If anyone is seeking to get their money back on their 2009 or 2010s, let me know, and I will gladly buy them from you. 
I was, unfortunately, late to the party ![[cry.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/8/853b6e76c6e8406be77a6727c2a27ad1672678b3.gif "cry"){kind=small}
these are my thoughts exactly which I expressed to Ray and and as of last night at 7:19pm, He hopes the 09’s will land in NY in March.
Ray,
At what point do you move on with different capsules? When do you anticipate shipping and when do you anticipate the wines to be in California? Looking forward to trying these wines.
Dave
Ray, no need to refund my money. I would like to taste the wines before ordering any more though and that is all that I stated. If you can’t make the first vintage look as pretty as you would like, i am ok with that. Its all about what is in the bottle for me (and apparently others) at this point. I would much rather taste a bottle and be able to reorder in time for 2011 than have a pretty capsule sitting in my garbage can along with an empty bottle. I certainly did not mean to impugn anything. Goodness knows I understand how hard it is to try and release a wine in this country with lots of help, I am amazed at what Ray is trying to do in France.
Hello everyone
thanks for all of the replies. Just to clarify, I offered Loren a refund which would allow him to keep his 2009s. I didn’t do this because I thought he wanted a refund but because I believed that he was unhappy and thought it would be a token of my intention to have his satisfaction.
Dave, to answer your question, the cutoff is exactly at February 8th. If I don’t have my capsules in hand, I will be giving everyone on the list of 83 the option of moving to generics. However, after speaking with 68 of the 83, only two or three seem to have been alright with the capsules being generic/non-existent, while every other person that I could reach so far has mentioned that they would prefer to receive the finished wine, as intended.
This is difficult, really. I do not mention this to make light of those concerned about the wines not being in their hands yet. I want people to have their wines as well. I’ve worked hard to realize a goal, and at each step have been excited about what each of you would think about each minute detail which I obsessed over. It has been mentioned a few times in this thread how difficult things must have been for me. It hasn’t been necessarily easy. However, it bears mentioning that it is rather odd/surprising that what has proven to be the Only issue, stumbling point in this whole time in Burgundy wasn’t the language, getting grapes, finding a place to live, etc. The only stumbling point has been a piece of customized tin that in the end is tossed into the garbage can without a second look in many cases.
This sounds odd, I know. But, to me, the capsule has turned into something more at this point. It is something that needs to get done properly. I have placed my efforts on each aspect of this without taking less than the best, and it means something for me to finish everything with the same level of precision as I have maintained throughout the early stages of the wines life.
This is why I was willing to offer a refund, and the wine for free as an earlier option than simply sending Loren out an incomplete bottle. It isn’t about having something pretty, it is about taking advantage of every last bit of potential.
As for releasing the 2011s early, before the 09s were delivered, I can also understand that this may have created some waves. To make my intentions clear, I have been (cough) ‘wordy’ in my (many) emails and other communications with list members.
When I released my 2010s, the main comment I heard repeated was that the EURO/Dollar exchange was difficult to swallow. Around Christmas, 2011, the rates were looking very interesting, so I thought it would be a good time to offer a sneak peek, if you will, to the 83 original list members. I made it clear to them that we had not only doubled our production going from 2010 to 2011, but that there would also be more wine to go around since we made changes which has resulted in us having One importer, our US importer, which opens up quite a lot of wine for direct sales between these two details. While we have requests from many other importers, I have a long list of reasons which make it easy to see where demand is with direct sales instead of offering Any allocation to other importers.
We also began production on a Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru (75 year old vines) and have continued with our one Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru (65 year old vines) which each produced one barrel. These two wines were offered exclusively to those 83 members. They won’t be sold to importers, retailers, restaurants, etc. They were not going to be offered commercially, but we thought it was important to offer something special to those first 83. I made it a point to assure everyone that taking their time would not risk them losing these allocations as no one else would be offered them. Another detail I shared was that these 83 could pass on several vintages without losing their position. Also, there was no rush in ordering, I merely wanted to provide the option for those looking to take advantage of a low Euro which I had no idea how it might fluctuate in the coming months when the 09s would be at everyone’s doors. I figured there was a great risk in offering year three before year one was received, but I felt that an option that has no consequences if not taken could be seen as a benefit, not an obligation. With the amount of wine we produced, everyone that bought 2009s and 2010s could order as they wished without missing out on anything due to their timing on ordering.
To ensure that my intentions are better understood, I will be releasing an email today that allows the original 83 the chance to hold their allocations until June of this year without payment. I cannot promise that the exchange rate will be more or less favorable, but I can promise that the wines will be on hold.
In short (don’t laugh), it is a lot easier to respond to an importer wanting to buy x amount of barrels worth of wine from me. The financial aspects are really identical when importers have not been given a pricing break. However, as I have stated, my interest rests in wanting this type of exchange where I see the satisfaction as well as the concern from those considering buying our wines. This is much more interesting than having someone come to my cellar, point to a certain amount of barrels and to receive a wire transfer. That situation feels colder to me. I’d prefer to take on the responsibility of doing something different, feeling connected to those buying my wines. It feels much more like sharing than selling wine in this capacity.
One thing I really did want to express was that these wines are going to need time to mature. Since we don’t have any village wines or Bourgogne-level, it is difficult to have an accurate idea of how these wines will taste 10, 15, 30 years down the road when sampled after one year in bottle (all 09s were bottled April 2011). Having the amount of time that has passed without tasting the wines means that people will be a bit more anxious to try the wines earlier than usual. Though, it bears mentioning that a one year old Le Chambertin may not be able to reveal today what it might in the decades to follow.
To sum things up, February 8th is the cutoff. Everyone will be getting a call on that day. I believe that we will be relieved that the capsules are here. Though, if for some reason things don’t line up, I will ask each of the 83 how they would like to proceed. They can receive the wine as it should be, or with a generic capsule. I will move as I am directed.
Thank you again
Cheers
![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers"){kind=small}
Ray
Well - I think I’m the first to pay Ray for his 2011’s - something to be proud of 
)!!! CHEERS Ray.
Fixed - I was the 61st person per Ray 
I consider Ray to be a very good friend, so perhaps my opinion is suspect. However, that being said, folks who are new to the party should try to understand that Ray is a wonderfully smart and sincere young man pursuing a grand dream, a quest that most of us probably don’t have the passion and drive and sheer guts to even dream about, let alone actually undertake. His actions always have been devoted to doing the very best he can, whether in sourcing his grapes, making the wine, or in his customer service. Of course, I can understand not wanting to spend good money on wine, especially Burgundy, without having tasted any. However, how many of us have bought wines we never tasted based solely on points and reviews? I imagine quite a few. Please, read what has been written about his wines by professionals who have tasted and by some folks right here on the Board, think about the fact that you are going to be dealing with a great guy, consider that by buying you are joining Ray and many of us on the journey, and then make your own decision. I tease him regularly about my “blind” loyalty, but the truth is I am fully aware of what I am doing when I buy before I have tasted and I, for one, am perfectly comfortable with that concept. Others may reach a different conclusion. Nobody is putting a gun to anyone’s head.
Cheers,
Andrew
I used a different method. After buying two vintages without having tasted the wines, I went to Burgundy last summer and taste what I was buying. As a result of what I tasted, I doubled the amount of wine for 2011. [As Andrew said, I consider Ray to be a very good friend, so perhaps my opinion is suspect. However, my wife also loved the wine.]
Ray, you did say in your email that it was 6 btls total as a minimum, glad to see those that those that don’t want to buy 6 can do so.
Thanks, Chuck! I’ll add the update in the email later tonight.
Thanks again
Cheers
Ray
fair enough…holding allocations until june works GREAT for me. In for a minimum of 6.
In for a case. I passed on last year’s offer, I won’t make that mistake again. BTW, cleaned out WHWC of the rest of Ray’s Charmes this morning…sorry, no more left at that retailer.
Emailed Ray to find out that I was number 4 !! I thought I was early but can’t believe I was that quick off the blocks, I guess I liked the idea of Ray’s extreme move. Told my wife Cathy who said she already knew I was number 4, 1 2 & 3 being our cats - Romanee, Conti and Givry (a stray that adopted us).
Well done.
Get some 2010 too if at all possible.
Ray is in SF for a little while, so that’s why he’s up at all hours responding to all our emails!
I thought I was an early buyer, but not as early as you guys.
Great names!
I’m still partial to Mulder and Scully for my two future puppies!
If you are gonna go all X-Files, then I would name the Momento Mori and Tooms.
If I knew where to get 2010s, I would be all over it. Any ideas?
I think alot of them went the the UK. If you have any relationships there, that would be a good start. Also, the best bet may be to contact Ray directly
Thanks, Berry is correct.
About 70% of the 2010s went to the UK . Only 3 merchants had our wines, with 98% being here:
http://www.abvintners.co.uk/domaine.php?region=Burgundy&domaine=Maison%20Ilan
They produced an offer here:
http://www.abvintners.co.uk/documents/AB-MaisonIlanOffer-web.pdf
They are now either sold out of everything or close to it since this offer was released in November-December of 2011.