Wine Without Borders

Fighting Back With Riesling and Gruner Veltliner

January 12, 2008 – 7:27 am

On a regular basis we are asked, “how can I help SWRA fight its fights for retailers and consumers”. The truth is there are any number of ways this can be done. We are taken however by one recent effort by a very small online retailer: WineMonger.

In the wake of the most recent controversies and attention being paid to the issue of retailer to consumer shipping, Emily and Stephen of WineMonger combined their passion for this cause and their knowledge of Austrian wine to create a specific case (twelve bottles) of wine they’ve dubbed STING OP 007. In addition to giving those purchasing this case a 15% discount, they are delivering 10% of their proceeds back to Specialty Wine Retailers. What’s in the case? It’s a gorgeous collection of some of the best Rieslings, Gruners and dessert wines from Austria, just the kind of wines they specialize in providing.

Gritsch Mauritiushof 1000-Eimerberg Riesling Smaragd 2003
Wenzel Bandkraften Blaufrankisch 2002
Heiss Cabernet Sauvignon / Blaufrankisch Ice Wine 2005
Wenzel Kleiner Wald Pinot Noir 2004
Feiler-Artinger Pinot Cuvee Ruster Ausbruch 2004 Hogl Riesling Ice Wine 2003
Tschida Muscat-Ottonel Ice Wine 2005
Braunstein Mitterjoch Zweigelt 2006
Hogl Ried Schon Gruner Veltliner Federspiel 2006
Hogl Terrassen Spitzergraben Riesling Federspiel 2006
Donabaum Spitzer Point Gruner Veltliner Smaragd 2006
Gritsch Mauritiushof Singerriedel Gruner Veltliner Smaragd 2006

Specialty Wine Retailers Association will never be the kind of advocacy group that can simply reach down into its coffers and pull out the millions of dollars it takes to match the spending of those who would fight to the death to keep retailers and consumers from doing business with each other and who happen to have the kind of pockets that are lined with state-mandated gold.

Rather, SWRA will always be the kind of grass roots organization that partners with retailers like Emily and Stephen of WineMonger to come up with interesting (and delicious) ways of raising the monies that necessary to bring out the very simple changes both retailers and consumers want.

So if you are looking for a way to both contribute to Specialty Wine Retailers Association as well as please your palate, WineMonger’s “Sting Op 007″ case of wine is perfect.

In the end we are reminded that it is somewhat sad that in the 21st century it takes innovative and constant fundraising to simply achieve a goal that seems decidedly ancient in nature: the right for consumers and merchants to carry out a simple transaction.