Is Anyone Buying/Following Kapcsandy?

WINE TALK
41

Please don’t blow me up (folks seem to do so here), is Graeme MacDonald participating in the enterprise now? Thanks for confirming or clarifying/correcting.

42

Hi Vincent he is not. He did take on that role at Blankiet where Denis also made the wines. According to the Kapcsandy website Tony Arcudi is the consulting winemaker. Denis left behind some very big shoes to fill. He made some of my all time favorite wines and was quite the gentleman. He gave us a bottle of his 2006 Notre Vin Howell Mountain Cabernet when he came to a dinner we hosted. It will be a special night when we open that bottle.

I was a regular buyer for many years. I haven’t kept up with many of the great wineries I used to purchase from for years for different reasons . Pricing was one of them but I also needed to balance out my cellar. I also wasn’t drinking nearly the amount of Napa Cab I used to( I say this as I finish up a 2014 Turnbull Oakville Reserve). Great wines and great folks. I just can’t justify the price points for many of these wines anymore when I have plenty in the cellar to drink.



Cheers

43

Thanks Fred for clarifying. Appreciated.

44

Has anyone visited Kapcsandy for a winery tasting? If so, was it worth it and do you recommend the visit?

45

for anyone interested I have a 2010 Kap Gran Vin listed on commerce corner below original release price.

46

On a broader scale, it seems like the psychology of pricing is always a double-edged sword. Tell me how many times you’ve seen the following scenario:

With quality and hype, FOMO sets in, which increases demand. Then the winery basks in the sunshine of that for awhile until it ends, hopefully to coincide with a sale to Gallo or Constellation in time for winemakers retirement to massive seafront villa. But if it they press on, then eventually the clients will start to resent the high pricing when the FOMO has gone away. And because of some unwritten capitalist rule, seems like you get taken out the back and shot if you ever go back on your pricing, so they stay at the same level despite their market having eroded and moved on to the next hyped winery.

Here’s how you avoid said scenario (I say this with tongue firmly placed in cheek - I’m the last anyone should listen to):

  1. Never get too greedy, or you’ll build in future resentment. Just the right amount of greed, sir! [wink.gif]
  2. It’s OK to sell out and not adjust two things: production and/or pricing to meet demand. Leave it where it’s at, enjoy the less storage costs and go on vacation instead! Because the FOMO period will be shorter than the lifespan of the company, most likely. Tortoise and hare. [cheers.gif]

I personally would much rather be an Edmunds St. John than a hyped winery that goes up and then comes down. And that’s also perhaps the even more interesting discussion: we all know great wineries that make amazing wine, that never get hyped or enter the above scenario. Why don’t they? How come some hit it big and others don’t, when there’s no real difference in wine quality?

3 Likes
47

Indeed, Kapcsandy does adjust their pricing from year to year based on scores, perceived demand, etc.

48

They have made a number of great wines and Lou was larger than life. The point based pricing turned me off and I am just drinking 2005-2013 that I bought. They made a choice to raise prices and like many I moved on.

I buy Chateau Canon futures every year because the Wertheimers are the polar opposite. The quality of Canon has increased exponentially but futures pricing hasn’t gone up to match. flirtysmile