The Next MACDONALD?

WINE TALK
21

I think it’s even more complicated than that for MacDonald. I believe they don’t own it (at least yet) but they are buying grapes from their family. Isn’t that right?

If the intent of the OP is something like “what will be the next wine to have a resale value 2x-3x its list price, obviously it’s going to have to be an excellent wine with a way of catching interest, but you also have to understand the philosophy of the owners. MacDonald has gone from $150 for 2010s (according to the other thread) to $165 for 2015s, and I believe that restraint is largely because they understand the value of a stable and loyal relationship between the business and customer. When they talk about their longstanding relationship with Mondavi, it’s not just a story. I believe they really value that way of doing business. They could raise the price to $250 and likely sell out, but it would mean turning over a significant part of the customer base. I asked Alex about this last year and he said something similar to the above. Sure enough, the price did not change this year.

22

Not analogous, but Will’s wife’s family owns the vineyard.

23

I think W&M is more analogous than anything else that’s been posted here thus far. The vineyard has been owned by the family for multiple decades, some fruit is sold to other high-end producers for vineyard-specific wines, W&M is small production, and in my opinion, the wine could easily be sold for more than what Will is asking.

(I also consider Will a friend…but most anyone who has spent any amount of time with him will say the same thing)

24

Old Macdonald has a farm?

25

Signed up for both. Within 10 minutes Miguel reached out to me via email, so I pointed him to this thread. Hopefully he will join and post.

26

this is why I said most. I was purposefully excluding W&M.

27

My mind runs a little like Larry’s - I think the next 5+ year wait list is going to be something that scratches the northern Rhône itch in that low alcohol, highly aromatic, lean, acid driven way - maybe a Pax, Arnot Roberts or Jolie Laide.

Not out of Napa.

Also, MacDonald is not a “cult” wine other than on this board. Probably better than some, but doesn’t quite fit.

Not sure there’s going to be another like SE, Schrader, Colgin, or Bryant b/c there’s no more Bob Parker to anoint or Wall Street frenzy competing for limited wine to make it such. Those wines were big and ripe and relatively rare, so easy for traders to understand. There are more choices now and different status symbols. SQN was the last one anointed by Parker. These days you buy your own winery rather than the finished product.

There are unlikely to be more MacDonalds, because as mentioned, there aren’t that many people whose families have owned Napa land for a few generations.

But the good news is that there will always be more wine, and with luck, more interesting wine!

The next cult Napa Cab for this board will be whatever project one of the currently popular Napa wine makers gets involved with. But I’d be interested in seeing what happens with some families that have property - e.g. Larner, W&M, etc.

28

Damn this board! In for three of the W&M Cab.

29

I took the post as “what’s new in Napa” that is small (like Macdonald) and of a very high quality and will sell out fast. Both I mention check those boxes. Both are very very good fruit sources and very talented winemakers who are excited/motivated to do thier own thing.

Talk to Nigel about what he is doing with kinsman-the passion along with his pedigree will make you a believer (you won’t be disappointed with either of these projects).

30

true, yet as discussed by them, they also want to please more people than just those currently on their list whatever the price they set

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31

I’m a fan of what Ketan Mody has done so far with Beta, and looking forward to what he does with his land on Diamond Mountain for his Jasud Estate label in the coming years.

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32

haha

33

[berserker.gif]

34

Next time you’ll be in for six… + Proprietary Red.

35

Wasn’t the DM vineyard planted in 2011?

I was think DiCostanzo is climbing that ladder, but he’s buying fruit. Farella goes back to the early 80s, Rafael was planted in the mid-late 90s, and Montecillo was late 80s? (someone double check me).

I think the part about MacDonald owning the vineyard means a lot.

There’s always Detert :slight_smile:

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36

So Macdonald being in WSJ and selling at 3-4x release is not a “cult” wine, what would make it a cult wine ?

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37

Five years ago someone should have asked who is the next screaming eagle.

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38

Check the wine-searcher pro listings. I don’t think that’s only because of people on this board. I would call it a cult wine.

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39

MAC is for sure a cult wine. Its silly not to think it is- small supply, exponentially larger demand, almost universally revered by those who have tasted it, prices in secondary reflective of that, multi year wait list, etc.

Thanks for the tip on Kinsman. I signed up and am looking forward to their offer next year…

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40

m/ac
d on

a l d

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