In for six. No brainer.
I cut back slightly based on the price. It’s starting to approach my upper limit, so I reduced my purchase from 6 to 4. If they continue at the rate they are going, I’ll stop buying in a few years. It’s good, but there is a lot of good wine out there.
We continue to be buyers. The wine and the customer service at Ridge are both excellent. Also, living in the Bay Area gives us the opportunity to go to the Component Tastings, and other events there.
Thanks,
Ed
I emailed them back earlier today and bailed from the list - not because I don’t like the wines, but more because I don’t need more wine and these won’t be ready for drinking anyway until l am personally ready to mix it with ensure.
The price increase appears to be pretty minor to many others out there - and as others have noted, it is quite a discount from what you’ll find these at at retail.
A quick question for those ‘in the know’ - how many other ‘top notch’ CA cab producers who have mailing lists even offer ‘wine club discounts’ on their wines versus just giving you the ability to purchase them? I seriously don’t know and am curious.
For instance, does Scarecrow give wine club members a discount? What about any of Mike Smith’s wines? Bevan? Ovid? MacDonald? Schrader?
Cheers.
Zip zero zilch
Okay, well then…I just read the notes on the website…I will be keeping my standing order. ![[wink.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/04707e6a7bbb03e0153e349d8a9270d30e1e9525.gif "wink"){kind=small}
As usual, I’ll only be buying the Estate Cab, but I’ll be encouraging my neighbor to buy as much Monte Bello as he can afford!
Montelena has a similar program
Eric,
Totally forgot about them - and I used to purchase those futures and still have an '87-94 vertical 
But other than those exceptions, how many of the ‘board faves’ actually offer any kind of wine club discount? Sure, they give you the ‘right’ to purchase a hard-to-get wine, but at full retail, correct?
Just an observation . . .
Out of curiosity, for those who buy this wine regularly, do you drink as many as you buy? Ie. if you buy six bottles a year, do you drink six bottles of older Ridge, or does your collection of Monte Bello keep growing each year?
The way I see it, if they have a mailing list, there isn’t a discount. Examples: Schrader, MACDONALD, Bevan, probably all those you mentioned.
If they have a wine club, then they do have a discount. These often are the bigger wineries. Examples: Robert Mondavi, Hall, Alpha Omega, etc.
At that point it depends on who qualifies as a board favorite or top-notch cab producer.
Reluctantly, I had to give up my allocation of MB that I have bought since 1982. My wife pointed out the drinking window was probably outside my drinking window. But I did buy last years allocation of 4 bottles. Hope it isn’t only for my kids.
I’ve been buying more than I drink, as I didn’t start until the 2012 vintage. Want to give the bottles some time to age. Typically have purchased 4 bottles, but added a mag to my order starting last vintage.
I have bought on futures from them every year for the last 5-6, and have never opened one of them. But I intend to drink every bottle.
Every bottle I buy, I buy with the intention of drinking it. A few years ago I sold a little over a case of CA wine that no longer suited my palate; it was the only time I have ever sold any wine.
I would add Carlisle as another winery that initially offers its mailing list members a discount over ultimate release prices.
Ch Montelena and Ridge are the only lists I have not been able to bring myself to drop. At age 57 I really shouldn’t be buying these either but suspect as I age I’ll start preferring wines younger but if not then my kids will enjoy
AAgrawal wrote:
Out of curiosity, for those who buy this wine regularly, do you drink as many as you buy? Ie. if you buy six bottles a year, do you drink six bottles of older Ridge, or does your collection of Monte Bello keep growing each year?
Our collection continues to grow, although more slowly. We really enjoy the Monte Bello around age 15. So, this year, we will have open '00, '03 and '04. And hold our remaining '99, '01 and '02’s. Our intent is to drink them all, or have our son and daughter enjoy them.
Thanks,
Ed
I’m still working on growing my collection of MB as most of my bottles are less than 10 years old. For a period of time I would buy nearly every 10+ year old bottle at auction I could find under $100. I drank all of them. Sadly, I can’t find them at that price any longer.
Still a buy for me. 10 years on the list and I’ve had most of the wines at one point or another which is why I keep buying.