2010 Domaine Robert Chevillon Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Chaignots
Community Tasting Note
bevetroppo Likes this wine:
Sunday, September 6, 2015 - $39.99. That was the advertised pre-arrival price from Premier Cru in an email offering in early 2012. While it had all the appearance of a Jack spitting cider in my ear, I plunged on a case. Thus began a 2 1/2 year odyssey in which I became convinced that Premier Cru is a criminal organization, or at best, a purveyor of black market wines they don't actually own.
This is probably a completely false assessment because in the end, it seems like more a case of abject incompetence and customer service so bad it would make Tony Hsieh go into immediate cardiac arrest.
Whatever. Eventually after many imprecations, emails threatening suit, contact with the California authorities etc, I got my wine, and I finally opened a bottle tonight.
I'd like to say it was worth the wait, but if this wine was hand delivered to my doorstep by the Chevillon family, I can't say that it was. Nonetheless, tonight's bottle is a beauty. Dark red color, nose a perfumed exhalation of deep ripe cherries, bright cassis, and spice box, perhaps if I can be so bold tending towards sandalwood. Underlying subtext of bosky forest, suggesting in this young wine exciting development over time. Beautifully balanced, even elegant, everything falling into place. Approachable young, and with luck it won't shut down like the Premier Cru employee at the other end of the line.
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4 comments have been posted
3 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue (4,417 views)
Comment posted by kakpoo:
9/13/2016 4:51:00 PM - you should consider yourself very lucky that you received any wine at all from Premier Cru. See this article for more info.
http://www.berkeleyside.com/2016/07/28/how-did-berkeley-wine-store-accrue-70m-in-debt/
Comment posted by bevetroppo:
9/17/2016 5:33:00 AM - Kakpoo-Thanks for the link. I'm well aware of the story-in fact I've already been contacted by the FBI. I hope this guy rots in hell, or at least in a world where there's nothing to drink but Santa Margherita pinot grigio. -B
Comment posted by kakpoo:
9/17/2016 10:57:00 AM - Yes, the Premier Cru owners John Fox and Hector Ortega should rot in hell or be subjected to castration at the very least! I was fortunate enough to actually receive 5 of the last 6 bottles I ordered from them. Bank of America visa was kind enough to dispute the charge for the missing bottle and refund me for the bottle I never received, but many other people I know were not as lucky. I have learned a valuable lesson from my experience with PC, and now I try to only order wines that are "in-stock" at merchants, pay using a credit card that will take my side on a disputed charge, and request shipping at the first available window. Most important, I'll now choose a merchant with a stellar customer service reputation even if it means paying more for my wine.
Comment posted by bevetroppo:
9/18/2016 6:44:00 AM - Kakpoo-I'm glad you got yours or were covered. Funny but I had similar protection from AmEx, who rebated my last unfulfilled order of around $1300 (I read somewhere that AmEx was the second largest creditor following the collapse). Thank God I used that card. Truly a cautionary tale as you describe. I'm reduced to cliches: "if it's too good to be true it probably is," or "there's a sucker born every minute." I learned a lot from the experience.