WINE SHOPS, TOY SHOPS AND MORE...
Recently, while in the midst of chaos in the middle of Toys R us, I got to thinking why isn’t there a wine bar in the toy store.?
Ok, only kidding, my kids are angels when we go shopping. No one ever asks, Can I buy this? Which, what they really mean is, can YOU buy this for me or I will throw myself on the ground and cry while OTHER parents look at me with sympathy. Melt downs could be helped with a bar. Im telling you shopping with kids would be bliss, wine in hand strolling down the aisles.
A girl can dream!
Ive been in a vapor lately studying for my latest WSET diploma test. The one thing I learned is I do not want to live in Utah (sorry), but ouch the liquor laws are crazy there! The quick version in 1933 the US set up laws to ‘protect’ people from alcohol abusive and to stop the mob control of alcohol (which is what happened during prohibition). 30 states are open states and controlled by something called the three-tier system, which means a liquor store or Costco, etc cannot just by from a winery, there is a middle man, the distributor. 20 states are closed and controlled by the state, and Utah (among others) have taken an extreme stance on alcohol consumption. In a restaurant? You have to consume wine with food, and only one glass an hour, please! Maybe, I should start the juice supply like Utah’s liquor laws.
After massive research, I discovered why I love my local wine store even more. The local or specialized wine stores have a horrible time keeping up with the likes of big box stores, liquor land, or wal-mart. The reason? They do not get the incentives or pricing that the big guys do. Thanks to the middle man or the way our laws are set up. What happens for big retailers is they get a quantity discount for buying a HUGE number of cases of a wine (or beer or spirits). Also, a lot of times that wine is on something called RIP or retail incentive program, which means that store is getting essentially a kick back for buying 50 cases of that wine, which in turn means they usually sell that wine at cost or low margins to cut out competition (even lose money because they make it up with the kick-back), which small wine stores cannot compete with. The quality or consumer choice is basically non-existent since you are buying what they are choosing NOT because its the best quality out there but the best deals for the retailer.
Buy local, go to your local specialized store, the one where the owner has made it their passion to open a store where the staff is knowledgeable and they are buying from the small suppliers (who don’t provide to the likes of big box stores). Buy something unique and good, it won’t cost you more, it just might be different from the brands your used to seeing. If your in New Jersey, my local store Amanti Vino in Montclair, NJ specializes in the small suppliers, the staff is knowledgeable and you can walk out with a solid $10.00 bottle of wine or a expensive Barolo! Wine Savvy people are popping up everyone and so are these types of wine stores! Its kinda like the mom and pop book stores that read to your kids, let them play, tell you whats good and you leave happy knowing you’ve supported your hood! My latest favorite from Amanti Vino happens to be an Italian Wine.
Superiore Terra del Noce 2010, Barbera around $20 for the money this wine is a solid Barbera, it keeps me coming back for more!
