Bummer, but allocations are sadly the way the wine world works these days.
Wish the LCBO would switch to a lottery system like the SAQ.
L_Ront
If you live in Ontario, DRC was available once a year via lotto through the LCBO.
The system was simple enough.
Email went out notifying subscribers about the lottery and how to enter.
Chances were slim to none that you’d win the opportunity to purchase a bottle BUT the system was fair and relatively transparent.
Well, I found out last week that the system has now changed and ONLY TOP PURCHASERS will be given an allocation of DRC.
Does anyone else feel upset about this?
I think the idea of ONLY allowing the wealthy to buy one of these bottles feels classist and elitist. I get that these wines are expensive but I also think anyone should have the ability to purchase one if they get lucky.
Agree?
Disagree?
In the email thread attached, LCBO is claiming that this new system was a directive from the domaine. Does that sound right to you?
Secret-Equipment4039
That sucks relative to the previous system, but that’s essentially/unofficially what is happening in the USA. Only “preferred” buyers get DRC bottles from distributors. You can guess what makes them “preferred.”
ZenBreaking
Realistically I never dealt with DRC per se but we would have received allocations of interesting stuff that we would hold for good customers that spent money with us. Pr at least give them first crack at the stuff . Can see why they would do this.
reddithenry
This is how it works in basically the rest of the world…
devinoupitou
I think ill have a controversial take and say that the lottery system isn’t ideal and is very flawed (lcbo and saq) Many people use multiple accounts and bots to win and yeah they have systems against that but they are not fool-proof.
Most bottles were being won by resellers and people who just ship them to auction or plan to send them to auction later on so I understand them wanting it to go to people who will actually drink the wines because DRC don’t want the wines to go to resellers and I have heard that they said it was a major problem here because of the reasonable prices they come out at the saq and lcbo.
I’d also love to be able to get these wines at near cost but at the same time i understand them making it “pay to play” to reduce reselling. Maybe one day they’ll have a better system.
IfNotBackAvengeDeath
Out of curiosity why is it so wildly underpriced? Highly Desirable Good + Below market pricing = Shortages and black markets.
I understand your indignation but there are many luxury goods you can’t buy without a significant purchase history, like a Porsche GT3, a Patek Philippe Nautilus, or a Hermes Birkin to name just a few. It’s not unusual to reserve really desirable perks — like allocating goods in shortage — for your best customers.
Grizz-88-
What a joke
Lucky-Coconut-1683
DRC has been paying to play in my sales region for years – Midwest.
blkwrxwgn
One thing I think everyone should do is reverse the thinking on this. What if you had a business that got rare items in, be it a wine shop, antique shop, jeweler, etc.
If a random person came into your store, somebody who has never spent money with you or rarely, would you sell them said rare/exclusive item? Or would you offer it to your loyal customers first?
If you were the importer or wine shop, how would you allocate the wines?
Cooperstown24
To be fair the lotto system would generally just involve a random person winning a bottle and it immediately being resold because you could easily get 4-5 times what you pay. Not exactly fair and equitable either, and not what the domaine is looking for
yogiebere
It’s like Birkin bags
claretyportman
It seems absolutely extraordinary to me, having split my wine buying lifetime between the UK, France and the USA, that it was ever a lottery to begin with. Wild.
zzzogas413
It sucks but it makes total sense. This is just a for-profit business implementing for-profit practices when demand far out-paces supply. I often wonder if it would make people feel better if the winery sold their product at actual market price?
Alarming_Rutabaga583
So lcbo is now just doing what halpern does?
BottlesAndBikes
Haha we all know the account. Good guy
NobodyAffectionate94
way to try to throw the wine collector on instagram under the bus, it clearly says DRC advised of this change
RelationshipCivil188
This has always been the case. Halpern imports DRC into Ontario and sells their allocation to preferred buyers
L_Ront
Hell of a guy with a pretty stellar collection. I often try to find the bottles that I see him collecting. Dude has great taste.
Bobgoulet
This is how it works for rare bourbon, allocated beer, high-end wine, etc. If an importer / distributor has a highly sought after item that they are not permitted to gouge on pricing, they will leverage that item to sell other brands.
math135_vet
I completely agree with you here, but I’m more upset about the precedent this sets with regards to exclusivity at the LCBO. Will we start seeing Sassicaia and other highly desired wines be whisked away to top purchasers behind closed doors? It’s already difficult enough to log in and buy before bots in any vso release. Then, some of the sold out bottles end up at some store in middle of nowhere Ottawa and just sit there for months/years. Not good…
remyworldpeace
And yet there are still some stores in the world where you can buy DRC at a similar price and walk out with the bottle same day! IYKYK…
22 Comments
Bummer, but allocations are sadly the way the wine world works these days.
Wish the LCBO would switch to a lottery system like the SAQ.
If you live in Ontario, DRC was available once a year via lotto through the LCBO.
The system was simple enough.
Email went out notifying subscribers about the lottery and how to enter.
Chances were slim to none that you’d win the opportunity to purchase a bottle BUT the system was fair and relatively transparent.
Well, I found out last week that the system has now changed and ONLY TOP PURCHASERS will be given an allocation of DRC.
Does anyone else feel upset about this?
I think the idea of ONLY allowing the wealthy to buy one of these bottles feels classist and elitist. I get that these wines are expensive but I also think anyone should have the ability to purchase one if they get lucky.
Agree?
Disagree?
In the email thread attached, LCBO is claiming that this new system was a directive from the domaine. Does that sound right to you?
That sucks relative to the previous system, but that’s essentially/unofficially what is happening in the USA. Only “preferred” buyers get DRC bottles from distributors. You can guess what makes them “preferred.”
Realistically I never dealt with DRC per se but we would have received allocations of interesting stuff that we would hold for good customers that spent money with us. Pr at least give them first crack at the stuff .
Can see why they would do this.
This is how it works in basically the rest of the world…
I think ill have a controversial take and say that the lottery system isn’t ideal and is very flawed (lcbo and saq) Many people use multiple accounts and bots to win and yeah they have systems against that but they are not fool-proof.
Most bottles were being won by resellers and people who just ship them to auction or plan to send them to auction later on so I understand them wanting it to go to people who will actually drink the wines because DRC don’t want the wines to go to resellers and I have heard that they said it was a major problem here because of the reasonable prices they come out at the saq and lcbo.
I’d also love to be able to get these wines at near cost but at the same time i understand them making it “pay to play” to reduce reselling. Maybe one day they’ll have a better system.
Out of curiosity why is it so wildly underpriced? Highly Desirable Good + Below market pricing = Shortages and black markets.
I understand your indignation but there are many luxury goods you can’t buy without a significant purchase history, like a Porsche GT3, a Patek Philippe Nautilus, or a Hermes Birkin to name just a few. It’s not unusual to reserve really desirable perks — like allocating goods in shortage — for your best customers.
What a joke
DRC has been paying to play in my sales region for years – Midwest.
One thing I think everyone should do is reverse the thinking on this. What if you had a business that got rare items in, be it a wine shop, antique shop, jeweler, etc.
If a random person came into your store, somebody who has never spent money with you or rarely, would you sell them said rare/exclusive item? Or would you offer it to your loyal customers first?
If you were the importer or wine shop, how would you allocate the wines?
To be fair the lotto system would generally just involve a random person winning a bottle and it immediately being resold because you could easily get 4-5 times what you pay. Not exactly fair and equitable either, and not what the domaine is looking for
It’s like Birkin bags
It seems absolutely extraordinary to me, having split my wine buying lifetime between the UK, France and the USA, that it was ever a lottery to begin with. Wild.
It sucks but it makes total sense. This is just a for-profit business implementing for-profit practices when demand far out-paces supply. I often wonder if it would make people feel better if the winery sold their product at actual market price?
So lcbo is now just doing what halpern does?
Haha we all know the account. Good guy
way to try to throw the wine collector on instagram under the bus, it clearly says DRC advised of this change
This has always been the case. Halpern imports DRC into Ontario and sells their allocation to preferred buyers
Hell of a guy with a pretty stellar collection. I often try to find the bottles that I see him collecting. Dude has great taste.
This is how it works for rare bourbon, allocated beer, high-end wine, etc. If an importer / distributor has a highly sought after item that they are not permitted to gouge on pricing, they will leverage that item to sell other brands.
I completely agree with you here, but I’m more upset about the precedent this sets with regards to exclusivity at the LCBO. Will we start seeing Sassicaia and other highly desired wines be whisked away to top purchasers behind closed doors? It’s already difficult enough to log in and buy before bots in any vso release. Then, some of the sold out bottles end up at some store in middle of nowhere Ottawa and just sit there for months/years. Not good…
And yet there are still some stores in the world where you can buy DRC at a similar price and walk out with the bottle same day! IYKYK…