The 2017 Two Clones Chardonnay is signature cool climate, foggy Green Valley in an exceptional vintage. It is a new blend, representing distinct clones grown on the estate, giving it wonderful complexity and a silky texture.
By nose, great complexity with touches of pineapple, melon, green apple, kiwi, and yeast. By mouth, minerality, pineapple, lime, and a gentle mouth feel (a result of extensive batonnage). Our Chardonnay is a classic food wine. Try it with roasted cauliflower and cannellini bean salad, thyme-roasted chicken with buttermilk mashed potatoes and a salad of baby greens, smoky ham and corn chowder. Salmon rillettes on buttered brioche would be a perfect hors dāoeuvre.
Winemaking Notes
Only as the grapes arrive at the winery do we decide how to treat them. This Chardonnay was handled in small 10 ton lots (one press load) at a time. 100% of the Chardonnay grapes were pressed as whole clusters, just as we do with sparkling wine. Frequent lees stirring or ābatonnageā, at least three times a week for at least seven months contributes to the complex flavors.
Specs
Vintage: 2017
Appellation: Green Valley of Russian River Valley, Sonoma County
Blend: 58% Hyde Old Wente, 42% Rued Clone Chardonnay
Alcohol: 13.3%
Acidity: 5.8 g/L
Residual Sugar: <0.20g/100ml
pH: 3.30
Malolactic Fermentation: 58%
Barrels: 100% Water bent French oak, 20% new barrels, 4 year old average for rest
Harvest Dates: August 28 ā September 5, 2017
Date Bottled: July 12, 2018
Total Production: 1,105 Cases
Whatās Included
3-bottles:
3x 2017 Iron Horse Vineyards Two Clones Chardonnay
Case:
12x 2017 Iron Horse Vineyards Two Clones Chardonnay
Iron Horse is one of Sonoma Countyās most prestigious, small, independent, estate, family owned wineries located in cool, foggy Green Valley. Iron Horse Sparkling Wines have been served at the White House for five consecutive presidential administrations, beginning with the Reagan-Gorbachev Summit Meeting in Geneva on November 20, 1985, which led to the end of the Cold War. Wine & Spirits Magazine has named Iron Horse Sparkling Winery of the Year nine times. From the beginning, Robert Parker has said, āThese impressive Sparkling Winesā¦possess more texture and flavor than just about any sparkler I have tasted from California.ā
@radiolysis@rjquillin and painful - canāt afford the full case price of $200, and canāt afford to pay $30 a bottle for the 3 (three?) bottle option. Whereās the middle-ground?
@CorTot@radiolysis@rjquillin Iām good for 4.
So it looks like:
me - 4
cortot - 3
davirom - 3
Ron - 2
I can drop it to 3 if you prefer, Ron, just let me know.
@CorTot@klezman
What about @radiolysis that wanted in?
Could @davirom perhaps split with Lost that got a case since theyāre, I think, close to each other?
You can cut me out if that helps sort it out, Iāve got a case headed this way as well.
@CorTot@klezman@radiolysis@rjquillin I can drop all the way to zero if necessary. This is a āwant to haveā not a āneed to haveā for me. I do not want to exclude radiolysis, who was here first.
@CorTot@davirom@radiolysis@rjquillin You guys just let me know the outcome. Iām in for 3 or 4, whatever will make things work out. Iāll faithfully disperse the bottles according to the spreadsheet.
@CorTot@davirom@klezman@radiolysis@rjquillin I also bought a case and am in West LA area (altho in the process of moving to South Bay) if thereās not enough to go around of your other case - willing to let go of up to 6
@CorTot@davirom@klezman@radiolysis@rjquillin I also got my case today if thereās not enough to go around if yours. And we definitely want to come out some time, the concert sounds great but weāll see since itās shortly after our kid is due!
Iām out of the one you got, I think, as the demand quickly consumed the case. If @swizzel kicks in a few bottles, it looks like all up there can get what they wanted.
@radiolysis , is it easier for you to p/u there or in SD?
I think a second case headed this way, but somehow ended up at USPS instead of UPS.
Need to see if it really exists at USPS and if I can fetch it. That extra āSā could be a real issue.
@mommadeb@winedavid49 I am not a Chardonnay drinker but surprisingly loved the Poundstone Chard as well. Would love to see that come up again! Tempted to try this!
Very tempting indeed. Iāve really enjoyed the Attune Chard, Clarkās Faux Chablis and Pedroncelli Chard over the last year or so. I used to only drink red, but Casemates has diversified my palate with good deals like this! A Rat could help me pull the trigger.
@bunnymasseuse@jeffcohen@Zortapa if bunny/zortapa are in, then Iām in for 3, possibly more. And jeffcohen if youāre not far from the 70, Iāll be passing there a few times and might be able to do some deliveries to the Baltimoreans
@Zortapa@cduan Baltimore is a little farther than Iād like to go. But if we were meeting in Frederick or closer, Iād be up for something. I do not live far from 70. Near Hagerstown.
I am going to buy a case. We can figure out the rest. Either way, would be good to get some people together, cause Iāve never experienced the āmateā part of Casemates yet.
@bunnymasseuse@cduan@jml326@Zortapa Awesome. Iām not sure how many the other folks wanted, but if they all wanted to split and meet in Frederick or closer, Iād do that. I do want at least 3, so three other splitters is the max. Hopefully we can figure it out. Cheers!
And @Zortapa maybe! Thatās a good point. I only ordered one. I guess we could break into a couple groups.
Glad I checked the comments before āsleeping on this one.ā I would kick myself if this sold out before I bought it, because I was always going to by a case in the end.
Question. Do these two things together mean that Hyde Old Wente underwent MLF, but the Rued Clone did not? If so, why that decision?
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2017 Iron Horse Vineyards Chardonnay - $160 = 44.43%
and of course there is a Wine Enthusiast reviewā¦
90 Points. From vines planted both to the Hyde Old Wente and Rued clones, this wine is richly layered within a context of enduring freshness. The acidity lifts an elegant midpalate of pear and Meyer lemon. VB 10/1/20
Reviews for this wine online seem spotty. Is this truly a $50 wine where people would pay that, or does the case price simply bring it back to a reality price?
@Drez143 I canāt find anything on this particular wine. The Iron Horse Rued Clone Chardonnay has been around (half this blend), but itās not got the best of the Iron Horse reviews. Does anyone have and specific knowledge with with this specific wine, of which apparently this is the first vintage?
I guess peopleās excitement is (1) Itās Iron Horse, excellent winemakers and (2) the vineyards and (3) the style is their high-end style. All that equals reasonable very high estimate of quality. Is that the thinking of the enthusiastic folks here?
Is the thinking that anything Iron Horse does is worth more than this, hence itās just gotta be a good deal?
@Drez143@wardad See above for Wine Enthusiast review on this wine. But correct not much out there on this wine. It is indeed $57 at the winery. Nothing on Wine-Searcher. There are only 12 bottles on cellar tracker with a ācommunity average valueā of $29.95.
As of this moment, there are only 2 bottles in cellars and the 12 I have pending delivery. Interestingly, the community price did not drop after my additionā¦ I assume based on this single event CT only calculates pricing for wine in peopleās cellars and ignores wines pending delivery.
Does anyone know the formula and can confirm my assumption is correct?
@Drez143@kaolis@knlprez@wardad
I checked CT when this went live and there were only two bottles in cellar with zero pending. Community average now $25.63
Pricing also likely skewed by net vs. delivered (taxed and shipped) pricing entries. I attempt to enter full delivered cost; fwiw.
I do the same with regards to pricing (I always put āall inā costs for each bottle).
Interesting the price has dropped, as an hour ago it was still $29.95. If all 14 bottles were considered the average should be close to $19 at this point if all 12 of mine are included.
Refreshing the wine, we now have 36 bottles pending and the value has dropped to $23.72. At this point I think the pending bottles are included in the value calulation with an adjustment factor until they are delivered.
( @knlprez, yes, should have been a separate post at least, but thatās okay. ) @Drez143@kaolis@rjquillin I stopped putting in prices in CT for casemates wines, and I figured I didnāt want sellers to see lowered online values because of their casemates offers.
I big drawback for the winery for offering discounted wines online is the drop in perceived value of their wine. Casemates does several clever things to mitigate. Like, by including so much of the shipping costs in the price, it āinflatesā the price. Also, the case-based model provides some coverāif a huge discount is because you had to buy in volume, that doesnāt look so bad.
But if values are lowered on CT as a result of these deals, that will discourage sellers from dumping their stuff on Casemates. Which I very much want them to keep doing. So for a while I put the casemates price in the bottle notes, but now Iāve stopped doing that.
@kaolis@knlprez@rjquillin@wardad
I donāt think it works like that though.
Casemates is hardly the only online volume wine discount seller.
Iām sure some of the staple wineries here do sell at a discount here because they like the community, but I doubt anyone is selling at a loss unless they came against storage constraints.
If a winery marks a bottle at $57 each, and they struggle selling it at that price and need to volume sell it off at $22 a bottle, then I think the fair price is actually the $22 and not the inflated mark up.
Iām looking at you Kohlās for making this practice of inflated MSRPs!
@Drez143@kaolis@wardad My opinion on the pricing of Iron Horse is that the SRP is ridiculous. That doesnāt mean that their āstandardā trio of bubblies isnāt worth $35-40/bottle when you compare to what else is out there, but I have a hard time marking them at $48 when I can get grower Champagne under $40. Ditto for the still wines.
Of course that doesnāt mean you have to get down to a price this low for it to be a fair price. Iāve had a wide variety of still Chardonnay from IH and they are all excellent although different. At $16.67/bottle itās a no-brainer excellent value. At $30/bottle I suspect (as the rat suggests) that youād probably be a bigger fan of Chardonnay to want to spend that much without more info.
But like I said, at the case price, Iām in despite the WBM.
Hello, excited to be a Rat on this one. I really like Iron Horse in general and am a big fan of their UnOaked Chardonnay.
We opened this up last night before dinner. Pale straw color and not much of a nose on opening. After a few minutes to warm-up we could smell some tropical fruit and a little citrus. The palate was subtle fruit wise, we got green apple and peach, a solid mineralogy, and a little zing from the acidity. Had a nice round mouthfeel, not a thin white, but not a butterball either.
The $17 case price is a great deal, the $30 3-pack is a solid value if youāre a big fan of Chardonnay.
Iāll try to get some Day 2 notes up tonight
@jermfish This seems like it would be other end of the spectrum from the Unoaked (which I am also a fan and have been hoping would pop up) given the new oak and malo. In comparison, is this a buttery cougar juice or does it manage to come across more old world in style?
@SDL3 Itās definitely not a greasy butter ball but itās not going to be confused for Chablis either. In terms of mouthfeel, it feels like it has some weight to it, it fills the mouth without being clingy. Iāll take another swing at it this afternoon.
Sorry for the delay on the day two notes. Not much to add really. It was much the way I remembered fro the previous night, restrained fruit, good mineralogy and acid. In terms of mouthfeel it is definitely weightier and more substantial than the UnOaked but does not come across as buttery. Maybe the simplest way I can put it the UnOaked is crisp and this one is soft.
Casemates, youāre killing me!
Secured my case before it sells outā¦
/giphy profuse-fatal-mass
@Winedavid49, thanks for getting such a great Iron Horse deal. I was never a fan of Chardonnay, but Iron Horse converted me to love their Chardonnays as much. They have never failed me.
Any chance we get lucky to see Iron Horse Wedding Cuvee, Vintage Brut or any other bubbly from them?
We really liked the Iron Horse unoaked Chard, so hoping this one is good, too! Note that we are not Chard fans when itās a buttery oaky mess, but based on the rattage, Iām taking a flyer on this one. FOMO is partially responsible.
/giphy enduring-wicked-winter
Apologize on getting this out late and I canāt seem to attach the lab rat image sent to me.
Iām not a big Chardonnay drinker, but Iāve had a few in the past where they were vanilla and butter bombs. Iām happy to report The Ironhorse is definitely not that. I opened the bottle Friday night and enjoyed it with some fried fish, garlic shrimp, and boiled potatoes. The nose had nice peachy, lemony citrus peel notes and tasted fruity, mouth watering, with a hint of pith. Like the previous ratter mentioned, it is a great value per bottle by the case.
@ryannel I think they have a large amount (hence the great price) because itās a new blend. Their existing channels didnāt pick it up, just sticking with their old tried and true orders. Probably a unique opportunity.
Iāve been vacillating on this since 9:01 on Friday night. Any PDX peeps interested in splitting a case? Iād be happy with 3-4, but would do up to 6.
2017 Iron Horse Vineyards Two Clones Chardonnay
Tasting Notes
Winemaking Notes
Specs
Whatās Included
3-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$727.75/Case at Iron Horse Vineyards for 12x 2017 Iron Horse Vineyards Two Clones Chardonnay
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Friday, May 28 - Tuesday, Jun 1
Iron Horse Vineyards Chardonnay
3 bottles for $89.99 $30/bottle + $2.67/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $199.99 $16.67/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2017 Iron Horse Vineyards Chardonnay
Holy cow case discount
@radiolysis WOW!
@karenhynes @radiolysis why thank you.
@radiolysis Think theyāll sell out first?
One case or twoā¦?
@radiolysis @rjquillin and painful - canāt afford the full case price of $200, and canāt afford to pay $30 a bottle for the 3 (three?) bottle option. Whereās the middle-ground?
@karenhynes @radiolysis @Winedavid49 yeah, holy shit dude. Well done!
@radiolysis @rjquillin happy to help here. This sort of deal doesnāt come along often.
@radiolysis @rjquillin Status check - what are we doing on this? Ron, you buying/bought?
@klezman @radiolysis
You want one heading your way to ādivvy-upā?
@klezman @radiolysis @rjquillin I can take 2 or 3 if needed.
@CorTot @klezman @radiolysis
curved-faded-eel
hoping klez has room, and let me know how many are left over after you three are done so I can enter them.
@CorTot @klezman @radiolysis @rjquillin I would also take 3 or so if available
@CorTot @klezman @rjquillin thanks Ron!
@CorTot @radiolysis @rjquillin Iām good for 4.
So it looks like:
me - 4
cortot - 3
davirom - 3
Ron - 2
I can drop it to 3 if you prefer, Ron, just let me know.
@CorTot @klezman
What about @radiolysis that wanted in?
Could @davirom perhaps split with Lost that got a case since theyāre, I think, close to each other?
You can cut me out if that helps sort it out, Iāve got a case headed this way as well.
@klezman @radiolysis @rjquillin I was fine with only 2 if that helpsā¦
@radiolysis
slim pickings on the non-case offer.
@CorTot @klezman @radiolysis @rjquillin I can drop all the way to zero if necessary. This is a āwant to haveā not a āneed to haveā for me. I do not want to exclude radiolysis, who was here first.
@CorTot @davirom @radiolysis @rjquillin You guys just let me know the outcome. Iām in for 3 or 4, whatever will make things work out. Iāll faithfully disperse the bottles according to the spreadsheet.
@CorTot @davirom @klezman @radiolysis @rjquillin I also bought a case and am in West LA area (altho in the process of moving to South Bay) if thereās not enough to go around of your other case - willing to let go of up to 6
@swizzel Hope you come to some gatherings and meet the crew! Weāre going to the concert in the park on July 10 - check the gathering thread.
@CorTot @davirom @klezman @radiolysis @rjquillin sorry I missed this thread. I did a three way split before davirom got to me!
@CorTot @davirom @radiolysis @swizzel @rjquillin This arrived today. Whatās the split?
@CorTot @davirom @klezman @radiolysis @rjquillin I also got my case today if thereās not enough to go around if yours. And we definitely want to come out some time, the concert sounds great but weāll see since itās shortly after our kid is due!
@CorTot @davirom @klezman @radiolysis @swizzel @accs
Iām out of the one you got, I think, as the demand quickly consumed the case. If @swizzel kicks in a few bottles, it looks like all up there can get what they wanted.
@radiolysis , is it easier for you to p/u there or in SD?
I think a second case headed this way, but somehow ended up at USPS instead of UPS.
Need to see if it really exists at USPS and if I can fetch it. That extra āSā could be a real issue.
@rjquillin re: pickup, i have stuff for you so SD is probably easier.
@CorTot @davirom @klezman @radiolysis @swizzel @accs
I need to find your bottles as well.
Life and bottles have gotten scrambled the past year.
If thatās the case, split in SD, likely @accs you and I can split what arrives down here, and allow the LA crew to split the case that went to klez.
@accs @CorTot @davirom @radiolysis @rjquillin @swizzel
I still donāt know whoās getting the 8 remaining bottles after I take 4.
@accs @CorTot @klezman @radiolysis @rjquillin @swizzel I was the last to stake a claim, so distribute it to everyone else and if there is anything left, OK. If not, thatās OK too.
@accs @CorTot @davirom @radiolysis @rjquillin @swizzel
Based on the above, Iāve got the same as my original assignments:
me - 4
cortot - 3
davirom - 3
Ron - 2
Iām happy to make further adjustments, just let me know.
Well shoot. I need more wine like a hole in the head, but Iād take a pair if any SoCal people have some to spare.
Canāt beat that case price. Wow.
Heck of a deal. Thanks Iron Horse and Casemates.
In my quest to find another chard I/we would likeā¦I want to try this? How does it compare to the Poundstone? I
@mommadeb @winedavid49 I am not a Chardonnay drinker but surprisingly loved the Poundstone Chard as well. Would love to see that come up again! Tempted to try this!
/giphy economic-toothsome-taco
Decided to try a case before this sells out. Thanks Joy and WD!!
/giphy particular-wise-plane
In for a case. Youāre killing me @winedavid49
How about it, NJ? Anyone out there want to split a case?
@hscottk Whereabouts in NJ
@jrfandff Central. Mercer County. Where are you?
Very tempting indeed. Iāve really enjoyed the Attune Chard, Clarkās Faux Chablis and Pedroncelli Chard over the last year or so. I used to only drink red, but Casemates has diversified my palate with good deals like this! A Rat could help me pull the trigger.
This almost feels like one of the options is mispricedā¦
@Winedavid49 Phenomenal case price deal. I am tempted even though I donāt like Chardonnay.
Anyone in central MD or southern central PA up to split? Man, this seems tempting as I love chardonnay, but I donāt need another whole case.
@jeffcohen how central? Frederick area central enough for a meet and exchange?
@bunnymasseuse @jeffcohen In Bmore and definitely would be up to split this.
@bunnymasseuse @jeffcohen @Zortapa if bunny/zortapa are in, then Iām in for 3, possibly more. And jeffcohen if youāre not far from the 70, Iāll be passing there a few times and might be able to do some deliveries to the Baltimoreans
@bunnymasseuse Frederick is perfect. Let me know!
@Zortapa @cduan Baltimore is a little farther than Iād like to go. But if we were meeting in Frederick or closer, Iād be up for something. I do not live far from 70. Near Hagerstown.
I am going to buy a case. We can figure out the rest. Either way, would be good to get some people together, cause Iāve never experienced the āmateā part of Casemates yet.
@bunnymasseuse @cduan @jeffcohen @Zortapa
Iām in for 3 or 4 if there is any left
@bunnymasseuse @cduan @jeffcohen @jml326 Time to consider a 2nd case?
@bunnymasseuse @cduan @jml326 @Zortapa Awesome. Iām not sure how many the other folks wanted, but if they all wanted to split and meet in Frederick or closer, Iād do that. I do want at least 3, so three other splitters is the max. Hopefully we can figure it out. Cheers!
And @Zortapa maybe! Thatās a good point. I only ordered one. I guess we could break into a couple groups.
POPSOCKETS! SPROCKETS! DAVY CROCKETT! AWESOME!
@cduan @jeffcohen @jml326 @Zortapa 2nd case
/giphy unfriendly-jumping-level
Glad I checked the comments before āsleeping on this one.ā I would kick myself if this sold out before I bought it, because I was always going to by a case in the end.
Question. Do these two things together mean that Hyde Old Wente underwent MLF, but the Rued Clone did not? If so, why that decision?
Blend: 58% Hyde Old Wente, 42% Rued Clone Chardonnay
[ā¦]
Malolactic Fermentation: 58%
Is my order name suggesting something about me?
/giphy astonishing-snobby-creature
Anyone in Denver want to split a case? I definitely want 6ā¦
@knlprez
/giphy buttered-jubilant-passion
Just in case it sells out!
@knlprez yes, Iāll take 6, thanks!
@bolligra You got it, Iāll let you know when it arrives and we can arrange the exchange.
Thatās my case spoken for, looks like there is some more interest if someone else wants to order another case.
@bolligra @knlprez Hey, Denver-area folk - I grabbed a case also and happy to share.
@bolligra @CObrent @knlprez Well done, Iād take 3!
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2017 Iron Horse Vineyards Chardonnay - $160 = 44.43%
@chipgreen NE OH split?
@chipgreen @mrn1 I would join a split to complete the deal- but really only need 2-3 as whites are slow to be consumed around here.
@chipgreen
So is that a new record?
@chipgreen @kawichris650 Itās got to be a new record, right? I remember seeing 30+%, but I donāt recall a 40+% case discount before.
@kawichris650 @TimW
I believe it is a new record!
@mrn1 @pjmartin , I am good for 3-4 bottles. Do you want me to buy?
@chipgreen @pjmartin I grabbed a case.
@mrn1 @pjmartin
OK, great!
This case deal gave me the high I got from the old site. Thanks WD and Joy!
/giphy witchy-addictive-marble
Iām in Central NJ and considering a case. Anyone want to take some off my hands?
@jrfandff Iām in.
and of course there is a Wine Enthusiast reviewā¦
90 Points. From vines planted both to the Hyde Old Wente and Rued clones, this wine is richly layered within a context of enduring freshness. The acidity lifts an elegant midpalate of pear and Meyer lemon. VB 10/1/20
https://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/iron-horse-2017-two-clones-chardonnay-green-valley/
Reviews for this wine online seem spotty. Is this truly a $50 wine where people would pay that, or does the case price simply bring it back to a reality price?
@Drez143 I canāt find anything on this particular wine. The Iron Horse Rued Clone Chardonnay has been around (half this blend), but itās not got the best of the Iron Horse reviews. Does anyone have and specific knowledge with with this specific wine, of which apparently this is the first vintage?
I guess peopleās excitement is (1) Itās Iron Horse, excellent winemakers and (2) the vineyards and (3) the style is their high-end style. All that equals reasonable very high estimate of quality. Is that the thinking of the enthusiastic folks here?
Is the thinking that anything Iron Horse does is worth more than this, hence itās just gotta be a good deal?
@Drez143 @wardad See above for Wine Enthusiast review on this wine. But correct not much out there on this wine. It is indeed $57 at the winery. Nothing on Wine-Searcher. There are only 12 bottles on cellar tracker with a ācommunity average valueā of $29.95.
@rpm notice this Iron Horse in time!
@Drez143 @kaolis @wardad
Slightly off topic, butā¦
As of this moment, there are only 2 bottles in cellars and the 12 I have pending delivery. Interestingly, the community price did not drop after my additionā¦ I assume based on this single event CT only calculates pricing for wine in peopleās cellars and ignores wines pending delivery.
Does anyone know the formula and can confirm my assumption is correct?
@Drez143 @knlprez @wardad So those 12 are yours? hmmmā¦donāt know on pricing. Unless itās not updated real time? Maybe an overnight update?
@Drez143 @kaolis @wardad
I believe they are mine, I have 12 pending in my cellar but didnāt check the total community quantities before adding them.
Iāll keep an eye on the pricing over the next few days and see how it fluctuates and report back.
@Drez143 @kaolis @knlprez @wardad
I checked CT when this went live and there were only two bottles in cellar with zero pending. Community average now $25.63
Pricing also likely skewed by net vs. delivered (taxed and shipped) pricing entries. I attempt to enter full delivered cost; fwiw.
@Drez143 @kaolis @rjquillin @wardad
I do the same with regards to pricing (I always put āall inā costs for each bottle).
Interesting the price has dropped, as an hour ago it was still $29.95. If all 14 bottles were considered the average should be close to $19 at this point if all 12 of mine are included.
@Drez143 @kaolis @rjquillin @wardad
Refreshing the wine, we now have 36 bottles pending and the value has dropped to $23.72. At this point I think the pending bottles are included in the value calulation with an adjustment factor until they are delivered.
( @knlprez, yes, should have been a separate post at least, but thatās okay. ) @Drez143 @kaolis @rjquillin I stopped putting in prices in CT for casemates wines, and I figured I didnāt want sellers to see lowered online values because of their casemates offers.
I big drawback for the winery for offering discounted wines online is the drop in perceived value of their wine. Casemates does several clever things to mitigate. Like, by including so much of the shipping costs in the price, it āinflatesā the price. Also, the case-based model provides some coverāif a huge discount is because you had to buy in volume, that doesnāt look so bad.
But if values are lowered on CT as a result of these deals, that will discourage sellers from dumping their stuff on Casemates. Which I very much want them to keep doing. So for a while I put the casemates price in the bottle notes, but now Iāve stopped doing that.
@kaolis @knlprez @rjquillin @wardad
I donāt think it works like that though.
Casemates is hardly the only online volume wine discount seller.
Iām sure some of the staple wineries here do sell at a discount here because they like the community, but I doubt anyone is selling at a loss unless they came against storage constraints.
If a winery marks a bottle at $57 each, and they struggle selling it at that price and need to volume sell it off at $22 a bottle, then I think the fair price is actually the $22 and not the inflated mark up.
Iām looking at you Kohlās for making this practice of inflated MSRPs!
@Drez143 @kaolis @wardad My opinion on the pricing of Iron Horse is that the SRP is ridiculous. That doesnāt mean that their āstandardā trio of bubblies isnāt worth $35-40/bottle when you compare to what else is out there, but I have a hard time marking them at $48 when I can get grower Champagne under $40. Ditto for the still wines.
Of course that doesnāt mean you have to get down to a price this low for it to be a fair price. Iāve had a wide variety of still Chardonnay from IH and they are all excellent although different. At $16.67/bottle itās a no-brainer excellent value. At $30/bottle I suspect (as the rat suggests) that youād probably be a bigger fan of Chardonnay to want to spend that much without more info.
But like I said, at the case price, Iām in despite the WBM.
Anyone in the New Orleans area want to split a case?
Seems to happen lately that Iām down to my last bottle when a screaming deal pops up.
/giphy hellish-peppery-minnow
Looking forward to having this with some summer meals on the deck!
/giphy flavored-jumbo-wilderness
Hello, excited to be a Rat on this one. I really like Iron Horse in general and am a big fan of their UnOaked Chardonnay.
We opened this up last night before dinner. Pale straw color and not much of a nose on opening. After a few minutes to warm-up we could smell some tropical fruit and a little citrus. The palate was subtle fruit wise, we got green apple and peach, a solid mineralogy, and a little zing from the acidity. Had a nice round mouthfeel, not a thin white, but not a butterball either.
The $17 case price is a great deal, the $30 3-pack is a solid value if youāre a big fan of Chardonnay.
Iāll try to get some Day 2 notes up tonight
@jermfish This seems like it would be other end of the spectrum from the Unoaked (which I am also a fan and have been hoping would pop up) given the new oak and malo. In comparison, is this a buttery cougar juice or does it manage to come across more old world in style?
@SDL3 Itās definitely not a greasy butter ball but itās not going to be confused for Chablis either. In terms of mouthfeel, it feels like it has some weight to it, it fills the mouth without being clingy. Iāll take another swing at it this afternoon.
@jermfish @SDL3
Both the estate and unoaked have their attributes when pairing. Iād exclude neither, but also wonder where this fallsā¦
@jermfish @rjquillin @SDL3 also curious, prefer unoaked in general but taking a swing to get out of my comfort zone.
@SDL3
Sorry for the delay on the day two notes. Not much to add really. It was much the way I remembered fro the previous night, restrained fruit, good mineralogy and acid. In terms of mouthfeel it is definitely weightier and more substantial than the UnOaked but does not come across as buttery. Maybe the simplest way I can put it the UnOaked is crisp and this one is soft.
You got me again. No idea where I will store this.
NYC, any splits welcome. /giphy petty-replete-guide
@InVinoVeritas Iāll fix it for ya. Learned from experience that giphy must be on a separate line.
and I include a blank in between just in case.
/giphy petty-replete-guide
/giphy kindhearted-tempting-lark
Casemates, youāre killing me!
Secured my case before it sells outā¦
/giphy profuse-fatal-mass
@Winedavid49, thanks for getting such a great Iron Horse deal. I was never a fan of Chardonnay, but Iron Horse converted me to love their Chardonnays as much. They have never failed me.
Any chance we get lucky to see Iron Horse Wedding Cuvee, Vintage Brut or any other bubbly from them?
Anyone in Seattle area want to split?
/giphy descriptive-teachable-knight
We really liked the Iron Horse unoaked Chard, so hoping this one is good, too! Note that we are not Chard fans when itās a buttery oaky mess, but based on the rattage, Iām taking a flyer on this one. FOMO is partially responsible.
/giphy enduring-wicked-winter
Apologize on getting this out late and I canāt seem to attach the lab rat image sent to me.
Iām not a big Chardonnay drinker, but Iāve had a few in the past where they were vanilla and butter bombs. Iām happy to report The Ironhorse is definitely not that. I opened the bottle Friday night and enjoyed it with some fried fish, garlic shrimp, and boiled potatoes. The nose had nice peachy, lemony citrus peel notes and tasted fruity, mouth watering, with a hint of pith. Like the previous ratter mentioned, it is a great value per bottle by the case.
@opus300zx Hey @rjquillin can we get a rattage tag on this post plz?
@bunnymasseuse @opus300zx
Geeze, no peace at all on a Saturday eveningā¦
Now, where is that promised follow-up from @jermfish ?
@opus300zx So, it has a hint of pith but not great pith? (weāll see who gets this referenceā¦)
/youtube fielding mellish great pith
Case savings is blowing my mind. Anyone looking for splits near Tampa?
I got a case if any Seattleites want some.
@aces219 Iām down for 3-6.
And another case purchased. Iām running out of storage space for them. Willing to let go of up to half the case to someone in San Diego.
@accs @technoviking may be interested, as we have an oversubscribed case headed to Los Angeles.
@accs @rjquillin I may be venturing to north Cal to south soon. Lmk whatās left and Iāll grab some.
/giphy nameless-exceptional-imp
/giphy replete-real-chain
This hasnāt sold out yet? My wallet and I did our partā¦.
@ryannel I think they have a large amount (hence the great price) because itās a new blend. Their existing channels didnāt pick it up, just sticking with their old tried and true orders. Probably a unique opportunity.
I too did my part!
/giphy valuable-tiresome-shake
Iāve been vacillating on this since 9:01 on Friday night. Any PDX peeps interested in splitting a case? Iād be happy with 3-4, but would do up to 6.
I just tried to order and all I can get is zero bottles. Is this how they say sold out?
Never mind, finally went through.
All that chatter, and itās Chardonnay. Wow.
Wow! Case price was an absolute steal! Best deal in years imo I knew I shouldāve kept all 12. And this from a non Chard drinker
@losthighwayz Yup, this was a goodāun.
@losthighwayz @rjquillin Iāve committed to splitting mine, donāt make me regret it now!