The Winery at La Grange

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that...

this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
Regards,
[redacted]

Review: I used to love to go to this beautiful winery whenever I have free time to go to [redacted] area. I love this winery so much that I even signed up and spent $1,000 plus taxes when the former marketing manager asked me to become their winery's private Barrel Club member in 2012. Since a brand new French oak barrel cost around $900 to $1,000, the winery can save the cost of purchasing the new oak barrel and produce about 300 bottles of wine each year. After four years, the new barrel will lost most of it's oak flavor and not suitable for aging wine that required the oak integration. At the mean time, the Barrel Club member will receive 12 bottles of wine in each November for four years, plus free tastings when they visit the winery. This is one of ways for a winery to pass the production cot to their customers since they will be able to sell 288 bottles of wine without spending on the cost of expensive new oak barrel each year. When I visited the La Grange again with my friends in July, 2013, I was approached by the new marketing manager and asked me to sign up for the Wine Club member with one year commitment of spending about $160 for six mixed bottles of wine they selected for us every three months, which is scheduled to be picked up on every September, November. February and May. I decided to join the wine club and become their "double-club" member because I have enjoyed going to their winery through out the years. Since I live in Maryland, it's quite a distance to the winery and I had to drive about one hour each way to pick up the Wine Club wines. Therefore, I asked the winery to pre-charged my first quarterly shipment, for example September shipment and pick up the second shipment all together when I visit their winery since they do not have the license to ship wines to Maryland.Everything went well for the first two shipments when I picked up my September and November's shipments in La Grange last October. However, the nightmare started right after that since they charged me twice for November shipment to my credit card on file by signing up the Wine Club member. I sent an email with several follow-up emails to the winery and finally got the billing part straight by having the double-charge amount applied to next shipment, which is this February.As everyone who lives in DC area that suffered a worse cold winter during the last decade, I emailed the winery in early February and advised them I will go to the winery to pick up the February and May shipment together just as what I did with previous shipment last October. In addition, I will relocate to west coast in June so I sent two follow-up emails, 30 days and a week in advanced form my visit date just to be sure these wines are ready for me to pick up. When I arrived at the La Grange on April 27, I have noticed something different since last visit in October, 2013. It seems that grass was quite long for a professional business and also found mostly new faces for their staff members. I was surprised when they told me the shipment for May wines weren't ready to pick up, despite the number of email communications I have had with the winery and just only a few more days to May. The staff worked in the front desk told me to come back again to pick up the wines sometime in May. Later a gentleman named [redacted], who seems to be the manager of Wine Club came and told me that he will personally deliver the shipment for May to my home on following Tuesday(April29). He asked me to pay for the May shipment and we settled the charge by credit card on the spot on April 27.I waited all day for [redacted] to show up in my home on April 29. However, [redacted] has never showed up or called me to inform his status that day. I called the winery around 3:30pm and spoke to a lady inquired about the delivery status with [redacted]. She simply told me their winery is having the staff shortage problem and asked me to solve this issue with [redacted] since he was having the day off that day. I emailed the winery that evening and asked them to get in touch with me and also told them this is not the right way to treat their loyal customer who is both a Barrel and Wine Club member. It has been more than two weeks already since I last contacted the winery by phone and email, sadly no one has yet contacted me from the La Grange as of today.In addition, please pay attention on the cork taint issue with their Chardonnay. I found two bottles of their chardonnay were infected by the cork taint in last two shipments that I received from the winery. Although cork taint is not harmful to the health, it will caused the unpleasant flavors in wine.It's really sad to post a negative review on the winery I've enjoyed going there through the years. Hope this review will bring their attention and get their management back on track in time. At the same time, also share my experience with other consumers so they are aware the potential risk by joining their Wine Club.Desired Settlement: Please refund the pre-paid May shipment charhe to my credit card since the wines were never received.

Consumer

Response:

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response. If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

Regards,