Anybody buying the latest Blankiet release ?

[John_Webber]

I was in Napa for the first time last week and I visited the winery
Graham, the assistant winemaker was our guide.
Very nice tour and we drank through their entire lineup including their 2 ports. Wines were delicious.
He mentioned they are thinking of making another wine since the Prince of Hearts has become a really good wine and been receiving accolades by some critics. It will be called Prince of Music. Do not recall when the first vintage will be produced
We even got to meet Claude who was charming and talked to us for about 20 minutes
Will visit again when in Napa

No affiliation

I had a visit scheduled and decided to cancel. I’ve enjoyed the wines, and appreciate Graeme’s wines, but was turned off by the hospitality. For our group of 6, we were told we needed to pay $600 upfront ($100/person) and it was non refundable as it was an “experience fee”, not a tasting fee. Purchase amount did not matter. Hope to visit one day, but not paying that type of entry fee.

That type of entry fee, at that type of winery, is the new norm unless you have a solid purchase history. Even then, that might only get you 2 heads comped.

[Shay_A]

I was in Napa for the first time last week and I visited the winery
Graham, the assistant winemaker was our guide.
Very nice tour and we drank through their entire lineup including their 2 ports. Wines were delicious.
He mentioned they are thinking of making another wine since the Prince of Hearts has become a really good wine and been receiving accolades by some critics. It will be called Prince of Music. Do not recall when the first vintage will be produced
We even got to meet Claude who was charming and talked to us for about 20 minutes
Will visit again when in Napa

No affiliation

I had a visit scheduled and decided to cancel. I’ve enjoyed the wines, and appreciate Graeme’s wines, but was turned off by the hospitality. For our group of 6, we were told we needed to pay $600 upfront ($100/person) and it was non refundable as it was an “experience fee”, not a tasting fee. Purchase amount did not matter. Hope to visit one day, but not paying that type of entry fee.

That type of entry fee, at that type of winery, is the new norm unless you have a solid purchase history. Even then, that might only get you 2 heads comped.

That’s my first experience with coming across an “experience fee”. I’d almost rather they call it a tasting fee, just from a nomenclature standpoint. I have no problem with a winery charging what they’d like (if they can get it), but knowing all the other places you can visit for much less (this being my 8th trip out), makes it an easy pass.

[Steve_Crawford]

that is really some büllshit. i understand a heavy up front charge to ensure people buy wine, but this is something different.

[John_Morris]

I had a visit scheduled and decided to cancel. I’ve enjoyed the wines, and appreciate Graeme’s wines, but was turned off by the hospitality. For our group of 6, we were told we needed to pay $600 upfront ($100/person) and it was non refundable as it was an “experience fee”, not a tasting fee. Purchase amount did not matter. Hope to visit one day, but not paying that type of entry fee.

I suspect we could come up with some colorful terms for the “experience” of being charged $100 a head with no credit toward a purchase.

[T_Altmayer]

I had a visit scheduled and decided to cancel. I’ve enjoyed the wines, and appreciate Graeme’s wines, but was turned off by the hospitality. For our group of 6, we were told we needed to pay $600 upfront ($100/person) and it was non refundable as it was an “experience fee”, not a tasting fee. Purchase amount did not matter. Hope to visit one day, but not paying that type of entry fee.

I suspect we could come up with some colorful terms for the “experience” of being charged $100 a head with no credit toward a purchase.

For this level of wine, unfortunately this is the new normal. We are headed to Napa in August and many of the “higher end” places are charging similar.

[Shay_A]

I had a visit scheduled and decided to cancel. I’ve enjoyed the wines, and appreciate Graeme’s wines, but was turned off by the hospitality. For our group of 6, we were told we needed to pay $600 upfront ($100/person) and it was non refundable as it was an “experience fee”, not a tasting fee. Purchase amount did not matter. Hope to visit one day, but not paying that type of entry fee.

I suspect we could come up with some colorful terms for the “experience” of being charged $100 a head with no credit toward a purchase.

For this level of wine, unfortunately this is the new normal. We are headed to Napa in August and many of the “higher end” places are charging similar.

Tom, I’ll be there the first week of September for an annual trip and after all these years, and including the upcoming visits, I’ve never come across an “experience fee”. If you do indeed come across others, please let us know!

[T_Altmayer]

I suspect we could come up with some colorful terms for the “experience” of being charged $100 a head with no credit toward a purchase.

For this level of wine, unfortunately this is the new normal. We are headed to Napa in August and many of the “higher end” places are charging similar.

Tom, I’ll be there the first week of September for an annual trip and after all these years, and including the upcoming visits, I’ve never come across an “experience fee”. If you do indeed come across others, please let us know!

I am equating an experience fee as a tasting fee with a tour. I did the tasting there 6 years ago and it was excellent, albeit at a smaller cost. Diamond Creek is $125. Corison is $125 for its Kronos tasting. Continuum is $150 (from what I heard). Spottswoode is $75 per person. I don’t like it, but it is now the norm.

[John_Morris]

No credit toward a purchase at those other places?

[MICHAEL_C_R_O_M_W_E_L_L]

For the same price, I had the privilege of never buying Buccella again. And this was in 2018. Though to be fair, I gave them the option of a purchase or the fee. You can guess what happened ……

[T_Altmayer]

No credit toward a purchase at those other places?

Diamond Creek said they don’t have enough to offer so it was the fee for the tasting. Not sure about the others.

[Zachary_Mancini]

No credit toward a purchase at those other places?

Diamond Creek said they don’t have enough to offer so it was the fee for the tasting. Not sure about the others.

Diamond creek has always had a tasting fee that doesn’t go towards purchases. Granted it did go from 95 to 125 since the new owners, hence why I haven’t gone since then.

[FMansfield]

So was 2016 the first year Graeme started making wine for Blankiet?

[KenL]

So was 2016 the first year Graeme started making wine for Blankiet?

Yes, The first full year from start to finish, I think he might have finished the 15’s that were in barrel aftwr Denis Malbec passed away.

[FMansfield]

How is the style of wine making different, if at all, between Blankiet and MacDonald? I’ve had older Blankiet wines pre-Graeme but dropped off their list. I have had the 2018 MacDonald (at MacDonald!!!) and it was amazing. Thank you.

[Tom_R_W]

Release email for POH hit my inbox today. On paper, I should love this wine. Any feedback on Prince of Hearts? Read through CT notes on 2018 POH, sounds like it’s nowhere near ready to drink yet.