The biggest issue with that narrative in this case is financial/common sense. Look at the Kinsman thread and demand for this bottling … and Shae very genuinely does seem to be trying to get the wine into the hands of people who want it. Bulking it out to Wine Access such that they can offer it for 30 bucks a bottle just makes no financial sense—especially for a business that is, essentially, still a start up and lost the 2020 vintage of cabernet.
Maybe it was some grapes from another part of the old reverie or von strasser vineyards.
It’s certainly possible. But check out the original text and all the times they attempted to convey that it was actually the same producer. Bolding is mine. The “money shot” here is the paragraph about 100 point source having too high of yields. That basically says this is that producer’s fruit. This is dishonest and why I will no longer order from Wine Access in the future — they got too far out over their skis with the marketing copy here and got called out.
Subject: From 100pt Napa NDA Source Behind $350 Cab, It’s Just…
From the same 100-point source that Spectator described as “one of the most exciting new Cabernet projects in Napa,” this $40 powerhouse has all the terroir complexity of its perfect-scoring $350 big brother.
A Diamond in the 100-Point Rough
The 2018 Wolfe Grade Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley’s Diamond Mountain is as bold and intense as the white-knuckle journey required to get to its 100-point source.
Thanks to the more famous wine that’s made from this site, the estate has been called “one of the most exciting new Cabernet projects in Napa, period,” by Wine Spectator. The current vintage of the estate’s 2018 Cabernet was hailed, “In a word: monumental” in its 100-point Vinous review and as “an absolute wow wine” by Spectator.
The symmetry between that perfect-scoring 2018 Cabernet and this 2018 Wolfe Grade is striking—until you get to their asymmetrical price tags. At $40, this powerhouse has all the monumental power of its long-sold-out $350 big brother for almost a tenth of the price.
From the same decomposed volcanic ash, this classic Diamond Mountain Cabernet embodies its rugged terroir with every sip. Dusty, sun-kissed blueberry, savory boysenberry, and Morello cherry aromas are further heightened with a dash of white pepper. Velvety on entry, there’s a palpable alpine freshness to the midpalate thanks to the wine’s beautifully integrated acidity. The finish just doesn’t quit, sporting broad and racy tannins encased in layers and layers of rich dark fruit and chocolate.
Vinous has praised wines from this Diamond Mountain source for their “tremendous concentration,” and “magnificent intensity,” and the 2018 Wolfe Grade—at $35 per bottle on cases—is no exception.
Few are willing to brave the precarious dirt road trek to get to this mountain site, making Diamond Mountain’s vineyards as scarce as its wines are rare. Navigating hairpin turns while trying to ignore the sheer cliffside drops, there is nothing more rewarding than finally reaching these impossibly steep plots.
But the adrenaline rush doesn’t stop at the end of that vertigo-inducing road. The crisp mountain air alleviates any trace of car-sickness, as does the unobstructed sunlight. The site’s terraced 30-year-old vines have a due south exposure adjacent to Diamond Creek Vineyards—the sommelier darling that defines classic Diamond Mountain Cabernet.
Though undeniably wild, this remote oasis is so tranquil that it’s hard to imagine the violent volcanic energy that carved these soils. The rustic minerality that pulsates in every sip of this 2018 Wolfe Grade Diamond Mountain Cabernet is a powerful reminder.
The direct line between Wolfe Grade’s $350 vineyard (and vintage) sibling is so palpable, we unsurprisingly can’t name the source. But know that they almost never let their Diamond Mountain grapes escape their own minuscule production. This bottle might just be the last time you ever see the esteemed terroir at this kind of NDA-inspired discount.
Beloved by collectors for being an incredibly scarce hidden treasure, the estate was unprepared for the unusually high yields in a 2018 vintage that produced “mind-blowing” wines, according to Vinous. Our access to this exclusive 100-point Cabernet coup is the direct result of the label’s unwillingness to tarnish the cachet it gets from being a tiny, 130-case label.
The increasingly rare bottles from this iconic rocky terroir already demand a premium, making Wolfe Grade’s $40 price a true diamond in the rough.
Totally agree and I’m not a buyer for any of these wines (NDA, de negoce, etc.). There are plenty of other wines at that price point where I know what I’m getting.
I was just trying to figure out how far of a stretch the advertisement was. No question it was disingenuous at best. Also, they could be grapes from the next row over and if they’re made differently, they might not be worth $30 compared to Kinsman at $300.
I think that as it’s written now, it’s not disingenuous - it’s just non-specific puffery. The original advertisement, however, indisputably claimed that it was bumper crop from the 100 point producer’s fruit — not fruit from the same vineyard. Further, the critic quotes point obviously and singularly to Kinsman. That is trading on somebody else’s reputation.
No disagreement here.
I didn’t think it was Kinsman Eades fruit, but I completely agreed with the concern that WA was using the KE label for their own use / marketing. I had ordered a few NDA and other wines for cellar defenders, etc. I’ve canceled the pending orders out of principle.
Ha! I’m in PR and to me the most ridiculous part of their text is:
Few are willing to brave the precarious dirt road trek to get to this mountain site, making Diamond Mountain’s vineyards as scarce as its wines are rare. Navigating hairpin turns while trying to ignore the sheer cliffside drops, there is nothing more rewarding than finally reaching these impossibly steep plots.
Love it, that’s some top notch BS!
The part that I don’t understand is how WA could write that specific of a copy about a wine and think they weren’t going to get challenged on it. It’s so ridiculously specific that someone on this board was eventually going to call them out. It only took less than a day.
Separate from the Kinsman issue:
Have any of you gotten surveys from WA offering a credit for filling it out and giving them feedback on the overall service/selection? I was sent one, filled it out, and they advised a credit would be forthcoming in a few days, but its been a week and nothing has shown up in my account.
Just wanted to see if anyone has experience with the timeliness of those.
Thanks!
PS: Credit showed up! If you get the survey, definitely fill it out.
I got that too. I believe they said credit would be applied on 9/7.
I guess you guys must buy more than I do. They didn’t offer me anything for any survey.
The survey I got seemed to be targeted at people who made purchases in the past but haven’t bought anything recently (some of the questions were about why I haven’t bought anything recently.)
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It says “Wine Access has never purchased wine made by Kinsman Eades from our three vineyard sources. We simply don’t make enough wine under KE to supply the volumes they need…”
This does not rule out that it is KE juice or grapes from their vineyard sources – it just says that the wine not made by KE or was not made under the KE label. I.e. it could be juice/grapes from the same source(s) but made by someone else. Am I missing something?
I think ScottieB is right. What Shae says is very carefully worded; the only thing it denies is having sold bulk wine to WA.
That said this still seems like a major misstep from WA
Agree it was terrible, the good decisions was actually a good wine so I took a bite on this, very much regret it.
They will be coming out with a $95 plan where any purchase will have free shipping. Similar to WDC except almost 2x more $
Seriously?
Yes
Additional benefits include
3% back: You’ll get 3% back in the form of wine credits. Every single bottle is eligible, and there’s no need to wait: Credits will be applied at the end of each month.
Other benefits include:
First access to our most limited allocations.
Exclusive access to the Wine Access Vault, featuring rare wines not otherwise available on WineAccess.com.
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Anyone else find this odd? Their free shipping policy is already so generous. I’m not in the habit of shipping single bottles, and with a $120/6btl minimum it’s pretty easy to get there.