I’ve been taken to Napa and Sonoma to tour some of it’s most prestigious vineyards and wineries; I’ve been put up at the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood for showing certain brands some love.  All on the distributor’s dime.  Not to mention endless free product to quench my thirst.  Recently I’ve made the move from restaurants back to the retail side, in a small boutique wine shop.  We have a strong clientele, especially the neighborhood folks who enjoy our free wine tasting and great customer service.

The competition is a bitch.  Being a small wine shop, we can only do so much volume.  One of our biggest competitors is Argonaut, a massive warehouse-style liquor store.  They often have things priced cheaper than we can get them at wholesale.  All the distributors can say is “sorry, you don’t spend millions of dollars with us per year.  They do.”

I understand economic times are hard, but it is important to support your small, local family owned shops.  They’re almost a thing of the past, strangled by low internet prices and the huge warehouse liquor stores.  And here’s a little secret.  In the big liquor stores, there’s lots of people waiting to help you with your wine selections.  Guess who they work for.  The distributors.  They’re the reps, waiting to push their product on you.

This whole concept goes against everything that wine stands for.  Wine means sharing, community, and a general connection with the earth and environment.  Not mafioso-style “arrangements.”

The rich get richer, while the real people struggle.  Go buy some wine from people who actually care about wine.

Rant over.