I made the mistake of joining Sams instead of Costco awhile back. While the wine selection isn’t nearly as good, they have some deals at my local one that I would like some opinions on:
2000 Mondavi Reserve Cabernet $48
2000 Phelps Insignia $60
They are a bit old, and haven’t been stored in ideal conditions obviously, but do you think it would be worth the risk to pick one up?
Debatable. I have no experience with those particular wines but that vintage is suspect. I’ve had very good wines from 98 but the 00’s I have had have been variable. Those would be really good prices from almost any other vintage though.
2000 mondavi reserve tastes like water with cherry food coloring. If I ever bring one to an offline, it means i’m trying to dump crap on you.
I boought the 2000 Insignia from Southern Wines a couple of years ago for $48.00 a bottle. It was a reasonably nice wine 90ish for the vintage. If storage is a question for $60.00 Pass.
Always pass if storage is a question.
I had a 2000 Mondavi just last week and it was beautiful. Best showing yet. It really came along but needs a decant. Bought a bunch for $30, shipped direct from winery.
I had the 2000 Phelps a while back and it was never a very good Phelps. For $60 there are a TON and I mean TON of better wines.
That being said, if conditions are questionable I’d pass even if they were from good vintages and half price.
But if you really want one, try the Mondavi. $48 is about what its worth. and how bad is the conditions in Sams anyhow? Especially if its there for a short time.
Cris, I’d take a chance with a 2000 over a 1998 anyday.
1998 really sucks save for a tiny handful of wines.
There were some nice wines in 98. Insignia, Montelena, Rubicon Cask were nice. Of course Mondavi abd Dominus were not very good (drain cleaners). I did not have many 00s, but a Shafer Cab was quite nice.
I would never fight for either vintage but my experience has been the opposite. I’ve never had very impressive wines from either years but I thought good makers did well in 98 with what tey had and made wines that drank pretty well though earlier than most vintages. YMMV.
I wouldn’t/didn’ pay release price for the '98 and '00 Insignia…but I did think they were enjoyable wines and not terrible or undrinkable.
Then it’s agreed: Let’s drink the good vintages…
I went back today to get some stuff, and noticed that the Mondavi was reduced to $28, so I decided to pick one up. I will try it this weekend to see how good of a deal it really is.
I picked up 6 bottles of the 2000 Insignia a while back (2005ish) for I believe $60 (purchase pre-dates my CT inventory!). Had it back in Feb 2007 next to a 98 Insigna from mag that I thought was much better than the 2000. At the time I thought $60 was a pretty good price but at this point, I agree with Mike that there are much better options at $60 out there. Can’t speak to the Mondavi, though, as I have never had it.
Are they not the same company? Thought both were under the same Walmart umbrella . . .
You poor naive, misinformed soul.
Costco is the one … the only … the incomparable. The standard upon which all others are judged. Accept no subsitutes.
ha, remember buying a 96 Opus One at Sam’s a long long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away . . . yes . . . TEXAS!
![[rofl.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/a/a7452fcd8e675af869f8da01174474a545b03944.gif "rofl"){kind=small}
TEXAS!!! Incomparable in its own right!
Funny that I was just having a conversation the other day comparing Costco with Sams re: their wine programs. I have been a memeber of both for perhaps the past 8 years (and a few years prior to that in Canada, but they don’t sell wine there). Both seem to have their strengths, the Sam’s club jeans are MUCH better than Kirkland’s, and are my current favorites since Calvin Klein has been absent from the tables for about 3 years now. Anyways I digress.
Years ago the Sam’s club wine program was crappy. I don’t think that I have ever bought a single bottle of wine from them. Then I think that they nabbed the wine buyer from Costco, right? So I figured that things were going to change, and they would start offering better chosen selections, Bordeaux futures, etc., just like Costco.
Well, as far as I can, nothing has changed. Maybe it’s just my stores here in depressed Michigan. It seems like the same bottles are on the shelves every time I revisit to restock on Pampers (no Pampers at Costco). Nothing moves, of course, what is there is overpriced. They have one Burgundy at practically every outlet, it is a 2001 Aloxe Corton from some maison I have never heard of. For $15, I would have picked up a bottle to try it, but $38??? Who the **** made that buying decision?
Sam’s wine program just blows. Some visits I don’t even bother to browse the section any more, just a waste of time.
Good luck with those 2000’s, there is a reason they have been gathering dust for 6 years. I wouldn’t take the chance. Too many other better places to spend $50/750ml.