We've been before but it's been a while. Our friends just moved to Barcelona and invited us out. They are wine geeks too so it's going to be fun.

Realm at least four emails over 14 days "reminding" that release is live, including "ends soon" and "final day reminder". I'm guessing they didn't sell out.

MacDonald - "release is live" email at 10:56AM, "sold out" email at 2:06 PM.

I noticed that re: the Realm emails too. I'm sure they are doing just fine, but it seems they have bumped their price up a bit too much for most folks. Or maybe some folks lost interest when Juan Mercado departed.

I think we covered this a week or two ago, but the Pott allocation sold out in like 15 minutes, although that is a bit misleading since they also did a case only "pre-sale" the week before the allocation release.

BigAg95 said:

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I noticed that re: the Realm emails too. I'm sure they are doing just fine, but it seems they have bumped their price up a bit too much for most folks. Or maybe some folks lost interest when Juan Mercado departed.

I think we covered this a week or two ago, but the Pott allocation sold out in like 15 minutes, although that is a bit misleading since they also did a case only "pre-sale" the week before the allocation release.

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I bet Realm will have a lot more wine go into the restaurant distribution channels if they don't sell out…and at a significant discount to mailing list prices. Which makes me wonder why they'd raise prices so fast and so much. That said, I still love their wine. Just not their prices. Although Bard has been decently priced. Sorry, Cecil.

Pott's presale (for long term buyers maybe?) went out on a Tuesday before the Thursday release. They had to cut it off within 2 hours to save wine for the regular release. It was selling too fast. I was able to pick up a case. I can send a bottle or two up if you want, BigAg. Let me know.

BSD said:

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BigAg95 said:

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I noticed that re: the Realm emails too. I'm sure they are doing just fine, but it seems they have bumped their price up a bit too much for most folks. Or maybe some folks lost interest when Juan Mercado departed.

I think we covered this a week or two ago, but the Pott allocation sold out in like 15 minutes, although that is a bit misleading since they also did a case only "pre-sale" the week before the allocation release.

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I bet Realm will have a lot more wine go into the restaurant distribution channels if they don't sell out…and at a significant discount to mailing list prices. Which makes me wonder why they'd raise prices so fast and so much. That said, I still love their wine. Just not their prices. Although Bard has been decently priced. Sorry, Cecil.

Pott's presale (for long term buyers maybe?) went out on a Tuesday before the Thursday release. They had to cut it off within 2 hours to save wine for the regular release. It was selling too fast. I was able to pick up a case. I can send a bottle or two up if you want, BigAg. Let me know.

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I appreciate the offer, but I think I am just going to make up for not getting it when the Pott single vineyard cabs come out.

Let me know if you are interested in a 3 pack of Ultramarine, though. I did not take my full allocation.

BigAg95 said:

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I appreciate the offer, but I think I am just going to make up for not getting it when the Pott single vineyard cabs come out.

Let me know if you are interested in a 3 pack of Ultramarine, though. I did not take my full allocation.

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I'd love some Ultramarine. Please let me know. Gracias.

I'll shoot you an email.

BigAg95 said:

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I'll shoot you an email.

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You da man!!!!

The 2019 William and Mary release is coming Tuesday. Had the 2014 can back in June. It was in a very nice place. Load up because there will not be a 2020.

BSD said:

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The 2019 William and Mary release is coming Tuesday. Had the 2014 can back in June. It was in a very nice place. Load up because there will not be a 2020.

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I grabbed some of the Napa and Shifflett cab. I've started buying from them with 2016 vintage and opened one 2016 cab just to try it. Everything else is still laying down and will be for a while longer.

BSD, I finally popped an Ultramarine this past weekend. We opened the 2016 Heintz BdN on our anniversary Saturday. It was fantastic, I was expecting a lot and it was still better than I expected. I'm excited to check out the others. I need to come up with some more stuff to celebrate!

We drink the W&M pretty regularly. I'm an outlier that I prefer the prop Red. Don't really lay them down, they're in the drinking cooler... So all of my prop Red is consumed, still have some cab - looking forward to the 18s...

not familiar with UltraMarine... but domestic sparkling for $200 is kinda pricey.

bularry said:

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not familiar with UltraMarine... but domestic sparkling for $200 is kinda pricey.

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It's that much if you buy it on the secondary market, but $70-80 from the producer.

Because it's Wednesday.

HTownAg98 said:

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Because it's Wednesday.

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Nice! I've been meaning to check out Chappellet, I didn't know they made any Pinot. The wife made a buratta and artichoke salad and we got into a Myriad syrah. Not a bad little Wednesday!

It used to be under the Sonoma-Loeb label.

I owe Cecil a great deal of thank you for the education and hospitality at Inwood. Sincerely appreciate your insight and also allowing us to taste some great wine. Thanks again for coming in on your day off! We were very impressed!

I picked up a couple of bottles while there….

I have a photo of myself Cecil and my wine buddy but need approval to post!

Cecil can you remind us what you poured and post it on here?

The three in the pic are:

2019 Temp-Cab. 65% Tempranillo 35% CabSauv. Grapes from Newsome. Retail $60

2017 Magellan (our top seller) Bordeaux blend of CabSauv, Petite Verdot and Cab Franc. Big and burly Pauillac or Pessac style wine. Great now, but will improve significantly over next 3-5 years and maybe a bit more for a decade after that. Retail: $100

2016 Ch MarieLaRose - St Julien or Margaux style. 2 clones Cab Sauv 1 clone PV and 1 clone PV (all clones are French Entav-Inra Class A clones) . 100% grown in Gillespie county (Fburg) by Dan Gatlin. Retail for this vintage is $139

You also sampled the Oentrepid premium Cabs and the (to be released Christmas) micro yield Colos Tempranillo and Magnus temp cab blend.

Hat a great time. Thanks so much!

Matsui said:

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I have a photo of myself Cecil and my wine buddy but need approval to post!

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Make it so...

BigAg95 said:

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bularry said:

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not familiar with UltraMarine... but domestic sparkling for $200 is kinda pricey.

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It's that much if you buy it on the secondary market, but $70-80 from the producer.

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ah, okay, yeah big difference. I'd like to see more quality domestic sparkling

Roy Piper makes like 9-11 barrels each vintage.

cecil77 said:

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Roy Piper makes like 9-11 barrels each vintage.

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That explains why the waiting list is so long! I've been on it seemingly forever.

BigAg95 said:

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cecil77 said:

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Roy Piper makes like 9-11 barrels each vintage.

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That explains why the waiting list is so long! I've been on it seemingly forever.

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I can make a call…

BSD said:

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BigAg95 said:

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cecil77 said:

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Roy Piper makes like 9-11 barrels each vintage.

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That explains why the waiting list is so long! I've been on it seemingly forever.

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I can make a call…

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I appreciate it, but odds are it is out of my price range. Not that I have a price range, but it has been a while since I've pulled the trigger on anything over $100. I assume he is charging at least 2 bills?

$175. No volume discounts

cecil77 said:

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$175. No volume discounts

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Thanks! Not too crazy for what he's selling.

Saturday night wine. Really nice Chardonnay. A little heavier than Chablis, but not as heavy as some white burgundy can get.

This was Sunday night. 55% Merlot, 45% Cab. The Merlot dominance gives it some softness and elegance. It went really well with an excellent picanha.

My Dad opened this last night as we ate my first try at homemade pastrami..it was not bad

I've heard of those wines. They're supposed to be amazing.

It was really good!

Will be in Sonoma proper soon, over a couple weekdays. Looking at a tasting or 2. Recs?

Wanted to do Bedrock but they aren't open when we'll be around. I may still email them just to see. Hamel Family just north of town looks like a good visit too.

Another one I was thinking of was Three Sticks. Have had some of their wine before and wouldn't mind tasting more. I've tried Auteur and they are solid wines, also eyeballing Ram's Gate, Kivelstadt, and Domaine Carneros if anyone has input on any that I mentioned!

I mainly wanted to see if TexAgs had any can't miss recommendations and just hear what others had to say.