GGGRRRR!!!! 2 weeks ago I was THRILLED to grab a half bottle of 99 Justin Isoceles at RT 22 Super Saver in Bridgewater for 22.99, as I only have 2 full bottles left at home. I also at the same time picked up a half bottle of Viader 99. So I pleaded with them to check and double check to see if they had any more of either- esp. the Isoceles. They said no, those were the last 2. So we go again for a quick browse on the way to dinner this past Sat. night and there are now 3 Viader halfs ond one Isoceles on the shelf. I grab the Isoceles, then beg again for them to check- they just shrug their shoulders and say that I got the last bottle again (for the second time). Yea- right!
I am tired of playing this game- they have done this w/ several other wines this year. I wish I could not go there- but they keep luring me back.
So do you think if I go back there will be one on the shelf? I am begrudgingly going to have to go back and check! But I hate giving them my business!

Its part of the stupid game that many retailers play. Unavoidable in many instances I am afraid.

I hate it when stuff like this happens. The only way I've ever gotten around this problem is to get in really good with a couple of wine buyers for local liquor stores that have no problems taking me back into the warehouse to poke around. Even at that, I cannot tell you how many times I've requested specific bottlings to later walk in and find the last bottle sitting on the shelf and I never received a phone call to let me know it was in.

as I recall, this is a pattern that SS on rt22 seems to do, I remember people complaining about it.

What I don't understand is if someone wanted to buy it, why wouldn't they pull it from that back? Back when I worked at a store I'd get fired if I did't bother to check and we had more left.

Jazin - There may be a good chance you might find another bottle if you go back, the owner likes to hold cherries back and put them out (a bottle or two at a time) onto the shelf for the walk-in customers.

I store owner that I know (charges way to much, so I rarely buy from him) recently showed me his "secret room". While back there I saw a few bottles of 96 Cinq Cepages while looking at them I asked him about his case discount policy. He jumped to conclusions and said he wouldn't sell me his only case of the wine because then he couldn't list it as being in inventory.

I wasn't talking about the Cinq, but the conversation was very telling.

TCK

That sounds frighteningly similar to many restaurants that carry single bottles of obscenely priced gems -- just so they appear on the wine list. They have no intention of selling them.

That might be good for restaurants, but aren't wine shops in the business of SELLING? I wouldn't solicit wine shops that won't sell me their wines for respectable prices.

jazin-rt.22 ss has been doing business this way for years. if they put out too much of the desirables out at one time, someone might purchase a mixed case and receive the 10% discount. whenever i see a plum in that store, it becomes a hassle to put a case together. recently, i stopped there and found four bottles of the 99 clos erasmus and four bottles of the 99 ojai pisini pinot noir. as i was browsing the store to complete my case purchase, the wine manager came over to me and asked if i wanted anymore of either one. i took six more bottles of each.

must be a sign of the times. btw, they have some very good inexpensive 2000 bordeaux available.

Thanks everyone- I was thinking too that they may do that to prevent someone from getting too many and getting the case discount. Too bad I will just have to keep going back... but that Justin Isoceles is just the CUTEST Half bottle I have ever seen! (Not to mention that we LOVE the wine) I'll keep you posted!

Speaking of Short's obscenely priced bottles in certain restaurants, I'm reminded of the Dom Perignon 1993 at Arthur's Steakhouse in Hoboken, which is quite the opposite. $136 for the bottle as I recall, which is the same price I've seen it at quite a few retailers!

I too can talk about SS on Route 22 doing the same thing. 1999 Falesco Montiano appears in threes.... about every two weeks.

Jazin, I'll trade you some half bottle Isosceles for some good Zin. I have none. *nudge nudge*

Why buy the half bottles Jazin? send me around $44 and I will go out and get you some 750's. This is still sitting around if you want some.

You could always go in, buy what they have, go out and sit in the car for 15 minutes (or come back the next day), and come back in and see if they restocked.

tj-unfortunately, sometimes they wait a day or two before restocking. you have to constantly return to check their on the shelf inventory. that also makes it difficult to put a case together to receive the 10% discount.

I went back Saturday and there were 2 more Justin Isoceles halfs- so of course I grabbed them!!!
They also had one bottle of Turley 2001 Duarte Zin on the shelf for $39... but I passed, since we are on the mailing list. A great buy, though.
Yes- as much as I hate to, I'll be checking again later this week.

maybe they have one of those machines at the golf range. Once you hit a ball, it waits a determined length of time then reloads. if we get scientific, we can figure out what the inteval is