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+--- Thread: The Weenie Surrenders!!! (/thread-5173.html)
- winoweenie - 07-13-2001
I've been wrestling with this problem all week and have finally made a decision. I've been a fan of the Eisele vineyard since 1974 and have experienced some of my greatest drinking moments with this marvelous wine.For the first 3 vintages after they purchased the vinyard, Daphne and Bart priced their wine at 40 per bottle. Seeing as how they invested over 7 mil in improvements over and above the purchase price, plus the fact they produced one of the 5 best wines made in the valley, this was a bargain. With all the Johnny-comes'- pricing their wines at 50 to 100% above these bottlings and having NO track record the vineyard began the inevitable pricing. I've stood by and have been a staunch supporter but the latest offering finally brought me to my knees.Here is my allocation and the pricing
1998 Araujo Eisele estate wines
3 litre cab...1 bottle....750.00
1.5 litre cab..3 btls.....@ 300.00
750 cab...6 btls.........@ 125.00
1999 Red Table wine..3 btls @ 60.00
1998 Syrah....6 btls @ 60.00
The 99 Table wine is juice from their young vines, in other words their 2nd label. This was the turning point. I just received my 2000 Bordeaux futures and Carrudes de Lafite is 37 smackers
I hate to publish this for all to see, but I'm not buying any more Calif Cabs above 75 bucks. Any one who wants on the Araujo list can use mine. Dernit' , they done lost this dedicated Cali-phile. I'm also off My close friend Al Braunsteins list, Caymuss SS etc. etc. and so-on. Thank goodness I have enough to last me thru the rough spots.Please don't send flowers. WW
- Bucko - 07-13-2001
They lost me a few years back. There are just far too many good bottles from around the world under $30. I still have about 500 CA Cabs to hold me a good while.
Bucko
- Drew - 07-13-2001
I certainly haven't been in this wine business long enough for my 2 cents to be worth more than a penny but it seems that there is just too damn much money had by some who are willing to part with it for wines that already or may carry some status rating irregardless of actual worth. I mean how much better does a $150 wine taste in comparison to a $50 bottle given quality fruit is used in both bottlings? It's certainly not that there's a worldwide shortage of grapes with only a few people who know how to make wine!
Drew
[This message has been edited by Drew (edited 07-13-2001).]
- Cellar2small - 07-14-2001
WW, I agree whole-heartedly with you. I've not been collecting very long, but I can imagine how hard it is to turn loose of an allocation you've eagerly anticipated for years. Bucko has it right - there are too many great bottles of wine out there from "up-n-comers" for bargain prices. I get mucho enjoyment from trying new wines recommended from this board, friends, or retailers that excite me, are reasonably priced, and are AVAILABLE IN QUANTITY. All that said, I still pay up for a half dozen highly regarded Bordeaux or Cali wines a year for really special occasions. And Bucko, you're killing me!!! Your "reserve" of Cali cabs, at 500 count, is 2.5x my entire cellar space!
C2S
- Innkeeper - 07-14-2001
A-a-a-men, a-a-a-men, a-a-men, amen.
- winoweenie - 07-14-2001
SOB..SOB........SOB..........WW And Drew you're right except this is no Newbie who's peddling to the " elite collector ". When you look at Screaming Eagle, Bryant Family, Lail, Lokoya, and on & on who are on the market at above 150 bucks, Araujo has a right to market a proven product at these prices. What my stand is about is I think if sanity in pricing is ever going to return to these marvelous wines ( Insignia, Shafer Hillside, Caymus SS, Stags Cask 23 ETC) Guys like me who've been a past advocate and now are part of the problem have to stand up and like in Network shout,I'm tired of this #%&&*(X and I 'Haint gonna take it in the shorts no-mo!. off'n the box.
[This message has been edited by winoweenie (edited 07-14-2001).]
- Bucko - 07-14-2001
I've been cellaring Insignia since 1978. They lost me with the 1996 massive price increase. I sent them an e-mail -- not even the courtesy of a go f yourself in return.
Cellar2small -- it is an addiction. I'm in the 10-step program...... [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/biggrin.gif[/img]
Bucko
- Thomas - 07-14-2001
I know Roberto is smiling--I certainly agree with the above sentiments. It is an age-old problem with wine (goes back to antiquity) the stuff seems always to bring big bucks, but then the stuff always seems to bring a crash too.
There was a time when expensive was warranted, like when it was difficult to produce wine in large volumes or when the quality level shot up drastically as in the famous Roman vintage of 121 BC. But even then, Falernian succumbed to greed and ultimatley became a second-rate expensive product hobbled with many inexpensive knock-offs.
Today there is far more wine than there are consumers for it, and the quality levels, though great, are not "shooting" up, just gradully altering. Left Coast prices do not reflect reality--only status.
- Drew - 07-14-2001
WW, you and most on this board are not a part of the problem. As you've pointed out many times...nothing is sacred in your cellar. The problem is trophyism and the huge amount of money to be made distributing trophies to those who just have to say they got em. Not only the wineries but also the restaurant business cleans up on offering trophies and wanna bees at 3 times plus the wholesale cost of the wine. I also strongly disagree that the justification of this ridiculous mark up is atmosphere and service.
Drew
- Botafogo - 07-14-2001
>>When you look at Screaming Eagle, Bryant Family, Lail, Lokoya, and on & on who are on the market at above 150 bucks, Araujo has a
right to market a proven product at these prices.<<
They indeed have that "right" but that doesen't negate the fact that their entire business plan is based on assuming (hoping, begging?) that their customers are either ignorant of or intimidated the global marketplace which is SWIMMING is similar wines at $30 or less.
We need to do an offline meeting in Stellenbosch some time soon...
Roberto
- Drew - 07-14-2001
Couldn't agree more!
Drew
- hotwine - 07-14-2001
Let's hope prices crash; if and when they do will be time enough for me (although it's interesting that prices for high-end real estate and vehicles are still in the stratosphere). In the meantime, I'll just go right on enjoyin' the marvy juice that's hidin' in the Old World bins.
- winoweenie - 07-15-2001
Buck-mon, I too have Insignia running to 75 but even tho I did the 97 in depth it was IMHO slightly justified by the fact I thot the 97 Sig was the wine of the vintage.We'll see in 10 years or so. In the mean-whos I'm abstaining from all I've held near and dear. It 'haint easy beein' green! And Drew what I was trying to say in the context of being the problem was that I mechanically bought the product. If, and I have several friends who do the same, all of we lemmings fasten our Chas..er I mean money-belts and quit buying it could help. I certainly agree about the trophy-hunters. All you have to do is spend an hour on some of the other wine boards and, like me, you'll get sick to the tum-tum.One I tried had what I can only describe as a 3rd grade " me-me-me " mentality and the verbage used in describing even some very mundane bottles made IK's prose sound sophmoric. Too bad. But as stated above I'll live thru it. AND , I 'haint outta' wine. WW