The mysterious art of selling direct

A good friend of mine was recently given the opportunity to join the most exclusive club in the world of wine: the individuals who get a chance to purchase the wines of the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti directly from the estate. And how did this young lady pull off a feat that almost anyone in the wine world might have considered undergoing a minor amputation in order to receive? She doesn’t know. She just happened to sit next to the correct person at a dinner party and the next thing she knew, she was an insider.

Despite my friend’s remarkable...