I've been disappointed with on-line wine purchases over the last couple of years now.
In the past I've discovered some wonderful bargains of great wines that have been sold at reduced prices for legitimate reasons:
- Failed export orders.
- Label and packaging changes.
- Large vintage surplus
- Winery going out of business
- Lost domestic distribution etc.
It pays to know something of the wine company or to do a web search on the particular wine being offered so as to find an independent wine reviewer (fewer and far between nowadays) who might have written about the wine and the vintage in question. This knowledge and or the search might provide awareness of what the 'normal' sell price of the wine is and not have to rely on the on-line sellers assessment. A bargain of a $20 wine that used to be $30 plus isn't a bargain if every other retailer is selling it at $20.
As I said though I have been disappointed and have made some poor buys. See: THROUGH ROSE TINTED GLASSES
Some other mistakes have been:
- Coopers Creek Lime-works Chardonnay 2019 which was a bit sour and lightweight.
- Main Divide Chardonnay 2018 which is out of balance and overtly grapefruity.
- Hudson Pinot Noir 2014 which is ordinary.
- Soho Pinot Noir 2018 which is muddy, developed and lacking in fruit.
- Holly Chardonnay 2020 which is tart and doesn't live up to the back label description.
These wines all had glowing accolades from the sellers and their 'friendly' wine critics. In the case of the Coopers Creek wine I complained to the seller. To be fair, they offered to take the wine back and refund but the logistics and cost involved in the replacement is prohibitive. I only purchased a six-bottle case so have five bottles left. They will have to be used at a party sometime. The wine isn't bad, it just bears no relation to the sellers description.
I've been careless in these purchases but have made some other purchases of outstanding wines so it kind of balances things out. These have been:
- Mountford Chardonnay 2014
- Villa Maria Ihumateo Chardonnay 2018
- Rockford Sparkling Shiraz.
- Vidal Soler Chardonnay 2018
- Vidal Soler Chardonnay 2019.
- Delta Pinot Noir 2019.
- Beach House Gimblett Gravels Chardonnay 2018.
The thing is though, the outstanding wines and the bargains are becoming harder to find. The original premise of on-line retailing being about 'discoveries' is being substituted by the fact that the channel is now just another established form of retail.
I might just have to go back to buying my wine, bottle by bottle ( instead of by the case) from supermarkets and wine shops and only just occasionally taking a chance on a case buy from the on-line channel.
