Wine thread

[horrie hastings]

Hahahahahahahaha

I called his EXACT SHIT literally a decade ago when they started dumping primo wines and spirits and expanding the bundle buys....

Coles unveils major rebrand for its bottle shops

www.google.com

Meanwhile my store, has fixtures falling apart, split ticket stripping, scratched floors, no proper front door,, just as well i'm hardly there anymore.

 

[Drew-Sta]

John Duval Annexus mataro. Oh my... what a gorgeous wine.

 

[Drew-Sta]

Hahahahahahahaha

I called his EXACT SHIT literally a decade ago when they started dumping primo wines and spirits and expanding the bundle buys....

Coles unveils major rebrand for its bottle shops

www.google.com

Its going to fall flat. I mean, fancy killing Vintage Cellars - whatever moron thinks that is a good idea should be shot. It was the one good thing in Coles.

Meanwhile my store, has fixtures falling apart, split ticket stripping, scratched floors, no proper front door,, just as well i'm hardly there anymore.

They're shit stores, sorry. I know a store is made of people who make the culture, but the overarching 'top down' culture is bargain buys and cheap booze.

They have eroded any care factor staff have but will drill suppliers for three cents while saying 'no value in your product'. Sorry CLG; no value in your chains.

 

[horrie hastings]

Its going to fall flat. I mean, fancy killing Vintage Cellars - whatever moron thinks that is a good idea should be shot. It was the one good thing in Coles.



They're shit stores, sorry. I know a store is made of people who make the culture, but the overarching 'top down' culture is bargain buys and cheap booze.

They have eroded any care factor staff have but will drill suppliers for three cents while saying 'no value in your product'. Sorry CLG; no value in your chains.

Yep that is really weird about Vintage Cellars, it is the only decent thing under the Coles liquor banner.

Don't be sorry, you are right Liquorland are shit stores, it wasn't great when i first went there after Quaffers closed ( or should i say run into the ground ) but the further deterioration since i have been there with the company making mind boggling decisions is mind blowing, i could go on for hours about it but you know exactly how it is.
Luckily i have one and three quarter feet out of the door, just have to get the other quarter completely out.

 

[Bazal]

I don't think it's weird. It's dumb but it tracks exactly with the traj they've been on. They genuinely believe there is no money in premium products.

Years ago, around when they did that shit with Matt Skinner, they also hired a head win buyer called Gary Hindson. Great dude, knew shitloads about wine. He and his team had a lot of great ideas (including the Matt Skinner stuff) and a real love for wine. They also were acutely aware that every single wine store is different. So the other thing they did quietly was open up every SKU just about for all stores. Order what you want, build your own range. They also drove a lot of local ranging - ACT stores got more ACT wines, Newie stores got more Hunter wines, etc.

When the business restructured, they handed all that stuff over to a team of marketers. The very first thing they did was look at SKUs. If they weren't in a certain percentage of stores and/or selling a certain number a week, gone. Click of a button stuff. Like I remember I went from ordering a six pack of Kooyong Pinot on a Monday, sold the rest of my stock that day, tried again on the Weds and it was deleted. f**ken Kooyong.

Then they looked at the Skinner bundles and the success of the 3 for X sav blanc bundles and decided that people didn't want choice, they wanted something they could just walk in and grab. Which totally missed the point of the Skinner 6 packs and totally shifted the customer base.

They do make a killing off those 6 for 36 etc, because as Drew says that's where they hammer the suppliers. They've painted themselves into a corner and this is a doubling down of that

 

[horrie hastings]

Yes dumb is probably better than weird, i still like walking into my local Vintage Cellar to see some of the premium products that don't darken the doors of Liquorland or First Choice anymore. Used to love even going into First Choice at Belconnen when in Canberra to check out the range before all the restructuring ruined everything. Actually haven't seen Liquorland do the 6 for $36 bundles for years now apart from when an odd one pops like Counting Sheep and to be honest i didn't even know we had Counting Sheep back in stock, needless to say it doesn't move.

Even worse now is with the new agreement coming in in October the Liquor side comes in under the supermarket umbrella now so everyone will be happy little campers under the one Coles agreement now , of course most of the Liquor side voted against it because we would be worse off but with the Supermarket side being a huge majority they all voted yeas like sheep, while they ended up with slightly better conditions the liquor side lost a lot of its conditions, so its no wonder they want all three Liquor divisions under one. Just as well i am all but retired, just need to use more sick leave up now to the final f*ck you to the company.

 

[Dark Corner]

John Duval Annexus mataro. Oh my... what a gorgeous wine.

You must be doing well for yourself as just looked up and it's £37.99 a bottle.

 

[horrie hastings]

I don't think it's weird. It's dumb but it tracks exactly with the traj they've been on. They genuinely believe there is no money in premium products.

Years ago, around when they did that shit with Matt Skinner, they also hired a head win buyer called Gary Hindson. Great dude, knew shitloads about wine. He and his team had a lot of great ideas (including the Matt Skinner stuff) and a real love for wine. They also were acutely aware that every single wine store is different. So the other thing they did quietly was open up every SKU just about for all stores. Order what you want, build your own range. They also drove a lot of local ranging - ACT stores got more ACT wines, Newie stores got more Hunter wines, etc.


Then they looked at the Skinner bundles and the success of the 3 for X sav blanc bundles and decided that people didn't want choice, they wanted something they could just walk in and grab. Which totally missed the point of the Skinner 6 packs and totally shifted the customer base.

Crappy pic but i found this old pic of the Matt Skinner promos when i was at the drive thru at Kensington,

 

[Drew-Sta]

You must be doing well for yourself as just looked up and it's £37.99 a bottle.

I wish. Staff discount...

 

[Drew-Sta]

I don't think it's weird. It's dumb but it tracks exactly with the traj they've been on. They genuinely believe there is no money in premium products.

Years ago, around when they did that shit with Matt Skinner, they also hired a head win buyer called Gary Hindson. Great dude, knew shitloads about wine. He and his team had a lot of great ideas (including the Matt Skinner stuff) and a real love for wine. They also were acutely aware that every single wine store is different. So the other thing they did quietly was open up every SKU just about for all stores. Order what you want, build your own range. They also drove a lot of local ranging - ACT stores got more ACT wines, Newie stores got more Hunter wines, etc.

When the business restructured, they handed all that stuff over to a team of marketers. The very first thing they did was look at SKUs. If they weren't in a certain percentage of stores and/or selling a certain number a week, gone. Click of a button stuff. Like I remember I went from ordering a six pack of Kooyong Pinot on a Monday, sold the rest of my stock that day, tried again on the Weds and it was deleted. f**ken Kooyong.

Then they looked at the Skinner bundles and the success of the 3 for X sav blanc bundles and decided that people didn't want choice, they wanted something they could just walk in and grab. Which totally missed the point of the Skinner 6 packs and totally shifted the customer base.

They do make a killing off those 6 for 36 etc, because as Drew says that's where they hammer the suppliers. They've painted themselves into a corner and this is a doubling down of that

It's becoming more and more "Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it is black".

There is actually a lot of opportunity in the market for small, nimble retailers willing to spend the time to build a customer base. We're slowly doing it at TWC but it's quite laborious and time consuming.

I honestly suspect Endeavour and part of CLG will get dismantled eventually. The power they hold in market will end up being their ruin.

 

[horrie hastings]

Phone call from the new manager today, why aren't you in at 11.15 am, my answer is i am on carers leave which the certificate in the payroll folders says and also my hours in dimensions also say it. Then the manager goes but but but i have this roster in front of me saying you are working today and i just said go back check everything before disturbing me on my time off .
FMD this company just lurches from one disaster to another, I did stick my head in when i did some shopping this afternoon and helped a casual sort out a few invoices and get rid of excess reserve change which has grown out of control since i have been off. Sorry to derail the wine thread with this but its just another example of how inept this company is which Bazal knows and has been pointing out for years. If they cannot get decent staff in stores how are they going to be any better higher up.

 

[Bazal]

Phone call from the new manager today, why aren't you in at 11.15 am, my answer is i am on carers leave which the certificate in the payroll folders says and also my hours in dimensions also say it. Then the manager goes but but but i have this roster in front of me saying you are working today and i just said go back check everything before disturbing me on my time off .
FMD this company just lurches from one disaster to another, I did stick my head in when i did some shopping this afternoon and helped a casual sort out a few invoices and get rid of excess reserve change which has grown out of control since i have been off. Sorry to derail the wine thread with this but its just another example of how inept this company is which Bazal knows and has been pointing out for years. If they cannot get decent staff in stores how are they going to be any better higher up.

I don't really talk about what I do specifically these days, for a reason lol given my shitpostery.

But let's just say I have a reasonably significant position at an entity that may or may not rhyme with Spare Perk. And dealing with them from that side of things is....very interesting

 

[Drew-Sta]

I don't really talk about what I do specifically these days, for a reason lol given my shitpostery.

But let's just say I have a reasonably significant position at an entity that may or may not rhyme with Spare Perk. And dealing with them from that side of things is....very interesting

They're a schizophrenic nightmare from a supplier end. I stopped dealing with them years ago. It's not worth the time and effort.

I hate Endeavour but they're at least competent by comparison.

 

[Scott Gourley's Lovechild]

Here's a weird one for you all: whatever happened to Riccadonna? My missus wanted a sweet sparkling, and living in mafia country thought that would be the go. But nothing. And nothing nationally. What gives?

 

[Bazal]

Here's a weird one for you all: whatever happened to Riccadonna? My missus wanted a sweet sparkling, and living in mafia country thought that would be the go. But nothing. And nothing nationally. What gives?

Jesus I thought you went the same way as Ricadonna...

Apparently the Ukrainian war f**ked a lot of them? As in, 15 million bottles in sales down the tube f**ked. But I can't find shit about Riccadonna in Oz anymore. Google throws up a few suggestions for search queries about it being disco'd but they lead nowhere and the website is still up and active. I'd guess it just dropped off the imports radar...it had died in the arse when I was selling booze cos there were local alternatives.

Speaking of, surely you go Brown Bros Zibibbo anyway. The classy Riccadonna

 

[Dark Corner]

Jesus I thought you went the same way as Ricadonna...

Apparently the Ukrainian war f**ked a lot of them? As in, 15 million bottles in sales down the tube f**ked. But I can't find shit about Riccadonna in Oz anymore. Google throws up a few suggestions for search queries about it being disco'd but they lead nowhere and the website is still up and active. I'd guess it just dropped off the imports radar...it had died in the arse when I was selling booze cos there were local alternatives.

Speaking of, surely you go Brown Bros Zibibbo anyway. The classy Riccadonna

I tried some Buckfast last night I finished the half bootle

 

[Scott Gourley's Lovechild]

Jesus I thought you went the same way as Ricadonna...

Apparently the Ukrainian war f**ked a lot of them? As in, 15 million bottles in sales down the tube f**ked. But I can't find shit about Riccadonna in Oz anymore. Google throws up a few suggestions for search queries about it being disco'd but they lead nowhere and the website is still up and active. I'd guess it just dropped off the imports radar...it had died in the arse when I was selling booze cos there were local alternatives.

Speaking of, surely you go Brown Bros Zibibbo anyway. The classy Riccadonna

Close - Brown Bros Sparkling Moscato!

 

[Drew-Sta]

Jesus I thought you went the same way as Ricadonna...

Apparently the Ukrainian war f**ked a lot of them? As in, 15 million bottles in sales down the tube f**ked. But I can't find shit about Riccadonna in Oz anymore. Google throws up a few suggestions for search queries about it being disco'd but they lead nowhere and the website is still up and active. I'd guess it just dropped off the imports radar...it had died in the arse when I was selling booze cos there were local alternatives.

Speaking of, surely you go Brown Bros Zibibbo anyway. The classy Riccadonna

Endeavour were the primary importer since Coles delisted it in favour of their own brand equivalent.

Endeavour is probably going to do the same as Coles after they've finished making everyone redundant. First round just went through.

 

[Drew-Sta]

Here's a weird one for you all: whatever happened to Riccadonna? My missus wanted a sweet sparkling, and living in mafia country thought that would be the go. But nothing. And nothing nationally. What gives?

How long have you been in Griffith for?

 

[Scott Gourley's Lovechild]

How long have you been in Griffith for?

3 years now. Been teaching at a tiny public school 1/2 an hour out of town.