VinConnect

anybody order from this place? Allegedly they hook us up directly with domaines and offers come directly from those domaines with which one signs up through VinConnect. I like the domaines; prices are ridiculous.

For example 2013 Bouchard Volnay Cailleret is $95, but it can be found for $72. Haven’t found a single wine near the w-s price. Corton 2013 is $129, found elsewhere for $110.

I’ve passed so far.

They’ve had a WB presence from time to time, setting up the online Musar presentation, which was terrific. I’ve been ordering the Clos de la Chapelle Burgs from them for a couple of years. Prices are decent on those, at least with the 10% referral discount, and the wines are less than universally available from other sources, and the prices include shipping. Customer service has been great.

I’ve signed up for notices from other wineries they have added to their stable, but as you say, the prices on those haven’t really been competitive.

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I ordered wines from them recently but agree pricing is mixed so most offers are an easy pass. One would think that the model would provide for much better pricing.

They used to do intimate dinners/tasting with producers whenever they came stateside. Joined Luca and Maurizia from Castello Dei Rampolla in VC’s earlier days. Not sure if that is still going on (or they have plans to pick up again when possible).

They participated in the last Berserker Day.

I grabbed a couple one-offs this year but the Charles Heidsieck offer sealed the deal. At least $20 more expensive than what is regularly available at major retailers.

that’s exactly what I expected—direct from domaine facilitated by VinConnect, less hands in the pie. Unfortunately the one hand took a huge slice of the pie.

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Thanks all for the discussion here about VinConnect. It’s always great to see what is on people’s minds, especially among fellow Berserkers.

The most important thing to understand about the VinConnect model is that we are acting as an extension of the winery as it relates to items and prices in each release. Generally our partners would prefer their wines to be offered “in line” with their traditional channel partner prices, which is the same approach that most domestic wineries use with their mailing list customers.

And much like domestic mailing lists, the value proposition is more about accessibility, provenance, and relationship than rock-bottom pricing. VinConnect’s services are largely around marketing and logistics, to help some truly incredible wineries connect directly with their most passionate customers in the U.S. and provide those fans the opportunity to access wines direct from the domaine. Our 60+ wineries and thousands of customers appreciate what we do in connecting them for both sides’ benefit, but we realize no single channel or approach is optimal for everyone with so many alternatives available.

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Kevin, can you explain more the pricing issue? It sounds like wineries have a “MSRP” they want to hold channel partners to? And the MSRP is higher than what most retailers would charge?

Shan, I would frame it a bit differently. It’s more that most wineries see the DtC channel as an important complement to their existing traditional channels (retailers and restaurants). It provides them a direct link to the (small) segment of their customers that are the most knowledgable and passionate about their wines, and a way to hopefully make that audience feel more special and connected to their brands. With that said, most wineries are and will continue to be highly dependent on their traditional channels, and would prefer that their DtC efforts don’t undercut the prices of the majority of those partners.

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Alan,
I’ve ordered a number of times and have been completely satisfied.

@ Kevin Sidders “VinConnect customers are the most knowledgeable and passionate about their wines”. What evidence do you have to support this?

Not Kevin, but I interpreted the sentence you semi-quoted as referring to wineries direct-to-consumer mailing lists not his company’s customer base. Meaning wineries find if someone takes the time to seek out their website and signs up for the winery’s mailing list that person is someone who already knows about the wine and is more passionate about that winery than other consumers.

What Joshua said. In the operative sentence:

“It provides them a direct link to the (small) segment of their customers that are the most knowledgable and passionate about their wines, and a way to hopefully make that audience feel more special and connected to their brands.”

The “it” references the DtC channel as being the thing that allows wineries to connect with their most passionate and knowledgeable customers. Hopefully that clarifies the point.

I too have purchased from them and have 0 negative comments. It is somewhat reassuring to know that the channel for these wines is probably better cared for than a large importer. Bottles I have tried are very fresh and immaculate. Would Kevin care to comment on their shipping methods?

I signed up shortly before moving to the U.K., but I think VinConnect has a great value proposition for library access/high end wines that are often not easy to source. In the U.K. it’s a lot easier to get back vintages stored in bond still, in the US less so, and as we all know there are no great old wines, just great old bottles.

The wines are transported temperature-controlled from the winery to our warehouse where individual orders are processed. We ship via common carriers (UPS and FedEx), typically ground although customers can upgrade to expedited service if they choose. Our preference is to largely ship in the spring and fall when the weather across the country is favorable, and avoid shipping in the middle of summer and winter when it’s not. That said, customers can always request to have their orders shipped regardless of the season if they prefer (though we don’t have the ability to offer temperature control en route).

I really don’t see this as much different now from other vendors. Temp control is standard and most importers/distributors/retailers take great care in transport. I love the VinConnect concept. But, for example, why would I pay more than $70 extra per bottle for Trimbach Clos Ste. Hune just to get it via this company? Just one example, but other wines are similar. If prices were within a few per cent of conventional retail, I’d be on board. Who’s taking the extra tranche?

I have never been offered back vintages from VinConnect. Maybe that’s a U.K. thing . . .

It’s not a UK thing, since we only are allowed to deliver in the U.S.

Each of our wineries approaches their mailing lists differently, and how any particular experience is manifest is highly dependent on the winery. Some wineries periodically offer library wines, others do not. Some of the wines they release are broadly available through other channels, others are made in small quantities with very little in traditional distribution, and occasionally we do releases for wines not otherwise available in the U.S.

Again you see the same thing with wineries in the U.S. – there are many different approaches and executions to the mailing list model, depending on the winery, their product portfolio, production volumes, marketing objectives, traditional channels, etc. etc. The “benefits” of any particular mailing list relationship really depend on what you’re looking for and how they approach it.