Some producers from the ’60s-’70s still going strong

Remember Louis Martini, E&J Gallo, Inglenook, Sebastiani? Come on, now. There were times in the 1960s and ‘70s that these were top sellers of high-quality California wine. A brief anecdote comes to mind. I placed a Gallo Reserve Cab on the Garden (Ocean City) wine list in 1978. Many of the waitstaff and I had sampled it at a tasting, and it outshone several top Cali Cab names of the day, such as: Mondavi, Raymond, Knights Valley, Rodney Strong and Silver Oak, for half the price. For those who don’t remember the era, many of today’s top names were nonexistent or grape sellers, fruit, vegetable and dairy farmers, and owners of raw, mountainous, no-value land. It was the least expensive Cab by several bucks at $11. Although the staff recommended it with their personal endorsements, we sold few. One of the waitrons said raise its price; it is too good to believe. We gave it a try, raising to $17, and sure enough, the sales took off. 

Louis Martini Monte Rosso Cab 2014 is a bargain under $75 today, McD 91 points. We’ve come a long way, baby. Huge black cherry, earth and barrel spice nose, opens on the palate to raspberries, blackberries, fig and mocha flavors. Round, full body resolves to a long, clean finish with the flavors persisting. Another label, Louis Martini Sonoma County Cab 2015, 89 McD under $14, sold out on Amazon in a few days.

Raymond is still around and now bearing Reserve on one label. Consistently rates 88-90 points and always fairly priced around $40, cheap for Napa Cabs. The 2015 won double gold at San Fran Chronicle 2018, 90 McD. The 2014 was labeled 40th Anniversary, not Reserve. Hype drove the price to $85, but reality has brought it back to $39; it’s a great buy at $40. Their top of line is the Generations label, which will run you about $120. The 2014 was rated 93, but I think the consensus 90-point 2015 is a better wine. On the down low, Raymond R Collection Cab 2016 is a wonderful way to scratch Raymond’s profile without risking too much. The 2016, $12, 88 McD is a steal under $14. Attributes of Raymond, which I admire, include consistent, always fairly priced and covers most pocketbooks.

Please fight the shift to digital currency, credit and debit cards, and devices like PayPal employed by your phones and the internet. Trust me on this; it appears the move to digital has allowed the Euro countries to actually deploy negative interest rates. In Germany, on large deposits, businesses pay -.005 or -.5 percent for the banks to “watch” your cash. In the U.S. it is little better. Inflation is running at 2 percent, and the banks are paying less than 2 percent on deposits. Before pigs are slaughtered, they are herded into pens. Before savers are slaughtered with negative rates, they are herded into digital accounts from which there may be no escape. Many pundits claim if cash is eliminated, there is a place that savers can avoid confiscation and state surveillance – hard currency (gold, silver etc). Obviously, they are unaware that FDR closed the “gold window” and Tricky Dick repudiated the gold backing of the $, both by fiat and basically overnight. On edit, this may read like a conspiracy nut wrote it. Take a look at recent news from California where the power was turned off by PG&E due to threat of fires. A cyber mess ensued. 

Those with no time to read who wish to learn about bankers and the Fed can start their holiday early by watching “It’s a Wonderful Life,” a terrific tear-jerking, heartwarmer of a film. Today’s world is filled with nasty lenders and Mr. Potters. We name them Sallie Mae, Navient, FED or IMF, ECU, EMI; EMU, ESCB; BoJ; Zhōngguó Rénmín Yínhángnd and RBI today. Close readers know them as Greenspan, Bernanke, Yellen, Powell; Yi Gang; Dimon; Scharff; Lagarde, arrested for fraud; Strauss Kahn, arrested for sexual charges; Barroso; von Rompuy; Buzek; Rajan, to name a few of the worst. Serious readers will note there is absolutely no authority in the U.S. Fed charter to allow them to consider worldwide rates in policy decisions. Sorry, gang, but there ain’t no George Bailey anymore. Best to grab a glass of Port, smoke an Upman Magnum 50 and heed Pa Bailey’s trite comment, “All you can take with you is that which you’ve given away.”