Bin 604: Finally a Wine Shop With A Rewards Program
Finally got the chance to get over to Harbor East and visit Bin 604. Bin 604 was managed and owned for several years by Wine Advocate reviewer Dr. Jay Miller (has has since ended his relationship with the shop). Still, the influence is there, with the only shelf talker scores coming from the Wine Advocate. And, the shelf talkers are plentiful
The first thing you see is a bargain bin. The selections there lean more toward “Cheap stuff we like” rather than the classic wine shop mainstay “Plonk that the distributor gave us a sweet deal on if we bought twenty cases.” The rest of the store is small and cozy but they sure do pack a lot in there. The staff is young and knowledgeable and very helpful, even doling out recommendations unsolicited at times. The only shortfall I sniffed out was a mincing selection of White Burgundy. Otherwise, they’re stocked up with a nice variety, both in regions and in price.
Oh, no half bottles either (except for bubbly).
The shop is located next to a Whole Foods. You can put together a nice dinner between the two shops (I went with a stuffed salmon, roasted asparagus, and a Friuli white).
The upside here, though, is that this is the first wine shop I’ve encountered that has a rewards program. For each $50 you spend, you get a point. If you’re reading this blog, you know that it’s pretty easy to spend $50 on wine. At times, it’s hard not to spend $50 on wine. The rewards scale is here, but there’s only one rung I really care about:
3 Bin Bucks = FREE WINE Your choice of any bottle of wine from our Bargain Bin up to $10.99.
Good stuff. They keep your points in their system so no need to save receipts or carry around a punch cards like you’re saving up for a bad haircut. Technology at work in the wine industry. Wine 2.0 is upon us! Someone Twitter Gary Vaynerchuk!
Bin 604 offers a full slate of tastings. They’re $29 each which feels a little steep, so hopefully you’re getting some good stuff or lots of bad stuff.
Bin 604
604 South Exeter Street
Baltimore, MD 21202
410-576-0444
http://www.bin604.com/
March 27th, 2008 at 9:26 pm
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March 28th, 2008 at 9:48 am
I like Bin604 for some things, they do have a great selection. And I’ve earned a lot of points on the rewards program- but keep in mind that their prices are significantly higher than other shops (in most cases). The rewards program MAYBE balances out the premium you pay for it’s prime location and good selection.
March 28th, 2008 at 9:55 am
Yeah I didn’t notice too much in the prices department, mainly because they didn’t have too much that I’d seen in other places. Their Bordeaux prices were a little high, but the Aussie Shiraz, for example, looked about even.