Sounds like an awesome strategy, Mark. I’m doing the same with those lots but only have 3 or 6 bottles of each as o didn’t want to be overrun with bottles all becoming drinkable at the same time.
Haven’t grabbed any lot 80 yet. Hopefully it sells out soon so the temptation passes.
Yeah I definetly need to slow down how many full cases I buy because I will have a bunch coming to peak at the same time. But I am a generous guy and fortunate to have friends that are REALLY good cooks that love me and I always bring plenty of vino to share. It’s a great trade off.
Tony, have you opened up a Lot 32 Stags Leap recently? I have to say you were right, much better than I initially thought lol.
I didn’t realize Opus had such a huge production. Seems odd to bulk out 500 cases if you make 25000. That’s a drop in the bucket. Very different from some of the other lots where you can see 200 cases to Cam make a real difference.
Haven’t tried Lot 32,again, Gabe. I have a lot of domestic cabs to plow through. I don’t crack them as often as I should have.
Same here.
But they don’t suddenly peak and fade. I look forward to drinking a couple a year as they mature, hit their peak and slowly fade to my last bottle. Cabs do this over several to many years, it shouldn’t be a problem.
I have balanced the pinots and chards for early drinking vs cabs for the long curve. Bet you don’t waste any!
Cheers to you and your years of sipping and sharing ahead.
I’m guessing Opus culls several times. Some was bulked out between steel and oak. More was sold off at blending since harvest volume of each varietal is not the same as the blend ratios, plus some barrels are clunkers. And as they go to bottling they find a few barrels (perhaps 2%???) that aren’t quite the same. But at this point it is finished wine. You don’t want it in your ‘lesser’ blend because that blend is different. This calls for a different customer. So you sell it off.
I am not guessing whether 80 is Opus or other; just guessing why Opus might have 1200 gallons (20 barrels) to sell off. (yes I bit)
I understand that logic but that would apply every year. Typically, Cam’s story has been one of inventory management. Which makes perfect sense if you cut back from 1000 to 700. But at 25000, inventory management makes much less sense.
I agree that Opus is the best guess and the early reviews of #34 and #50 have been very positive, so I bit as well. But the story became a bit muddled once I learned the size of Opus (vs Krupp, for example).
That’s true, but they could have had other ways of transitioning it in the past that aren’t available this year as the market has deteriorated.
I just went to get a 4th cases of X80-sold out, at this point. 
So, Plan B, 6 more bottles each of X50 & X74, both look promising? 
I often say, if plan A doesn’t work out, then Plan B musta been better….
500 cases …
Hmmmm descprition matches this Aveta fairly well:
AVETA is not 100% Sauvignon Blanc. Of course, it’s possible they only sold the component, not the blend. Cam doesn’t mention bottling blend…
Another possibility is Cliff Lede. They have an SB and Sémillon blend. $38. Both oak and stainless steel. They explicitly mention “bâtonnage.” Production is in the 7000-8000 cases range, so inventory control or excess SB after blending could yield 500 cases for Cam.
2024 Cliff Lede Sauvignon Blanc
We guessed Cliff Lede before (#9 and #32).
I like Sauvignon Blanc, particularly as a warm weather aperitif. That said, I’ve never paid attention to the use of oak.
The AVETA appears to be 30% oak, and I recently picked up DeNegoce’s 2025 SB from Paso, which if our guesses of Daou estate are correct, should be 50% oak.
Are these wines good as a light aperitif? At $99 a case, I’m not going to overthink this, but am curious.
Cam says “neutral” French oak. Stag’s Leap says “neutral” French oak. Cliff Lede says “35%” of its French oak was “new.” The Stag’s Leap looks like the better fit.
For Cliff, the fraction new varies by year and its well below 50%. That means they produce plenty of SV in neutral oak. Since this is clearly not the finished bottling blend, could very well be leftover neutral SV if they went higher than expected on the new oak.
The fact that Cliff explicitly mentions “bâtonnage” seems to be a clear hint. Or it is a third producer that does SV only.
Whenever I’ve bought an $8/bottle of Sauvignon Blanc from Cam, I’ve been very happy. I just bought two cases. They will arrive when I’ve worked my way happily through my other inexpensive whites that I’ve bought from him recently. So, you’re right, don’t overthink it.
DN lot 17 has turned into a wonderful drink, have a couple bottles in queue for next family steak night🍷
U mean CX? I love 17 but I’m drinking down 1 and stash 17 away for another few years.