The Garagiste Thread (The Great Enabler) Back to Life

[Jay Winton]

We've drunk a couple of the 2003 Yarrabank Cuvee Method Traditional (Yarra Valley) sparkler and JR's comment "It is vibrant, cutting and full of the distinct mineral and varietal tone this valley is know for" is pretty accurate. Absolutely no complaints for $16.

[gene keenan]

Anybody had
1990 Schloss Schönborn Riesling Rheingau Spätlese
or the
1983 Schloss Schönborn Rüdesheimer Bischofsberg Riesling Spätlese

I want to open one on Saturday afternoon?

TIA

I popped one of the 90's in a house party setting. It must have been a flawed bottle because it was very unremarkable. Did not take the time to sit and think about it. It seems to be getting some props on CT but the notes are variable.

[Mel Hill]

thanks, I forgot about CT... I'm not a user (yet)

[gene keenan]

i use CT more for reviews than anything else. I tried using the management tool for a very short while (never completed adding my wine) and then i realized i just don't care about spending the time to track my wine inventory. i like being surprised and disappointed.

[Josh Beck]

Curious if anyone bit on the Lamy St. Aubins?

En Remilly is a great vineyard, competes well at the low end of the Chassagne 1er spectrum. Lamy is a producer I've wanted to try for a while, and 07 is a vintage that seems to have a lot of promise in white burg (premox issue aside) so I was psyched to try a couple...

[Phillip F r a n k s]

Curious if anyone bit on the Lamy St. Aubins?

En Remilly is a great vineyard, competes well at the low end of the Chassagne 1er spectrum. Lamy is a producer I've wanted to try for a while, and 07 is a vintage that seems to have a lot of promise in white burg (premox issue aside) so I was psyched to try a couple...

I had to get a bottle of each. I'm a sucker for White Burg.

[Ryan Caughey]

Anyone have any experience with recent vintages of the Bourdy just offered. Sounds intriguing.

[Andrew Hall]

Anyone have any experience with recent vintages of the Bourdy just offered. Sounds intriguing.

None. Got 4 anyway.

Waiting for my 82 and 85 in Fall.

I successfully went 13 w/o ordering anything though.


A.

[David Whitworth]

Anyone have any experience with recent vintages of the Bourdy just offered. Sounds intriguing.

None. Got 4 anyway.

Waiting for my 82 and 85 in Fall.

I successfully went 13 w/o ordering anything though.


A.

Ha. I too broke my ordering hiatus and grabbed 4 as well.

[Josh Beck]

I hadn't ordered in months but the 06 Terra di Lavoro, the 07 Lamy St Aubins and the 05 Bourdy all got me....

[Eldon Gath]

Anyone have any experience with recent vintages of the Bourdy just offered. Sounds intriguing.

Yeah, I too went for 4 of the 05 Bourdys, as maybe someday I will get my 55 to compare them to. And, unlike many of you, I managed to go an entire month without ordering anything.

[Eldon Gath]

Now, to complain: 2006 Synthese from Riberach. It is a blend of old vine Carignane, Syrah, and Grenache from the Cotes Catalanes (France). Unbelievable Garagiste write-up. NOT this wine!!! Nose of swamp water initially, mutating to old nylon carpet. Palate of ... NOTHING, followed by a 2 second finish. Just amazing plonk, beaten badly by Charles Shaw of any vintage. You would simply NOT believe the Garagiste write-up of this wine. It has had more to do with my not buying anything for the last couple of months. It is simply impossible for THIS to be THAT wine. Any of you out there bought and tried this yet? Is mine so flawed? I know it cannot be me - not this far from decent. Another French (and frankly Garagiste) disappointment. Both, quite common.

[Josh Beck]

Another French (and frankly Garagiste) disappointment. Both, quite common.

I haven't had the Synthese, Eldon, but I think all of us understand the sentiment of Garagiste wines that don't live up to the hype... such is the game with Garagiste, how many Petrus / Ramonet / Monfortino beating $13 bottles can there be in the world after all?



Personally though I probably have had the best luck buying French wines from Garagiste as opposed to other nationalities, but then again I drink and enjoy French wine on the whole (and it's a big whole) more than any other nationality.

[Cris Whetstone]

Personally though I probably have had the best luck buying French wines from Garagiste as opposed to other nationalities, but then again I drink and enjoy French wine on the whole (and it's a big whole) more than any other nationality.

I'm pretty sure we gave Eldon some warning before signing up with Garagiste. His anti-French wine strategy should have been warning enough.

[Mo K a n g]

Now, to complain: 2006 Synthese from Riberach. It is a blend of old vine Carignane, Syrah, and Grenache from the Cotes Catalanes (France). Unbelievable Garagiste write-up. NOT this wine!!! Nose of swamp water initially, mutating to old nylon carpet. Palate of ... NOTHING, followed by a 2 second finish. Just amazing plonk, beaten badly by Charles Shaw of any vintage. You would simply NOT believe the Garagiste write-up of this wine. It has had more to do with my not buying anything for the last couple of months. It is simply impossible for THIS to be THAT wine. Any of you out there bought and tried this yet? Is mine so flawed? I know it cannot be me - not this far from decent. Another French (and frankly Garagiste) disappointment. Both, quite common.

If this is not complaining, what is? Not that there is anything wrong with complaining. I have had mostly good luck with Garagiste wines, which is why I still keep buying from them. If you are getting a lot of disappointments, then your palate does not match well with Jon's and you should stop buying.

[Chris S p i k e s]

Ok, not directly wine related, but has anyone ordered the mustards he is offering? He claims they are some of the most sought after items, but I don't have any experience. Any thoughts or history?

Chris

[Ryan Caughey]

I ordered some. I've enjoyed Garagiste's olive oils in the past, and I'm a big mustard fiend--how can you go wrong?

[Kain Evans]

I ordered some as well. I kicked myself for months last year after not ordering.

-Kain

[alan weinberg]

Ok, not directly wine related, but has anyone ordered the mustards he is offering? He claims they are some of the most sought after items, but I don't have any experience. Any thoughts or history?

Chris

last year's mustard was simply amazing--but it wasn't all gussied up with herbs and pepper--it was just mustard and it was as good or better than any E. Fallot offering. I tentatively ordered some of each of the 3 mustards offered this time, but I wish they had a simple mustard like last year.
alan

[Dale Mc Claran]

I bit on last nights 06 Le Cupole offering, seemed interesting, and had a good experience with a past offer on a Italian cab franc based wine. Though it wasnt quite Sassacia for $21 as promised

[Mo K a n g]

I ordered some as well. I kicked myself for months last year after not ordering.

-Kain

Man, you are tempting me. I am still enjoying the truffle salt from them. Great with mac and cheese!

[Jared Wagner]

I'd love to be able to add some insight to Garagiste wines I've ordered and drank but they never freakin' seem to arrive! I think the biggest hyperbole Jon ever writes is his famous..."Arrives in 2 to 3 weeks"

[Kain Evans]

I'd love to be able to add some insight to Garagiste wines I've ordered and drank but they never freakin' seem to arrive! I think the biggest hyperbole Jon ever writes is his famous..."Arrives in 2 to 3 weeks"

This drives me nuts too. Being local, I actually think I may see it in that time. What really gets my goat though are the wines that are arriving in 2-3 weeks and then a year later the order gets canceled. The reasons have always been solid (damaged in transit) but really, it was supposed to be in the warehouse a year ago and the shipping was so screwed up took a year and then is heat damaged?

At the end of the day though I'd rather the cancel and refund than try and pass something off.

-Kain

[Andrew Hall]

• 2006 Felline Alberello Rosso Salento IGT - Italy, Puglia, Salento IGT (6/19/2009)
  Very solid and robust. Plummy fruit with rusty earth acids. Edges of roast and licorice. Nice length and a well-defined spread. Very nice.
• 2006 Felline Alberello Rosso Salento IGT - Italy, Puglia, Salento IGT (1/30/2009)
  Nice with bright acids, slight rust and bramble notes and good (light) precise structure. Abrupt on the finish though it did lengthen after several hours and the wine's angularily softened. Would never know this as Primitivo as compared to the examples I've had. Solid and enjoyable.

[i]Posted from CellarTracker[/i

[nedhoey]

I'd love to be able to add some insight to Garagiste wines I've ordered and drank but they never freakin' seem to arrive! I think the biggest hyperbole Jon ever writes is his famous..."Arrives in 2 to 3 weeks"

This drives me nuts too. Being local, I actually think I may see it in that time. What really gets my goat though are the wines that are arriving in 2-3 weeks and then a year later the order gets canceled. The reasons have always been solid (damaged in transit) but really, it was supposed to be in the warehouse a year ago and the shipping was so screwed up took a year and then is heat damaged?

At the end of the day though I'd rather the cancel and refund than try and pass something off.

-Kain

I have ordered wines from Garagiste since 2002. In that time I have ordered 700 line items. I have never been informed that
an item is being refunded due to damage. To best of my memory, I've been refunded only twice, both times the source failed to deliver to Garagiste. That record is at the highest success level for pre-arrival sales.

I'm in Santa Cruz California and I see wines arriving from them sporadically from Oct. thru May. Occasionally a particular wine intended for immediate summer consumption will miss the May window. I hate it when that happens. For the most part wines arrive within six months and in fine condition.

[Kain Evans]

I must just be unlucky. I have been ordering for about 2 years now (about 100 items) and have 4 cancelled now. All have been things that were way past the expected delivery date.

Don't get me wrong, they have always tried to make it right and that is why I continue to order.

-Kain

[Jason Hagen]

any takers on the 2004 Malvira Roero Superiore “Mombeltramo”?

J

[Andrew Gold]

I have ordered wines from Garagiste since 2002. In that time I have ordered 700 line items. I have never been informed that
an item is being refunded due to damage. To best of my memory, I've been refunded only twice, both times the source failed to deliver to Garagiste. That record is at the highest success level for pre-arrival sales.

I'm in Santa Cruz California and I see wines arriving from them sporadically from Oct. thru May. Occasionally a particular wine intended for immediate summer consumption will miss the May window. I hate it when that happens. For the most part wines arrive within six months and in fine condition.

I just wish that Garagiste made it clearer when signing up, or even in each offer that the wine's will realistically take 6 or more months to arrive. I signed up only last fall, and the very first offer was for a New Zealand pinot that I had vaguely heard of. Never having tried a down under pinot I bought a few to try out. It's now been nearly a year and the wine still isn't in the country. At this point I have very little interest in the wine, and am just annoyed that money has been tied up the entire time.

For me moving forward, I'm only going to buy wines I have heard, ideally tried, and am planning to want to cellar for a year or more prior to opening the first bottle. Everything else I've ordered from them has been only a moderate deal, if any at all.

[Todd F r e n c h]

any takers on the 2004 Malvira Roero Superiore “Mombeltramo”?

J

in for 2 bottles...

[John Liotta]

I have ordered wines from Garagiste since 2002. In that time I have ordered 700 line items. I have never been informed that
an item is being refunded due to damage. To best of my memory, I've been refunded only twice, both times the source failed to deliver to Garagiste. That record is at the highest success level for pre-arrival sales.

I'm in Santa Cruz California and I see wines arriving from them sporadically from Oct. thru May. Occasionally a particular wine intended for immediate summer consumption will miss the May window. I hate it when that happens. For the most part wines arrive within six months and in fine condition.

I just wish that Garagiste made it clearer when signing up, or even in each offer that the wine's will realistically take 6 or more months to arrive. I signed up only last fall, and the very first offer was for a New Zealand pinot that I had vaguely heard of. Never having tried a down under pinot I bought a few to try out. It's now been nearly a year and the wine still isn't in the country. At this point I have very little interest in the wine, and am just annoyed that money has been tied up the entire time.

For me moving forward, I'm only going to buy wines I have heard, ideally tried, and am planning to want to cellar for a year or more prior to opening the first bottle. Everything else I've ordered from them has been only a moderate deal, if any at all.

Garagiste is like a sacred cow here. I doubt you will get any sympathy from these folks.

[nedhoey]

Garagiste is like a sacred cow here. I doubt you will get any sympathy from these folks.

Sacred Cow? Not at all. Stories of slow delivery are in no way limited to them. The thing is, all reputable retailers deliver or make good. Most wines arrive in a reasonable time frame from all of them. Do you have criticisms of them?

[John Liotta]

Garagiste is like a sacred cow here. I doubt you will get any sympathy from these folks.

Sacred Cow? Not at all. Stories of slow delivery are in no way limited to them. The thing is, all reputable retailers deliver or make good. Most wines arrive in a reasonable time frame from all of them. Do you have criticisms of them?

Dangling modifiers aside . . . yes I do have criticisms of "them" . . .

[Todd F r e n c h]

Garagiste is like a sacred cow here. I doubt you will get any sympathy from these folks.

Sacred Cow? Not at all. Stories of slow delivery are in no way limited to them. The thing is, all reputable retailers deliver or make good. Most wines arrive in a reasonable time frame from all of them. Do you have criticisms of them?

Dangling modifiers aside . . . yes I do have criticisms of "them" . . .

Thread drift, but hey fauxhawk - how's the new pad, bud?

[John Liotta]

Thread drift, but hey fauxhawk - how's the new pad, bud?

Its coming. Hopefully it will be finished (at least the big project) in three weeks. Then I will be left to finish the cellar, build a pool and do some serious landscaping. Oh yeah and we have no furniture!

House warming for New Year's Eve!

[Chris S p i k e s]

Garagiste is like a sacred cow here. I doubt you will get any sympathy from these folks.

Sacred Cow? Not at all. Stories of slow delivery are in no way limited to them. The thing is, all reputable retailers deliver or make good. Most wines arrive in a reasonable time frame from all of them. Do you have criticisms of them?

Dangling modifiers aside . . . yes I do have criticisms of "them" . . .

John,

Can you air them here? One of my problems with Squires locking that other thread was that there were definitely some criticisms of Garagiste in it. In other words, they didn't get a free pass for advertising as he claimed.

In that spirit, I think it's beneficial to all here to show every side of an issue. Garagiste certainly isn't the Utopian place to order wine. I've ordered some from them in the past and things have been hit and miss (a criticism by itself). Better luck with Italian wines and Champagne. Not good with obscure French wines. I would avoid "novelty" wines unless you just order 1 or 2 bottles out of curiosity and have money to burn.

Chris