PRP Wines – a cautionary tale.

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PRP Wines – a cautionary tale. - 10/15/2012 9:13:02 AM

wadcorp

Posts: 9332
Joined: 10/29/2008
From: Kansas City, MO
Status: offline

Some neighbors who are neophytes with wine invited us to a tasting, knowing that we are into wine.

Wine tasting followed by dinner. What's not to like?

BE VERY CAREFUL!!

They took us to a PRP Wine Tasting event.

Now I'd heard of PRP before, as years ago a friend had one of their wine tastings at his home. Was unimpressed by the wines at the time.

This was a tasting at their shop/office/warehouse, behind a fairly run-down strip-center way south of town.

I'm happy they are way, way down there, as this was the largest collection of really, really bad wines I'd ever experienced.

Seriously. Out of about sixty wines they had open for tasting, there was nothing I've ever heard of before. No wineries I've experienced. I started to think that maybe they just produce different labels, and stick 'em on stray bottles.

Starting at the whites, they went from sweet to "a doctor is going to demand you be checked for diabetes" levels of sweet. Just. Wretched. Stuff. There were rieslings that rivaled sauternes in levels of sugar. I'm not making this up!

Over to the reds, there were about half which were not sweet (I asked first & avoided most of those). Most drier reds were so tannic, I thought they might have raked leaves up to cover the top of an open barrel of wine, then left them there for about a month or more. Amazingly, there was only one or two fruit-bombs. Most were just tannic… but no fruit to speak of. More than a few were just alcohol-bombs. I found myself looking at the labels, thinking, "No way this is just 17%".

I didn't even go for the sparklers, inexplicably placed after the heavier reds. The rep said most were "sweet sparkling" so I figured no way. One label was listed as "sparking almond". WTF is that supposed to be??

All in all, a terrible wine experience. And it wasn't just me. My wife was aghast at the wines proffered. Our neighbors bought six bottles. "We usually come away with a case or two," they said. No wonder I've never been impressed by any of the wines they've served.

I'm really going out on a limb here. Our neighbor did say he was needing to set up an account with CellarTracker. I'm just hoping in a few weeks that this thread will be buried & he doesn't see it. They are good people. Good friends. But Jeez, that was some nasty, off-putting wine.

Anyone else had the misfortune to run across PRP wines?

Apparently, they pride themselves (!) on having wines that are unavailable in retail. They say they own most of the vineyards/wineries where their wine comes from, so have an exclusivity with these labels. Uh-huh. Please keep it that way. I'd hate to run into any of these wines in the real world.

I didn't see anything on CT regarding this. Just be aware: they are out there.

.

_____________________________

"Wine is light held together by moisture."
— Galileo Galilei, physicist and astronomer (1564-1642)

Post #: 1

RE: PRP Wines – a cautionary tale. - 10/15/2012 9:20:36 AM

Eric

Posts: 17317
Joined: 10/10/2003
From: Seattle, WA
Status: offline

Sounds sort of like this: http://www.bottlecount.com/harvey/comment.cgi?newsid=1164

DISCLAIMER: There is lots of back and forth on that one, so I don't really know what the truth is.

_____________________________

Cheers!
-Eric LeVine

http://twitter.com/cellartracker
http://facebook.com/cellartracker

(in reply to wadcorp)

Post #: 2

RE: PRP Wines – a cautionary tale. - 10/15/2012 9:38:12 AM

StefanAkiko

Posts: 795
Joined: 1/1/2012
From: Sweden, living in Yokohama (Japan)
Status: offline

When we started out many years ago, jammy Zinfandels were the crème de la crème of outstanding wine making in my World. One of my best wine tasting friends thought that dry Fürmint from Hungary at $3 per bottle were the s**t

...and... well, there are just an amazing amount of hilarius stories that makes my cheeks red just thinking about them.

Tastes develop as you learn more, expand your horizons and find your own taste.

_____________________________

"One for pleasure, two for too much, three for bed."
Salman Rushdie referencing Tignanello in his book: Fury.

(in reply to Eric)

Post #: 3

RE: PRP Wines – a cautionary tale. - 10/15/2012 9:38:20 AM

brigcampbell

Posts: 2483
Joined: 2/16/2009
From: Mission Viejo, CA
Status: offline

Been there, done that.

http://www.wineberserkers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=48020

Wine Tasting - A Tupperware party with PRP Wine International

Post Number:#1 Postby brigcampbell » Sat Jun 11, 2011 1:04 pm
http://prpwine.com/

Interesting business model. Our friends purchased a "home wine tasting" off a flashsite for their fathers birthday and had 9 people over, the cost was $50 and included 9 bottles. It's basically a direct selling model like a tupperware party (not multi-level marketing though, best I can tell) and the idea being the people will purchase the wines they like. And our "consultant" was a nice guy and fairly entertaining. so overall it could be an interesting and very entertaining model for selling but it would be a better event if there were better wines.

The wine they are pimping is plonk, all "exclusive" to prp and "unable to purchase in retail stores" pricing in the $20 range. Of the wine I had that night, there was a decent chardonnay from Languedoc done in steel but tasted like SB. Seems like prp just buys bulk wine and then makes up fictitious wineries and prints up their own labels, private label gone awry. I don't think I have a problem with this really, just buyer beware. The one sketchy area was the claim about the wineries being "legit".

From their website:

quote:

Home » About PRP » Visit Our Suppliers Wineries

Learn About Our Suppliers

Ferdinand Pieroth GmbH Winery
Ferdinand Pieroth GmbH - a tradition of wine-growing going back almost 300 years. The company is located at the heart of Germany's wine-growing regions, with its own exclusive vineyards between Bingen on the Rhine and Burg Layen. It is here that the idea of selling wine direct to customers all over the world was born.

Pieroth Winery in Hungary
Hungary - famous for its wild gypsy music, fiery czardas and gulasch! Ruled over by the Habsburgs from the end of the 17th century until 1918, Hungary is one of the most fertile lands in south eastern Europe. The capital, Budapest, is also known as the 'Pearl of the Danube', after the river which flows through the city and southwards down to the Black Sea, dividing the coutry into east and west.

Vicomte Bernard de Romanet Winery
The picturesque village of St Jean d'Ardieres, in the south of the Beaujolais region, is the home of Vicomte Bernard de Romanet. The company specializes in leading Burgundies and Beaujolais wines, as well as fine wines from what are often little-known estates in southern France. These have an enthusiastic following among buyers all over Europe, America and the Far East.

Conté Ottavio Piccolomini Winery
Siena, one of the most beautiful towns in Tuscany, is the home of the Piccolomini family. Many of its members were famous figures; they included two popes, Pius II and Pius III, who changed the face of Italy during the 15th century. Today, our Italian wine company bears the name of another family member, Conte Ottavio Piccolonini d'Aragona. It specializes in leading Tuscan wines such as Brunello di Montaicino, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, and of course the much loved Chianti Classico.

Golden Grape Estate
Golden Grape Estate of California offers wine-lovers in the United States an exciting choice of wines from around the world, but with an emphasis on those from California.

Golden Grape Estate? it's not in even in California, it's Australia http://www.goldengrape.com.au/ and it's basically the same site as prpwine.com, a pimp site the direct selling model.

Well then, what about Vicomte Bernard de Romanet Winery in the picturesque village of St Jean d'Ardieres, in the south of the Beaujolais region? Nope, it's a UK site pimping the direct selling model... http://www.romanet.co.uk/

same for Pieroth in hungry. http://www.pieroth.com

Funny part of the entire evening was on the car ride over my wife said "let's set a few grounds rules for you, OK". Uh... Sure. She replies "good, first rule is you are not allowed to make any comments, corrections, or other remarks that might be viewed as you being a jerk". What? Who me? I protested and reluctenly agreed.

About halfway through the evening my wife says "how come you're not talking?" To which I proudly declared "haven't I been good!". Well, I guess she wanted me to be a little more interactive.

On queue, the host asked what flavor we found in the cab he just poured and I blurt out "cotton candy" to which half the table proclaimed "oh yeah, I taste cotton candy too!"

I didn't really need to turn my head to look at my wife, I could feel the cold piercing stare through the side of my head. I was better off not making eye contact. Then I heard the faint tone of disapproval from under her breath "Really? Cotton candy?". But the damage had been done.

Later, in an attempt to redeem myself, the host heard me talking to my wife about a french rose we like and he shared this jewel. "Rose is the blend of white and red wine" to which I immediatley fired back "thanks, that's good to know" and then quickly looked to my wife for validation of my good deed to which she just she just shook her head and said "nice try".

< Message edited by brigcampbell -- 10/15/2012 9:43:34 AM >

_____________________________

Sincerely,

-brig campbell

(in reply to Eric)

Post #: 4

RE: PRP Wines – a cautionary tale. - 10/15/2012 9:39:48 AM

wadcorp

Posts: 9332
Joined: 10/29/2008
From: Kansas City, MO
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Eric

Sounds sort of like this: http://www.bottlecount.com/harvey/comment.cgi?newsid=1164

That is one scary thread…

.

_____________________________

"Wine is light held together by moisture."
— Galileo Galilei, physicist and astronomer (1564-1642)

(in reply to Eric)

Post #: 5

RE: PRP Wines – a cautionary tale. - 10/15/2012 9:45:58 AM

musedir

Posts: 23493
Joined: 2/25/2010
From: At 2534ft in Asheville near Royal Pines
Status: offline

That series of communiqués were amazing... I started getting calls from a salesman in LA about a year ago who called me out of the lue and said he had learned I was a serious buyer (!)... That should have set my radar off!

but when I asked how he got my name and phone number he always changed the subject. He had great deals with great prices if I were to act immediately. After three calls he gave up on me I guess. Very slick, and very snake oil-ish. Anybody else get those calls?

_____________________________

"Fan the sinnking flame of hilarity with the wing of friendship; and pass the rosy wine." Charles Dickens.

(in reply to Eric)

Post #: 6

RE: PRP Wines – a cautionary tale. - 10/15/2012 10:41:42 AM

Ibetian

Posts: 3573
Joined: 7/15/2007
From: Sarasota, FL and the Berkshires
Status: offline

This helps put the Too High Scores? thread in perspective.

There are a ton of sub 80 wines out there, but generally CTers manage to avoid buying and especially avoid cellaring them. The wines we do buy, drink and cellar are well above average, and so deserve well above average scores.

(in reply to musedir)

Post #: 7

RE: PRP Wines – a cautionary tale. - 10/15/2012 10:46:13 AM

ob2s

Posts: 1689
Joined: 1/30/2007
From: SW Portland Ore
Status: offline

yes as in terrible formatting.

quote:

ORIGINAL: wadcorp
That is one scary thread…

_____________________________

German Wine ? see GermanWines.us | water nourishes the body, wine nourishes the soul

(in reply to wadcorp)

Post #: 8

RE: PRP Wines – a cautionary tale. - 10/15/2012 10:58:25 AM

Wine Gopher

Posts: 821
Joined: 3/12/2012
From: MN
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: brigcampbell

Been there, done that.

http://www.wineberserkers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=48020

Wine Tasting - A Tupperware party with PRP Wine International

Post Number:#1 Postby brigcampbell » Sat Jun 11, 2011 1:04 pm
http://prpwine.com/

Interesting business model. Our friends purchased a "home wine tasting" off a flashsite for their fathers birthday and had 9 people over, the cost was $50 and included 9 bottles. It's basically a direct selling model like a tupperware party (not multi-level marketing though, best I can tell) and the idea being the people will purchase the wines they like. And our "consultant" was a nice guy and fairly entertaining. so overall it could be an interesting and very entertaining model for selling but it would be a better event if there were better wines.

The wine they are pimping is plonk, all "exclusive" to prp and "unable to purchase in retail stores" pricing in the $20 range. Of the wine I had that night, there was a decent chardonnay from Languedoc done in steel but tasted like SB. Seems like prp just buys bulk wine and then makes up fictitious wineries and prints up their own labels, private label gone awry. I don't think I have a problem with this really, just buyer beware. The one sketchy area was the claim about the wineries being "legit".

From their website:

quote:

Home » About PRP » Visit Our Suppliers Wineries

Learn About Our Suppliers

Ferdinand Pieroth GmbH Winery
Ferdinand Pieroth GmbH - a tradition of wine-growing going back almost 300 years. The company is located at the heart of Germany's wine-growing regions, with its own exclusive vineyards between Bingen on the Rhine and Burg Layen. It is here that the idea of selling wine direct to customers all over the world was born.

Pieroth Winery in Hungary
Hungary - famous for its wild gypsy music, fiery czardas and gulasch! Ruled over by the Habsburgs from the end of the 17th century until 1918, Hungary is one of the most fertile lands in south eastern Europe. The capital, Budapest, is also known as the 'Pearl of the Danube', after the river which flows through the city and southwards down to the Black Sea, dividing the coutry into east and west.

Vicomte Bernard de Romanet Winery
The picturesque village of St Jean d'Ardieres, in the south of the Beaujolais region, is the home of Vicomte Bernard de Romanet. The company specializes in leading Burgundies and Beaujolais wines, as well as fine wines from what are often little-known estates in southern France. These have an enthusiastic following among buyers all over Europe, America and the Far East.

Conté Ottavio Piccolomini Winery
Siena, one of the most beautiful towns in Tuscany, is the home of the Piccolomini family. Many of its members were famous figures; they included two popes, Pius II and Pius III, who changed the face of Italy during the 15th century. Today, our Italian wine company bears the name of another family member, Conte Ottavio Piccolonini d'Aragona. It specializes in leading Tuscan wines such as Brunello di Montaicino, Vernaccia di San Gimignano, and of course the much loved Chianti Classico.

Golden Grape Estate
Golden Grape Estate of California offers wine-lovers in the United States an exciting choice of wines from around the world, but with an emphasis on those from California.

Golden Grape Estate? it's not in even in California, it's Australia http://www.goldengrape.com.au/ and it's basically the same site as prpwine.com, a pimp site the direct selling model.

Well then, what about Vicomte Bernard de Romanet Winery in the picturesque village of St Jean d'Ardieres, in the south of the Beaujolais region? Nope, it's a UK site pimping the direct selling model... http://www.romanet.co.uk/

same for Pieroth in hungry. http://www.pieroth.com

Funny part of the entire evening was on the car ride over my wife said "let's set a few grounds rules for you, OK". Uh... Sure. She replies "good, first rule is you are not allowed to make any comments, corrections, or other remarks that might be viewed as you being a jerk". What? Who me? I protested and reluctenly agreed.

About halfway through the evening my wife says "how come you're not talking?" To which I proudly declared "haven't I been good!". Well, I guess she wanted me to be a little more interactive.

On queue, the host asked what flavor we found in the cab he just poured and I blurt out "cotton candy" to which half the table proclaimed "oh yeah, I taste cotton candy too!"

I didn't really need to turn my head to look at my wife, I could feel the cold piercing stare through the side of my head. I was better off not making eye contact. Then I heard the faint tone of disapproval from under her breath "Really? Cotton candy?". But the damage had been done.

Later, in an attempt to redeem myself, the host heard me talking to my wife about a french rose we like and he shared this jewel. "Rose is the blend of white and red wine" to which I immediatley fired back "thanks, that's good to know" and then quickly looked to my wife for validation of my good deed to which she just she just shook her head and said "nice try".

This deserves a golf clap. I'm struggling to hold back my laughter as I eat my lunch at work.

(in reply to brigcampbell)

Post #: 9

RE: PRP Wines – a cautionary tale. - 10/15/2012 11:33:48 AM

champagneinhand

Posts: 10282
Joined: 5/30/2011
From: Upstate New York, California born.
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: musedir

That series of communiqués were amazing... I started getting calls from a salesman in LA about a year ago who called me out of the lue and said he had learned I was a serious buyer (!)... That should have set my radar off! but when I asked how he got my name and phone number he always changed the subject. He had great deals with great prices if I were to act immediately. After three calls he gave up on me I guess. Very slick, and very snake oil-ish. Anybody else get those calls?

I would relish the day that some snake oil guy tried to bring me into his fold. I have had Amway try 2 times and I wasted so much of their time, I don't think anybody els would try. As you know I call things as I see them and am not shy to back up my point with facts and use those same facts to discredit the person. I will say that Amway had some decent products, but count me out if you want me to go recruiting people, as I don't sell Kool-aid and don't partake of it either. That goes for door to door types, that I have been happy to talk with at my door for several minutes, but don't expect to get inside or you are in a heep of trouble. I had 2 older ladies and a gent sort of rush into my house because I was doing the hot tub cleaning thing and I didn't want to be rude so they got in for about 30 minutes. Let's just say, that after 30 minutes they were looking at their books and literature in a different light. They still come by and say "Hi," because I don't do anything in a mean or ill willed manner. I just won't drink the same Kool-aid that they are drinking. BTW, during college my wife sold for Kirby vacuums during Summers, and I got to hear the whole story of that business and meet some of the people from those days...Scary. Their biggest customers lived in trailer parks, go figure and would buy new model every other year. The masses can fall for a million things, so I am sure this PRP group does make some profits, but it gives the whole business a bad name.

_____________________________

As I age my finger tips seem to be bigger, my iOS keyboard seems to be less kind, and my need for wearing reading glasses has never been greater. I hope you are forgiving and can read between my lines.

(in reply to musedir)

Post #: 10

RE: PRP Wines – a cautionary tale. - 10/16/2012 1:40:36 PM

Merzbow

Posts: 19
Joined: 12/31/2007
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Eric

Sounds sort of like this: http://www.bottlecount.com/harvey/comment.cgi?newsid=1164

DISCLAIMER: There is lots of back and forth on that one, so I don't really know what the truth is.

Wow... that is one of the more bizarre threads I've read in my life. Upon reading the first big post I was convinced it had to be an elaborate troll, until all of the other corroborating posts came up. It's like somebody watched "Glengarry Glen Ross" a hundred times then decided to start a wine company.

(in reply to Eric)

Post #: 11

RE: PRP Wines – a cautionary tale. - 10/16/2012 3:54:15 PM

Eric

Posts: 17317
Joined: 10/10/2003
From: Seattle, WA
Status: offline

For me the movie BOILER ROOM is what came to mind.

_____________________________

Cheers!
-Eric LeVine

http://twitter.com/cellartracker
http://facebook.com/cellartracker

(in reply to Merzbow)

Post #: 12

RE: PRP Wines – a cautionary tale. - 10/16/2012 5:55:35 PM

Merzbow

Posts: 19
Joined: 12/31/2007
Status: offline

Time for me to finally watch that movie, I think...