Upcoming Selections You're Keenly Anticipating

J2K got me going with a short list in the "New Sale" thread. In addition to his judicious choices

Robert Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2001 $65
Two Hands Bella's Garden Shiraz, Barossa Valley 2007 $35
Nozzole Chianti Classico La Forra Reserve 2004 $25
Tait Basket Pressed Shiraz, Barossa Valley, Australia 2006 $24.99
Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2005 $25
Michelle Chiarlo Barolo 2004 $35

Of which I'd highlight the Mondavi Reserve and the Chiarlo Barolo, I'm also looking forward to two less high-profile choices:

Chateau Coufran Haut-Medoc 2003, PLCB Price $13.99
Ernst Bretz Eiswein Riesling, Rheinhessen 2003 375ml, PLCB Price $14.49

Ch. Coufran is one of the consistent bargains in Bordeaux, in my opinion, and this price is outright laughable. As for the Bretz, while I have never tasted the eiswein, I once had the pleasure of going through a case of his Huxelrebe BA, and that was a mighty tasty wine. Also one of my truly bad wine-merchant experiences. And not a PLCB one, I'd like to point out.

Still, my current wishlist mainly consists of the Zind-Humbrecht Herrenweg, and the Joly Coulee de Serrant. Soon, hopefully.

I'm waiting for the 04 Chalk Hill Cab - although I will be sure to save my receipt this year. Also the St. Supery Moscato which I have always found to be a solid, reasonably priced dessert wine. And I will probably try the Trinchero Petit Verdot. From J2K's list I like the Tait Basket Pressed Shiraz. And based on your comments, I'll add the Chateau Coufran to my hit list.

Now if they would just come in (noticed the expected arrival dates have all been changed from September to October).

Often times the wine(s) I was excited about did not turn out to be my favorites. Most recently I was "keenly" anticipating the Testarossa Pinot Noir Palazzio Central Coast 2007. Ran out and got a bottle, tried it, and was not wowed. But then based on great reviews here I tried the Gundy Bundy Pinot, loved it and bought a case.

Going back a few years when they brought in a series of Beringer Private Reserve Cabs ('95, '96, '97, '99, and '01) for $60 each it was almost a food fight to get some. Had a tasting of several of them with friends and while they were all good I didn't think they justified the price (CS price - maybe; original price - no way). Will the Mondavi Reserve Cab '01 be better?

Like J2K I want to get a few of those same French whites: Joly, Zind-Humbrecht Herrenweg, and also Zind-Humbrecht Gewurtztraminer which Dave DeSimone "highly recommended."

It seems that everywhere distributers are dumping wine these days. Email offers are hitting my inbox in 2s and 3s daily with new offers. Makes me wonder if Chairman's will be able to step in and offer some of these in coming months.....

For example, Two Hands Bella's Garden Shiraz, Barossa Valley 2007 $35 JJ.Buckley just advertised this at $18.99. They also list a regular price of $36.99. A wine that is easily worth the Chairman's $35, and a crazy deal at $19.

Anyone know what the lag time is for a Chairman's deal to come through the pipeline from purchase to delivery in PLCB stores?

I was poking around in the Upcomings, and these seemed like good prospects:

'04 Ligneres Aric, $7.99, #12933: seems to have pleased various people pretty well at around $20 retail; lowest price I found was $14.99. For me, serious contender for case purchase.

'04 Calvulcura (not Cavulcura), $14.99, #30909: legitimately a $20 wine, and fairly well liked at that price; caution: appears to be a stereotypical New Worlder, with high extract and relatively little structure.

'04 Nardi Brunello, $34.99, #12949: release price really is the quoted $70, but it's widely discounted - still, low price I found was $45, so still a deal. Very well liked around the Interwebs. Caution: apparently requires aging, or, lacking that, a long decant (think 3-6 hours) to show its stuff.

NV Dom. Ehrhardt Cremant d'Alsace "Prestige", $14.99; #30929: US prices start around $20, so this is an actual discount. Appears to be a very good example of the genre, and a solid contender for everyday sparkler, if you're in the market. 100% Chardonnay, which is uncommon.


Anyway, these were the ones that struck me. I also found a number who struck me differently, but I'll leave that exercise to others.

Anyone fancy anything else?

Yes I've been curious about Ca' Furlan Beatrice Cuvee Prosecco Veneto NV.

http://www.pawinetalk.com/detail/?id=1001222

Honestly I haven't had many Proseccos but the ones I have had have been uninspiring at best. But Vanyerchuk falls all over himself over this in the episode linked from above. Wine Library sale price is $9.99, our price is $8.99 and hey at that price I'm willing to give it a shot.

As it appears to be a Pittsburgh-only CS release, I refuse to discuss it!

;-P

I've seen this before if you search for a wine that is just about to be distributed around the state.

It seems that it takes a few weeks for these to get out to other stores, but I doubt any one store can sell through 400-500+ bottles.

It's available across the state now.

Oh. Still got nothing interesting to say.

For the sake of adding useful content, the pattern of release across the State follows the order in which the various warehouses are supplied, and it's fairly consistent: Pittsburgh is always early, Philadelphia as much as a couple of weeks later - which isn't something that should bother us, if anything I like having the lead time to check on people's opinion.

Not sure how many other warehouses there are, or where they are, so apologies to the non-urban wine-lovers out there.

If there's one constant in this state, it's that people believe the government is somehow biased towards one end of the state or the other. It's no different with the PLCB. There are many examples of wines becoming available xx days/weeks/months in one area before any other.

The PLCB sees the state as three regions with roughly vertical geographic boundaries, numbered 1 to 3 from East to West. Each has its own warehouse/distribution center.

The Ca' Furlan is a recent example of a wine being available in region 3 before region 1, while the Wild Oak by St. Francis Cabernet is a recent example of a wine being available in region 1 before region 3. (The day Elizabeth Downer's article ran in the P-G a couple weeks ago in which she recommended this wine, it was just available in region 1 and a lot of people in the Pittsburgh area were complaining of unfairness.)

Also, in regards to Chairman's Selections there are no "Pittsburgh-only" or "Philadelphia-only" selections. (There are online-only selections however.) If a wine is extremely limited and only goes to two stores, it'll go to one in the Philly-are and one in the Pittsburgh-area. Just maybe not on the same day!

That makes sense. I suppose we just register when we want it and we can't have it: if it's available in Philadelphia, I won't bother searching statewide.

Now, what's all this about online-only Selections? Or did you mean lower-case "selections"? I know there are online-only wines, but I thought the CS was always in (at least some Premium) Stores.

From time to time there is a Chairman's Selection that is an "Online exclusive."

In typical PLCB fashion, there is no way to generate a list of them, and some that are listed as "Online exclusive" are also available in a small handful of stores.

Here's a Chairman's Selection "Online Exclusive" that indeed is available only online:
http://www.pawinetalk.com/detail/?id=1001178

http://www.finewineandgoodspirits.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?level0 =null&level1=&level2=&level3=&level4=&catalogId=10051&storeId=10051&productId=1246610 &langId=-1&prodlistCatId=Wines%20by%20Variety&parent_category_rn=Wines%20by%20Variety
(How's that for a link?)

Here's another one that is also in a couple of stores:
http://www.pawinetalk.com/detail/?id=1001166

http://www.finewineandgoodspirits.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?level0 =null&level1=&level2=&level3=&level4=&catalogId=10051&storeId=10051&productId=949302& langId=-1&prodlistCatId=Wines%20by%20Variety&parent_category_rn=Wines%20by%20Variety

They've been doing this for a long time. I fondly remember buying 18 bottles of Landmark Lorenzo Chardonnay 2002 for $24.99/ea which was an "Online exclusive" Chairman's Selection 6 summers ago. Free shipping and they threw in a 2-bottle neoprene tote.

On today's list are a couple of bottles I'd like to try:

A. Caprai Sagrantino di Montefalco 25th Anna 2004
94 - WA
92 - IWS
91 - WS

At $60, it should have some great ratings.

Also, the Murphy-Goode Petite Verdot (05). I've had a number of prior vintages, and found this to be a really nice PV.