This was unpleasant to read, especially as I meant well, did not criticize or disagree with you, and am a paid subscriber of yours.
Also, fairness in a public forum works both ways. Your post here in effect is telling the readers of this board that I exaggerated what you said, and that all you said was that you were “disappointed.” I don’t think your characterization of your own words is adequate (see below). I did not exaggerate (see below).
But I apologize I was incorrect in the vintages. If I am accessing my Vinous accurately, you have not ever reviewed any other vintage of Lucie et Auguste wines than 2009 (although you briefly mention 2010), and I do not know if you have ever tasted any of their wines 2004-2008. I think I wrongly subconsciously assumed that since the winemakers and winemaking completely changed after the 2005 vintage, and you have never said anything positive about the 2006 through 2008 wines, you did not approve of the wines under the new winemakers. But it was only 2009 and 2010 you addressed and I apologize.
If you misunderstood my original post as quoting you as saying verbatim “don’t buy” anything, I am surprised if anyone read it that way.
Here is what I should have said:
“If one follows what Galloni wrote about the 2009 and 2010 Lucie et Auguste wines, don’t buy any of them, he made a point of publishing their scores, all between 60-75, scores he usually does not publish, as a warning to readers. I have no idea whether this opinion is valid. From what I can tell he did not ever review Lucie et Auguste wines in any other vintage so I don’t know what he thinks about the 2004-2008 vintages.” And I still don’t, even though you called me to task for inaccurately including 2006-2008 in my original post. So, what do you think of 2006-2008 L and A wines?
Here is what you said in all of your reviews (after favorable barrel reviews) of the bottled 2009’s. I think the only Lucie et Auguste Lignier wines you have ever reviewed are the 2009’s (formally) and the 2010’s (informally).
You gave each 2009 wine a 60, 70, or 75, and gave the same verbatim review for each one:
"I was deeply disappointed with Kellen Lignier’s 2009s, and 2010s too, to tell the truth. None of the 2009s from bottle showed the sexiness I sensed when I tasted the wines from barrel earlier in 2011. It is impossible for an outsider to know exactly what happened, but the reality is that Lignier’s 2009s are all deeply flawed. I typically do not print reviews for wines that score under 85 points, but in this case the severe drop off in quality from barrel to bottle warranted this significant revision of scores. Unfortunately I can no longer recommend Lignier’s 2009s.’
That’s very important information. To me there is no question but that the 2005’s are outstanding; what is your take on the three vintages between 05 and 09? Is this a systemic problem under the new regime? or in your opinion just limited to 09 and 10?