Turley closes Amador tasting room

[larry_schaffer]

@Bob_Davis

It may very well be the cost of a tasting. We’ll be there in 11 days and not one fee is over $40.

Where? SBC? Paso? Both places have seen increased tasting fees recently and it’s not uncommon to see them at $40 and up - though there still are plenty of us holding steady at $25-30 or so . . .

Cheers

[Bob_Davis]

Both. A week in Paso and 3 days in SBC. The costs I mentioned are for one tasting which my wife and I share.

[Rich_Brown]

@Gordon_Fitz

I haven’t sold a Zin or a PS/Zin in the restaurant for at least 6 months. The last case of Turley I bought took over a year to sell. Even the manager of the local major liquor store says they languish on his shelves. We may as well be selling Anne Green Spring as that style of wine. Its time is gone.

Interesting…as i order zins very often at restaurants? Not sure what restaurant you’re a part of but just another data point

[larry_schaffer]

@Bob_Davis

Both. A week in Paso and 3 days in SBC. The costs I mentioned are for one tasting which my wife and I share.

Good to hear - but there are quite a few now charging more than that in both places - more in Paso I believe than SBC, and oftentimes for ‘reserve’ tastings. Let me know when you’ll be in SBC so we can hopefully connect!

Cheers

[Chris_Seiber]

@larry_schaffer

Actually the region that is doing better than most is Temecula - the BID that they passed allowed them to increase marketing budgets and that has helped get more folks there.

[JulianD]

@Frank_Murray_III

I used to drink Turley back in previous days of my wine life but man, if the alcs are still high, that ship sailed on me. I used to love Turley Hayne Petite, fo sho.

As for Champagne crib, it’s jumping off.

They changed winemakers as of '13 I believe, and are much more restrained now

[Jeff_M1]

There’s over 300K people in Temecula, Murrieta and Menifee combined; probably closer to 400K. They have a built in advantage based on population but the wines are terrible.

[brigcampbell]

@Jeff_M1

There’s over 300K people in Temecula, Murrieta and Menifee combined; probably closer to 400K. They have a built in advantage based on population but the wines are terrible.

And 3M in San Diego County and another 3M in Orange county. All within an hour drive.

And it’s a big social event platform now. Bachelorette parties, birthdays, and weddings. The Indian casinos also drive activity.

I’m going to a wedding in 3 weeks.

[Bob_Davis]

April 12-14. we plan a day or 2 in Los Olivos. Probably the 14th.

What’s keeping some prices down are being club members elwhere we taste for free.

[Jeff_M1]

Santa Barbara won’t be able to compete with that and adding a BID is just going to increase wine costs in an already terrible market.

That also doesn’t account for the population in Lake Elsinore, Riverside (300K+) , Corona (160K+), etc.

Sorry for the thread drift.

It was a ghost town in Plymouth. I stopped for lunch in town and there were 3 other tables with people. I may be back up there in a couple weeks, not sure I will stop next time though.

[MThomasMartin]

Going to a wedding there in June.

[S_Rash]

If tasting rooms want to get people in their doors, they need to go back to $25-30 fees that are waived with 1-2 bottle purchase. No more $40-50 tasting fee and we will waive one with a minimum 3 bottle order (wines $80-100 a bottle).

[brigcampbell]

@S_Rash

If tasting rooms want to get people in their doors, they need to go back to $25-30 fees that are waived with 1-2 bottle purchase. No more $40-50 tasting fee and we will waive one with a minimum 3 bottle order (wines $80-100 a bottle).

Foley in SRH charges $75 for 4 wines but you get cheese pairing so I got that going for me

Wine & Cheese Pairing Dynamic
Have you ever wondered what cheese pairs best with which wine? You will ponder no longer when you and up to 6 guests join us in our private Reserve Room for an exploration into this classic matchup. We will taste through 4 Foley Estates wines perfectly paired with local, artisan cheeses from Cailloux Cheese Co. – matching intensity, weight, and acidity as well as identifying flavor points, like complementary vs. congruent flavors. You will leave having learned a few basic guidelines for your next cheese board and wine pairing matchmaking success.

By appointment only. Up to 6 guests. Must be 21+ years of age.

$75 per person
Foley Estate & Connoisseur Members receive 20% off
Partner Winery Members receive 10% off

[larry_schaffer]

@brigcampbell

And 3M in San Diego County and another 3M in Orange county. All within an hour drive.

And it’s a big social event platform now. Bachelorette parties, birthdays, and weddings. The Indian casinos also drive activity.

I’m going to a wedding in 3 weeks.

I’ll be down there as well in a few weeks attending the industry’s Grape Day representing the Rhone Rangers - quite a few folks making some pretty darned good rhones down there . . . seriously . . .

Cheers

[larry_schaffer]

@S_Rash

If tasting rooms want to get people in their doors, they need to go back to $25-30 fees that are waived with 1-2 bottle purchase. No more $40-50 tasting fee and we will waive one with a minimum 3 bottle order (wines $80-100 a bottle).

This is pretty common in SBC - perhaps not so much so in NorCal, especially Napa and Sonoma from what I’ve read here.

Cheers

[larry_schaffer]

@Jeff_M1

Santa Barbara won’t be able to compete with that and adding a BID is just going to increase wine costs in an already terrible market.

I know that everyone thinks that prices are going to be raised but I’m truly hoping that will not be the case. It’s 1% - I know of many a winery that will be eating it and not passing it along to their customers.

And SBC has NEVER done a good job of marketing our region and letting folks know that we even exist - seriously. MOST folks in LA/OC/SD counties do not even know that SBC has an actual wine region - they know individual producers but we do note have ‘brand identity’ whatsoever. And I agree with others that that is not something the consumer should have to pay for - but that is up to the individual winery - and it will be stated on their receipts, just as it is in Temecula and Livermore counties by those wineries that pass it along (and many do not at present).

Cheers

[Jeff_M1]

Your region’s largest obstacle isn’t advertising, it’s geography. It’s terribly difficult to transit to SBC tasting rooms/wineries from the metro LA area. There’s basically one road, the 101 and yes there’s a couple ways to get around Los Angeles to meet that but for many of us that’s 3+ hours of drive time and horrific traffic choke points 405/10/118, etc. 182 miles one way for me to Los Olivos.

With that distance, I’m going to need a hotel so there’s additional costs for visiting. Temecula you can travel to and from roundtrip in less time than getting up to SBC one way.

I don’t know how SBC overcomes geography.

[larry_schaffer]

@Jeff_M1

Your region’s largest obstacle isn’t advertising, it’s geography. It’s terribly difficult to transit to SBC tasting rooms/wineries from the metro LA area. There’s basically one road, the 101 and yes there’s a couple ways to get around Los Angeles to meet that but for many of us that’s 3+ hours of drive time and horrific traffic choke points 405/10/118, etc. 182 miles one way for me to Los Olivos.

With that distance, I’m going to need a hotel so there’s additional costs for visiting. Temecula you can travel to and from roundtrip in less time than getting up to SBC one way.

I don’t know how SBC overcomes geography.

Jeff,

Great points - but then again many from LA skip right over and go to Paso . . . so there’s that.

Again, most folks in LA and OC truly do not know that SBC is a true wine region and not just a handful of wineries - and marketing can move the needle to change that.

Cheers

[larry_schaffer]

I just don’t the wine folks on this board from LA/OC/SD realize how FEW folks really do know about SBC - but these same folks DO know about Paso.

Cheers

[larry_schaffer]

How far is Amador from SF? Or the East Bay?

Cheers