Precisely why this site should be renamed Wine Backlash.com
Thanks, Kevin. Certainly not expected, but very much appreciated.
Maybe it is just a case of no good deed going unpunished and I appreciate Kevin’s response very much, but after having spent over $37,000 with Rhys through the years and not having gotten the e-mail, I would still be interested in how they decided who got the e-mail and who didn’t.
Mike,
Clearly this needed more rigorous thinking on our part, but the emails were originally sent to a small group with a known interest in Italian Barolo or Barbaresco. The program was not intended for the entire customer base as that would deplete the majority of the wine. Bad mistake not thinking that through. In any case, we are happy to have more good customers try the wine and I am very interested to hear people’s thoughts on them.
Which brings to mind a question I have wondered for quite some time. What portion of Pinot drinkers are interested in Nebbiolo or Nerello Mascalese? Having been a Pinot-only wine drinker for a portion of my life, I have always assumed there is a large group of customers that are dedicated, almost exclusive, Pinot drinkers.
Do you think that is correct?
No. Except at the low end.
No. For me I need to drink various varietals, styles, young and old. Also makes the hobby much more enjoyable trying varietals never experienced before. Previous wine classes also allowed me to explore numerous varietals and styles…Italy included.
As a side note, I appreciate the Aeris clarification.
Cheers,
JP
Kevin, thanks for answering my question about how the sample list was prepared. To answer your question, the few people I know who are almost exclusively Pinot drinkers are almost exclusively Burgundy drinkers who tend to shun US Pinot Noir almost as enthusiastically as they do Bordeaux. A lot of the people I know who are primarily but not exclusively focused on Burgundy also seem to appreciate Barolo and Barbaresco, but wouldn’t know a Nerello if it bit them, though that seems to be changing a little as its market presence improves. The vast majority of the people I drink with are enthusiastic about Piedmont Nebbiolo regardless of their other preferences.
Thank you for clarifying.
As far as Pinot Nori and Nebbiolo, for me there is considerable crossover interest. Same goes for those in my wine group.
@Kevin: my intent was absolutely intended to be positive - to praise what I saw as unusual and excellent customer-focused service. It wasn’t clear to me that this was a narrow, targeted program - indeed this was a first for me and I was just pleased and thankful. Apologies if I put you in an awkward position.
My experience is that the overlap of love for Nebbiolo and (old world) Pinot Noir is fairly common. Not universal, but pretty typical. These are, for sure, my top two wine loves.
For all the complainers, haters and negative nellies, I respect your right to write on this board but I am not obligated to argue with you. For long time Rhys clients, I bet a polite email inquiry to Kevin would yield a delightful result.
I look forward to trying the wine!
This is just one unfortunate feature of today’s communication world. You invite some friends to dinner or throw a small party, and other friends of yours see pictures on someone’s social media and wonder why they weren’t invited.
I am a long time customer who would like to taste these, but I am not going to take Kevin up on his offer.
Wasn’t intended for me, simple as that.
Wait, so I’m the only one drinking samples of the Rhys 2020 vintage wines?
Alan I’m surprised you are getting to those after all those cases of DRC samples you have to plow through.
I drink a lot of Nebbiolo, and recently discovered and really enjoy Nerello Mascalese. That said I’m not going to ask for free bottles, nor do I feel entitled by being a customer.
The Rhys value prop against Burgundy makes sense to me, but a red blend priced at $49 is a tough sell. That’s the same price as Tenuta and approaching Produttori vineyard designates.
Same. I appreciated the clarification though.
Thanks for all the feedback. I think I probably hang around too many strict Burgophiles. It’s great to hear that there is more crossover than I expected. I am a huge Nebbiolo fan as well as BurgNut.
Nerello Mascalese is an interesting case. The wines on Etna are quite variable in style which is primarily due to a lack of tradition or consensus on the best way to produce wine from the grape. While wine has been produced on Etna for eons, it was not honed by the demand of powerful nearby market forces (like Paris or London). When picked correctly, NM makes a wine that bears some resemblance to Nebbiolo and also ages quite well. We have blind-tasted some of the better examples alongside wines from Piedmont and they have shown quite well. But this will be an example of making a New World example of an old world wine that is not well known (guaranteed formula for commercial success!?).
Now I am trying to imagine a Rhys/Idlewild collaboration.
Well, doesn’t apply here, as I love them both equally and find nebbiolo goes with mood food than pinot noir. Can’t answer about the nerello question as many haven’t even figured out what they are yet (and I am Not in the camp that sees them as similar to pinot noir). With 11 acres of nebbiolo, it seems you are committed to the grape but still not sure California is the right spot for them, but love to be proven wrong.
Kevin: It’s clear why you’d attempt Nebbiolo - truly epic wines can be made from the variety, and there is huge potential if you can crack the Cali-Nebb code. Others are trying to varying degrees of success, but it’s still early days. Classic entrepreneurial opportunity! But the other varieties represent a greater risk. Yes California loves Zinfandel/Primitivo, and Barbera is somewhat known. But the Nerellos are much more obscure. Is this just about experimentation? Or do you have something else in mind?
I have tried many Nerello Mascaleses in Sicily. I was delighted by the quality, fascinated by the variability, and tickled about the (loooooowww) cost. In my mind this will be a big issue. How do you charge a “California” price when there are many similar labels from Italy at a fraction of that number? Yes the wine may be much better but we know how competitive the market is for these lesser know grapes.
For Rhys fans like me curiosity will win out and the wines will find a place in my cellar if they are good. Maybe that’s enough. But I would love to see early drinking blends that bring California sunshine and rival Italian wines for food friendliness and depth, as well as longer aging ones that grow in complexity and deliciousness.