Premier Cru-Does Anyone Purchase From Them?

Yes, I have experience. While they always come through in the end, I have decided not to order prearrivals or futures from them again. I only order wines they actually have in stock.

There have also been threads about this on eBob, let me know if you want a link.

BTW, where in Denver? Want to attend a wine tasting tonight?

Mike

I'll echo the same sentiment; don't buy pre-arrivals and futures from Premier Cru. They seem to play the float and deliver wines much later than all other major retailers.

I finally received a few 2000 futures I ordered just this week. But they did not call me, I noticed the wines on the web page and had to call them.

I like the store and they often have good bargains. But don't buy futures.

Steve

Bay Area Wine Project
www.bawineproject.com

I'm in the exact same boat. I ordered several futures from them, including 2000 Bordeaux. Nothing has ever come in. And on the phone they're useless guessing when the futures will arrive.

Although they seem to be fine on in-stock items, I don't ever plan on loaning them money long-term for futures.

Make Cab, not War.

You gotta have patience if your going to deal with Premier. They often have great prices, but if you buy pre-arrival you better not have any specific time frame you want the wine by. They are horrible lately about notification, I think they just fill orders lately based on who shows up looking pissed. I just got 6 cases of stuff yesterday, mostly 2000 Bordeaux bought as early as fall '02, they still owe me a bunch of '00 Bords. Of course they never notified me that any of this stuff was in, same as last time I showed up. Another issue I have with them now is a purchase I made recently on a wine that was advertised as 'in stock'. It was offered as both in stock and additional quatities available on prearrival, I ordered the 'in stock'. Yesterday I show up and they claim I bought pre-arrival. Of course it doesn't state on your invoice either way. It's a matter of how much grief your willing to put up with.

I'm in the same boat on B2K.

I've had only great experiences with Premiere Cru as far shipping goes. Plus the prices are great. Sorry to hear this. e

Still waiting for my futures orders of LLC, Pavie-Macquin, and Pichon Baron from Premier Cru.

Whenever I call, they make me feel like I am over-reacting or stressing out about it. I'm not. I just would appreciate a ballpark estimate of when I should expect shipment.

I will never order wine from them again. The worst internet retailer I have ever dealt with, by far.

Cheers,

Otis

I have never purchased futures from PC, and based on comments not only on this thread but elsewhere as well I likely never will. However, they are a fantastic source for other hard to find gems at terrific prices.

Once ... in the wilds of Afghanistan, I lost my corkscrew, and we were forced to live on nothing but food and water for days. - W. C. Fields

I have ordered a few pre-arrival items from PC, but no futures. I've also ordered "in stock" items. I also, was not in a hurry, and everything has, so far, always come through. My only gripe was that I decided recently to head over to pick up my wine I ordered months ago. I called and they said it was all there, but they told me that I had to give them at least "one day" notice. I said, "but I'm on my way right now in the car". They said, "sorry, you can't have your wine today". I thought that was pretty poor customer service. Like there was nobody to go find my box in the back and hand it to me!

So much wine.....so little time!!!

Otis, I got my LLC ordered in March '03, my Baron ordered in '02, but not my Baron ordered in March of last year. Not having yet recieved the LLC was keeping me awake at night.

stealth, I don't whether I should be heartened or even more exasperated with PC after your post.

Glad you got some of your goods, at least!

Cheers,

Otis

I just called these guys to try to push them to finish my 2000 future order. I'm still waiting on Lalande and Clinet, which they are now telling me will not be in until late April. We'll be getting our 2001s before then!



I will never again order from Premier Cru. They just don't care and there are too many other options!



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While I am busy with little things, I am not required to do greater things-St. Francis de Sales

quote:

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Originally posted by Steven Rigisich:
I'll echo the same sentiment; don't buy pre-arrivals and futures from Premier Cru. They seem to play the float and deliver wines much later than all other major retailers.

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Easier said than done... Ordered some wine that said "in-stock" on their website and get an email telling me it is pre-arrival. Go figure.

**********
When will I learn?
The answers to life's problems aren't at
the bottom of a bottle! They're on TV!
- Homer Simpson

I thought about purchasing pre-arrival from them, but decided against it as they don't take AMEX.

---------------------------
2003 Whirlwind Tour

heard of them
but never purchased from them

The modest water, awed by power divine, beheld its God and blushed into wine. - John Dryden

I just got six bottles of wine that was IN stock from them. No problem.

Are the people who have not got their 2000 futures or pre- arrivals, etc been able to back out and get a refund?

I would hope they would refund your money if something listed as "in stock" turned into a pre=arrival?

I just received the last of my 2000 Bordeaux futures, 6 Leoville Las Cases from Premier Cru. While they were the last of about 8 sources on their delivery, the bottles all look to be in perfect condition... and I wasn't in a big hurry to get these anyway, as it'll be quite a few years before they get consumed.

Montrachet61-
I am quite certain they would happily refund the 2000 Lafite purchased for $260, now that it is retailing for $450-$500. Same with the Lalande and Clinet.

Smaug-
I'm not saying I won't order futures from these guys; I'm saying I won't order from them...PERIOD.

Like pyang says, Premier Cru doesn't take...American Express. Oh ya? Well I'll take my business to someone who does.

But that's another rant for another day...

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While I am busy with little things, I am not required to do greater things-St. Francis de Sales

Even though I've had only great experiences with Premiere Cru -- the no american express is a problem. Rant away,

Free the grapes, perhaps you'd like to list the other online options - are their prices as good as PC? Might be helpful to the list.

I've had nothing but great experiences with several retailers. The ones I use most often include Wine Exchange, Wine Library, Pop's (NY), Sam's (Chicago) and Mark Ellis at Madison Wine Co.

I'm sure there are other great services, but all of these deliver prompt, pristine bottles with no hassles, and they all take American Express.

Incidentally, I also ordered 2000 Bordeaux futures from Wine Library and Zachy's and received them in a very timely fashion.

I don't compare price-for-price every single bottle ordered, but I bet these places are all competitive. And the lack of hassles makes any small price difference worth it, IMHO.

I just cannot see ordering from Premier Crap again!

------------------------------------
While I am busy with little things, I am not required to do greater things-St. Francis de Sales

1 - 02' JJ Prum Wehlener S Kab.
1 - 90' Armand Rousseau Chambertin
4 - 01' Vincent Girardin Puligny M. Les Pucelles

So far...no problem on two orders placed for in stock items.

Have ordered from PC several times. In stock wines are always promptly shipped. 2000 Bordeaux futures finally arrived in late December.

Meanwhile, I'm actually still waiting on some 2000 Bordeaux futures from Sam's!

"Good wine pleases my senses, cheers my spirit, improves my moral and intellectual powers, and enables me to confer the same benefits on other people." George Saintsbury

I'll also add that I ordered Bordeaux futures and received them early after being told they weren't available until after the first of the year. Which leads me to another question -- if we're talking 00 bordeaux -- what's the rush? You have years before they should be opened.

BER - While there is no rush to consume, If I had ordered with them I'd feel a lot better about the wines sleeping in my cellar than possibly getting cooked or mishandled in some retailers storage.

BTW - I received my final 00 Bdx Futures order (LLC) from KL Wines in November.

I emailed the sales rep about the discrepency (that the website said "in-stock" while the sales rep emailed that they were "pre-arrival"). A day later I got an email apologizing that they had made a mistake and were shipping right away. I received the wines yesterday and they seem to be in perfect condition.

**********
When will I learn?
The answers to life's problems aren't at
the bottom of a bottle! They're on TV!
- Homer Simpson