Importers run wine clubs now?

originally posted by MLipton:
Have you heard of any of those producers before? Sounds a bit fishy to me.

Mark Lipton
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The Leirana is excellent, and its maker Rodrigo Mendez is very well known. The Nortico is nothing special.
 
originally posted by Christian Miller (CMM):
There are multiple licensing barriers to non-wineries selling directly to consumers, which vary by state. I wonder how (if?) they found a way around them.
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Generally they work with a friendly retailer, and some importers will hold more than one tier of license.
 
originally posted by Christian Miller (CMM):
There are multiple licensing barriers to non-wineries selling directly to consumers, which vary by state. I wonder how (if?) they found a way around them.
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It quite easy to do in California. That is where most are set up. You can be an importer and retailer in California. I think it can also be done in Washington, D.C. and maybe Delaware.
 
originally posted by Yule Kim:
It can definitely be done in DC. Weygandt used to have a retail shop there.
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That would be holding a retail license and selling to consumers. Like holding a type 09/17/20 combination license in California. Not the same as an importer creating a wine club, and selling from their licensed/bonded warehouse to consumers, much less across state lines.

It's possible that the wine club they created only looks like that, and the orders are relayed to and filled by independent local retailers who have inventory. Tricky to manage, especially if they want to do things like shipping or case or club discounts.
 
originally posted by Yule Kim:
It can definitely be done in DC. Weygandt used to have a retail shop there.
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Alas, Weygandt's has closed, though not I think because they had trouble selling their wine. The story was that their landlord was raising their rent by a lot and the manager of the store, Warren Leonard, felt it was time for him to move on.
 
originally posted by Jonathan Loesberg:
originally posted by Yule Kim:
It can definitely be done in DC. Weygandt used to have a retail shop there.
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Alas, Weygandt's has closed, though not I think because they had trouble selling their wine. The story was that their landlord was raising their rent by a lot and the manager of the store, Warren Leonard, felt it was time for him to move on.
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Yeah, I heard about Warren moving on. Crazy, I remember when he started under Tim when the shop first opened. Time flies.
 
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