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Adding to pricing confusion one must also consider
the fact that each state has different legal regulations regarding
quantity discounting. In effect the same exact bottle of wine can
cost the restaurant in one state more than a restaurant in another
state.
In defense of restaurants, the price of wine
purchased after its initial release can be higher than it
originally was. Many wineries will re-release the same wine at a
later date and at a substantially higher cost and the restaurant
must in turn pass these higher costs on to the consumer. The
pricing of rare and hard-to-find wines — where the laws of
supply and demand take hold — permits the restaurant to charge
at will. What must be remembered with these rare and sometimes
unbelievably high-priced wines is that "rare" seldom
guarantees greatness. In closing, wine pricing can make the
difference in whether or not a diner orders that second bottle of
wine. The more a customer has to think about price, the more
uncomfortable that customer will be and, when customers feel
uncomfortable, it is unlikely that they will return any time soon.
In a recent survey of over a dozen New York
City restaurants, Bartender Magazine sought out prices being
charged for several identical and popular wines.
California’s Sonoma Cutrer Vineyard’s
Russian River chardonnay was found available for $29.00 to
$45.00, while Veuve Clicquot non-vintage champagne was available
for $55.00 to $92.00. Robert Mondavi’s Napa Valley cabernet
Sauvignon was found anywhere between $32.00 and $54.00.
(Prices stated above from Spring
2004)
"Drink Well,"
Joseph DeLissio
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