But don’t you need a new cab to replace the old one in the cellar? That way you have another nice, aged, Napa Cab waiting for you.
I couldn’t spring for 3lbs, so I bought 0.5lb at Wegman’s. Good cheese – glad I learned about it. Glad I didn’t get 3lbs though as there is no way it would all get eaten around my house.
So … Calistoga Cellars? Clearly, as has been said, the 2004 is the wine we are really buying here. Anyone know much about the producer? Is this really a $40 wine that we can’t even buy outside of the tasting room, or is it priced like the just because it is exclusive?
I am likely in for one or two if this is really truly a wine worth $40, but the lack of tasting makes it tricky to know. No one out there seems to have a good (as in reliable) rating for this one.
Thoughts?
Most Napa single vineyard cabs sell for at least $45 so this is probably a “good deal” from the retail price. Personally, it is more than I like to spend on wine but I bet they are excellent wines.
These are very good 92+ wines and typical of California Cabs. Probably not a bad deal if you usually buy these since they appear to be very limited production that you won’t find in your local store. I drink the 88’s LOL
Can’t justify more $30 bottles of wine this time. W.W needs to take a break and offer up a nice quartet or something, the recent trend for the past few months has been expensive duos which are a great departure from the typical wine offerings.
You can’t count PA Wine & Spirits. That’s the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board’s retail arm and it’s officially the largest retail buyer of alcohol in the country (and one of the largest in the world).
They have the ability to command outrageous discounts – like Luna Canto, which normally sells for $60, for just $22 (cheaper than Luna wine club members can get it) – and thus prices that are significantly lower than average.
Besides if you’re outside of PA and buy, you get jacked pretty seriously on shipping, if they’ll ship to you at all.
iByron
I have had the regular CC napa cab and it is quite good. It is available for around $20 a bottle when I have seen it locally though. The main reason to buy this woot would be the single vineyard cab. If it is on par with the quality of wine that this winery puts forth, it is a good value because a true, single vineyard napa cab that is made well is going to run you $50 minimum…
Hah, I did the same thing from Whole Foods. $16/lb there, so was cheaper here, but…as much as I loved the cheese (we had it with some honey crisp apples), and probably would’ve been able to eat 3 lbs of it over 6 weeks, my waistline would’ve killed me.
I love cabs and am debating this one, as I finally managed to secure a shipping route, but unless I hear something really awesome about these cabs in particular, I don’t know if I can pull the trigger.
While searching for some info on this wine, I came across this article about Roger Louer in his alumni mag.
Yeah, I wasn’t able to have it shipped to NJ…though some places in PA are only about a 45 minute drive, and that bottle listed before works out to 23.31. Not worth the gas for one bottle, but more than one, probably.
What the hell is up with them charging $5 shipping and packaging when I have to go pick it up? That’s real crappy. Ah, nevermind, “Pick-up Policy:
All shipments from our central Specialty Wine and Spirits fulfillment center are express shipped by UPS to the store of your choice, usually within 1-2 days.”
Their prices on spirits (at least single malt scotch) aren’t that great either.
I’m in for one. It is pricey, but we haven’t had a bad wine yet from woot, and, as fairly novice wine drinkers, a cabernet this nice will be a whole new experience for us… with that said, I’d love to have the chance to order a quartet of something.
Also, the Honeycrisp apples from Whole Foods (as mentioned above) are beyond good. They are the Platonic Ideal of an apple, IMHO.
it would be interesting to know the winemaker’s thoughts/reasons for the different blending amounts in between the two vintages. for the 2004, does the 2% merlot and 1% ps really have much of an impact. and the 15% merlot in the 2005 must soften it up but why so much here? thanks.
You can never have too many Napa Valley cabs, I always say. I’m in and I’m in early, with fingers crossed for Labrat status. Fingers crossed worked for Michigan to beat Michigan State on Saturday and, well, the Detroit Lions are 6-2 now, so I’m on a roll…
As much as I shouldn’t have, I got one of these earlier. It would be cool to attain labrat status, since I’m usually too poor to get these and have to debate for a few days (sparkling will always be the exception). crosses fingers
o(^^o) (o^^)o o(^^o) (o^^)o
Oh, and related to juvy woot…my BOC appears to have been misplaced… It left New Berlin, WI and arrived Belleville, MI on Nov. 2nd, but Then it mysteriously left New Berlin, WI again on Nov. 3rd. Unless it’s multiple packages, someone ate something exceptionally hallucinogenic. Whatever it is, methinks I’d like some.
Seems overpriced to me.
actually, the one i found is the single vineyard…or at least appears to be.
1% PS is 99% better than 0% PS. Ponder that!!!
Also, the best winemaker in Israel, Yair Margalit (who, incidentally, was trained at UCD and is the author of some – from what I hear – widely-used textbooks) regularly adds up to 15% Perfect Sin to his Cabernet Special Reserve.
Alright. I am in for two. And rushing just a bit on this so I can cross my fingers, toes, arms, legs, an eyes on labrat this week. Would it help if I get my hair crossed in dread locks?
I love a good cab, and based on comments so far, it sounds like this one can’t hardly miss. I’m happy to test it out for everyone, though, should the wine gods (you know who you are) smile down on me this week.
Yep, I need a labrat to tell talk me into this one.