Russ - Rudius SVD are usually in the $85 range. Cost of Pritchard Hill is high though.
Russ - Rudius SVD are usually in the $85 range. Cost of admission for most Pritchard Hill is high.
It is a shame, I backed off the list about a year ago when i was seeing the wine climb with each vintage. It’s just a reality of the region–and Larkmead has gotten some really good press over the last few years.
That was my point exactly, yet there has been no shortage of winemakers saying grape prices is the primary driver of price increases over the last year. I’m not a Larkmead customer and I have no dog in this particular fight, except that I love Napa, and I’ve grown tired of the ‘grape price’ argument for all the rediculous 20-30% increases across all of Napa this year.
Guys, I’m not trying to beat up on CA cab producers. If they can sell out at these prices more power to them. My palate simply does not find decent value at these ever escalating prices.
Did RP give them some huge score or something?
I was not totally surprised at the price increase. At $90, though, it puts the Larkmead at a price point above Forman and Dunn HM, two of my favorites. I am guessing the combo of a few good vintages in the pipeline as well as demand for both this wine and the Solari, Salon, etc. are the contributing factors for the price increase.
Thanks,
Ed
Sorry to jump back in so late, crazy day yesterday.
Larkmead did a major replanting in the last 5 years, and lost production during some vintages that would have been quite easy to sell (2009 and 2010), and also built a new winery recently too.
And if you aren’t going to move up your prices with the sell price of grapes by the ton, why even make your own wine? It’ll save you cost on a winery (too late), sales team and a winemaker. The rest becomes someone else’s issue.
I’m not saying I condone raising prices a lot, I’m just saying, sometimes there is a reason. This isn’t a “show piece” winery either, Cam Baker genuinely cares about making great wine.
Should not baseline Napa Cabs at least remain in the $60 and under range? There is soooo much competition out there that I really wonder what is in peoples minds. Is your mail-list so extensive with wait-listers that you can really throw caution to the wind? Ian, while I understand your explanation I still wonder why all that (new winery, rip out etc) should become costs to bear by the wine-buying public, and especially from a list house? I don’t get it one bit, make your damn wine in a barn and make it the best you can make and would real drinkers actually care unless they are visiting the Valley and want the list-tasting? Man, there is so much wrong with such an increase I am only getting started. No wonder the people of Sonoma have at least tried to take a different track. Go to Napa for the flash but come here for down to earth wines that won’t break the bank.
Maybe ‘we’ are the unsustainable piece of this puzzle, and one they really don’t mind losing.
Mike- check out the thread on Calluna and try their estate wine. You can buy the 09, 10 and 11. The 09 will show well now. The 10 is really built to age. Try em with a bit of food( with some fat) and sit back and smile $45 if you join their club.
I will Fred, thanks!
Has the Solari been released?
My friend was a faithful Larkmead club member until last year when the Solari jumped to $110. He asked for my opinion and I said “Joe its time to jump”. I mean $90 was a fair price. The wines are savory, but they have become a bit heavy in recent years. Heck, the 2007 is a clunker. As for the regular Cab hitting $90, yeah, that’s a swing and a miss!
When asked why the increase? the staff suggested that their wines were underpriced. I am beginning to think the antithesis. That’s right Rip, and a fair number of folks will be looking elsewhere.
They didn’t make a 2011 Solari so only the 12 cab this release. The 12 Solari will be released next fall with the 13 cab.
I’m torn on this one, been on the list for a few years but I think its time to jump. My tastes lean more toward bordeaux now anyhow so this might be just what I needed to make this decision easier. At 65 it was a great buy, but at 90, I’m not to sure. Cancel and test the retail market.
Who the hell is buying all these Cabs, pushing up prices? It’s not like there’s any export market for them.
And there is 4200 cases of this one, that’s a lot of cabbage.
I’m also completely torn. I think Larkmead may have been the first list I joined when I became “serious” about wine probably 8 years ago. I really enjoy visiting to pick up my order, and Sonny in the tasting room is amazing - he even remembers my dogs’ names and it’s always a pleasant visit and conversation. I love the wines and so do my family and friends.
But since we first started buying Larkmead years ago I’ve learned a lot more about wine, especially since we bought our house in Healdsburg almost 5 years ago. For $90 I can get at least 2 bottles of really, really good wine.
I think I’ll stick with it for this release but one more significant increase and I’m done. I won’t pay more for the base Larkmead Cab than I pay for Monte Bello futures…
Ed, what wines do you like in the Larkmead vein that are cheaper than $90? A lot of Cal cabs are great (I’m racing through the Mike Smith oeuvre), but they’re great in different ways than Larkmead. I’d love to find some other options to explore.
Not sure what you mean by “in the Larkmead vein” but Cabs that I consistently love that are less spendy include Anderson’s Conn Valley Reserve, Lewelling, Drinkward Peschon, and my favorite Cab discovery since we bought our place in Healdsburg - Robert Young (Scion, Big Rock Block, Bob’s Burn Pile). I’m surprised Robert Young doesn’t get more play on this board.
But the base Larkmead vs Monte Bello is silly talk. Really, I agonize over whether to max out my 12 x 750 allocation of Monte Bello at about $98 per bottle, and now the base Larkmead is $90. That’s an easy choice.