The prices are still annoyingly high, but I have to give Vintages credit for a good selection of Bordeaux in both the Classics catalogue and the latest Vmail. I doubt I'll buy much, though since my cellar is well-stocked with Bordeaux already. Maybe the 96 Lanessan at $39, and the '00 d'Armailhac at $70.
Is there anything that even approaches half-decent QPR in the California red?
I didn't receive the V-mail either, but if you go to the Vintages website, there are three V-mail offers - Duckhorn, Guado al Tasso, and more 2000 Bordeaux.
I've taken a look..and nice selection, but prices keep creeping up. Nice selection of Alsation whites, Bordeaux 2000 (prices are too high for me right now), decent selction of Ozzie reds (will try to get some St-Hallett old Block and John Riddoch Cab), and the Masi Amarones...Oh and Smith and WoodHouse 2000 Port for $59.
One note...I was looking at the 2000 Rosenblum Carla's Vineyard Zinfandel...which the LCBO has a Wine Spectator review with a 92 rating...one problem...that 92 rating is for the 2001 Zin...so something is awry again!!!
What really bugs me is when they re-release stuff at a higher price. For instance, I bought several bottles of the 2000 Talbot at $79 last fall, and now I see they're offering it again at $119, a 50% increase!
I agree with SirIsm that it appears to be quite a sloppy production job. There appear to be numerous errors on vintage, ratings, etc.
Those 2000 Bordeaux prices are insane, but if people insist on paying that, it will continue. Weinbach wines are too much also. Think I'll stick to the selections from Australia, South Africa and Portugal.
All speculation of course...but the LCBO must be somewhat concerned about the build up of Classics items...there appear to be a lot holdover stock from the Autumn catalogue in the stores themselves. Maybe they disappear eventually so they are not too concerned...but there has to be a demand/supply problem due to a lot of high priced wines that people do not want or cannot afford.
The Chateau de Camensac 2000 is a good deal for $45. I think I paid $39-ish for a bunch of this on futures. It is a really good full bodied ripe Bordeaux that will age. I can bring it to this week's offline if anyone wants to try it.
2000 Grahams and Smith Woodhouse are pretty good deals.
The bad.....
Haven't they had the Cos D'Estournel 1996 in every release for ages for $229? It might just be me, but I am sure this keeps popping up!
1995 Forts de Latour - $189!!!! What a joke!!!! I think I paid $29US in Buffalo a few years ago and it isn't that great.
Suprisingly light on 2001 Germans and top Chileans are getting expensive!
Lastly, would someone please buy probably the last remaining bottle of Louis XIII Cognac for $1599.00???? I am sick of seeing that stupid picture at the back of every catalogue!
Oh and almost all of the Calif wines are insanely overpriced. almost $200 for 2000 Ridge MB and $249 for 2000 Insignia? I tried them last year and they were both in the top 3 or 4 of the approx 100 2000 Cali reds I tasted (Montebello was another great one) but from a crappy year. Maybe they are all typos..... maybe they mean 1999 or 2001
I agree Baird The 96 Cos D'estournel keeps popping up. Which begs the question...How much of this did they buy back then??? Personnaly, I've tried this in the past, and it didn't impress me, mind you it was beside the 96 Leo-Poyferre, which is miles above, and the 94 Leo-Barton which I found to way more structure than the Cos. Now if only they would buy more of wines we would want and reasonable prices. (The prices for the 2000 Bordeaux are ridiculous, they were already insane in the futures campaign, now unbelievable. My beef is if all these wines are popping up, doesn't this mean that were unsold from the futures campaign, or were they held back...)
I already have my share of Grahams (you can only have so much port, wine never enough, but port...hmmm). The Smith & Woodhouse I don't have, so hoping to get, especially for the price.
As for high prices for California, I cringe at what they will charge when the 2001 come out.
quote:Originally posted by baird6869: Lastly, would someone please buy probably the last remaining bottle of Louis XIII Cognac for $1599.00???? I am sick of seeing that stupid picture at the back of every catalogue!
Lol baird! So true! They really need to get rid of that stock.
As for bringing more wine to the offline this weekend - please no! We've already got 20+ wines to taste! Don't worry, there will be more offlines to open more bottles.
Oh, and carried ... don't let bman hear you say that there's such a thing as too much Port!
I already have more port than Bman, and I'm younger. Mind you, I am not buying older ports (to expensive or dissappointing..re:85's) like him, and I don't have access to BBR in London like he does.
Actually, I may get 2 or 3 bottles of the 2000 Foxes Island Pinot Noir from New Zealand. Had a bottle of the 98 a few years ago and really enjoyed it, and the price has stayed the same @ $32.
It appears I detect some interest in future offlines. I love the ways you guys are thinking.
As for the new classics release, I haven't really studied it yet, but there's nothing that's jumping out at me. Too bad they didn't offer the Palmers all the way to '82. I'd be interested to see what they'd offer it at. Upon release, the '82 Palmer was $40. Gosh, I must be getting old since I sound like my father talking about the price of bread in the '30's.
Stay away from the Gaja Mags, they are all mine!!!
I might buy some Two Hands Sophie's Garden just to try it and Maybe some Capezzana Ghiaie Della Furba. The second might be hard to get due to thet damn 94point WS rating in the catalogue. Beyond that, probably a few bottles of 2000 Smith Woodhouse VP. Yay!!!!!! It might be a cheap order for a change. I don't see any Beaucastel Mags which broke the bank last time
Remember my tip.... To ensure you get the hard to find wines you really want, send in duplicate orders under the name of your spouse, kid, dog, hamster, turtle, etc.
I looked through it and see some aussie's i like, the prices on the cos' are silly. i think the 99 leoville las case has gone down by 10.00 to 169.00. Slan will know for sure.Not motivated by these crazy prices. see you guys at the offline
Don't blame me for your wine budget! I just make "suggestions!"
Slan,
I plan on ordering a six-pack of each of the Gaja 750s and at least one large format bottle of each as well. Gotta keep that fantasy vertical going somehow!
As for working ... well ... I'm AT work, but the majority of time today has been spent doing a few things for the offline. I'm a good multitasker, really!
quote:Originally posted by drthvader: i think the 99 leoville las case has gone down by 10.00 to 169.00. Slan will know for sure.
You're right. It's still an outrageous price, though, likely because it was a Top 10 wine on the WS Top 100 of 2002. I have a bunch that I bought for less than half that a couple of years ago (I paid US$57, or about C$74)!
We've already got 20+ wines to taste! Don't worry, there will be more offlines to open more bottles.
