The fruit is black as night on the nose, with black cherry, blackberry and cassis mingling with light spice and heavy earthiness. The palate is also dominated by dark fruit, vibrant blackberry, deep dark currant and plum set in a bowl of light spice and smooth tannins. The finish is cedar, cherry flesh and blackberry.
Our favorite foods with this wine are: Grilled meats such as ribeye steaks and NY steaks, proscuitto and Humbolt Fog cheese on a baguette and any savory or spicy dish.
Vintage and Winemaker’s Notes
Harvested in the late portion of the season, we rely on both chemical analysis and flavor analysis to determine ripeness. The cabernet sauvignon clusters are hand harvested, hand sorted, destemmed and lightly crushed. We only use gravity to move the crushed crapes and juice. Fermentation times in 2014 averaged 23 days, with the shortest being 14 days and the longest being 30 days. No pressed wine is used in making the Moonspell. The free run juice is barrel aged for 18 months, thoughtfully blended by our winemaking staff and bottled.
Specifications
Vintage: 2014
Varietal Content: 98% Cabernet Sauvignon & 2% Cabernet Franc
Appellation: Walla Walla Valley
45% Bergevin Springs Vineyards, 40% Les Collines Vineyard (Walla Walla Valley), 11% Stone Tree Vineyards (Wahluke Slope) & 4% Candy Mtn. (Columbia Valley)
Aging: 18 Months in 31% New Oak Barrels & 69% Neutral French, American & Hungarian
Bottled: 6-29-16
PH 3.85
TA 5.8
RS .01%
Alcohol: 14.8%
Cases Produced: 1208
Winemaker: Dave Harvey
Included in the Box
12-bottles:
12x 2014 Bergevin Lane Moonspell Cabernet Sauvignon
Or 4-bottles:
4x 2014 Bergevin Lane Moonspell Cabernet Sauvignon
Bergevin Lane Vineyards is dedicated to producing just under 10,000 cases of premium red and white wines. The varietals include: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrahs, red and white blends, Viognier, Reserve Syrah and Bordeaux Blend called “Intuition.” Our goal is to design wines that are well-balanced, fruit forward and structured so that they may be cellared or enjoyed immediately.
The vision that we share is to create elegant-styled wines that reflect harmony between fruit and oak. Stylistically, we make wines that reflect the unique terroir attributes, while maintaining integrity to the varietal characteristics. Some of our favorite adjectives for our wines include: food friendly, fruit-driven, structured and smooth… And simply put, wines that all can enjoy for any occasion.
Video:
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Bergevin Lane Moonspell Cabernet Sauvignon
4 bottles for $59.99 $15/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $129.99 $10.83/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
@klezman (that one?)
My comment was based entirely on some recent news I read/heard, just my wag.
May 26, 2020 / UPS Peak Surcharge Update
Effective May 31, 2020 until further notice, one or more Peak Surcharges will apply to certain U.S. domestic packages. For details on all applicable Peak Surcharges, view the 2020 Peak Surcharges link below.
As the Coronavirus situation continues to evolve, Peak Surcharges are subject to change and Peak Periods may be extended or otherwise changed.
@rjquillin You missed my snark. If everything that isn’t 2-day shipping by default if now upgraded, then the portion of shipping costs built into the sale price of the wine needs to be increased to compensate. i.e. wines during the summer months are generally more expensive, and have been for as long as I can remember, to cover the shipping increase. You and I understand how the pricing model works here, but many don’t stop to think about it.
I didn’t know about the UPS surcharges. I hope WD’s contract with them forbids such surcharges.
@rjquillin Maybe I should clarify - it was close, very close - to a regrettable purchase at its last price, so now it’s a “no thank you”. And I pay for shipping once a month…
@trapuh always curious when someone dislikes something I enjoy. Would you mind sharing why? (And keep on mind I’m the guy who liked the Saxon Brown zin, so it’s not like I have a good palate.)
@KitMarlot Let me give this a go from my lay perspective. It’s not terrible; it’s just not that good. It’s just sort of there. It feels weird in my mouth, like a flabby-feeling, that I think an oenophile would call “unstructured”. It also has a bit of a lingering, not exactly pleasant, after-taste. If a friend of mine decided to become a vintner and gave me a bottle that tasted like this, I would applaud their success and let others know that my friend was able to produce a wine on their debut effort that was not unpalatable. However, it’s not a wine that I would otherwise celebrate. I already bought a case, had a few bottles, and thought I might have overpaid for it. I wouldn’t have bought more and certainly wouldn’t pay more for it. It’s fine to break out on a night when everyone has already enjoyed 2 or more glasses of some other wine. This is more of a wine I would have been happy to have in my struggling student days when I could bring my own bottle to one of the cheap, restaurants on Indian Restaurant Row (6th Street, Manhattan) and splurge on an $18 dinner for two.
@kaolis@KitMarlot So, I was thinking maybe I was a bit harsh earlier; when I wrote these comments I didn’t think I was being harsh, but the responses made me think that perhaps I was. So, I cracked open a bottle of this tonight. I didn’t make dinner tonight - I was too busy playing zoker (poker using zoom) - so I had some with cheese and crackers. I will amend my comments to say that the mouth-feel was more stinging, burning than flabby; but there was still the aforementioned aftertaste, which I would describe as alcohol-tasting in nature. Again, it’s not terrible, it is just not that good. I would not buy more of this - and certainly not at the increased price. Feel free to take my comments with a grain of salt as I am likely a Philistine. But, I will say that although I am sure they are 2 very different wines likely with 2 different audiences in mind, the 2017 Martin Ray Cab from Napa offered in April (which if buying a case would be only fewer than 6 dollars more than this offering a bottle) is 10x the wine that this is.
@kaolis@KitMarlot@trapuh well, I’m gonna say we all have our tastes and your comment sound pretty “harsh” (which you admit as well – I used to with an engineer that like that word so it somehow got into my common vocab). But that is basically what wine is all about, the experience of it, and whether it suits you and what you think about it. So no criticism really, but certainly I’d say this isn’t 1/10th the wine of even something like a $120 Silver Oak. Maybe 1/2 or 1/3, but 1/10th? That’s definitely harsh.
I did buy this in the last offering and enjoyed it, in fact, not sure how many I have left of that case (not going out to do much local shopping an all these last few months…). And I love the convenience of the screw-cap which I take as a sign of a smart winemaker. (reference to Randall Graham historically putting the screw-cap on his most-premium wine first).
I live (or sometimes live) in Washington, and visited Walla-Walla and lots of wineries in the Columbia Valley and Walla-Walla. There is definitely a different taste and character to many of the wines, and blends (as this is) from the region. And yes, there are some lower-end wines sold at a premium because the winery has an address in Walla-Walla. But in my opinion this is not one of those.
On the other hand, as I said tastes are different. I tend not to like most Central Coast reds, even from notable producers. As we all know there is a lot of subtlety in the fruit and how it responds to the soils and climate. Personally I like the Northwest wines more in general. Of course Napa and Sonoma and related AVAs do make some excellent wines, but I think there is a roughly 2x price premium for that label on the good ones. (Some Walla-Walla wines also have that premium – again, this producer is not competing with the $60-$120 price range at all). And there are a lot of mediocre ones coming out of that region as well, as I guess is true anyway.
I’ll summarize that I like this wine (especially the old price!). Would buy again except I “may” be traveling and not sure where to ship it, and also the Summer heat thing – I can’t stock up on much for a while, which is probably good.
@kaolis@KitMarlot@pmarin I wouldn’t call that an admission - I was pointing out that the reactions of others was making me wonder if I was being harsh; not that I agreed I was being harsh. As a result, I opened up another bottle just to give it another chance and see if my thoughts were justified. They were. I’m glad that you’re very happy with your purchase. I’m very happy with my Two Jakes Petite Syrah, which I am currently enjoying.
@rjquillin
I embraced CT for few months many years ago. I’m just not good at keeping up with things in that manner. I wish just was. I’m a CT failure.
Right now I have all boxes of wine from the last three-four months piled up in my entryway. I really need to find some energy this weekend to unbox them. God I’m lazy. The last few months have been…exhausting.
Color-dark burgundy, no purple, no bricking. Looks like cab.
Slow moving narrow legs. I have no idea what that really translates to.
Nose-dark fruit (cherry, blackberry), slightly herbal (I’ve narrowed that down to something in the tarragon range), a little earthy like wet soil (in a good way), and something vaguely floral that I can’t place right now.
Palate: definitely dark fruit, tannins are present, a bit drying. Medium-ish finish.
I imagine this could age quite well for at least a few years. It seems solid and well structured. At this price, I think you’d have a hard time being disappointed. It drinks well above its Casemates price. I still have 7 or 8 left, so I’m not buying this time around, but wouldn’t hesitate to if I was in the market for a (better than your average) daily drinker or house wine.
Cheers!
PS: I paired it with a Turkey BLT wrap (pre-planned before I knew I’d be opening a cab). Not can ideal pairing, but not terrible. Also with a side of helicopters, protesters, and sirens. The joys of city living.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2014 Bergevin Lane Moonspell Cabernet Sauvignon - $50 = 27.77%
Just had one the other day, fact of matter I’ve blown through 9 bottles of this since the last offer. Haven’t taken any notes but this is drinking well at age 6 and will continue to do so for a few years my guess. For sure it should hold and may have room for improvement. Dark color. Great nose. Dark fruit, not jammy, not AFWE, strikes a nice balance. Good finish. A nice example of Washington wine at a great price. My humble. $12.50 all in, and that’s including the new 2 day ship, and UPS still dropping without signature. Thinking I might have to test this new summer shipping concept…hmmm…
@kaolis Yep, this was very much appreciated by those who tried it, all assuming it cost north of $20 and well worth it. I knew they wouldn’t offer again at the same crazy price; why would they? This is a sure fire winner for those who had it last time.
My wife and I are not into Cabs, and our Cab friends that I buy for a loaded up completely with casemates wine, so I’ll be passing. But you should get this.
@kaolis wow, if you are willing to buy this new shipping option really must be good! Also, I too have blown through 9 bottles of one of my few solo cases and am planning to stock up. This is a fantastic wine, different from the other west coast cabs and a nice example of the Walla Walla way.
@KitMarlot Yep. Wine is good and you can pop without guilt, or unscrew without guilt (so perhaps it’s just going to hold in it’s evolution), price is right, I’ve moved, I’m nowhere near most of my wine, all of my cabs are let’s say a tad pricier than this. So yeah worth trying the 2 day. We’ll see what the path is. Hopefully styro.
@CorTot@kaolis So that’s 2 people who’ve said their UPS person is dropping wine off without signature required…I did not know this was a thing! I wonder if this is a UPS-wide Rona decision? I.e. if I try this will they do it for me, too?
@CorTot@kaolis@TimW they haven’t been having us sign for anything, course, we live in country, with no neighbors close by, and they’ve figured out we are well over 21 (50 years over). But I understand it’s a Covid19 thing, keeps the pen from being contaminated. Once they asked how to spell last name, then he signed it…
@CorTot@kaolis@TimW Right, if you live in the country I think they do it more frequently. Most of my wine deliveries have been stop and drop with a wave as long as they know we’re home which we usually are.
@Winedavid49 ha! Hey still waiting for the summer hold option because any summer ship can be a risk. Still need to pay attention to the path. But in the mean time I’m thinking this two day summer shipping can certainly be palatable pun intended.
@kaolis@Winedavid49 The two day option puts the entire country on the same transit schedule as SoCal. It takes 2 days to get here from Sonoma, and the transit day is through the disgustingly hot central valley. I’ve never had a summer shipment cooked here if it got delivered on the first day and didn’t spend the weekend on a hot truck. So unless you’re in the Sonora Desert or some such place, I suspect you’ll be fine. Especially since they’ll probably be travelling by air.
Thank you both for your nice comments about our Moonspell Cab! I am the winemaker at Bergevin Lane and it is always great to hear praise about your work.
I’m sure the real labrats will show up at some point, but here’s what I put on cellar tracker last month (and only then because the only note was 78 points and “worth about $20 max”, which wasn’t very helpful.)
Burgundy with a violet overtone. Very slowly developing, lingering legs. Subtle bramble-berry nose with a hint of tarragon. Bright plum and black tea on the palate. Middle weight, medium tannic grip. Lingering finish that doesn’t overstay its welcome.
@KitMarlot@klezman I do when (from all appearances) it’s actually a good wine, but a bad review doesn’t put any real notes. Maybe they paid $30 so feel that they overpaid for what they got? Maybe they thought it was pretty good if they would have only paid $20? Maybe they actually didn’t like it? The world may never know.
@KitMarlot@TimW Yup, exactly.
I have CT set to hide “notes” that are only scores. And I will read notes to see why people didn’t like a wine. But like you said, if there’s no useful information there then it holds precisely zero weight.
Got a case last time it was offered… went looking for a bottle to have tonight and they are all gone. Needless to say we liked! Considering another case. Even with slight increase in cost from last offer a great QPR.
This is a confusing thread. My palette isn’t incredible, but it’s not garbage. To me this is as good of a daily drinker cab as you’re likely to find. Fits the WA cab profile well and very easy to drink. For me, all day long. Big fan
@jrbw3
Everybody has different tastes, not necessarily a reflection of how good their palates are. I often see multiple reviews by “expert” wine critics that are very different for the same wine.
Hi All, sorry I’m a bit late to the party! We were asked by a lot of folks if we would be offering this again after our last offer! After many requests we jumped on board! I would say this Cab definitely should be enjoyed with food! We were part of a Virtual tasting last night with folks up and down the west coast and our Cabernet Sauvignon was a fan favorite. Keep your comments coming!!! Thanks to the Casemates team and to you all for giving it a try! Cheers!!!
@luvbergevinlane thank you for returning! Purchase made! Yay! We loved the Moonspell from the last offering and consider Bergevin Lane an auto buy along with Scott Harvey and Pendrocelli. If budget allowed - I’d buy more than one case. Cheers!
Hi all, this is the Winemaker at Bergevin Lane. Please ask any questions or throw any comments my way. We are excited to have this offer out to you again and to interact with the group again.
@wallysean Actual winemaker! Greetings! So frequently we only get reps or managers here.
Nice to have an honest to goodness hands-on winemaker.
I’m thinking @KitMarlot and a few others may have some pointed questions for you.
@wallysean I drank a lot of Columbia Crest cab in my student days, but migrated to other regions as I could afford it. Only recently have I had Walla Walla cab and it was very different than the generic Washington cabs I remembered (and different than Cali and old world versions as well.) How would you characterize these differences? Does it cause you to make different winemaking choices, or is there just a “cab method” and we’re tasting the regional differences in the glass? I noticed that this wine is fairly low in tannin for a cab, which I liked. Is that a result of viticulture, only using free-run juice or is that just “part of the magic”? Thanks for stopping by, as you can see I’m really enthusiastic about the wine and eager to learn.
@KitMarlot Sorry, just saw this message, was not ignoring it. Still learning how to navigate the site.
To address the tannins, i would say the softer tannins can be attributed to all of the things you mentioned. Definitely the youth of the vines plays a role.
The winemaking style is a bigger part of it though. We generally keep the juice on skins for 20ish days so that we cab keep the tannins more smooth and easy to approach. We also keep our oak program down in the 20-40% new oak range. More new oak creates more oak tannin, thus a bigger wine.
Appreciate the questions and enjoy this interaction. Glad you are excited about the wine!
@wallysean
So you are the true winemaker, and @luvbergevinlan the owner, and there are only three of you? Small team.
What kind of insights can you give us on the production of this particular offer, and some of your other bottlings?
This 2014 Moonspell was the first Moonspell Cabernet that was able to get Walla Walla Valley classification. I remember when we were putting this blend together and thinking, we can do Walla Walla this year.
The difference from years past was that in 2014 our estate vineyard, Bergevin Springs, was finally producing enough fruit for us to make wine. It was planted in 2011 on wheat land that our owner grew up playing hide and seek on. Very exciting year for Bergevin Lane!
@wallysean it only took 4 growing seasons to produce enough grapes to harvest? That’s a lot faster than I thought. People wax poetic about ancient vines, very interesting to taste vines in their youth.
@KitMarlot Yes, third year is when you can start harvesting off of vines, but we didn’t get much from 2013. They are young vines but the fruit jumped out and tasted great from the get up. Every year the grapes get better and better out there though
Hi to winemakers, just wanted to say I visited your place in 2007, did some tasting and got a little tour. (maybe from you?) I remember learning about how it was a small independent operation and all women-owned and run, at least at that time, which my wife and I thought was cool.
I also remember hearing that there was a “hard freeze” around 2004, I think, that actually killed a lot of the Walla Walla vines and so a lot had to be replanted. (and by 2007 there really wasn’t much true Walla-Walla fruit at all to be had) Just wondering if I’m remembering right? and that is interesting about new fruit coming along in only 3-4 year old vines, I didn’t know that.
And again I really did enjoy the Moonspell I got from the previous offering a few months ago.
@pmarin I started working at Bergevin Lane in 2012. Your recollection of the winery is correct, but currently the winemaker, myself, is male. Yes, there was a very hard freeze in 2004 and it did take some time for the valley to rebound. I remember when I first broke into the wine industry one of the wineries I worked for called its wine an “Ode to”, because they weren’t able to source from the Walla Walla vineyards they typically sourced from. Great memory!
@rjquillin@wallysean I remember going up to the Basel tasting room as well. That was the beautiful place on the hill, right? Spectacular location. I think I bought a red blend for about $30.
I’d already learned from an old Woot offering (mid-2000s) of Northstar that $60+ wines from Walla-Walla were not uncommon. In fact were expected. And generally were excellent. But I never could get comfortable with it, even if I can afford it. I still just enjoy a sub-$20 wine more, because I’m not thinking about how much it costs.
@wallysean The “broke into” phrase intrigues me.
What did you do before that, and how did it happen? How many vintages have you worked now? Any great mentors?
Happy with the change?
@rjquillin I have a marketing degree from Northwood University in Midland, MI. After college I worked in various sales positions then decided my interest was Winemaking.
So, I decided to attend Walla Walla Community College’s Enology and Viticulture program. Started there in 2010 and attended the school for two years. Very hands on, we have our own vineyard and winery there. In 2011, I worked at Forgeron Cellars as a harvest intern under Marie Eve Gilla from France. She was a great person to work for and learn from.
After completing school, I was hired at Bergevin Lane as the assistant to Winemaker, Dave Harvey. I worked with him for six vintages before he decided to move on and then I was promoted to head winemaker.
Very happy with the decision. Winemaking is hard work but it is very rewarding to see a final product from that work be enjoyed by people all over the country.
@rjquillin@wallysean Hi Wally or Sean, not sure, both could be first names, thanks for telling your story. That same trip I took in 2007, I visited the community college and got a tour of the vit/enology facility. And bought a mixed case of their wines as I recall, and they were all pretty good!
I entertained a fantasy of dropping my silly old tech job and joining the program there. It’s a beautiful facility and such a great environment in that area. I’m glad to see successful winemakers coming out of that program. I went to UC Davis and it’s amazing how many of the Washington winemakers I’ve met that have ties to the UC Davis program, but the WW college really impressed me. I took VIT 3 at Davis but unwisely focused on those computery things and we know that didn’t really go anywhere…
I gotta come back to Walla Walla and visit sometime. (BTW for vino-tourism, I highly recommend a trip to Walla-Walla. Plan at least a few days or a week. or two.)
@pmarin@rjquillin My name is Sean. The wally comes from a nickname i was given while at college in Michigan because of being from Walla Walla . Thanks for the interaction. Made for a fun day!
@pmarin@wallysean
Absolutely it did. Not many places where we can of late chit-chat with a winemaker. Stories and history was great, hoping the sale made it all worthwhile as well.
Volunteer rat. Found in tiny wine refrig at 55 degrees, gave about an hour to warm up and used Vinturi (received as gift and don’t often use it, but thought it might be good for quick report)
(I’ve never done a post with image so not sure if that worked)
Nose: bit of cherry, maybe some tobacco and dark wood*. None of these are overpowering which I see as a good thing. Nice, subtle, pleasant (to me anyway)
Taste: (sorry, I am not excellent with my wine words)
Again the cherry and milder wood. The hint of green pepper. None of these are “in-your-face.” I enjoy the balance. Even though the description says that Bergevin makes “fruit-forward” wines – I would not call this overly “fruit-forward.” To be clear, I consider that a good thing that it’s not strong cherry-fruit but a lot more subtle.
Thought: deserves a bit of time to breathe (as we all need to take a moment to breathe at this point…), benefits from some lingering attention to get what is all there – because there is a lot there, but it is subtle. Honestly I’d say I’ve consumed some of this by opening the bottle and pouring into a glass and drinking without much attention, other than I liked it and thought it was a nice everyday red. Remember most Walla-Walla cabs start at $50 and sometimes pass $100. Yet on tasting this more carefully, I do see elements of that here. Perhaps it is because I am looking for it, I find it. But it’s definitely there. Not at all like California cabs, even the expensive ones which might be very fine, but very different.
BTW The “dark wood” if I could describe it would be the “hardwood” in Animal Crossing if you have been playing that overnight as I often do. Not the whole stack of 30 but just a few of 'em.
[update] Yay the image worked! Never done that before glad to know how to do it. BTW forgot to mention the color, which you can see in photo. I can only describe is “beautiful cabernet color.” Very dark red but not much purple (purplish cabs taste different to me – many enjoy that, which is fine, but this color is more dark cherry along with a bit “dark brown” hardwood. Not too much of it.
[Cherries are only worth $100 on my island, so that sucks.]
Bergevin Lane vineyards Moonspell 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon arrived and after we tried, we immediately regretted we didn’t order 2 cases! This is delicious, rich and as dry as I love my red wine!
Ok, third bottle of the second case. Good stuff. Great bang for the buck. All I can say is if this comes up again at current pricing I’ll grab another. Threw a bottle at a Flannery hanger last night. Somewhere along the line my lovely bride says “what is the wine again, it’s really good”.
2014 Bergevin Lane Moonspell Cabernet Sauvignon
Tasting Notes
The fruit is black as night on the nose, with black cherry, blackberry and cassis mingling with light spice and heavy earthiness. The palate is also dominated by dark fruit, vibrant blackberry, deep dark currant and plum set in a bowl of light spice and smooth tannins. The finish is cedar, cherry flesh and blackberry.
Our favorite foods with this wine are: Grilled meats such as ribeye steaks and NY steaks, proscuitto and Humbolt Fog cheese on a baguette and any savory or spicy dish.
Vintage and Winemaker’s Notes
Harvested in the late portion of the season, we rely on both chemical analysis and flavor analysis to determine ripeness. The cabernet sauvignon clusters are hand harvested, hand sorted, destemmed and lightly crushed. We only use gravity to move the crushed crapes and juice. Fermentation times in 2014 averaged 23 days, with the shortest being 14 days and the longest being 30 days. No pressed wine is used in making the Moonspell. The free run juice is barrel aged for 18 months, thoughtfully blended by our winemaking staff and bottled.
Specifications
45% Bergevin Springs Vineyards, 40% Les Collines Vineyard (Walla Walla Valley), 11% Stone Tree Vineyards (Wahluke Slope) & 4% Candy Mtn. (Columbia Valley)
Included in the Box
12-bottles:
Or
4-bottles:
Price Comparison
$385.33 for Case for at Bergevin Lane Vineyards
About The Winery
Winery: Bergevin Lane Vineyards
Founder: Annette Bergevin
Founded: 2002
Bergevin Lane Vineyards is dedicated to producing just under 10,000 cases of premium red and white wines. The varietals include: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrahs, red and white blends, Viognier, Reserve Syrah and Bordeaux Blend called “Intuition.” Our goal is to design wines that are well-balanced, fruit forward and structured so that they may be cellared or enjoyed immediately.
The vision that we share is to create elegant-styled wines that reflect harmony between fruit and oak. Stylistically, we make wines that reflect the unique terroir attributes, while maintaining integrity to the varietal characteristics. Some of our favorite adjectives for our wines include: food friendly, fruit-driven, structured and smooth… And simply put, wines that all can enjoy for any occasion.
Video:
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Friday, July 3rd - Tuesday, July 7th
Bergevin Lane Moonspell Cabernet Sauvignon
4 bottles for $59.99 $15/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $129.99 $10.83/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2014 Bergevin Lane Moonspell Cabernet Sauvignon
Ah, a rerun with a bit of inflation, likely due to shipping.
@rjquillin there were some really good comments after folks received their wine!
@rjquillin But shipping remains $8 or $12
(and where’s that stirring the pot emoji like they have on berserkers?) 
@klezman (that one?)
My comment was based entirely on some recent news I read/heard, just my wag.
@rjquillin You missed my snark. If everything that isn’t 2-day shipping by default if now upgraded, then the portion of shipping costs built into the sale price of the wine needs to be increased to compensate. i.e. wines during the summer months are generally more expensive, and have been for as long as I can remember, to cover the shipping increase. You and I understand how the pricing model works here, but many don’t stop to think about it.
I didn’t know about the UPS surcharges. I hope WD’s contract with them forbids such surcharges.
@klezman @rjquillin
I wonder if FedEx has Peak Surcharges.
/giphy stir-the-pot
@chipgreen @klezman
Not for domestic shipping, but yes for international express and some other classes.
So, the price of this went up in 6 months? No thanks.
@trapuh All of $15/case, $5/4 btls. Ever pay for shipping a case?
@rjquillin Maybe I should clarify - it was close, very close - to a regrettable purchase at its last price, so now it’s a “no thank you”. And I pay for shipping once a month…
@trapuh always curious when someone dislikes something I enjoy. Would you mind sharing why? (And keep on mind I’m the guy who liked the Saxon Brown zin, so it’s not like I have a good palate.)
@KitMarlot Let me give this a go from my lay perspective. It’s not terrible; it’s just not that good. It’s just sort of there. It feels weird in my mouth, like a flabby-feeling, that I think an oenophile would call “unstructured”. It also has a bit of a lingering, not exactly pleasant, after-taste. If a friend of mine decided to become a vintner and gave me a bottle that tasted like this, I would applaud their success and let others know that my friend was able to produce a wine on their debut effort that was not unpalatable. However, it’s not a wine that I would otherwise celebrate. I already bought a case, had a few bottles, and thought I might have overpaid for it. I wouldn’t have bought more and certainly wouldn’t pay more for it. It’s fine to break out on a night when everyone has already enjoyed 2 or more glasses of some other wine. This is more of a wine I would have been happy to have in my struggling student days when I could bring my own bottle to one of the cheap, restaurants on Indian Restaurant Row (6th Street, Manhattan) and splurge on an $18 dinner for two.
@KitMarlot @trapuh Ouch! I guess I do have the palate of a yak. But hey, not the first time I’ve been accused of that. And I’m totally kidding…Cheers!
@kaolis @KitMarlot So, I was thinking maybe I was a bit harsh earlier; when I wrote these comments I didn’t think I was being harsh, but the responses made me think that perhaps I was. So, I cracked open a bottle of this tonight. I didn’t make dinner tonight - I was too busy playing zoker (poker using zoom) - so I had some with cheese and crackers. I will amend my comments to say that the mouth-feel was more stinging, burning than flabby; but there was still the aforementioned aftertaste, which I would describe as alcohol-tasting in nature. Again, it’s not terrible, it is just not that good. I would not buy more of this - and certainly not at the increased price. Feel free to take my comments with a grain of salt as I am likely a Philistine. But, I will say that although I am sure they are 2 very different wines likely with 2 different audiences in mind, the 2017 Martin Ray Cab from Napa offered in April (which if buying a case would be only fewer than 6 dollars more than this offering a bottle) is 10x the wine that this is.
@kaolis @KitMarlot @trapuh well, I’m gonna say we all have our tastes and your comment sound pretty “harsh” (which you admit as well – I used to with an engineer that like that word so it somehow got into my common vocab). But that is basically what wine is all about, the experience of it, and whether it suits you and what you think about it. So no criticism really, but certainly I’d say this isn’t 1/10th the wine of even something like a $120 Silver Oak. Maybe 1/2 or 1/3, but 1/10th? That’s definitely harsh.
I did buy this in the last offering and enjoyed it, in fact, not sure how many I have left of that case (not going out to do much local shopping an all these last few months…). And I love the convenience of the screw-cap which I take as a sign of a smart winemaker. (reference to Randall Graham historically putting the screw-cap on his most-premium wine first).
I live (or sometimes live) in Washington, and visited Walla-Walla and lots of wineries in the Columbia Valley and Walla-Walla. There is definitely a different taste and character to many of the wines, and blends (as this is) from the region. And yes, there are some lower-end wines sold at a premium because the winery has an address in Walla-Walla. But in my opinion this is not one of those.
On the other hand, as I said tastes are different. I tend not to like most Central Coast reds, even from notable producers. As we all know there is a lot of subtlety in the fruit and how it responds to the soils and climate. Personally I like the Northwest wines more in general. Of course Napa and Sonoma and related AVAs do make some excellent wines, but I think there is a roughly 2x price premium for that label on the good ones. (Some Walla-Walla wines also have that premium – again, this producer is not competing with the $60-$120 price range at all). And there are a lot of mediocre ones coming out of that region as well, as I guess is true anyway.
I’ll summarize that I like this wine (especially the old price!). Would buy again except I “may” be traveling and not sure where to ship it, and also the Summer heat thing – I can’t stock up on much for a while, which is probably good.
@kaolis @KitMarlot @pmarin I wouldn’t call that an admission - I was pointing out that the reactions of others was making me wonder if I was being harsh; not that I agreed I was being harsh. As a result, I opened up another bottle just to give it another chance and see if my thoughts were justified. They were. I’m glad that you’re very happy with your purchase. I’m very happy with my Two Jakes Petite Syrah, which I am currently enjoying.
I bought these last time they were offered. If there aren’t any (current) rats, I’ll open one tomorrow if you’d like.
@karenhynes You do not embrace CT?
@rjquillin
Cellar tracker?
@karenhynes yes
@rjquillin
I embraced CT for few months many years ago. I’m just not good at keeping up with things in that manner. I wish just was. I’m a CT failure.
Right now I have all boxes of wine from the last three-four months piled up in my entryway. I really need to find some energy this weekend to unbox them. God I’m lazy. The last few months have been…exhausting.
@karenhynes @rjquillin a person of my liking. I am so proud of those boxes! Do you have a wine fridge that’s full also? Ha!
@karenhynes I’d be curious. Maybe my palate is sheltering in place according to some!
My unofficial rat notes, so far:
Color-dark burgundy, no purple, no bricking. Looks like cab.
Slow moving narrow legs. I have no idea what that really translates to.
Nose-dark fruit (cherry, blackberry), slightly herbal (I’ve narrowed that down to something in the tarragon range), a little earthy like wet soil (in a good way), and something vaguely floral that I can’t place right now.
Palate: definitely dark fruit, tannins are present, a bit drying. Medium-ish finish.
I imagine this could age quite well for at least a few years. It seems solid and well structured. At this price, I think you’d have a hard time being disappointed. It drinks well above its Casemates price. I still have 7 or 8 left, so I’m not buying this time around, but wouldn’t hesitate to if I was in the market for a (better than your average) daily drinker or house wine.
Cheers!
PS: I paired it with a Turkey BLT wrap (pre-planned before I knew I’d be opening a cab). Not can ideal pairing, but not terrible. Also with a side of helicopters, protesters, and sirens. The joys of city living.
@karenhynes Thanks! So I guess my yak palate has been upgraded to…bison?
@karenhynes I’m assuming the helicopters are some type of… newfangled aerator?
@kaolis
Ha! Of course!
It’s W.W Thursday over on meh.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2014 Bergevin Lane Moonspell Cabernet Sauvignon - $50 = 27.77%
@jrbw3 hey b dub, it’s baaaack…your fav. Imagine that! And on an appropriate evening with a “Strawberry Moon”
Just had one the other day, fact of matter I’ve blown through 9 bottles of this since the last offer. Haven’t taken any notes but this is drinking well at age 6 and will continue to do so for a few years my guess. For sure it should hold and may have room for improvement. Dark color. Great nose. Dark fruit, not jammy, not AFWE, strikes a nice balance. Good finish. A nice example of Washington wine at a great price. My humble. $12.50 all in, and that’s including the new 2 day ship, and UPS still dropping without signature. Thinking I might have to test this new summer shipping concept…hmmm…
@kaolis Yep, this was very much appreciated by those who tried it, all assuming it cost north of $20 and well worth it. I knew they wouldn’t offer again at the same crazy price; why would they? This is a sure fire winner for those who had it last time.
My wife and I are not into Cabs, and our Cab friends that I buy for a loaded up completely with casemates wine, so I’ll be passing. But you should get this.
@kaolis wow, if you are willing to buy this new shipping option really must be good! Also, I too have blown through 9 bottles of one of my few solo cases and am planning to stock up. This is a fantastic wine, different from the other west coast cabs and a nice example of the Walla Walla way.
@KitMarlot Yep. Wine is good and you can pop without guilt, or unscrew without guilt (so perhaps it’s just going to hold in it’s evolution), price is right, I’ve moved, I’m nowhere near most of my wine, all of my cabs are let’s say a tad pricier than this. So yeah worth trying the 2 day. We’ll see what the path is. Hopefully styro.
@kaolis i’ve also been enjoying the recent UPS no sig. drop. Don’t know if its a COVID thing but I like it.
@kaolis internally called the “kaolis” initiative…
@CorTot @kaolis So that’s 2 people who’ve said their UPS person is dropping wine off without signature required…I did not know this was a thing! I wonder if this is a UPS-wide Rona decision? I.e. if I try this will they do it for me, too?
@TimW I almost missed a case because no one answered when the UPS guy knocked. I’ve got 6 people in the house, but we were cleaning the garage! YMMV.
@CorTot @kaolis @TimW they haven’t been having us sign for anything, course, we live in country, with no neighbors close by, and they’ve figured out we are well over 21 (50 years over). But I understand it’s a Covid19 thing, keeps the pen from being contaminated. Once they asked how to spell last name, then he signed it…
@CorTot @kaolis @TimW Right, if you live in the country I think they do it more frequently. Most of my wine deliveries have been stop and drop with a wave as long as they know we’re home which we usually are.
@Winedavid49 ha! Hey still waiting for the summer hold option
because any summer ship can be a risk. Still need to pay attention to the path. But in the mean time I’m thinking this two day summer shipping can certainly be palatable pun intended.
@kaolis @Winedavid49 The two day option puts the entire country on the same transit schedule as SoCal. It takes 2 days to get here from Sonoma, and the transit day is through the disgustingly hot central valley. I’ve never had a summer shipment cooked here if it got delivered on the first day and didn’t spend the weekend on a hot truck. So unless you’re in the Sonora Desert or some such place, I suspect you’ll be fine. Especially since they’ll probably be travelling by air.
@kaolis @KitMarlot
Thank you both for your nice comments about our Moonspell Cab! I am the winemaker at Bergevin Lane and it is always great to hear praise about your work.
/giphy unwieldy-pathetic-dress
Here’s a link to the prior sale. I got a case based solely on a fellow CMer’s comments. So glad I did! Check out the subsequent reviews here!
https://casemates.com/forum/topics/bergevin-lane-moonspell-cabernet-sauvignon
I’m sure the real labrats will show up at some point, but here’s what I put on cellar tracker last month (and only then because the only note was 78 points and “worth about $20 max”, which wasn’t very helpful.)
Burgundy with a violet overtone. Very slowly developing, lingering legs. Subtle bramble-berry nose with a hint of tarragon. Bright plum and black tea on the palate. Middle weight, medium tannic grip. Lingering finish that doesn’t overstay its welcome.
@KitMarlot that “70” worthless review is really dragging this down on CT.
@KitMarlot @TimW Do you really care about what random people on cellar tracker score a wine? (He asks in a leading way…)
@klezman no, but I do care about justice;)
@KitMarlot @klezman I do when (from all appearances) it’s actually a good wine, but a bad review doesn’t put any real notes. Maybe they paid $30 so feel that they overpaid for what they got? Maybe they thought it was pretty good if they would have only paid $20? Maybe they actually didn’t like it? The world may never know.
@KitMarlot @TimW Yup, exactly.
I have CT set to hide “notes” that are only scores. And I will read notes to see why people didn’t like a wine. But like you said, if there’s no useful information there then it holds precisely zero weight.
@KitMarlot @klezman @TimW
Mine is also set that way and I was inspired a few years ago by your reviews to quit adding scores to my notes.
My comment after it was up last time (when I did not buy) was “Will it be back up again in the future?” so in for a case.
/giphy spooky-abandoned-prose
Got a case last time it was offered… went looking for a bottle to have tonight and they are all gone
. Needless to say we liked! Considering another case. Even with slight increase in cost from last offer a great QPR.
This is a confusing thread. My palette isn’t incredible, but it’s not garbage. To me this is as good of a daily drinker cab as you’re likely to find. Fits the WA cab profile well and very easy to drink. For me, all day long. Big fan
@jrbw3
Everybody has different tastes, not necessarily a reflection of how good their palates are. I often see multiple reviews by “expert” wine critics that are very different for the same wine.
@chipgreen Yikes. Palate. Too much bourbon.
Hi All, sorry I’m a bit late to the party! We were asked by a lot of folks if we would be offering this again after our last offer! After many requests we jumped on board! I would say this Cab definitely should be enjoyed with food! We were part of a Virtual tasting last night with folks up and down the west coast and our Cabernet Sauvignon was a fan favorite. Keep your comments coming!!! Thanks to the Casemates team and to you all for giving it a try! Cheers!!!
@luvbergevinlane thank you for returning! Purchase made! Yay! We loved the Moonspell from the last offering and consider Bergevin Lane an auto buy along with Scott Harvey and Pendrocelli. If budget allowed - I’d buy more than one case. Cheers!
Down to my last 2 bottles of the last offering. In for a case!
Hi all, this is the Winemaker at Bergevin Lane. Please ask any questions or throw any comments my way. We are excited to have this offer out to you again and to interact with the group again.
@wallysean @luvbergevinlane
So we have two representatives this morning!
Welcome.
@wallysean Actual winemaker! Greetings! So frequently we only get reps or managers here.
Nice to have an honest to goodness hands-on winemaker.
I’m thinking @KitMarlot and a few others may have some pointed questions for you.
@wallysean I drank a lot of Columbia Crest cab in my student days, but migrated to other regions as I could afford it. Only recently have I had Walla Walla cab and it was very different than the generic Washington cabs I remembered (and different than Cali and old world versions as well.) How would you characterize these differences? Does it cause you to make different winemaking choices, or is there just a “cab method” and we’re tasting the regional differences in the glass? I noticed that this wine is fairly low in tannin for a cab, which I liked. Is that a result of viticulture, only using free-run juice or is that just “part of the magic”? Thanks for stopping by, as you can see I’m really enthusiastic about the wine and eager to learn.
@KitMarlot Sorry, just saw this message, was not ignoring it. Still learning how to navigate the site.
To address the tannins, i would say the softer tannins can be attributed to all of the things you mentioned. Definitely the youth of the vines plays a role.
The winemaking style is a bigger part of it though. We generally keep the juice on skins for 20ish days so that we cab keep the tannins more smooth and easy to approach. We also keep our oak program down in the 20-40% new oak range. More new oak creates more oak tannin, thus a bigger wine.
Appreciate the questions and enjoy this interaction. Glad you are excited about the wine!
Thank you! Sorry I missed the party yesterday
@wallysean
So you are the true winemaker, and @luvbergevinlan the owner, and there are only three of you? Small team.
What kind of insights can you give us on the production of this particular offer, and some of your other bottlings?
@rjquillin
Yes, small team that is very efficient and puts out about 6000 cases a year. A lot of wine for a small team.
This 2014 Moonspell was the first Moonspell Cabernet that was able to get Walla Walla Valley classification. I remember when we were putting this blend together and thinking, we can do Walla Walla this year.
The difference from years past was that in 2014 our estate vineyard, Bergevin Springs, was finally producing enough fruit for us to make wine. It was planted in 2011 on wheat land that our owner grew up playing hide and seek on. Very exciting year for Bergevin Lane!
@wallysean it only took 4 growing seasons to produce enough grapes to harvest? That’s a lot faster than I thought. People wax poetic about ancient vines, very interesting to taste vines in their youth.
@KitMarlot Yes, third year is when you can start harvesting off of vines, but we didn’t get much from 2013. They are young vines but the fruit jumped out and tasted great from the get up. Every year the grapes get better and better out there though
@KitMarlot @wallysean Do you do some of your own vineyard management as well? I’d expect at least a few extra hands out there…
@KitMarlot @rjquillin We do have a vineyard management company that takes care of the vineyard under our direction.
Hi to winemakers, just wanted to say I visited your place in 2007, did some tasting and got a little tour. (maybe from you?) I remember learning about how it was a small independent operation and all women-owned and run, at least at that time, which my wife and I thought was cool.
I also remember hearing that there was a “hard freeze” around 2004, I think, that actually killed a lot of the Walla Walla vines and so a lot had to be replanted. (and by 2007 there really wasn’t much true Walla-Walla fruit at all to be had) Just wondering if I’m remembering right? and that is interesting about new fruit coming along in only 3-4 year old vines, I didn’t know that.
And again I really did enjoy the Moonspell I got from the previous offering a few months ago.
@pmarin I started working at Bergevin Lane in 2012. Your recollection of the winery is correct, but currently the winemaker, myself, is male. Yes, there was a very hard freeze in 2004 and it did take some time for the valley to rebound. I remember when I first broke into the wine industry one of the wineries I worked for called its wine an “Ode to”, because they weren’t able to source from the Walla Walla vineyards they typically sourced from. Great memory!
@wallysean Basel or Mercer?
@rjquillin I worked at Basel Cellars when I broke into the wine industry.
@rjquillin @wallysean I remember going up to the Basel tasting room as well. That was the beautiful place on the hill, right? Spectacular location. I think I bought a red blend for about $30.
I’d already learned from an old Woot offering (mid-2000s) of Northstar that $60+ wines from Walla-Walla were not uncommon. In fact were expected. And generally were excellent. But I never could get comfortable with it, even if I can afford it. I still just enjoy a sub-$20 wine more, because I’m not thinking about how much it costs.
@wallysean The “broke into” phrase intrigues me.
What did you do before that, and how did it happen? How many vintages have you worked now? Any great mentors?
Happy with the change?
@rjquillin I have a marketing degree from Northwood University in Midland, MI. After college I worked in various sales positions then decided my interest was Winemaking.
So, I decided to attend Walla Walla Community College’s Enology and Viticulture program. Started there in 2010 and attended the school for two years. Very hands on, we have our own vineyard and winery there. In 2011, I worked at Forgeron Cellars as a harvest intern under Marie Eve Gilla from France. She was a great person to work for and learn from.
After completing school, I was hired at Bergevin Lane as the assistant to Winemaker, Dave Harvey. I worked with him for six vintages before he decided to move on and then I was promoted to head winemaker.
Very happy with the decision. Winemaking is hard work but it is very rewarding to see a final product from that work be enjoyed by people all over the country.
@wallysean Thanks for the story. And if Dave is any relation to Scott, you were in good hands.
@rjquillin @wallysean Hi Wally or Sean, not sure, both could be first names, thanks for telling your story. That same trip I took in 2007, I visited the community college and got a tour of the vit/enology facility. And bought a mixed case of their wines as I recall, and they were all pretty good!
I entertained a fantasy of dropping my silly old tech job and joining the program there. It’s a beautiful facility and such a great environment in that area. I’m glad to see successful winemakers coming out of that program. I went to UC Davis and it’s amazing how many of the Washington winemakers I’ve met that have ties to the UC Davis program, but the WW college really impressed me. I took VIT 3 at Davis but unwisely focused on those computery things and we know that didn’t really go anywhere…
I gotta come back to Walla Walla and visit sometime. (BTW for vino-tourism, I highly recommend a trip to Walla-Walla. Plan at least a few days or a week. or two.)
@pmarin @rjquillin My name is Sean. The wally comes from a nickname i was given while at college in Michigan because of being from Walla Walla . Thanks for the interaction. Made for a fun day!
@pmarin @wallysean
Absolutely it did. Not many places where we can of late chit-chat with a winemaker. Stories and history was great, hoping the sale made it all worthwhile as well.
Volunteer rat. Found in tiny wine refrig at 55 degrees, gave about an hour to warm up and used Vinturi (received as gift and don’t often use it, but thought it might be good for quick report)
(I’ve never done a post with image so not sure if that worked)
Nose: bit of cherry, maybe some tobacco and dark wood*. None of these are overpowering which I see as a good thing. Nice, subtle, pleasant (to me anyway)
Taste: (sorry, I am not excellent with my wine words)
Again the cherry and milder wood. The hint of green pepper. None of these are “in-your-face.” I enjoy the balance. Even though the description says that Bergevin makes “fruit-forward” wines – I would not call this overly “fruit-forward.” To be clear, I consider that a good thing that it’s not strong cherry-fruit but a lot more subtle.
Thought: deserves a bit of time to breathe (as we all need to take a moment to breathe at this point…), benefits from some lingering attention to get what is all there – because there is a lot there, but it is subtle. Honestly I’d say I’ve consumed some of this by opening the bottle and pouring into a glass and drinking without much attention, other than I liked it and thought it was a nice everyday red. Remember most Walla-Walla cabs start at $50 and sometimes pass $100. Yet on tasting this more carefully, I do see elements of that here. Perhaps it is because I am looking for it, I find it. But it’s definitely there. Not at all like California cabs, even the expensive ones which might be very fine, but very different.
BTW The “dark wood” if I could describe it would be the “hardwood” in Animal Crossing if you have been playing that overnight as I often do. Not the whole stack of 30 but just a few of 'em.
[update] Yay the image worked! Never done that before glad to know how to do it. BTW forgot to mention the color, which you can see in photo. I can only describe is “beautiful cabernet color.” Very dark red but not much purple (purplish cabs taste different to me – many enjoy that, which is fine, but this color is more dark cherry along with a bit “dark brown” hardwood. Not too much of it.
[Cherries are only worth $100 on my island, so that sucks.]
@pmarin Great review! Thanks for sharing with us all. Looks like you have a nice Sunday ahead of you now. Cheers!
/giphy mopey-mean-flame
We liked it. Even at the slightly higher tariff is still a good deal on a solid daily drinker.
/giphy solid-fruity-fairy
Bergevin Lane vineyards Moonspell 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon arrived and after we tried, we immediately regretted we didn’t order 2 cases! This is delicious, rich and as dry as I love my red wine!
@LLeo thanks for checking in!
Ok, third bottle of the second case. Good stuff. Great bang for the buck. All I can say is if this comes up again at current pricing I’ll grab another. Threw a bottle at a Flannery hanger last night. Somewhere along the line my lovely bride says “what is the wine again, it’s really good”.
@kaolis thanks.