Wine & Spirits Bargains at the PLCB (Part 2)

[Capaneus]

For those of you too lazy to check the website (and you know who you are ), I received this e-mail today and thought I'd paste the news here.  Looks like the Chairman made lots of new friends in Italy.  Woo hoo!

Upcoming Chairman’s Selections

......

←

Some of these are already in stores. In fact, I picked up some of the Taylor VP a couple of weeks ago to savor in my declining years.

On another subject, the Omaka Springs Sauv. Blanc is abundant but nowhere in stores near me (Phila. area). It's available for purchase on the Web site but I have never tasted it. Is there anyone who may have an opinion before I stock up on SB for the summer?

←

I haven't had the current vintage, but I've enjoyed it in the past. Just don't drink it immediately after drinking the Kim Crawford version. The Omaka Springs would seem diminished by a close comparison, I think.

←

I liked the '04 pretty well - not as much as the KC, as you point out - but '04 was a much better vintage than '05. For what it's worth, the Wine Spectator liked the '04 and savaged the '05.

[glepore]

Some of these are already in stores. In fact, I picked up some of the Taylor VP a couple of weeks ago to savor in my declining years.

On another subject, the Omaka Springs Sauv. Blanc is abundant but nowhere in stores near me (Phila. area). It's available for purchase on the Web site but I have never tasted it. Is there anyone who may have an opinion before I stock up on SB for the summer?

←

Yeah, the Crognolo was thru my local store a month ago, managed to get just a few.

I'm liking the Sanford Chard a lot lately. Pretty understated.

[Rich Pawlak]

Thanks, Katie.

We actually picked up a bottle of the Silvio Nardi Brunello di Montalcino 1997 a week or two ago.  This needs A LOT of decanting time.  We thought an hour would suffice but I'd give it two, maybe more.  (Not only are we novice wine drinkers, we're also impatient ones to boot.)

←

I enjoyed a bottle of the '99 Nardi with the Chairman hisself over lunch last week, and Jesus Christmas that was an awesome wine! No lie.

[mrbigjas]

wasn't 1997 like, massive killer awesome year in montalcino?

[KatieLoeb]

wasn't 1997 like, massive killer awesome year in montalcino?

←

Actually, it was a killer year in most of Italy.

One of the few Big Guns in my wine rack is a bottle of '97 Isole & Olena Cepparello which was #3 on Wine Spectator's "Top 100 Wine of the Decade" list for the 90's. That rating came out when I still was working at Moore Bros. and let me tell 'ya the phone was ringing off the hook for our tiny allocation of it. I tried some from a magnum a while ago and it was drinking quite nicely then. I need to find an excuse to pop this bad boy open before it turns into the "I wish I'd drank that" bottle". And no, I'm not taking numbers - this ain't no stinkin' bakery!

I enjoyed a bottle of the '99 Nardi with the Chairman hisself over lunch last week, and Jesus Christmas that was an awesome wine! No lie.

Wish I coulda' been there for this. I have no doubt this is about as good as it gets for the big fat bargains stuff in the Chairman's Selections. Very cool that you got to share it with Himself. Any interesting comments about the wine or its procurement to share with us?

[Rich Pawlak]

wasn't 1997 like, massive killer awesome year in montalcino?

←

Actually, it was a killer year in most of Italy.

One of the few Big Guns in my wine rack is a bottle of '97 Isole & Olena Cepparello which was #3 on Wine Spectator's "Top 100 Wine of the Decade" list for the 90's. That rating came out when I still was working at Moore Bros. and let me tell 'ya the phone was ringing off the hook for our tiny allocation of it. I tried some from a magnum a while ago and it was drinking quite nicely then. I need to find an excuse to pop this bad boy open before it turns into the "I wish I'd drank that" bottle". And no, I'm not taking numbers - this ain't no stinkin' bakery!

I enjoyed a bottle of the '99 Nardi with the Chairman hisself over lunch last week, and Jesus Christmas that was an awesome wine! No lie.

Wish I coulda' been there for this. I have no doubt this is about as good as it gets for the big fat bargains stuff in the Chairman's Selections. Very cool that you got to share it with Himself. Any interesting comments about the wine or its procurement to share with us?

←

Grab a copy of tomorrow's Daily News.

[glepore]

One of the few Big Guns in my wine rack is a bottle of '97 Isole & Olena Cepparello which was #3 on Wine Spectator's "Top 100 Wine of the Decade" list for the 90's.  That rating came out when I still was working at Moore Bros. and let me tell 'ya the phone was ringing off the hook for our tiny allocation of it.  I tried some from a magnum a while ago and it was drinking quite nicely then.  I need to find an excuse to pop this bad boy open before it turns into the "I wish I'd drank that" bottle".  And no, I'm not taking numbers - this ain't no stinkin' bakery!

Funny. I was one of the lemmings buying Cepparello from Moore's that year, think I have 2 or 3 in the cellar. Probably should be thinking about drinking it now as well.

What a run they had in Italy, begining w/ 97....

Edited April 26, 2006 by KatieLoeb (log)

[I_call_the_duck]

OK, my bad. I think we actually had the '98 Brunello. I remember reading now that '98 was not as good as the '97. Which means I have to pick up some of the '97 when it its the stores.

[yeldarb]

Thanks, Katie.

We actually picked up a bottle of the Silvio Nardi Brunello di Montalcino 1997 a week or two ago.  This needs A LOT of decanting time.  We thought an hour would suffice but I'd give it two, maybe more.  (Not only are we novice wine drinkers, we're also impatient ones to boot.)

←

Where did you pick it up? I wasn't aware that any of the PLCBs '97 Nardi had come in yet. The site still shows early May arrival...

[I_call_the_duck]

Thanks, Katie.

We actually picked up a bottle of the Silvio Nardi Brunello di Montalcino 1997 a week or two ago.  This needs A LOT of decanting time.  We thought an hour would suffice but I'd give it two, maybe more.  (Not only are we novice wine drinkers, we're also impatient ones to boot.)

←

Where did you pick it up? I wasn't aware that any of the PLCBs '97 Nardi had come in yet. The site still shows early May arrival...

←

No, I mentioned upthread that I was mistaken, and it was the '98. Sorry. My bad.

[KatieLoeb]

So did everyone see Rich Pawlak's article in today's Daily News?

Chairman Wow

Great article Rich. Glad I could help too. And thanks to Jonathan Newman for being so smart about what he does. This thread wouldn't exist without him.

[Mano]

And a well-deserved mention of you, Katie!

For those of you who know Jonathan Newman, is he really that knowledgeable about wine, or is he mostly a really good businessman. Or both?

[mrbigjas]

So did everyone see Rich Pawlak's article in today's Daily News?

Chairman Wow

Great article Rich.  Glad I could help too.  And thanks to Jonathan Newman for being so smart about what he does.  This thread wouldn't exist without him.

←

internet wine maven!

[KatieLoeb]

And a well-deserved mention of you, Katie!

For those of you who know Jonathan Newman, is he really that knowledgeable about wine, or is he mostly a really good businessman.  Or both?

←

Mosdef both. Has a very acute palate, a good sense of what would sell in this particular market and is merciless on driving a hard bargain with the producers. That's how all this great wine keeps landing in our laps.

[Mano]

And a well-deserved mention of you, Katie!

For those of you who know Jonathan Newman, is he really that knowledgeable about wine, or is he mostly a really good businessman.  Or both?

←

Mosdef both. Has a very acute palate, a good sense of what would sell in this particular market and is merciless on driving a hard bargain with the producers. That's how all this great wine keeps landing in our laps.

←

Hmm, I guess you must know him pretty well if you know his palate is cute.

[KatieLoeb]

And a well-deserved mention of you, Katie!

For those of you who know Jonathan Newman, is he really that knowledgeable about wine, or is he mostly a really good businessman.  Or both?

←

Mosdef both. Has a very acute palate, a good sense of what would sell in this particular market and is merciless on driving a hard bargain with the producers. That's how all this great wine keeps landing in our laps.

←

Hmm, I guess you must know him pretty well if you know his palate is cute.

←

Hey now!

[Mano]

And a well-deserved mention of you, Katie!

For those of you who know Jonathan Newman, is he really that knowledgeable about wine, or is he mostly a really good businessman.  Or both?

←

Mosdef both. Has a very acute palate, a good sense of what would sell in this particular market and is merciless on driving a hard bargain with the producers. That's how all this great wine keeps landing in our laps.

←

Hmm, I guess you must know him pretty well if you know his palate is cute.

←

Hey now!

←

I hear you have a reputation for having a cute palate also. Takes one to know one, I spose.

Mano is leaving the building...

[Kevin Porter]

Back on (semi) topic

I too am thrilled with what Mr. Newman has done. The Chairman's Selections have provided some tremendous values, and the changes to the stores have been great. Critically acclaimed wines are sometimes available at pre-hype prices, if I act fast and beat the people scarfing them up to re-sell on WC.

I also have concerns (beyond the obvious - why is the Commonwealth in the business?), to wit:

> I've seen no discussion of process changes. Are the positive changes resulting from Mr Newman's charismatic leadership being 'operationalized' so that they will survive his inevitable departure?

> Despite the buying power and the great strides, we still do not have access to many of the wines that consumers elsewhere in the country do (and I'm not talking about the direct mailing issue): (1) The 2003 Lascombes was a great buy, but I've been told that we're getting very little other 2003 bordeaux; (2) The futures market for 2005 bdx is heating up, but we won't have an opportunity to purchase until they hit the stores in 2008 (?), albeit at close to premier tranche pricing but also presumably in very limited quantity; (3) QPR - I would love to have access to whites from the Loire; quality beaujolais (not an oxymoron); village bourgougne; etc. Despite convenient access to the Ardmore and Bryn Mawr stores, I need to break the law and cross the border for these wines.

> Stores such as the revamped Flourtown Premium Collection store have small temperature-controlled rooms, but also have mid-priced wines displayed in direct sunlight (this may have been rectified since I was last in that store).

Bottom line is we've come a long way, but we have oh so far to go!

Forgive the rant - I guess I just get a little touchy about the effusive praise for 'the Chairman'

Time to go drink a glass of Kaiken Malbec (praise the Chairman and this community for that one!).

[Jeff L]

Back on (semi) topic 

I too am thrilled with what Mr. Newman has done.  The Chairman's Selections have provided some tremendous values, and the changes to the stores have been great.  Critically acclaimed wines are sometimes available at pre-hype prices, if I act fast and beat the people scarfing them up to re-sell on WC. 

I also have concerns (beyond the obvious - why is the Commonwealth in the business?), to wit:

>  I've seen no discussion of process changes.  Are the positive changes resulting from Mr Newman's charismatic leadership being 'operationalized' so that they will survive his inevitable departure?

>  Despite the buying power and the great strides, we still do not have access to many of the wines that consumers elsewhere in the country do (and I'm not talking about the direct mailing issue): (1) The 2003 Lascombes was a great buy, but I've been told that we're getting very little other 2003 bordeaux; (2) The futures market for 2005 bdx is heating up, but we won't have an opportunity to purchase until they hit the stores in 2008 (?), albeit at close to premier tranche pricing but also presumably in very limited quantity; (3) QPR - I would love to have access to whites from the Loire; quality beaujolais (not an oxymoron); village bourgougne; etc.  Despite convenient access to the Ardmore and Bryn Mawr stores, I need to break the law and cross the border for these wines.

>  Stores such as the revamped Flourtown Premium Collection store have small temperature-controlled rooms, but also have mid-priced wines displayed in direct sunlight (this may have been rectified since I was last in that store).

Bottom line is we've come a long way, but we have oh so far to go!

Forgive the rant - I guess I just get a little touchy about the effusive praise for 'the Chairman'   

Time to go drink a glass of Kaiken Malbec (praise the Chairman and this community for that one!).

←

Kevin:

You've made some striking points here and we all should take them seriously. I too must venture over to NJ to pick up readily available favorites not offered here.

I do think, however, that those of us who have lived in PA for over 20, heck even 5 years can attest to the obvious changes instituted by Mr. Newman and some other key people with less recognition (Deidre, are you listening?!)

I think besides the Chairmans program and many other non CS buys, the level of employee education and yes, motivation by local lcb stores (at least specialty stores) has been nothing short of incredulous. It wasn't all that long ago that my experience in the Newtown store was reduced to "if it's not on the shelf, we don't have it". I think anyone who shops there now will agree- complete turnaround for the better.

To your point, is there more work to do, clearly there is and Jonathan would be the first to tell you this, in fact he told me just that during the RX Chairmans diner last year. One must walk before one runs is my perspective.

Anyway, I just ordered 2 cases of the elusive Kaiken Malbec this morning from Harrisburg due to arrive in Newtown next Monday! I won't be reselling any of them.

Even with shipping and tax it still comes out to around $9.00 bucks a bottle!

[Rich Pawlak]

So did everyone see Rich Pawlak's article in today's Daily News?

Chairman Wow

Great article Rich.  Glad I could help too.  And thanks to Jonathan Newman for being so smart about what he does.  This thread wouldn't exist without him.

←

Thanks.

I rank lunch with Jonathan Newman as one of those quintessentially memorable experiences that you're fortunate to have with those rare individuals who are compellingly passionate about what they do and are never pretentious about it ( in no particular order):

Talking beer or bourbon with Lew Bryson;

Chowing on hot dogs with Holly Moore;

Talking wine with Katie;

Talking wine with Andrea Immer;

Most every dinner with the DDC;

Eating pizza with the Pizza Club.

Mosts everything else comes in second place.

[MarketStEl]

Back on (semi) topic 

I too am thrilled with what Mr. Newman has done.  The Chairman's Selections have provided some tremendous values, and the changes to the stores have been great.  Critically acclaimed wines are sometimes available at pre-hype prices, if I act fast and beat the people scarfing them up to re-sell on WC. 

I also have concerns (beyond the obvious - why is the Commonwealth in the business?), to wit:

>  I've seen no discussion of process changes.  Are the positive changes resulting from Mr Newman's charismatic leadership being 'operationalized' so that they will survive his inevitable departure?

>  Despite the buying power and the great strides, we still do not have access to many of the wines that consumers elsewhere in the country do (and I'm not talking about the direct mailing issue): (1) The 2003 Lascombes was a great buy, but I've been told that we're getting very little other 2003 bordeaux; (2) The futures market for 2005 bdx is heating up, but we won't have an opportunity to purchase until they hit the stores in 2008 (?), albeit at close to premier tranche pricing but also presumably in very limited quantity; (3) QPR - I would love to have access to whites from the Loire; quality beaujolais (not an oxymoron); village bourgougne; etc.  Despite convenient access to the Ardmore and Bryn Mawr stores, I need to break the law and cross the border for these wines.

>  Stores such as the revamped Flourtown Premium Collection store have small temperature-controlled rooms, but also have mid-priced wines displayed in direct sunlight (this may have been rectified since I was last in that store).

Bottom line is we've come a long way, but we have oh so far to go!

Forgive the rant - I guess I just get a little touchy about the effusive praise for 'the Chairman'   

Time to go drink a glass of Kaiken Malbec (praise the Chairman and this community for that one!).

←

Kevin:

You've made some striking points here and we all should take them seriously. I too must venture over to NJ to pick up readily available favorites not offered here.

I do think, however, that those of us who have lived in PA for over 20, heck even 5 years can attest to the obvious changes instituted by Mr. Newman and some other key people with less recognition (Deidre, are you listening?!)

I think besides the Chairmans program and many other non CS buys, the level of employee education and yes, motivation by local lcb stores (at least specialty stores) has been nothing short of incredulous. It wasn't all that long ago that my experience in the Newtown store was reduced to "if it's not on the shelf, we don't have it". I think anyone who shops there now will agree- complete turnaround for the better.

To your point, is there more work to do, clearly there is and Jonathan would be the first to tell you this, in fact he told me just that during the RX Chairmans diner last year. One must walk before one runs is my perspective.

Anyway, I just ordered 2 cases of the elusive Kaiken Malbec this morning from Harrisburg due to arrive in Newtown next Monday! I won't be reselling any of them.

Even with shipping and tax it still comes out to around $9.00 bucks a bottle!

←

I'm going to chime in here just to underscore a point I occasionally try to make by calling everyone's attention to New Hampshire.

The question "Why is the state in the business of selling booze anyway?" is a legitimate one, and a good case can be made that it should not be. But the defects of the old State Store system were not ipso facto due to state ownership and control as much as they were due to the philosophy underlying the system's operation.

In my recently concluded blog, I quoted Steve Lopez's marvelous quote that summed up the old State Store philosophy: "This is horrible stuff. Here, let us sell you some."

Historically, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board has emphasized the control in its name. It was set up after the end of Prohibition to keep the flow of alcohol through the Commonwealth as restricted as possible.

The New Hampshire Liquor Commission (note the absence of the word "control" from its name), on the other hand, has always operated to maximize reveune for the state by selling as much of the stuff as possible, preferably to as many Bay Staters as are willing to drive up to buy it. They also make it very easy for other visitors to grab bottles by putting liquor stores on the turnpikes where one would ordinarily find gas stations and restaurants.

Now, I'm not suggesting that the PLCB take over the service plazas on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, but it is clear that under Newman, the agency has moved a lot closer to New Hampshire's operating philosophy. And it has done so without forcing booze down the throats of Pennsylvanians who'd rather not have much of it--note that almost all of the Premium Collection stores are in the urbanized parts of the state. (Centre County being home to State College, it counts as "urbanized" for purposes of this argument. And even if you won't allow that, the statement still holds.)

More could be done, true, but much has been done already, all of it for the good, and it didn't require the state getting out of the liquor business, either.

Now if we could just rewrite those laws about beer sales...

[Neil Gilmour]

Back on (semi) topic 

I too am thrilled with what Mr. Newman has done.  The Chairman's Selections have provided some tremendous values, and the changes to the stores have been great.  Critically acclaimed wines are sometimes available at pre-hype prices, if I act fast and beat the people scarfing them up to re-sell on WC. 

I also have concerns (beyond the obvious - why is the Commonwealth in the business?), to wit:

>  I've seen no discussion of process changes.  Are the positive changes resulting from Mr Newman's charismatic leadership being 'operationalized' so that they will survive his inevitable departure?

>  Despite the buying power and the great strides, we still do not have access to many of the wines that consumers elsewhere in the country do (and I'm not talking about the direct mailing issue): (1) The 2003 Lascombes was a great buy, but I've been told that we're getting very little other 2003 bordeaux; (2) The futures market for 2005 bdx is heating up, but we won't have an opportunity to purchase until they hit the stores in 2008 (?), albeit at close to premier tranche pricing but also presumably in very limited quantity; (3) QPR - I would love to have access to whites from the Loire; quality beaujolais (not an oxymoron); village bourgougne; etc.   Despite convenient access to the Ardmore and Bryn Mawr stores, I need to break the law and cross the border for these wines.

>  Stores such as the revamped Flourtown Premium Collection store have small temperature-controlled rooms, but also have mid-priced wines displayed in direct sunlight (this may have been rectified since I was last in that store).

Bottom line is we've come a long way, but we have oh so far to go!

Forgive the rant - I guess I just get a little touchy about the effusive praise for 'the Chairman'   

Time to go drink a glass of Kaiken Malbec (praise the Chairman and this community for that one!).

←

Kevin:

You've made some striking points here and we all should take them seriously. I too must venture over to NJ to pick up readily available favorites not offered here.

I do think, however, that those of us who have lived in PA for over 20, heck even 5 years can attest to the obvious changes instituted by Mr. Newman and some other key people with less recognition (Deidre, are you listening?!)

I think besides the Chairmans program and many other non CS buys, the level of employee education and yes, motivation by local lcb stores (at least specialty stores) has been nothing short of incredulous. It wasn't all that long ago that my experience in the Newtown store was reduced to "if it's not on the shelf, we don't have it". I think anyone who shops there now will agree- complete turnaround for the better.

To your point, is there more work to do, clearly there is and Jonathan would be the first to tell you this, in fact he told me just that during the RX Chairmans diner last year. One must walk before one runs is my perspective.

Anyway, I just ordered 2 cases of the elusive Kaiken Malbec this morning from Harrisburg due to arrive in Newtown next Monday! I won't be reselling any of them.

Even with shipping and tax it still comes out to around $9.00 bucks a bottle!

←

I'm going to chime in here just to underscore a point I occasionally try to make by calling everyone's attention to New Hampshire.

The question "Why is the state in the business of selling booze anyway?" is a legitimate one, and a good case can be made that it should not be. But the defects of the old State Store system were not ipso facto due to state ownership and control as much as they were due to the philosophy underlying the system's operation.

In my recently concluded blog, I quoted Steve Lopez's marvelous quote that summed up the old State Store philosophy: "This is horrible stuff. Here, let us sell you some."

Historically, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board has emphasized the control in its name. It was set up after the end of Prohibition to keep the flow of alcohol through the Commonwealth as restricted as possible.

The New Hampshire Liquor Commission (note the absence of the word "control" from its name), on the other hand, has always operated to maximize reveune for the state by selling as much of the stuff as possible, preferably to as many Bay Staters as are willing to drive up to buy it. They also make it very easy for other visitors to grab bottles by putting liquor stores on the turnpikes where one would ordinarily find gas stations and restaurants.

Now, I'm not suggesting that the PLCB take over the service plazas on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, but it is clear that under Newman, the agency has moved a lot closer to New Hampshire's operating philosophy. And it has done so without forcing booze down the throats of Pennsylvanians who'd rather not have much of it--note that almost all of the Premium Collection stores are in the urbanized parts of the state. (Centre County being home to State College, it counts as "urbanized" for purposes of this argument. And even if you won't allow that, the statement still holds.)

More could be done, true, but much has been done already, all of it for the good, and it didn't require the state getting out of the liquor business, either.

Now if we could just rewrite those laws about beer sales...

←

Mr. Newman has done a great job improving the system but it is still a state store system. I can go to any number of stores in my area of Montgomery County and I see essentially the same wines. That is only convenient when the Chairman's Selection I want has sold out in my favorite store. Nevertheless, the selection is the same from store to store. The website is also difficult to use for searching for good deals, especially with the inconsistent abreviations and spelling issues. Further, the inability to purchase bordeaux futures through the system and the generally limited availability of bordeaux in top vintages (eg 2000) is inconsistent with the pride that the PLCB has over its purchasing power. That power seems to extend to the large production wines and not to the limited production and highly sought after wines. One can complain endlessly about the system despite the improvements that Mr Newman has put in place.

The PLCB still needs to be abolished to give us legal access to more of the wines available from around the world.

Neil

[philadining]

Found 2 bottles of the Kaiken Malbec at the West Chester store today... sorry, bought them both!

[shacke]

Found 2 bottles of the Kaiken Malbec at the West Chester store today... sorry, bought them both!

←

Just got a shipment at ************. Got 1 to try finally.

What, you think I'lll let you steal em again?

[KatieLoeb]

Found 2 bottles of the Kaiken Malbec at the West Chester store today... sorry, bought them both!

←

Just got a shipment at ************. Got 1 to try finally.

What, you think I'lll let you steal em again?

←

PM me, 'bro! I need to get some more Kaiken for the house wine at Chez K-Lo.

edited to add:

Never mind. I found it! Woo-hoo!