I understand the risks. It happens. It was “how” it was handled that was off putting and that is something that can be controlled. I recently had a similar experience with a local retailer, and they were gracious and intelligent in how it was handled. Needless to say, I will be buying from them in the future.
Excellent
By ‘gracious and intelligent’ do you mean that they wore the loss rather than you?
TCA sucks. I get it. And I don’t have any clever solutions for it other than suggestions above it, which aren’t solutions, but rather ways to manage around a fact. (to quote Ariel Sharon - Problems have solutions, facts are managed)
But I don’t see how in a world where purchases are driven by Winesearcher lows that there is any practical way for internet / shipped wines to be returned if tainted. There’s too many ways that could be exploited by the unscrupulous, and eventually everyone would have to pay for that via higher prices, forcing the non TCA sensitive to subsidize those who are.
I’ve ordered a bunch from Sommpicks. Overall very good experiences.
So is SommPicks relisting other retailers’ wines? Do they own everything they list? I have an idea that it could be harder for someone to deal with issues for re-listed wines than for ones they own.
SommPicks is Mike Zima. He sources wines (usually hard-to-find and/or highly-allocated) from all over (mainly Europe) and retails them direct. He does not sell other retailers’ wines. The quantity listed on the web and on the spreadsheets is the exact number he has access to. Not always in stock, but pre-arrival/in-transit. If you request a bottle and he writes back that he doesn’t have it, it’s not because it was a fraud like PC or anything, it’s just that someone has faster fingers than you. (Kinda like Envoyer.)
Somm Select is the one others were thinking of – Ian Cauble, MS (from SOMM the movie) is the spokesman or whatever. (According to the marketing material, he hand picks the offers.) It is a more traditional daily email retail operation. Kinda like WTSO, except without the connection to the PLCB.
FWIW, no one is suggesting that this is some kind of PC-ish scam; at the same time the above is exactly not what happened. My credit card was charged; I was told the wine was mine and then 3 or 4 days later told it wasn’t (unlike Envoyer, which, in my experience wait until they charge you and when they do, the wine is yours). Does it happen? Sure. Should it; withou any attempt to redress? Certainly, not the end of the world.
BTW, this website is now dead (or at least it won’t resolve for me). I have no idea if its connection to Domaine (if any) has played a role in this
The website still works for me:
I last ordered from them a few weeks ago. Received everything, great as always.
Works for me too.
I ordered some wine last Spring that they held all Summer and shipped a few weeks ago - it all arrived in perfect shape. It also happened to be wine that greatly appreciated in value during the holding period, so they could’ve pulled a “we lost your bottles, here’s a refund” on me, and didn’t.
I haven’t heard of anyone having a bad experience with them.
Interesting. Thanks. I get “This site can’t be reached.”
I’ll try from home tonight.
Neal, website is working for me as well.
Must be a firewall issue, although I can get to every other wine shop in the free world without difficulty. I’ll try from home
Based on material in other threads, any retailer who does this is guilty of the Federal crime of “phantom retailing” – a very serious crime even though it is not found in any statute book or supported by the interpretations of local alcoholic beverage authorities (but what do they know anyway?). Further, anyone who patronizes such a retailer is complicit with the darkest evil.
You are all on notice.
So the wine I’ve sourced from Mike is both wet and illicit? I just knew it tasted better than it had any right to.
On a more serious note, I’ve ordered many times from SommPicks. All above board. Order with confidence.
Positive experiences here as well. I’m not getting in with original logon info right now. Will try again later.
I talked to Mike last week and they were in the process of a warehouse move and inventory audit project. He said he would not be able to process any orders for a couple of weeks until this was complete. Perhaps this is the cause of any issues with the site.
As others have said, I’ve had nothing but great experiences with SommPicks.
Ordered once. Delivery made cross countrybpaying attention to weather. Would order again
I’ve purchased from Sommpicks as well and received the wines with no problems.
count me as another happy customer