Parker and Odette

WINE TALK
1

As I’m sure most people noticed, Parker released his Napa reviews the other day. In the 100pointers were the usual suspects, but there was also Odette. He gave their inaugural Reserve release 100pts (Their Estate 96pts) and gave both of those potential for 100pts in the 2013 vintage. I inquired with Odette about when the wines would be released, and the response I got was an invitation to join their “Pursuit Society” which would give me privilege of buying their wine.

Now if the wine is truly as good as Parker believes it to be, $150 might not be a horrible price, even in spite of the fact that they have no reputation to stand on (Plumpjack and Cade notwithstanding), but spending a few hundred dollars a year on membership fees for the privilege of buying their wine? Does anyone else think this is off?

2

Wait a minute – is this really true? You have to pays a membership fee first and then you are “allowed” to buy their wines? This is a really new business model to me.

Joke beside – are people actually ready to accept those rules? This is a strange world we are living in.

3

See Personal Seat Licenses.

4

I´ve never had any Odette, but …
[barf1.gif]

Bad practice!
[banhim.gif]

5

Even CostCo has a membership fee…

6

It is indeed a strange world, one that remains happily alien to me.

7

Just sayin’- there’s a lot of really great wine out there that doesn’t require you to join a pursuit society.

8

So silly. You can go grab the 99-point Bevan straight of the shelves at Total Wine. They were still there several days after the parker publication.

9

Yeah but seriously, who wants that when you can get perfection?

At the Odette store, you can buy Plumpjack and Cade, neither of which are worth $150, so paying additional for the opportunity to pay more seems perfectly logical.

Of course, today is opposite day. [cheers.gif]

10

Or go buy wine you like, regardless of a score…
newhere

11

Stoopid talk!

I just spent a bit over that bottle price less than 30 minutes ago at an ABC Fine Wine clearance sale, grabbing 8 really nice Bordeaux for $176. No 99s or 100s, but they will give me daily-drinker pleasure.

12

Just checked Total Wine and the Bevan Red EE Oakville 2012 is shown as sold out at $229/bottle.

Costco charges a yearly fee to sell you stuff at less than retail prices and over a year saves you a lot more than the dues cost. Not the same.

13

Just visited Odette on Monday and they never mentioned the reviews. We liked the ~$50 cab and bought a bottle.

Did Parker just give Del Dotto 100 points for their St. Helena Mountain? They claim he did.
BD

14

Or you can buy the 2011 Odette from Cameron Hughes. Lot 385. I have had it several times and would score it around 90.

15

Yes, their St. Helena and their “The Beast” both garnered (98-100) scores.

16

It’s the 2012 Bevan Ontogeny that garnered the Parker 99. Total Wine still had it on Thursday, though they knocked up the price $30 bucks for a total of $109. Point is, if shoppers wanna chase points, points are easily available without a membership fee or even a waiting list.

17

Both the Ontgeny and the EE got 99 points from Parker.

18

Communist!

19

That was Adaptation, right?

I actually got to taste both wines out of barrel in February, and the wines are scary good (Odette that is). I knew Parker’s scores were going to be sky high. If I had the extra $$$ laying around, I wouldn’t care, I’d pay it to be happy I had the wines, that’s how good I think they are.

20

Yes, the Adaptation. Very good but I would not wait too long to drink it.