pizinah 
Barrel Filler
Posts: 1313
 | | 03-24-2006 01:41 AM |
| And the blizzard of mailers never ends. Just received the following email:
Dear Mr. XXXX:
The offering letter and order form for our Blankiet Estate Paradise Hills Vineyard 2003 release was mailed today to the following address:
Mr. XXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXX
If you choose to fax your order back to us, we recommend that you also mail the form because fax transmittals are unfortunately not 100% reliable. We will email you a confirmation when your order is received.
All the best!
Blankiet Estate Winery | | |
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rickym13
los angeles
Wine Thief
Posts: 2907
| | 03-24-2006 02:07 AM |
| got this e mail too...not sure if i am going to order or pass on this yet  | | | |
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pizinah
Barrel Filler
Posts: 1313
| | 03-24-2006 02:13 AM |
| I tried but wasn't able to get any of the '02 Cab. In hindsight I'm not sure it bothers me (of course at the time I was livid  ). The '02 Merlot, on the other hand, is fantastic, one of the best domestic merlots I've ever tasted. I'm probably in, notwithstanding the Merlot-Cab bundling we were previously advised of. | | | |
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Bob Bressler
Napa Valley
Wine Lover
Posts: 4930
| | 03-24-2006 06:50 AM |
| Had the 2003 merlot tonight. Yum. | | | |
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pizinah
Barrel Filler
Posts: 1313
| | 03-24-2006 07:15 AM |
| Great to hear, confirms my inclination to buy the '03. I really liked the '02 a lot. It was surprisingly balanced and non-fruit-bombish for a Helen Turley wine, an excellent Merlot. Better than the '02 would be pretty tasty indeed! | | | |
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JimmyV
Central Connecticut
Wine Connoisseur
Posts: 5222
| | 03-24-2006 02:12 PM |
| This is one instance where I will likely be an unapologetic point chaser. The '03 Cabs seem to be getting so-so reviews, and even the best of the lot are a half-step down from '01 and '02. But Parker rated the Blankiet at 95+ which, if I am not mistaken, puts it in the very top tier of '03 Cabs up there with Abreu, Colgin, Bryant, Harlan and Sloan. So despite the infuriating way that they have handled allocations in the past, I will send in an order. | | | Beta testing a new signature. | |
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Dave
Wine Connoisseur
Posts: 5773
| | 03-24-2006 04:30 PM |
| I will probably order, but only order the cab and not the merlot. Preference is given to those that have a "balanced" order. This seems to be a love-it-or-hate-it wine. | | | |
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pizinah
Barrel Filler
Posts: 1313
| | 03-24-2006 04:41 PM |
| Quote:
I will probably order, but only order the cab and not the merlot. Preference is given to those that have a "balanced" order. This seems to be a love-it-or-hate-it wine.
While the merlot maybe doesn't have the flipping or dumping advantages of the cab, the '02 merlot is killer and Bressler says he likes the '03 merlot even more. It's really great stuff. Here's an excerpt from Parker's notes on the '03 merlot (96 pts; rated a point higher than the '03 Cab):
"The 2003 Merlot is better out of bottle than it was from cask. An explosively rich wine that ranks among the finest Merlots I have tasted from California in the last decade, it boasts an incredibly perfumed nose of espresso roast, mocha-infused chocolate, blackberry, cassis, cherry liqueur, and smoke. With an enormous texture, fabulous concentration, a packed-and-stacked mid-palate, and an explosive intense, ripe, long finish, this stunning wine is extraordinarily complex and savory. Anticipated maturity: now-2020."
Tanzer fwiw is pretty effusive as well. | | | |
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JimmyV
Central Connecticut
Wine Connoisseur
Posts: 5222
| | 03-24-2006 04:45 PM |
| The Merlot sort of puts me in a bind. Frankly, I don't care for the varietal. But knowing that visitors to my home often do, I try to keep some decent bottles around for guests. Usually nothing beyond a $35 bottle of Phelps, although I did pick up a couple bottles of Paloma when winegeek had his VC special offer. So do I balance out my order to make sure I get the Cab, and serve my guests $100 Merlot?  Based on Bressler's early returns it would likely be the best Merlot they have ever had. | | | Beta testing a new signature. | |
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pizinah
Barrel Filler
Posts: 1313
| | 03-24-2006 04:59 PM |
| I haven't had a lot of domestic merlots I've thought were great and very infrequently buy any, but I do buy (and love) a decent number of right bank bordeaux so I try to be open to the possibility of great CA merlot. All I can tell you is the '02 Blankiet Merlot was really, really good. In a blind tasting against '02 high-end/cult cabs it would do well (though it's not quite as fruit-forward as something like, for example, Insignia or Foley Claret). And if Bressler and Parker think the '03 merlot is better than the '02 that's good enough for me. | | | |
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Paul K.
Grape Fermenter
Posts: 452
| | 03-24-2006 10:13 PM |
| Just got the mailer:
The Merlot and Cab are bundled together.
3 and 3 (3 x $150/cab and 3 x $100/merlot) = $750
6 and 6 for $1500.
For the 6/6, you can purchase a mage of cab for $330 and a mag of merlot for $220. | | | |
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Dave
Wine Connoisseur
Posts: 5773
| | 03-24-2006 10:18 PM |
| Any option given to unbundle? This may make my Blankiet/Vineyard 29 dilemma a little easier. | | | |
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pizinah
Barrel Filler
Posts: 1313
| | 03-24-2006 10:27 PM |
| I'll bet they'd agree to sell you only merlot! Actually, crazy as it seems, for me this might be an option. The merlot is great, $50 less, and I've read mixed notes on the '02 cab... | | | |
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Dave
Wine Connoisseur
Posts: 5773
| | 03-24-2006 10:31 PM |
| That should be easy to do. You will see all sorts of offers for 2003 Merlot on the various boards. | | | |
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rickym13
los angeles
Wine Thief
Posts: 2907
| | 03-24-2006 10:40 PM |
| Quote:
Just got the mailer:
The Merlot and Cab are bundled together.
3 and 3 (3 x $150/cab and 3 x $100/merlot) = $750
6 and 6 for $1500.
For the 6/6, you can purchase a mage of cab for $330 and a mag of merlot for $220.
if they are going to be selling as package...i might be out | | | |
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Paul K.
Grape Fermenter
Posts: 452
| | 03-24-2006 10:47 PM |
| Quote:
Any option given to unbundle? This may make my Blankiet/Vineyard 29 dilemma a little easier.
They say, on the bottom of the second page:
"If you wish to order only one wine, we will gladly make note of your request and will do our best to accommodate it if there is availability after the offerings are closed and the allocations are completed." The deadline is 4/21; however, it also says first-come, first-serve as quantities are very limited.
I guess same with the mags. | | | |
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rickym13
los angeles
Wine Thief
Posts: 2907
| | 03-24-2006 10:54 PM |
| just talked to my local retail guy and he told me that he is getting blankiet from his distributor. so, most likely i will be passing on this one. | | | |
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ChangeMe
Grape Sorter
Posts: 218
| | 03-24-2006 11:10 PM |
| Really? I thought that all the wine was sold via mailing list or to restaurants. I didn't realize any was sold through distribution at all.I do know that there was enough demand the last couple of years that orders went unfilled. | | | |
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rickym13
los angeles
Wine Thief
Posts: 2907
| | 03-24-2006 11:19 PM |
| i thought so too but....i will find out if he really get them in | | | |
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Vitis Vinifera
Grape Fermenter
Posts: 626
| | 03-25-2006 06:16 AM |
| are you freakin kidding me? I gotta throw down $750? Sorry I just don't have that kind of money all in one shot. That is totally ridiculous. At those prices, I could afford to buy just a few total, but I guess they've taken that choice from me.
I remember the Cab being $135 last year. Looks like more consolidating for me. This mailer is probably a good thing for Pride. | | | |
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