2004 Chianti Tasting with surcharge

[Neville K]

More than 25 people attended a chianti tasting at $10 per head, refundable apparently upon purchase of 2 bottles, but advertised as upon purchase. The retail cost of hosting the tasting was $376, The LUC would suggest less than $248. Tasting: a profit, before anything else. And you have herded knowing punters into your clutches...

Goodwill, not much and diminishing, save that at least a punter could get a look at 8 Chianti ranging from a plumply priced $30-$80; average $40. Am I being churlish, or am I being honest that really some vinters care about education as part of a point of difference to the cynical chain stores and others see it as a marketing ploy to get people to buy before they try; ie you have paid to see if you like what's on offer. I am not suggesting for a minute that there be a wholesale free for all and that ultra premium wines be always made available at complimentary tastings. Rather, that when marketing middle range wines, don't push the customer wallet against the punter. Don't abuse. Both ways.

Perhaps we are spoiled for choice and that some wine shops regularly educate without profit; the profit deriving from the after purchase goodwill and standing. My ramble.

There is irony here. This was the best and most even tasting I have encompased at this cellar.

This is no Prince Wine Store which is a defacto university of education in wine and goodwill, nor a Randalls snapping at the flagship's heels;nor an independent with integrity and unsurpassed price value and passion. This is a quirky offshoot of a Sydney establishment whose continental selections usually involve quizzical analysis as to how do they survive getting it wrong mostly, qualitatively, and almost invariably quantitatively, overpriced. Now factor in smugness and one wonders really, how this otherwise admirable, market niche could get it so wrong.

That is, the norm is poor international wine that is overpriced but laden with the ideal that this establishment has got inside arcane knowledge. To be fair, the estate tasting information provided is usually very professional.

Now Chianti 2004: a very, very general impression-

Castello di Selvole Chianti Classico 2004 $30
Sauvage; earthy. Strong gout de terroir. Grippy. Fair wine. Just.

Poggerino Chianti Classico 2004 $40
Violets, chocolate; delicate, yet strong. Juicy. Lovely. Good. Seems ripe.

Isole e Olena Chianti Classico 2004 $41
Has a raciness and juciness. Pettilant on palate. Pretty, but donut centre. Soft aftertaste. Preferred the Poggerino. My usual bias is to love this wine. I would not buy it on this tasting. Something wrong here. Disappointing like Richmond 2007.

Collazi Chianti Classico I Bastioni $40!!!! (My local bottle shop is $35 and $30 to insiders) I mean my local bottle shop. No emails. No pretensions. Next to a fish'n chip shop; with a real sense of community.)
I wrote this up last week and this bottle shares similar notes: Firm and masculine. Quite structural. Sinewy and not showy. Ok finish. Chewy.

Woops forgot to mention
Castellari Chinati Classico $45
Lovely, serious. Best balance so far. Delightful and classic.

Fonterutoli Chianti Classico 2004 $48
Masculine sweaty meats. Try hard. Not yielding.

Felsina Chianti Classico 2004 $52
Serious masculine wine, well balanced. More earnest than Castellari. Bit more gravitas.

Brancaia Chianti Classico 2004 $80
All length, intensity and balance. A composite wine. Rich and savoury with a fabulous finish. The most complete.

I bought a bottle of Poggerino to recoup the tasting outlay to show the CEO/CFO. I mentioned that only one bottle was mentioned in the website to recoup tasting cost. They honoured the website which stated " Instore - $10pp (refundable against purchases) no bookings required " but in doing so pointed out the plural, not the singular, nevertheless accepting the ambiguity. Bet that wont happen again.

Just no grace, but the best tasting I have found in East Melbourne on a tuesday evening.

2004 Chianti. Hard to say. Uneven. Some good. Some excellent. Some disappointing.

[KMP]

...

Goodwill, not much and diminishing, save that at least a punter could get a look at 8 Chianti ranging from a plumply priced $30-$80; average $40. Am I being churlish, or am I being honest that really some vinters care about education as part of a point of difference to the cynical chain stores and others see it as a marketing ploy to get people to buy before they try; ie you have paid to see if you like what's on offer. I am not suggesting for a minute that there be a wholesale free for all and that ultra premium wines be always made available at complimentary tastings. Rather, that when marketing middle range wines, don't push the customer wallet against the punter. Don't abuse. Both ways.

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Neville

Given my experience with in-store tastings (mostly here in the USA) paying $10 to taste 8 wines ranging from $30-$80 with an average $40 is quite reasonable. That you were able to get a refund on purchase is uncommon (in my experience).

A couple of weeks ago I attended an in store tasting that highlighted Spanish and German wines, all distributed by the same company. Some 30 wines were on display and most tables were run by winery owners or their representatives. Two tables were run by the distributor. Cost was $10, but the wines ranged in price from less than $10 to a max of $40. It was one of the best tastings I have attended, simply because it was with wines I had not seen before (including unusual varieties) from a country (Spain) that I think makes some outstanding wines, and I got to talk with the guys who actually make the wines. One wine I purchased (Don PX 1971) probably represents the best $20 I have ever spent on wine. I ended up buying a number of the wines, and no I didn't get a refund!

Mike

[Murray]

More than 25 people attended a chianti tasting at $10 per head, refundable apparently upon purchase of 2 bottles, but advertised as upon purchase. The retail cost of hosting the tasting was $376, The LUC would suggest less than $248. Tasting: a profit, before anything else. And you have herded knowing punters into your clutches.

Goodwill, not much and diminishing, save that at least a punter could get a look at 8 Chianti ranging from a plumply priced $30-$80; average $40. Am I being churlish, or am I being honest that really some vinters care about education as part of a point of difference to the cynical chain stores and others see it as a marketing ploy to get people to buy before they try; ie you have paid to see if you like what's on offer. I am not suggesting for a minute that there be a wholesale free for all and that ultra premium wines be always made available at complimentary tastings. Rather, that when marketing middle range wines, don't push the customer wallet against the punter. Don't abuse. Both ways.

So I presume one bottle of each opened and doled out to 25 people? Hardly generous as a marketing exercise.

It could have been worse. I went to one premium tasting where there was a $40 charge. The wine was poured using 15ml jiggers. There would have been over 40 people there, with one bottle of each wine opened (quite a few wines though).

As the night was tailing and most people had left I noted that most bottles still had between 1/4-1/3 leftover. I asked one of the store management for some more of a patricular wine. The response was "no, the rest is for the staff to taste"