97 Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cepages

[raggedy1]

Went to the Wine Club in SF and found the 1997 Cinq Cepages at $79.99! Now I'm sure they will sell out soon enough, but I think this is ridiculous pricing! Bad enough that the winery boosted the 97 price over the 96, thanks to the Wine Speculator, but come on! Now the wine shops are jacking up the prices because they KNOW someone (NOT ME) will pay this outrageous price....

[winoweenie]

Raggity, I agree whole-patootily! The 97 was released by our friendly merchant at under 50, but the winery cut the Az. allocation in half even tho they made more juice than in 96. Seems the Wine Club is holding back and jackin` them dudes up. I guarantee that in 6 mos the vineyard will make their 2nd release of said wine , again higher than their release price. Don`t believe at this early date that St. Jeans` the culprit. Iderned sure woodn`t pay no 70 beanies for the dude. WW

[Drew]

I have 2 bottles of the '93 and 7 of the '95 Cinq and they will be my LAST purchase of CSJ due to the ramroding! BTW I paid $22ea. for the '93 and $26 for 10, all they had, '95s. I think CSJ needs to control their distributor and retail market a little better if the release prices are accurate....I mean these retailers are not the secondary market.

Drew

[raggedy1]

So y'all think it is the retail side that is causing these huge price fluctuations (i.e. gouging)? Perhaps they need to take a lesson from Duckhorn Vineyards; they seem to keep a good lid on prices. I see their wines selling at retail or within a couple of dollars (up or down). One shop told me that they get "pressure" from the Vineyard to sell only at retail prices...

[winoweenie]

Raggity & Drewsie, There`s no doubt the retailorsa are the major culprits and the consumers the secondary . If the 97 was 48.99 at my local retailor here in Az. which is a 3-tier state without exceptions( ie. felony ) then you friendly retailor is a gouge-artiste`.( Drew, note the mark..hehe) I believe that ALL markets are sales-energy driven, as note the hot new auto selling at 5-G`s over list, and that there are plenty of unscrupulous, profit-driven merchants out there in all fields to grab the cash and run. Our only action is tell them suckers to put it where the sun don` shine and go on our way. I`ll never pay over release for any wine unless it`s a rarity that`s at least 10 years old or I`m in Vegas at one of my watering holes and am watered-down and thirsty. You took the rite path Rags. You should have raised a lil` heck with manager also. And Drew, I too look at my pricing on the old Cinqs` that used to be one of my daily-drinkers and stick a pin in my Shanken Doll. The 97 Alluvium is still under 30 and the BV Tapestry. These IMHO are on par with " Sink". After review, should have put our comments in the R&R thread. WW

[Drew]

You're right, WW, this thread could go on for miles. While on the rant subject, though, RAYMOND VINEYARDS [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/mad.gif[/img]. Soon to be on my hit list due to price increases....$30 now for the '97 Napa reserve, was $20 for the '96!

Drew

[raggedy1]

The store in question (Wine Club in SF) usually has prices well below retail, so I didn't bother mentioning the price. In fact, when the Cinq was first released a couple of months ago, I was in the store when the cases arrived. I asked how much, and was told $48.99. I knew this was basically the release price and passed it up because I am so used to paying less than retail at this store. For example, the 97 BV Tapestry was $27.99. The 98 Raymond Reserve, which I think is pretty good, sells for $24.99. This is where I picked up the Cline Syrah Los Carneros @ $11.99, and so on.... [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/confused.gif[/img] So now they are taking advantage and charging 60% over retail on a "hot wine." I was about to post this in the RR column, but thought of this seconds after posting here and didn't want to get blasted for double posting! [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/redface.gif[/img]

[winoweenie]

Rags and Drew, Now`s the time for transgressions!. Bucko`s on vacation, Wallace is on hiatus, Randy's gone who knows where, and Jackie's at Stanford, and we can just ignore IK protestations. I was going ro post the 94 cab thread under 8 different (GIGGLE) threads..All White (hehe). And on the Raymond thought, How about the Generations? They surely didn`t decide to raise prices on the basis of the 96 Cinq did they? 50 bucks my Indian fat patootie! WW

[raggedy1]

This board has been getting a little slow, eh? Maybe if we post the same messages to several forums, it will look a little busier! Haven't tried the Generations and at 50 bucks I won't!

[Innkeeper]

The membership keeps going up every day, so somebody's looking. So behave!

[winoweenie]

Raggie & drewpoo, Jes' ignore the drill sargeant." Six, Eight, Nine, Eleven..Drink enuf' Red an You'll go to Heaven". WW

[hotwine]

And here I thought everybody but me had gone fishin'.

What are you guys drinkin' that pricey CA stuff for, anywho? There are too many bargains out there from so many other places!

[raggedy1]

Doh! Didn't know IK was lurking. Now I'll be "gun shy...."

[raggedy1]

HotWine. That's the point of my rant; I don't want to pay that kind of money for "this" CA offering! I just think it is a rip off with a 60% over retail markup! The most I've personally spent on a CA wine is the case of 1997 Justin Isoceles I picked up months ago...

[mrdutton]

There must be a lot of angles to that one, I just hope it is not too obtuse. But then it shouldn't be since an isoceles can't be obtuse.

[This message has been edited by mrdutton (edited 02-11-2001).]

[raggedy1]

yes, yes. clever reply. have you had any of the Justin offerings?

[mrdutton]

No I've not had the chance or the pleasure to try any offering from Justin.

I do have a Raymond CS on hand and am saving it for a roast tenderloin of beef being saved for a grand feast later this year.....

[raggedy1]

I haven't had much opportunity to find Virginian wines out here, but I hear that some are very good. It's hard to fit any more wines into my "drinking time" with CA, WA and French wines filling my menu.... If I ever visit Virginia one of these days I'll be sure to bring you a case of your "hard to find" California wines...

[winoweenie]

MrD, The 97 Isosocles is, indeed at 37.99, not only a bargain on todays market, but IMHO a wine that rivals the 2nd growths at far LESS money. As the mighty Curmster preached on Best Buys, A 50 dollar wine that tastes like a 100 dollar wine IS a bargain. WW

[raggedy1]

WW, do you know of where one might find some 97 Isoceles?