New Site Launched to Warn Wineries about Non-Paying Distributors

A new “non-profit” website aims to carry distributor reviews for winemakers and wineries. “This site is designed to help the little guys who make and sell wine from getting screwed by a distributor that is either a very slow pay or a no pay at all,” site creator Peter Norris said.

The site is called www.nopaywinedistributors.com. Anonymous posts are allowed but posts must be approved by Norris prior to them going live. He said positive reviews are also very much encouraged.

Norris, the creative director for a marketing communications company, is also a partner in Vino Family Vineyards.

“Obviously it’s a passion when you’ve been burned.” Norris said. “We had some distributors that stiffed us for a good amount of money. I found that to be the case with a number of wineries I talked to. A lot of distributors have popped up all over the country, and you send the wine off, and then you don’t get paid.”

“It’s hard enough to get a distributor to carry your wine if you’re not big and powerful,” Norris said.