Believe what you want to believe, but unless it’s explicitely stated that Cam’s wine is the “exact same wine” as what the source winery releases, I think it’s highly likely what we’re getting is something different from what the winery releases, even though it’s from the same “program.”
For instance, say a winery’s “program” includes 20 different lots, where each lot is distinct and comes from a particular vineyard, block, and / or set of barrels. When it comes time to blend they use 10 of those lots for their $300 flagship wine, 5 lots for their $100 second wine, and the remaining 5 they decide to bulk out. Why did they bulk out those 5 lots? It could be they were inferior quality, or it could be they just didn’t fit the profile the winery was going for, or it could be they just didn’t want to make as much wine.
In any case, the 5 lots bulked out clearly came from the same “program” as the winery’s own wine, but they are different from what the winery released under their label. If the winery’s flagship wine sells for $300, and the second wine sells for $100, does that make the 5 lots that didn’t make the cut $300 juice? Or $100 juice? I’d say no to either, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a good wine.
Fair, and I understand that. The way that I look at it is that all 20 barrels got the same treatment in the hopes that they were all good and could go into the $300 final wine. In this case, we got $300 potential price point wine, even though the winemaker didn’t select it! Maybe that $300 wine is not the same as what the winemaker bottled, but all the barrels got the same inputs, most likely. But maybe they didn’t, and the blocks used and oak treatment was inferior.
I just wouldn’t assume that “all the barrels got the same inputs.” Even if all of the lots came from the same vineyard, quality and characteristics within a vineyard can vary dramatically. Again, not saying that doesn’t make it good juice, and perhaps it all had the potential to go into the flagship wine, but I just wouldn’t want people to think you’re getting the exact same experience as actually purchasing the flagship wine (or even the second wine).
To be clear I am enjoying the excellent source guesswork. I’m truly impressed with the vast knowledge of you Very Informative People. VIP’s! for sure thanks for all the deep insights. Fun!
I know what my very sensible wife would say “Don’t overthink it.”
I say “buy it if you want it. Or, if you don’t, don’t.”
Meanwhile, Keep on with great source work!
I get it, but your comments honestly apply to probably 60% of the wine we purchase here. The wine still comes from a winery “drenched in prestige” and from Pritchard Hill, of which they just aren’t too many.
But there is no way we would ever want to “hijack” Cam’s thread. We believe in the quality of the wine we have in bottle and its ridiculous value. Just as Cam has done a great job at giving to this community, lot after lot, we are doing something a bit different and will give back just the same. Let Cam do what he does best! But this thread is for Cam’s new project, not Archival.
Lot 12 has now made it to the Cam X website with a $3,600 list price. The write up appears to exclude some info, including “drenched in prestige.” Back up the truck!
I haven’t taken to guessing the rose or Lot 11, but this is my current summary. Not sure if it helps. I know some folks differed on their guesses and I borrowed the most likely (as far as I could tell) where I didn’t have my own. If that helps you decide which red you might want, there ya go.
Lot 1 - 2023 Eco Tereno Lyon Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
Lot 2 - 2022 B Cellars Giannone Vineyard Cabernet
Lot 3 - 2023 Bell Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
Lot 4 - 2023 Platt Vineyard (AXA Millésimes - TRB) Chardonnay
Lot 5 - 2023 Peter Michael L’Esprit des Pavots
Lot 6 - Sonoma Coast Rose
Lot 7 - 2023 Paul Hobbs Coombsville Cabernet (and blended in SVD)
Lot 8 - 2023 Obsidian Wine Pinot Noir Poseidon Estate
Lot 9 - 2023 Cliff Lede Chardonnay Napa Valley
Lot 10 - 2023 Krupp Brothers “New Icon”
Lot 11 - Ramey Chardonnay Russian River Valley
Lot 12 - 2023 Ovid Experiment Cabernet or Bryant Estate Cab/DB4 Blend or Realm
Lot 13 - 2023 Krupp Brothers Water Witch
Lot 15 - 2023 One Acre Rock Cairn vs Ghost Block Oakville Estate Cabernet
Lot 16 - 2023 Venge I-4 Syrah Stagecoach or Krupp Brothers Estates Syrah Black Bart Stagecoach (assumes Julien Fayard is still consulting)??? or B Cellars Stagecoach Syrah (Venge/Derek Taylor) or Kerr (Keplinger/Casey Byrne)
I’d also like to go back to that same comment? Can you point to where he said that? I also recall that and agree it makes no sense. Unless he meant like same distributer or some other weird thing.
