Road noise

He already tried to delete it, for heaven's sake! For my part, I've been lost for ten minutes trying to work up an image of a brain fucking.
 
originally posted by Ian Fitzsimmons:
He already tried to delete it, for heaven's sake! For my part, I've been lost for ten minutes trying to work up an image of a brain fucking.
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You need to read more Philip Roth!
 
originally posted by Ian Fitzsimmons:
Hmmm. I wonder if he inhales.
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We call that "bouquet" where I come from.

On a somewhat more serious note . . .

I buy grapes and make wine at a custom crush facility in Sonoma County. At present, almost all such facilities are operating at capacity and have little room for additional clients.
However, I would be willing to bet that in one year, these facilities will be actively persuing new clients as there are many under-capitalized labels right now and I doubt they will survive the consumer slow-down.

For me, what will be even more interesting is to see if custom crush fees fall. They are at record levels now - it is virtually impossible to buy quality fruit in CA and make wine at a custom crush so that one has less than $18 in costs in each bottle. Hence, retail prices are driven to levels above $40 so that when the winery sells FOB (50% of retail), they don't lose money.

And guys who are making less than 500 cases are scrambling to find a place right now; "economy of scale" is a very real concept in the wine-making business.

So the next time I wonder through a wine store and see quality CA wines at prices above $40, I'll not be as quick to think the producer is gouging. Its a very expensive business now and, with literally no return on investment for at least three years, a pretty risky one.

Best, Jim
 
originally posted by Florida Jim:

So the next time I wonder through a wine store and see quality CA wines at prices above $40, I'll not be as quick to think the producer is gouging. Its a very expensive business now and, with literally no return on investment for at least three years, a pretty risky one.
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Hence the old saw that to make a million in the wine biz, you need to start with 3 million.

Mark Lipton
 
originally posted by MLipton:
originally posted by Florida Jim:

So the next time I wonder through a wine store and see quality CA wines at prices above $40, I'll not be as quick to think the producer is gouging. Its a very expensive business now and, with literally no return on investment for at least three years, a pretty risky one.
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Hence the old saw that to make a million in the wine biz, you need to start with 3 million.

Mark Lipton
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Indeed.
And it makes what Steve does all the more remarkable.
Best, Jim
 
Thanks for a peek into the system, Jim. It's very interesting to see how the various parts coming together result in what most of us see on the shelves.
 
originally posted by Ian Fitzsimmons:
Thanks for a peek into the system, Jim. It's very interesting to see how the various parts coming together result in what most of us see on the shelves.
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I have been looking at the spreadsheet more and more these days. It is, in a word, freightening.
Best, Jim
 
Jim, with all this in mind, have your thoughts wandered at all towards the possibility of making wine in another region (with lower costs)or is Cali the only game for those with no facilities of their own?
 
originally posted by Joel Stewart:
Jim, with all this in mind, have your thoughts wandered at all towards the possibility of making wine in another region (with lower costs)or is Cali the only game for those with no facilities of their own?
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I've thought about it.
The logistics of living on the eastcoast and making on the west are daunting. But aside from certain areas of VA, I don't know of any other area closer with sufficient quality grapes to warrant consideration.
I have explored the wines of NC fairly comprehensively and spoken with several winemakers from the area. The Yadkin Valley would certainly be closer to my home in NC but a temperate rain forest simply isn't suitable for vinifera and the wines show it.
NY has some interest but the varieties I prefer aren't happy there.
A few other places in the U.S. may have some promise but the wine industry in each is in its infancy - and I am not.
And while going abroad has its appeal, my family is here.
So it looks like CA or nothing.
Thanks for the consideration.
Best, Jim
 
originally posted by Florida Jim:

So it looks like CA or nothing.
Best, Jim
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Oregon and Washington shed a tear.
In all seriousness, I would love to see what you or Steve Edmunds could do with WA state syrah.
Maybe someday.
 
originally posted by Marc D:
originally posted by Florida Jim:

So it looks like CA or nothing.
Best, Jim
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Oregon and Washington shed a tear.
In all seriousness, I would love to see what you or Steve Edmunds could do with WA state syrah.
Maybe someday.
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Thanks Marc.
Of course the logistics to OR or WA are even worse than to CA.
Eastcoast living makes it difficult.
Best, Jim
 
originally posted by Florida Jim:
originally posted by Joel Stewart:
Jim, with all this in mind, have your thoughts wandered at all towards the possibility of making wine in another region (with lower costs)or is Cali the only game for those with no facilities of their own?
Click to expand...

I've thought about it.
The logistics of living on the eastcoast and making on the west are daunting. But aside from certain areas of VA, I don't know of any other area closer with sufficient quality grapes to warrant consideration.
I have explored the wines of NC fairly comprehensively and spoken with several winemakers from the area. The Yadkin Valley would certainly be closer to my home in NC but a temperate rain forest simply isn't suitable for vinifera and the wines show it.
NY has some interest but the varieties I prefer aren't happy there.
A few other places in the U.S. may have some promise but the wine industry in each is in its infancy - and I am not.
And while going abroad has its appeal, my family is here.
So it looks like CA or nothing.
Thanks for the consideration.
Best, Jim
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best of luck, Jim. hope you can ride the storm and that the silver lining in all this is lower production costs around the corner.
 
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