Winetex
Austin, Texas
Master of Wine
Posts:10614
 | | 12/21/2005 7:54 PM |
| The Brown Derby has a deep selection of European wine including older vintages. Their emails are frequent but their specials are usually interesting. Their prices are competitive and I've been told that if you call them they will occasionally match prices from other retailers.
The good - Good sales - Watch for their sales - one of the past sales was on older vintages of Zind-Humbrecht wines. The wines arrived in pristine condition and were the same when opened (even older vintages).
The not-so-good - Their website is comprehensive but the interface is messy. Also their inventory is not even close to real-time so during the sales their auto-mailer may confirm a sale when the inventory is not available. This happened to me with the Zinds - Wineaux bought most of them. | | | |
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Eric White
San Ramon, CA
Advanced Sommelier
Posts:9146
| | 12/21/2005 8:02 PM |
| | Completely agree with your assessment Winetex, often times the deals at Brown Derby are outstanding! I too find the web interface clumsy. They also did something really dumb with that Zind Humbrecht sale - they announced it on a Friday, then closed for the weekend (I think it was a long weekend too). Not anticipating the response, they were overwhelmed with orders - while they did their best to make things as even as possible, most of us had orders cut. Still, it was an awesome sale, as was several others in the past, and the wines have always been delivered in fine shape. | | | |
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shaferguy91
Germantown TN
Wine Bottler
Posts:3384
| | 12/21/2005 10:53 PM |
| | I have used them for 2 years with no problems. | | | |
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ChangeMe
Grape Destemmer
Posts:77
| | 12/22/2005 12:06 AM |
| Winetex, they are selling 1996 Dom Perignon for $165. And Clicquot LGD for $150. I could hardly call that competitive. I'm not sure about other wines, though.
(edited to add Cliquot LGD's price) | | | |
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Jim Hanlon
Barrel Filler
Posts:1205
| | 12/22/2005 1:58 AM |
| | Brown Derby has many excellent deals. Almost any wine shop has a few bottles that are priced above market. My biggest issue with Brown Derby is their relatively high shipping rates ($40 per case from MO to CA by ground). That said, when they put Zind-Humbrecht or Chapoutier on half-price, its well worth it. | | | |
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Al_ksyrah
Barrel Filler
Posts:1039
| | 12/22/2005 5:08 AM |
| I agree with Jim. I've found some great deals with them and I check them out frequently. I'd use them even more often, but the shipping is a bit high especially for those of us in California.
-Al | | | |
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Winetex
Austin, Texas
Master of Wine
Posts:10614
| | 12/22/2005 4:01 PM |
| Phyll - I agree that those prices are high. One of the problems we find in the middle of the country is almost artificially high champagne prices. I've been told there are some issues with certain distributors but there is definitely something strange in play.
Many of the BDs prices are quite competitive, check out some of their burgundies. | | | |
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Winetex
Austin, Texas
Master of Wine
Posts:10614
| | 11/16/2006 2:38 PM |
| | Bumping up for additions. | | | |
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Winetex
Austin, Texas
Master of Wine
Posts:10614
| | 07/17/2007 6:16 PM |
| This is a pretty interesting deal if you just have to have the wines during the hot summer season.
No affiliation blah, blah, blah... ************** From: info@brownderby.com
Subject: Summer Shipping Special
To: info@brownderby.com
Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2007 11:33:13 -0500
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Summer Shipping Special
We realize that buying wine online in the summertime poses a problem with delivery issues---you either have to wait until the temperature cools down to have your order shipped or run the risk of possible heat damage in the back of a delivery van.
Although we offer to store your orders in our cellar until the temperature is more conducive to shipping, we understand that there are wines that you'd like to buy and drink now, instead of waiting until fall. To help facilitate this, we have negotiated a "limited-time" offer that may help solve this dilemma---DISCOUNTED PRIORITY OVERNIGHT DELIVERY!
East & West Coast: 12 bottle case - $65; 6 bottle half-case - $45
Midwest: 12 bottle case - $55; 6 bottle half-case - $40
Details listed here.
| BROWNDERBY.COM ONE OF "TEN TOP ONLINE WINE SHOPS"
Food & Wine Magazine, June 2007 |
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jflegler
Grape Truck Driver
Posts:37
| | 07/17/2007 8:16 PM |
| | I buy a fair amount from BD...prices can be on the high side vs other online retailers...I've been to the physical store (90 miles away from me) and can vouch for the storage conditions...good sized refrigerated warehouse...I've never worried about provenance with them, thus my recent older vintage Bordeaux purchases (I'm talking 2000, not 1982 or anything) have been thru them...all bottles have shown up in great condition | | | |
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Al_ksyrah
Barrel Filler
Posts:1039
| | 07/18/2007 12:21 AM |
| I've gotten some good deals from Brown Derby and have always been happy with them. The shipping (overnight most of the year) to California is a little pricey, so I don't use them as much as I might if I lived closer.
-Al | | | |
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Winetex
Austin, Texas
Master of Wine
Posts:10614
| | 01/19/2008 2:06 PM |
| Bumping up for additions for the new year.
This store dropped off my purchase list last year but mostly because I bought a lot less wine. | | | |
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