Randy Wigginton
Wine Connoisseur
Posts:5464
 | | 12/22/2005 4:27 PM |
| It wasn't my intention to judge Vinfolio, certainly not on this one. I did note that the person handling my transaction was out on vacation.
HOWEVER, it is very clear that they do not have a system as well built and run as K&L; they do not have real time inventory; their system is not highly automated. Its certainly better than Wine Club, for example, but not to the level of K&L. | | | |
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PlanoWino
Plano, TX
Grape Stomper
Posts:181
| | 12/22/2005 5:27 PM |
| Regarding K&L, I will add that I have purchased futures from them for several years. They have always been accurate with respect to when they would be received and at my request and without fail, have held my orders for shipment all at one time. That helped me control my shipping cost and simplified receipt in a state where a signature is required for receipt.
I have never worried about the inherent risk of buying futures from them and I have always found their prices to be competitive across a broad range of product. Of course, from time to time I order from their stock as well, again with them flawlessly holding orders for consolidation and shipment upon my notification. | |
Here's to the corkscrew - a useful key to unlock the storehouse of wit, the treasury of laughter, the front door of fellowship, and the gate of pleasant folly.
W.E.P. French | |
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PlanoWino
Plano, TX
Grape Stomper
Posts:181
| | 12/22/2005 5:31 PM |
| | I forgot to mention one other thing I like about K&L. They were always willing to match prices with their competition and have done so on several occassions. Usually, I find that they don't have to. Their prices are quite fair. | |
Here's to the corkscrew - a useful key to unlock the storehouse of wit, the treasury of laughter, the front door of fellowship, and the gate of pleasant folly.
W.E.P. French | |
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ChangeMe
Grape Destemmer
Posts:61
| | 12/25/2005 5:14 PM |
| I've shopped at K&L for 22 yrs.
I've NEVER had a bad experience with them.
Many of the staff has been there that long signalling the management (Clyde Beffa) treats them right.
My highest recommendation.
TTT | | | |
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Doc
London, UK
Grape Puncher
Posts:709
| | 12/26/2005 4:58 PM |
| I have used them in the past many times with much success. Always a good experience!
D | | | |
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Dick W.
Barrel Filler
Posts:1081
| | 12/27/2005 5:15 PM |
| | i'll add my kudos to k&l as well. i've bought both futures and from inventory. shipping has gone without a flaw, and never during hot weather. | | | |
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JonesWineNo1
Sommelier
Posts:8568
| | 03/16/2006 3:31 AM |
| | I've shopped at K&L since at least as early as purchasing 1989 Bordeaux futures in the early nineties. Recently they cut orders of mine without warning because they claimed a wine was allocated when in fact the wine was not allocated in their San Francisco shop (all of the bottles in their inventory were on the shelf and there was no label indicating an allocation policy) nor was the allocation noted on their web ordering system (the system would cut the order for no reason but allowed successive orders of the same wine - the successive orders were subsequently confirmed by email). When I indicated that they had failed to note their policy either physically in their store or on their website they did nothing other than to claim they allocate in demand wines so that more people can try them. I'm not a fan of unstated allocation policies and as such I requested that they remove me from their mailing list. They never responded to my request in any manner so I went into the system and did it manually. In this specific instance it turned out not to be a big deal (I ordered all of the wine that I wanted from Grapes the Wine Company (www.grapeswineco.com) at a savings of over $10 a bottle I might add) but I'm not going to spend my money at a retail establishment with such unstated policies and poor follow up customer service. Other than picking up futures that K&L owes me I will not be purchasing wines from this retailer again. | | | |
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PlanoWino
Plano, TX
Grape Stomper
Posts:181
| | 03/16/2006 4:00 AM |
| I have bought from K&L for years with no problems, mostly Bordeaux in-stock and en primeur. Also bought some other interesting wines and have never had a problem. If their price was a little high on some items, they always met the competition and lowered their price. I simply told them who had the wine and for how much.
Shipped when I requested, shipped complete, and always answered my questions.
I am sorry you ran into an unstated policy but I never have. | |
Here's to the corkscrew - a useful key to unlock the storehouse of wit, the treasury of laughter, the front door of fellowship, and the gate of pleasant folly.
W.E.P. French | |
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Dick W.
Barrel Filler
Posts:1081
| | 03/16/2006 4:11 AM |
| daniel:
i'm sorry to hear of your experience. like i mentioned above, i've not had any but good experience from them. i also have probably not ordered the same wines that you have.
nonetheless, after your post, not that i have any must purchases in the queue, i'll be reassessing prior to any ordering to ensure i don't have your same encounter with them.
thanks. | | | |
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Eric White
San Ramon, CA
Advanced Sommelier
Posts:9158
| | 03/16/2006 5:21 AM |
| Something doesn't sound quite right here, you've been a satisfied customer since I would guess 91/92, but because of one ("not a big deal") incident you've written them off forever? I don't get it, PC has pissed you off time and time again, yet from your recent post you seemingly haven't cut them off in similar fasion.
Seems a bit harsh, or there is more to the story | | | |
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JonesWineNo1
Sommelier
Posts:8568
| | 03/16/2006 1:36 PM |
| There's nothing more to the story. If that is the customer service I am going to receive then I am not going to do more business with them. Wine collecting is all about buying a bottle, trying the bottle, and then buying more (in this case a six pack) if you really like that bottle. Apparently, K&L won't let me do that. My experience at other retailers is much better so why deal with a retailer who plays unspoken games? For example in this instance one email to Grapes got me a case of the same wine at over $10 a bottle less. When a retailer is not the lowest cost provider then their other services must be that much better. That's not my experience at K&L.
I try and use Premier Cru as little as possible (its been almost two years) but in this instance they had a collectible I could not source otherwise so I had to transact with PC. | | | |
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Elkiholic
New Hampshire
Grape Fermenter
Posts:467
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Randy Wigginton
Wine Connoisseur
Posts:5464
| | 03/16/2006 3:15 PM |
| | I'm tempted to make it up to K&L this weekend just to pick up a bottle of the 2003 Pegau Reserve. Only store in the south bay that appears to have it. | | | |
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JonesWineNo1
Sommelier
Posts:8568
| | 03/16/2006 4:57 PM |
| | Its in the North Bay but winegeek's shop has it as well. | | | |
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GATC
Barrel Sampler
Posts:2420
| | 03/16/2006 9:31 PM |
| Somehow this reminded me of what my wife asked me last night, which was, "you're buying more wine?" I told her that the one who dies with the most wine wins.
K&L has always given me great service and my experience with PC has been bad until they got in that cargotainer of Christoffel. Now PC is my favorite retailer, so I guess a retailer is only as good as the last transaction. | | | |
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Winetex
Austin, Texas
Master of Wine
Posts:10636
| | 03/16/2006 9:32 PM |
| We're fickle GATC, we're fickle. | | | |
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ChangeMe
Master of Wine
Posts:11169
| | 03/16/2006 10:18 PM |
| Quote:
I told her that the one who dies with the most wine wins.
I'm not sure it isn't the one who dies with the least wine that wins. | | | |
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Rothko
Palm Beach
Wine Thief
Posts:2859
| | 03/16/2006 10:19 PM |
| | I think it's the one who buys the most, but dies with the least... | | | |
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ChangeMe
Master of Wine
Posts:11169
| | 03/16/2006 10:52 PM |
| | What are you, a lawyer? | | | |
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Winetex
Austin, Texas
Master of Wine
Posts:10636
| | 03/29/2006 8:26 PM |
| As we now know K&L no longer ships to Texas. Unfortunately they will lose business from this.
K&L notice | | | |
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