We are not locals per se, but we have been visiting Vail now for over 25 years. In the last couple of years we have sporadically purchased wines and spirits from Vail Fine Wines. This year will be the last time we ever set foot on their store.
Yes, Vail Fine Wines does carry an impressive inventory of rare wines and whiskeys. As you would expect, that selection does come at a steep markup. Most bottles are marked up between 50-200% of normal retail price (if you can find them, of course). The markup is OK depending on buyer, item, and occasion. What is NOT acceptable is having owners/staff being rude and disrespectful to buyers.
My brother and I noticed they had a bottle of George T. Stagg bourbon on their shelves. Given the bottle was on the top shelf, and that we are not particularly tall persons, we could only make out the price ($750) but not other details such as bottle proof, etc. My brother asked one of the store owners if we could see the bottle, at which point he rudely replied with "What is there to see? I do not want people handling bottles. Are you buying it?" Ok... off to a great start! We replied with a yes and, as if he were doing us an epic favor, he grudgingly handed us the bottle. When paying, we *politely* asked one of the owners if there was any wiggle room on the price at all. That's fair game with massive store markups. As a customer, the response was just disturbing (a simple "sorry, prices are final" would suffice). To paraphrase the owners responses: "the price is what it is, if you don't buy it someone else will" and "our monthly rent is $20,000 and our commercial taxes are horrible; buy it or leave it".
What in the...? Is that how you treat a customer willing to buy a significantly overpriced item at a store? First, yes, we are well aware that "the price is what it is". You do not need to teach me about free markets. Second, I could care less what your expenses are. That is your problem and not mine, and certainly not a justification to rant to a customer as to why you are pillaging their wallets. And third, those bottles and prices have not moved since early December, so... maybe they will sell, maybe they won't, but the attitude of "we do not need your business, someone else will come if not" is just unpalatable and unwarranted.
Vail Fine Wines is run by rude pompous clowns. As others have commented already, do not expect to be treated respectfully as a customer.
My two cents: Go to Grappa instead. They also carry a very respectable selection of wines and spirits. It is also walking distance within Vail town, and within the context of this post, their staff has always been extremely helpful and polite. read more