From Vineyards Direct (Ireland): Stuart when will Pat get his wine?

 Twitter (26th July 2014): Stuart Smith to Pat  – 'Your 11's are lying lcb'

The twitter conversation that lead to response 

from Stuart Smith (From Ireland's From Vineyards Direct)

 Stuart Smith: managing director at From Vineyards Direct (Ireland) Ltd 

 Smith's background

 

Back on 25th and 26th July I was briefly involved in a Twitter conversation about From Vineyards Direct Ireland Ltd. A Pat Casey contacted Tom Doorley (Food and drinks writer and broadcaster, Irish Daily Mail columnist) to inquire whether From Vineyards Direct (Ireland) Ltd was still trading. Casey had bought en primeur two cases of 2011 Bordeaux from the company – a case of Beaumont and one of Potensac but had yet to receive his wines, despite the wines being listed for sale on-line.

Casey contacted Stuart Smith in early April this year. Pat Casey reports that Stuart Smith: 'told me they were at LCB and would get back to me.  That’s the last I heard from him! I sent a few more emails with no response over the course of a couple of months.'

However, as we can see the twitter conversation did finally produce a response from Stuart Smith, whose Linkedin page describes him as managing director of From Vineyards Direct (Ireland).

Soon after Smith sent Casey this email on 30th July 2014:   

'Pat,
What’s a good number to call you on – I’ve arranged to have the wine shipped on our next pallet from LCB in the UK. Will either be here late next week or on the Monday the week after.

Apologies for the delay, but as I mentioned on twitter I ahve been on compassionate leave and this has caused huge issues.

Best Regards,

Stuart

Stuart Smith
From Vineyards Direct Ireland Ltd
'The Workshop'
35 Yellow Walls Road
Malahide
Co Dublin
01 845 7645 or 087 7580230
www.fromvineyardsdirect.ie'

According to Stuart Smith, Casey should have received his wine by Monday 11th August (2014). Sadly the two cases of wine have yet to arrive and Stuart Smith is again proving very difficult to contact as an email from Casey today (20.8.2014): 

'Just to keep you updated: nothing much to report unfortunately! After his Twitter post of 26th July, I received an email from Stuart at FVDIE on 30th July (copied below) stating that my wine would be available within two weeks; I forwarded my phone number to him that day. I’ve heard nothing since though; this includes no response to an email I sent on 12th August enquiring as to when I would receive either my wine or a refund.

Who knew it was so difficult to buy decent wine?!'

••

Hopefully this is an isolated case. However, according to Duedil the last acconts filed for From Vineyards Direct (Ireland) are to 31st December 2011 and showed 500K of liabilities. The accounts to 31st December 2012 now overdue. On 14th February 2014 the original directors, including 44 year-old Stuart Smith, all resigned – see: https://www.duedil.com/company/IE458773/from-vineyards-direct-ireland-limited/people     

Pat Casey was told back in early April that his 2011s were at LCB (London City Bond). if this was true, why is he still waiting to receive his wine, please?