CTmasterblender wrote:There are so many factors that go into producing a bottle of wine. I produce bottles of wine from $14 to $85 a bottle retail. If you’re in the bulk juice market, you can cut out a lot of costs and can provide wines at a better price. If you had to produce the wines from start to finish you have a lot more costs. Here is a Napa Valley breakdown: custom crush fees (if you don’t own you own winery, which also carries a little cost to it) $35 - $50 (goes as high as $150) a case, 50% new oak (American $10, French $20), Fruit - Napa Average Cabernet $69 a case (2007 Napa Valley average was $4,300 a ton), packaging $15 a case (very basic), bottling $4-$6 a case, winemaker if you need one $20 (low to mid range) a case. This doesn't count the costs of money being tide up for 2 years, traveling, marketing, samples (for trade and personal consumption once you figured out what you just got yourself into...), health insurance, life insurance....(all this can add up to20% to 30% of sales) say $40 a case (20%). This is working at par. Here is the tough part, most people look at these costs and look at it from a retail perspective and we all wish we could sell everything at retail! But, in the real world, most of the wine is being sold at FOB to our out of state markets, which is 50% of retail. Put these costs together and you have roughly $204 in per case or $17 per bottle which translates into a $34 retail, $204 FOB. You still haven't factored in making a profit on all your work and travels. I’m not trying to be a syndic, but I like people to understand what goes into a bottle of wine. On the bulk side, you buy juice, blend and may need to do a little winemaking, bottle it and start selling – fun and straight forward.
This obviously all depends on quantity of scale, but it's pretty accurate for the small producer of 7,000 case and under.

Thanks for reminding me - I've been meanig to do a blog entry about costs. Most of these seem accurate, but a couple seem way out of line, to wit the winemaker salary and insurance. $140,000 salary winemaker and $280,000 for insurance for a 7000 case winery? But, if you allow some for marketing, overhead and taxes, that mid $30's retail price (just to cover costs) is definitely in the ballpark. If you aren't in Napa, and don't use 50% new oak, costs drop quite a bit. Bottle prices above the low to mid 20's are not due to costs in most cases, but more to the reasons I listed earlier.

boaz38 wrote:is their a link to the labrat report page or is it eyes-only? please post link,ty

Here is the link to the summary for this week's labrats.

We have one for the Sorelle, 2 for Claret, and 1 for the Merlot. We also have 1 volunteer on the Claret, plus 3 previous labrat reports on the '04 Merlot when it was offered last year.

bkarney wrote:http://wine.woot.com/Forums/ViewPost.aspx?PostID=2292848&PageIndex=1&ReplyCount=76

That will take you to the top. Cheron (who started the labrat thread) has been kind to link the first post to each of the summaries for each week. She has done summaries for all but this week (out on vacation), so I did the summary for this week. She hasn't had a chance to create the link for the summary yet.

Here is the link to the summry for this offering. Also, Cesare & DonaldWilliams have been kind enough to also post their labrat reports there as well. I have copied over the others to the thread, and they are after the summary, so just scroll down.

crisangel wrote:I used to play the baritone - the Hephaestus of the horn family... except not all that utilitarian.

For those of you who've gotten your Mumm order, what state or region are you in?

Just curious...

SoCal, and I got it last week.

DonaldWilliams wrote:Labrat update:
Bonnie got home in time to try the Merlot before we head to the park to see King Lear at the 2nd largest FREE outdoor Shakespeare festival in the US (We're both on the Board of Directors.). She picked up the same spiciness (pepper?) in the nose that I noticed, but she caught a whiff of cherry that I didn't get until I sipped it. We have drunk a lot of wine together, and tend to have similar taste, if only by chance. After tasting it (just a sip, really), she has pronounced it "full-bodied, smooth, I like it."
We'll be back later. Meanwhile, another vote for getting off the fence, and pressing that Buy button.

EDIT: I almost forgot, I used to play the trombone, too!

Labrat Report Part 3: (via telephone)

At the park, Brie and Baguette with Merlot. Had softened. No decanter, just corked the bottle and brought it to the park.

DW's Chicken Curry salad on pita, the Merlot was more acidic with the Chicken, but very perfect pairing with the Chicken Curry salad.

Pepper quality has backbone, and you (DW) prefer to previous Merlots. Might have picked a Zin to have with the Chicken, but this is perfect pairing. He recommends this, even at a price higher than woot's.

SWMBO (bahwm) concurs with DonaldWilliams.

Your faithful scribe: MDS

Seems like we are missing 2 labrats. One for the Sorelle and one for the Merlot. Or did I miss one?

So far:

This week's pack:
cesare - Labrat Report for the '04 Sorelle Per Sempre (with pic)
phirsch - Labrat Report for the '05 Claret
bstrmbn - Labrat Report #2 for the '05 Claret
DonaldWilliams - Labrat Report #1 for '04 Merlot
DonaldWilliams #2 - Labrat Report #1 for '04 Merlot, Part 2
DonaldWilliams #3 - Labrat Report #1 for '04 Merlot, Part 3

Volunteer rats:
yessrinc - Claret

I've got labratitis and the only known cure is some of Donati's Sorelle per Sempre. I typically enjoy cabs or zins but this one took me for a wild ride. Lots of dark fruit, some chocolate, and some more berries put with a healthy dose of alcohol make this wine sumptuous. The finish is long but should provide a smile and all i can say is this wine is good period. Though i paired it with a ham and cheese sandwich , it would go great with about any kind of steak. thanks alot wd

bkarney wrote:replacements?? what happened to the originals?

Texas heat did not treat the originals very well. I never got a shipping notification for my Mumm, so I'm assuming they sent them at the same time, I dunno. It was a pleasant surprise.

Don't know who else besides myself and Bhod are in the land of the College World Series, but you are welcome to join WD (yes the WD) after one of the 2 teams nicknamed the Bulldogs becomes the National Champions. (I'm thinking WD wants it to be the boys from Fresno) Anyway we are planning on meeting at Urban wine at 1037 Jones immediatly after the game assuming NO rain and NO extra innings. I will confirm on here that we are on.

Fresno State is ahead 3-0, top of the 5th, 1 out.

Go Fresno State Bulldogs!!!

And now, a brief interruption...
Upcoming Woot Winetasting Events!!!

Look for these events in their own threads within the World of Woot Wines Community Tab. (Yes, I'm too lazy this evening to hyperlink them all.) Apologes if I have missed any.

6/28: SoCal
7/19: SoCal - Lunch w/CJ
7/19: Detroit Palate Training
7/21-23: RPM's History Tour
7/24: Colorado #2
7/26: NoVA/DC #5
8/15: SoCal - w/Loweeel & ThatGuy
8/16: Detroit #2
8/16: Chicago Palate Training
8/23: NoVA/DC #6

TBD: Oregon
TBD: SE PA - Brandywine Valley Wine Trail
TBD: Dallas/Fort Worth
TBD: Finger Lakes
TBD: JAX

We now return you to the Donati Red Three Pack.

Gatzby wrote:Anyone that has a black box has earned it. We're all dirty, consumerist bastards.

This sentiment perfectly reflects your American Dream-suggesting name my friend. Cheers!

tommythecat78 wrote:And the lord WD spoke, "Let thine car be pimped"...and it was so.

Yeah!!!

rcomar wrote:I've got labratitis and the only known cure is some of Donati's Sorelle per Sempre. I typically enjoy cabs or zins but this one took me for a wild ride. Lots of dark fruit, some chocolate, and some more berries put with a healthy dose of alcohol make this wine sumptuous. The finish is long but should provide a smile and all i can say is this wine is good period. Though i paired it with a ham and cheese sandwich , it would go great with about any kind of steak. thanks alot wd

Exactly! And the wine is still good on day 2, report coming soon.

MarkDaSpark wrote:Fresno State is ahead 3-0, top of the 5th, 1 out.

Go Fresno State Bulldogs!!!

Bottom of the 9th. 2 out. 2 on. FSU 6-1. Georgia last chance.

Edit: What he said .... Bulldogs Win!!

SonomaBouliste wrote:Thanks for reminding me - I've been meanig to do a blog entry about costs. Most of these seem accurate, but a couple seem way out of line, to wit the winemaker salary and insurance. $140,000 salary winemaker and $280,000 for insurance for a 7000 case winery? But, if you allow some for marketing, overhead and taxes, that mid $30's retail price (just to cover costs) is definitely in the ballpark. If you aren't in Napa, and don't use 50% new oak, costs drop quite a bit. Bottle prices above the low to mid 20's are not due to costs in most cases, but more to the reasons I listed earlier.

This is why I am glad I am a lawyer.

So we drinking or what

bhodilee wrote:So we drinking or what

I think the mid-week offering should be PS, to celebrate. I'm sure your gracious host would concur!

I think I will be able to safely avoid this offering with high hopes for next week. I am still trying to build my cellar up but these didn't jump out at me. I want hints WD and I want others who are far more intelligent and wine-savvy to decode them.

kylemittskus wrote:I think I will be able to safely avoid this offering with high hopes for next week. I am still trying to build my cellar up but these didn't jump out at me. I want hints WD and I want others who are far more intelligent and wine-savvy to decode them.

WD's in Omaha celebrating his alma mater winning a baseball championship. As soon as I hear I will be joining him at a drinking establishment to be named later. So here's your clue, It's smaller than a breadbox. And may be an insane cast member of the Real World.

I'm totally making this up by the way, I haven't talked to WD today so I have no inside info.

bhodilee wrote:WD's in Omaha celebrating his alma mater winning a baseball championship. As soon as I hear I will be joining him at a drinking establishment to be named later. So here's your clue, It's smaller than a breadbox. And may be an insane cast member of the Real World.

I'm totally making this up by the way, I haven't talked to WD today so I have no inside info.

I hate you so much.

barrymccochener wrote:Also a trombone player here... Hoping that the CT idea is correct, although I'd really like some Moffett. Would be a bit more pricey, but oh so yummy.

Oh, no! One more former trombone player, here, too!
How many of us are out there, hiding from our sordid pasts?

Loweeel wrote:I hate you so much.

I thought about not posting the Disclaimer, then had it not been CT everyone would be sooooooo mad. And I'd laugh sooooooo hard. But yeah, I'm a nice guy. Seriously though, I'm guessing CT

tomatillo wrote:Oh, no! One more former trombone player, here, too!
How many of us are out there, hiding from our sordid pasts?

When I was first taking clarinet lessons (like 4th grade), there was a trombone player in my lesson group. First week he picked up the horn, he broke his forearm in at least 2 places. Yup, the *slide* arm. Cast came up over his elbow. He was so eager to play, he just about hyperextended his shoulder to get the slide out into 5th position.

Loweeel wrote:I hate you so much.

I emailed WD earlier asking for a clue. He replied surprisingly quickly. Guess he was itching for the game to start! Here's what he wrote me:

I'm sorry. I will be out of the office today. All emails will be replied to tomorrow. GO U FRESNO STATE BULLDOGS!!! - WD

For you Omaha type folk:

What: Impromptu woot together
Where: Upstream in the Old Market
When: Maybe about an hour I dunno, go now and get us a table

NeCyclone, WD is gonna call you like, uh, probably already is.

bhodilee wrote:I thought about not posting the Disclaimer, then had it not been CT everyone would be sooooooo mad. And I'd laugh sooooooo hard. But yeah, I'm a nice guy. Seriously though, I'm guessing CT

Neophyte here. CT = ? I've seen it spoken (typed) about a lot.

kylemittskus wrote:Neophyte here. CT = ? I've seen it spoken (typed) about a lot.

You're thinking Cellar Tracker, but that's not what was meant in this case. What bhodilee meant was C&T, as in C&T cellars. CTmasterblender was seen posting here this week so some people think that the next offering will be from C&T. Last offering from C&T was in August 2007.

One final remark about the 2004 Merlot: It was great on its own, with the brie, and with the chicken curry salad. We ran out before the curtain went up on King Lear and were forced to open the Meritage I had brought along, knowing the single bottle wouldn't last. It was a woot wine from last year, cost more than this Merlot, and didn't come close in quality at any price, much less QPR. I'm already in for 2, and SWMBO is thinking about getting some, too. Kyle, you still have a little over an hour. Buy some.

Thanks to Sparky for helping out in our efforts to get a timely post out there to sway you.

Day 2 Sorelle Per Sempre


Tonight we had garlic, lemon and herb pork loin on the grill. With roasted red white and blue baby potatoes, roasted corn on the cob, sauteed yellow oyster mushrooms, and sauteed asparagus; all from the farm market here in nyc.
The wine was stored in a 375ml bottle overnight in the fridge. Brought to room temp over 2 hours. Wow, this is still good, and excellent day 2 wine. It hasn't changed much, on the nose I think it's a little earthier, maybe some mushroom coming through. I think more of the merlot is showing today. On the palate it has rounded out nicely with fruit and spice and alcohol. It has more bite, especially on the finish. Definitely more spicy finish today. I don't think this is much worse than yesterday, just different. If you had this as a day 1 wine you would be very happy!

tomatillo wrote:Oh, no! One more former trombone player, here, too!
How many of us are out there, hiding from our sordid pasts?

Hiding? I live in the past, though only as an amateur.

Cesare wrote:Day 2 Sorelle Per Sempre

Tonight we had garlic, lemon and herb pork loin on the grill. With roasted red white and blue baby potatoes, roasted corn on the cob, sauteed yellow oyster mushrooms, and sauteed asparagus; all from the farm market here in nyc.
The wine was stored in a 375ml bottle overnight in the fridge. Brought to room temp over 2 hours. Wow, this is still good, and excellent day 2 wine. It hasn't changed much, on the nose I think it's a little earthier, maybe some mushroom coming through. I think more of the merlot is showing today. On the palate it has rounded out nicely with fruit and spice and alcohol. It has more bite, especially on the finish. Definitely more spicy finish today. I don't think this is much worse than yesterday, just different. If you had this as a day 1 wine you would be very happy!

I love the images! Though I must cut them out for length... I am excited about the next offer starting in 13 minutes. Any guesses?

Cesare wrote:Day 2 Sorelle Per Sempre


Tonight we had garlic, lemon and herb pork loin on the grill. With roasted red white and blue baby potatoes, roasted corn on the cob, sauteed yellow oyster mushrooms, and sauteed asparagus; all from the farm market here in nyc.
The wine was stored in a 375ml bottle overnight in the fridge. Brought to room temp over 2 hours. Wow, this is still good, and excellent day 2 wine. It hasn't changed much, on the nose I think it's a little earthier, maybe some mushroom coming through. I think more of the merlot is showing today. On the palate it has rounded out nicely with fruit and spice and alcohol. It has more bite, especially on the finish. Definitely more spicy finish today. I don't think this is much worse than yesterday, just different. If you had this as a day 1 wine you would be very happy!

Were the twizzlers for dessert?

JOATMON wrote:Were the twizzlers for dessert?

Yes. They went well with the wine 2x strawberries!

Only 298 sold. But the order pace and woot wage are zero? Something wong.

Cesare wrote:Yes. They went well with the wine 2x strawberries!

Only 298 sold. But the order pace and woot wage are zero? Something wong.

I dunno but you're pictures finally pushed me over the edge...at 9:59:55. I tried to get an order in for one but it was too late. BAM...10:00 and new offer. Just as well, I really needed to leave some credit card space open for the tour.

javadrinker wrote:I dunno but you're pictures finally pushed me over the edge...at 9:59:55. I tried to get an order in for one but it was too late. BAM...10:00 and new offer. Just as well, I really needed to leave some credit card space open for the tour.

It was the food right? I was trying to be all subliminal and stuff.