More inexplicable offers

[Jeff Grossman]

Here's one:
Paolo Bea Cotidie Umbria Rosso 2021 $61 (NET, 1 bottle available)
“Cotidie” (“quotidian” in Latin) was conceived as an “everyday” wine for its relatively easygoing and drinkable spirit. The methodology behind it feels outré today but would have been common practice for the ancients to whom its Latin name pays tribute: a co-fermentation of both red and white grapes—in this case, Sagrantino and Trebbiano—grown in close proximity to one another, and yielding a lip-smacking wine that’s hard to pigeonhole. In its vibrant ruby color, it sits in the interzone between a dark rosato and a light red, and it offers the heady spice we all love in Bea’s Sagrantino, albeit on a softer, lighter frame.

An "everyday" bottle at $61 ?

 

[Bill Lundstrom]

originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
More inexplicable offersHere's one:
Paolo Bea Cotidie Umbria Rosso 2021 $61 (NET, 1 bottle available)
“Cotidie” (“quotidian” in Latin) was conceived as an “everyday” wine for its relatively easygoing and drinkable spirit. The methodology behind it feels outré today but would have been common practice for the ancients to whom its Latin name pays tribute: a co-fermentation of both red and white grapes—in this case, Sagrantino and Trebbiano—grown in close proximity to one another, and yielding a lip-smacking wine that’s hard to pigeonhole. In its vibrant ruby color, it sits in the interzone between a dark rosato and a light red, and it offers the heady spice we all love in Bea’s Sagrantino, albeit on a softer, lighter frame.

An "everyday" bottle at $61 ?

His wines always seem to cost more than they should.

 

[mark e]

originally posted by Bill Lundstrom:

originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
More inexplicable offersHere's one:
Paolo Bea Cotidie Umbria Rosso 2021 $61 (NET, 1 bottle available)
“Cotidie” (“quotidian” in Latin) was conceived as an “everyday” wine for its relatively easygoing and drinkable spirit. The methodology behind it feels outré today but would have been common practice for the ancients to whom its Latin name pays tribute: a co-fermentation of both red and white grapes—in this case, Sagrantino and Trebbiano—grown in close proximity to one another, and yielding a lip-smacking wine that’s hard to pigeonhole. In its vibrant ruby color, it sits in the interzone between a dark rosato and a light red, and it offers the heady spice we all love in Bea’s Sagrantino, albeit on a softer, lighter frame.

An "everyday" bottle at $61 ?

His wines always seem to cost more than they should.

True. Bea is imported by Rosenthal? The markups are substantial AND he seems buy wines from very expensive producers such as Montevertine and Podere le Boncie.

 

[Christian Miller (CMM)]

originally posted by Jeff Grossman:
More inexplicable offersHere's one:
Paolo Bea Cotidie Umbria Rosso 2021 $61 (NET, 1 bottle available)
“Cotidie” (“quotidian” in Latin) was conceived as an “everyday” wine for its relatively easygoing and drinkable spirit. The methodology behind it feels outré today but would have been common practice for the ancients to whom its Latin name pays tribute: a co-fermentation of both red and white grapes—in this case, Sagrantino and Trebbiano—grown in close proximity to one another, and yielding a lip-smacking wine that’s hard to pigeonhole. In its vibrant ruby color, it sits in the interzone between a dark rosato and a light red, and it offers the heady spice we all love in Bea’s Sagrantino, albeit on a softer, lighter frame.

An "everyday" bottle at $61 ?

I notice this phrasing more and more in DtC offerings from expensive appellations and retailer mailings targeted at high end consumers. It's absurd and probably off-putting to all but 0.1 percenters, who may not notice. To put it in context, while many high end wine consumers now open $15-30 bottles for casual occasions, only around 1 in 10 will open a $50+ bottle for such occasions. They represent about 1-2% of U.S. wine drinkers.

 

[Marc Hanes]

An "everyday" bottle at $61 ?

I notice this phrasing more and more in DtC offerings from expensive appellations and retailer mailings targeted at high end consumers. It's absurd and probably off-putting to all but 0.1 percenters, who may not notice. To put it in context, while many high end wine consumers now open $15-30 bottles for casual occasions, only around 1 in 10 will open a $50+ bottle for such occasions. They represent about 1-2% of U.S. wine drinkers.

Opinion offered as I work sort of with an allied NYC retailer (they want me to steer more storage clients to the retail store to drum up sales) I dropped off every retailer offer list (and am about to drop off my last winery direct list). It's more or less what Jeff questions. No one sends an email blast for a $20 bottle (well, maybe Wine Library but I am not on that list either). Including my sibling company. "Every day drinkers" usually offered around $50-60 with special offers around $40. But they are so unique it's a steal! I suspect that *boutique* retailing has evolved to the point where owners feel there's not much ROI in selling bottles under $35. Go for fewer but bigger sales, no low dollar churn. (Less staff overhead?)

Boutique here defined as non-box stores and with a smaller (perhaps well chosen) number of SKUs. Few case stacks. Knowledgeable staff who make more than $16/hour.

Of course, there are "boutique" stores like Chambers where David loves to find cheaper wines. Crush, Astor and Flatiron are maybe in a gray area. I would not consider Gary's in New Jersey a boutique store. I think Leon & Son and Discovery are. PJ not boutique. Amanti Vino in Montclair and Morristown definitely boutique, especially when you get the bill. Maybe more NYC stores would grow past boutique if they could afford the rent. I shop mostly in NJ where I live, Bottle King, Wine Library, Shoppers, and shipments from WineWorks downstate. There is a newish Maplewood store called Lum's Cellars and once every couple of months I buy a couple of bottles out of guilt. Most of their stock is over $25. It's the suburban version of NYC boutique. We'll see if they are around in a few years. Never been in there when there were more than two other people.

Anyway, maybe I will get on some retailer offer lists when I start making Jayson Cohen money.

 

[Jason D]

somebody someday will have to explain to me Gary's huge stock of current release Huet.

 

[Keith Levenberg]

1 bottle available

“everyday” wine

That bottle better last!

 

[VLM]

The thing is, much like Boncie Le Trame, this is a delicious, ready-to-drink wine that is great at the table. I do allow myself the luxury of drinking Boncie whenever I want (and I do buy it wholesale) but I can't have multiple wines like that. If I were more well off, like I imagine a lot of the clientele of this establishment are, this would make a fantastic "daily drinker". Alas, I'm a simple statistician.

Side note, a visit to Bea is a fascinating experience. While there can be a sense of rusticity in Umbria, Bea radiates wealth. Maybe that's partly why the wines are so expensive. They're making them for their social class.

 

[Marc Hanes]

originally posted by Jason D:
somebody someday will have to explain to me Gary's huge stock of current release Huet.

For some reason unbeknownst to me New Jersey seems to get a large allocation of Huet. It's in decent abundance at Wine Library, Bottle King (multiple locations), and I am sure many other stores I do not visit. I have tapered off Huet purchases so kind of stop following the brand.