Went back and added 6 more… just looking out for those SVDs allocations!
How do you guys think MM stacks up vs others at this price point in Napa? Honestly, there are too many choices and I’m trying to decide where to allocate dollars.
I buy Realm at this price point as well as Myriad and Rivers Marie a price notch down. Also a handful of others that I keep a 3 pack or less.
Owen,
I think it comes down to your specific taste preferences at this price point. In addition to MM, I regularly buy Realm, Carter, Bevan and other similarly priced cabs. All are exceptionally well made and use very high quality fruit. To my palate, the MM is a little “riper” in style than a Realm cab, for example, but the differences are very subtle. I was recently introduced to Arrow & Branch, a small winery that also sources fruit from Beckstoffer. Jennifer Williams is the winemaker there. I have found that the Arrow & Branch wines are a little more “restrained” than MM, and I have been favoring that style recently. YMMV.
There’s a lot of great wine in NV at this price point. The question really is what are you willing to pay and from how many wineries at these price points? We all have budgets for spending even if we blow through them buying wine every year.
I always allocate more wine dollars towards MM because they source fruit from some of my favorite vineyards in Napa- Las Piedras (my all time favorite), Dr Crane, Weitz (Maybach Materium from this site as well), and now Vine Hill Ranch. If they ever announce that they are making single vineyards from MacDonalds To Kalon, Lewelling in Saint Helena, or Farella in Coombsville, I may just send them my credit card to do as they please…
You guys crack me up. Quick thoughts:
Vangone
Mark- good dude. Great wine. 2015 is killer right now (and will be for a number of years) while 2016 is built to last and needs time.
Memento Mori - SVDs are stellar. Tasted the 2018s (except the blend) and they are as advertised. Awesome (poor poor credit card…
Maybach- one of my absolute favorites. Have not tried the 2018 but there is no way to go wrong there for sure.
Fait Main/Carter/Myriad/Vice Versa are also nice adds that are hard to pass up. Between the above and these you hit almost all vineyards and winemakers (Sam Kaplan, Mike Smith, Thomas River Brown, Melka).
Regarding SB- highly recommend La Pelle also makes great Cabernets- Mayan Koschitzky. One of the best $75 Cabernets out there for the money (makes a great reserve too).
One last comment- the Keplinger (great Rhône’s and a really good Cabernet) makes one of the best 2018 Cabernets I tasted with her 2018 VHR. Keep an eye out it, it is really that good.
Cheers!
I am really looking forward to that 2018 La Pelle release.
Actually, I am really looking forward to every 2018 release.
I think I have ordered +18 bottles of Vice Versa 2018 SVD and SB and CS, 6 + one mag of Carter, Mag and 3L of Greer, 9 MM and a Mag, 6 Dr. Crane + 6 GIII including Elysian and Empyrian from Myriad… so far a good 2018. Hoping i get some Maybach love (doubtful) and some Realm 2018 loving (very doubtful). I’ll be adding Di Costanzo, La Pelle, Theorem, and William and Mary 2018s as well. I think that wraps up the year… Thank you AmEx for all the points!
Blarmston- very very true… plus add in Maxem, Abreu, Tynan, Tusk, etc plus Bordeaux and I have to sell my house, cars and everything else I own… step one admit there is a problem… problem is I don’t have enough money.
Curious about the Keplinger… haven’t been able to find much on the CS especially the VHR SVD one… any color or links would be appreciated!
That is an impressive list. Need to get invited to your place in a few years.
I’ve also been focusing on trying to find “values” in the $60-100 range that are ~95% as good as the $250+ big boys. I think Di Costanzo (bit of a different style), Myriad/Quivet, RM and others do a nice job here. Sounds like i should try Zeitgeist and La Pelle too.
If you’re ever in NYC, and when the city is open again I’ll make sure to open a few bottles and share with everyone.
just got the email that Quivet 2018 release is on June 2 - going to try to pick up some Pellet, Kennefick, and as much as i get allocated of LPV… Mike makes some delicious juice
2018 Quivet Release
2018 Quivet Cellars Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon $70
2018 Quivet Cellars Pellet Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon $80 91-93 Points/ Jeb Dunnuck
2018 Quivet Cellars Kenefick Ranch Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon $95 92-95 Points/ Jeb Dunnuck
2018 Quivet Cellars Beckstoffer Las Piedras Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon $125 95-97+ Points/ Jeb Dunnuck
2019 Quivet Cellars McGah Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc $35
2018 Quivet Mixed Case - Free Shipping 2 bottles Kenefick Ranch Cabernet, 2 bottles Beckstoffer Las Piedras Cabernet, 3 bottles Napa Cabernet, 2 bottles Pellet Vineyard Cabernet and 3 bottles 2019 Sauvignon Blanc.
I am going to try and grab as much of that LPV as I can…
And am looking forward to doing a Coravin Battle of the 2018 LPV’s in a couple years. it’ll be quite the night with Memento, Quivet, Vice Versa, and Fait Main squaring off…
Let me know when you do - might do the same. But that MM and VV LPVs are on a different level to IMO!
Also - how long does a bottle last once you use the Coravin? a couple days, weeks? months maybe?
Re:Keplinger VHR it’s a bit under wraps for now. Really cool story and 2018 I believe will be the first release.
I am in for a pop n pour party if anyone is in the neighborhood- shoot me a note.
Nice - would definitely keep an eye on it. Do you know if you have to buy their current wines (Rhone Styles, Pinots, etc) to get an allocation? or would it be a separate mailing list for these? Thanks
Happy to connect you direct to the owners. They also have a very good Oakville Cabernet that would be worth grabbing if you are not a Rhône fan (although Helen makes amazing juice).