From the SF Chronicle:
We visited Heitz once a few years back when the tasting was free and it was a lovely experience. One of my favorite Napa experiences, actually (the wife and I prefer Sonoma wines). But it appears that’s a thing of the past. The standard tasting now runs $125 per person.
Would you pay $1000 for this experience?
The article says the price includes two vineyard visits, a stop at a 130-year old cellar and some library wines. Personally, I can’t see ponying up that kind of chedder without overnight accommodations included, or some kind of out-of-this-world meal, with an entertainment component included. 1k for a wine tasting? No thanks.
The Lawrence family and Carlton Macoy can do what they want, I suppose, plenty of status-seeking wine folks will probably sign up, but it kind of saddens me to read this.
Wonder how they’ll "evolve " Stony Hill and Burgess.
Napa Valley is in it for the long game; it’s a tremendous region and I don’t see it losing its popularity any time soon. But I won’t miss this trend of super rich folks making it so precious and unattainable. Not all of them are in it for the ego, but the ones who are seem to rob it if some of its soul.
$1k. Lol. I better be drinking through the 60s and 70s.
The 2016 Martha’s on their website is $300…anyone tasted the 2016?
If you read the WS hagiography of the new owners this should not be a surprise.
I’d pay $1k if it included a library tasting of 70s MV including 74.
agreed. pretty sure that is not what this is
Agreed … I’m guessing the target market for their $1000 tasting is not super interested in 74 MV. In fact, if it is their target market, the collectors that have $1000pp to drop on an afternoon tasting probably already own a bottle or two of the 74.
No. Heitz is solid but certainly not that solid.
No kidding. Got into a debate about Phelps tasting with food that was $300 a person (tax and tip I am sure was not included). No one could state any of the wines there but said Insignia was being poured. Unless that is offer 3 or 4 older Insignia wines I am for sure out. Sounded like a tourist trap event. I know at the Phelps they were pouring the base bottle Cabernet and I am sure their Freestone.
I haven’t had the '16, but I had the '13 and the '15 at Heitz a few weeks ago (not this magic $1K tasting). I didn’t think either justified the price tag.
You can visit more than 2 of my vineyards for $1,000.
Not interested in that price of any event at Heitz, certainly not given those parameters.
Or as a friend used to say in the 80’s: “not unless there are women and an 8-ball involved”
I went for the standard tasting back in 2019 and didn’t think it was worth the $80 or so at that time. They were pretty stingy about the pours too - wouldn’t imagine the $1000 would be much better. Don’t really see how they can justify $1000 unless it’s something crazy.
Somewhat hilariously, several years ago Jay Somers and I came up with an idea for a pre-IPNC dinner that would be $1,000 and required folks to fill out an application to attend. Well, actually more like a test. We had it up to like 50 questions that ranged from short essays to IQ test to MENSA test kind of things. The payoff was a CRAZY ASS dinner cooked by some super hot shot with amazing wines from everywhere and entertainment like an opera singer, fire jugglers and even a magician (for campy fun). Honestly it seemed cool but like such an amazing amount of work and that people might still be pissed that it wasn’t enough. Now it seems funny.
These tastings are perfect for the person with a lot of money that think this is some special event. We are not talking first growth Bordeaux here.
I mean that sounds pretty amazing! I don’t think people would complain as much about paying $1000 for that; I certainly wouldn’t!
Some places get so popular that nobody goes there anymore…with homage to Yogi Berra
Distressing to read. I went to Napa throughout the 90s and early 2000s when it was a wine region that was still trying to fully catch Bordeaux. Met amazing people and had dinner at the Laundry before it became notorious for other things besides food. It was exciting to taste wines that were fully ripe and had a wow factor that Bordeaux vintages like 91-94 could not deliver. Remet when Bordeaux would produce pretty green vintages 4 years running?
Now it seems Napa is starting to reflect the San Francisco housing market…good place to be but perhaps way overpriced for the experience. I still just want to love all of it, the scenery, the glitz (when Sattui built the castle it was kind of like the ultimate English “folly” built on a county estate) and still an amazing place to grow Cabernet. But I just get sad reading these stories and dream of visiting Oregon instead while they are still trying to catch Burgundy.
I just finished booking a 2.5 day, 8 winery visit to Napa and am paying less in tasting fees for my wife and I combined and am pretty sure our overall experience will be MUCH better.
Had my only tasting at Heitz in 2013. I think we paid $40/each for a special tasting which i thought was pricey at the time. Poured 2005 Martha’s, 2008 Bella Oaks & Trailside, the then current NV and some others. The experience was fabulous, still drinking bottles purchased that day.
Would I pay $1,000? No, but I’d love to hear about it.