Where Are The Monte Rosso Grapes Going???

WINE TALK
41

You’ve got to be kidding me. We kinda joked about that earlier, but that’s seriously a damn shame if that’s where the grapes are going to go.

I mean…why bother. Those blends are so candied and oak heavy at this point, that you could probably toss in almost any grapes you wanted and it would taste similar.

Man, that’s depressing news.

42

I am definitely siding with Rich on this one.

The Saldo Zin includes all these prestigious vineyards from across California but, to my tastes, the final product is DNPIM.

43

No way the grapes go into Prisoner. That makes no sense.

44

This.

Gallo hasn’t said where they are using the fruit but Orin Swift? I highly doubt it.

45

Orin Swift sold The Prisoner in 2013 (Saldo was included in the sale as well)

But then Gallo bought Orin Swift…2016

Edit…already mentioned above. Sorry. Who’s on 1st?

46

To Gallo (who owns the MR Vineyard). So, in theory, the MR fruit could go to The Prisoner, but there’s no way that it will.

47

Nope, Phinney sold Prisoner/Saldo and a couple of other brands/labels to Huneeus. Constellation bought Huneeus. Gallo bought Orin Swift, but by then Prisoner/Saldo no longer part of the portfolio.

I think :wink:

48

You’re correct! I meant Orin Swift, not Prisoner. You win. :wink:

49

Sorry Pedant in my has to respond - Altria is the former Phillip Morris. RJ Reynolds was acquired by British American Tobacco Company. Altria still owns Chateau Ste Michelle, which in turns owns quite a few wine labels including Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Erath, and Nicholas Feuillatte Champagne.

50

One of the first wines I bought to age were early 80s bottles of Martini Monte Rosso Cabernet Sauvignon. The vineyard was historic then.

I love what Morgan is doing but this is a lot like LeBron is greater then MJ argument.

51

I toured Monte Rosso last summer and was told a lot of the grapes would be used for Orin Swift, as well. I bet the Sangiovese and Semillon will be uprooted and replanted soon.

52

Damn. Just absolutely brutal.

Someone in CT (whom I don’t know) commented on my TN and said it would be the opposite, and that all the vinters at Gallo essentially fight over the grapes from MR…but since a couple peeps here have heard first hand they’re going to Orin Swift…id, unfortunately, probably put more stock in that scenario :frowning:

53

Why?

54

Brian,

Simply speculation, but, broadly, most Orin Swift fans are not particularly experimental with their varietals. To justify the price point, and satisfy the straightforward palate of a Gallo/Orin Swift fan, it seems like a lot of work to utilize Folle Blanche and Semillon (other than perhaps a late harvest dessert wine?) Gallo is a business and would make a lot more money replanting tonCabernet. Just my $0.02.

55

Gallo is a first and foremost a vineyard management company. They make more money selling the fruit for $5,000/ton than they would planting overcropped cabernet. They own Stagecoach Vineyard where some blocks garner $20k/ton are they going to blend that into Barefoot Cabernet? They didn’t get as big as they are by being stupid and short sighted.

56

Is there any chance the Seghesio Zin that Costco has been selling for the past few years contains any declassified MR juice?

57

Disregard that last question

58

As a Monte Rosso follower this sucks since I subscribe to 6 of these producers always looking forward to their juice. [head-bang.gif]

Having said that, being ITB and very close to Gallo Insiders I’m told that only Louis Martini will be a vineyard designated label.
Orin Swift will have some MR juice along with another soon to be released new label.

59

that label has been released: Mount Peak
No website active yet, but wines are in limited release via retail. A cab, a zin and a prop red. RP had some nice things to say about the 2014 vintage

60

Mount peak is on last bottle right now. 95 pts parker.