Why Can't We Get Some Wines?

Every week, customers either call or come into Balaban's looking for a particular wine that they've had on vacation or a business trip. 

You can see the excitement in their eyes as they show me the picture of the wine on their iPhone … and then … the disappointment, as I tell them I am unable to get the wine for them.

So, here are some of the main reasons that we are unable to get certain wines at Balaban's:

1. A Missouri distributor chooses not to carry the wine.  Missouri law states that a Missouri retailer must buy all of its wine from a Missouri distributor. So, if a Missouri distributor chooses not to buy a wine, then we can't buy it from anyone else to sell to our customers.
2. A Missouri distributor may not be able to buy certain wines. Many wineries with small productions choose the markets in which their wines are marketed. Sad but true: it's much sexier  to have your wines in New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas or Chicago than little old St. Louis. 
3. Some wineries select certain wines in their portfolio to be distributed to restaurants only. Retailers typically aren't as prestigious as some of the world's best restaurants - so some of your "big name" wines are only targeted to restaurants. Of course, Balaban's is a restaurant as well as a retail shop, so this doesn't affect us as much. However, wineries might decide to let The French Laundry pour their wines and not Balaban's. Also, sad but true.
4. Many wines that customers fall in love with over seas are not imported into the US.
5. Some wineries only sell within a limited geographic area.
6. Some wineries only sell through their own websites.
7. Some wineries only sell to their own mailing list.

We will always do our very best to fill a customer's special request - if we can legally obtain the wine ourselves. As you can see, that can sometimes be a challenge.

Tom