I’m in!
The winery website offers this wine for $58 per bottle:
http://shop.wattlecreek.com/product.php?productid=91&cat=64&page=1
I think a wine has shown up for $25 a bottle on a Black Tie Buy. It seems to be this and that, I don’t think there’s an actual target. I’d say at least $20-25 though.
Black Tie Buys do seem to show up on Tue-Wed so maybe this is an expensive week and an even more ‘classy’ bottle will show up?
Regardless, I’m in for one.
My brother went to Australia and came back with the same opinion. I’ll have to try that Penfold’s. I should caveat that my experience has only been with the mid range Shiraz.
That is not this wine.
[How good is this deal?](http://bit.ly/dHn1wV" title="How good is this deal?)
Basically, buy-one-get-one, based on the 2007 vintage price (which is the currently available vintage on their site).
Click the link above for full discount details, links, etc.
Sounds much like the highest compliment in some quarters to the very best American Pinot Noir - that they’re not “American” but Burgundian (whether that accolade is given to a handful of Willamette Valley wines, a smaller handful of CA producers, or only the wunderkind Rhys).
By reputation Grange is Australia’s greatest by a considerable margin, no? This iconic juice is a bit pricey these days… was it within reach of mortals back in the day?
I guess I won’t be trying it anytime soon!
I think the reason for the BTB pricing inconsistency is that the BT monkey label is based on winery pricing not the woot price. Someone else can research this, as I am busy at work. maybe $50+ a bottle from the winery?
what he said…
When it was first introduced to the US in late 1982 or early 1983, I think it wholesaled for about $20 or $25 a bottle, so that was a $30-$40 retail price in New York. The wine was first imported to the US by Frederick Wildman & Sons. I was fortunate enough to be at the vertical tasting in which the wine was introduced to the trade in New York. I think the '59 or the '58 was the oldest we had, as well as several of the wines several from the '60s and '70s. The vintage available for retailers to order was 1977, which was a good year in Australia, but a hard sell in New York because it was such a poor year in France and in California.
I had also had several vintages in the mid-1970s when I was on active duty - we had an Australian exchange officer in our department who was a remarkable fellow and a very serious, very knowledgeable, wine aficionado. He had private means, and used his ability to buy wine as part of government diplomatic buying for embassies to showcase Australian products, and bring the wine into the US through the diplomatic pouch. He brought in many cases of Grange Hermitage, including some of the legendary 1955, which I was lucky enough to taste on a few occasions.
He and I had very nice exchanges, as I provided him with such things as 1935 Simi Cabernet, 1955 Martini and Iglenook, and several Beaulieu, Inglenook, Martini and Krug Cabernets from the 1960s which were out of their slumbers and heading for, or into, their peaks.
BTW, the most Burgundian tasting California Pinot Noir I’ve had in recent years has been the Buena Vista Ramal Reserve Pinot Noir, which both 2008 and 2010 Tourists had the pleasure of tasting at the winery. With a couple of years of bottle age now, I’d put the 2005 up against any comparably aged premier cru Burgundy with complete confidence it would show as at least the Burgundy’s equal.
[BTW, the most Burgundian tasting California Pinot Noir I’ve had in recent years has been the Buena Vista Ramal Reserve Pinot Noir, which both 2008 and 2010 Tourists had the pleasure of tasting at the winery. With a couple of years of bottle age now, I’d put the 2005 up against any comparably aged premier cru Burgundy with complete confidence it would show as at least the Burgundy’s equal.
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Just out of curiosity - have you tasted any of the Littorai Pinot Noir?
rpm,
Do you have any comments on the '06 Buena Vista Carneros Pinot?
Joe
The Ramal is considerably better. I tasted the Ramal Pinot in their tasting room and it was fantastic! I have a bottle of their standard bottle which I have not tasted yet but here is a tasting note from our beloved Richard whom I trust to provide a good enough review.
"Tasted by richardhod on 2/22/2011 & rated 88 points: Decent enough pinot, with body, but not that much finesse. Not a huge power pinot though: has some PN flavour without going OTT. Perhaps needs a little longer, or the 06 may have been too warm a year. Prefer the outstanding Ramal series a lot more "
Hey mandoo,
Don’t forget that Cesare’s hosting the next NYC Woot Tasting at their place on the 16th.
Same goes for any of you other NYCrew who haven’t been to one in awhile (or not at all yet). 
This one, you might actually enjoy. I’d be in for one, but I’m tapped.
Pretty much what Richard said in the post following yours to which I am replying. BTW, that means it’s better than 80% of supposedly decent Pinot on the market - think of it as a generic Burgundy or lesser known Villages wine, not a cru. The Ramal is a seriously different animal.
As well it should be, for the cost difference? Thanks very much for the input…it sounds like a try/buy at under $20.
Joe
Bevmo carries it for $20.
I think its a try-one at that price.
I think the BevMo price is $22.50 and there’s $10 off $50 coupons…so that’ll work if it’s better than 80% of the decent P.N. out there!
Joe