Anyone buying anything? Prices are awefully steep. The '01 Beckstoffer-Tokalon CS is $185/bottle I'll actually consider that, however, before paying $115 for the RMP 91-92 pts 2002 Cuvee Agustina pinot

His pricing is lunacy.

I saw this too last night. Couldn't believe the prices. Too rich for my blood. If anyone wants my allocation, it's all yours....

Yep, the pricing used to be just a bit high (but the wines were of superior quality too). But now the pricing is just out of this world. I have really liked the Hobbs wines but the pricing makes you wonder who is buying this stuff.

That's a good question skwid

I passed on the '00 Beckstoffer-Tokalon CS, but wasn't that $135/bottle before the fire-sale price reduction? That's already beyond steep, but a $50 increase b/c the '01 scored particularly well? (What's next -- $235 for the '02 b/c according to RMP it's potentially even better??) I don't know whether it's more insulting or crazy. Yes, there are some other pricey non-cult '01 Cal Cabs -- Pride Reserve CS and Claret, RF Claret, etc. -- but those were all $100-$130 if you could get them at the release price. It's also hard to believe that this will be twice as pleasurable -- at twice the cost -- as '01/'02 Ramey Jericho Canyon, '01/02 Quilceda Creek, '01 Monte Bello, '01 Insignia, etc.

This is crazy ! It is an EASY pass.

Put immediately in the circular file.

Put pricing aside and lets talk about the wine first.

. Vineyard - Tokalon has been around since 1868, making it one of the oldest vineyards in California.
. W. Andrew Beckstoffe owns 89 acres of Tokalon
. Paul Hobbs started his own winery in 1991
. Robert Parker rated it 98+ the highest rated 2001 cabernet

So what we have is a very good bottle of wine, with the ability to age nicely over 25 years and a proven winery with a good track record. Buy all you can.

WOTW

Recycled it.

It always surprises me how wines made from the same vineyard source can differ soooo greatly in price.

I understand that there is a difference due to clones, location in vineyard, etc. But now different are the grapes that Paul Hobbs gets from the Tokalon Vineyard, then those used by Schrader ($75) or Karl Lawrence (along with Morisoli & Herb Lamb for $45)?

I was almost thinking about it - glad I read this first.

Seems like there are too many very nice 2001's at "reasonable" prices to bite on this. I thought his 97's (at around $45) was a good value.

K&L wines has it for $179. Why should a winery penalize their mailing list customers and sell it at $185?

His 2001 Beckstoffer is simply awesome - I should have bought them when I had the chance on futures for $120...

Winoman, I was there at that tasting too, and it was the wine of the tasting for me as well.

Yeah I remember - you were at the early tasting (with someone else from Spectator forum or here - forgot who...) and I the late as I recall. I liked all his wines and near the end went back a second time for more! I really gave him a hard time about the pricing and told him emphatically that I would never buy his wine as there were too many more resonably priced alternatives...but in the end I thought it was too good to pass up...maybe in 10+ years we can pop one at a DC area offline eh?

Yeah, I was at the early tasting with JohnnyB. When you think about it in the context of the event, this wine for me was a notch above some of the other excellent wines in this price category - the Peter Michael Les Pavots ($110) and the Phelps Insignia ($100). It was my first CA Cab barrel tasting, so I hesistated to buy anything that expensive then.

yes, I was there with Jaimetown and it was an impressive barrel sample. I have a case at the pre-release price around 100....although it wasn't my money that paid for it.

What was your-alls impression of the 2002 barrel tasting vs 2001? Many of the winery reps were trying to make a case for the 2002's as the better vintage (of course) - in general I did not think it was the case and felt the 2001s showed more power/density and better fruit - with some exceptions of course. (Though I think many 2002s will be better early drinkers)

I ended up ordering about the same amount (perhaps 1 1/2 cases worth...and off the top of my head I don't even remember all of the ones I ordered). BTW the 2001 tasting was the first barrel tasting I had ever been too and I was equally hesitant to order much. One wine I did order from both tastings was the Andrew Will (and not a cali at all...). And in general I tried to hold off on wines going for more then $65 or so - unless I felt they really wowed me - and then I tried to pick my one or two faves and ordered a few bottles (and though I imagine much of what I buy will likely be passed on to my kids - a nice legacy for them IMO - I still need to put $ aside for their education and such...)