Awards and citations:


1997: Le Prix du Champagne Lanson Noble Cuvée Award for investigations into Champagne for the Millennium investment scams

2001: Le Prix Champagne Lanson Ivory Award for investdrinks.org

2011: Vindic d'Or MMXI – 'Meilleur blog anti-1855'

2011: Robert M. Parker, Jnr: ‘This blogger...’:

2012: Born Digital Wine Awards: No Pay No Jay – best investigative wine story

2012: International Wine Challenge – Personality of the Year Award




Sunday 1 January 2012

1855 (1855.com): The latest complaint – more broken promises

The offices of 1855 (1855.con)@ 10 Rue des Moulins, 75001 Paris 


Latest complaint from a frustrated 1855 customer from ZX and received 27th December 2011:

Hi there,

I have been trying to have delivered a case of 2005 for over a year now. I have contacted them by phone, email and letter. Each time they promise 'in about six weeks', but still no success. Would you have any suggestions?
Thanks much

Latest message from 1855 (1855.com) to ZX

'Cher Monsieur,

Nous accusons réception de votre courrier en date du 29 octobre 2011 et vous en remercions.

Nous avons bien pris en compte votre demande de livraison des vins suivants:
- 6 bouteilles de Château Canon la Gaffelière 2005
- 6 bouteilles de Château Sociando-Mallet 2005

Votre demande a été transmise et nous faisons le nécessaire afin de pouvoir vous livrer dans les plus brefs délais. Néanmoins, la livraison pourrait s'échelonner jusqu'à la fin novembre.

Nous restons à votre entière disposition  pour tout complément d'informations.

Bien à vous,



Needless to say the end of November came and went without a delivery from 1855. Doubtless ZX is comforted by this statement from La Répression des fraudes that 1855 isn't a scam or a fraud:  

"Il n'y a ni tromperie ni fraude », détaille la Brigade interrégionale d'enquête sur les vins. « Les bouteilles existent bel et bien et ont été réservées par 1855.com aux négociants bordelais. Et le site ne vend pas deux fois le même produit."

**

'Management' and leading shareholder of 1855 



Emeric Sauty de Chalon and Fabien Hyon are the senior 'management' team of 1855 (1855.com, 1855.con). Thierry Maincent was an administrateur and one of the directeur général délégués until he resigned his posts for personal reasons on 30th September 2010. Businessman Jean-Pierre Meyers, who is on the boards of L'Oréal and Nestlé, is a long-term shareholder of 1855.

1855 is a probationary member of La Fevad.






8 comments:

Hervé LALAU said...

Nice building, posh district, the rent must be high - does not leave enough to pay the wines, may be.
I feel sorry for those who ordered back in 2005 or 2008, but now, for those who would order today, after all that's been said and written, all the complaints from customers, I feel they take too much risk - a little like those who go sailing off Somalia on honeymoon, if you see what I mean.
I still don't get how the DGCCRF can say everything is clean - the wiens are there, they say - but bloddy hell, why don't 1855 ship them, then! And is if the DGCCRF(rôle to help every single victim in turn (on taxpayer money) to get their shipment when it seems to mean the whole system is rotten?
It looks like strange leniency, of even carelessness, from a state body which is nor renowned for such behaviour.

Hervé Lalau said...

I mean bloody heel, sorry.
One should not misspell this kind of words!

Jim's Loire said...

Hervé – thanks. Bloody hell – even?

DGCCRF – agree strange conclusions and lack of action compared to the way some vignerons are treated.

Anonymous said...

Hi Jim, I agree with you, the strangest in this is the behavior of DGCCRF, absolutely not doing its job and closing an eye on 1855's behavior.

Keep up your great work in 2012!

Olivier

Jim's Loire said...

Olivier. I agree about the DGCCRF, especially when you consider how some wine producers are treated. Very strange!

Karel said...

Hi All,

End of November 2011 I Ordered 2 bottles from their “Private sales” Rhone promotion. They would be shipped in 10 days.

But so far I did not received my bottles. Neither do I receive answers on my endless string of emails and phone calls.
Both bottles are still available today on their side. Available in 10 days.

I also have 5000+ euro order of 2009 and 2010 primeurs

I am losing my patience. If they don’t reply shortly they will meet me in Paris!

Regards,
Karel

Jim's Loire said...

Thanks Karel. Disgraceful behaviour by 1855. Please keep me informed of what happens.

Anonymous said...

Same here, 2007 order for 2006 primeur expected to be delivered in Spring 2009. I am still waiting, and have not been able to reach them by phone or mail recently. They last promised me in Autumn 2011 that I should expect the delivery shortly.

Thanks for broadcasting the message that 1855 appears to be just a scam, or at least a very badly managed company.

Alex