"Buyer's Market"

I saw the latest copy of Wine Spectator declaring it's officially a buyer's market as I was checking out.


I think I had figured this out about 15 minutes earlier.


I was in a local discount liquor store, the Bottle Barn, in Santa Rosa specifically looking for a couple inexpensive Pinot Noirs.  There was a difference since the last time I was there in the fall.    Some of the prices were amazing.   You could be a kid in a candy store!


There were lots of wines under $20.   What's more remarkable are the wines going for about half of their suggested retail price.    Though lots of wineries are not discounting.   I would say many wines in the $20-$40 are however.


Some I noticed were:
La Czar Russian River Pinot - Retail $35, for $13 !!
Lake Sonoma Dry Creek Zinfandel - Retail $22, for $11
Valley of the Moon Syrah - Retail $18, for $10


When you think about what the winery's are selling these to distributors for to have them retail for half or less of retail all I can think is, "There are people desperate for cash flow."


I came out with four bottles of Pinot Noir for about $60.   How good they all are we'll see.