Wine & Spirits Bargains at the PLCB (Part 1)

[shacke]

This is probably not ready for the ISO thread as it is only a thought and so my apologies if it should be.....

Katie's mention of "pencil lead" gave me an idea wfor an experiment which I cleared with her first before posting.

Since the Chairman's selections are so popular with gulleteers, I thought it would be an interesting thing to get people together and do a tasting of Chairman's selections at some point. Katie offered her palate as well. I think it would be a great way of tasting several wines at once, learning more about tasting and meeting forum folks. I would love to be able to taste multiple selections at once rather than going blind by the bottle. We can post our notes here.

If anyone is interested in something like this, PM me (don't reply here). This way I can get a sense if it is worth pursuing. The actual venue is an issue I guess depending on the number of wine geeks. I am happy to do it at my place but I can only hold so many gulleteers at one time.

Evan

PS - Mods - If this indeed belongs in ISO, my apologies and please move it over.

[dmgood]

I was at a tasting at a winery and asked the question "when you taste something described as, say, pencil lead is that a characteristic of the grape or is it something added to the wine?" To which she replied, "Pencil lead is not necessarily a *good* thing." (and all the described attributes are the result of the fermentation and the vessel)

[Guest JonB]

Hello--first post.

I tried a bottle of each of the Freemark Abbey cabs and agree they are among the best values from the Chairman's Selection ever. I got a couple of cases of the Bosché as I thought it had a little more potential than the Sycamore.

I don't know if supply will run out quickly (as it did with the Cambria ) but the specialty store in the Chadds Ford Food Source had plenty as of two days ago.

Jon

[shacke]

Hello--first post.

I tried a bottle of each of the Freemark Abbey cabs and agree they are among the best values from the Chairman's Selection ever. I got a couple of cases of the Bosché as I thought it had a little more potential than the Sycamore.

I don't know if supply will run out quickly (as it did with the Cambria ) but the specialty store in the Chadds Ford Food Source had plenty as of two days ago.

Jon

←

Welcome aboard Jon and thanks for the note.

Evan

[glepore]

Jon-welcome, glad to see you here rather than on the Porsche board!

[Guest JonB]

Whoa--small world. I had to search back, but I saw that you gave me the tip on the Arrowood and the Ch Gloria last spring. Thanks again!

Edited August 4, 2005 by JonB (log)

[KatieLoeb]

Welcome JonB! Looking forward to your posts. Please pipe up early and often...

[glepore]

Whoa--small world. I had to search back, but I saw that you gave me the tip on the Arrowood and the Ch Gloria last spring. Thanks again!

←

Not to mention the rusty Carrera rotor...

No prob, really. Hope you scored some of the Gloria at that price.

You returned the favour, bought a case and a half of the Bosche today - liked the Sycamore, but it was almost too open currently and seemed to lack the tannins to hold for any time.

I need essentially a limitless LOC at this point, I wander in and am amazed-I have friends from out of state asking me to buy them wine for a change.

[mike volker]

TN: '01 IO chairman's selection

Made from syrah, grenache, and mourvedre this is just stunning on the nose and in the mouth. I've tried most of the chairman's selections but this could be one of the best. I'm going back for more.

Best,

Mike

[Guest JonB]

Wow--just tried it. That wine's a MONSTER.

TN: '01 IO chairman's selection

Made from syrah, grenache, and mourvedre this is just stunning on the nose and in the mouth. I've tried most of the chairman's selections but this could be one of the best. I'm going back for more.

Best,

Mike

←

[LindaJ]

Just have to say, I am so freaking delighted with the Quakertown store. I walked in there the day after they opened, went into the temp controlled wine room and nearly passed out with joy. I have been pining away for a good wine selection since moving to PA 3 years ago and at last my prayers have been answered. I'm dragging my husband to the grand opening even though he doesn't drink.

[Capaneus]

Tried the '02 Artesta PN Carneros and the '01 Foxen Syrah Santa Barbara with dinner at Mercato tonight.

First the bad news: the Foxen opened up hot and jammy when first poured, not at all flattering. It was a shade too warm, so I asked for a chiller to give it a chance to get itself together. It did cool down. It remained very alcoholic on the nose, with little varietal character, mostly just black fruit jam on the palate, and a lingering very sweet aftertaste. At $12.99, I wanted to find good things to say about it, but even for the price I find it hard to recommend.

The Artesta, however, is another story. it too was a bit warm when opened, and the worse for it. But when cooled a mite it became a beautiful Pinot mouthfull, with pronounced varietal flavors of earth and cherries, and a bracing acidity that was mouth-puckering until paired with food, at which point it was just delightful. It is a fairly simple and straightforward wine, but a lean, structured, full but not overwhelming food-friendly one. It would need better tannin for me to commit to any cellaring, but I feel pretty safe that the case I'm going to buy will be gone within the year.

And at $12.99 you will not find a better bottle of Pinot Noir.

[cjtst11]

This is a first post for me...

I've been lurking on this board for several months and have really enjoyed this thread. I live just a few blocks from the Chestnut Street store and have really been enjoying the glut of Chairman's Selections there.

My most recent:

TN: Saintsbury Pinot Noir Reserve Carneros 2003 $19.99

This was excellent right out of the bottle. It definitely has that distict sweet "cola" that I get from a lot of Carneros pinot. It is fairly big for pinot but not not overripe or jammy. It also has decent acidity so it's not all over the place. As nice as it is now, I'll be saving a few for 3-5 years down the road. If my wife and I can hold out until then, I'm pretty sure it will be even better.

Edited August 9, 2005 by cjtst11 (log)

[KatieLoeb]

Warm welcome to cjtst11!! Come out and play more often, please! Since you live so centrally located you must tell the rest of us in PA about your favorite downtown restaurants.

Looking forward to meeting you (and the Mrs.) at a future event...

[Capaneus]

This is a first post for me...

I've been lurking on this board for several months and have really enjoyed this thread. I live just a few blocks from the Chestnut Street store and have really been enjoying the glut of Chairman's Selections there.

My most recent:

TN: Saintsbury Pinot Noir Reserve Carneros 2003 $19.99

This was excellent right out of the bottle. It definitely has that distict sweet "cola" that I get from a lot of Carneros pinot. It is fairly big for pinot but not not overripe or jammy. It also has decent acidity so it's not all over the place. As nice as it is now, I'll be saving a few for 3-5 years down the road. If my wife and I can hold out until then, I'm pretty sure it will be even better.

←

Thank you cjtst11. I'm nearing the end of my stash of '01s and have been pondering th '03s, but the complete lack of info has held me back (well, that and the absurdity of keeping something like thirty cases in a studio apartment). I can now buy with abandon.

[cjtst11]

Another bottle that I found especially good for the money from the 12th and Chestnut Street store:

TN: Petaluma Shriaz Adelaide Hills 1999 $19.99

This is not a chairman's selection but still qualifies as good deal.

This is drinking really well right now. It is atypical Australian Shriaz in that it's not huge, not overripe and has not seen tons of new oak. There is about 5% viognier blended in making it smell more like a good Cote Rotie; pretty and floral over a base of dark fruit. It is really dense in the glass and definitely has some time ahead of it to develop. But, it's so nice right now, I don't know if it's worth waiting.

[Capaneus]

For anyone awaiting the Edmeades zin as anxiously as I am: it isn't listed as having arrived yet, but a search shows it as available in a handful of stores. In the Philly area, it's available at the Bryn Mawr and Wayne stores; it's also in at both Pittsburgh stores. I expect it will be generally available Tuesday or Friday. In the meantime, if anyone has a chance to try it, please do let us know what you think.

[Jonathan Newman]

I wanted to say hello to everyone and thank you again for your support of all the new PLCB innovations and in particular the Chairman's Selection program. It is certainly worth all the hard work putting these deals together when I see such positive feedback and true appreciation. As a wine lover and value shopper, I will continue to fight for the consumer and use Pa's economies of scale and purchasing power effectively.

I would like to invite everyone to a Grand opening of a spectacular Premium Collection store on Wed. August 17th at 5:30 at 149 Baltimore Pike in Springfield, Delaware County which is next to the Block Jewelers and there is a ton of parking. I will be attending with the talented winemaker of Chateau St. Jean, Margo Van Staaveren. We are pouring the Belle Terre and Robert Young chards, and the Cinq Cepages.

Some of my favorite Chairman Selections are now in wide distribution in our Premium Collection stores like the Artesa Pinot Noir, Freemark Abbey-Sycamore and Bosche. The Edmeades zin is a great bottle bottle, but is in limited distribution because of the quantity of the buy. There is also the spectacular Montes Alpha Syrah which just received a 91 rating in the most recent issue of Wine Spectator. The Montes Leyda Sauv Blanc is also a nice summer wine at a great price.

In the next couple of weeks some of the hottest deals will be in stores including, the Foxen Foothills Reserve, Mondavi Stag's Leap District Cab (more on the elegant side than big), and the 03 Swanson Cygnet Merlot(even Miles would like this one) . In late september, the Columbiao de Cencio 00 Super Tuscan Il Futuro will arrive. It has an 88 Wine Spectator rating, sugg. retail of $85 and will have a retail price point of $17.99. The Montes 03 Alpha Cab should also arrive then-it just received a 90 rating and Wine Spectator smart buy with a sugg. retail of $23 and it will hit our shelves for $11.99.

I saw a few posts about a Chairman's Selection dinner and would be glad to attend with a couple months advance notice. Perhaps, Katie can work on some of the logistics, and we can pick a date at a really fun restaurant in the philadelphia area.

Enjoy the rest of the Summer!

Jonathan Newman

[lancastermike]

Maggie wanted to go to KOP Mall today so we took the oppurtunity to visit the store in the Whitemarsh shopping center on Ridge Pike. Enjoyed the climate controled wine room. We got some of the Artesa PN that Mr. Newman speaks of. Also re-stocked on the Lancaster Red that I enjoyed very much. For those who may be looking for the elusive Luxardo Maraschino the Whitemarsh store has it in stock, less two bottles as I got one and one for a friend of ours.

Once again thanks toJon Newman for the Chairmans Selection program and thanks for posting here.

[KatieLoeb]

I wanted to say hello to everyone and thank you again for your support of  all the new PLCB innovations and in particular the Chairman's Selection program. It is certainly worth all the hard work putting these deals together  when I see such positive feedback and true appreciation. As a wine lover and value shopper, I will continue to fight for the consumer and use Pa's economies of scale and purchasing power effectively.

I would like to invite everyone to a Grand opening of a spectacular Premium Collection store on Wed. August 17th at 5:30 at 149 Baltimore Pike in Springfield, Delaware County which is next to the Block Jewelers and there is a ton of parking. I will be attending with the talented winemaker of Chateau St. Jean, Margo Van Staaveren. We are pouring the Belle Terre and Robert Young chards, and the Cinq Cepages.

Some of my favorite Chairman Selections are now in wide distribution in our Premium Collection stores like the Artesa Pinot Noir, Freemark Abbey-Sycamore and Bosche. The Edmeades zin is a great bottle bottle, but is in limited distribution because of the quantity of the buy. There is also the spectacular Montes Alpha Syrah  which just received a 91 rating in the most recent issue of Wine Spectator. The Montes Leyda Sauv Blanc is also a nice summer wine at a great price.

In the next couple of weeks some of the hottest deals will be in stores including, the Foxen Foothills Reserve, Mondavi Stag's Leap District Cab (more on the elegant side than big), and the 03 Swanson Cygnet Merlot(even Miles would like this one) . In late september, the Columbiao de Cencio 00 Super Tuscan Il Futuro will arrive. It has an 88 Wine Spectator rating, sugg. retail of $85 and will have a retail price point of $17.99. The Montes 03 Alpha Cab should also arrive then-it just received a 90 rating and Wine Spectator smart buy with a sugg. retail of $23 and it will hit our shelves for $11.99.

I saw a few posts about a Chairman's Selection dinner and would be glad to attend with a couple months advance notice. Perhaps, Katie can work on some of the logistics, and we can pick a date at a really fun restaurant in the philadelphia area.

Enjoy the rest of the Summer!

Jonathan Newman

←

Jonathan:

Thanks so much for checking in with us and taking the time out of your busy schedule to keep us informed about the upcoming/incoming selections. We'll all be eagerly anticipating the arrival of our favorites, as well as some new wines we'll look forward to trying.

I'd be delighted to try and host an eGullet Chairman's Selection wine dinner somewhere. I'll e-mail you and we can discuss the logistics, which I'm certain you're far more familiar with than I am. Sounds like a great time and I'm certain I speak for the others that haven't had the pleasure of meeting you that it would be an honor to break some bread, raise some glasses and have an opportunity to chat up close and personal.

[Guest JonB]

I would like to invite everyone to a Grand opening of a spectacular Premium Collection store on Wed. August 17th at 5:30 at 149 Baltimore Pike in Springfield, Delaware County which is next to the Block Jewelers

Wonderful! I live 5 min from there. Now if only they'd put a decent food store in there in place of the Genuardi's *GACK* Safeway in that shopping center.

[MarketStEl]

One of the things I appreciate about the Chairman's Selection program is that it offers excellent wines at every price point.

I've enjoyed the Hague Cellars wines that have been offered for $8.99 (pinot grigio) and $9.99 (merlot), respectively. (I also note the winery uses screw caps on the pinot grigio. Good move.)

What's even better is that the State Stores now offer good buys on interesting wines outside the Chairman's Selection program. That lemony Las Brisas white from Spain I had earlier this summer was not a Chairman's Selection, but it was an excellent value, also in the under-$10 range.

I'm guessing that the success of the Chairman's Selection program has spurred PLCB buyers to apply its methods across the board.

Edited August 15, 2005 by MarketStEl (log)

[KatieLoeb]

One of the things I appreciate about the Chairman's Selection program is that it offers excellent wines at every price point.

I've enjoyed the Hague Cellars wines that have been offered for $8.99 (pinot grigio) and $9.99 (merlot), respectively.  (I also note the winery uses screw caps on the pinot grigio.  Good move.)

What's even better is that the State Stores now offer good buys on interesting wines outside the Chairman's Selection program.  That lemony Las Brisas white from Spain I had earlier this summer was not a Chairman's Selection, but it was an excellent value, also in the under-$10 range.

I'm guessing that the success of the Chairman's Selection program has spurred PLCB buyers to apply its methods across the board.

←

Sandy:

That Las Brisas white is a kickassed buy from Spain. Bright and refreshing and very light on the wallet. I've been enjoying it all summer too and have turned lots of friends on to it as well.

[mrbigjas]

What's even better is that the State Stores now offer good buys on interesting wines outside the Chairman's Selection program.  That lemony Las Brisas white from Spain I had earlier this summer was not a Chairman's Selection, but it was an excellent value, also in the under-$10 range.

]

Sandy:

That Las Brisas white is a kickassed buy from Spain. Bright and refreshing and very light on the wallet. I've been enjoying it all summer too and have turned lots of friends on to it as well.

ha, i been doing the same thing with that same wine (and whites from rueda in general)

[Capaneus]

Katie and I tried the Edmeades Zin with the steak at Rx tonight. If you like Zinfandel, this is a wine you cannot afford to miss: it has all the gonzo beauty that has endeared the varietal to those of us who have loved it lo these many years. It is hugely extracted, thick, jammy, beautiful, true, and has great varietal character. It's delicious... and $11.99. All hail Chairman Newman.

As a sidebar, I *think* this wine will not be showing up at our neighborhood (Philadelphia) stores. It is currently available in the Wayne and Bryn Mawr stores, in decent (but finite) quantity. As of a little while ago, I have secured two cases, so I blow a raspberry in your general direction.

Lovingly, of course.

Edited August 17, 2005 by Capaneus (log)