Rhys Futures Tweet

[Kevin_Harvey]

This is great feedback. We had no idea there was so much interest in 375s. I love that customers could more easily contrast and compare our vineyards this way.

How about a mixed case of 375s comprised of Alpine, Horseshoe, Family Farm and Bearwallow Pinots?

Here are some other answers:

so you would definitely have it set up where a futures purchase and subsequent failure to buy would not have the normal effect on allocations?
Futures purchases will add to purchase history and thereby help future allocations.

why no 12x750 mL OWCs?
We have gone back and forth on this. What would people prefer?

In order to plan for future Rhys purchases, can you give us more info on the Alesia offering coming in the spring?
The Spring Alesia offer will be the 2011 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir and 2011 Alder Springs Chardonnay. Both will be offered at $35 with no purchase limit.

[Kevin_Harvey]

@J. Singleton

@markye

It’s also funny as Kevin’s probably not expecting to open a CAN with a tweet… but that speaks to the passion and popularity of the winery and its fans.

I’m sure anytime Rhys puts out something publicly Kevin says to himself “ahhhhh sh*t, time to go deal with the Berserkers.”

Actually, I really appreciate the feedback and I am now happy we prematurely tweeted this. With a new offering it is hard to predict what customers would like and the input here will be used to make a better offering.

[NickC]

I would like 12 pack OWCs, but I understand the arguments against.

And as someone who lives alone, i buy all the 375s I can.

[bob_poirier]

How about a mixed case of 375s comprised of Alpine, Horseshoe, Family Farm and Bearwallow Pinots?

Yes.

[Jim_Sawitzke]

@Kevin Harvey

How about a mixed case of 375s comprised of Alpine, Horseshoe, Family Farm and Bearwallow Pinots?

YES PLEASE!! Love it!

[Erich_Sachse]

@bob poirier

How about a mixed case of 375s comprised of Alpine, Horseshoe, Family Farm and Bearwallow Pinots?

Yes.

+1 – great idea to allow more side by side tasting of the different vineyards

[Alan_Koehler]

@bob poirier

How about a mixed case of 375s comprised of Alpine, Horseshoe, Family Farm and Bearwallow Pinots?

Sounds like a fantastic idea. I/we would drink Rhys wines far more frequently if they came in 375s.

[D_Wirsig]

Would also LOVE full lineup 375’s !!!

[Mark_Y]

@bob poirier

How about a mixed case of 375s comprised of Alpine, Horseshoe, Family Farm and Bearwallow Pinots?

Yes.

How about a mixed case of Alpine, Horsehose, Family Farm, Bearwallow, Swan Terrance, Skyline, Home, and Hillside (if produced)?
YES!

better… offer everything in 375 but require minimum of 6 or 12 in mixed format (including chards, and syrahs etc)
YESSSSS!! - if necessary do these 375 as futures with 3L/larger formats… so you know exactly what’s left for the regular bottling offering.

One more Rhy offering during the year can’t hurt right?

(one can dream?)

[Nathan_V]

@Kevin Harvey

Craig and Russ,
We might be guilty of pre-mature tweeting since we haven’t sent out an email yet, but here is the gist of it-

Welcome to the first ever Rhys Vineyards Futures offering!!
After several years of low estate vineyard production, Mother Nature has finally smiled on Rhys and in both the 2012 and 2013 vintages our vineyards experienced exceptional quality and good yields. Before opening our mailing list and adding new customers, we would like to offer current customers the opportunity to purchase special formats and quantities of two of our very best wines from the thrilling 2012 vintage. With nearly perfect weather throughout the entire growing season, the 2012 vintage produced wines of exceptional balance, precision and freshness at both Alpine and Horseshoe vineyards. We expect these wines to drink very well in their youth but continue to improve for decades.
This offering is intended to allow our customers to secure larger formats, such as magnums and 3 liter bottles, as well as full case quantities. Participation is completely optional and customers happy with a standard 4 to 6 bottle allocation of 750 ml bottles have no reason to order at this time. The quantity of wine available in this offering is limited in order to make sure that we will have enough bottles of these wines to offer standard 4-6 bottle allocations during the regularly scheduled offering in the Spring of 2015.
This offering is timed to allow for the bottling of these non-standard formats per your request so in a sense it offers a custom bottling option to our customers. Magnums and 3 Liter bottles will be packaged in an attractive Rhys Vineyards wooden box unless otherwise requested. This is also the only opportunity to purchase the 2012 Rhys San Mateo in the half bottle, 375 ml, format. All of these wines will be shipped in the Fall shipping season of 2014.

Here is a list of bottlings offered:
2012 Rhys San Mateo 12x375ml $299

2012 Rhys Alpine Pinot Noir 12x750s $828
2012 Rhys Horseshoe Pinot Noir 12x750s $828

2012 Rhys Alpine Pinot Noir 1.5L for $159
2012 Rhys Horseshoe Pinot Noir 1.5L for $159

2012 Rhys Alpine Pinot Noir 3L for $319
2012 Rhys Horseshoe Pinot Noir 3L for $319

Kevin-

Just to be clear, there isn’t a price break with futures, it is just a way to secure larger quantities, correct? That seems like how they are priced unless there is a price increase coming for Horseshoe and Alpine.

Thanks.

[Kevin_Harvey]

@Nathan V.

Kevin-

Just to be clear, there isn’t a price break with futures, it is just a way to secure larger quantities, correct? That seems like how they are priced unless there is a price increase coming for Horseshoe and Alpine.

Thanks.

That’s right Nathan, there is no price break. This is just a way for people to buy different formats and larger quantities.

[Sherr1_Shap1r0]

@Kevin Harvey

How about a mixed case of 375s comprised of Alpine, Horseshoe, Family Farm and Bearwallow Pinots?

1000% YES!!!

[RyanC]

@Sherri Shapiro

@Kevin Harvey

How about a mixed case of 375s comprised of Alpine, Horseshoe, Family Farm and Bearwallow Pinots?

1000% YES!!!

+1. Better yet if some Syrah were involved.

[Berg_Atkinson]

@Kevin Harvey

How about a mixed case of 375s comprised of Alpine, Horseshoe, Family Farm and Bearwallow Pinots?

[M_Hudson]

Happy all the folks want the 375,s but I cant count as one, I like the 750s.

On the Alesia, is that a separate list…how do I get on that…I would love to fill in some less expensive chard and pinot (as I do with my copain tous ensem)

[Kevin_Harvey]

@M Hudson

On the Alesia, is that a separate list…how do I get on that…I would love to fill in some less expensive chard and pinot (as I do with my copain tous ensem)

Mark,
We are managing Alesia separately (meaning Rhys customers don’t feel obliged to buy) but all Rhys customers will always be offered the wine.

[Jim_Brennan]

Great idea Kevin, particularly around the sampler case of 375s, and maybe 3L or two.

[NickC]

why no price break on the futures? should get at least something knocked off for floating the money that far in advance

[Markus_S]

@Kevin Harvey

This is great feedback. We had no idea there was so much interest in 375s.

I think winemakers/owners sometimes live in a box (as retailers do too) and think “this will never sell”, so they never even offer 375’s, thus confirming their prejudice. I wish more wineries would offer the less than 750’s more often (doesn’t have to be for everything, but sometimes a little goes a looong way).

[Berry_Crawford]

@NickC

why no price break on the futures? should get at least something knocked off for floating the money that far in advance

One way to look at it is that you do get something: the ability to access hard to obtain wines in formats and quantities you are not normally able to.

The reality is that Kevin has invested enormous amounts of money in the vineyards and winery. Why would it be rational to leave money on the table when they are going to sell out anyway?