I’m conflicted. I wanted to try some of these wines which seem to get universally good reviews, but I’m having issues based mainly upon the image that he is portraying on his current and the former (Gott in Himmel) website. It is just the kind of rampant “I sweat awesomeness” wankerism that I cannot stand.
So, folks who’ve met him…please tell me that Todd Anderson is a decent guy who is just getting bad marketing advice from a consultant.
Or am I the idiot in the room?? 
nice guy. buy all you can afford.
I think it is a performance art piece inspired by equal parts Hunter S. Thompson and the Old Spice Guy.
He’s a good guy but he’s also a huge personality. Obviously with some of the threads floating around about the costs of some wines, the price points of Ghost Horse are up in the territory of decide for yourself. I’ve tried several and they are as good as anything coming out of Napa in a somewhat forward but not gigantic style. Not worth the money to me but most things coming out of Napa are not for me either. I consider Harlan a joke for the money for instance. The Todd is fun to hang with if you get the chance. He’s unabashed with his pomposity at times but at least he’s aware of it and is generous.
Todd is very generous and a really cool guy if you like a man’s man type. 02 Ghost Horse was as good as any Napa Cab I have ever had. Spectre is really something as well though I can’t recall exactly which vintage/vintages we were treated to.
I’ve met The Todd but never tasted the wines, so take this with a grain of salt. Seems like a good guy, Not pompous. The wines… ![[dontknow.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/2/259bbc27e64baab255bbf586025626180d3e97e8.gif "dontknow"){kind=small}
The best thread of all time on eBob was about this guy. we couldnt figure out if he was rediculous or had the world’s best sense of humor.
BTW, everyone seems to agree the wines are amazing
Met Todd, seems ok. Met the wife, a bit stiff.
Shared the 02 with folks at offline in Napa. Awesome cab.
Thats my story, I’m sticking to it.
First off: the GH web site is in the works of being redone.
As anyone that as met him has said, Todd is one of the most generous people you would want to meet, he will share any bottle of wine he owns at the blink of an eye and would also give you the shirt off his back, except the bastard wouldn’t give me his Ghost Horse shirt he had on yesterday…
Does he have an ego? Yes he does but his fun & warm personality along with a great sense of humor outweighs anything that comes close to thinking his ego is bigger. Anyone that thinks he is a pompous ass does not know him and has only listened to the b.s. babble on the BB’s.
If you go to his winery you will have a great tour, learn amazing amounts about his work and again, he will share any of the wines and if you want to hang out at the cave he will also pull out a cigar if you so wish. His wife is a wonderful lady that I consider one of my dearest friends and she is more fun than you could ever imagine, there is nothing stuffy about her.
Todd’s wines have endeared themselves to those that have tired them, his Anderson’s Conn Valley Wines are some of the best coming out of Napa.
Ghost Horse isn’t for everyone and he doesn’t expect the wines to be. The wines may be expensive to some but some people think $50.00 is expensive for a bottle .
Do other winemakers/winery owners invite people into their homes that they don’t even know last minute for dinner after having them for a tasting/tour/lunch during the day? Last year for our first Berserkerfest he invited a whole gaggle of Berserkers into their home. Ask any of them their opinions .
Didn’t mean to go off on a rant but I think many of the comments are unfounded hearsay that is a bunch of crap.
disclaimer: for anyone that doesn’t know, Todd & his wife Ronene are very good friends of ours. We also currently have a Berserker exclusive in CC on the new release Ghost Horse Shadow.
Thanks man. I was just sitting down to a nice meal I cooked and it looks so bland now that I’m thinking about that bird. Best chicken I have had, easily.
Now back to the wines. ![[wink.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/04707e6a7bbb03e0153e349d8a9270d30e1e9525.gif "wink"){kind=small}
I’d almost go Ronnie Lott for more of that chicken.
Yes, but what about the chix?
Ummmm, $50 IS expensive for a bottle of wine. I kind of feel like there’s a Napa “bubble” where folks are really out of step with what $50 can buy from the rest of the world. Plus there seems to be a lot of bartering that goes on, so ITB types aren’t paying retail and those costs just get passed on to the consumer (along with real estate, chateaus, fruit contracts, ego etc etc etc). Not that there aren’t wines worth $50 if not significantly more, just saying that high quality doesn’t come cheap unless you set the bar about 10x higher than Gallo does for cheap.
/end ![[soap.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/a/a7ea1fffd3ef237e8f19d17a83270ad8452218ca.gif "soap"){kind=small}
Regardless, I got the impression from the “old” Ghost Horse website that it was an elaborate put-on where The Todd was an over the top character in this goofy cult wine fantasy. Maybe someone with deep pockets took it seriously, and next thing you know Todd became The Todd in real life. If people are buying into Ghost Horse, more power to The Todd! Plus it’s not like with most cult wines where they only make the over the top, small production wine. I find it much more respectable when producers aim to make a more classic wine in addition to the “pointy” one that attracts critics and collectors.
You have to be around Todd and Ronnie enough times to really get to know them. You should immediately see how giving they both are, but it takes a little time before they relax around you.
For those who first meet Ronnie, they may get the impression that she is “stiff,” as Harris says. The first two or three times I spent time with Ronnie, I couldn’t decide if she was shy, quiet or stiff. Believe it or not, I think Ronnie is shy, but once she gets to know you, look out. She is very fun, funny and loves a good practical joke, especially if YOU are going to be the butt of it.
Todd is lot of fun and has great sense of humor, adventure and enjoys self bashing when it gets a laugh. One thing there is no doubt about, they both hold their wine business as their first priority. Both are always asking questions and for opinions in a variety of aspects related to the business in general seeking to improve everything about their efforts in the business. The name Shadow, for their new release Ghost Horse wine, was a year long effort, with every aspect of the name, label and wine discussed, round tabled, tested, reviewed and approved. I think they did it right, applaud their effort, choice of name and packaging. In addition to the winery, vineyards, compliance, globe trotting appearances, (Todd goes, Ronnie stays and runs the operation at the winery), along with the day to day running of a home, they keep, breed and ride horses, attend and support NASCAR, support and attend a number of charitable organizations, including the Minnesota Vikings, (in case Todd reads this) 
, go to a number of classes/training for business/sport/self defense and manage to schedule some time for themselves occasionally.
My biggest fear is burn out, trying to do too much for their business and for everybody else. Several Berserkers witnessed it last year, when Todd called down to the shop and offered beer can chicken to any Berserker who wanted to come to his HOUSE.
You can describe Todd as pompous if you want, he intentionally created that aura, but you better follow it or preface it or tout his generosity.
Met with Todd on two occasions.
The first time was at a off line dinner in napa when he showed up with a friend. He was a blast to be around.
Then I went up to the winery for a first class tour that he had his guys take care of becuase he was out of town.
Where they gave us a tasting on ALL of the 06 & 07 Ghost Horse wines.
The second was at his house 2 months ago on my last trip up to Napa where we tasted every wine in the Conn Valley portfolio.
The Todd is a solid guy. Period.
I find it interetsing that so many get on him about the prices. After so many of you that have said that wineries have the right to charge what they want and that anyone can choose to buy or not. Then blast him for the pricing.
As for the persona, I have a feeling thats more about envy then anything else. The guy seems to be going non-stop, and having a blast doing it. Don’t punish the guy for what he says he can do or will do, the guy backs it all up and then some. He’s not a bullshitter.
I would have to agree with Randy. I can see her being shy, and coming off as stiff. That makes sense.
As for his wine prices… well, nobody seems to complain about the ridiculous prices on some of the bordeaux’s from france. What about Screaming Eagle, folks will pay thousands for it. I dont get it, but if they feel its worth it all the more power to them.
I was lucky enough to be at Carrie and Randy’s when they opened an 02 GH. It WAS absolutely super. I believe Loren prefered his CNdP that night, but GH was my WOTN.
added my 3rd cent…
I’ll be the first to say that I gave The Todd some serious serious on eBob when Ghost Horse was first found out. No doubt I contributed to the bulk of the dissention and ridicule toward him and his brand. Then, during the first Napa gathering of Berserkers, we all met him in person. He is pretty much the exact person in the meat world as online…big, vivacious, full of himself, etc. But, he is also, like many have stated above, overly generous.
Sure the wines from Ghost Horse are rediculously priced, but he sells through them. Last I checked Ferrari and Patek Phillipe sell everything they make and have a substantial wait list too boot. I cannot afford them in any capacity, but they are certainly extremely well made and as good as anything coming out of Napa Valley. When Kristi and I were there last October, we got a not so fresh bottle of 2002 Ghost Horse. Todd wasn’t satisfied, so he opened a 2006 Spectre without blinking. That was several grand in potential revenue that he opened for us. Just the kind of guy he is.
If you have the coin, I wouldn’t hesitate to buy into his little world as it is pretty fun and fascinating.
At first I thought the whole Ghost Horse thing was a brilliantly cynical Veblen scheme, but it seems Todd believes his own schtick. Good for him! Surely not the kind of wine I’d ever buy, but it’s hard not to like a guy who’s so WYSIWYG and was such a good sport about all the ribbing he took. Of course, it was pretty good publicity for him too.
Last year at the Berserker get together in Napa I had the opportunity to meet him and his wife, they are great. I think everyone has different reactions to personality types. Working for a higher educational institution we get to meet and support faculty who are rocks stars in their specific field…there are similar personality traits, specialists often are. It further takes certain personality types to both make and sell wine.
Is he a big personality - yes, does he like to have fun - yes, did I enjoy my time with them - yes, does he make fantastic wine - yes. We had his Specter and GH all of them outstanding and since then I’ve tried some of his Conn valley right bank which was also a beautiful, rich, well structured wine.
Can I afford the GH - no, but damn, I am working on it…my Cult followers are working overtime and sending home the quarters. ![[training.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/d/d0f39866e5714408d7091b0bd2d7bb764d7bb973.gif "[training.gif]"){kind=small}