@Ted_R the allocation methodology can vary slightly from year to year based on volumes, circumstances, etc. Generally we take an average of prior years (2-3 years), sometimes we will allocate the max from prior years, sometimes we must use the min or even cut allocations by a % if the following year’s volume is down. We never wanted it to be a “one and done” model, meaning you skip once and you lose your allocation, because that never felt member-friendly. Likely the 23 allocations will be based on some sort of average or ratio based on 19, 21, 22 vintages. Long winded answer to say…if you skip this year, you will still have a guaranteed allocation next year. I can’t say it will be the same but it won’t be zero. And given the larger volumes of 23, I would guess going light or skipping 22 will play less of a role in this particular circumstance than in some prior years. From our perspective, we try to balance loyalty and tenure with consistency.
I appreciate the discussion around 2022 vintage. @CraigT We don’t show our wines for review until they’re bottled. I’ve never been a fan of submitting barrel samples - is it a composite sample, is it one barrel, are there any final modifications, fining, filtration, etc that need to occur, how does a few extra months of barrel aging or concrete egg aging integrate with the wine? When we submit a wine to the critic, it’s the exact same wine from bottle that our customers will be drinking.
We accelerated the release of our two Beckstoffer wines to help plug a gap left by the missing 2020 vintage. I recognize it’s not ideal from the member’s point of view to offer a wine that no one has tasted yet. We will explore ways in future years to slow down the release schedule for some wines…we just aren’t there yet.
I would expect most critics to say something along the lines of be selective about the 2022 vintage. That sentiment was even more warranted in 2020. I’ve come to really cherish these more challenging vintages because it’s when you can really see differences between various domaines - their choices, their philosophies, etc. In some ways I’d like Realm to be judged by our wines (or lack thereof) from the “tough” vintages - 2011, 2017, 2020, 2022 - because they are a better reflection of who we are. Said another way, I can personally assure those of you buying our 22s you won’t be disappointed. Of course I’m biased and it sounds self-serving so let me call out that caveat directly - I’ll accept the necessary skepticism of me making that statement. Yet I know how far we have gone and are willing to go to only put something in bottle that we are proud of.
@Michael_Kane yes…generally speaking if this is your first release you wouldn’t have access to submit a wish request for Dr. Crane or To Kalon. There’s a balance for us in terms of managing expectations. If I know already we won’t be able to accommodate your wish request, should I still give you one anyway? That’s how we think about it. It’s possible you may be able to wish for To Kalon next spring. The wait for Dr. Crane tends to be a couple of extra years past To Kalon just based on volume.