Tuesday, November 17, 2015

Wine spectator's Top 10 - Or The PA Wine Desert Pt. 3

Time once again to see how the PLCB with all their highly trained wine people did compared to some folks who really are highly trained. The Wine Spectator Top 10 is coming out. As they count down, I'll be checking to see if PA somehow managed to luck out and actually have some of these wines available.

Let's finish the top 10:

# 6. Bodegas Aalto Ribera del Duero 2012, 2400 cases
NOT AVAILABLE IN PA

# 5.
Mount Eden Vineyards Chardonnay, Santa Cruz Mountains 2012 1986 cases
SLO ONLY CASE OF 12 (Oh, the PLCB price is 11.5% higher than list price too)




# 4.Il Poggione, Brunello di Montalcino 2010 18,000 cases
Currently available in 21 state stores

# 3.Evening Land Pinot Noir Eola-Amity Hills Seven Springs Vineyard La Source 2012 1176 cases
NOT AVAILABLE IN PA




# 2. Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2012 4125 cases
Currently available in 9 state stores, PLCB price 41% ABOVE list of $140!


# 1.Peter Michael Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Au Paradis 2012 1785 cases
NOT AVAILABLE IN PA


So there you are, the PLCB stocks 2 of the top 10 if you want to pay a 40% premium for one of them and they say they can get another provided you want to buy a case and pay 11% more than list.

The question isn't if you can find any or all of these wines in one store. The question is can you find them in entire states and the answer is of course, yes.  In places that have to live by their knowledge of not only wines but of their clientèle there are a number of stores where more than 2 of the top ten can be found and states where they ALL can be found.

Until next time, I'll see you out of state.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is outstanding, I have been searching for a bottle of Peter Michael Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville Au Paradis 2012 near me. I am in Chambersburg, so easy access to Maryland. Which store stocks it? I have other items on my list and think its great you have inventory information. Wine-searcher.com does not have it listed in Maryland, West Virginia, or Virginia. Is there a website with the inventory information? Please post, what an outstanding resource. Thank you, Jeff.

Albert Brooks said...

You are late to the party Jeff, the two places in MD that I found who stocked it are sold out. That is the difference between not being able to get it at all like in PA and just missing your opportunity to get it as in MD. As a true oenophile you know that building relationships with your wine merchants is one of the most important things you can do. Unfortunately, here in PA that involves going to Harrisburg and trying to figure out which of the unqualified cube rats you need to do that with. They decide what you are allowed to buy and not the local business owner whose livelihood depends on his knowledge and customer service.

However, you are in luck as there are at least two on-line services and a few stores that will send it two your home still. If you ramp up your Google-fu you'll be able to find them since posting who they are may be detrimental to their business....you know how the PLCB hates competition.

Anonymous said...

Albert when I called upon a couple of well respected liquor stores in MD they said they were unable to get the wine and they meant they are never able to get it. I don't really understand how bashing the PA system is part of the answer to my question of where in Maryland, Virginia, or West Virginia the wine is or was available. While it may be true if you have some sort of relationship with certain people you can get Partagas Serie D #4, but it is not legal for the rest of us. I gather it is like the guy in My Cousin Vinny who said he had the money and showed a wad of rolled up bills with a 20 dollar bill on the outside. Until or unless you have provide names of stores, I guess this is life imitating art where the wine is not available real stores and likely would never be available in PA under any model. Too bad, sorry to interrupt, go back to your PLCB bashing. Jeff

Albert Brooks said...

Yes, I have relationships and can get many things but if your concern is if it is legal then it doesn't matter who in MD had the wine because it isn't legal for you to buy it there anyway.