tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6745003136564123305.post839566382826648789..comments2024-03-22T00:35:12.415-07:00Comments on HoseMaster of Wine™: It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World of Pinot Noir--PART ONERon Washam, HMWhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11238869156614617705noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6745003136564123305.post-87023019689908509342015-03-14T02:22:12.348-07:002015-03-14T02:22:12.348-07:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Bob Henryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02089688073031173053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6745003136564123305.post-88458596174767865452015-03-13T07:55:52.987-07:002015-03-13T07:55:52.987-07:00Mel,
More than once a producer brought me a sackfu...Mel,<br />More than once a producer brought me a sackful of single-vineyard Pinot Noirs that had far more in common than they had meaningful differences. No harm in that. I always assumed they had a wine club to keep happy. And if you give your wine club 20% off the price, it's best to have a single-vineyard wine that's marked up at least 20%.<br /><br />Pink will have to wait. I mean, please, I just had a baby with Beyonce, I'm kinda busy.<br /><br />Jancis sends me secret crush emails. Don't tell anyone.<br /><br />Bob,<br />Nope. No Family Winemakers. They're safe.Ron Washam, HMWhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11238869156614617705noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6745003136564123305.post-66767696374403472422015-03-13T02:08:24.872-07:002015-03-13T02:08:24.872-07:00Is Hoser extending his "road show" by co...Is Hoser extending his "road show" by covering Sunday's Family Winemakers of California trade and consumer tasting in Pomona?Bob Henryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02089688073031173053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6745003136564123305.post-71244919897507931682015-03-12T21:50:51.526-07:002015-03-12T21:50:51.526-07:00Also, as I rccall, Jancis never mentioned your nam...Also, as I rccall, Jancis never mentioned your name..it was Pink who wanted to dance with you...Mel Knoxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06749071739011190421noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6745003136564123305.post-15209675278502904982015-03-12T21:49:29.021-07:002015-03-12T21:49:29.021-07:00There was a study in the Journal of Wine Economics...There was a study in the Journal of Wine Economics some time ago. The author said that the more specific the location, the more you could charge.<br /><br />Sean Thackrey, among others, has speculated that better wine could be made with regional blending...Economically this idea stinks.<br /><br />Mel Knoxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06749071739011190421noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6745003136564123305.post-89012360399074620532015-03-12T20:26:03.342-07:002015-03-12T20:26:03.342-07:00Bob,
From what I know, the really famous and great...Bob,<br />From what I know, the really famous and great vineyards often insist a winemaker make a vintage or two from their grapes, and if they like the wines, they then allow the winery to put the name of the vineyard on the label. I could be wrong.<br /><br />Yes, I understand your point. My point was that simply because you put a vineyard on your label, one not as famous and Pisoni or To Kalon, that doesn't justify a higher price, and shouldn't justify higher expectations from the consumer. Far too often, it's just a vineyard name, not a guarantee of greatness or distinctiveness. But you know that.<br /><br />I still own some Summa Old Vines. It's not "the finest California Pinot Noir I have ever had the pleasure of drinking," but it's damned tasty. <br /><br />Unlike Mr. Meadows, I'm sure mine wasn't a fake... Though I gave the empty bottle to Dr. Conti.Ron Washam, HMWhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11238869156614617705noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6745003136564123305.post-66410341169256277682015-03-12T19:06:16.080-07:002015-03-12T19:06:16.080-07:00Ron,
You are in rare company: having tasted River...Ron,<br /><br />You are in rare company: having tasted Rivers-Marie Summa Vineyard Old Vines Pinot Noir -- and singing its praises.<br /><br />Quoting PinotFile:<br /><br />“Perhaps the finest California Pinot I have ever had the pleasure of drinking.”<br /><br />~~ Allen Meadows (Burghound) on 2004 Rivers-Marie Summa Vineyard Old Vines Pinot Noir<br /><br />(Source: Summa Vineyard | The PinotFile: Volume 9, Issue 9)Bob Henryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09099196210297757292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6745003136564123305.post-47482333012326430412015-03-12T19:00:10.149-07:002015-03-12T19:00:10.149-07:00Hoser,
Single vineyard designations could be at t...Hoser,<br /><br />Single vineyard designations could be at the insistence of the vineyard owner -- as a form of "co-branding."<br /><br />If you wish to work with (say) Pisoni Vineyard Pinot Noir or To-Kalon Cabernet fruit, you may have to put that name on your label.<br /><br />The high price of that contract fruit leads to high-priced wines:<br /><br />“The Beckstoffer pricing formula calls for the price of a ton of To Kalon Cabernet grapes to equal 100 times the current retail price of a bottle. (This is true of all his heritage vineyards.) For example, if a bottle of Paul Hobbs Beckstoffer To Kalon Cabernet Sauvignon costs $250 (as it did at my local store) then Mr. Hobbs paid $25,000 for a ton of the fruit plus a base amount per acre that may vary. By contrast, the average price per ton of (average) Napa Cabernet is just north of $4,000.”<br /><br />(Source: Wall Street Journal "On Wine" column titled “The Most Powerful Grower in Napa.")<br /><br />~~ BobBob Henryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09099196210297757292noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6745003136564123305.post-48489944232415750742015-03-12T16:08:37.119-07:002015-03-12T16:08:37.119-07:00Mel,
It was nice to finally meet you as well. I di...Mel,<br />It was nice to finally meet you as well. I did my level best to duck meeting anyone who had heard of the HoseMaster, for obvious reasons. I get sick of the adulation. Pink at the somm party? Serves 'em right.<br /><br />Gabe,<br />Don't misunderstand me. I have no gripe with putting a vineyard name on a label. My gripe is with pretending every damned vineyard has something to say that warrants a bunch more money on the price tag. It's preposterous, and tiresome. And it makes those who use vineyard designates carefully and deservedly look like chumps.<br /><br />You should start WOGV in Oregon. A gas station rest room ought to be enough room.<br /><br />John,<br />I haven't any idea what WOPN expected from me in terms of my writing, but they had the courage to just see what would happen. I appreciate that. I'll repeat, it was as well-run an event as I've ever attended. That's high praise, in my book. Kudos to them. My opinions about the wines, the venue, Pinot Noir and everything else have little to do with their wonderful event. Any consumer, and I mean any consumer, regardless of wine knowledge, would enjoy it.<br /><br />I doubt anyone is worried about Part 2, honestly. I just have my own jaded, comic point of view. I'm not Alder, I'm not 1WineDoody, I'm not Elaine Hawkity-Wawkity. I like wine to be fun and to be a bit more forthright about stuff most writers conveniently ignore. It does make me unwelcome, sometimes, but I don't care. I'm not building a career, I'm ruining one.Ron Washam, HMWhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11238869156614617705noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6745003136564123305.post-19703842882546169012015-03-12T09:41:45.497-07:002015-03-12T09:41:45.497-07:00Ron,
I guaranty you that the WOPN folks are passin...Ron,<br />I guaranty you that the WOPN folks are passing your piece around. I suspect that your review will be recognized as more honest and interesting than anything else that has been or is being written about WOPN. I also suspect that they are worried sick about Part 2. Inviting you must be like base jumping.<br />JohnFentonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17689456937090128398noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6745003136564123305.post-59693077612965854132015-03-12T09:38:41.590-07:002015-03-12T09:38:41.590-07:00Ron,
I dig your foray into traditional journalism...Ron,<br /><br />I dig your foray into traditional journalism. I can't imagine what the "wine reviews" blog post is going to look like.<br /><br />And while I don't disagree with your assessment of single vineyard wines and the sales/marketing angle, I will say that giving a wine single-vineyard status does give wineries that purchase fruit the opportunity to recognize the vineyard that does half the work in the winemaking process.<br /><br />As for the IPNC invitation, I don't think that my endorsement would get you any closer to a press pass. But if you do ever come out the the valley, I would be happy to give you a tour of our growing list of wineries producing gruner veltliner (don't worry, you can wash your mouth out with pinot noir).Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13849290999060380035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6745003136564123305.post-83848030279734712372015-03-12T09:24:23.954-07:002015-03-12T09:24:23.954-07:00Ron,
When Jancis, Nick and I were partying with P...Ron,<br /><br />When Jancis, Nick and I were partying with Pink at the Somm party, she kept asking Brian Talley where you were.<br /><br />Of course, for me the highlight of the weekend was meeting the Hosemaster himself along with Alder Yarrow and Alan Goldfarb. Unfortunately Don Neel was attending debutante parties in Rio so he did not join us.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12202797971043380941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6745003136564123305.post-84132764960113936062015-03-12T08:35:51.104-07:002015-03-12T08:35:51.104-07:00Mark,
OK, everybody write to IPNC and get the Hose...Mark,<br />OK, everybody write to IPNC and get the HoseMaster invited. <br /><br />Yeah, that'll happen.Ron Washam, HMWhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11238869156614617705noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6745003136564123305.post-34240352660234905792015-03-12T08:34:10.872-07:002015-03-12T08:34:10.872-07:00Alden,
I don't get a lot of invites for press ...Alden,<br />I don't get a lot of invites for press junkets. First of all, I am a Nobody, with a Capital Zero, and, secondly, who I am is the HoseMaster, a bit of a lit fuse. An importer at WOPN confided that he was surprised WOPN invited me because he never had the courage to invite me to his tastings. I guess I'm proud of that.<br /><br />As we speak, there are undoubtedly dozens of wine typers on paid junkets preparing to write the same old adulatory prose they always write. I don't blame them, though I mock them. Blogging has no financial rewards, really. Junkets seem like something you deserve. And getting recognition is addictive, and you don't want it to stop, and so you lavish praise on a lot of wine that isn't that good or interesting. And then your eight readers tell you how amazing you are when it's done.<br /><br />Weird business.<br /><br />Jim,<br />I heard she was looking all over for me. As I said, I think she was packing heat. Imagine how popular she'd be if she plugged me. <br /><br />Yes, we do have a lot not in common. For example, she's not an HMW.Ron Washam, HMWhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11238869156614617705noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6745003136564123305.post-11216556774586613472015-03-12T08:33:15.053-07:002015-03-12T08:33:15.053-07:00I couldn't agree more. Before I look at the vi...I couldn't agree more. Before I look at the vineyard, I first look at the winemaker and his particular style. As Alden said, you need to go to the IPNC. I was there in 2013 and it was incredible.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03383941809310217264noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6745003136564123305.post-91297789303929217502015-03-12T08:25:07.228-07:002015-03-12T08:25:07.228-07:00Geez, Jancis came by the MacPhail table asking for...Geez, Jancis came by the MacPhail table asking for you, if only I'd known, I would have tried to hook you up. Purple pages and all that, you have a lot not in common....Jim Caudillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09163559952765216636noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6745003136564123305.post-89328395776808934242015-03-12T08:08:12.396-07:002015-03-12T08:08:12.396-07:00I hope you get an invite up here to IPNC. Can'...I hope you get an invite up here to IPNC. Can't wait to read that one!WV.AVAshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08472507236309710814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6745003136564123305.post-83710223992198340182015-03-12T07:58:48.337-07:002015-03-12T07:58:48.337-07:00Thanks, Bryan. Hard to make this kind of thing eve...Thanks, Bryan. Hard to make this kind of thing even readable.<br /><br />Hey Bill,<br />Yup, I've had the Summa Old Vine, and I agree, it's pretty great. <br /><br />Every producer is obviously entitled to make any single vineyard designate they want. But no one ever seems to question the practice. There are often other things involved, but, it seems to me, it's primarily a way to charge more money for a wine that isn't especially fine or distinctive, just from one vineyard. It's a sucker's game.Ron Washam, HMWhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11238869156614617705noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6745003136564123305.post-64494886607408135372015-03-12T07:35:38.396-07:002015-03-12T07:35:38.396-07:00Couldn't agree more on the single vineyards, a...Couldn't agree more on the single vineyards, and how the appellation pinots usually are better. That's true of several big names. But if you ever get a chance to taste the Rivers Marie Summa Old Vine, pounce. Or maybe slurp.Bill Wardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03381183596726187448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6745003136564123305.post-35142042330295070152015-03-12T07:29:06.349-07:002015-03-12T07:29:06.349-07:00A superior piece of reportage, Hosemaster. Can...A superior piece of reportage, Hosemaster. Can't wait for further installments.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com