There are simply so many lost opportunities that I see weekly on Wednesday mornings when I pick up the Washington Post newspaper and go to the Food Section to read Dave McIntyre's wine articles. I read them, they generally are quite fine and enlightening with varied text and subject matter. Then I look at the specific wines recommended with the names listed of the distributors and where they may be found in local restaurants. hotels and wine retail shops in Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia. I am often appalled at how very few places are listed as carrying the wines. A great case in point is today's Sunday Holiday Food section article ( " What Do You Pair With Baloney " R5 , published today on Sunday because next Wednesday is the day before Thanksgiving and it would be cutting it really short to get the wines in time for our wonderful turkey meal!
I say " lost opportunities " because between the newspaper. writer of the articles and the wholesalers ( as well as the wholesale reps on the street and not in the office taking the messages about where the wines are available for purchase ? ) there does not seem to be much coordination from what I have learned talking to many of those concerned. It seems that many of the reps are not even alerted to these articles and the wines that are about to be written up? Why is that? Why doesn't the office wholesale person tell those calling from the Washington Post newspaper say that they will get back to them within a few hours? It would seem to be the best thing to immediately put out a call, email, call or text to all reps telling them the situation and asking them to call their accounts to see if they would like to sell and be mentioned for selling these wines about to be written up?
So many of my reps I have to call on Wednesday morning and ask them why we were not alerted or included once the article comes out? I have to call and ask to buy some for delivery the next day and wait all day long as people come through the store with the copy of the Washington Post Food section in search of one or more wines? I also have to hope that the wines are available for me to still buy some? AS in the case of the Cameron Hughes wines that were written up a couple of weeks ago the wines were not even in stock at the wholesalers yet. I do not have them even now? Are they finally available? Why has no one called to give me an update on that situation with the Cameron Hughes wines? Too busy I suppose. I will call soon myself.
" Lost opportunities " because the wines are usually recommended and customers do read these articles and they are interested in trying some of them? Why not, often they are real discoveries for many of our customers, not the usual choices you find everywhere but fun and exciting wines like today's " the 100% Partridge Foot - Pied De Perdrix " red grape varietal that they think is a cousin of the Malbec grape? And isn't the Malbec grape the " hottest grape variety " going today in red wines? I do believe so.
We were fortunately mentioned in this article as having the wine. I sold some over the weekend and told my customers that they would be reading about it in tomorrow's Washington Post Food section. Fortunately for me this is all true and the article with the wine came out as promised and we all look good. Now it's only a question of whether or not our customers that bought it like it or not? I will find out later. It was also mentioned as a " great value " by Dave.
Unfortunately I got a call from an old friend as well as a fine rep from another wholesale house ( this is the second time for this : with the Pedro Ximenez dry white FALERNIA Chilean wine it never got into the Washington Post newspaper. Not enough room according to my rep so it was only mentioned in the " online " piece. I never heard anyone ask for it off the online piece? ) and he mentioned that the Cavaletto Bricco Boschio Freisa 2008 ( $21 ) would be in the paper and would I like to buy some? I love indigenous grapes like this and I love the Piemonte region of Italy and I have carried other red Freisa wines at Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits ( 3423 Connecticut Avenue N.W. Washington D.C. 20008 Tel : 2020363-4265 sales@clevelandparkwine.com, anthony.quinn!clevelandparkwine.com , also on Facebook at : Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits and on Twitter at " cpwinespirits ) over the years. The one I remember best is Ugo Chiolo's Freisa from so many years ago when I met Ugo years ago at Wines Limited imports. The wine was mentioned to day and nowhere is there any mention of Cleveland Park Wines & Spirits?
What happened here? It only says that the Freisa is on the wine list at the Occidental Grill. No stores are listed as carrying the wines. " Lost opportunities " here if you ask me. Who dropped the ball? I got the call, I ordered the wine, the wine got delivered and is priced and on our shelves and ready for sale when people come in with their articles. Only they will not be asking for this wine as we were not mentioned and so they will assume that we do not have it?
I am thinking of calling the wholesaler now and asking for the wine to be picked up along with the French cremant which I bought for the same article and which is not even listed? Did they run out of room again and is it only on the online article from this morning? Are they trying to have people only see the full articles and reviews online? I thought they wanted to keep the actual newspaper alive and thriving? This does not send a good message for that?
SO : my BIG BEEF with this system as I see it these last few years is that it is certainly working rather inefficiently. I recommend more time and coordination and getting the wines placed in as many establishments as possible. This helps the consumer, this is certainly more efficient. Wholesalers in the offices where the calls are being made : PLEASE alert your reps so that they may do their jobs better. Such a waste, such " lost opportunities for so many of us. We all look bad, we all lose and who does that serve?
I wish I could be kinder, I wish I was not so mad that here while I am not feeling well on my one day-off from a busy holiday season I am typing this blog and getting ready to send and post it. I know many do not care, I know that many don't think it matters. I do, I want to see it changed, I want to see better for the reader of Dave McIntyre's articles on wines and giving them more chances to buy these wines he recommends. It can and should be done. There should be much better coordination amongst all those involved. Cheers and Happy Thanksgiving to one and to all.
I feel good in the long run because Steven of Touton Selections did his job well on this ( he always does ) and so when people come in search of the Foot of the Partrige- Pied De Perdrix " dry French red I will be able to tell them that I also carry the Cavaletto Bricco Boschio Preisa 2008. Anthony ( TONY ) Quinn
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