You know on those cold fall days when you wake up in your cabin located in the Swiss mountainside, you slowly pull on a jacket, pour yourself a cup of coffee, walk out onto the porch, look out into a forest filled with the first morning dew nestled softly on bushes of wild cranberries as it dampens the earth. You take a deep breath in as the mist starts to clear and the animals come alive. The innocence and purity of that fresh forest and fruit penetrate into your soul as you wake up to the beauty of the world. That’s what this 1974 Macy’s Cellar Pinot Noir smells like. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Oh? You’ve never had the chance to experience such luxury?? Me neither. That cabin probably doesn’t have WiFi, I’m not about to miss Bachelor in Paradise.
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But if you can imagine that scenario… The fragrance is as good as aged Pinot gets.
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The body is fresh with acid, orange peel, bit of bricked fruit and brown sugar with sweet earth. No sign of slowing down over the course of a couple hours.
Purchased a sealed cardboard case of this at auction on a lark. It’s from The Monterey Vineyard winery which appears to still be around. The box said delivery to Macy’s. So I’m
Assuming it’s for Macy’s wine club back in the day.
Fills levels on them are awesome. From a large auction consignment that just had a ton of random old California wine. Fun to take a gamble with the color and fill on them!
At a 2011 SF offline Ed Kurtzman brought ‘74 Chalone Pinot Noir that was really fragrant - then on the palate a little orange peel, then… nothing. You scored.
Totally with you on that my man. Often take gambles on aged CA wines for cheap at auction…although prob different varietals than you (zin, PS, early 80’s birthyear cabs, etc).
Honestly…pays off more than it doesnt. Gotta keep your expectations somewhat in check…but the big wins make it WAY worth it.
Not sure about a wine club, but Macy’s did have a wine store in NYC until sometime in the mid 1970s. Most likely a private label for retail. Not surprised at the quality, they were sticklers. I’ve got remnants of a good stash of wines from Macy’s, 60s and 70s, whomever was buying knew their stuff.
I was going to say “you should ask Greg Dal Piaz”. I remember the Macy’s Burgundies you brought to that dinner I organized on the UES a few hundred years ago.
I recall a wine and food section within the Mountain View Macy’s (now gone, was at Hwy 85 and El Camino at the Sunnyvale/Mt View border) from the late 70s/early 80s. I’m sure I tried some of their private label wines, but have no records of acquiring any significant quantity.
My understanding is that prior to Macy’s shutting down the wine department at the flagship store in 1979, it was one of the premier shops in NYC, and there was a massive sale of the inventory. Apparently to Fu’s benefit. He was a balla even before he existed!
In the '70s the downtown SF Macy s had a very serious housewares department and a very good wine selection.
Gerald Asher was the sales mgr for the company that made this deal. As I recall the company was purchased by Coca Cola which renamed it Taylor of California, but, realizing that nothing beats selling sugar water for big money, sold the company to Seagram.
By the way, I thought Gloria had to slow down, before she started to blow it, was headed for a breakdown…too many voices in her head.
Truett: is that including the original wooden box or no? All kidding aside, we schlepped 4 cases of Chateau Gloria 67 , with some help from friends, down to Hal’s station wagon and drove them to our ski house in Vermont, where they became the “house wine” and were enjoyed by our ski club that Winter.
Mel: As far as I can tell,Gloria still rolling on and still a good QPR, voices not withstanding…Wasn’t aware Gerald Ascher was involved…Have enjoyed a number of his columns…
Ch Gloria was one of the first chateaux to show that with improved production techniques–better work in the vineyards and in the cellar-- a cru bourgeois could be as good as a classified growth. Henri Martin’s success inspired others to do the same. The next thing you know garagistes were everywhere.
