Chateauneuf-de-Pape for sale

[RAD]

For what it's worth, let me clarify my position a bit:

CCK, I agree completely with your assertion that many folks have a chance to be in on the "venture capitalist" side of things. I also agree with building a relationship with a merchant, and that "premier" customers of this type are entitled to special treatment, as a means of thanking the customer for the length of his/her business.

But I'm also very much a "laissez-faire" economist, and believe in market efficiency. So Mr. D, why pay $58 for a bottle that used to retail at $23 simply because the demand for it has increased? Simply that--because supply and demand is what market economics is all about.

Now, of course, if someone is smart enough--as ALL of the members of this board surely are--to know that other, better wines are available cheaper elsewhere, then by all means, we can move on to greener pastures, so to speak.

But if a buyer can find a seller who is willing to pay up, then both parties are happy, and we should go on about our own business--rather than getting puffed up with pride and looking down our noses at those who choose to chase the higher price, for whatever reason (a reason, by the way, that none of us could possibly know).

The concept of value is far too complex to be boiled down to the simple economic rule of "opportunity cost"--that is, in terms of wine, its cost is equal to the next-best wine that could have been purchased. Sentimental factors, where value cannot be measured, can be one variable. To be fair, of course, ignorance or foolish spending can be another. [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/wink.gif[/img]

RAD