No.
And getting into tier 1 wineries without being a big purchaser isn’t really on the radar.
Dan - a large portion of our inventory is back vintage Napa Cab, and we offer a provenance guarantee. We don’t have a retail space, but web/phone purchases can be picked up the same day (M-F, 9am-4:30pm) at our warehouse in south Napa. Many of our clients pick-up a case of goodies while on their way north for the weekend.
You can browse here: Buy Wine | Viewing 25 Wines | Cabernet Blends | | Benchmark Wine Group
…or I can put you in contact with our sales team. Feel free to send me a PM. Either way, have a great trip!
Last time I was at BV your could purchase GDLT going back into the 70’s from the reserve room.
I second the Corison recommendation above. They’ve offered a nice library tasting both times I’ve visited, with wines going back about a dozen years.
+1. The OP wants to buy wine from 1947 - 1994 wines ‘at or below WS low prices’. GMAFB. First, do you realize how few wineries in CA were even making wine in 1947, let alone let’s say 1965 or so? Second, if they had these wines, assuming decent provenance, why the hell would they sell them at or below WS low? These wines, assuming they have a reputation for having survived this long, like some Martin Ray, Heitz, etc. would sell for literally thousands of $$ and for a premium. Nobody is giving these wines away at bargain prices --to ANYBODY, let alone someone they don’t know. You might as well charter that helicopter.
Do your own homework, buy a bottle of 1974 Heitz Martha’s for $1,500 or more, and enjoy.
Made me laugh out loud. ![[welldone.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/f/fc9709a841aa9379fd892a9cf0b535b05f473b86.gif "[welldone.gif]"){kind=small}
Well which is it?
" if I’m looking to buy Cabs from the 60’s-80’s "
or “Oh, I was thinking more like the 1947-1994 period.”
I mean that is a big difference. Do you want 40s and 50’s or 1980 to 1997.
I have a list of wineries a mile long that will happily host you and your group. They will send a G5 to pick up your group and then Chauffeur you around in a new Rolls Royce. They will happily pour you bottomless glasses of their best reserve vintages. Then offer you pristinely aged cases at under the original prices, I mean at least 50% to 70% less than W-S prices (some will actually give you the wine and PAY you for gracing them your presence and your willingness to consumer their humble offerings). After this they will put you and your group in a beautiful Napa estate and have dinner catered by Thomas Keller himself … And they can do this all for your last minute visit THIS weekend in the middle of Harvest . . .
Seriously - was the OP meant to be joke or a parody? I honestly hope so.
I have had every Schrader back to the famed 1937, (save for the war years 1944-1945) and can tell you they are spectacular. Always a great story Fred tells how he hid in Tra Vigne’s pizza oven (coal) when the French occupied Napa and Sonoma. Rough times we should never want to see again…
GregT, Chuck Miller, and K Koda–In the OP, I was not asking for anyone to treat me differently than any other visitor. I was asking 1) which wineries in the region offer all visitors, or at least all those who request an appointment, the most generous tastings and 2) and which local stores offer the best libraries of back-vintage wine for sale at the best prices. Different producers have different policies on which wines they pour, which they implement for whatever business reasons they see fit. I thought it would be more efficient to consult our highly knowledgeable forum participants rather than calling every winery individually. That turns out to have been a wise choice–if you simply scroll up, you’ll see that numerous Berserkers who have better things to do than start flame wars have thoughtfully offered a range of extremely helpful suggestions (e.g. Beringer, Mondavi, Corison, Freemark Abbey, Seavey, Ridge, and BV). Regarding pricing, I would of course expect to pay a premium for ex-cellar bottles. But if you had bothered to actually read the OP, you would have seen that I was inquiring about stores in the region, which I was hoping might have better prices than what I’d have to pay elsewhere in the country. And in fact, a representative of one local vendor also kindly reached out. So it would be greatly appreciated if you could please dismount from your high horses, and in the future refrain from participating in threads where you don’t have anything constructive to contribute.
M. Sai–I already buy from Benchmark regularly, including in person from Ellen on previous visits. I certainly plan to drop by. Thanks very much for the reminder.
![[rofl.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/a/a7452fcd8e675af869f8da01174474a545b03944.gif "rofl"){kind=small}
I honestly thought this thread was a parody at first, but I guess I was wrong. It’s probably just the way tone and so forth is missing in written communication.
Dan, I hope you have a nice visit to Napa. I don’t think you’re going to find the kinds of things you are hoping to find, like 1960s to 1980s vintages of Napa classics without exorbitant pricing, or cult wineries like Schrader and Screaming Eagle that are going to invite you in and pour you verticals of their wines and all. I would suggest if you recalibrate your expectations, there are many nice places to visit pouring good wines, and there are some you can seek out (as recommended above in the thread) that, with a reservation and some kind of reserve tasting fee, would have a few older vintages of upper-level wines available to taste.
Visit Pride Mountain Vineyards. Place right foot in Napa and left in Sonoma and love the wines, they are awesome. Email the winery. Tell Steve Pride Mike Pobega sent you.
Dan- how many are in your group ? Are you going to just taste and have fun or is your group interested in purchasing or signing up for the mailing list for the places you try ?
The most generous types of visits that probably most of us who go to Napa regularly are the places that we’ve gotten to know the Vinter or Winemaker. We have a lot of fun, there is no charge for the tasting and if we like the wine our group buys or signs up for the mailing list. My favorite new wine discovery this trip opened 10 bottles. Our group bought around 6 cases. We had a blast and the vinter had a nice sale and picked up some dedicated customers( we don’t normally buy that much but we all loved the wines). Be happy to share some contacts via PM depending on what you are looking for.
Cheers
Fred
This has been an absolute trip… I really enjoyed the “I’d like only old stuff, but hey, I mean I guess I’ll settle for a hookup at Schrader or Harlan, noting that it needs to be generous pours to what I like, that’s cool too.” Fandamntastic.
When i first got into wine i lived in UK, i made my first ever visit to US and ended up in Napa. We visited BV and they opened all sorts if vintages from the 70.s & 80’s the only issue is that i had no appreciation for US wine at the time because i was a100% french. Oh the possibility to get in the Delorean and go back to that time.
Of course i might have bought a few acres as well !!
Alan
Isn’t the Corison Tasting $55? That is not a great bang for your buck but understandably fair value to me.
Arista has a nice small tour of vineyard and then a Food/Wine Pairing with 5/6 wines served in a nice outdoorsy environ. It is for their “A List” Reserve club, but if they aren’t booked I bet you could get some resys.
It used to be $50 but is now closer to $100 but very nice.
The Mcwilliams Family are excellent hosts.
Lynmar Has a great tasting Salon and does a wine/Food Pairing as well.
If you hurry, you might be able to get in by five.
I just stocked up on 47’s at Inglenook and Krug.
Surprised this wasn’t mentioned. Joseph swan. Every time I’ve been there they have something for the 60s, 70s or 80s opened and available for sale.
I do believe you need an appointment.
Did they have any Mags or Jeros in stock?