he wants to spend between 20 and 30 per bottle. looking to get around 60 bottles and have them shipped individually (cant wait to see the shipping costs). must be red. any varietal. as its a gift for clients the names can come into play as well as the price. I suggested educated guess but he was afraid, regardless of whats actually in the bottle, that the price could have a negative effect. go figure.
anyway, thoughts and suggestions? was thinking of windy oaks terra narro, but not sure he can get that many bottles from them. and how many of the clients would give it the proper amount of air or age the bottle. so maybe something that will taste good right out of the gate. never thought I’d this hard a time picking a bottle of wine.
For just a couple dollars more ($34) he could get 2006 Jordan Cab Sauv pretty easily. Good name recognition to the non wine geeks out there and I would imagine it is more than passable on the palate. For that many bottles, I would think that a retailed could come in at $30 a bottle with some discussion.
Around that price range, I would look for some 07 Southern Rhone, such as Cotes du Rhone, La Garrigue cuvee Roamine, or Lirac Grand Venuer Clos de Sixte. They’re both pretty widely available and drink well now.
I think John hinted at some of these clients needed a bit of name recognition. Got to get big steakhouse wines in front of those folks.
While Scherrer and CdR wines are good choices, they might not play well with what he is looking for. A French wine might actually be insulting given the context (that we don’t have privy to).
Just my $.02, and I don’t want to put words in John’s mouth or his friend’s.
If you want to stay American, I always think of Ridge Zins as one of the top reds in the world in that $20-30 range. Should be able to find Geyserville for $30, Three Valleys for $20. The Zin ensures immediate appeal, the blend gives sophistication, and will age for years and years if you like.
If you go foreign, I have actually seen a lot of solid classed growth Bordeaux from the 2002, 2004, and 2006 vintages in the $30 range, and Medocs and Cotes de Castillon from the bigger vintages in the $25 range. Might or might not be good right out of the bottle though.
There is also the dreaded Aussie fruit bomb route. I’ve seen some Killikanoon Oracles and Covenants at blowout prices (around $30) lately. A little candied maybe but a guaranteed crowd pleaser. I’m also fond of cooler climate Aussies, and Penley and Wynns usually have good deals – the Penley Estate Phoenix is quite a good $20 cab.
Others will know Italy and Spain much better than me. But the Zenato Ripasso is a reliably pleasing wine, a good mix of depth and sophistication and IME a crowd pleaser, that is widely available in the $20-25 range.
Really, though, is this about getting a good wine or an impressive label?
easy peasy: 2007 Provenance - Cabernet Sauvignon - Rutherford. Easily found for $30 at retail, and that’s before any large-volume discount. Drinks great out of the gate, and C.S. is a variety that all of his clients should recognize and be comfortable with.
Or, if interested, he could go with the ‘06 of the same: if that’s the way he wants to go, send me a PM and I’ll tell you how to get it for $269 per case.
I like the Windy Oaks idea because I’m a big fan, but the wines I typically receive from vendors are the Turnbull Cab around $30 and the Stag’s Leap Cab in the same range. Perfectly good wine and appreciated, but I bet non-wine geeks and geeks alike would appreciate the WO Terra Narro. Not readily obtainable at retail and a crowd pleaser.
On the Rutherford angle, BV Rutherford is $20 at Costco. As for shipping . . . . well you’re on your own! Does look like there are many stores selling this over several vintages with sub $20 prices. I guess with 40k cases per year holding the price point is a bit tough.
Bill is correct – there are some very good prices on the 2006 Jordan Cabernet in market this holiday season. I have seen it advertised by some retailers for $35-38. This vintage also has the most concentration of fruit in any vintage of Jordan due to fruit-sourcing additions. Still elegant and soft with silky tannins and lower alcohol. Should work well for a broad range of foods and palates.
IMO drinks much better than it’s price, and runs with the much more pricey real estate Cali Cabs and Bdxs. The people at Meerlust were shocked when I told them tales of visiting Napa, 150 dollar bottles of wine and up, 35 dollar tasting fees, etc etc. Rubicon is their premiere cuvee. KL Wines usually has it.
Maybe he can pocket the difference between the $12 that the Garrigue goes for and the $20-$30 budget, to spend it on some high end wine for the next company party.
The Garrigue, when showing well (which at least in 07 was very hit and miss), is an awesome wine for the price point, I agree.
With the recipient group in mind, I’d stick with a recognized wine. That many clients may well not know wine, or know that the giver is a knowledgeable giver. If they don’t recognize it they might not even take the experiment to open it, or even realize it isn’t a $10 bottle.
I’d give a gift most likely to be understood and appreciated by the most people, so stick with something ultra-safe. Obviously Cab (or Pinot) is widely enjoyed so giving a name winery there isn’t a bad idea. Though I don’t think the Mondavi Oakville is released or in the price range. The 07 Napa gets dissed here, but a lot of people will like it. I’d also consider a decent sparkler. Maybe a Perrier Jouet NV, and certainly a Roederer NV fit the bill. The Roedere Lermitage 02 is just out of the price range at around $34.
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