Monte Bello Futures Program - Leaving? Staying? Reducing? POLL

WINE TALK
41

I just changed my vote to ‘left the program entirely’ as I just emailed them with that request.

I’m confident if I need any 2024 Ridge Monte Bello I can find it for near the same price aftermarket in a few years

7 Likes
42

Great wines but I feel the standards are continuing to evolve at Ridge and not for the better. I had the most condescending customer service experience interaction last year of any winery ive done business with

43

Well that requires an explanation.

44

I asked to change some info and its my fault for not understanding, I ship to my office and bill to my house (They shipped to my “default address” instead of the shipping address I have used with them for 10 years and I wanted to avoid this in the future)

45

Not seeing what this was in response to. What was the request?

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46

the OP, the poll in post 1, I changed my vote from ‘reduced’ to ‘left’

1 Like
47

Thanks. You emailed them to reduce or?

48

Yes, I replied to the announcement/allocation email

49

I have had great experiences with the staff via email, phone and in the tasting rooms. Several shipping gaffs including shipping to AZ in May, wrong wine delivered, wrong package delivered. All were easily remedied(and really didn’t bother me at all) but I still find it odd that such a brand could make those mistakes.

50

I am buying less than years past and just changed my 750s to 375s. I have had nothing but good customer service from them in the many years I have been a customer. It would be a shame to see that change.

51

Very interesting poll. 91 responses and 60 of them are dropping their allocation. I wonder if Ridge wants less wine sold via futures so that they can sell more via distribution and to restaurants?

52

So you did not even have to buy the estate wines?

Even without the estate wine hostage purchase, I’m not sure if the futures price is worth it…

53

I may reject the estate wines next year and see what they say. If they reject my futures, then I think I’m OK with that too.

54

Hard to know what conclusion to draw, because there is no “current futures buyer, not making any changes” option. But 60 responses dropping, just here, is a lot either way.

I suspect if Ridge wanted less futures they would just cut back allocations and add fewer (or no) new buyers.

2 Likes
55

I’ve been on the Monte Bello list since 2012, but I finally decided to drop off today. At 65, I’m still healthy, active, and optimistic—luck willing, I hoped to enjoy these wines at maturity well into old age. And if not, they’d likely be worth more than I paid on futures, so they could sit in the cellar and appreciate.

But that calculus has shifted. I’m still healthy and hopeful, but with both the prices and my age creeping up, I’m finally becoming more realistic.

1 Like
56

I’m in the same place as you on MB.

1 Like
57

I was on the list long enough to have a significant number of bottles in the cellar to last a long time. I dropped after the 2020 fiasco. Got my money back from those bottles. For me, dropping was for many reasons. I have plenty in the cellar, prices were going up, and I’m old enough I don’t need wines that need 20 years to reach their drinking window.

58

I left in 2020 for the reason that I was approaching 73 that year and didn’t feel like I could continue aging the wine or myself,

1 Like
59

That’s correct, although I’m sure I will be required to purchase them next year.