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Garagiste Mystery Wine #4

mneeley490mneeley490Member
Garagiste put this out about 90 minutes ago.

"...which brings us to today’s behemoth of a beverage.

I think the “hype” surrounding the Mystery Wine Series has been played over and over and we should just cut to the chase with this. I’ve listened to some of your complaints regarding previous Mystery offers and I went to the source to gain permission with this wine regarding exactly what I could and could not reveal. Without coming across as overzealous, the very fact that we have this wine at $19.99 is a complete and utter joke. To prove this to myself, I drove around this morning to a number of the Emerald City’s finest wine shops (cloaked in a trench coat and mask of course) and the exact same wine (previous, inferior vintage) sells for $64.99-$79.99..and it was almost sold out.

When I began to discuss the potential of offering this as a Mystery Wine (with the powers that be), the Mystery Wine price was going to be $39.99 – basically half, which was more than I thought we were going to see in discount, especially because it was 2007. Fast forward several months and we are down to a price that is, as noted above, a joke.

In addition, I'm not going to say this is a better deal than Mystery #1 or #2, etc (they are all good deals) but this wine is quite different than the rest. Where #1 has polish and obvious breed in the fruit department, today’s Mystery #4 takes no prisoners – it pushes you down and has an enjoyable time stomping on your desire for “no mas!”. In other words, this is a big wine that is going to wow the cognoscenti.

But that’s not all.

Despite its massive presence, I can reveal that this winery's body of work (and previous, recent incarnations of this exact wine) have been among the highest rated ever in Washington State by a world renown critic that favors classicism over exoticism. In fact, (if my research is correct), this winery has never received less than 92pts for any wine, from any vintage (from the same critic). I cannot reveal if this wine has a score or what the score is – that would make it far too easy to research. In other words, this is serious stock we’re talking about and it has the best of both worlds – old meshed with new, which is not easy to find domestically.

...and now to the fun part - our margin is razor thin on this and I’m not going to belabor the point any further, I'm just going to hit the “send” button and run for cover....

Oh yeah, this is 2007 – one of the best vintages in a long time. Side by side with the previous vintage mentioned above – this is like a Green Beret next to an ROTC candidate...and it’s bottled with cork (not a screw cap).

Best deal ever? (sorry, I couldn’t help myself)

2007 Mystery Wine #4 (Bordeaux Blend/Columbia Valley) - $19.99
(compare at $65-80+)

FIRST COME FIRST SERVED up to 72/person until we run out (if it gets out of control, I will instruct Niki to allocate but get your requests in ASAP – we will invoice in the order the emails come to her “in” box)....GO!"

------------------------------------------
I've put in my order and have my fingers crossed. Any guesses? Missed out on the last 3.

So Jon mentions that Mystery Wine #1 was
2007 Sleight of Hand Renegade Wine Thieves Reserve. Pretty nice. Anyone get #2 and #3 yet?
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S spoMember
Mneely, Sleight of Hand Renegade Wine Thieves Reserve is the name that the mystery wine was marketed under from the start. It is supposed to be a famous and expensive wine, but I don't think he can reveal it.

I bought 2 Renegade Wine Thieves. 2 Script and Seal. 1 Cote Rotie Elogie and I requested one of the current offer. If you got to your email within 90 minutes you should be good.

I love the idea and hope Garagiste keeps making these $10-$20 Washington reds available to us.
F flopMember
quote:
Originally posted by mneeley490:
Anyone get #2 and #3 yet?


Yeah, I picked up my three bottles of Script & Seal (#2?) last week and tried one almost immediately. I didn't take any notes, but I remember it being good, but not great - for $10, I didn't bitch too much.

I'll save one for whenever the Seattle crew gets off our collective behinds and gets an off-line going.
S spoMember
Mneely, I was under the impression that Sleight of Hand and Renegade Wine Theives was both Trey Busch but this wine was coming from a famous winery.

I posted teh first offer below for you to look at.

#####################################################################################

Dear Friends,

I’ve been wracking my brain to think of a better offer than this (domestically speaking) but I don’t think we’ve ever had one. So here goes...

All hyperbole aside, this is the most exciting domestic red wine offer we’ve ever had. How’s that for a lead-in?

How do I summarize today’s offer? You can read the following blog article for a hint:
http://www.vinography.com/arch...age_in_the_cali.html

Being in the right place at the right time can pay dividends and there are times when it’s the only explanation for something special.

The only reason we have this today is because we’re here in Washington State with our ears to the ground. There was a rumor that a very prominent (famous?) winery in our state was quietly looking to sell a portion of their 2007 flagship wine to drum up funds (see blog above). The economy has hurt everyone but I never thought I’d see the day when THIS winery needed to raise money by underselling their wine. In no uncertain terms, this is one of the crème-de-la-crème entrants in our state with a style that is definitive. I’ve agreed under penalty of flogging to never reveal the name of the winery so don’t even ask – one taste of the wine and many of you will be able to guess. Keep in mind, this is not declassified wine – it is their exact top-drawer 2007 Bordeaux blend that retails (even on
discount) for $50-75 (maybe it’s over $100 this year). That’s the only information I can give you.

Which brings us to Renegade Wine Thieves.

The name says it all.

Trey Busch had an idea: the economy is bad, wineries need money and there’s going to be an emerging market for a “negociant” that can help drum up funds for top-quality wineries in need of assistance.
When a third party has something they wish to sell but does not (ever) wish the public to know what it is (for fear of losing their delicate brand image) Renegade Wine Thieves steps in and puts their own cork in and label on the wine. Trey has dabbled with this concept over the past few years (its not his day job – Slight of Hand is) and he’s bottled a few lots of Cabernet, Merlot and a Red Table Wine (that sells for around $8) but this is his first really big score and something tells me it’s only the first of many to come. When the big guns realize they can do this without taking an image hit, Trey’s phone is going to light up.

Let’s start with this wine, one that is among the elite in Washington State.

2007 was a great vintage in Walla Walla just as it was in Napa. The wines have a depth and intensity that many will swoon over. So, I have in my hand today’s 2007 labeled as “Renegade Wine Thieves” and the exact same 2007 with the “other” label. I poured both into a stem and tasted them over 24 and then 48 hours – they are identical (which I already knew). I did the math and the “other” wine would sell for $67.80 from us (at a very slim margin) so probably more like
$69.71 - the Renegade labeled wine is...

$16.94

This is not April Fools Day.

While I rarely purchase domestic Cabernet or Merlot-based wine for my own cellar, I do have a long history of experience with domestic wines and I know a standout when I taste it. Simply put, this wine is a stunner. It has class, nobility, length and that special something that displays an obvious pedigree. It’s balanced and poised, feminine but still tannic and full of northern power (despite low-moderate alcohol). There’s no “creamsicle” or in-your-face quality and the wood alone on this wine was outrageously expensive (it was vinified in the finest cooperage). Like all of the best examples - there is nothing forced – it doesn't need to. With gorgeous length and very pure, deep dark fruit and spice tones left on the palate, the wine unfolds over several days and each encounter makes you believe in its breed with even more certainty. I’m not even sure what the Bordeaux varietal mix is - they don’t want that revealed or it would be too easy to figure out what the wine is.

What I do know is that there’s a difference between the first-growth quality wines in Washington State and everything else – this wine proves that adage without batting an eye. I was so impressed with it, I purchased a case for my mom, a case for my sister and five cases for myself (when was the last time you head me say that about anything, let alone a domestic wine?). I’m always looking for something like this in my cellar for certain dinner guests and I will put this wine up on a pedestal as the finest $16+ wine of its type in the US – you can quote me on that and I will take all the punches.

Simply stunning – no hyperbole, no gimmicks – it is what it is.

For those of you scrambling to find this on the open market – it doesn’t exist. This is a single parcel and single bottling – it is not available on the open market and none will be offered to the wholesale or retail trade. If you’re still trying to figure out what the wine is, maybe a blind tasting of the best 2007 wines in our state will do the trick? Put this in the line-up, and it will probably be obvious (I would decant it for 1-2 hours).

VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED (see all of the above)

This wine has impeccable provenance directly from the source:

*2007 “Mystery Wine” Columbia Valley (Renegade Wine Thieves) - $16.94*

(compare at $60-75+; this is not the Red Table Wine, that is a widely distributed cuvee at $7.80)

FIRST COME FIRST SERVED up to 84/person (7 cases maximum) until we run out
BRRBRRMember
quote:
Originally posted by flop:
quote:
Originally posted by BRR:
So, if one wasn't exactly signed up on the Garagiste email list, how would one go about ordering this Mystery Wine? I'm looking at their site, but I don't see anything. Hypothetically.


You don't. They only sell through the mailing list.


Thanks, flop. Are you buying any of this one?
eltoroeltoroMember
quote:
Originally posted by flop:
quote:
Originally posted by BRR:
So, if one wasn't exactly signed up on the Garagiste email list, how would one go about ordering this Mystery Wine? I'm looking at their site, but I don't see anything. Hypothetically.


You don't. They only sell through the mailing list.


you can try to e-mail niki@garagistewine.com
F flopMember
quote:
Originally posted by BRR:
quote:
Originally posted by flop:
quote:
Originally posted by BRR:
So, if one wasn't exactly signed up on the Garagiste email list, how would one go about ordering this Mystery Wine? I'm looking at their site, but I don't see anything. Hypothetically.


You don't. They only sell through the mailing list.


Thanks, flop. Are you buying any of this one?


No, I passed on this one. Looks like we'll have to commandeer mneeley's!
eltoroeltoroMember
I agree - this suddenly makes potentially some very high end WA wines that I might not otherwise be interested in very accessible to me. He's (Jon) kinda doing a Cameron Hughes sort of approach here that seems to be working exactly as planned - i.e. put a low price on it, hide what it is, and sell it fast. Brilliant.
eltoroeltoroMember
quote:
Originally posted by Gundam:
Order 6 #4 from my 09 Future surplus budget, turns out that 1 bottle of Latour will turn into 2-3 mixed cases.
yeah I also think it is Andrew will. Only Quilceda and Cayuse flashed thru my mind, but they doesn't exactly match either.


Well is not Cayuse strictly Syrah? Or most of the top scoring ones are - and that's not a Bordeaux blend so I eliminated Cayuse as an option.
mneeley490mneeley490Member
quote:
Originally posted by flop:

No, I passed on this one. Looks like we'll have to commandeer mneeley's!

I ordered 4. We'll have to see if I get any first.
My thoughts were that it might be the Andrew Will Sorella. AW has quietly moved a ton of their ‘07 Annie Camarda Syrah to the retail market for a fraction of its original price.
M mjraicaMember
quote:
Originally posted by mneeley490:
quote:
Originally posted by mjraica:
confirmed for 3! I really need to block Jon's emails for a while; I have something like 16 bottles waiting to be picked up and around 50 on pre-arrival...

My four are confirmed. Of course, I just picked up two mixed cases last week...then dropped by Esquin for another. Roll Eyes


Yeah, Garagiste and Esquin in the same neighborhood is a bad mix...

I agree with BRR, we need to get the Seattle crew together! Mystery wine tasting?
eltoroeltoroMember
quote:
Originally posted by Prasm:
I missed out on my request for 3 bottles of Mystery Wine #4 Frown

But as a result I was offered first shot at Mystery Wine #5 - a 2007 Cabernet from Columbia Valley for $19.99 (retails for $75-85+). I'm confirmed for 3 bottles Smile


Wait so...you're saying they're gonna announce another Mystery Wine? I'll say it too "great..."
P prasmMember
Here's the email I received from Nicki after I didn't get any of the Mystery Wine #4:

Mystery Wine #4 is now sold out...

..but, for those of you that did not receive #4, Jon is offering a sneak peak at Mystery Wine #5, ahead of everyone else (to make sure you receive an allocation).

Mystery Wine #5 is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the same fantastic 2007 vintage in Columbia Valley – in previous years it received among the highest ratings on all of Washington State. It normally sells for $75-85+ and is sure to be one of the fastest moving Mystery Wines we’ve offered (because it’s 100% Cabernet). This wine is slated for release around July 30th.

Maximum of 24/person (whatever remains will be offered to the general email list in July).

Please let me know at your very earliest convenience:

2007 Mystery Wine #5 - $19.99
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