Click to be added or removed. (Over eighty members).Wine capitalist profit ping!
Posted on 10/18/2005 1:16:30 AM PDT by LibWhacker
Houston wine lover Ron Nichely is so partial to Boeger Winery's offerings that family visits to nearby Stockton find him cramming his luggage with bottles. His "personal best": two cases of wine into one bulging suitcase.
But on Monday, Nichely tried something new. He simply called the small winery and ordered a case of its well-regarded Tempranillo for $14 a bottle, aided by a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision and a change in Texas law allowing consumers to buy directly from out-of-state wineries.
"I prefer to get all my wines direct from the winery," said Nichely, an engineer in the oil industry. "That way I know how it was stored and when it was shipped."
That's what vintner Greg Boeger likes to hear.
Boeger makes as much profit in a single direct sale as he does peddling two bottles of wine through a distributor. By keeping his tasting room open late on Fridays in the summer, aggressively pitching his wine club and direct shipments, Boeger is now moving 56% of the 18,000 cases of wine he makes each year straight to consumers.
"More direct sales is what this is all about," Boeger said, describing a business model that is typical among the 700 California wineries selling 5,000 or fewer cases of wine annually.
That strategy has turned into an art form here in the Sierra foothills, an area known for its scorching summer temperatures and the abandoned gold mines and historic markers that seem to dot every other mile of Highway 49, which runs like a spine through the wine-making region that includes Amador, Calaveras and El Dorado counties. It is about the last corner of wine country where oenophiles can wander into a tasting room, meet the winemaker and sample the vintages without paying a fee.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
email: latimes@spam.la
password: yodayoda
Hey, quantim... Don't know if this qualifies for your ping list... But there are some good wines coming out of the Sierra foothills -- and they'll keep coming, thanks to the SCOTUS decision.
Click to be added or removed. (Over eighty members).Wine capitalist profit ping!
I don't think it is over. Here in semi-socialist MI they are trying to pass legislation that will ban all wine sales directly so you are forced to buy from a retailer.
Socialist Canadian Governor Granholm said she would sign it. This will hurt the smaller wineries in our state if they can't ship direct. The state govt here is in bed with the liquor/beer/wine distributors lobby who will force the consumer to pay for that extra tier.
So it will come back to a state's right's issue, yet SCOTUS made it clear that the consumer will prevail over a state issue like this. It's not over.
South Dakota is still blocking mail order sales...too bad you all are missing out on that Turkey Ridge Red from the state's first winery, Valiant Vinyards...great with South Dakota pheasant or buffalo.
I'm a big fan of Boeger's Barbera. But a word of caution to you east coasters. These Sierra Foothill grown Italian varietals will be much more fruity than you're accustomed to.
" will be much more fruity than you're accustomed to."
Not too many people here at the Freep are surprised by things from California being "more fruity".
It's what we're famous for!
Ah, Clemenza. Terra d'Oro is good, but you gotta get the old vine stuff.
I live in Sacramento county so I've gotta get up there and pick up some Boeger. Don't think I've ever heard of it before, but I do love fruit bombs!
You ever visited Montevina vinyards? They tell (or at least, used to tell) guests that they are more than welcome to explore the grounds, but to keep an eye out for rattlesnakes, lol. I went nuts for their zin when I first tried it.
I think that I should recommend that all of you folks come up to Eastern Washington's Yakima and Columbia Valleys to taste some of the finest cabernet in the world. Leonetti Cellars is the best although 1. They only open to the public by appointment. 2. There is a four year waiting list to purchase their Cabs. and 3. Their Cabs retail for over $100 upon release.
Still, visiting the vineyards/wineries of Red Mountain, Terra Blanca, Porteus, and L'Ecole is highly recommended for any trip to Washington state.
Enjoyed that many 'a time!
When you get to Montevina don't neglect the Syrah. They concentrate on Italian varietals, but their Syrah is a real pleasant surprise.
We know hell has frozen over when the San Joaquain Valley from Modesto down to Bakersfield starts producing quality wine. Not going to happen as its just too damn hot during the day (and not cool enough at night) to grow good vinifera grapes.
"The differences in the Amador and El Dorado Zins is amazing."
You're absolutely right. I'm a big fan of the Amador Zins, particularly Karly and Sobol. Nothing beats a day in the Shenandoah Valley as far as I'm concerned!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.