Posted on: Wednesday, January 17, 2007
RAISE A GLASS
Take caution when buying wine online
By Kim Karalovich
The wine boom has hit Hawai'i. People here are more enthusiastic than ever about wine. This enthusiasm has brought unique, exciting and delicious wines into the local wine market. It has also spurred the opening of many fine-wine stores, especially on O'ahu.
With all this great wine and expertise available to Hawai'i's novice and experienced wine lovers, buying and finding the right wine has never been so easy. Best of all, the increase in local demand for good wine paves the way for more great wines to become available around the Islands.
Hawai'i's newfound wine enthusiasm has also brought a surge in online buying. And it makes it possible to find specialty and hard-to-find items while yielding great discounts.
However, online wine buying has some disadvantages.
Collectors do the most online wine shopping and get the most excited about buying limited and hard-to-get wines direct from the winery or from an online merchant. A growing number of wineries will only sell to mailing list/online customers and not to retailers to avoid market competition and criticism. Thus, wineries that sell only to mailing list customers ensure that even when the vintage is weak and the wine is not up to par, the customer still pay their price.
A long standing tradition of fine wine retailers is to work closely with their clients to ensure satisfaction by assisting them to find wines that fit their tastes, needs and budgets. However, one of the important roles local retailers have always had is being able to tell you whether that $15 or $300 bottle of wine is actually worth the price or investment. When buying online, the customer runs the risk of having wine in his collection based on hype and demand rather than quality and also discover that some of the most expensive wines do not fit their taste or palate.
Unlike other items online, finding good deals for wine is tough. Even if you buy direct from the winery, there is an unspoken rule that the wineries are not to undercut the suggested retail price. Typically, you will pay more buying direct from a winery than from a local retailer, even more once you add shipping.
Shipping wine is risky. Wine is perishable and does not take well to extreme temperatures. Ideally, wine should be kept at a consistent temperature of around 60 degrees with no more than a 10 degree change either way. That's why a lot of high-end wineries won't ship during hot summer or cold winter months. Shipping to Hawai'i is also expensive. The average cost for shipping a case of wine to Hawai'i is $50 to $60. If "free" shipping is offered, you can be sure the dealer is charging you more for the wine than you think.
"Blow-out" deals online should draw caution. Wine is perishable, so when it is marked down, be concerned about its quality and integrity. There are counterfeit wines being sold online.
Online shopping for wine can be useful when you need a specific year or brand that you can't find in Hawai'i or get a retailer to special-order for you. Be sure you are buying from a credible merchant or direct from the winery.
When it comes to everyday wines, bang-for-your-buck wines, or special-occasion and unique wines, save time and money by shopping locally.
If wine lovers shop locally, great new wines will continue to arrive at local stores. This stimulates the local economy and keeps small businesses in business. So keep drinking wine, Hawai'i.
Cheers!
Kim Karalovich is a wine buyer and consultant at The Wine Stop in Honolulu, www.thewinestophawaii.com. Raise a Glass, written by a rotating group of beverage professionals, appears here every other Wednesday.
