I have some wine available @ my cost for those interested. Thanks.

PM sent

hmm, haven't seen it yet. can you please email me at "*"winetex@hotmail.com"*" ? remove the "*"

If anyone wants mine, let me know soon. Previous buyer disappeared into the stock market black hole.

Placed my order for my full allocation yesterday, all but 4 bottles are going to someone else however.

Finally ordered my KB allocation. All in cost to TX was $81.35 per. I ended up shipping via UPS Next Day. The cost for 2-day was $101 a case, and overnight was just $8 more. December is usually safe, but for less than $1/bottle, I'd rather have it in my cellar than in UPS's hands. Had some folks lined up to share, but they have backed out, so if anyone in the Houston/Austin/Dallas/San Antonio region wants some, let me know.

Ordered my allocation today. Ended up sharing with a couple of folks but still did not take the full allocation so there will wines back in the pool.

Ditto!

I tell you though, these are costing me now well over $80/per. Looking @ my list, I paid $55 for the 04s. That's 2 years ago only, $55/per.

That's quite a jump, especially when you consider that pinots from Loring, AP Vin, Kutch, Ketcham, and August West (to name a few), are still in the
$40-$50 range, and several of them include shipping in their price.

I agree prices have increased markedly and I think your allocation getting reduced after buying 50 bottles last year - even though I understand their reasoning completely - was a poor call on their part.  However I know I'd much rather have Kosta Browne in the cellar than any of those producers you list by a wide margin.

Posted By Daniel Bailey on 10-22-2008 11:20 AM 
However I know I'd much rather have Kosta Browne in the cellar than any of those producers you list by a wide margin.

I agree.

I prefer KB to the wines Budman lists as well. Over the next 6 months to a year as I try some of these KBs, I will determine if they are still worth today's prices that they charge.

I ordered 2 Kanzler and 2 4-Barrel since they were nice enough to call with a reminder.

I actually totally forgot about this. The 2002 Kanzler was the first KB I had and is what got me to sign up for their list. I should have ordered a couple of those, but have been to distracted with work.

If it weren't for fellow forumites sharing their allocations, I wouldn't have the opportunity to taste many wines.
A friend in here offered part of his allocation last year, I took him up on it; fell in love with the wine and am delighted he is willing to share again this year again at cost.
Plus, he takes good care of the stuff, assumes all the risk and hand delivers it. :=)
Now, if I could just get him to part with some 4 barrel.......

I'm not disageeing that KB is a notch above the wines I mentioned.
I'm merely saying that, while others have held the line on prices in these trying economic times, KB has not.
In addition, KBs production is up by a ton compared with their 2003/2004. It's a tribute to them that quality has not suffered from the production increase.

Well, I guess someone just moved up on the list because of me. I'm out at $80+. I figure I can get quite a few great wines for $80 per. Plus I already have SVD's in the cellar. I figured I'd branch out a little.

Budman: Your point about price the escalation of KB as compared to other producers who source fruit from the same growers is an excellent one.  We are all familiar with the constant refrain from wineries that production costs are rising. And they are. But a rising tide should float all boats somewhat evenly. Seems to me as if KB's boat is on the crest of a wave that most other producers who sail the same waters seem to have missed.  The only other logical explanation for the cost increase relative to other producers who toil the same vineyards is supply and demand. That is, after all, the American way. But with this release, they may have burst their bubble. Then again, with a waiting list as loing as theirs, they will sell out. While it may not matter to them this year that the wine will have to flow down to the waiting list to sell, in future years it most assuredly will. Disenfranchising your longest, most loyal customers in reliance of the hope that the waiting list will pick up the slack is a bad long-term strategy.