Inspiration Vineyards Fall Zinfandel 4-Pack
$69.99 (Normally $121.90) 43% off List Price
1 2008 Inspiration Vineyards Zinfandel, Alexander Valley
2 2009 Inspiration Vineyards Zinfandel, Alexander Valley
1 2010 Inspiration Vineyards Zinfandel, Alexander Valley
CT links above

Winery website

Previous offer:
7/13/12 (Plus)

How Good is this Deal?



Notes:

2008 Zin not available anywhere. Found Retail Price listed on WineMatch.com website

Note that Overview shows per bottle price, but Full Order under Details Tab shows both bottles in total.

Basically, while it shows only the per bottle price, both bottles are included in the calculations.

I had either his 08' or 09' zin back a couple of years ago at a local event and loved them, however his reserve estate zin was a big leap over these in quality. I have no space for these so I definitely can't buy this set.

I met Jon Friday at a wineshop in Chicago, a really great guy. It was a pleasure spending the evening sipping his wines and conversing with not only him but also the shop owners, Martin and Denise who also happen to be the creators of Cellar Angels.

I was given the opportunity to try the 2010 Zinfandel. It is a bit lighter in style for a napa zin, not the usually jammy heavily spiced wine. It was predominantly raspberry with little bit of spice and a touch more acidity than his previous zins. Definitely a universal food wine.

I had the 2008 in a previous purchase and also loved it, it is a deeper style of Zinfandel, black fruits, nice spice and smooth but evident tannins plus my notes say a touch of mocha on the end. This is a wine that stands up to a heartier dish like a lasagna bolognese or beef stew.

I think this would be a great buy because of it's variety in styles. Side note, I also tasted his Chardonnay, Pinot and Syrah. All very good and highly recommended if they show up in future woots (hint, hint).

Thanks Jon, I just hit the big yellow button and my square magically turned purple. You are the 50th purchase! I know that doesn't mean much in the woot black square universe but I got a kick out of it.

funbunny wrote:Thanks Jon, I just hit the big yellow button and my square magically turned purple. You are the 50th purchase! I know that doesn't mean much in the woot black square universe but I got a kick out of it.

FB, sent you a PM, please check. Congrat's on #50.

Hi All - Jon here @ 10,000+ feet flying home from my IL trip. It was great meeting all who turned out at my events...

kudos to Funbunny for coming out the other night and braving the Chicago traffic to try my lineup. Thank you for the endorsement and kind words...& TYVM for pushing that yellow button!

Thanks also JD for the re-post...

For the next 4 hrs (or as long as my battery lasts) sit back and enjoy the flight - oh - you need to get them first to enjoy this flight... ;)

Seriously - if anyone has any questions I can add, please let me know. I always enjoy conversing with you all! And hey - I'm a captive audiance right now in seat 13C.

I enjoyed the 2008 just last night and wrote about it on my blog, VineSleuth Uncorked. You can read my review (And my advice on decanting it) here: http://vinesleuth.com/uncorked/inspiration-vineyards-2008-alexander-valley-zinfandel/
Cheers!

If it helps people to estimate the quality of the winemakers, Inspiration's Pinots Noirs are possibly the best I've had from California.

vinesleuth wrote:I enjoyed the 2008 just last night and wrote about it on my blog, VineSleuth Uncorked. You can read my review (And my advice on decanting it) here: http://vinesleuth.com/uncorked/inspiration-vineyards-2008-alexander-valley-zinfandel/
Cheers!

WOW - High praise "I would definitely award Inspiration Vineyards 2008 Alexander Valley Zinfandel a gold medal and I would bet it would be in very high contention for a double gold, if I was judging it for a competition." TYVM - shucks... I'm just glad that you and your husband enjoyed it...

Our 2007 did recv a Gold at the 2009 Sonoma County Harvest Fair - but since then, I just haven't been entering our wines. But thank you VERY MUCH for the encouragement.

Cheers! JP

richardhod wrote:If it helps people to estimate the quality of the winemakers, Inspiration's Pinots Noirs are possibly the best I've had from California.

Thank you VERY MUCH! I'm Inspired by my friends over in Burgundy and appreciate your continued support!

A vertical in disguise! I was perusing my wines last night lookkng fkr a zin and realized i only have a few bottles.....loved the 2007 inspiration zin from a previous ww offer so really considering this....i have spent waaaaay too much on vino lately and am looking for 10 dolla zins ala pedroncelli mother clone so need to think this....oh, i almos forgot, GO UCLA BRUINS!

losthighwayz wrote:A vertical in disguise! I was perusing my wines last night lookkng fkr a zin and realized i only have a few bottles.....loved the 2007 inspiration zin from a previous ww offer so really considering this....i have spent waaaaay too much on vino lately and am looking for 10 dolla zins ala pedroncelli mother clone so need to think this....oh, i almos forgot, GO UCLA BRUINS!

You know you want it... you know you do... ;)

Does it count that my niece works as a nurse at the UCLA med center and that I worked there in '98 and that's what pursuaded me to follow my calling as a winemaker?

Stuff I want always comes up when I have no room. You guys must plan it that way.

twstdvn wrote:You know you want it... you know you do... ;)

Does it count that my niece works as a nurse at the UCLA med center and that I worked there in '98 and that's what pursuaded me to follow my calling as a winemaker?

Of course it counts! You are pushing me over the fence....kidding not thatbi need much pushing. I will go in on one

Jon I am sure you have answered this plenty of times. Is there any significance to the yellow house on the label? I ask this because your labeling seems to change vintage to vintage but the art is always the same.


Lastly, are you going to be in SoCal anytime soon?

losthighwayz wrote:Of course it counts! You are pushing me over the fence....kidding not thatbi need much pushing. I will go in on one

TY losthighways... I was teasing just a little, but I truly appreciate yor support!

cortot20 wrote:Jon I am sure you have answered this plenty of times. Is there any significance to the yellow house on the label? I ask this because your labeling seems to change vintage to vintage but the art is always the same.


Lastly, are you going to be in SoCal anytime soon?

It's our hose built in 1915 - check out http://pinterest.com/pin/206673070369932651/

Regarding label changes, we kept the same design from 2002v till 2008v & I wasn't completely satisfied with the new 2009v label so we tweaked it and came up with the new black background label this past year. Don't expect any more major change for awhile... But thanks for noticing and asking. BTW we really do get hot air balloons over our house in the morning with Mt Saint Helena in the background.

Regarding so cal... I know I will be going to my fav wine shop sometime during this ski season. It's up in Big Bear, and we are planning a wine and food pairing. Plz join our mail list and I will let you know. Also I will let woot the woot comm know in advance of my next trip and maybe we can plan something special.

MarkDaSpark wrote:How Good is this Deal?

Mark,

What I would find imminently helpful, would be a comparison between the Woot offering and what I could get in a local store. I’m never going to purchase 4 bottles of $23 wine and pay $9 each for shipping. A $32 wine from a local merchant will win out every time. Or better yet, a $40 wine that’s on sale locally for 20% off will win out every time over a $23 bottle that ships for $9. So the vs. shipped wine comparison doesn’t tell me anything.

No, the useful comparison is whether or not I can get this wine locally (within a 20 mile radius). And if so, what I’d have to pay for a single bottle, versus the deal Woot’s putting on the table. IOW say your local wine merchant can special order this for $26/bottle and Woot has it for $16 if you buy 4. Or better yet, Store X had this on sale 3 times in the last year for $20/bottle. That’s info that would help me press the BYB.

funbunny wrote:Thanks Jon, I just hit the big yellow button and my square magically turned purple. You are the 50th purchase! I know that doesn't mean much in the woot black square universe but I got a kick out of it.

I just posted a comment and noticed for the first time my square is purple too! 50 woots already? Seriously? I'm surely in big trouble with SWMBO. How many Woots does it take to brand you a shopaholic?

nfurlong wrote:Mark,

What I would find imminently helpful, would be a comparison between the Woot offering and what I could get in a local store. I’m never going to purchase 4 bottles of $23 wine and pay $9 each for shipping. A $32 wine from a local merchant will win out every time. Or better yet, a $40 wine that’s on sale locally for 20% off will win out every time over a $23 bottle that ships for $9. So the vs. shipped wine comparison doesn’t tell me anything.

No, the useful comparison is whether or not I can get this wine locally (within a 20 mile radius). And if so, what I’d have to pay for a single bottle, versus the deal Woot’s putting on the table. IOW say your local wine merchant can special order this for $26/bottle and Woot has it for $16 if you buy 4. Or better yet, Store X had this on sale 3 times in the last year for $20/bottle. That’s info that would help me press the BYB.

How on earth could Sparky know/figure out/factor in what every single "local wine shop" sold a wine for?

The fact that Sparky does what he does is a huge benefit the entire community. I greatly appreciate that he does it. You should do.

richardhod wrote:If it helps people to estimate the quality of the winemakers, Inspiration's Pinots Noirs are possibly the best I've had from California.

Considering the quality of some of the PN you tasted on the 2010 rpm tour, that's mighty high praise.

nfurlong wrote:I just posted a comment and noticed for the first time my square is purple too! 50 woots already? Seriously? I'm surely in big trouble with SWMBO. How many Woots does it take to brand you a shopaholic?

Congratulations!

ddeuddeg wrote:Considering the quality of some of the PN you tasted on the 2010 rpm tour, that's mighty high praise.

I agree and appreciate very much the kind words!

Regaring Neil's last comment - this is what I love about woot. Other than in Illinois (where I self distribute) you won't find my wines outside of California.

I used to distribute to CO - but due to a pour economy, my distributor went under... I've also had problems going south to the SoCal mkt, bcuz wine shops there started closing too... so you'll pretty much find me in a handful of small shops here in California and small shops in Illinois and at the winery - oh and on woot... ;)

jmdavidson wrote:FB, sent you a PM, please check. Congrat's on #50.

Replied to the PM and sent you the email.

With a final couple of hours left - I just want to thank everyone who wooted for us today! Happy Thanksgiving...

Cheers!
Jon

nfurlong wrote:Mark,

What I would find imminently helpful, would be a comparison between the Woot offering and what I could get in a local store. I’m never going to purchase 4 bottles of $23 wine and pay $9 each for shipping. A $32 wine from a local merchant will win out every time. Or better yet, a $40 wine that’s on sale locally for 20% off will win out every time over a $23 bottle that ships for $9. So the vs. shipped wine comparison doesn’t tell me anything.

No, the useful comparison is whether or not I can get this wine locally (within a 20 mile radius). And if so, what I’d have to pay for a single bottle, versus the deal Woot’s putting on the table. IOW say your local wine merchant can special order this for $26/bottle and Woot has it for $16 if you buy 4. Or better yet, Store X had this on sale 3 times in the last year for $20/bottle. That’s info that would help me press the BYB.

As posted, it would be impossible to gather that information for everyone on WW, considering that shipping goes all over the US.

The best that you can do, is bookmark your local wine stores and search their sites for the wines. zTimBz has found Corison in local Total Wine stores here in SoCal (and subsequently bought them out).


That being said, several of the ones I've listed in this and previous HGITD? are no longer available on the winery's website. In fact, I don't believe the current offer's 2008 wasn't even in Wine Searcher, so it may not be available on-line anywhere.

kylemittskus wrote:How on earth could Sparky know/figure out/factor in what every single "local wine shop" sold a wine for?

The fact that Sparky does what he does is a huge benefit the entire community. I greatly appreciate that he does it. You should do.

Kyle,

Do you just like to attack people attempting to improve their Wooting experience or was I reading your tone wrong?

A subsequent, less beligerent Wooter replied more in the spirit of what I was asking, by pointing out that few stores that carry small-producer wines will have a vertical and that Corison was available at Total Wines at one time.

No, you don't have to know exactly where everyone lives to know that almost anyone with an internet connection lives within 20 miles of a store that sells wine. The other day I called my local Kroger-owned grocery store, of which there are 3574 in the US. I asked if they carried Forman because Ric's cab is to die for. They said no, but they could get it for me and quoted a price.

Next time think before you fire off a dimissive comment. The fact that you have over 20,000 posts is no excuse for insulting newbies.

nfurlong wrote:Kyle,

Do you just like to attack people attempting to improve their Wooting experience or was I reading your tone wrong?

A subsequent, less beligerent Wooter replied more in the spirit of what I was asking, by pointing out that few stores that carry small-producer wines will have a vertical and that Corison was available at Total Wines at one time.

No, you don't have to know exactly where everyone lives to know that almost anyone with an internet connection lives within 20 miles of a store that sells wine. The other day I called my local Kroger-owned grocery store, of which there are 3574 in the US. I asked if they carried Forman because Ric's cab is to die for. They said no, but they could get it for me and quoted a price.

Next time think before you fire off a dimissive comment. The fact that you have over 20,000 posts is no excuse for insulting newbies.

I agree with Kyle.
Perhaps you could add this feature that would be next to impossible to figure out for the average person and post that info. Yourself. Don't ask someone todo something that you you won't do yourself.