A Brief Price Comparison

I will admit it, I am a Napa Valley fan. Even as a child, my parents took us to picnics in the Valley with my mom’s Australian Club friends. I enjoyed the beauty early on. I first tasted the fine wine from this region as a very young adult. Oh, that would be age 21!  So I do have a long history and respect for the area and a fine appreciation for the wines produced.

The Napa Valley has taken some criticism though for the price wineries charge for a bottle of wine. I understand and appreciate that, for many, it can seem a bit rich for a bottle of cabernet to cost $75 or more. Yet there are reasons. We can start with the cost of land itself. The Napa Valley is highly regulated as to how much acreage can be planted to grape vines. There are strong policies to protect the valley from erosion on hillsides, so vineyard owners aren’t allowed to plant on a certain degree of slope. There are many regulations that affect the land itself; and the cost will go up from there when we start to add in the labor prices, materials and so on. 

What I do not hear a lot of is complaints about the cost of wine from other countries. Just recently, I was reading Wine Spectator and learning about hot new releases. The following caught my eye. 

Château le pin
Pomerol 2012
96 points | $1,599 | Red
Stunning, with a focused beam of raspberry confiture defining the experience, while anise, blackberry coulis, black tea and incense notes fill the edges. The backdrop is a deep purple velvet curtain, while a long graphite element on the finish melds seamlessly with the lingering raspberry flavors. Delivers breathtaking opulence and definition. Best from 2017 through 2030. From France.—J.M.

Petrus
Pomerol 2012
96 points | $2,150 | Red
This has some serious muscle, with rivets of graphite studding a beam of dense, gravelly grip that holds the core of steeped plum and raspberry notes together. Very long, with superior cut. A graphite note powers through the finish, while the fruit drips on and on. Best from 2018 through 2032. From France.—J.M.

Check out those prices! Okay, I know these are the classic, great French wines that all would love to have, yet few can afford. These are the ones to pine over. It is here that I will take great pride in enjoying that Napa Valley Cabernet. I realize the price may not be for every day, yet it may work well for that special occasion.

Enjoy!