Short of getting certified, finding a good wine shop with knowledgeable staff is one of the best ways to get consistently good wine. Developing a rapport with a trusted wine professional is absolutely invaluable
Madeline, you're the best. I've always sought to try different varietals from off-the-beaten-path wineries, and you've just reinforced my belief in doing so. Thanks. Wine Folly rocks!
Idaho wines? Way back in the Muppet Movie (1979), Kermit and Miss Piggy are dining, with Steve Martin as the sommelier. Kermit chooses the cheapest on the wine list, and Steve says "Aaaah -- Idaho's finest!" He brings the bottle out, opens it, and asks "Would you like to sniff the screw cap, sir?"
Glad to see another video from you. I have a couple of annoyances when it comes to wine. 1. Living here in Washington State it's extremely hard to get retailers to try and stock some of the great boutique wines that this state is producing. 2. Knowing people who are reluctant to try new wines or even different grape varietals. I have friends who were on the lower scale of wine who drink nothing but Yellowtail or Barefoot and think that is great stuff but refuse to try higher quality wines. I also have friends who drink high quality wines but they will only drink a cabernet sauvignon. 3. Wineries that are somewhat deceptive in their labeling. I reviewed a Red Mountain Hedges Family Estate wine the other day and they absolutely had all sorts of information on the label including all the used grape varietals in the red blend. More wineries should do that.
In a way, I envy those who are perfectly happy with their Yellowtail and Barefoot. They seem to be enjoying as much as I, but at a fraction of the cost. And they don’t have to learn all the ridiculous lingo to impress people.
Nicely done. I really hate the 3-tier system as a retailer. I especially get annoyed with the distributors that take a higher margin at their level. I special ordered an older vintage of Pinot Noir for a customer, and the distributor marked it up even more. I am pretty sure the winery sold it to them at the same price because there was no guarantee it was going to hold up. And guess what? It didn't. I think as a wine steward, it's my job to get around the system by wheeling and dealing, and passing the savings on to the consumer. Once again, nice episode.
I recently started reselling Italian wines from small family wineries. I started with 3 houses from Piemonte, and 1 in Veneto, that we visited. My reselling price begins around $14,50 (for Barbera & Nebbiolo and most white wines), $20-30 for the superiore, and a $47 Amarone. Does that seem fair? Let’s say when I can purchase a bottle around $7, what would be a (somewhat) correct reselling price? Of course, we pay taxes, excise per bottle,… even when we import/export the bottles ourselves (I live in Belgium, we traveled ourselves for our first purchases), but we also add a little to the price because of the exclusivity. I think it’s only fair since I’m the only reseller in Belgium 🤷🏻♂️ It’s been a great journey so far, looking forward to dig in deeper!
I’ve been with Naked Wines for 4 years now and for that exact reason you speak of. Such talented wine makers sell through NW for fantastic value and an enlightening community to boot!
Yeah I was just thinking about the mark up price of California wines for American wines in general it definitely confuses me because I love French wines. Why pay $50 for a great cab from the U.S when you can get a great bordeaux from France for $30 or superior $20 Morgon from Beaujolais. I live in the states so I feel that we should get a better price because were actually closer to the ones they don’t have a plane ticket but they seem to cost us more money and we live right near them it makes no sense to me.
2017 Mount Veeder Cab Sauv- Napa Valley $44 2016 Robert Mondavi Cab Sauv - Napa Valley $34 This could go on forever but the point is there are plenty of Napa Cabs for under $50.
That was the most tactful review of a subpar wine I've ever seen. LOL. Would love to see you review some Washington state Cabs. It's an area I've always found some compelling value wines...not quite to the level of Napa cabs but interesting in their own right. Two Vintners Winery out of Woodinville has some really nice stuff. I like their 'Legit' which is a cab blend 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Franc, & 5% Merlot, $30
I reviewed a Red Mountain Hedges Family Estate the other day that is being sold in Washington State Costco's that sell for $18. Go find it and buy it. It was great for the price.
Two Vintners does some solid work. There are a bunch of pretty good wineries here (I actually live in Woodinville). I would say, I have very high expectations for them!
I am curious, what you would find if you went out there and tasted a variety? I have not tasted any cabs from the Snake river, but know there are tons of other varieties, and that Eastern Washingron has a great lab and resources, studying and analysing the different varietals.
I'm a big fan of Washington state wine. Three of my favorite Long Shadows, Delille Cellars, and Betz Family. Washington state wines are a worthy alternative to Napa wines. It would be nice to see Madeline do a deep dive on reds from Washington. I love Madeline's reviews.
I just watched your video on semillon & sauvignon blanc which was very informative. My one disapointment (yes, I know I m isspelled it) is that I did not get a good look at the labels or hear the names so I ight be able to purchase some. Can you hlp?
I'm from CA and love Lodi and central coast wines. Please give us some of your opinions on: Frenchtown Farms Winery, Close Saron (Stone Soup Winery), La Onda wines and the now defunct Renaissance Winery. Thank you.
Thanks for sharing info on the three tier system. Any chance it will go away? Not a fan of Naked Wines. Very few winners in the lot but that's just me.
Very curious te hear what is going on In Snake River. There are two sides,Oregon as well, and as you were describing it, sounded like it was winemaker choices you were confused about. I would.love to hear how that region is evolving, especially in comparison to the Walla Walla region and Lewiston
Dropping in late! I'm from Montana and though the market is getting better all the time, I wish there was more international wines available. Montana makes wine, too, though I'm not a fan. They also tend to be too sweet for my taste, possibly due to the scorching summers we often get 🤷
It's just a matter of time. Montana deserves to be exposed to more of what's going on in the world and the style will evolve. Happy you're out there making sure it happens! :)
Wine stores and wine makers target the $15 a bottle customers. That is where they make their cash. Napa is way over price 100% Now that lady buys crap grapes from Napa or just outside and tries to mask it with whatever. 30 Bucks for alright wine? No! Now big producers are making wine out of Poso Robles and trying to sell it over Napa because of the price. AKA Chucky Wagner. Good Video as always.
In the UK I purchased a dozen wines from Naked Wines as an "Angel" invester, picking mostly varietals I enjoy and wines reviewed highly by their community. Unfortunately, I was dissapointed with each and every one of them. Mostly uninteresting wines or wines that are imbalanced to the point of being put down the sink. I cancelled my "Angel" subscription within months. However, I did sign up to The Wine Society at the same time. It costs a little to get in, but their wines have so far been 100% excellent, even their own branded blends and varietals. Tl;dr. If you're in the UK, my recommendation woud be The Wine Society over Naked Wines simply for the fact their wines (to me) are better. Cheaper delivery, too!
@@WineJam Just figured as we were on the topic, I'd let people know my experiences. I wouldn't even say Naked Wines are cheaper than anyone else, even as an Angel. Look elsewhere I'd say. Again, this might only apply to the UK. Not sure how it all works out stateside.
Dude. You made me realize an issue with their model. I mention it in today's blog post. They have scaling issues. (e.g. good wine can't be made in bulk) winefolly.com/update/wine-retail-rant-why-grocery-store-wines-are-rigged/
@@winefolly No problem! Glad to be of service ;-). I think this is why The Wine Society are pretty picky about what they sell (and don't have a big catalogue of wines), but none of it's made in giant bulk. It's nice that the whole thing is "members before profit", which Naked Wines and others don't feel like (www.thewinesociety.com/value-charter). Do you guys have something similar in the states? Also, I'm hitting up the West Coast in September, can you recommend anywhere I should book for some serious wine tasting?
Improper wine display in store. I haven't had this problem at HEB, but Kroger used to be horrible about selling wine that had been upright too long, and at best the cork would fall apart, and often the wine had turned because of poor storage. Not grouping wine by region also drives me nuts. A lot of places group by grape varietal, which gets complicated for blends and leads to confusion. I usually hunt by region and let the varietal fall where it may. Clueless wine staff. My local grocery store, with a once excellent wine section has recently turned over help, and now all the buyers picks are overpriced Texas selections (often not made with Texas grapes) and sweet stuff that is only barely considered wine (think rasberry wine). No love for odd regions. I happen to always seek out wine from places I didn't even know made wine. It always makes me sad if I don't come home from my monthly wine buy from some oddball region that surprises my wife.
I just started with NakedWine this past month. I got 12 bottles of which I picked very carefully based on what I know I like and dislike. I have broken into 4 of the 12 so far and 2 I like quite a bit, 2 I did not. One of them got a 96 score (Gold) at the Sonoma County 2020 Wine Tasting Competition so very eager to try that one out. I do enjoy getting the insight and full scoop on who makes the wine, where they are from, why they make wine etc. I cannot complain about the price per bottle one bit I do admit that.
Terrific job! There are lots of reasons to dislike distributors. They add a layer of price increase (and don’t get me started on the ever popular “delivery charge”) that does more to make wine a luxury item that it has become in the mind of the average consumer, I’d also like to emphasize that the second tier, and US distributors (given the consolidation over the years, they are pretty much a monopoly) in particular, is why you get Cabernet Sauvignon based wines being grown and made in places like Idaho, or my home state of Colorado. Or Chardonnay or Pinot Noir..... Rather than encouraging growers and producers’ journeys to find what grows best in their specific climate and ground, they want what is “easy to sell” - familiar varietals. Distributors hire unqualified, uneducated sales people, give them impossible to meet sales quotas on manipulated, laboratory wines and completely abdicate their role in making markets for authentic, carefully produced, regionally appropriate wines. They also act as a barrier to the broad distribution of less well know imported wines. In Denver months go by without a single wine from Campania (let alone a properly aged, drinkable Taurasi or Taburno) available at major and boutique wine retailers. Then months go by with only stuff from Feudi San Gregorio.... In he spirit of Pitchfork Economics and to save our palates and wallets we need to organize and work to dismantle the second tier in every state.
Great commentary per usual. I don't buy wines retail because 1) they taste like they were concocted based on lab specs 2) they are generic and 3)Gallo now owns all of the wines in grocery stores. We belong to several wine clubs and Naked Wine and get our wines from there.
Madeline very interesting vid thanks. I've recently learned more about naked wines. The concept is interesting, but for me most important is sourcing high quality vino at good value. Do you think their $40/month (i.e $480 per year) membership fee offers value to an informed wine consumer?
Dude, I highly recommend reading winefolly.com/update/wine-retail-rant-why-grocery-store-wines-are-rigged/ and this: winefolly.com/tutorial/wine-folly-guide-wine-clubs/ - the biggest problem businesses like Naked and Winc have are scaling issues and profit margin. The temptation to launch crappy wine is high! With something like Naked, you'd have to be a super smart shopper.
Gleek...that's a new one ;) Anyway, great video. Love the take on the two wines. Just a slight correction, for an AVA like Napa it's 85% rather than 75%. Anyway, I've checked out the Naked Wines concept in the past. Never did a review of one, but I worked with someone that was a member and she gave me a bottle to try. I had a similar experience. Love the concept of providing better value to the consumer. I met someone a couple years ago who used to be a winemaker in Idaho! She's now a winemaker here in Texas. I still haven't tried one yet. One thing to also mention is that while a producer of any product has their SRP, many retailers stay pretty close to what the winery also charges for that wine. Especially if it's available online. It's up to the other two tiers to work out how to get there. And wineries will blacklist you as a retailer if you undercut their price too much. One more concept that helps the consumer, in theory, are "winery direct" wines. In reality many of them are private labels of current wines with very slight differences. They'll come in at a better cost that retains the same margin, or even a better margin, but is cheaper for the consumer. Most of those still use the 3-tier system because of our crazy laws.
My personal retail beef is what I call the “30 dollar crapshoot”. I’m afraid to try more expensive wine. The most I’ve spent was $43 yet it was from a local winery and I had sampled it before buying my first bottle. I suppose that chance/crapshoots are a part of life.
There really are many disappointing wines over $30. I never had one that was horrible, they would all have been acceptable at a lower price, but many were not worth what was charged for them.
Bravo for doing the so famous reviews you are so well known for. It is good to get back to basics. The truth is we have some wonderful and under rated regions here in the state. Everyone wants to talk about European wines and the reality is those wines although great are hard to come by and even harder to drink as every day wines. The consumer wants wines they can find and afford. And because no one really reviews other areas other than Napa or Sonoma we convince ourselves there are no other good regions in the US. I live in California and we are blessed with tons of amazing AVA's that are really under rated and rarely talked about. I would like you to considered doing a review on the Temecula AVA and wineries. Specifically wineries just mention on the Wine Enthusiasts article for January 10 best wine getaways which mention the Temecula region. Check some of the wineries mention and maybe do a review, I'm curious. Or even El Dorado or Lake County AVA's. Thanks in advance!
Boy do we ever want wines we can afford! It's true. Well-known regions (from Barolo to Napa to Champagne) can automatically charge more because of their name recognition. There are many neighboring places that offer the same delicious taste (and quality) for a lot more affordably. For example, Clear Lake offers potential for Napa lovers.
I want another wine retail rant! (and just more videos in general) I'm sure there's tones of other things along similar lines that us lay people would never know otherwise.
I'd love to hear your opinion on the following: JLOHR Cabernet, Noble Vines 337 Cab, and Benziger Cab, all California wines and my supermarket carries them regularly at an affordable price.
Okay, this is a fun idea. So... SHould I do like a reveal on what these supermarket wines actually are? OMG, I'm kinda into this. Definitely something I've toyed around with in my head.
@@winefolly I'm sure what ever you do will be great. I'm a teacher and on my salary I just can't afford the "good stuff" except for very special occasions. So I found a few (the ones mentioned) that I can both enjoy and afford on a nightly basis with dinner or in the evening. The JLOHR cab is usually around $14. The Noble Vines 337 is the cheap one of the bunch and is usually $12. The Benziger is my favorite of the 3 and when on sale, I can get for around $15. I live in Michigan and these are all found at Meijer (our supermarket chain here in the mid-West. Thanks for the response and I'm looking forward to the professionals opinion. And I've got thick skin. So if you don't like them, I really want to know. I love learning about all of this. Thanks!
I don't think so. hustonvineyards.com/wine-shop/cabernet-sauvignon/ - In Huston's defense, they are really on the frontier of winemaking. And, they are a legitimate small producer from an unknown region. They have a YUGE uphill battle. I'm really bummed that this bottle didn't work out - I had really high hopes for them. After reading that link I linked you, it sounds like they know they had bad fruit coming in that vintage. So, I'm not giving up on them just yet!
@@winefolly I find that small, new producers stick to sweeter wines because that's what sells the best for them. I visit a lot of wineries in odd ball places around the country when I travel and while most of them will try their hand a dry red, it's the sweets that fly out the door for them so that's what hey make the most of. I love visiting those kinds of places though because sometimes you'll find hidden gems. And sometimes you won't. :)
Duke Ellington said, "If it sounds good, it is good." I say if it tastes good, it is good. Taste is so subjective. If you like it, buy it. The boxed wines have a stigma mostly because they are in non-traditional, and honestly, cheap packaging. The cool thing about what Madeline is doing is she is helping us be better consumers by showing us how to draw finer lines between things. Then we can judge for ourselves what is right for our palates and pocketbooks. I have a friend who always has a bottle of the Paisano wine by Rossi. Of course I drink it. That wine tastes like friendship to me. Maybe not the most complex drink but it has good memories attached to it and it is pretty yummy too.
Naked Wines does have some beautiful wines but half the time look at some of the lower priced stuff. You'd be surprised how well some of them do and their complexities, but I do find 1/5 underwhelming. The good quality they have though is that you get your money back if you don't like it in credit for another bottle.
Unless you have a winemaker, region or vintage clearly in mind, it's a total gamble picking wine. I believe that the average consumer doesn't have the urge to educate themselves. It is extremely frustrating to buy wine at the market blind...
So find a small specialty wine shop that you trust. Look for marks of passion and professionalism. Look for stores that WON'T stock Berringer, Woodbridge, Yellow Tail etc.. If you can find one near you, become a regular and trust their staff to steer you right. Give the professionals time to learn your preferences and palate and report back to them with your experience. DON'T buy at the grocery store. DON'T assume price = quality. DON'T grab one bottle randomly off the shelf without talking to someone if you don't know exactly what you like. Go to tastings!!! Lots of shops have free weekly tastings where you can try a bunch of things you ordinarily wouldn't get to because you don't want to commit to a whole bottle. This takes the risk out of the purchase and injects community and FUN into the experience! That's what wine is all about. Cheers!
Local wine stores always seem to carry the eclectic, unheard of labels...domestic and foreign. Can never get the same thing twice. I find myself preferring supermarket wines, because there there are brands I have seen before and know what to expect.
If you have a Costco near you they typically have a pretty solid wine selection at fair prices and they carry pretty well known brands. Not a huge variety...but a good range of prices. I follow costcowineblog.com/ to get tips on wines they carry that I might want to try.
Where's the fun in that? You make drinking wine sound like a necessity or a chore. Explore the world of wine, try a random 8 dollar Portuguese blend, go to tastings! And if you get a bottle that isn't for you every now and then, so what? It's only wine after all. Most of all, build relationships with professionals and give them time to learn your palate. Learn a name, shake a hand and report back to them with your experiences. You can't get that at a grocery store.
Dude. You have literally summed up the entire "problem" with wine. It's like "do I go to the local coffee shop and possibly get crap?" or "Do I go to Starbucks because I know they have what I want."
Wine Folly I love your book. The graphics are the best. I have ventured out and tried Albariño and Beaujolais based on your descriptions. I really like the wet stone flavor of the Beaujolais. I would love to find a red that tastes like some good old dirt was thrown in...seems like when I ask for Earthy, I get leather...but I want dirt. Any recommendations? What I hate is oak flavored water...that makes me rant.
So where you go away to once? Was it Whiskey? Beer? Honestly, whiskey, amaros and the cocktail scene got me once too. BUT I RETURNED. I couldn't stay away! Prodigal daughter, maybe?
"Don't ever do that!" What a fantastic way to end the video lol. I'm still less than a year old into my wine journey, but I've been spoiled by my wife in that we generally only buy bottles at wineries. There's just *way* too much out there in grocery stores to try and figure out what's going to be decent or not, plus I worry it's all going to generally be mass-produced, lowest-common-denominator wine lol. (I didn't enjoy wine a year ago, and now I'm a snob? Crap!)
That's what my wife and I do and how we stock our cellar. We go to Walla Walla twice a year and then go up the Woodinville several times a year to taste and buy wine .
@@bluecollarwineguy4447 I assume you're in the Northwest then :) If you ever have a chance to drive to the Gaston/Yamhill/Carlton area, I highly recommend stopping by Patton Valley Vineyard. Their pinot noirs are *amazing*
So many factors in wine branding and marketing. Every established wine producing region was new at one point. Climate change will shake up the dynamics in the wine world eventually.
1. They prevent a possible legal appellation system of some kind. 2. They hinder non-commercial import of wine to the US is my opinion due to their monopoly. I really want to try a Russian wine. They began growing them in the Stalinist era because Stalin wanted everyone to be able to drink wine. Russia isn't the most habitable country to wine, given it is very cold half of the year (snow on the ground all winter in Moscow til April) but it has started producing some decent wines. Retailers are not going to import them obviously because they don't even import decent Russian vodka other than Stolinchaya...you do get some good small batch stuff from Poland, Iceland, etc, but the system controls the market and the rights of the consumer. Why should only retailers be able to import? I know part of it has to do with certain elements of 19th century Protestant temperance aftereffect, but I know it's this thing you are talking about that is playing on it, like pharmaceutical companies play on the War on Drugs. Why can't I import wine from say Lebanon, which is very rarely found in the US? These people control the market and politics. If the laws changed, they would be done for, like an appellation system or individual right to import.
So these are both direct to consumer shipped wines? Unfortunately, we don't have direct shipping where I live. In light of that, the best values and selections I have found are from Total Wine. For many of their wines, they work directly with the wine makers and pass the savings along. You can sample a wide variety of wines from all different regions and not break the bank! And no, I don't work there, haha.
I'm sick of trying wines that are either bad(vinegary) or bad with that drinking-a-bottle-of-grandmas-perfume taste which gets insta poured down the drain.
Dan! Sounds like you need to take the Wine Challenge. It's a challenge where you start to identify specific varieties (and regions) that you prefer. Are you an American? What you've described sounds like you have an American palate ;)
In this video your little hair flip is on the left, but in cheap v. expensive it’s on the right. What’s up with that? Doesn’t matter. Apologies, but you are so cute I have trouble focusing on wine. I am late to the party having just discovered you, but now subscribing.
I've had some horrible wines from Washington, Oregon, California and (name the region). But I don't judge the people living there by one bad example, and I don't judge all other wines produced there by that same example. I live in Idaho now, but I've lived in most other top wine producing states in the US, and in the Middle East. I drink and enjoy many of the same wines you do, and I've had some Idaho wines that aren't so bad. Idaho isn't France, but it doesn't pretend to be. Today, every state grows wine, and you can do better than to find one bad wine from another state and bash it, the region, and the people of the state ("... it's probably because people in Idaho like fruit bomb wine." What people?). I love your other videos and your presentations, and I would prefer to see you spend your time more constructively than in this video. If you want to go there, find some of the wine gems from different states, and discuss the region, the grapes, the quality and winemakers' abilities. It seems you don't like Idaho, and that's too bad. There's a lot more here than cow pies, asphalt and a bad bottle of wine.
Short of getting certified, finding a good wine shop with knowledgeable staff is one of the best ways to get consistently good wine. Developing a rapport with a trusted wine professional is absolutely invaluable
Madeline, you're the best. I've always sought to try different varietals from off-the-beaten-path wineries, and you've just reinforced my belief in doing so. Thanks. Wine Folly rocks!
Idaho wines? Way back in the Muppet Movie (1979), Kermit and Miss Piggy are dining, with Steve Martin as the sommelier. Kermit chooses the cheapest on the wine list, and Steve says "Aaaah -- Idaho's finest!" He brings the bottle out, opens it, and asks "Would you like to sniff the screw cap, sir?"
Would love to see you evaluate other lesser known wine regions in the country. e.g. Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Virginia etc.
Agreed! My wife and I stopped at Chateau Aux Arc in Arkansas and were pleasantly surprised by their wines.
Agreed
6:12 "we need to get you some better grapes". 7:05 "asphalt aromatic stuff". 7:25 "some dry cow patties". too funny :)
Beat me to it 😁
Glad to see another video from you. I have a couple of annoyances when it comes to wine.
1. Living here in Washington State it's extremely hard to get retailers to try and stock some of the great boutique wines that this state is producing.
2. Knowing people who are reluctant to try new wines or even different grape varietals. I have friends who were on the lower scale of wine who drink nothing but Yellowtail or Barefoot and think that is great stuff but refuse to try higher quality wines. I also have friends who drink high quality wines but they will only drink a cabernet sauvignon.
3. Wineries that are somewhat deceptive in their labeling. I reviewed a Red Mountain Hedges Family Estate wine the other day and they absolutely had all sorts of information on the label including all the used grape varietals in the red blend. More wineries should do that.
And how! I particularly love your 3rd point. This is an issue that plagues this industry the most: cagey producers and mis-information.
In a way, I envy those who are perfectly happy with their Yellowtail and Barefoot. They seem to be enjoying as much as I, but at a fraction of the cost. And they don’t have to learn all the ridiculous lingo to impress people.
Nicely done. I really hate the 3-tier system as a retailer. I especially get annoyed with the distributors that take a higher margin at their level. I special ordered an older vintage of Pinot Noir for a customer, and the distributor marked it up even more. I am pretty sure the winery sold it to them at the same price because there was no guarantee it was going to hold up. And guess what? It didn't. I think as a wine steward, it's my job to get around the system by wheeling and dealing, and passing the savings on to the consumer. Once again, nice episode.
I recently started reselling Italian wines from small family wineries. I started with 3 houses from Piemonte, and 1 in Veneto, that we visited. My reselling price begins around $14,50 (for Barbera & Nebbiolo and most white wines), $20-30 for the superiore, and a $47 Amarone. Does that seem fair?
Let’s say when I can purchase a bottle around $7, what would be a (somewhat) correct reselling price? Of course, we pay taxes, excise per bottle,… even when we import/export the bottles ourselves (I live in Belgium, we traveled ourselves for our first purchases), but we also add a little to the price because of the exclusivity. I think it’s only fair since I’m the only reseller in Belgium 🤷🏻♂️
It’s been a great journey so far, looking forward to dig in deeper!
I’ve been with Naked Wines for 4 years now and for that exact reason you speak of. Such talented wine makers sell through NW for fantastic value and an enlightening community to boot!
Yeah I was just thinking about the mark up price of California wines for American wines in general it definitely confuses me because I love French wines. Why pay $50 for a great cab from the U.S when you can get a great bordeaux from France for $30 or superior $20 Morgon from Beaujolais. I live in the states so I feel that we should get a better price because were actually closer to the ones they don’t have a plane ticket but they seem to cost us more money and we live right near them it makes no sense to me.
2017 Mount Veeder Cab Sauv- Napa Valley $44
2016 Robert Mondavi Cab Sauv - Napa Valley $34
This could go on forever but the point is there are plenty of Napa Cabs for under $50.
L. Downer st supery, round pond, Silverado, girard, black stallion, Oberon,... yup. Awesome choices!
That was the most tactful review of a subpar wine I've ever seen. LOL. Would love to see you review some Washington state Cabs. It's an area I've always found some compelling value wines...not quite to the level of Napa cabs but interesting in their own right. Two Vintners Winery out of Woodinville has some really nice stuff. I like their 'Legit' which is a cab blend 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Petit Verdot, 5% Cabernet Franc, & 5% Merlot, $30
I reviewed a Red Mountain Hedges Family Estate the other day that is being sold in Washington State Costco's that sell for $18. Go find it and buy it. It was great for the price.
Two Vintners does some solid work. There are a bunch of pretty good wineries here (I actually live in Woodinville). I would say, I have very high expectations for them!
@@winefolly As you should. Forgeron has a chardonnay that is absolutely out of this world and Cave B estate has a tempranillo I absolutely love.
I am curious, what you would find if you went out there and tasted a variety? I have not tasted any cabs from the Snake river, but know there are tons of other varieties, and that Eastern Washingron has a great lab and resources, studying and analysing the different varietals.
I'm a big fan of Washington state wine. Three of my favorite Long Shadows, Delille Cellars, and Betz Family. Washington state wines are a worthy alternative to Napa wines. It would be nice to see Madeline do a deep dive on reds from Washington. I love Madeline's reviews.
I just watched your video on semillon & sauvignon blanc which was very informative. My one disapointment (yes, I know I m isspelled it) is that I did not get a good look at the labels or hear the names so I ight be able to purchase some. Can you hlp?
Full details on wines are in the comments or just go here: winefolly.com/episode/love-chardonnay-try-sauvignon-blanc-semillon/
I'm from CA and love Lodi and central coast wines. Please give us some of your opinions on: Frenchtown Farms Winery, Close Saron (Stone Soup Winery), La Onda wines and the now defunct Renaissance Winery. Thank you.
Thanks for sharing info on the three tier system. Any chance it will go away? Not a fan of Naked Wines. Very few winners in the lot but that's just me.
As an italian, It Is lot of fun watching your wine reviews 😂😂 Like u..
Very curious te hear what is going on In Snake River. There are two sides,Oregon as well, and as you were describing it, sounded like it was winemaker choices you were confused about. I would.love to hear how that region is evolving, especially in comparison to the Walla Walla region and Lewiston
Dropping in late! I'm from Montana and though the market is getting better all the time, I wish there was more international wines available. Montana makes wine, too, though I'm not a fan. They also tend to be too sweet for my taste, possibly due to the scorching summers we often get 🤷
It's just a matter of time. Montana deserves to be exposed to more of what's going on in the world and the style will evolve. Happy you're out there making sure it happens! :)
Wine stores and wine makers target the $15 a bottle customers. That is where they make their cash. Napa is way over price 100% Now that lady buys crap grapes from Napa or just outside and tries to mask it with whatever. 30 Bucks for alright wine? No!
Now big producers are making wine out of Poso Robles and trying to sell it over Napa because of the price. AKA Chucky Wagner. Good Video as always.
In the UK I purchased a dozen wines from Naked Wines as an "Angel" invester, picking mostly varietals I enjoy and wines reviewed highly by their community. Unfortunately, I was dissapointed with each and every one of them. Mostly uninteresting wines or wines that are imbalanced to the point of being put down the sink. I cancelled my "Angel" subscription within months.
However, I did sign up to The Wine Society at the same time. It costs a little to get in, but their wines have so far been 100% excellent, even their own branded blends and varietals.
Tl;dr. If you're in the UK, my recommendation woud be The Wine Society over Naked Wines simply for the fact their wines (to me) are better. Cheaper delivery, too!
Loving the honesty here !!
@@WineJam Just figured as we were on the topic, I'd let people know my experiences. I wouldn't even say Naked Wines are cheaper than anyone else, even as an Angel. Look elsewhere I'd say.
Again, this might only apply to the UK. Not sure how it all works out stateside.
Dude. You made me realize an issue with their model. I mention it in today's blog post. They have scaling issues. (e.g. good wine can't be made in bulk) winefolly.com/update/wine-retail-rant-why-grocery-store-wines-are-rigged/
@@winefolly No problem! Glad to be of service ;-). I think this is why The Wine Society are pretty picky about what they sell (and don't have a big catalogue of wines), but none of it's made in giant bulk. It's nice that the whole thing is "members before profit", which Naked Wines and others don't feel like (www.thewinesociety.com/value-charter). Do you guys have something similar in the states? Also, I'm hitting up the West Coast in September, can you recommend anywhere I should book for some serious wine tasting?
BotaBox Malbec... drinking it now with Greek veggies and loving life!
Improper wine display in store. I haven't had this problem at HEB, but Kroger used to be horrible about selling wine that had been upright too long, and at best the cork would fall apart, and often the wine had turned because of poor storage.
Not grouping wine by region also drives me nuts. A lot of places group by grape varietal, which gets complicated for blends and leads to confusion. I usually hunt by region and let the varietal fall where it may.
Clueless wine staff. My local grocery store, with a once excellent wine section has recently turned over help, and now all the buyers picks are overpriced Texas selections (often not made with Texas grapes) and sweet stuff that is only barely considered wine (think rasberry wine).
No love for odd regions. I happen to always seek out wine from places I didn't even know made wine. It always makes me sad if I don't come home from my monthly wine buy from some oddball region that surprises my wife.
I just started with NakedWine this past month. I got 12 bottles of which I picked very carefully based on what I know I like and dislike. I have broken into 4 of the 12 so far and 2 I like quite a bit, 2 I did not. One of them got a 96 score (Gold) at the Sonoma County 2020 Wine Tasting Competition so very eager to try that one out. I do enjoy getting the insight and full scoop on who makes the wine, where they are from, why they make wine etc. I cannot complain about the price per bottle one bit I do admit that.
Terrific job! There are lots of reasons to dislike distributors. They add a layer of price increase (and don’t get me started on the ever popular “delivery charge”) that does more to make wine a luxury item that it has become in the mind of the average consumer,
I’d also like to emphasize that the second tier, and US distributors (given the consolidation over the years, they are pretty much a monopoly) in particular, is why you get Cabernet Sauvignon based wines being grown and made in places like Idaho, or my home state of Colorado. Or Chardonnay or Pinot Noir.....
Rather than encouraging growers and producers’ journeys to find what grows best in their specific climate and ground, they want what is “easy to sell” - familiar varietals. Distributors hire unqualified, uneducated sales people, give them impossible to meet sales quotas on manipulated, laboratory wines and completely abdicate their role in making markets for authentic, carefully produced, regionally appropriate wines.
They also act as a barrier to the broad distribution of less well know imported wines. In Denver months go by without a single wine from Campania (let alone a properly aged, drinkable Taurasi or Taburno) available at major and boutique wine retailers. Then months go by with only stuff from Feudi San Gregorio....
In he spirit of Pitchfork Economics and to save our palates and wallets we need to organize and work to dismantle the second tier in every state.
Portuguese wines. Vino verde, white port, duoro valley. Or maybe breakdown Rioja because that region is a mess to understand
Great commentary per usual. I don't buy wines retail because 1) they taste like they were concocted based on lab specs 2) they are generic and 3)Gallo now owns all of the wines in grocery stores. We belong to several wine clubs and Naked Wine and get our wines from there.
Madeline very interesting vid thanks. I've recently learned more about naked wines. The concept is interesting, but for me most important is sourcing high quality vino at good value. Do you think their $40/month (i.e $480 per year) membership fee offers value to an informed wine consumer?
Dude, I highly recommend reading winefolly.com/update/wine-retail-rant-why-grocery-store-wines-are-rigged/ and this: winefolly.com/tutorial/wine-folly-guide-wine-clubs/ - the biggest problem businesses like Naked and Winc have are scaling issues and profit margin. The temptation to launch crappy wine is high! With something like Naked, you'd have to be a super smart shopper.
@@winefolly what's your take on flash internet sites like WTSO and Last bottle.com?
Very interesting! I learned a lot. Just started videoing my wine tastings and this really helps.
Just bought your book! Thanks for cranking out great wine content. Keep it up!
Gleek...that's a new one ;)
Anyway, great video. Love the take on the two wines. Just a slight correction, for an AVA like Napa it's 85% rather than 75%. Anyway, I've checked out the Naked Wines concept in the past. Never did a review of one, but I worked with someone that was a member and she gave me a bottle to try. I had a similar experience. Love the concept of providing better value to the consumer.
I met someone a couple years ago who used to be a winemaker in Idaho! She's now a winemaker here in Texas. I still haven't tried one yet.
One thing to also mention is that while a producer of any product has their SRP, many retailers stay pretty close to what the winery also charges for that wine. Especially if it's available online. It's up to the other two tiers to work out how to get there. And wineries will blacklist you as a retailer if you undercut their price too much.
One more concept that helps the consumer, in theory, are "winery direct" wines. In reality many of them are private labels of current wines with very slight differences. They'll come in at a better cost that retains the same margin, or even a better margin, but is cheaper for the consumer. Most of those still use the 3-tier system because of our crazy laws.
Hey in Scotland a bottle of Scots whisky has over 80% tax added.
whoa.
My personal retail beef is what I call the “30 dollar crapshoot”. I’m afraid to try more expensive wine. The most I’ve spent was $43 yet it was from a local winery and I had sampled it before buying my first bottle. I suppose that chance/crapshoots are a part of life.
There really are many disappointing wines over $30. I never had one that was horrible, they would all have been acceptable at a lower price, but many were not worth what was charged for them.
I am so interested in the sauce you put on you burrito. What is the name of it? Thanks!!!
Superb analysis. No nonsense. Dry thoughtful.
Bravo for doing the so famous reviews you are so well known for. It is good to get back to basics. The truth is we have some wonderful and under rated regions here in the state. Everyone wants to talk about European wines and the reality is those wines although great are hard to come by and even harder to drink as every day wines. The consumer wants wines they can find and afford. And because no one really reviews other areas other than Napa or Sonoma we convince ourselves there are no other good regions in the US. I live in California and we are blessed with tons of amazing AVA's that are really under rated and rarely talked about. I would like you to considered doing a review on the Temecula AVA and wineries. Specifically wineries just mention on the Wine Enthusiasts article for January 10 best wine getaways which mention the Temecula region. Check some of the wineries mention and maybe do a review, I'm curious. Or even El Dorado or Lake County AVA's. Thanks in advance!
Boy do we ever want wines we can afford! It's true. Well-known regions (from Barolo to Napa to Champagne) can automatically charge more because of their name recognition. There are many neighboring places that offer the same delicious taste (and quality) for a lot more affordably. For example, Clear Lake offers potential for Napa lovers.
Great opener !! Love to see you go round to wine shops in America tasting there range like we have been trying to do in London !
ooooo! Interesting idea! I need to investigate how you do it :)
I want another wine retail rant! (and just more videos in general) I'm sure there's tones of other things along similar lines that us lay people would never know otherwise.
Would love to see/get your opinion on texas wines.
'I could gleek'... I am in love.
I'd love to hear your opinion on the following: JLOHR Cabernet, Noble Vines 337 Cab, and Benziger Cab, all California wines and my supermarket carries them regularly at an affordable price.
Okay, this is a fun idea. So... SHould I do like a reveal on what these supermarket wines actually are? OMG, I'm kinda into this. Definitely something I've toyed around with in my head.
@@winefolly I'm sure what ever you do will be great. I'm a teacher and on my salary I just can't afford the "good stuff" except for very special occasions. So I found a few (the ones mentioned) that I can both enjoy and afford on a nightly basis with dinner or in the evening. The JLOHR cab is usually around $14. The Noble Vines 337 is the cheap one of the bunch and is usually $12. The Benziger is my favorite of the 3 and when on sale, I can get for around $15. I live in Michigan and these are all found at Meijer (our supermarket chain here in the mid-West. Thanks for the response and I'm looking forward to the professionals opinion. And I've got thick skin. So if you don't like them, I really want to know. I love learning about all of this. Thanks!
Do the wine folley peeps answer specific questions such as ... do you know Venge Winery?
Awesome review! I wonder if they blended the Snake River wine with some sort of fruit bomb like Baco Noir.
I don't think so. hustonvineyards.com/wine-shop/cabernet-sauvignon/ - In Huston's defense, they are really on the frontier of winemaking. And, they are a legitimate small producer from an unknown region. They have a YUGE uphill battle. I'm really bummed that this bottle didn't work out - I had really high hopes for them. After reading that link I linked you, it sounds like they know they had bad fruit coming in that vintage. So, I'm not giving up on them just yet!
@@winefolly I find that small, new producers stick to sweeter wines because that's what sells the best for them. I visit a lot of wineries in odd ball places around the country when I travel and while most of them will try their hand a dry red, it's the sweets that fly out the door for them so that's what hey make the most of.
I love visiting those kinds of places though because sometimes you'll find hidden gems. And sometimes you won't. :)
Ok...is it taboo to get a boxed wine or the Carlos rossi in the giant jug?! Asking for a friend😏
Duke Ellington said, "If it sounds good, it is good." I say if it tastes good, it is good. Taste is so subjective. If you like it, buy it. The boxed wines have a stigma mostly because they are in non-traditional, and honestly, cheap packaging. The cool thing about what Madeline is doing is she is helping us be better consumers by showing us how to draw finer lines between things. Then we can judge for ourselves what is right for our palates and pocketbooks.
I have a friend who always has a bottle of the Paisano wine by Rossi. Of course I drink it. That wine tastes like friendship to me. Maybe not the most complex drink but it has good memories attached to it and it is pretty yummy too.
Drink what makes you happy. Try new things and expand your experiences, but at the end of the day, you decide what you like.
Naked Wines does have some beautiful wines but half the time look at some of the lower priced stuff. You'd be surprised how well some of them do and their complexities, but I do find 1/5 underwhelming. The good quality they have though is that you get your money back if you don't like it in credit for another bottle.
Up to 25% other grapes? I’ve seen
The best thing out of Snake River is their wagyu beef and white water rafting!
Lol... were you drunk when you filmed this?
Glad to see another video out from you!
That is her delightful, refreshing funky way of speaking and is exactly why I love her!
Unless you have a winemaker, region or vintage clearly in mind, it's a total gamble picking wine. I believe that the average consumer doesn't have the urge to educate themselves. It is extremely frustrating to buy wine at the market blind...
So find a small specialty wine shop that you trust. Look for marks of passion and professionalism. Look for stores that WON'T stock Berringer, Woodbridge, Yellow Tail etc.. If you can find one near you, become a regular and trust their staff to steer you right. Give the professionals time to learn your preferences and palate and report back to them with your experience.
DON'T buy at the grocery store.
DON'T assume price = quality.
DON'T grab one bottle randomly off the shelf without talking to someone if you don't know exactly what you like.
Go to tastings!!! Lots of shops have free weekly tastings where you can try a bunch of things you ordinarily wouldn't get to because you don't want to commit to a whole bottle. This takes the risk out of the purchase and injects community and FUN into the experience! That's what wine is all about.
Cheers!
Find a wine tasting! A good local store has them once a month where I live and I always buy a couple of bottles that I'm guaranteed to love.
I agree with you, it's very important to start with education!!!!
@@lumburgapalooza I was talking in general terms. I am a rather educated consumer. My wife ... Ah no...
Local wine stores always seem to carry the eclectic, unheard of labels...domestic and foreign. Can never get the same thing twice. I find myself preferring supermarket wines, because there there are brands I have seen before and know what to expect.
If you have a Costco near you they typically have a pretty solid wine selection at fair prices and they carry pretty well known brands. Not a huge variety...but a good range of prices. I follow costcowineblog.com/ to get tips on wines they carry that I might want to try.
Where's the fun in that? You make drinking wine sound like a necessity or a chore. Explore the world of wine, try a random 8 dollar Portuguese blend, go to tastings! And if you get a bottle that isn't for you every now and then, so what? It's only wine after all.
Most of all, build relationships with professionals and give them time to learn your palate. Learn a name, shake a hand and report back to them with your experiences. You can't get that at a grocery store.
Dude. You have literally summed up the entire "problem" with wine. It's like "do I go to the local coffee shop and possibly get crap?" or "Do I go to Starbucks because I know they have what I want."
Wine Folly I love your book. The graphics are the best. I have ventured out and tried Albariño and Beaujolais based on your descriptions. I really like the wet stone flavor of the Beaujolais. I would love to find a red that tastes like some good old dirt was thrown in...seems like when I ask for Earthy, I get leather...but I want dirt. Any recommendations? What I hate is oak flavored water...that makes me rant.
I’m a prodigal son-type wine lover (figure that one out 😉) & your videos are best at insight, instruction & advise. Keep going!
So where you go away to once? Was it Whiskey? Beer? Honestly, whiskey, amaros and the cocktail scene got me once too. BUT I RETURNED. I couldn't stay away! Prodigal daughter, maybe?
I stay away from any Idahoan alcohol...especially when snakes are involved. That Napa Cab on the other hand ages oh so well...Love your work!
15 % in Oregon btw
Please check out maynard james keenan wines !! From Arizona
Let's have a review of Intrinsic Cab🙏🙌😎
"Don't ever do that!"
What a fantastic way to end the video lol.
I'm still less than a year old into my wine journey, but I've been spoiled by my wife in that we generally only buy bottles at wineries. There's just *way* too much out there in grocery stores to try and figure out what's going to be decent or not, plus I worry it's all going to generally be mass-produced, lowest-common-denominator wine lol. (I didn't enjoy wine a year ago, and now I'm a snob? Crap!)
I mean, I love tasting through a flight at a winery, and then buying a bottle that I know I'm going to love.
That's what my wife and I do and how we stock our cellar.
We go to Walla Walla twice a year and then go up the Woodinville several times a year to taste and buy wine .
@@bluecollarwineguy4447 I assume you're in the Northwest then :)
If you ever have a chance to drive to the Gaston/Yamhill/Carlton area, I highly recommend stopping by Patton Valley Vineyard. Their pinot noirs are *amazing*
@@AdamPFarnsworth Is that down in Oregon?
@@bluecollarwineguy4447 Yes, sorry, I should have been more clear lol. It's near Forest Grove, OR.
So many factors in wine branding and marketing. Every established wine producing region was new at one point. Climate change will shake up the dynamics in the wine world eventually.
True. That.
Lol that face at the end when you mixed em in your mouth !!
Try reviewing a Barbera from Tsillan Cellars
Interesting information. I enjoyed this very much.
1. They prevent a possible legal appellation system of some kind.
2. They hinder non-commercial import of wine to the US is my opinion due to their monopoly. I really want to try a Russian wine. They began growing them in the Stalinist era because Stalin wanted everyone to be able to drink wine. Russia isn't the most habitable country to wine, given it is very cold half of the year (snow on the ground all winter in Moscow til April) but it has started producing some decent wines. Retailers are not going to import them obviously because they don't even import decent Russian vodka other than Stolinchaya...you do get some good small batch stuff from Poland, Iceland, etc, but the system controls the market and the rights of the consumer. Why should only retailers be able to import? I know part of it has to do with certain elements of 19th century Protestant temperance aftereffect, but I know it's this thing you are talking about that is playing on it, like pharmaceutical companies play on the War on Drugs. Why can't I import wine from say Lebanon, which is very rarely found in the US? These people control the market and politics. If the laws changed, they would be done for, like an appellation system or individual right to import.
Where did you hear the term Gleek? Know the kid who invented that term - Troy Biggs (Indiana 1985). I understand ‘Tobacco “plbtplbtplbtplbt”’.
The Guitar interesting. As a middle schooler in Washington State in 1980-83, my friends and I used the term. I could never accomplish it, tho.
Way to be brave, looks like the breakfast burrito was the best choice in the video... producer??
Hahahah! I made the burrito. I do a bunch of bulk burritos every week so I don't have to think about food.
So these are both direct to consumer shipped wines? Unfortunately, we don't have direct shipping where I live. In light of that, the best values and selections I have found are from Total Wine. For many of their wines, they work directly with the wine makers and pass the savings along. You can sample a wide variety of wines from all different regions and not break the bank! And no, I don't work there, haha.
I've had a couple of cases from Naked Wines (am in UK) and they're great fun and good value. My favourite for value though is Aldi!
I'm over Aldi
I have to combat those big distributors every single day.
Thanks for being real about this and explaining the details. Also thanks for not just influencing driving cost down!
Love your videos, you should do more. Can you talk about biodynamic wines? And also Mexican wines? Thanks!!
Ah wow - cow patties!!! Hahaha :D Cheers
I'm sick of trying wines that are either bad(vinegary) or bad with that drinking-a-bottle-of-grandmas-perfume taste which gets insta poured down the drain.
Dan! Sounds like you need to take the Wine Challenge. It's a challenge where you start to identify specific varieties (and regions) that you prefer. Are you an American? What you've described sounds like you have an American palate ;)
In this video your little hair flip is on the left, but in cheap v. expensive it’s on the right. What’s up with that? Doesn’t matter. Apologies, but you are so cute I have trouble focusing on wine. I am late to the party having just discovered you, but now subscribing.
Naked wines does a way better job on the white wines
You Rock!
The videos I've watched are good. This one has you out of focus 😐
Bitner Vineyards in Idaho is the best Idaho wine. Come on up there are better examples of Idaho wines.
"the good affordable juice"
Sagebrush
I've had some horrible wines from Washington, Oregon, California and (name the region). But I don't judge the people living there by one bad example, and I don't judge all other wines produced there by that same example. I live in Idaho now, but I've lived in most other top wine producing states in the US, and in the Middle East. I drink and enjoy many of the same wines you do, and I've had some Idaho wines that aren't so bad. Idaho isn't France, but it doesn't pretend to be. Today, every state grows wine, and you can do better than to find one bad wine from another state and bash it, the region, and the people of the state ("... it's probably because people in Idaho like fruit bomb wine." What people?). I love your other videos and your presentations, and I would prefer to see you spend your time more constructively than in this video. If you want to go there, find some of the wine gems from different states, and discuss the region, the grapes, the quality and winemakers' abilities. It seems you don't like Idaho, and that's too bad. There's a lot more here than cow pies, asphalt and a bad bottle of wine.
Ya gotta "learn by drinking"!
Me before going down on my girl 4:10
TIL americans pay too much for wine
Does this inspire you to become a conservative? Taxes and regulations keeping us down!
wine is not mouth wash! wtf are you doing