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mrdutton · 01-04-2001, 08:07 PM,

I am about ready to get my hands on two bottles (the distributor says there were only nine cases allocated to this area and most are gone.....???!!!!......) of Cline Mourvedre.

I've had their ZIN and loved it, I've had their Cotes d'Oakley and have quaffed it by the case load............. So I am about ready to try this old world grape even though it comes from a new world producer (they are Rhone Rangers, after all).

Cline Mourvedre at $16.50 a bottle........

We'll see. Notes later, if I can manage.

Anyone of you tasted this? Your comments would be appreciated.

Thomas · 01-04-2001, 11:04 PM,

Haven't tasted it, but at that price I probably will not any time soon. There are scores of Mourvedre wines or blends from Europe that do not cost blood.

California wine is becoming a money vampire.

ddf68 · 01-05-2001, 11:36 AM,

That wine has been on my want to try list for months. I have read (either Parker or Tanzer) that Cline has substantial holdings of extremely old (90 to 100 years) Mourvedre vines in Contra Costa County and that they, therefore, have at least the potential to do Mourvedre as well as anyone else in this hemisphere. Let me know how it goes.

ddf

hotwine · 01-05-2001, 12:24 PM,

Foodie, that's the sucking sound we hear coming off the Left Coast. And the reason the incentive just isn't always there to try their offerings.

Thomas · 01-05-2001, 10:40 PM,

To be sure, we are uninterested in many of the Left Coast offerings at our shop; too many good wines from everywhere else, and at reasonable prices (and soon Australia will get the heave-ho as it exponentially raises its bottle prices).

mrdutton · 01-05-2001, 11:57 PM,

Well ya know.................

It seems to take a lot of effort to get the stuff over the Rockies and then over the Appalachia Range to the flats of the East.

I always note with aplomb (or should that be trepidation or indifference) that the cost scales upward from west to east.

Okay, so what does the Cline Mourvedre go for out in Cali?

Is that the point? I am not so sure. Word has it that the stuff is good. If I want to spend a bit short of twenty per to find out, where is the harm?

Only to my pocket, if the stuff is plonk instead of great. Caveat emptor and whatever the market will bear.

I may be rambling here, but come on. Even if I buy the deals from Roberto; do I discount the shipping costs...... No way.

It costs $9.99 in Roberto's store, but it costs $40.00 to ship the stuff east. That raises the per bottle price to $12 and some change. Fact of life..............

I buy a car for X dollars and the guy down the street buys it for y dollars. If we are both happy, why should anyone else say, "well you coulda, shoulda, woulda if youda gone there.....!!!"

Thomas · 01-06-2001, 03:02 PM,

Dutton, if a wine is in the national distribution channel, shipping does not cost what it costs the consumer--shipping becomes a minor cost per case.

Plain and simple: far too many--not all--California wines are over-priced, relative to values found from other parts of the world.

A lot has to do with the cost of land and the general cost of living and doing business in the US, but still. ... Like it is with any other consumer product: if you cannot keep the price in line with what the market bears and what the competition offers, you should not expect the consumer to roll over and buy it anyway, but I guess if you can get away with it, you can roll the consumer.

[This message has been edited by foodie (edited 01-06-2001).]

mrdutton · 01-06-2001, 08:20 PM,

One other point........

I wont' feel rolled until I taste it.......

Could you not at least agree with that?

Thomas · 01-07-2001, 04:44 PM,

I suppose so, but I shall wait until someone offers me a taste of it--$16.50 indeed! Am I invited?

mrdutton · 01-07-2001, 07:22 PM,

The price might have something to do with the limited production.

You are cordially invited to come down here to Virginia Beach and sample some. We could do some buffalo or maybe some venison to go along with the wine.

By-the-by, what does the stuff cost out West? That question has not been answered. I really am curious.

Bring warm clothes! It is cold here, also. But we have no snow on the ground.

thewoodman · 01-08-2001, 10:07 AM,

mrdutton, I have not seen this wine in any of my haunts, but $16.50 is in line with some of the better Cline releases. Another one to try is the Cline Syrah Los Carneros. Great fruit and spice, with leathery notes on the finish. That one is $14.99 in Nor Cal for comparison. The standard issue CA Syrah ain't bad either for $7.99. Enjoy, and any release from Cline isn't a bad choice.

ddf68 · 01-08-2001, 11:03 AM,

The Cline Mourvedre is $17 or $18 in my local liquor store way out here in the boonies. Cline quality being what it is, I wouldn't be surprised if it is good enough to justify the price.

ddf

[This message has been edited by ddf68 (edited 01-08-2001).]

mrdutton · 01-08-2001, 10:54 PM,

Foodie, should I eat humble pie..... You are pulling my chain aren't you....?? I bit....

Oh well........ I usually do. BIG GRIN!!!

The Cline Mourvedre comes from old vines and should really be good. I'll try to remember to post some notes when it is opened and consumed.

Thomas · 01-09-2001, 09:13 AM,

I don't think humble pie goes well with Mourvedre--hell, it never goes well with wine people!

Cline does produce good products; no argument there.

Mourvedre is a food-friendly wine, and for a daily dose of it at dinner, $16.50 is too high a price. I know of terrific Mourvedre and Syrah-Mourvedre blends that fall between $9 and $12 retail.

mrdutton · 01-09-2001, 11:05 PM,

I didn't buy a couple of cases for daily doses at dinner. I only bought two bottles.

Trust me........... (oh yeah.....) I would not spend $16.50 a bottle for a daily drinker. More like 6.50 to 9.99 for them.....

hotwine · 01-11-2001, 01:33 PM,

Just picked up some of the '97 Cline Small Berry Vineyard Mourvedre for $8.99 (not a sale price), and note that the label gives production at only 1291 cases. Looking forward to a sampling.

[This message has been edited by hotwine (edited 01-11-2001).]

hotwine · 01-11-2001, 05:52 PM,

Yeow, very nice! Tasted with feta cheese. Ripe raspberries with an overtone of mountain juniper IMHO. Should be superb with a pasta and tomato sauce. Would love to try it with a big bowl of fruiti di mare containing every type of seafood that's currently available. Only bought four bottles, so will return for more soon.
(Like tomorrow!)

hotwine · 01-12-2001, 07:52 PM,

Snatched up the remaining two bottles, with a new shipment promised for next week.

Mike, is this the same juice you're describing? If so, there sure is a big price difference!

Gil

Drew · 01-13-2001, 12:02 AM,

Hotwine and all, below is a link to a small forum tasting note discussion of the 97' Cline Small Berry Vinyard Mourvedre.

Drew

http://216.55.182.105/forum/read.php?f=13&i=318466&t=318466

hotwine · 01-14-2001, 09:16 PM,

(Just got back from the ranch.)
Thanks for that URL, Drew, that's an interesting discussion those Left Coasters had on the Cline Mourvedre. Sounds like that one fellow just got a bad bottle. I've only drunk the one so far, and will wait to increase the cellar stock before tapping another. The one bottle was certainly not a disapppointment! Will be anxious to see if my retailer has been able to obtain more.

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