Mark,
“Napa-based” source winery likely eliminates Gehricke as that’s the Sebastiani’s SoCo based winery I’m thinking.
I’m a bit stumped on source here. But, enjoying the HELL out of my well stocked dN cellar these days. Thank You Cameron if you’re reading.
Cheers, Tim
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I’m curious why 457 doesn’t seem to be getting the same attention as 446.
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Yes, being Sonoma based ruled them out for me. I mentioned it because it was one of the few that mention American oak when I searched.
This scenario is another reminder how little info some wineries include about their wines. The lack of detail is almost comical.
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Lot 451 looks pretty good for Chardonnay lovers….
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Seems like gone are the days where we would be given the WE and WS ratings to help decode the source. Now we get the “they said we couldn’t but knights valley on the bottle but we are freakin rebels because they didn’t say we couldn’t put it in the email”
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Yup, I bit on the Chard…consistently solid quality on dH Chards, and priced right. In for a case…
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I also have had good luck with the chards. My guess is Trefethen.
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Good guess on Trefethen…
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Lot 451: To celebrate Women’s History month…how about Anna Monticelli’s Pina Low Vineyard Oak Knoll?
Cheers, Tim
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Been buying Chards from the very beginning of this venture…some are excellent …some are just plain good and some are average but as far as I’m concerned all are a great value…do the research your self go out and buy a 20 buck bottle of Ca Chard at the store and and you will say this sites 13 buck bottle(actually more like ten when you subtract shipping) is far superior to anything you will find…Can’t go wrong
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That doesn’t seem to square with this unless I’m missing something:
“ it simply isn’t found on the open market, and the average wine shopper can’t get their hands on it without a wine club membership allocation at over $50/bottle”
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I think the Trefethen guess was likely correct - their Katie’s Acre bottling is wine members only. Plus their winemaker fits the DN description perfectly (started as an intern with them, mentored by the previous winemaker before taking over the role).
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Napa flagship alert! 
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Curious on everyone’s take on this one!
Lot 454:
Vine Cliff is along Silverado Trail in Oakville, has $90 price tag “Napa Valley” Cabernet. 2019 listed on website still.
Thoughts?
Cheers, Tim
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Primarily mountain fruit with some Oakville blended in, the grapes were hand harvested, destemmed, then settled in for local, native yeast fermentation in open-top fermenters with punchdowns. The juice was then transferred to a no expense spared 100% French oak regimen comprised of some of the finest cooperage available, 40% new wood.
14.6% alc.
2022 vintage ~18 months since harvest, only 15-16 months max in 40% new oak, likely to not be a wood bomb, but 14.6% ABV is plenty. Seems like a cast off from a mid/low level Napa producer, and they can’t move it to their tasting room customers. Unless is sells out, I’ll let the community here drink it and decide if a bottle shop purchase later is warranted.
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Yea. With u on this. I will buy a few more 6 packs of Napa 22 cabs but this one doesn’t compel me (or I’ll wait for one that looks like it blows my mind and buy 12 of those). 429 sort of scratches my Napa cab pitch for a few months.
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It’s probably a decent wine and a decent value, but, do I want 12 of these? I don’t think so.
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For selfish reasons, I want the company to do well going forward( Assuming that the product remains equal to the first 400 lots)… I hope they are not left with a bunch of 2022s in the bottle shop from Napa and Sonoma such that they don’t have the ability to move on the 2023 offers. It just won’t be me making a ton of purchases this year but hopefully there are enough new people on the list who don’t have quite the same glut of wine
I suppose the 23 bulk market somewhat Depends on the 2024 harvest quality. It’s 2024 is above average then the market should be flooded. If it is below average, then I imagine wineries will find a way to hold on to their extra 2023
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Great point. I feel like we’re coming into a period of high quality bulk wine and the question is when do we biy. Makes sense that the overall length and percentage of French wine would give you pause. Curious what, those of you who have been buying for a while, are looking for from a characteristics, if you can call it that, standpoint. I’m sure it’s a high quality vineyard, if you can clearly identify that, but beyond that, is there a minimum percentage of new French oak or time in barrel that you would say is acceptable for a Napa Cab? Just curious as I’ve seen a lot of opinions thrown around.
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