Customer reviews of Vignerons d’Exception

Hello Sir, and thank you for taking the time to give us feedback. We're sorry about the exceptionally long time it took our DB Schenker carrier to deliver to you. It's true that it's difficult to deliver perfectly in the south of France (in this case the Herault, but also sometimes the Bouches du Rhône), but in this case we've broken records and we apologize. When questioned, the carrier couldn't even explain why... Our average delivery time in France is 4 to 5 working days, and more like 2 in Paris... but these are average times. In the event of a new delivery (in other words, if you were to renew your confidence in us), we would insist on prompt delivery and would monitor this closely. As far as packaging is concerned, we use the winemakers' original cartons. They are the ones who choose their cartons, wooden crates, etc. and as a matter of principle, we don't throw away the winegrowers' brand-new cartons to repackage the bottles in new, sturdier packaging, sometimes with polystyrene. Of course, in the event of the slightest problem (and indicated on the delivery note at the time of delivery), as the wines are insured, they are replaced or reimbursed. But this is very rare, as the wines are handled by a carrier deliberately chosen for its specialization in "old-fashioned" wine delivery, so while online tracking is impossible, the cartons are handled with care at every stage, and not just when they're delivered to your door. To reassure you, we do have a computerized tracking system, and we are happy to inform our customers by telephone of the progress of their delivery, just as we advise them on their choices... Again, the old-fashioned way :-). But it's true that we don't control everything - the proof is in the time it takes to deliver... but we still think, as is very rare (once again, apologies, it was you), that it's preferable to go through industrialized behemoths who have automated online tracking, but with whom it's impossible to have the slightest human contact in the event of a grain of sand in the wheels and who, incidentally, (mis)handle the wine on conveyor belts, which can let them "fall" from quite a height (the UPS standard is 2 meters, hence the fact that they impose specific packaging). A vast debate... which is obviously not over, and delivery and packaging are an ongoing concern, the result of "least bad" trade-offs more than anything else... Tristan Depauw, President and Founder of Vignerons d'Exception, who, after 30 years of home delivery, still hasn't found the ideal service provider!

Dear Sir, thank you for taking the time to write your comment. I am very surprised by it, as we had a long conversation on the phone... Following a meal in a restaurant where you enjoyed the wine, you then bought two cartons of this wine from us. One for you and one for a friend. You didn't like the wine, and your friend liked it. The same wine. Does this mean that the wines are different, or that you don't necessarily like the same wines? We talked about this on the phone, and passed on your problem to the winemaker, with whom we also discussed your disappointment. In agreement with the latter, we told you that there had never been any concern about the quality of this wine, and that two cartons could not be different since there was only one bottling for this €20 cuvée... Our conclusion is that you don't like this Syrah, while so many others do, and we're sorry about that. But all tastes are natural. So no, it's not a case of "move along, there's nothing to see", on the contrary, we're concerned about your concern, but perhaps you simply don't like this wine, perhaps the one you tasted at the restaurant was in a different context, a different cuvée, as the winemaker produces many, or from a different vintage, obviously lighter than the one you bought from us (if you wait a little, the very young and vigorous wine you bought from us will undoubtedly be more tasty and delicate in a few years' time). In short, we're once again sorry that the wine doesn't remind you of what you enjoyed at the restaurant, and still pleased that it pleases your friend, as it pleases us very much too. As we always say, please don't hesitate to call or email us for advice, telling us what you like and what you're looking for in the bottles you're going to buy, and we'll do everything we can to avoid disappointment. And if you're looking for a wine you've tasted in a restaurant, we'll ask you, before we sell you a case, "what's the vintage"? Because two different vintages necessarily give two different wines, even if it's the same cuvée. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. Tristan Depauw, president and founder of Vignerons d'Exception.