In trolling through wine-searcher.com yesterday, I found the 97 Arrowood Reserve Speciale for $75. The link is www.melandrose.com .

Per an email from Shawn Banayan (shawn@melandrose.com), they have 11 bottles left in stock. I have committed to two of them, so I guess that would leave nine more. Though I wish I could take more, this is mailing list season.

I posted questions about the store and storage conditions on this site, WS and RMP. The only response so far has been:

" I've stopped by and picked up a bottle or two. I don't think you have anything to worry about. Never heard a bad word about them.

Tracey (Stern)"

I don't know how much more due diligence I can do, so I am going to take my chances. This is the only board on which this information is posted, because availability is pretty limited.

Happy hunting!

Mike

Mike - Thanks for the heads-up. I just ordered one to confirm all the glory this wine has been receiving from fellow forumites.

If it helps any, Shawn told me that they have owned the wine since release and it has been stored it in their cellar. Good enough for me.

Also, he was quite suprised at the flurry of interest. Seems you single-handedly created a market for him

I just hope he saved mine for me, I did not get around to faxing the credit card info until half an hour ago.

I also spoke with FreeTheGrapes about this wine, and he agrees that it is spectacular. I don't know when he opened it, but he said he did so after reading a lot of comments about it being overrated. After trying it, I think he placed another order now too.

Now, maybe for my commission, Shawn will pay me with another bottle!

Mike

mbansek,
I also want to thank you for the tip.
I ordered 3 bottles this afternoon. They'll be heading for the
East Coast tomorrow.
My brother has 18 bottles of this gem, and (until today) I have 2.
Bought one at the winery, and one from somewhere else in
California. Compared to current auction prices on this wine
(around $100), $75 seems like a steal.
I've been doing the Dance of Joy ever since I got my confirmation
from Shawn.

Glad to share the tip. I heard back from Shawn too, and did get my two bottles, so all is well.

I just wish the price was available at another time. Between Kistler, Switchback, yada yada yada, just too much outflow to buy as much as I would like. I would have liked to take all 11 off his hands.

At least this takes me up to four, and I will remain ever watchful.

Mike

Mike - I think an extra bottle as commission is only fair. After all, you probably helped him turn his entire inventory in one day!

I, too, wish I could have taken delivery of more but budgetary constraints prevented me from doing so. At least I now have one bottle to enjoy while I wait for so much of my cellar to age.

Oh, the pain of this hobby!

Just to follow-up: Received my wine form Mel and Rose today. Professionally packaged, promptly shipped and the the wine looks well cared for. I have bottles bought this year that don't look this pristine

Of couse, the proof is in the contents but that will have to wait a while....

DdB,
Mine are due to arrive tomorrow.
I'm wiping the drool off my chin right now!

Well get a bigger towel....I started drooling even more when I actually got my hands on the wine

Congrats guys (to all that jumped on this). For this $$$, a person would be hard pressed to do better (ever). This is 1 of the best put-together Wines I ever had. I tried to pick out some flaws or whatever, none to be had. That's all there is to it...

Interesting...per Parker.."When Dick Arrowood was asked about his opinion and rated his vintages, the top years were "1994 and 1999, followed by 1995, 1997, 1991, 1990, and 1996."

Not bad for a fourth best vintage of the decade.

Mine arrived safe and sound today, too. Of course, being tax season, it has not even made it into my office yet, let alone opening the box.

Dr. T: Those are very interesing comments indeed. I may have to watch for some of those other vintages as well.

D-day for opening the 97: February 22. (Not from this shipment, I already have two in the cellar purchased at release).

Mike

Mr Arrowood's comments are interesting.. considering the 99 Reserve Speciale
won't even be released for another 2 months. I wonder what the release price
will be.

Interesting. Has anyone tried the 1996 Reserve lately?

My 3 bottles arrived safe and sound today.
Happy happy joy joy happy happy joy joy.... etc.

WL has the 01 Arrowood Reserve Cab Sauv for $86.99. Here are Parker's notes:

"A fabulous effort, the opaque purple-hued 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Speciale is a 1,600-case cuvee that spent 32 months in oak. One of the finest Cabernets of the vintage, it, along with Peter Michael's Les Pavots, is one of the best Cabernets produced in Sonoma County. An extraordinary nose of creme de cassis, cedar, flowers, and toast emerges from this unctuously-textured, full-bodied effort. With sweet tannin, magnificent concentration, abundant notes of cassis, wood smoke, and licorice, and a long, 60-second finish, this monumental 2001 should be at its peak between 2008-2022." 96 points.

Any one have a taste of this? Worth the 96 points? Worthe the $90.00 dollars? As good as the 97? Anything to say about this wine?

I bought some (as seen in the WAYBL thread). My purchase was based purely on my soft spot for Arrowood Reserve (the '97 was one of my epiphany Cal cabs) and RP's tasting note. I'm sure it's an excellent wine and one of the very few on my California shopping list these days.

Indeed Short, the 97 is one the finest CA cabs I ever had the pleasure to taste. We had this about 3 years ago & I still remember it. That tells you something right there. If my mind serves me correctly, ojeffso has like a case of it. Note to self (stay friendly with ojeffso).

I will probably end up buying 3 of these tomorrow. The 60 sec finish that Parker noted is hard to pass up.

Dave posted

Quote:

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Curse you ShorttheWorld!

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Ditto!

3 bottles for me & 3 for my brother. They are down to 1 case.