Having worked in wine retail for more than thirteen years at this point, I’ll let you in on a little secret: you can tell how serious a wine store is by checking the back labels on their most prestigious European wines.
The name of the importer will tell you everything you need to know about where they’re sourcing their wine from (so long as you know your importers), boiling the situation down to one of two scenarios:
If their Bordeaux back labels list a major American distributor or wine portfolio as the importer, it means they’re buying from a local dealer, which means they’re paying the three-tier mark up. The local dealer is buying it from a negotiant in Bordeaux, importing it, and adding in an extra 15-25% along the way.
But if their Bordeaux back labels instead list a small or lesser-known name as the importer, it means they’re likely buying directly from France and using someone locally to clear the goods for a much lower price.
In order to buy directly from France and be successful, however, you have to have a few things at your disposal:
Money to pay for larger quantities of bottles
The ability to store and warehouse large quantities of bottles upon arrival
The ability to move volume in exchange for lower margins
A solid reputation among wine consumers to achieve that trust
Buying wine directly from France allows a wine retailer to be more competitive with its pricing, but it also requires a larger commitment because the shipping costs don’t make sense unless you can fill a container with cases.
In short, it requires commitment. Which is why you’ll find buyers for the most successful wine stores in America marching through Bordeaux each year, working out their deals directly from the source, rather than picking off whatever scraps get thrown their way stateside (often at a much higher mark-up).
-David Driscoll