2016 Cappellano Pricing?!

So, uh, on W-S i’m seeing…$299 for Rupestris? $1100-1600 for Franco?!?
Are real humans paying these prices, or is this the price being charged for the bottles that don’t go to regulars/top customers at standard retail?

I know the auction price on Cappellano has been on the upswing, but the Franco in particular seems really wild.

It’s gross. My primary local shop (been buying these wines since 2004) jacked the prices up to those levels, which has me really frustrated.

I tracked down 2 bottles of the Rupestris at $179, opened one. It’s a very reticent wine so hard to judge and higher probability of being wrong, but I don’t think one is missing anything super special. I think I preferred the 2015 Rupestris at this stage in life. And in 2016 I preferred the wines from Grasso, Vajra, Brovia at much lower prices and certainly preferred the Bartolo, Vietti, G. Rinaldi, and Conterno wines that the Rupestris is starting to approach in price.

Based on following winesearcher listings, it looks like Rupestris at $300+ is staying in stock indefinitely (ie: not selling), $250 is moving slowly, $200 disappears immediately. I know regular customers are getting it for lower than $200, but that’s not being offered publicly.

Not sure at all what the movement is on Pie Franco. I’m not following $1000+ wines, but if they are still available on winesearcher at those prices then their real price is lower.

I would be interested in whether this pricing is sustainable for 2017. It does seem like there is a price ceiling to demand at about $300, but that’s for a great vintage. I wonder whether pricing will come down next year and/or whether it will remain at this level.

Thanks for your note. I was very interested in hearing your take. On one hand I’m hoping other people provide data points as well, but I also wonder whether the late release affects how it shows. I hear that other 2016s are shutting down now.

Yeah that could definitely be a factor. I drank most of the other 2016s I tasted ~9-15 months ago. There’s also a lot of randomness I think with young wines being open or not.

I don’t have a lot of historical experience with Cappellano, but the 2013, 2014, 2015 Rupestris I tasted (all in 2020) were more approachable / open than the 2016. So even adjusted for when the wine was tasted, I do think the '16 Rupestris is a bit more shut down than prior vintages. Maybe that’s not surprising for 2014 or 2015 but it surprised me a bit vs. the 2013.

I bought 2015 Cappellano from SommSelect for $135. Perhaps they will offer the 16.

WS doesn’t show any 2010 Pie Franco. I wonder what it would sell for.

Well, it depends on how much you like Cappellano and how much you take stock of tasting 16 Barolo now. In the last year, both 11 Rupestris and 12 Pie Franco have been spectacular. I also think 16s generally can be hard to peg; I had a 16 Vietti Ravera a few months back with minimal air and it basically tasted like nothing (then again, I’ve never been impressed by any bottle of Vietti, so YMMV). I’ve also not been particularly wowed by the 16 Bartolo the two times I’ve had it.
I have my Cappellano allocation and will probably try one in the name of science, but I also don’t expect it to be much of a litmus test. I didn’t like the 15 Rupestris around this time last year and sent them all to storage. I expect it will improve. :slight_smile:
Given the style of the wines, not shocked they’re sometimes ornery young.

I accidentally opened a 13 about three years ago (meant to pull a 12) and was hit with a huge wall of tannin, so now I’m really curious. That 13 was closed tight! Agreed that the 14 is pretty much open for business now.

As to the pricing, it’s not really THAT surprising the pricing has gone a bit nuts on the secondary market. It’s a really small production wine in a very hyped vintage and also hyped by Galloni with the added mystery of not being rated. Very much not unlike Burlotto.

I just got 3 btls of the Rupestris for $119/per

[wink.gif] [wink.gif] [wink.gif]

Golden Age Wine in Alabama has 8 bottles for $136. Lower than any price I paid. Doesn’t seem to ship to the northeast…

Was traveling and upon return, saw I missed SommSelect’s offer of the 16 Rupestris at $139 per. Dang.