Yes, I was responding to @Andrew_K’s comment on MacDonald being widely available on the market. It is - but at a much higher cost if you’re not offered it directly off the list!
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According to JD, no 2020 will be produced.
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When we visited with Alex in the summer of 2021, he was very clear that 2020 MacDonald was produced. The quantity was significantly lower as a number of blocks were held out due to the risk of taint, but that none had been detected up to that point.
Is Jeb (I assume that’s who you are referring to) now claiming the entire production was declassified/dumped/whatever?
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I tasted the 2020 with Alex this past spring, so it was definitely produced. That being said, there is less of it, they didn’t produce the typical 500 cases.
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First sentence of his review of the 2021: While no 2020 will be produced,
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AG provides no review/rating and states that the MacDonald brothers made a wine but were unsure if and/or when it would be released.
I visited with Alex in 3/2023 and tasted the 2020. At that time, he was unsure how it was going to be released to the mailing list, as the quantity was way down. The wine was made from some of their oldest vines.
If it is released and you have access to a bottle or 2, it was the best 2020 I tasted on my trip in March between MACDONALD, VHR and Spottswoode.
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Sure, but if you have never tried it and really want to waiting to get on the list is kind of silly. How do you even know you like it and even care if you get an allocation? Unless then you’re just going to flip it which is a whole different conversation.
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I had the 2021 again last night, this time with significantly less time double-decanted. It was much more dense and compact, which tells me the more air, the better. It’s still by far the darkest colored Mac that I’ve seen. Should age phenomenally well.
As per the 2020, they did make it and it is labeled and in bottle but they have not decided what to do with it yet. There was much less produced than usual.
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Thanks for the notes Roy.
All in; we love the wines and love the people.
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Here’s me imagining Roy rolling in with a fake mustache and sunglasses getting us some tasting notes.
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If they release a '20, you have to support it in full. It would be un-American not to.
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Bumping to see if anybody has any new information on the potential release of the 2020 vintage. It is typically around early September when the “Save the Date” email is sent from the brothers so if I were patient I’m sure I’d get my answer soon enough.
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So one month later and still no word. More patience needed.
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Alex shared with me at the end of August that they’re working on some new e-commerce stuff that they want to have in place before the release, but anticipated releasing the 2020 in a month or two. That was about three weeks ago, so we can’t be too far away. Only 150 cases produced, so allocations are likely to be 1-2 bottles, so they can spread it around as much as possible.
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Just to reiterate what Andrew noted, Alex emailed me after my post mid-August and noted the smaller production of about 150 cases and that an offer would come in the next month or two (so Sept or October). Previous buyers could expect either 1 or 2 bottles. Apologies that I failed to share that information earlier.
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Still patiently waiting…With harvest in full effect, perhaps they are just really busy for release logistics?..
Did you order the Chardonnay? Oh wait wrong thread 
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I think they had some e-commerce logistics to work through. It’s gonna be a real small release. There will no doubt be some disappointed long time customers. I may be one but I’m fine with whatever they choose to do. It’s their wine they can do what they want.
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