territory but I would never dream of trying to get a consignor to credit me for old cellar treasures due to TCA. Bad condition diligence and reporting on things like seepage is certainly something they should be responsible for.

I’ve ordered some items from Cellar Raiders. You can occasionally get some good deals on rarities. Good experiences here. And as mentioned, he seems to be just a consignor. Not a retailer in the vein of Envoyer.

[larry_schaffer]

Just remember that provenance issues and ‘corked’ wines are non-sequiter . . .

Cheers

[Andrew_K]

Just remember that provenance issues and ‘corked’ wines are non-sequiter . . .

Cheers

Not sure if this was in reference to my post, but I was just giving a retailer check experience feedback, but I thought I would also address the corked conversation separately.

[larry_schaffer]

Just remember that provenance issues and ‘corked’ wines are non-sequiter . . .

Cheers

Not sure if this was in reference to my post, but I was just giving a retailer check experience feedback, but I thought I would also address the corked conversation separately.

Thanks for the clarification. So many seem to blame corked wines on provenance . . .

Cheers

[Arv_R]

I don’t think its reasonable for the nature of this kind of inventory - very old secondary market wine - for the seller/broker to wear the burden of TCA risk/return/replacement. If one wanted that kind of security in a purchase, buying off a restaurant wine list, with the commensurate markup, is the best channel.

Separately, the market for older fine wine is so hot right now, that I feel many of the dodgier cellars or items, are getting sold - that - in a different era might have been passed on, or sold in physical retail where a buyer could look more closely, with the understanding that there were no returns.

[Neal.Mollen]

Update on Cellar Raiders? Some older stuff I am looking at.

I am a huge fan of Ben, have bought from him often and with confidence and given your other posts on retailer expectations I strongly suggest you look elsewhere.

[John_Glas]

Update on Cellar Raiders? Some older stuff I am looking at.

I am a huge fan of Ben, have bought from him often and with confidence and given your other posts on retailer expectations I strongly suggest you look elsewhere.

Sounds like I will order. If they deliver then what is the problem.

[lleichtman]

I have bought several cases from them. Never a problem. prompt service.