1520 replies to this topic

[KatieLoeb]

I did. About a week ago or so I cracked open the Merlot to drink with a small steak I'd grilled up. Forgot to post so thanks for reminding me. The merlot was good, if not as transcendant as the Pinot Noir. But most certainly an excellent value for the price. Hard to find well made wines from serious juice at that price point regardless.

[Dennis]

You were right about the Merlot, it was excellent. I just picked up 4 bottles of the Columbia Crest Reserve Merlot, and I hope that is just as good. Their 2005 Reserve Syrah certainly was....

On another note, does anyone know when the CS website will be back on line?

[KatieLoeb]

Just worked for me a couple of minutes ago...

Visited the Ardmore store a few weeks ago and had forgotten what an excellent selection that store always seems to have. Helpful staff too. On their recommendation I bought a couple of bottles of delicious Castelvero 2007 Piemonte Barbera that I enjoyed with pizza at Tacconelli's as well as with a burger at home. Barbera has always been my favorite "pizza and burger" wine, and this one did not disappoint. And it was quite the bargain at $9.99! Website reveals a bit of it still sprinkled about Philadelphia and Montgomery counties. Definitely worth the cost of admission for a casual "grab and go" bottle for the pizzeria or hamburger dinner.

[Dennis]

I was able to get to the CS site by starting at the base LCB site. I think they must of made some changes which rendered my CS shortcuts useless. Anyhow, I'm able to search again. I found the Barbera but not in my area. I'll have to make a run to the Gulf Mills store.

I picked up the last 6 Columbia Crest Reserve Syarhs yesterday at the Bryn Mawr store. I'll try the CC Reserve Merlot soon so I can pick up more if it's as good as I suspect. I've always been a fan of their Grand Estates wines so I'm expecting a lot from this Reserve.

[Neil Gilmour]

Has anyone tried the Swanson Cygnet Merlot Left Bank 2007 at $14.99? I looked at the Swanson Vineyards website and they do not list it. Is this specially made for the PLCB?

Neil

[KatieLoeb]

So funny you should mention that. I just bought a bottle of it on a whim yesterday, but cracked open the other bottle I'd bought (Dynamite Zin) to have with my steak dinner last night. Not sure when I'll get to it, but I'll be certain to report back about it.

A brief Goggling for that wine reveals that mentions of it exist on Snooth, Winezap.com, etc. yet there aren't any reviews. That could be as simple as no one that subscribes to those sites having had it/reviewed it yet, or maybe it is a PLCB exclusive. The whole point of the Chairman's program was to buy up in bulk and pass along the savings. Now that Jonathan isn't running it anymore though, it makes me wonder if no one else wanted it and the current IIC in their lack of wine knowledge bought it all up to release on an unsuspecting populace in the Commonwealth. However, even blind pigs find truffles, so who knows?

[mike volker]

I've had several Swanson merlots over the years and they were all worth $15.

Just my 2cents,

Mike

[Dennis]

I went to my local W&S store to see about getting a case transferred in. And I found out that you have to pre-pay shipping first. They will no longer transfer cases for free. Has anyone else been told this?

[KatieLoeb]

Doesn't sound much different than "leaving a deposit", which has always been required, as far as I know. I suspect they do that so that folks are serious about picking up their purchases, rather than ordering something, having them go to the trouble of bringing it in and then never hearing from the party that requested it again. Shipping is/has always been anywhere from $1-$3 per bottle, depending on what the item was. They're going to get it from you somehow. I think now they're just being more shameless and upfront about it.

[Jeff L]

I've transferred cases at least a half dozen times from other stores to the Newtown specialty store and have never paid shipping. Granted it's not the most expeditious method to get wine but it does get there eventually.

I'd be unhappy to learn this policy has changed.

[Dennis]

For years I've had wine shipped between stores for no charge. The only time I had to pay was when I ordered on line.
However, this was the first time that I asked a regular W&S store to do it for me. Maybe that's why. In the past, I usually had it done by one of the specialty stores that carry the CS specials.

On another note, does anyone know the website for the March on-line auction of the CS wines? I saw the ad in the Inquirer a few weeks ago but before I could sign up the paper was tossed. It's not listed on their site and I haven't seen another ad since. Thanks.

[glepore]

'07 Manga del Brujo from Catalunya-Garnacha, Tempranillo, Shiraz. Quite a wine for 13 bucks, and still youngish, probably even better in a year or 3. Quite a wine for 14 bucks. Plenty in my neck of the woods.

[Capaneus]

I've transferred cases at least a half dozen times from other stores to the Newtown specialty store and have never paid shipping. Granted it's not the most expeditious method to get wine but it does get there eventually.

I'd be unhappy to learn this policy has changed.

Yes and no: what they did was add another option: you can use UPS; you can pay the new $1/btl transfer fee, and have the transfer be expedited, and recorded and monitored at both ends, which should avoid some of the "accidents" I've experienced in the past; or you (supposedly) can do it for free - and take your chances.

What I'm hearing from a lot of people, though, is that they're having trouble getting the stores to do a free transfer. To be fair, I think the unwillingness is not really about the $1: the old system took forever, was ridiculously unreliable, and much grief came from it, for all involved.

[lancastermike]

I was in my local store today to pick up my SLO Luxardo Marachino to keep us in Aviations. I picked up the latest catalog and lo and behold we have featured drinks from that South American tourist and famous bartender Katie Loeb.more ink for our favorite mixer. I did see that Eagle Rare 10 year old was on sale.

[Chris Amirault]

In this press release, the PLCB announces "its new Fine Wine & Good Spirits store at 6542 J Lower York Road in New Hope, Bucks County, as part of its effort to enhance the shopping experience for its customers." Read on:

The new store, with a unique floor plan designed in response to customer feedback, features a central service point at which customers can find assistance, taste products, browse featured items and make purchases. It also offers a warm, welcoming atmosphere for customers to explore educational materials on wine and spirits.

"Customer satisfaction is one of our top priorities and we strive to provide the best retail experience possible," said Chairman Patrick J. "PJ" Stapleton. "Our new open floor plan will encourage our customers to browse the wide selection, compare products easily and discover new favorites. As always, the on-site wine specialists will be available to help customers meet their unique entertaining needs." ...

"This project is the result of our customers' suggestions," said PLCB board member Tom Goldsmith. "People continually told us they wanted a more welcoming experience in our stores—one that would encourage them to browse more, learn about new products and enjoy the shopping experience more thoroughly. We believe this store achieves that goal."

Anyone been there? Thoughts?

[Jeff L]

If you close your eyes for a minute and try not to think about the PALCB budget of 1 million dollars just to teach the many personality and information challanged clerks just to greet customers, I swear you'd think you were in New Jersey. Me, I'd rather just go to New Jersey for my wine and beer purchases as I'm likely to actually get an answer to my questions there. I'm not saying that all the state store employees are like this, just many of them.

Anyhow, the store is quite nice, but if the LCB really listened to consumers as the PR brief said they do, they would privitize it already. Oh wait, that's not their role. Their role is to continue enforcing the decades old laws still on the Commonwealth's books, one of those being the collection of a now 18% tax for the Johnstown flood. This tax was enacted in 1936 and was to last just a few years. Not only is it still going strong but it started at 10% and has increased over the 70 years to the current 18%. What a state!

[doviakw]

I have been away from the PLCB Web site for awhile. I visited today and was unable to find anywhere to search for items or to identify what stores might have an item in stock. Both the Chairman's Selections and the Product Search are no longer there. I also tried the "FineWineAndGoodSpirits.com" site and was able to find the Chairman's Selections list but no link to the stores' inventories.

The ability to find out what store had what product in stock was one of the better features of the site. It is a MAJOR inconvenience to do a "search" by phone!

Am I missing something?

[lancastermike]

I have been away from the PLCB Web site for awhile. I visited today and was unable to find anywhere to search for items or to identify what stores might have an item in stock. Both the Chairman's Selections and the Product Search are no longer there. I also tried the "FineWineAndGoodSpirits.com" site and was able to find the Chairman's Selections list but no link to the stores' inventories.

The ability to find out what store had what product in stock was one of the better features of the site. It is a MAJOR inconvenience to do a "search" by phone!

Am I missing something?

I found the new web site as well and it took me some clicking around till I found the search feature. Exactly how escapes me at the moment but it is still there on the finewineandgoodspirits page

[lancastermike]

Fall in Pennsylvania is hunting season. While I don't really go out for deer anymore I am always on the hunt for that trophy catch of VanWinkle bourbon. After some discussion with LCP staff I received a cryptic sort of lead to keep my eyes peeled for their limited allocation in a month or so. They ain't getting much so diligence,bourbon hunters, is the order of the day.

[gfweb]

I've been looking for Pappy.

[lancastermike]

Rittenhouse rye currently in stock on the website. Usually does not last long. They told me Van Winkle bourbon will be in soon. Website only and the won't get much