Buy a train car load of terrific Napa Cabs
Interesting Fourth. Glad we’re all alive. Proper site selection allowed some to view the fireworks of Dewey, Bethany and Millsboro on Saturday and from Rehoboth, Sunday, without the snarled traffic, crowds and loud noises. Location may be deduced but “I ain't talking and Siri don’t know.”
Mentioning “figuring it out” calls Go Figure Napa Cab, 2012 to mind. Recent ads provoked this caveat. GF is very enjoyable; advertisement was deceptive for careless readers. 2012 was an excellent year for Napa Cabs. The tout sheet extolled the vintage’s virtues, and quoted Parker awarding a 96-point score to several. GF then went on to say its juice was sourced from these grapes. They implied, therefore their wine would be terrific and it “only cost 17.99."
Trust me on this folks. If you see Napa Cab, 2012 rated 96 points for $18, buy a traincar load. As a matter of fact, if you see any red with aging potential, rated 96 points under $20, buy all you can cellar or hire a cellar.
GF makes some very good wine identified by lot numbers and vineyard locations. Rutherford lot 25 and Stags Leap lot 28 are priced in the $30 and up range. The bottling labeled just “Napa” is slightly less impressive. Probably it was produced with juice the properties deemed less impressive, possibly from younger vines or those ripened with more grapes per bunch. A very talented winemaker can work wonders, but most will eschew purchase of less desirable juice, selling it to blenders and bulkers. A good rule of thumb for wine labeling is the tighter the identity, i.e. Stags Leap Winery, plat 2, rows 6 and 7, 2012 will invariably be much higher quality, and more expensive than a broader labeling claiming Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, 2012.
I have gone on about this because I am offended when a reputable company uses its wording to sell a decent product. All that said, GF Napa is a decent wine at a fair price; $17.99/bottle with $20 off/case. Go here to read an excellent Steve Heimoff article in Wine Enthusiast, if you wish more info on Napa, sub appellations etc. http://www.winemag.com/May-2013/Dissecting-Napa-Valley-Cabernet-Sauvignon/ Please read the entire paper ads and all first.
Big buck buyers beware. Many are touting the Marchese Antinori Solaia Tuscana IGT 2011 and 12s, highly rated and priced about $200-220. Neither is ready until minimum 2020. You can easily find the 2004 rated higher at $235. Its window is 2014- 30. If your wine guy is looking out for you, a case will be discounted. and he can still make a fair profit.
Be very careful if you are speculating. The price performance on these is sketchy. The equally highly touted 1997s are in the heart of their window. Their price has been declining since 1/11 from a high of $456 to $380 in May 2015, and I’ve seen them at $340 and still moving down.
If you haven’t already marked your calendar, don’t forget the First Southern Delaware Wine, Food and Music Festival during Jazz Fest, Oct. 17 at Independence off Route. 5.
This event is shaping up to be a stunner. It will benefit Lewes-Rehoboth Meals on Wheels and Rotary’s Polio Eradication effort. As with all charity events, many hands make light work and added sponsors means a larger donation to charities. If you are interested in joining me there at my wine evaluation class, or joining the effort, please mail Stacy Fulton at stacyfulton77@gmail. She is the Grand Poobah of organizers.
Americans’ alcohol intake from beer fell nearly 10 percent from 2003 through 2013. Consumption of wine and spirits rose however, contributing to an overall increase in alcohol consumption among Americans 21 years and over.
The average drinking age adult consumed the equivalent of 2.46 gallons of pure ethanol alcohol from all types of beers in 2013; 1.25 gallons came from beer. This from 24/7 Wall Street.
I think this is also being driven by the huge price increases engendered by the boutique beer business and the carbonation effect, which buzzes you much more quickly, with many of these high-octane beers Read more here: http://247wallst.com/special-report/2015/06/30/states-where-people-drink-the-most-beer/2/.
Email John McDonald at chjonmc@yahoo.com.
