1855 (1855.com): towards the perfect zero (part 4)

Cusumano Benuara

Sad tale of how 1855 let down a now ex-customer over a Christmas present. They ordered three magnums of 2009 Cusumano Benuara from Sicily. Sadly the wine was not delivered although promised within 10 days on the 1855 site. Two emails ignored. The delivery might have been slow but 1855 trousered the client's money quickly enough!

"Nous avons commandé 3 Cusumano Benuara - magnum 2009 le 06/12/11 pour nos cadeaux de noël, fort du fait que sur le site il est noté que l'expédition se faisait dans les 10 jours. Nous avons tenté de les joindre de nombreuses fois, chaque fois messagerie. Nous leur avons envoyé deux emails qui sont eux aussi resté sans réponse. Par contre, le paiement a été encaissé tout de suite. De là à penser que ce sont des escrocs, il n'y a qu'un pas et pas très grand....."

Ce commentaire a été posté par noiry on Hervé Lalau Chroniques Vineuses.

This latest story suggests that Emeric Sauty de Chalon and Fabien Hyon may have greater ambitions regarding the 'perfect zero' than we thought. Not just content with royally pissing off their Bordeaux en primeur customers, they are doing the same to customers ordering wine that should be in stock. Their aim for 2012 may be to end up with no customers at all. I'm sure that there are many amongst the myriad of the 'friends' of 1855's who would be delighted to assist de Chalon and Hyon to achieve their ambition.

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'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.

1855 (1855.com): towards the perfect zero (part 3) – Emeric Sauty de Chalon and Fabien Hyon up for it!

Château Lynch-Bages, Pauillac – still 12 bottles of 2005 owed to AS

AS offered by poor value deal by 1855

AS is another lost 1855 client. Tired of waiting for his 2005s he opted to go to court to try to get his remaining and has just received this offer from 1855's lawyers: 

'I received this from 1855's Lawyers.

In short, they now advise me that they are not able to deliver the last 36 bottles (12 x Lynch Bages 2005, 12 x Kirwan 2005 and 12 Rauzan Segla 2005), despite having told me otherwise last month.

They are therefore proposing the following:

EUR 2,164.28 refund of the contractual value of the wine

EUR 432.85 compensation (stating this corresponds to an annual rate of 4% which apparently is set by precedent)

EUR 998.95 reflecting the cost between the actual value of the wines and the contractual value

EUR 3,596.08 in total

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I'm delighted to see that 1855's management (Emeric Sauty de Chalon and Fabien Hyon) appear to be fully behind aiming for 'the perfect zero' in respect to Bordeaux en primeur sales in 2012 as the very poor value deal offered to AS will surely never persuade him to place any further orders with 1855. 

If you check the current prices for the three wines still to be delivered on wine-searcher.com and restrict the search to France you will find that these 2005s are still readily available.

Cheapest selling prices shown (10.1.2012: 

€1,607.00 Lynch Bages

€1,265.00 Kirwan 

€1,282.60 Rauzan Ségla

Total €4154.06 without any compensation compared to 1855's offer of €3596.08 with compensation or  €3163.23 without compenastion, so nearly €1000 less than it would cost to buy these three wines.

It would be too easy, however, to think that de Chalon and Hyon are pushing a sharp deal here. Rather, bearing in mind all the complaints and court cases involving 1855, they probably have little actual experience of purchasing fine Bordeaux, so such accusations would be decidedly unfair.

'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.

 

1855 (1855.com): towards the perfect zero (part 2)

Château Léoville-Barton: amongst the 22 bottles of 2008 that Landrault hasn't received from 1855 

Another customer lost by 1855. 2008 en primeur was the last vintage that this client gave 1855 the benefit of the doubt. Unfortunately they are still waiting for the 22 bottles of 2008 they ordered.   

Posted by Landrault on Hervé Lalau's Chroniques Vineuses 9.1.2012

"Commande de plusieurs bordeaux 2008 (22 bouteilles pavie macquin, barton, lagrange, ...). Toujours en attente malgré de nombreux mails, coup de fils et bien sûr parfois des réponses rassurantes mais bidons. 2008 était la dernière année pour laquelle j'ai fait confiance à 1855 HEUREUSEMENT !!!!!"

'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.