PSA Robert Mondavi To Kalon Vineyard Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2015-$78

Grabbed 6. Looks like they have 140 left at this moment.
Winesearcher average >$130
No relation but have done business with them in the remote past without issue.

Damn, I just got one on sale at KL Wines for $99. At least no shipping charge though since I can pick it up.

Smoking hot deal. Cant find it on the website though.

Somehow sold out already. That was unreal. Watched it go from 130 in stock to 0 in the 5 minutes it took me to find my credit card.

That was weird. I couldn’t find it on the website. Then I looked it up and found it on ws pro. I linked to the site and bought 3 btls. Within a few seconds it went form 19 to 14 and after I bought checked a minute later and it was sold out. Glad I snagged a few. Thanks for the heads up. I bet half the btls were sold to this board and also that a few folks bought a case or more.

Wow, great deal! Missed it.

You’ll be able to purchase that fruit in the future but under the Schrader label and tariff.

I got 2 more cases locally when a retailer discounted the wine down to around $110. 2015 Mondavi To Kalon Reserve is freaking amazing- a spectacular mid-weight beauty with a long life ahead over which I suspect it may always be very approachable. I asked when buying the wines why the discount and the response I got was that California Cabernet is in a real rough patch right now retail-wise.

For many top wines, though not this one I would think, pricing is the key issue since the numbers have gotten really aggressive- especially relative to so many highly touted 15 and 16 Bordeaux. Evidently worry about 2017 creeps into it as well- less eagerness to “keep a place in line” in case the wines of this future vintage end up widely problematic (I have heard no evidence to suggest that will be the case- just reporting the fear driving the market.)

In any event, 2015 Mondavi To Kalon Reserve is a back up the truck kind of wine in my book- and at these discounts, it is all the easier to say yes.

(Note- my ITB tag which I added recently is in relation to my appraisal activities since I am more actively marketing them now and consider it more than a casual sideline. I have no financial interest in promoting Mondavi wines.)

Thanks Peter this was a great buy.

It did go quickly.

Wow great deal. Sad I missed it.

It’s still available at KL for $99 which is not a bad deal.

I’m not super familiar with Mondavi’s To Kalon holdings…I assumed they owned all their land, but based on your comment some of it is under long term lease that’s expiring?

Constellation owns Mondavi and a big chunk of To Kalon that goes into the Mondavi version.

Constellation bought Schrader and picked up another chunk of To Kalon.

Take the Mondavi fruit and bottle it as Schrader and make way more money.

I missed it, but thank you, Peter, for the PSA!

That’s not necessarily the plan. It would make for some added profitability, and some shift is likely, but I bet Mondavi maintains a good chunk of the fruit. Btw, the 2015 wine is really good and that’s a screaming deal, undoubtedly one that Mondavi would rather have not happened.

(my wife sells Mondavi)

My order of four bottles was canceled due to not shipping to my state…I replied tonight and offered an alternate state. Will see where it goes, but BS if you ask me to blanket cancel an order without first contacting the customer.

It really is surprising, at least to me, how many and how deep the discounts are for this wine (great vintage, great vineyard, and a well respected although not “cult” name). $175 direct from the winery, but $100 at KL Insider (with still lots available), $90 at Belmont Wine a few weeks back, and now $78. Tempted to pick up some more at KL, as guessing the wine will not get cheaper and likely a good bit higher in the future.

I don’t believe that is quite correct. Schrader doesn’t own it’s vineyards and the Schrader To Kalon grapes have been purchased from Beckstoffer’s To Kalon Vineyards. According to Schrader’s website:

Will the wine still be BeckstofferToKalon fruit? (Vs Original ToKalon?)

Our plans are to continue to make wine from the BeckstofferToKalon Vineyard. With the purchase of Schrader Cellars we strive to continue the path of excellence that was set in motion by Fred and Carol. BeckstofferToKalon has been an essential part of the Schrader portfolio of Cabernets and will continue to be for the next several vintages. What excites us about the Schrader portfolio is the potential that the Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard is showing. The past vintage received 100 points from James Suckling and the potential of the 2015 and 2016 vintages in barrel are very exciting as well!

Sounds like Constellation got whatever Beckstoffer TK was already in barrel and any of Schrader’s long-term contracts with vineyards. Wines made with Beckstoffer grapes have to include “Beckstoffer” on the label. So depends on the terms of the contract with Beckstoffer whether those wines can include non-Beckstoffer grapes as well. My guess is no since he has been very careful about building his brand.

I think it’s a combination of approaches. The initial plan has already changed. It wasn’t planned to largely increase the volume of Schrader. Constellation/Mondavi owns something like 500 acres of To Kalon, while Beckstoffer has under 100. Some of Constellation’s is Fumé. I think Opus, Detert, and MacDonald all have around 20 acres each. Schrader doesn’t use all of Beck’s portion by any stretch, so using all that Constellation fruit in Schrader would be a vast volume increase.

What they planned was to reintroduce the historically name of something like To Kalon Wine Company. They have maintained that the own the TK trademark and could include other sources, but that is still a bone of contention. I think maybe Beckstoffer threaten more legal fight so Constellation apparently has changed plans. But they did hire Andy Erickson to helm the new project and something different will move forward. Mondavi just hasn’t done well with its own TK label separate from the reserve. The reserve has benefitted from consolidating, Bi they can and should produce more wine at a higher price point. TK aside, Constellation seems to see potential gains in its higher -end wines as opposed to its lower end wines. It just probably won’t be by simply increasing Schrader production. Though I do think that since the bought Schrader, they have used some of their own fruit in it. Not sure if that’s true or whether Beckstoffer had a say. I think for sure the Beckstoffer contracts continued after the purchase. Since he gets a price-based return one would think that as Schrader yields him about a max, he wouldn’t be eager to look for someone else to sell to. Though he and Constellation probably aren’t Warm and fuzzy.

With all of the TK acreage that they have, and the prices for Schrader and MacDonald, they surely ought to be able to create another wine that can sell at the $200 price point.

FWIW, Mondavi does also make a To Kalon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon (no Reserve designation) that is made 100% from To Kalon fruit and comes in an etched bottle. $300 each and only available at the winery (the wine is on the website as well, but you have to call or email to order.) There is also a Fume Blanc from old vines for $90.

I have not tried this special To Kalon Cab yet, but as great as the wine is that is the subject of this thread I am very tempted to give it a go.