This thread seems like a waste of space, is this all for nothing? Did people actually get an email or just a lot of assumptions flying around?
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This was the bottom of the Estate wines email to MB Collectors last week, presumably to mitigate the frustration of members upon hearing that they didn’t get any 2021s:
A Note About 2021 Futures
We are currently assessing the 2021 vintage of Monte Bello and will be in touch regarding the availability of a futures offering following our Winemaking Team’s first assemblage tastings this spring.
Apart from that, I think it’s safe to assume that futures allocation will be very tight this year. When I called to make a reservation for one of the member assemblage tastings (which had just disappeared from the event calendar on the website), the person on the other end told me that they had decided to cancel them due to the low yields, and the need to preserve what they had.
I appreciate the thread. I signed up last year and ended up with three estate wines and no MB. I hadn’t noticed that quantities of MB for futures were going to be even lower this year. As a result, I paused my membership for a year and will reevaluate next year.
I called them yesterday, left a message, and received a call back later in the day.
Inquired about the assemblage tastings. She said an event was coming up but that due to the limited production last year, they decided to not do the assemblage event this year but hopefully it will return in the future.
She mentioned that since I had been on the list a long time, I was not required to purchase other wines. I suggest those that have been told otherwise should reach out and and talk to them about it.
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No futures for me
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I have only been purchasing Monte Bello futures since 2016 vintage and no future offers for me for the 2021 vintage as well. What is disappointing is the continued requirement to purchase the estate wines during these no offer years since they ship before the Monte Bello allocations are determined. I know they run a business so there probably isn’t much incentive for them to do so, but it would be helpful if they did the estate wines after their decision to offer or not offer the Monte Bello. I do enjoy the estate wines but can get it locally at a far better price and save on shipping costs as well. At the end of the day, it’s not a huge amount of money paying for the estate wines, but just doesn’t sit well when I have had to purchase the estate wines in 2018 and now 2021 vintage with no Monte Bello offer.
Sorry to hear it - how did you learn that?
No email (yes or no) for me yet…
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I got the same message via email from Ridge 30 minutes ago.
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Me neither! got a 20% off…
Just call them and ask to hold the Estate wines until they determine MB allocations. They noted my account a few years ago and have been accommodating since.
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Great advice! I’ll try that approach as well. Thanks!
Anyone know if you can have their Estate Zins instead of the Cab/Chard/Merlot etc. ? Would be happy to take 6 vs 3 to stay on the list.
I posted in another Ridge thread that 21’ was going to be a tighter year than 20 for availability. I knew I wasn’t going to get a futures offer. Hopefully 22’ is a normal vintage and I can get some Monte Bello’s futures.
Same here. No allocation. I need to seriously consider whether I stay in this program. Definitely disappointed.
No 21 futures for me either. At least this year, I think they are handling it much better then they did in 2018. Letting us know early that it was a small harvest and a smaller amount of futures being offered set the stage for todays email. However, I bet I get an email right around release time offering me the opportunity to purchase the 2021 for near list price (just like the 2018).
and if they do it again, I will drop off.
yeah that right there is a slap in our face. That would likely lead me to drop off the list for good.
They plan to announce the allocations next week.
I’m on the 10 btl list forever and she indicated I should get the regular amount.
Tom
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Might as well say bye-bye now. I’ll repeat what I said earlier in this thread …
I don’t think there’s any question Ridge will allocate the MB to their different distribution channels, just as they did for the 2018 vintage and do every year. That includes distributors, retailers, restaurants, and winery direct sales, at retail, in 2024, in addition to this year’s futures offering. If the 2021 production is tiny, the amounts will be less for all channels, but they aren’t going to completely starve one in favor of another.