With the price increase pending on Saxum, some may need to start finding the next Saxum at more affordable prices. Any recommendation out there for under the radar wineries with this potential?
The Tablas Creek 07 Esprit de Beaucastel is pretty darn good for the price.
Carlisle, Copain and Villa Creek are all less pricey than Saxum. They are all outstanding. They all use JB fruit!
Big Basin’s Bradley Brown up in the Santa Cruz Mts. makes superb, distinctive syrahs that range in price from $45 to $65 per bottle.
Don’t overlook up and comers like Core, Cedarville and Cabot (“the 3 Cs”).
keep it in the family? tercero wines
Epoch? Justin is the consulting winemaker.
Carlisle and Shane are the ones on my radar.
From the e-mail yesterday, these are 2007 wines being released in the Spring '10 mailer (I saw no mention of price however):
2007 Philosophee – 48% grenache, 39% mourvedre and 13% syrah
2007 Authencitee – 88% syrah and 12% mourvedre
2007 Ingenuitee – 46% grenache, 43% syrah, 9% petite sirah, 1% mourvedre and 1% zinfandel
Assuming I still have a job, I’ll be in for a taste.
Fruit source? Price?
agree on Carlisle. love Copain, but they are hardly cheaper - their shipping charges bring most single vineyard bottles to the $75 range. for that reason, I may have to start looking to Rhys for my pinots mostly…
All sourced from their Estate Paderewski Vineyard. I went to the website and didn’t see anything about pricing structure. I am guessing that they are weighing their options with the recent ultra-high scores that Justin got for Saxum.
+1
Also Sean Thackrey is the man…
I remember seeing $60 per on the Tanzer reviews.
Look towards the birth of the Rhone styled wines - The Rhone!!
In my opinion much better value.
Interesting question and discussion. Here are a few takes from my perspective:
I don’t see Justin’s pricing as overly aggressive, based on the enjoyment these wines seem to bring almost everyone who enjoys them. $75 for a top notch wine that seems to accomplish this year in and year out? Try to match that up in Napa!!!
That said, there certainly are many many other rhone ranger producers along the central coast bringing it to the table every day! Some of those mentioned I’m not familiar with, but with others, such as L’Aventure and Epoch, their pricing is almost as high at Justin’s newly announced pricing . . . so again it begs the question about value/pricing/etc . . .
Herman Story and McPrice Myers have been at it for quite some time and are now getting the praise they deserve. Their wines are very attractively priced and they deliver with each of their wines!
Jaffurs? A no brainer! The highest priced wine he does is his Upslope Syrah at $75 - and this will compare nicely to ANY top level syrah from ANY producer around the world - period. Most of his wines are under $40, and his SB Cty Syrah is a steal year in and year out. No ‘rhone blend’ IIRC . . .
Arcadian? Joes does have a great hand with syrah, but he does not work with other rhone varieties . . .
Tablas? No brainer, especially for those who want a more ‘subdued’ version of Central Coast rhone ranger wines. Great values!
Please do not forget about others in our area - Qupe consistently produces wines that will age age age - and that are enjoyable young - AND that are priced reasonably.
Tensley? No brainer, especially for his syrahs . . .
No mention of Melville here but there should be - great wines at consistently reasonable prices.
Samsara is another that should be looked out for. Chad Melville knows his stuff, and his wines overperform for the $$$.
I’d be remiss if not pushing Epiphany, the sister company of Fess Parker, and one that I help make. Our Revelation (syrah/grenache/petite sirah) is arguably one of the best wines year in and year out coming out of Santa Barbara County, and at $35 apiece, it really is worth it!!!
So many others, but that’s a great start!
And if you have a chance, go to HdR this year - many smaller producers will be there and you’ll have the opportunity to see what they have to offer.
And go to Rhone Rangers in SF - another class event.
And watch for another event taking place in Santa Barbara later in May - should be a great one!!!
Cheers!
Me too.
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thanks for that link, Brett. i’m excited to try Epoch’s lineup – i’m just hoping they’re not overblown. were Raynolds’ TN’s from bbl samples?
Wind Gap, under $50/btl with FS, has real promise and exciting bloodlines.
Put me in the camp that will pass on buying $60+ CA Syrahs. I wish them luck but this is a tough wine market and even tougher on Syrah.
Ah. Didn’t notice that you could click on a review from Tanzer.
Gracias.
The Epoch wines sound exciting, but at $60, are they ‘that much cheaper’ than Saxums?!?!?
I guess I need to understand where people are drawing a ‘line in the sand’ . . . at $50 per, at $60 per?!?!?
Just curious . . .
Cheers!