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Mother’s Day Escapades – 2022 Edition

May 16, 2022 Leave a comment

Sometimes, the best plan is to have no plans.

When it comes to holidays, I usually start sweating it long in advance. What wine is worthy of a celebration? What should I open to match up the holiday? What will everyone enjoy? This chain of thought usually is followed by a long process of opening wine cabinet doors and pulling shelves back and forth. Yes, I might have a loose idea of what should be available, but I still don’t remember where which wine is, so I have to really search for it. It’s a process, and more often than not I even manage to annoy myself with the “wine selection paralysis” of my own making.

Mother’s Day last Sunday was nothing like the usual. There were only 5 of us. My wife drinks very little wine as of late (or any alcohol for that matter), my mother-in-law prefers tequila, and my kids don’t like wine, so I didn’t have much to worry about in terms of the wine program. Also as spring is settling in here in Connecticut, there were lots to do outside – cleaning, building new raised beds, preparing for the soil and mulch delivery which were taking place the next day.

Coming back into the house after a few hours of work outside I realized that I’m craving a glass of white wine. The first bottle which grabbed my attention was unpretentious 2020 Domaine René Malleron La Vauvelle Sancerre. Sancerre is a rare guest in the house, as it is usually a more expensive version of Sauvignon Blanc than the others, and for my personal preferences, I find that I like a generic Loire Sauvignon more than a typical Sancerre. I’m not even sure how I got this bottle, I’m assuming it was something I found through a WTSO offer.

Never mind this “not liking of Sancerre” – this bottle was superb. Fresh, floral, and a touch grassy on the nose, it delivered exactly the same profile on the palate – bright, elegant, round, crisp, clean, thirst-quenching, and delicious.

I was thinking about opening the bottle of Syrah for dinner. While looking for a particular bottle to open, I came across this 2004 Vaucher Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin. Of course, this is Burgundy and not a Syrah, but there is nothing wrong with celebrating with Burgundian Pinot Noir instead of Californian or Washington Syrah, especially considering that I was looking at this bottle for a while.

This happened to be another successful choice for a few reasons – it was at its peak, probably about to start the journey down. While it tasted good at the moment, it was also a timely decision as I’m not sure it would be still enjoyable a few years down the road. The wine had smoked plums and cherries on the nose, and more of the same darker fruit profile on the palate, introducing the notes of dried fruit, but still having enough freshness to be enjoyed. The wine also well complemented the burgers, which were our main dish. Those were good burgers – Peter Luger burgers from our local Darien Butcher Shop (DBS for short), and good burgers are well worthy of a good glass of wine.

As a surprise, my daughter requested a Mimosa while dinner was in the making. I don’t have a lot of bubbles in the house, so at the moment I didn’t have any Prosecco or a Cava which would be my preferred choice for this purpose. I opened a bottle of one of my favorite everyday Champagne – NV André Chemin Brut Tradition Champagne, which is made with 100% Pinot Noir. While the girls enjoyed their Mimosas, I was happy to have a few glasses of this delicious wine – a perfect combination of freshly toasted bread and yeasty notes, crisp, refreshing, and satisfying.

Here it is, a full account of a celebration in the wine terms. It was definitely unusual for this household to drink only French wines, and also classic French wines – Burgundy, Champagne, and Sancerre – in one sitting. Interestingly enough I believe all three wines were procured through WTSO, which is simply a fun fact I would like to mention.

Father’s Day is coming in about a month – it might be the time to start worrying about my wine choices…

Weekly Tasting with Wines Til Sold Out – The Wines

February 17, 2018 3 comments

A few weeks ago I wrote about the new feature from the unimitable Wines Til Sold Out – a Weekly Tasting. Every week, there is a new set of 4 wines available for you with all the extra fun information – history, stories, pairing recommendations and more – like your personal sommelier visits the house for a fun and entertaining evening. I didn’t have a chance to taste the wines as I was living for a business trip, so I only introduced the concept – now it is time to talk about the wines.

The set which I got was really right up my alley – I love all of the lesser known grapes and appellations.

White grape Furmint is a star – but only in Hungary, and mostly in the world-famous dessert wines called Tokaji. Dry Furmint is difficult to produce, as most of the plantings are very susceptible to the noble rot due to the climatic conditions.

Another white grape, Picpoul de Pinet, is only growing in France, and it is quite rare even in that same France. Zweigelt is not necessarily rare, but definitely a lesser known grape from Austria, capable of delivering superbly playful wines. And Mencía is currently in the search of an identity, which usually makes it fun to taste – you never know what you will find.

For what it worth, here are my notes:

2014 Patricius Tokaj Furmint (12% ABV)
C: light golden
N: touch of petrol and honeysuckle, guava, medium intensity
P: more petrol, lemon zest, nice green undertones, almonds, pear, excellent minerality, good acidity
V: 8, very playful with nice complexity.

2016 Charisse Picpoul de Pinet Blanc AOP (12.5% ABV)
C: straw pale, green undertones.
N: Apple, perfume, white peach, jasmine flowers.
P: restrained, touch of herbal notes, good minerality, pomelo, crisp acidity
V: 8-/8, very nice, food-friendly, will complement a wide range of dishes.

2015 Pfaffl Zweigelt vom Haus Niederösterreich Qualitätswein aus Österreich (12.5% ABV)
C: dark garnet, almost black
N: eucalyptus, blackberries, forest underbrush
P: clear black pepper backbone, more blackberries, touch of sapidity. Unusual
V: 8-, needs time to open ( was much better on the 2nd and 3rd days).

2015 Vega del Cúa Tinto Mencía Bierzo DO (13.5% ABV)
C: dark garnet
N: tobacco and barnyard, both are very pronounced.
P: sweet cherries, hint of tobacco. Very unusual profile as the fruit is initially perceived as sweet, and then it quickly subsides without acidity kicking in. Very short finish.
V: 7, not my favorite – but it might need more time…. 7+ second day, more of an 8- after 5 days (using air pump to preserve the wine). A lot more integrated after 5 days, showing nice pepper notes and much longer finish.

Here you are, my friends. Furmint was definitely a favorite, but I truly can’t complain about this set of wines – this was definitely a fun tasting. Kudos to Wines Til Sold Out for bringing up yet another great service for the wine lovers. Get your weekly tasting set today, invite your friends over, and go have some fun! Cheers!

 

How To Expand Your Wine Horizon – With Wine Til Sold Out Weekly Tasting

January 29, 2018 12 comments

WTSO weekly tastingIf you followed this blog for a while, you know that Wines Til Sold Out is one of my most favorite sources of the great wines at the value prices. Wines Til Sold Out (often referred to as WTSO), was the originator of so-called wine flash sale sites, where you can find an excellent range of wines at equally great prices. Not only the prices are great, but the wines are typically shipped free if you hit the minimum required number of bottles for the free shipping (usually any number from 4 to 1, depending on the price per bottle). There are also other ways to buy wines from Wines Til Sold Out, such as so-called marathon events, which I covered a numerous number of times in the past.

About a year ago, Wines Til Sold Out started a new service, called Bonus Offers, where every month there is a new theme, and the wines are offered according to that theme – and there are no minimum quantity requirements to get free shipping, which takes fun to the whole new level.

WTSO weekly tasting

And now, continuing the tradition of innovation for the benefit of the wine lovers, the Wines Til Sold Out came up with the new concept – weekly tasting, which even has its own dedicated website. Each week, WTSO’s sommeliers create a new 4-pack of wines, priced at $69.99 including shipping. The wines are offered with introductory tasting video describing the wines, and information cards which describe each wine in detail, offer fun facts about wine and the grapes and even recipes and/or suggestions for the dishes to pair with the specific wine. If this is not a fun wine education, I don’t know what is!

I got my tasting pack right before I was leaving for a two-week-long trip, so I only had an opportunity to open the box, say “wow”, take the pictures and leave. But finding such gems as dry Furmint (Hungarian grape used in the production of famous Tokaji dessert wine) and Austrian Zweigelt, definitely makes an oenophile happy. So next time, I will tell what I think about the wines, but for now, I will enjoy them in the exact same way as you do – vicariously.

WTSO Weekly tasting info card

If you are like me and always looking to expand your wine horizon – check out this new feature from Wines Til Sold Out – and you can thank me later. Cheers!

New Ways To Buy Wine From Wines ‘Til Sold Out

August 19, 2017 4 comments

Wine is an expensive passion, we all know that. Of course, passions and hobbies are generally expensive, and if someone’s passion is Swiss watches or sports cars, that is a totally different level of expense. Nevertheless, if you like to have a good glass of wine every day, your wine budget allocation will quickly add up to some scary amounts.

I don’t remember when I discovered Wines ‘Til Sold Out, commonly referred to as WTSO – at least 8 years ago, or possibly even longer – but it was really an eye-opening experience. When I saw the wines offered at 30%, 50% or even 70% off, with free shipping, my first thought was “is that even real”? First, second, tens orders proved that all is for real – the wines, the prices, the shipping, the service  – all were there, and the space in my cellar started to diminish at a rapid pace – but this is not a subject of today’s post.

Wines ‘Til Sold Out is a fine specimen of what is called a “flash-sale” website – the product (in this case, wine) is offered for sale at a greatly reduced price, until it will be sold out (sometimes in minutes), with a free shipping if you meet minimum required purchase quantities. In case of Wines ‘Til Sold Out, such sales are typically announced through an email, a tweet or an app on the smartphones, and you typically need to react quickly if you want to get it – sometimes you don’t even have time to research the wine online, as by the time you are done, there will be nothing left to buy. And what I really appreciate about Wines ‘Til Sold Out is that their typical offering will keep you under $100 for the total order – I’ve seen a few exceptions, but those are very, very rare.

In addition to having wines offered for the “flash sale”, Wines ‘Til Sold Out also runs a series of so-called Marathons. I’ve seen WTSO experiment a bit with the format of those, but a Marathon is typically a whole day event (starting at 9 AM Eastern and lasting until midnight), where the new wines are offered every 15 minutes or faster (if current offer sells out), all wines at a very good price and sometimes even without minimum quantities to buy (you can read more about WTSO marathons here).

Both regular format and marathons are a great way to get good wines at amazing prices. But everything in this world has two sides, isn’t it? So what is the issue, you ask? Simple. Quite often, the wines are moving simply too fast. I had been in the situations where by the time I decide to buy the wine, it is all gone. Marathons are the worst – I had been clicking like a mad man to get to the “confirm order” button, and by the time I press this button, the sad message would appear to inform me that the wine is no longer available.

If you ever been in a similar situation, I have a good news for you. Wines ‘Til Sold Out recently introduced the new way to buy the wine – Bonus Offers. Once you would come to the Wines ‘Til Sold Out web site, look for the “Bonus Offers” in the top menu – when you will click it, you will be presented with the offering of up to 9 different wines – you can buy any or all, no minimums to get free shipping. The wines will be always grouped by a certain theme – one time it can be wines from Napa Valley, another time it can be Cabernet Sauvignon around the world – there is always an opportunity to be pleasantly surprised.

The new set of Bonus Offers wines will be typically announced via email, and it will last until the wines will be sold out or there will be a time to offer new selection. It is entirely possible that new wines will be added to the current Bonus Offer to replace sold out ones, but this will not be communicated via email, so you pretty much have no choice but to visit the web site and check the Bonus Offers page from time to time. Yesterday, the Bonus Offers page looked like this:

and today Bonus Offer already looks differently – but what else do you expect when the wines are simply getting sold out?

There you have it, my friends. Same great wines at great prices, now with the opportunity to sweat less and simply get what you wnat when you want it. In the world of wine, I’m always happy to drink to that. Cheers!

 

Enjoy Your Summer A Little Bit More – With Rosé from WTSO

July 7, 2017 Leave a comment

Is summer the best time of the year? Well, I love all seasons, but with the right weather, summer might be the most enjoyable. Can we enjoy it “better”? Of course – with a glass of Rosé in your hand.

There is something special about the Rosé. We eat with our eyes first, and we drink that way too. If you think about color of the white wine, you get the range from literally a clear water to a dark gold – white wine is fun to look at, but the color of it doesn’t provoke much thought, unless you are in a blind tasting setting. Similar story with the reds – the color goes from the bright ruby to literally black, but again, the color doesn’t bring that much of the visual pleasure.

Rosé is a totally different game. The shades of pink go from the onion peel to salmon to copper to electric pink, and just a visual effect of the bottle of Rosé is appealing and uplifting, it says “the world looks a little bit better now, isn’t it”? We don’t always carry around those pink-colored glasses which improve our life’s outlook, but the bottles of Rosé can have the same effect. Who is with me? Yep, go pour yourself another glass.

So we agreed that Rosé itself can make our summer better. Can we further improve that? Of course! With the help of Wines ‘Til Sold Out, commonly known as WTSO. WTSO provides tremendous service to all of the wine lovers – it finds great wines at amazing prices – and passes savings to all of us. To make our summer even better than it is, WTSO is offering a special Côtes de Provence Rosé 4-pack collection, which you can find here.

I had an opportunity to taste these wines and here are my impressions:

2016 Famille Négrel Diamant de Provence Côtes de Provence (12.5% ABV)
C: pale, very pale pink
N: minerality, gunflint, ocean breeze
P: beautiful fresh profile, touch of underripe strawberries, crisp acidity, nice salinity, excellent balance. Appears very light, but very present in the glass.
V: 8, very nice, perfectly enjoyable, and guaranteed to remove at least 5 degrees off the thermometer.

2016 Château Garamache Côtes de Provence (12% ABV)
C: light salmon pink
N: muted, touch of green leaves
P: savory, good lemony acidity, but missing on the overall package. Acidic finish, needs more fruit.
V: 7-, should be good with food – salad comes to mind.

2016 Château Gassier Ormilles Côtes de Provence (13% ABV)
C: beautiful pink color, rose gold
N: onion peel, strawberries, medium intensity, inviting
P: ripe strawberries with touch of honey, a bit of perceived sweetness, perfect balance, delicious.
V: 8/8+, quintessential Provence. When I think “Provence”, this is a taste profile I expect

2016 Domaine du Garde Temps Tourbillon Vielles Vignes Côtes-de-Provence (12.5% ABV, 50% Cinsault, 30% Grenache, 20% Syrah)
C: bright salmon pink
N: onion peel and savory strawberries
P: fresh, crisp, tart strawberries, beautiful palate cleanser, excellent balance.
V: 8, nicely present wine, good weight in the mouth, excellent for summer and not only. Needs about 20 minutes to breath.

Enjoy your summer and drink Rosé! Cheers!

Following Wines Til Sold Out – Anything Goes Marathon, September 2015

September 23, 2015 3 comments

WTSO logo 2012It was a while since I posted one of these, but when I saw the announcement for the Wine Til Sold Out “Anything Goes” marathon, somehow I felt inclined to collect the data and create this post. As nobody has time to constantly watch all the wines been offered, the table below presents all (I hope) wines which were included in the marathon, so you can ponder at your own leisure – sorry, that might lead to some regrets too, but I can’t help you with that.

The fact that I didn’t do this in a while shows in the quality of data below, unfortunately – quite a bit of information is missing. I had to recreate the script, and the computer went to sleep right in a middle of a data collection and I lost it all on the wake up. But I hope you will still find it useful as limited as it is. You can see below the prices, the ratings and at what time the wines were offered and for how long they lasted.

Without further ado, here is the table with all the wines offered during marathon (including super-beauty double Barolo package offered right after). If you took part in the marathon, I’m curious to know what you got. And if you missed some wines – well, you can rant in that comments space below. Happy Wine Wednesday and cheers!

Here is the guide to the rating abbreviations (this list is ever inclusive – not all of them are used below): WS – Wine Spectator, WA – Wine Advocate, ST – Steven Tanzer, WE – Wine Enthusiast, WRO –  Wine Review Online, W&S – Wine and Spirits, JS – James Suckling, RP – Robert Parker, JHN – Jonathan H. Newman, D – Decanter Magazine, rating goes in stars ( 5 stars is max), JH – James Halliday, TRR – The Rhone Report, BH – Burghound, IWR – International Wine Report, TLC – The Library Collection, PR – Pinot Report, TWN – The Wine News, LM – Luca Maroni, Sn – Snooth.com.

Time Wine Rating MSRP Price %off
12:00a Giacosa Barbaresco Santo Stefano 2005/2007 2-Pack WA95, ST95 $520.00 $199.99 62%
11:45p Sullivan Vineyards Rutherford Estate 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon JHN93 $70.00 $29.99 57%
11:29p Podere la Regola ‘La Regola’ Super Tuscan IGT Red Blend 2008 WA93 $46.00 $22.99 50%
11:13p Achaval-Ferrer ‘Finca Mirador’ Mendoza Malbec 2008 WA96, 93WS $150.00 $59.99 60%
11:00p Col d’Orcia ‘Il Veltro’ Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2008 $50.00 $23.99 52%
10:44p Clarendon Hills ‘Liandra Vineyard’ Clarendon Syrah 2007 JH95 $85.00 $33.99 60%
10:35p Casalvento ‘Janus’ Toscana 2011 Half Bottle (375.00ml) JS93 $60.00 $19.99 67%
10:20p Giacomo Borgogno et Figli Barolo Riserva DOCG 2004 Special Edition JS93 $110.00 $39.99 64%
10:06p Chateau Luchey-Halde Pessac-Leognan Red Blend 2009 IWR92+ $95.00 $29.99 68%
9:50p Philippe LeClerc Gevrey-Chambertin Les Champeaux 1er Cru 2011 JHN92 $120.00 $49.99 58%
9:36p Champagne Tendil & Lombardi Cuvee Rose NV WS90 $69.00 $29.99 57%
9:30p Domaine de Beaurenard Chateauneuf-du-Pape Boisrenard 2011 WS93 $75.00 $39.99 47%
9:15p Eagles Trace Winery Estate Grown Napa Valley Merlot 2007 $45.00 $22.99 49%
9:00p Barolo 2009 Single Vineyard Cru Ciabot Berton Roggeri WRO94, JS93 $90.00 $32.99 63%
8:45p Marques del Puerto Bentus Reserva 2005 WE92 $60.00 $19.99 67%
8:36p Rancho Zabaco Monte ‘Toreador’ 2010 Rosso Vineyard Sonoma Valley Zinfandel WA93 $60.00 $26.99 55%
8:23p La Esquina Torrontes 2014 $22.00 $9.99 55%
8:09p Corte Campagnola Amarone della Valpolicella Classico Gli Archi 2004 WE92 $54.99 $29.99 45%
8:00p Krutz Family Cellars Stagecoach Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2011 $74.00 $39.99 47%
7:49p Lisini 2009 Brunello di Montalcino 93 rating and 53% IWR93, WS91 $78.00 $36.99 53%
7:34p Sancerre 2013 ‘Les 7 Hommes ‘ 100% Sauvignon Blanc By Cherrier Pere & Fils IWR90+ $39.00 $17.99 54%
7:26p Quinta Seara d’Ordens Vintage Port 2011 WE92 $90.00 $37.99 58%
7:16p Colle Lungo Campo Cerchi Chianti Classico Riserva 2006 $50.00 $24.99 50%
7:04p Domaine du Grand Tinel Chateauneuf du Pape 2012 WS91, WA91 $60.00 $26.99 55%
6:52p Robert Young Estate Winery ‘Red Winery Road’ Chardonnay 2013 $35.00 $17.99 49%
6:41p Piper Heidsieck Champagne Brut Rose Sauvage NV WRO93, WS92 $69.99 $39.99 43%
6:31p Tempranillo ‘Valnuevo’ Toro 2006 Bodegas y Vinedos Tardencuba WA93+ $70.00 $39.99 43%
6:23p Eagles Trace Wines ‘Latitude 38’ Estate Grown Napa Valley Red Blend 2011 $85.00 $34.99 59%
6:12p Gaston and Pierre Ravaut Aloxe-Corton Vieilles Vignes 2009 Cote de Beaune WS90 $70.00 $35.99 49%
5:58p Citille di Sopra ‘Poggio Ronconi’ Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2010 JS97 $95.00 $46.99 51%
5:50p Encantado Rutherford 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon $50.00 $22.99 54%
5:38p Ernest Meurgey-Perron Meursault Premier Cru White Burgundy 2013 JHN92 $100.00 $39.99 60%
5:24p Champagne Philippe Prie Cuvee Archange NV WS92 $95.00 $34.99 63%
5:15p Mendoza Vineyards Gran Reserva Malbec 2011 WA92 $60.00 $19.99 67%
4:58p Fontanafredda ‘Varej’ Barbera Piedmont DOC 2013 $17.99 $9.99 44%
4:48p Champagne Henri Abele Rose NV WS91 $55.00 $27.99 49%
4:42p Long Meadow Ranch Rutherford 2013 Reserve Red Blend JHN93 $100.00 $29.99 70%
4:36p Antolini ‘Moropio’ Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2010 WE93 $79.00 $27.99 65%
4:22p Domaine Roger Sabon Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee Prestige 2011 WS93, WA93 $80.00 $39.99 50%
4:16p Sojourn Cellars ‘Campbell Ranch Vineyard’ Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2012 PR94 $45.00 $39.99 11%
4:08p Fattoria Scopone Brunello di Montalcino ‘Olivare’ DOCG 2010 JS95 $80.00 $36.99 54%
3:56p Super Tuscan ‘Marchesale’ Terre del Marchesato Toscana IGT 2007 WE94 $80.00 $33.99 58%
3:44p Ribera del Duero 2009 ‘Antonio Izquierdo’ Vendimia Seleccionada Bodegas Izquiredo WA93 $120.00 $45.99 62%
3:28p Keating Wines ‘Buchignani Vineyard’ Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel 2012 WE91 $35.00 $19.99 43%
3:14p Burgess Cellars ‘Library Release’ Napa Valley 1992 Cabernet Sauvignon $150.00 $89.99 40%
3:11p Antonin Rodet Macon-Ige ‘Le Chaillou’ Chardonnay 2011 JHN91 $35.00 $14.99 57%
2:55p Domaine Louis Cheze Cuvee ‘Anges’ Saint-Joseph AOC Syrah 2007 WS93 $75.00 $29.99 60%
2:42p Sullivan Vineyards Rutherford Estate 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon JHN93 $70.00 $29.99 57%
2:29p Bodegas Bioenos Gorys Crespiello 2010 91 rating and 72% WA91 $100.00 $27.99 72%
2:18p Fontanafredda ‘Lazzarito’ Vigna La Delizia Barolo DOCG 1999 WA92 $170.00 $49.99 71%
2:08p Guillaume Baptiste ‘L’Evidence’ 2014   Pouilly-Fume JHN91+ $35.00 $15.99 54%
1:58p Pannier Egerie Champagne 2002 WE92 $100.00 $39.99 60%
1:52p Casalvento Vineyards and Winery Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2010 94 47%
1:46p C. Donatiello Winery Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2012 92 56%
1:34p Eagles Trace ‘Latitude 38’ Estate Grown Napa Valley Red Blend 2009 51%
1:26p Chateau Moulin de la Rose Saint-Julien 2008 WE92 59%
1:16p Clarendon Hills ‘Blewitt Springs’ Clarendon Grenache 2007 93 46%
1:08p Valentina Cubi ‘Morar’ 2008 Amarone della Valpolicella 93 59%
1:01p Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford 2012 94 43%
12:50p Tenimenti Soprani Barolo DOCG 2010 56%
12:37p Jamieson Ranch Vineyards ‘Reata’ 2012 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 92 56%
12:24p Buoncristiani Family Winery ‘O.P.C.’ Napa Valley 2010 Proprietary Red Blend 92 40%
12:16p Loacker Corte Pavone Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2008 93 59%
12:09p H. Blin Champagne Brut NV 91 59%
11:50a Maroon Winery Spring Mountain District Reserve 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon 50%
11:39a Prosecco Bosco dei Cirmioli Veneto NV 50%
11:24a Lisini 2009 Brunello di Montalcino 93 53%
11:16a Vintage Port Wine and Soul ‘Pintas’ 2011 96 38%
11:07a Gran Reserva Rioja 2001 Bodegas Lar de Paula Gran Baroja 90 47%
11:02a Encantado 2012 Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon 62%
10:55a Joseph Mellot Vigne de la Demoiselle Sancerre Rose 2014 44%
10:47a Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco DOCG 2005 50%
10:41a Pinot Noir Premier Cru Beaune Perrieres 2007 Maison Louis Latour 90 57%
10:26a Champagne Veuve Doussot Brut Rose NV 100% Pinot Noir 90 63%
10:17a Robert Stemmler Winery Estate Grown Carneros Pinot Noir 2011 91 55%
10:08a Groth Vineyards and Winery Reserve 2010   Cabernet Sauvignon 94 36%
9:53a Barolo DOCG Cascina Adelaide ‘Fossati’ 2008 WS93 $125.00 $39.99 68%
9:44a Domaine Roger Sabon Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee Prestige 2008 93 63%
9:34a Sancerre 100% Sauvignon Blanc   Vieilles Vignes 2012 Domaine Raimbault 91 62%
9:29a Cru du Rhone Gigondas Vieilles Vignes 2011 Domaine du Grand Montmirail 91 64%
9:22a Casa Brancaia ‘Ilatraia’ 2009 Maremma Toscana IGT 94 56%
9:15a Beaulieu Vineyard ‘Tapestry’ Napa Valley Reserve Red Blend 2011 54%
9:00a Piper-Heidsieck Vintage Brut 2006 92 33%

 

Wednesday’s Meritage – Critic on Criticism, #MWWC19 Reminder, Wine and Food Festivals Abound, Allegrini Wine Dinner and more

September 9, 2015 9 comments

Meritage Time!

First, I want to bring to your attention an interesting article by none less than Jancis Robinson, who wrote a very interesting piece called “Jancis Robinson on wine experts versus amateurs“, recently published in Financial Times. In the article, she is talking about the challenges professional wine critics face in today’s world, where literally everyone have an opinion about wines, and not afraid to share it. Definitely worth a few minutes of your time.

Next up – a Monthly Wine Writing Challenge Number 19 (#MWWC19) reminder – there is less than a week left in the current challenge (last day is September 14th), and if I’m not mistaken, there were very few submissions so far. I understand that theme is challenging – “Choice” can mean all and nothing at the same time – but this is why it is a challenge, and this is why your participation is required! If this can be a source of inspiration, here is the link to my own mumbling on the subject – I’m sure you can do better. Write up, people!

Now, last weekend of September might be challenging for the food and wine lovers, as multiple events will be competing for your time and attention:

Greenwich Wine and Food Festival 2015, presented by Serendipity, will take place September 23-26 in Greenwich, Connecticut – lots of celebrities, Food Network Chefs, wine, food contests and more are in the program. Here is the link for detailed information, tickets and more.

The 10th annual Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival will take place on September 25-27, 2015 at The Elms, Rosecliff & Marble House mansions in Newport, Rhode Island. Food& Wine Magazine will be hosting the festivities, and there is a very long list of celebrities and celebrity chefs who will be in attendance there – Martha Stewart, Jacques Pepin and many others will be present, so you can expect lots of delicious food, great wines and fun time. Here is the link for detailed information.

Georgian Food and Wine Festival should take place in New York City on September 25-27 at Chelsea Markets. At this point, this is all information I have – I can’t even give you a link – but just in case, if you are in New York city, see if a visit to Chelsea Markets will fit into your schedule – this will be a free event and I’m sure you will not regret making it.

Now, a bit more of a local event, but on Tuesday, September 15th, Vespa restaurant in Westport, Connecticut, will be hosting an Allegrini wine dinner, where 5 different wines from Allegrini & Poggio al Tesoro estates will be paired with the dishes specially created by the Chef David White. Allegrini is well known producer our of Veneto  in Italy (so yes, there will be Amarone on the list), and they also own Poggio al Tesoro vineyards in Tuscany. To get full information about the dinner and to reserve your spot, please visit Vespa Westport web site.

And the last one for today: WTSO, the best of the best in the world of the value wines, will conduct their famous “Anything Goes” Marathon on Monday, September 21st, starting at 9 AM US Eastern time. Wines will be offered in a rapid succession, new wines will be advertised only through the Twitter (no emails and no App notifications), no minimums to buy to get free shipping. But you better have all your information ready, as wines will be flying. If you are not already doing so, you might want to follow WTSO on Twitter. Happy hunting!

And this is all I have for you for today. The glass is empty, but the refill is on the way. Cheers!

 

Following Wines Til Sold Out – Magnum Marathon, April 2014

May 6, 2014 2 comments

15 hours. WTSO logo 201213,317 bottles. About 70 different wine offers. 3,215 thirsty people logged into the web site at 5 PM. These are some of the statistics of WTSO Magnum Marathon which took place on Tuesday, April 22nd. Another day of lost productivity for many businesses – oops, did I say it out loud? I meant the day of great deals for all wine lovers out there – I’m sure everybody were super productive at their desks.

As this was the Magnum Marathon, most of the wines offered were of 1.5L size, with few exceptions at 3L. Lots of great producers – Ladera, Tablas Creek, Ciabot Berton, Paolo Scavino, even Cristal and Joseph Phelps,  and many many more.

Without further ado, I will leave you on with the data. Yes, my collection was somewhat lacking this time, so you will see some missing data as to the pricing and source of ratings – oh well, I hope you will still find it interesting. Note that unless the bottle size is noted as 3.0L, it is the standard magnum size of 1.5L.

Here is the guide to the rating abbreviations (this list is ever inclusive – not all of them are used below): WS – Wine Spectator, WA – Wine Advocate, ST – Steven Tanzer, WE – Wine Enthusiast, WRO –  Wine Review Online, W&S – Wine and Spirits, JS – James Suckling, RP – Robert Parker, JHN – Jonathan H. Newman, D – Decanter Magazine, rating goes in stars ( 5 stars is max), JH – James Halliday, TRR – The Rhone Report, BH – Burghound, IWR – International Wine Report, TLC – The Library Collection, PR – Pinot Report, TWN – The Wine News, LM – Luca Maroni, Sn – Snooth.com.

 

Time Wine Rating Min. Qty MSRP Price %off
12:00a 04/23 Mockingbird Hill Reserve Chardonnay Russian River Valley 2012 (750) JHN91 4 $32.00 $14.99 53%
12:00a Our Magnum Marathon is officially over!
11:31p Elena Fucci ‘Titolo’ 2010 Aglianico del Vulture JS91 1 $160.00 $69.99 56%
11:21p Chateau de Macard Bordeaux Superieur 2010 IWR90 2 $55.00 $28.99 47%
11:06p Vellum Napa Valley Cabernet 2011 1 $200.00 $99.99 50%
10:44p Bodegas Penafiel Miros Reserva 2007 2 $175.00 $39.99 77%
10:36p Brut Champagne NV Piper-Heidsieck WS93 2 $100.00 $64.99 35%
10:15p Firriato Harmonium Nero d’Avola Sicilia IGT 2010 LM97 2 $115.00 $59.99 48%
10:10p San Rustico Amarone Classico 2008 WA92 1 $130.00 $64.99 50%
9:52p Rocca Family Estate Collinetta Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2009 WE93 1 $210.00 $149.99 43%
9:32p Cantina Valenti ‘I Puritani’ Etna Rosso Nerello 2009 JS92 2 $90.00 $49.99 44%
9:06p Ribera Del Duero Reserva 2001 Bodegas Balbas WS93 2 $130.00 $49.99 62%
8:50p Tenuta dei Setti Cieli ‘Indaco’ 2005 WA90 1 $100.00 $59.99 40%
8:28p St. Supery Dollarhide Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 TWN93 1 $200.00 $149.99 25%
8:10p Bodegas Resalte de Penafiel Reserva 2005 WS90 1 $160.00 $69.99 56%
7:50p Domaine de Fond Croze ‘Cuvée Shyrus’ Cotes du Rhone 2009 WE91 2 $75.00 $39.99 47%
7:31p Diadema Super Tuscan Rosso IGT 2009 Swarovski Bottle WE93 1 $250.00 $94.99 62%
7:12p Bodegas Tabula Gran Tabula Ribera del Duero 2009 WS92 1 $200.00 $89.99 55%
7:08p I Balzini Black Label 2006 Double Magnum (3.0L) 92 51%
6:45p Eagles Trace ‘Latitude 38’ Conn Valley Bordeaux Style Blend 2006 1 $175.00 $99.99 43%
6:34p Ciabot Berton Barolo DOCG 2008 ST92 1 $190.00 $79.99 58%
6:21p Rocca Family Vineyards Grigsby Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 WA90 1 $210.00 $124.99 40%
6:09p Red Bordeaux Castillon Cote de Bordeaux Chateau Hyot 2010 WS90 2 $45.00 $24.99 44%
6:04p Scavino Carobric Barolo 2008 WA94 1 $250.00 $159.99 36%
5:40p Eagles Trace Conn Valley Napa Cabernet 2006 1 $150.00 $89.99 40%
5:11p Millet-Roger Sancerre 2013 IWR92 2 $95.00 $44.99 53%
5:03p I Balzini Black/White 2000   2-Pack WE91 1 $250.00 $99.99 60%
4:45p Resalte Pena Roble Reserva 2004 WS92 2 $120.00 $49.99 58%
4:40p Michel-Schlumberger ‘La Cime’ 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon 2 $80.00 $39.99 50%
4:15p I Giusti & Zanza Belcore 2009 JS92 2 $80.00 $49.99 38%
4:09p Bodegas Tabula Gran Tabula Ribera del Duero 2007 WA94 1 $200.00 $89.99 55%
4:00p Canalicchio 2004 Brunello di Montalcino WA93 1 $225.00 $99.99 56%
3:34p Champagne Philippe Prie Brut Tradition NV WS91 2 $125.00 $49.99 60%
3:27p Vieux Telegraphe La Crau Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2011 W&S96 1 $190.00 $139.99 26%
3:13p Ladera Vineyards Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 W&S92 1 $250.00 $149.99 40%
2:59p Barolo Riserva 2004 ‘Roggeri’ Ciabot Berton WE91 1 $250.00 $109.99 56%
2:37p Boekenhoutskloof ‘The Chocolate Block’ 2011 ST90 1 $100.00 $69.99 30%
2:22p Cotes du Rhone 2011 Domaine de Dionysos ‘La Deveze’ IWR90 2 $65.00 $24.99 62%
2:09p Vellum Napa Valley Cabernet 2010 1 $200.00 $99.99 50%
1:48p Bodegas Penafiel Miros Reserva 2007 2 $175.00 $39.99 77%
1:42p Tenuta dei Setti Cieli ‘Indaco’ 2007 WA92 1 $100.00 $59.99 40%
1:22p Brut Champagne NV Piper-Heidsieck WS93 2 $100.00 $64.99 35%
1:19p Trefethen Oak Knoll Cabernet 2007 92 40%
1:12p Altesino Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli 2006 JS96 1 $249.99 $149.99 40%
12:48p Ribera Del Duero Reserva 2001 Bodegas Balbas WS93 2 $130.00 $49.99 62%
12:44p I Balzini White Label 2006 Double Magnum (3.0L) WS93 1 $225.00 $109.99 51%
12:24p St. Supery Dollarhide Cabernet 2003 1 $200.00 $149.99 25%
12:07p Fontanafredda Barolo Riserva ‘Tilson’ 1997 Limited Edition 1 $450.00 $119.99 73%
11:42a 92 Pt. Chateau Haut Gravet Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2010 JS92 2 $105.00 $49.99 52%
11:38a Canalicchio Brunello 2007 93 56%
11:17a Essenciel de Paradis Coteaux D’Aix En Provence Rose 2013 IWR90 2 $60.00 $24.99 58%
11:03a I Balzini White Label 1997 JS92 1 $125.00 $54.99 56%
10:43a Maroon Cabernet Signature Reserve Napa Valley 2012 1 $90.00 $44.99 50%
10:40a Paolo Scavino Bric del Fiasc Barolo 2008 ST96 1 $350.00 $199.99 43%
10:22a Bodegas Resalte Ribera Del Duero Gran Resalte 2001 W&S95 1 $250.00 $89.99 64%
10:09a Rocca Family Estate Grigsby Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2008 WS93 1 $210.00 $129.99 38%
10:00a Mario Giribaldi Barbaresco 2006 WS93 2 $125.00 $44.99 64%
9:48a Roger & Didier Raimbault-Sancerre 2012 Les Belles Cotes WE90 2 $95.00 $49.99 47%
9:35a Champagne Louis Roederer Cristal Brut 2005 WE97 1 $750.00 $499.99 33%
9:30a Mastrojanni Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2008 JS94 1 $190.00 $99.99 47%
9:12a Champagne Charles de Cazanove Brut NV WS92 1 $125.00 $56.99 54%
9:00a Ladera Napa Cabernet 2008 WA89 1 $175.00 $89.99 49%
8:46a Tablas Creek Vineyard Esprit de Tablas Paso Robles 2011 WA93 1 $250.00 $99.99 60%
8:39a Vignavecchia Chianti Classico Riserva Odoardo Beccari 2008 (3.0L) WA92 1 $225.00 $149.99 33%
8:22a St. Supery Napa Valley Estate Cabernet 2006 Sn91 2 $75.00 $49.99 33%
8:03a I Balzini Black/White 2002   2-Pack 91 60%
7:52a Mont-Redon Rouge 2009 Chateauneuf-du-Pape 92 56%
7:39a Sullivan Napa Valley Cabernet 2007 92 62%
7:34a Tenuta dei Setti Cieli ‘Indaco’ 2004 91 40%
7:14a Chateau de Macard Bordeaux Superieur 2010 90 47%
7:07a Ciabot Berton Barolo 2000 93 45%
7:05a Phelps Vineyards Insignia 2009 96 30%
7:00a Paolo Scavino Bric del Fiasc Barolo 2007 96 43%
12:00a Champagne Philippe Prie Brut Tradition NV (1.5L) WS91 2 $125.00 $49.99 60%

That’s all I have for you for today, folks. Did you get anything during the Magnum marathon? What do you think of the deals?
Cheers!

Following Wines Til Sold Out – Gift and Magnum Marathons, December 2013

December 18, 2013 8 comments

WTSO logo 2012As a self-appointed chronicler of WTSO (Wine Til Sold Out) deals, I want to bring to your attention the details of not one, but two of the events WTSO conducted in December. The first event was done as part of the CyberMonday on December 2nd – it was a Gift Marathon. The event was different from the typical WTSO Marathon – all the wines were offered as gift sets consisting of one bottle of wine and two Riedel varietally correct glasses. There were no minimums, and you could specify multiple shipping addresses, which greatly simplifies wine gift giving. New sets were offered 36 times, from 8 AM Eastern until midnight – there was a lesser number of wines offered, as some of the gift sets were repeated. I was not able, unfortunately, capture all the prices – from the few that I did, I can say that some of the gift sets were great deals, like Sassicaia at $149 – this is much better than the regular price of that wine alone, forget the gift set packaging. Overall, there were quite a few great deals offered.

The second event was Magnum Marathon on Thursday, December 12th, from 8 AM Eastern until the midnight. There were 57 offers, with most of the wines coming as 1.5 liter bottles (magnum), and few of the 3 liter bottles (double magnums). Prices per bottle ranged from $24.99 to $499, and the minimum quantities (to get free shipping) were from 1 to 3. What was interesting is that for the first time that I remember, both marathons featured a 100-point wines. And both events were “no holds barred” type, with some of the best known names being present, such as Cristal, Heitz, Caymus, Joseph Phelps and others.

Without further ado, I will leave you on with the data. Yes, my collection was somewhat lacking this time, so you will see some missing data as to pricing and source of ratings – oh well, I hope you will still find it interesting.

As usual, before I will leave you with the data, here is the guide to the rating abbreviations: WS – Wine Spectator, WA – Wine Advocate, ST – Steven Tanzer, WE – Wine Enthusiast, WRO –  Wine Review Online, W&S – Wine and Spirits, JS – James Suckling, RP – Robert Parker, JHN – Jonathan H. Newman, D – Decanter Magazine, rating goes in stars ( 5 stars is max), JH – James Halliday, TRR – The Rhone Report, BH – Burghound, IWR – International Wine Report, TLC – The Library Collection, PR – Pinot Report.

Gift Marathon:

Time Wine Rating Price
11:30p Sojourn Cellars Rodger’s Creek Vineyard Sonoma Pinot Noir 2011 Gift Set PR94 $59.99
10:51p Brunello Conti Costanti 2007 Gift Set WA96 $74.99
10:30p Silver Oak Cabernet Alexander Valley 2009 Gift Set $79.99
10:00p Merryvale Merlot Napa Valley Oak Knoll 2007 Gift Set 92
9:33p Joseph Phelps Insignia 2010 95
8:42p Veuve Clicquot Brut Rose Champagne N/V Gift Set 90
8:30p Donna Olga Brunello di Montalcino 2007 Gift Set JS93 $49.99
8:00p Clarendon Hills Cabernet Hickinbotham 2006 Clarendon, Aus. Gift Set WA96 $74.99
7:30p White Burgundy 1er Cru Meursault Perrieres 2007 Gift Set 94
6:57p Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet 2009 Gift Set WA93 $99.99
6:29p Champagne Veuve Ponsardin Clicquot Brut NV ‘Yellow Label’ Gift Set 90
5:48p Champagne Moet & Chandon Dom Perignon 2003 Gift Set 94
 5:21p Merryvale Cabernet 2009 Napa Valley Gift Set 91
 4:56p Champagne G.H. Mumm Cuvee R Lalou Prestige 1998 Gift Set 93
 4:37p Silver Oak Cellars Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 Gift Set 91
4:10p Ribera del Duero Gran Reserva 2001 Bodegas Balbas Gift Set 96
3:34p Magie Rouge Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 Gift Set WA94+ $79.99
3:15p Anderson’s Conn Valley Vineyards Chardonnay 2010 Gift Set 92
2:46p Caymus Vineyards Cabernet 2011 Napa Valley Gift Set $84.99
2:30p Clos du Marquis 2010 Saint-Julien Gift Set 96
2:00p Silver Oak Cabernet Alexander Valley 2009 Gift Set $79.99
1:30p Champagne Bollinger Special Cuvee Brut N/VGift Set WS93 $74.99
1:08p Joseph Phelps ‘Insignia’ Proprietary Red 2009 Gift Set 96
12:55p Sojourn Cellars Rodger’s Creek Vineyard Sonoma Pinot Noir 2011 Gift Set PR94 $59.99
12:38p Robert Mondavi Napa Valley Cabernet Reserve 2010 Gift Set 95
12:10p Champagne Philippe Prie Brut Tradition N/V Gift Set 91
11:50a Sassicaia Super Tuscan Tenuta San Guido 2010 Gift Set WA96 $149.99
11:28a Brunello Conti Costanti 2007 Gift Set WA96 $74.99
10:54a Corton Charlemagne 2006 Grand Cru Chardonnay Domaine Louis Latour Gift WE95 $84.99
10:32a The Prisoner By Orin Swift 2012 Gift Set WA90 $59.99
10:10a Bouchard Pere & Fils Le Corton Grand Cru Rouge 2008 Gift Set WA94 $74.99
9:40a Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet 2009 Gift Set WA93 $99.99
9:19a Perrier Jouet Fleur de Champagne Brut Cuvee Belle Epoque 2004 Gift Set WS92 $119.00
9:00a Chiappini Guado de Gemoli 2009 Super Tuscan By Emiliano Falsini Gift Set 100
8:30a Cristal Champagne Brut 2005 Louis Roederer Gift Set 97
8:00a BV Georges de Latour Private Reserve 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Gift Set 94

Magnum  Marathon:

Time Wine Rating MSRP Price M.Btls %off
12:00a Our 2013 Magnum Marathon is officially over (sad) but what an awesome day! Hoping all of you had a chance to score some “BIG” wine deals!
12:00a Brunello DOCG MastroJanni Estate 2007 JS95 $95.00 $39.99 3 58%
11:46p Eagles Trace 2006 ‘Latitude 38’ Magnum (1.50L) Conn Valley $300.00 $199.99 1 33%
11:11p Brut Champagne N/V Piper HeidsieckcMagnum (1.50L) WS93 $100.00 $64.99 2 35%
 10:33p Champagne Louis Roederer Cristal Brut 2005 1.50L Magnum WE97 $750.00 $499.99 1 33%
10:00p Domaine Du Grand Montmirail Gigondas Cuvee Vieilles Vignes IWR91 $150.00 $54.99 2 63%
9:38p Ribera del Duero Clave de Tabula 2008 Bodegas Tabula Magnum (1.50L) WA95+ $300.00 $129.99 1 57%
9:07p Chateau de Ribebon Bordeaux Superieur 2010 Magnum (1.50L) IWR90 $55.00 $28.99 2 47%
8:36p Fontanafredda Barolo Reserva ‘Tilson’ 1997 Limited Edition (1.50L) $450.00 $119.00 1 73%
8:06p Mont-Redon Rouge 2009 Chateauneuf-du-Pape Magnum (1.50L) ST92 $150.00 $54.99 1 56%
8:01p Eagle Trace Conn Valley Cabernet 2006 Double Magnum (3.0L) $300.00 $199.00 1 33%
7:30p Red Bordeaux Castillon Cote de Bordeaux Chateau Hyot 2010 Magnum (1.50L) WS90 $45.00 $24.99 2 44%
7:00p I Giusti & Zanza Dulcamara Super Tuscan 2009 Magnum (1.50L) $175.00 $54.99 2 69%
6:45p Jean-Luc Colombo Cornas La Louvee 2008 Magnum (1.50L) WE93 $225.00 $99.99 1 56%
6:15p Brunello Magnum (1.50L) La Mannella 2007 WE95 $160.00 $99.99 1 38%
5:47p Champagne Philippe Prie Brut Tradition N/V Magnum (1.50L) WS91 $125.00 $49.99 2 60%
5:27p Super Tuscan Magnum (1.50L) Cabreo Il Borgo 2010 Tenute del Cabreo JS91 $135.00 $79.99 1 41%
5:20p Heitz Cellar Martha’s Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet 2005 Magnum (1.50L) WS93 $400.00 $249.99 1 38%
5:02p Ribera Del Duero Reserva Miros De Ribera 2004 Bodegas Penafiel Magnum (1.50L) WS92 $120.00 $39.99 2 67%
4:37p Domus Vitae Brunello DOCG 2007 By Attilio Pagli Magnum (1.50L) WA93 $160.00 $69.99 2 56%
4:23p Cotes du Rhone Villages Cairanne ‘La Cigalette’ 2011 Domaine de Dionysos Magnum IWR91 $80.00 $29.99 3 63%
4:19p Heitz Cellar Trailside Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 (1.50L) 93 $189.99 $129.99 1 32%
4:07p Paulo Scavino Barolo Bric Fiasc 2006 Magnum (1.50L) WA95 $325.00 $199.99 1 38%
3:48p Veuve Clicquot Magnum ‘Yellow Label’ Brut Champagne NV WS92 $150.00 $82.09 1 45%
3:36p I Balzini White Label I.G.T. Rosso 2006 Magnum (1.50L) WS93 $130.00 $49.99 2 62%
3:24p Jean-Luc Colombo Cornas La Louvee 2007 Magnum (1.50L) WS93 $250.00 $99.99 1 60%
2:54p Maroon Cabernet Signature Reserve Napa Valley 2010 Magnum (1.50L) $90.00 $44.99 2 50%
2:43p Podere Poggio Scalette Il Carbonaione I.G.T. Alta Valle Della Greve 2009 Magnum WA94+ $200.00 $119.00 1 40%
2:36p Champagne Bollinger Special Cuvee Brut NV Magnum (1.50L) WS93 $225.00 $99.00 1 56%
2:27p Domaine Chene Macon Milly-Lamartine 2012 Magnum (1.50L) JHN91 $55.00 $24.99 2 55%
2:20p Burgess Cellars Napa Valley Cabernet 2009 (1.50L) Magnum $128.00 $59.99 1 53%
1:53p Chateau Haut Gravet St. Emilion Grand Cru 2010 Magnum (1.50L) JS92 $105.00 $54.99 2 48%
1:32p Amarone 2007 Magnum Tenuta Lena di Mezzo Monte del Fra (1.50L) WS93 $119.00 $59.99 1 50%
1:25p Jarvis Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2004 1.50L Magnum WE96 $350.00 $319.00 1 9%
12:57p Mont-Redon Rouge 2009 Chateauneuf-du-Pape Magnum (1.50L) ST92 $125.00 $54.99 1 56%
12:49p Jean-Luc Colombo Cornas La Louvee 2006 Magnum (1.50L) WS93 $250.00 $99.99 1 60%
12:23p I Giusti & Zanza Perbruno Syrah Toscana 2010 Magnum (1.50L) WE95 $110.00 $59.99 1 45%
12:16p Burgess Cabernet 2002 Vintage Selection Napa Valley Magnum (1.50L) WRO90 $116.00 $44.99 2 61%
11:54a Champagne Charles de Cazanove Brut NV Magnum (1.5L) WS92 $125.00 $59.99 1 52%
11:38a Eagles Trace Conn Valley Napa Cabernet 2006 Magnums (1.50L) $150.00 $99.99 1 33%
11:30a I Balzini Black Label 2006 Tuscan Red Wine Dai Colli Della Toscana Magnum (1.5L) WS92 $130.00 $49.99 1 62%
11:20a Grand Cru Blanc 2009 Louis Latour Magnum (1.50L) Corton-Charlemagne IWR98 $225.00 $159.99 1 29%
11:08a Heitz Cellar Martha’s Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 (1.50L) Magnum WS88 $400.00 $249.99 1 38%
11:00a Brunello Magnum (1.50L) Vertical 3-Pack Scopone 06/07/08 94 51%
10:38a Chateau de Macard Bordeaux Superieur 2010 Magnum (1.50 L) IWR90 $55.00 $28.99 2 47%
10:32a Joseph Phelps Insignia 2010 Magnum (1.50L) ST94 $600.00 $369.99 38%
10:12a Sette Ponti Oreno 2010 Magnum (1.50L) JS96 $225.00 $134.99 1 40%
10:04a St. Supery Napa Valley Cabernet 2005 (1.50L) Magnum WE90 $80.00 $49.99 2 38%
9:47a Domaine Du Grand Montmirail Gigondas Cuvee Vieilles Vignes IWR91 $150.00 $54.99 2 63%
9:35a Franco Martinetti Barolo Marasco 2008 Magnum (1.50L) 93 40%
9:31a Jordan Cabernet Alexander Valley 2003 Magnums (1.50L) 34%
9:22a Champagne Louis Roederer Cristal Brut 2005 1.50L Magnum WE97 $750.00 $499.99 1 33%
9:19a Howell Mountain Cabernet 2007 Ladera Vineyards Magnum (1.5L) 93 20%
9:00a Cotes du Rhone 2011 Domaine de Dionysos ‘La Deveze’ Magnum (1.50L) 90 62%
8:41a Guado De Gemoli 2009 Super Tuscan Magnum (1.50L) WE100 38%
8:19a Corton Grand Cru 2007 Domaine Louis Latour (1.50L) Magnum 92 65%
8:16a Burgess Cellars Napa Cabernet Vintage Selection 2001 Magnum (1.50L) 89 60%
8:00a Super Tuscan (1.50L) La Torre “Esse” 2010 95 58%
before Brut Champagne N/V Piper Heidsieck Magnum (1.50L) WS93 $100.00 $64.99 2 35%

That’s all I have for you for today, folks. Did you get anything during either one of the marathons? What do you think of the deals?
Cheers!

Following Wines Til Sold Out – September Cheapskate Marathon

September 16, 2013 9 comments

WTSO logo 2012And here we come again – one of my favorite subjects – a round up of a Wine Til Sold Out wine marathon event. This time around the event took place on Tuesday (September 10th) instead of traditional Wednesday. It also lasted for 17 hours instead of 18. For those who are not familiar with the Cheapskate Marathon, it is the event which takes place once in the few month on WTSO.com, where all the wines are priced in the fixed range of $7.99 to $18.99 and typically are sold in the quantity of 4. Also, unlike normal course of sales at WTSO, during Cheapskate the new wines are only advertized on Twitter and you need to keep refreshing the main WTSO web page in order to see the new wines coming out.

Below are the stats for the event – if you are interested in comparing with the past events, you can find three of the recent posts herehere and here.

Bottles Sold: 99,134!
More than 110 different wines sold
41.4% of sales came from our Mobile App, 58.6% from the web.
The biggest sales hour in terms of volume was at 7 AM.

 

I don’t know about you, but for me the numbers look very impressive. This time around I managed to get one wine (and, as usual, missed on the few others which I wanted).

 

Before I will leave you with the data, here is the usual guide to rating abbreviations: WS – Wine Spectator, WA – Wine Advocate, ST – Steven Tanzer, WE – Wine Enthusiast, WRO –  Wine Review Online, W&S – Wine and Spirits, JS – James Suckling, RP – Robert Parker, JHN – Jonathan H. Newman, D – Decanter Magazine, rating goes in stars ( 5 stars is max), JH – James Halliday, TRR – The Rhone Report, BH – Burghound, IWR – International Wine Report, TLC – The Library Collection.
Enjoy!
Time Wine Rating MSRP Price %off
11:01p THATS ALL FOLKS! THANK YOU to everyone who participated in our #CheapskateMarathon -it’s been a blast! Hope you got some great deals! CHEERS
11:01p La Fornace Brunello di Montalcino 2006 JS93, WS93 $78.00 $34.99 55%
10:52p Bordeaux Superieur 2010 Chateau de Macard By Amelie Aubert IWR90 $21.99 $10.99 50%
10:39p Montagny Chardonnay Louis Latour 2011 $28.00 $14.99 46%
10:36p Super Tuscan 2007 Scopone ‘Il Bagatto’ #48 JS Top 100! JS93 $60.00 $17.99 70%
10:31p Thumbprint Pinot Noir Erica’s Vineyard Winemakers Reserve 2012 JHN92 $45.00 $18.99 58%
10:23p Falesco ‘Tellus’ Syrah IGT Lazio, Italy 2011 WA89, WS89 $21.00 $11.99 43%
10:08p Vinsobres 2010 Southern Rhone Cru Dom. Constant-Duquesnoy WS91 $34.99 $15.99 54%
10:02p Shadowood Red Blend Napa Valley 2009 JHN93 $40.00 $16.99 58%
9:50p Rioja DOC Crianza 2007 Bodegas Baigorri ST90 $35.00 $14.99 57%
9:41p Cremant de Bourgogne Blanc de Blancs Brut NV Jaffelin Grand Cuvee Speciale JHN91 $30.00 $12.99 57%
9:30p Provenance Merlot 2009 Napa Valley $35.00 $16.99 51%
9:20p Maxwell Creek Reserve Chardonnay 2011 Napa Valley JHN91 $29.99 $14.99 50%
9:14p Fontegalli Vino Rosso IGT Fattoria Lavacchio 2003 WS90 $39.99 $18.19 55%
9:05p Ribera del Duero ‘Arrocal’ Tinto Fino 2009 Bodegas Arrocal WA90, WE90 $19.99 $11.99 40%
9:01p Merlot Reserve Meadowcroft Wines Napa Valley 2006 $32.00 $12.99 59%
8:52p Tallulah ‘Como’ Marsanne Stagecoach Vineyard Napa Valley 2010 JHN91-92 $40.00 $17.99 55%
8:42p Maroon Napa Cabernet Heritage Collection 2010 $40.00 $18.99 53%
8:31p Chianti Riserva DOCG Rio Camerata 2006 Fattoria di Piazzano WA91, ST90 $30.00 $14.99 50%
8:11p Sardinia White Wine Argiolas ‘Iselis’ Bianco Isola dei Nuraghi IGT 2012 $28.00 $12.99 54%
8:01p Northern Rhone Syrah Saint-Joseph AOC 2010 Les Larmes du Pere Maison Alain Paret IWR91, W&S90 $51.99 $18.99 63%
7:56p Bodegas Estefania Tilenus Envejecido en Roble Bierzo D.O. 2010 ST90 $24.99 $10.99 56%
7:51p Montepulciano D’Abruzzo 2009 Single-Vineyard Orsogna Cantina Mallorio $25.00 $9.99 60%
7:47p Pinot Noir Reserve Robert Storey Cellars Carneros 2009 JHN92 $39.99 $17.99 55%
7:41p Secoya Sauvignon Blanc ‘Mello Vineyard’ 2012 $24.00 $12.99 46%
7:34p Super Tuscan 2007 AnimaLibera ‘Alma 3’ Toscana IGT By Emiliano Falsini $32.00 $11.99 63%
7:24p Red Rhone Blend 2009 Minervois Lo Mainatge La Croix de St. Jean WA90-91 $30.00 $11.99 60%
7:11p Chianti Classico DOCG Savignola Paolina 2010 JS91 $32.00 $14.99 53%
7:03p Robert Oatley Cabernet/Merlot Blend Mudgee, Australia 2009 WS89 $20.00 $9.99 50%
6:56p Gauthier Zinfandel Los Chamizal Vineyard Sonoma Valley 2011 JHN91, WE90 $42.00 $14.99 64%
6:41p Macon-Chardonnay ‘Les Crets’ 2009 Chateau De Messey JHN91 $28.99 $14.99 48%
6:31p Territorial Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2011 $24.00 $14.99
6:18p Languedoc Vin Rouge Pic Saint-Loup ‘Bonne Pioche’ Domaine Clavel 2010 WA90-91+ $39.99 $14.99 63%
6:13p Blanc de Blanc Brut Philippe Herard NV Methode Traditionalle Sparkling Wine $22.00 $10.99 50%
5:57p 93 Pt. Eden Road Shiraz The Long Road 2010 Canberra, Australia JH93, ST91 $28.00 $15.99 43%
5:49p Pighin Red Cuvee Terre di Risano 2008 Friuli Grave DOC $25.00 $9.99 60%
5:43p Anderson Valley Pinot Noir Londer Estate Vineyards Calstar Cellars 2007 CG89 $50.00 $17.99 64%
5:32p Sauternes 2010 Bastor Lamontagne Chateau Bordenave $42.00 $16.99 60%
5:24p Rosat Cava Brut Nature Loxarel ‘999’ NV Best Buy 2012 W&S91 $16.99 $9.99 41%
5:14p Cotes Du Roussillon Villages AOC ‘Cuvee Constance’ 2010 Domaine Thunevin-Calvet WA90-91+ $29.99 $13.99 53%
5:06p Chianti Classico Riserva Savignola Paolina 2008 JS92 $45.00 $18.99 58%
5:01p Petite Sirah Reserve 2010 Stonehedge Winery Dry Creek Valley 90 50%
4:46p Kingsford Manor Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2011 Napa Valley JHN91+ $24.99 $12.99 48%
4:35p Salento IGT Negroamaro Tenute Materdomini Marangi 2009 $20.00 $11.99 40%
4:30p Cotes-du-Rhone Blanc ‘Valvigneyre’ 2011 Maison Alain Paret $22.99 $10.99 52%
4:14p Orentano Pinot Noir 2009 Russian River Valley R. Buoncristiani Vineyard $38.00 $17.99 53%
4:11p Castlebank Cabernet Reserve 2008 Sonoma County JHN92 $37.99 $15.99 58%
3:57p Tinta de Toro Old Vine Carodorum ‘Issos’ 2010 Carmen Rodriguez Mendez WA90 $22.00 $12.99 41%
3:47p Bella Vetta Vineyards 2008 Rockpile Zinfandel CG92, WE90 $34.00 $16.99 50%
3:38p Bourgogne Pinot Noir Philippe Leclerc 2009 JHN91-92 $35.00 $16.99 51%
3:28p Riesling Spatlese Urziger Wurzgarten Markus Molitor 2009 Mosel, Germany WA90, WS90 $30.00 $18.99 37%
3:22p Malbec Reserva 2009 Bodega Clop ‘Los Clop’ Mendoza, Argentina WA90 $25.00 $13.99 44%
3:07p Right Bank Bordeaux Puisseguin Saint-Emilion 2009 Chateau Rigaud WS90 $32.99 $16.99 49%
3:01p Michel-Schlumberger Red ‘Coteaux Sauvages’ 2009 Dry Creek Valley JHN92+ $62.00 $18.99 69%
2:49p Ardeche Viognier 2011 Vin de Pays IGP Coteaux de L’Ardeche Maison Louis Latour $27.00 $12.99 52%
2:42p Burgess Cellars Merlot Oak Knoll, Napa 2007 WRO90 $28.00 $14.99 46%
2:39p Bernabe Navarro ‘Beryna’ Alicante DO 2008 WA92 $55.00 $13.99 75%
2:24p Friulano 2011 Terre Di Risano by Pighin & Figli $25.00 $11.99 52%
2:20p Pinot Noir ‘Crane Vineyard’ David Noyes Wines Sonoma Coast 2008 JHN92 $50.00 $17.99 64%
2:07p Northern Rhone Cru St.-Joseph 2011 Louis Cheze ‘Ro-Ree’ RR91, ST90 $50.00 $17.99 64%
1:56p Quixote Petite Sirah ‘Pretense’ 2009 By Carl Doumani $25.00 $12.99 48%
1:45p Gavi di Gavi DOCG 2012 Michele Chiarlo ‘Rovereto’ $40.00 $17.99 55%
1:39p Chianti DOCG 2011 ‘Colle De’ Fossili’ Fattoria Piccaratico $21.00 $9.99 52%
1:35p Dignitas Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2010 By David Stevens JHN93 $50.00 $18.99 62%
1:30p Casa di Terra ‘Moreccio’ IGT Super Tuscan Bolgheri 2010 JS92, ST91 $45.00 $15.99 64%
1:14p Ridgeline Cabernet Franc Napa Valley 2010 By Mark Beringer JHN91 $35.00 $15.99 54%
1:00p Rioja Reserva 2004 Diez-Caballero Vendimia Seleccionada WA91+ $38.00 $16.99 55%
12:44p N.Z. Sauvignon Blanc Spy Valley Wines Marlborough 2011 WA89, WS89 $20.00 $12.99 35%
12:29p Maremma Toscana Syrah Pieve Dei Monaci 2010 Cantina Pieve Vecchia ST90, WE90 $20.00 $12.99 35%
12:22p Robert Storey Red Alexander Valley 2010 By Nick Goldschmidt $37.99 $12.99 66%
12:14p Cotes-du-Rhone Cuvee Prestige 2011 Auguste Ravier $15.99 $9.99 38%
11:56a Southern Rhone Cru ‘Rasteau’ 2010 Domaine Fond Croze By Philippe Cambie WS91, RR91 $35.00 $17.49 50%
11:47a Napa Red Blend Verismo ‘Stella’ 2007 JHN92 $36.00 $15.99 56%
11:34a Vionta Albarino 2010 Limited Release Rias Baixas, Spain WE89 $18.00 $9.99 45%
11:26a Morellino di Scansano AnimaLibera 2009 By Emiliano Falsini $30.00 $9.99 67%
11:14a McCrea Cellars Syrah ‘Cuvee Orleans’ 2006 Yakima Valley WE91 $40.00 $16.99 58%
11:08a Barrister Red Wine Sonoma County 2010 By Zach Long JHN92 $35.00 $14.99 57%
11:01a Spanish Red Wine Arrayan Petit Verdot 2007 WA91+ $34.00 $17.99 47%
10:56a Maroon Napa Cabernet Heritage Collection 2010 $40.00 $18.99 53%
10:49a Black Stallion Chardonnay Napa Valley 2010 $32.00 $14.99 53%
10:44a Bordeaux Rouge 2011 Chateau Lucat $15.99 $7.99 50%
10:38a Chianti Classico Riserva Castello di Bibbione 2008 JS92, WE91 $35.00 $17.99 49%
10:30a Valley Gate Chardonnay Versada Vineyard Napa Valley 2010 JHN92+ $39.99 $13.99 65%
10:19a d’Arenberg Shiraz / Viognier 2009 ‘The Laughing Magpie’ McLaren Vale WA91, ST91 $30.00 $18.99 37%
10:16a Cabernet Reserve 2011 Mockingbird Hill Winery Napa Valley By Reed Renaudinrating 92 58%
10:09a La Tribu Red Wine 2010Bodegas El Angosto WA90 $16.99 $8.99 47%
10:02a Estate Sauvignon Blanc Ant Moore 2012 Marlborough, NZ $20.00 $11.99 40%
9:56a Russian River Pinot Noir David Noyes Wines 2008 JHN91+ $50.00 $16.99 66%
9:52a Castlebank Zinfandel O.V. Giulia’s Vineyard 2010 Dry Creek Valley48% JHN92 $25.00 $12.99 48%
9:39a Bodegas Olarra Anares Rioja Reserva 2006 WS92 $22.00 $12.99 41%
9:34a Super Tuscan 2005 Vitanza ‘Quadrimendo’ Toscana WE90 $32.00 $14.99 53%
9:30a Arger-Martucci Cabernet Napa Valley 2006 $40.00 $16.99 58%
9:15a Cotes de Bordeaux 2009Chateau Lafitte-Marcellin IWR89 $20.00 $10.49 48%
9:09a Fitch Mountain Cabernet Alexander Valley 2010 By Optima Winery $40.00 $15.99 60%
9:00a Napa Chardonnay 2010 Mockingbird Hill Winery By Mark Beringer JHN91-92 $30.00 $14.99 50%
8:50a Valpolicella DOC Classico Superiore 2010 Caterina Zardini WE90 $35.00 $16.99 51%
8:35a Cotes de Provence Rose Vieilles Vignes 2012 Dom. du Garde Temps $25.00 $10.99 56%
8:23a Rioja Gran Reserva Vendimia Seleccionada Diez-Caballero 2001 WA92 $44.99 $17.99 60%
8:17a Muir-Hanna Vineyards Estate Muir’s Heritage Bully! Red Oak Knoll District, Napa Valley Red Blend 2008 $24.99 $10.99 56%
8:11a Barbaresco DOCG 2007 Fontanafredda ‘Varej’ $60.00 $18.99 68%
8:00a Gigondas AOC 2009 Cotes du Rhone Cru Domaine du Pradas WE91 $40.00 $17.99 55%
7:55a Saddlers Peak Zinfandel Napa Valley 2009 JHN90-91 $32.00 $13.99 56%
7:49a Villa Romanti Pinot Grigio Venezie IGT 2012 $10.00 $9.99 50%
7:45a Red Burgundy 2009 Chassagne-Montrachet Chateau Chassagne de Montrachet JHN91-92 $50.00 $18.99 62%
7:40a Red Heads Studio ‘The Moonlighters’ Cabernet Blend 2010 South Austrailia WS91 $22.00 $12.99 41%
7:25a RustRidge Winery Napa Valley Estate Bottled Chardonnay 2009 JHN91 $30.00 $14.99 50%
7:17a Turn 4 Cabernet 2010 By Bennett Lane Winery $25.00 $10.99 56%
7:08a 93 Pt. Ribera del Duero Reserva Bodegas Balbas 2001 WS93, IWR92 $50.00 $18.99 62%
6:53a Regnie Cru du Beaujolais Vignes de 1918 Domaine Dupre 2010 WA90 $23.00 $11.99 48%
6:48a Sonoma Mountain Cabernet 2008 Peters Family Winery WE86 $55.00 $18.99 65%
6:36a Maxwell Creek Rose Napa Valley 2011 JHN89 $21.99 $8.89 60%
6:28a Vina Aljibes Red 2009 Tierra de Castilla Bodegas Los Aljibes WA90 $15.99 $8.99 44%
6:15a Conundrum (by Caymus) California Red Blend 2010 $28.00 $18.99 32%
6:00a Brancott Pinot Noir Marlborough, NZ 2011 $14.00 $8.99 36%
Marathon STARTS NOW! GO!!! and Good luck! #wine #deals #free #shipping #until11PMEST #online #mayham #MoveQuickorEndUpThirsty
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