Thanks for the responses. Although I would love to take my whole allocation, it is just not in the financial cards. As a result, I am going to have to be more selective. W-S is the number one label in my cellar (although Siduri and Novy combined would be ahead) and like other responders I don’t open them very often since I really want to see them with some age. I bypassed the spring offering due to the uncertainty about education funding here in Texas and I want to at least attempt to try to stay on my budget.
The pricing is getting pretty crazy. I appreciate their wines and track record, but they now have seven pinots selling at $72 or higher, plus pretty high shipping costs even just here within California.
I don’t take wine pricing personally or begrudge anyone charging what they can get, but the value proposition on these wines has turned negative for me. Too bad. I still have two or three cases that I bought from 04-07 or so, so that should last me for awhile.
I think WS might have priced themselves out of a couple of groups of people: those that are not long time buyers, and those those for whom money is somewhat of an issue. I want to buy some of the SVDs rather than just picking up spot buys of appellation wines at retailers. But for the last two releases the same thing happens - I have the mailer sitting on my desk for a few days and keep thinking ‘gee I could buy so many other wines I know I like for quite a bit less’… The buying addict in me keeps going back and starting to fill it out, then the sane side of me holds back.
honestly the amount of 50+ pinots in the market has gone crazy and , and most of these have lesser fruit and far less pedigree. I agree that there is just alot more choices now, but there consistency is pretty awesome, and they haven’t skyrocketed like aubert, marcassin and dumol.
They are my number one holding as well. As Glenn said…In this economy I took what I could. In most years I take virtually my entire allocation but this year I simply could not.
Clayton; I agree that the 2002’s are a bit riper than most other vintages and have a touch of a “pruney” character but, in general, Williams-Selyem remains my favorite California pinot noir.
I’ve enjoyed the other 2002s that i’ve had. Something is fairly amiss with the Ferrington though. It’s also fairly well reflected in the CT tasting notes with a lot of Zinfandel and Port of Pinot comments. The IWC review does note “Cabral says the crop level here was too low, and the wine is a bit awkward today” - well it’s only got worse. I have one more bottle of it which i’m just going to keep and hope it comes round.
It’s somewhat put me off this bottling actually. That and over time i’ve realized I have a dramatic preference for the Deep End location of the Anderson Valley, and am quite indifferent to the sites further from the ocean (where Ferrington is). I actually prefer the Weir of their Mendocino offerings. Although i didn’t buy either from recent releases. I should probably revisit the Ferrington to see how more recent vintages show.
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