@jaybird hope everyone gets good juice. I’ve been burned too many times on these mystery wine deals

@jaybird I did well on the magnum + regular mystery box a while ago which is the only reason why I’m going to give it another try but I too was burned before. Finger’s crossed that I didn’t just buy 2 cases of cooking wine

@jaybird Twice I got not so special wines, yet here I am buying again. Like a moth to the flame.

@jaybird @jmdavidson1 They are at least making ng quantifiable claims.

"Each package will have at least one bottle of Twisted Oak as well as an ultra-premium bottle (think napa cab or equivalent) that sells for at least half the case offer price. This is the most random mystery wine offer ever. Tons of different wines.”

So that means at least one of the bottles should retail for at least $70?? Am I reading that right?

@toddlamp the Magnum was ok, but I’m still sore over having to throw out half the international mystery case and half the two Jake’s case… That’s 12 bottles I had to toss…

@jaybird The International case was a disaster. We did end up cooking with most of it so it was at least put to use but that too left me jaded and I didnt buy ANY wine for a little while.

@jmdavidson1 @toddlamp im disgruntled and tempted at the same time. I need help.

Maybe if I had a coupon available

@jaybird @toddlamp Why did you have to toss them?

@jaybird @jmdavidson1 “A boats a boat but the mystery box could be anything”

@jaybird @jmdavidson1 @toddlamp
“So that means at least one of the bottles should retail for at least $70?? Am I reading that right?”

Does that hold true for the 6-bottle orders, too?
I’m really trying to curtail my wine spending (and storage is always an issue) but these mystery offers are always tempting.

@toddlamp @user48745965 they weren’t drinkable

@jaybird @toddlamp Were they not drinkable as in cooked/corked/dead/other flaws, or more on the side of “swill or poorly made wine that you hated”

@toddlamp @user48745965 The international case had some that just tasted terrible. If I recall, some even had a hint of petroleum taste. That case ended up being bad for many people. The two Jakes case had six bottles of a an experimental type of wine that very few people liked. Many of us thought there might be one or two bottles of the experimental instead of half of the case. In fairness to casemates, The mystery reds they sold after the international debacle had some very nice bottles in it. Many got some nice rare bottles.

@jaybird @jmdavidson1
I’ll have to say I did well over on the New Underground Cellar site that WD runs with an order today.

@jaybird @toddlamp @user48745965 There were two bottles I got in that order that smelled and tasted like a back yard tire fire. The rest was decent.

@jaybird I got so burned on the first mystery case they did. Only one bottle was drinkable and it wasn’t good. What concerns me is most of their good stuff ships straight from the winery, so whatever inventory this is coming from can only be from winery buyouts by casemates. Someone convince me otherwise.

@jaybird @jmdavidson1 @rjquillin Do tell, Ron!

@cs85b03 I’ve been to the warehouse. Some of it is exactly as you think - stuff WD has acquired from many wineries, whether as excess stock or other transactions. But there’s also overflow from some CM offers and from the several other sites he runs.

@user48745965 You can go back and review what people have gotten from the various mystery offers. Some do good, some not so good. It’s a crap shoot. At least in this offer, the cash outlay is minimal.

@user48745965 It’s been a mixed bag (pun not intended). I’ve participated in three random or mystery offers over the past year or so, and felt like I came out ahead in terms of both value and overall quality of wines.

A few reporting here have done better than I have, with some truly enviable bottles, but I’ve also seen a bunch of folks with what looked like justified complaints. As in, if I had received what they received I’d have been similarly disappointed.

I figure people are more likely to speak up if they’re disappointed, and my experience has been pretty good. So I’m in on this one.

@user48745965 There have been many “mystery cases”, but what @Winedavid59 said in the “Clue” thread (“~$20.00 more this time”) refers to the previous “Warehouse Cleanout” random red offer.

@jaybird Where are you guys getting these coupons from

@user48745965 I had a coupon code left from the case I ordered before Christmas on meh.com

Edit, sometimes they run promotions. If you buy a case on the other site, they’ll throw in a 20 or $25 coupon code to push traffic back here

@jaybird @user48745965 coupons usually come from related sales on Meh.com. There was a wine sale not too long ago on meh.com that gave u a $20 coupon for Casemates if u purchased the Meh wine.

@jaybird I have a coupon, but by the time i learned about this sale, it’s sold out!

@jalopatin I found if you take a serrated knife you can just hack off the top of the wax pretty easily. After all, let’s be honest, those bottles don’t deserve gentle care.

@PLSemenza
This is exactly what my experience has been. I’m in.

@vandemusser had a similar experience with Wellington mix and others - you just did a better job of expressing it. I grabbed a case again this time around.

@Mark_L I just realized the same thing after I ordered the case

@Mark_L

“So, have at it! Either 5 or 11 mystery reds, depending on which you choose, plus one Twisted Oak offering to sweeten the deal.”

Based on that, I think the Twisted Oak in the 6-pack is a definite. Wouldn’t count on the other.

@vandemusser But, “Each package will have at least one bottle of Twisted Oak as well as an ultra-premium bottle…”. The question is, “Are two 6-packs one or two packages?”.

@Mark_L great question. Maybe the higher-ups can clarify?

I guess @Winedavid59 is the only one who can answer this for sure, but by that time I anticipate that there will be a “sellout” notice.

@Mark_L had the exact same thought earlier but didn’t risk it and went full case vs 2 - 6 packs

@frankster14 Normally I would have quickly been in for a case or two 6’s, but my loSIWBM (lack of Smell Imposed Wine Buying Moratorium) kept me from it. (Lost my sense of smell to a skull fracure in Jan. 2024, with little chance of it returning).

@Burns72 code please

@Burns72 @elienehme it’s specific to the account based on something purchased previously. Won’t work for other accounts.

@Burns72 That was my thinking as well. $61 shipped for a half-case is win!

@Drez143 There may have been many more since, but for me that was the last mystery case I have ordered until today, so the sting is still there, hopefully this one redeems the mystery case for me.

@Drez143 It’s all I remember because it was so bad.

@Drez143 I hope you’re joking about taking away people’s posting privileges.

@Drez143 @hscottk I take it as a joke, but the impulse I totally understand. It’s so long ago and hardly relevant today.
But it goes to show the long memory that comes with a bad customer experience.

@Drez143 on the topic of suggestions, it seems cases frequently sell out before smaller quantities, then are replenished. It would be nice to have a one-click button on the order page for people who want to cancel the smaller order and upgrade to a case.

@Drez143 It would be funny to have a sour grapes type of autoresponse from @mediocrebot when someone’s post bewails “international mystery”

@Drez143 @james @mediocrebot i don’t think we’ll ever live that one down. but deserved. i’ve been trying to make it up ever since.

@Drez143 @klezman My impulse is to embrace the Meh/Casemates culture of freedom of expression. What should the statute of limitations be for a deal someone was disappointed in?

I think that freedom leads to greater trust and more buying, not less. It certainly didn’t seem to do any harm to this offer which sold out in record time!

@Drez143 @hscottk

My impulse is to embrace the Meh/Casemates culture of freedom of expression.

Yes, same here.
I nonetheless have the reaction of “still? Really? That was soooo long ago!”

At the risk of taking arrows I didn’t have the level of hate from Intl Mystery case. And ymmv, but the last Cab Mystery case wasn’t a HR, more like a Grand Slam. I agree with a post somewhere today that the track record with WD is spectacular.

@Drez143 @hscottk @klezman And so many fantastic mystery case offers since too. I’d have thought the redemption has been long earned, then again I honestly haven’t had a bad experience with any.

@Drez143 international mystery case deserves the criticism it gets from every user, every time, from now until infinity. If you didn’t experience it, you don’t get an opinion. If you did experience it, you would understand the frustration of the masses.

@drgonzo99 Well, that was strange. Went to order the case, and was grayed-out and said sold out. But now it’s back.

@forlich

Each package will have at least one bottle of Twisted Oak as well as an ultra-premium bottle (think Napa Cab or equivalent) that sells for at least half the case offer price. This is the most random mystery wine offer ever. Tons of different wines.

My guess is only cases will have an ultra-premium bottle, but it does say each package… so only time will tell.

Ordering two six packs will guarantee you a minimum of two bottles of Twisted Oak.

@forlich Yes, it’s a lot of fun, on many levels, to gift a box to each of the kids and each of their spouses. More importantly it opens up space in the cellar.

@kawichris650 It’s truly a mystery

@msten I mix in various bottles, regions and varietals I come by during the year. Expands their horizons. Think they mostly like “free wine”

@forlich @kawichris650
My take on that is that you should get a Napa Cab in the smaller box that is worth half as much as the cost of the 6-pack, so only a little over half as valuable as the Napa Cab you would get in a full case. But I have a tendency to overthink things, so it’s probably just an ambiguous description!

@mikefinn I did the same. Has there been any confirmation that this is the case? Or two half cases in this case.

@rjquillin It’s a pretty big warehouse. They just need to fill it up to RJQ levels for the next sale!

@SylvreKat I have the UPS app and it told me this morning that the shipping process has started. I haven’t gotten an update from Casemates but we should hear soon. I live in Midwest and UPS says to expect delivery on Tuesday.

@SylvreKat If you go to the top of each offer there is a listed “estimated delivery date”. Those are generally conservative and often things will show up 1-2 weeks beforehand. This offer lists March 31-April 1, so this week or next would be about par.

@Ten9Eight I live in the KC Metro, so sounds like Tues for me, too. Thanks! I’ll let my friend know (she’s receiving it for me since I work)

@klezman I’ve been checking my orders (rather obsessively, I’ll admit) but it still shows Processing. That’s why I decided to ask y’alles, to stop my head from exploding with impatience.

@klezman @SylvreKat @Ten9Eight mystery cases are personally organized and picked by yours truly. it takes a while. we’ve gotten through about half of them. my guess is all will be picked and ready to ship by Monday.

@klezman @SylvreKat @Ten9Eight @Winedavid59

Just got the shipping notice/tracking info today
Thanks!

@Winedavid59 OOOOoooooo–may I request you pick all sweet reds for my mystery four, please?

@SylvreKat Ummm…pretty sure this is a 100% dry wine offer.

@klezman @SylvreKat @Ten9Eight SylvreKat, you needn’t be too obsessive in checking your order status - that info isn’t necessarily accurate. On some occasions, I’ve received an ‘order shipped’ email telling me my order is on its way - and the ship date was the day after I’d actually received it.

By the way, I’d like to give a shout out for their awesome Customer Service department who’ve always been receptive and helpful to any problems I’ve had - problems that were often self-inflicted.

OWLS! TOWELS! JOWLS! AWESOME!

@SylvreKat did you get yours yet?

@user65457743 That Vocal Sabroso is excellent.

@radiolysis The one that UPS musta’ lost along the way?

@Allieroon
This was my first order from casemates but it says estimated delivery is going to be the end of the month… how did you get yours so fast?

@kpixley Hmmmm…guess it depends on where you live. I’m in the PNW, so I suppose the shipping just goes straight up the West Coast from Sonoma. Some folks got their orders two days before me. Assuming they live in the Bay Area or somewhere closer than me.

@Allieroon @kpixley Same here but I’m on the East coast so not surprised it will tAke longer for delivery but mine still says processing so not even a tracking number

@Allieroon @kpixley Estimated delivery dates around here are about as accurate as SRPs.

These shipped earlier then is typical.

@kpixley @rpstrong

WD must have been eager to do some spring cleaning in the warehouse.

@gtcharlie

Oooo, a Woot bottle!? Which one?

@gtcharlie @kawichris650 I’ve spotted Bottled Cheer in a couple of pics. But that’s a Meh/Casemates bottle, not Woot, come to think of it.

@InFrom @kawichris650 yep. My mistake. It is the bottled cheer. Not a bad wine but not in the same league as the other bottles I received.

@gtcharlie Here is what was in my case;

2020 Davalos Tacuil 33 de davalos
2020 Noceto Sangiovese
2019 Vetus Toro
2017 Beckon Pinot Noir Bien Nacido
2019 Huachara Cielo Arriba
2021 Bodegas Hispanic + Suizas Bassus Pinot Noir
2018 Twisted Oak Torcido
2017 Twisted Oak Syrah
2017 Twisted Oak Touriga Nacional
2018 Deerfield Ranch Syrah
2014 Ondule Esme

And of course the bottle of good cheer. I do believe the Ondule fits the premium bottle of wine worth half the case price at least according to what I have found on line. As mentioned above very happy.

@rjquillin super deal compared to SRP though. Merely a good to great deal need on CT values. We know several of those are largely bought here and their average prices reflect it.

@davirom
I was thinking the same thing.

@davirom @kawichris650 anyone who read that line and thought it was referring to CT average rather than SRP needs to stop living in fantasy land and join the rest of us in the real world.

@davirom @kawichris650 @slowbie Fair points all around. I suspect the Deerfield and Grgich would at least come close to meeting that criterion.

@davirom @kawichris650 @klezman @slowbie
Today Wine-Searcher (Pro) can find online retail (not auction) prices for the Grgich 41.98 and the Rousseau for 23.99.
Everything else, didn’t check the TO, including the Deerfield PV, had no current availability.

@davirom @kawichris650 @slowbie the issue is that the specific language used in the offering was “that sells for” – that isn’t SRP. Items are for sale at their FMV, not their SRP. If they’re giving a bottle “that sells for” 70+ dollars, then I should be able to find it selling for 70+ dollars online.

Tense and phrasing matter

@chipgreen mine is still “processing”.

@chipgreen Mine is finally on its way!

/giphy YAYYYYY!!!

@chipgreen @SylvreKat
Mine, too!

@gtcharlie Google the name of your wine and casemates, it’ll pop up if it existed

@CruelMelody Interesting. That would imply a number of the bottles I received were never offered on the site. Where does the inventory for the magic wine warehouse come from? I ask because I am curious for example how long my bottle of 2014 Ondule Osme was stored there?

@gtcharlie

@Winedavid59 would have the answer you’re looking for.

My guess is WCC must get a lot of sample bottles, and there are likely a number of offers that don’t end up coming to fruition for a variety of reasons.

@gtcharlie not all were offered on here. I do recognize some bottles that were part of the Underground Cellars bankruptcy sale. That being said, cases that people received seem to be a great value imo. Also, the UC bottles were stored properly so I don’t think there’s any issue with that.

@losthighwayz Interesting stuff. And good to here about the UC bottles.

@gtcharlie @kawichris650 @losthiwayz
What others have said, plus keep in mind that WCC runs several other sites’ e-commerce and has leftover bottles from those. There are also a shockingly large number of returned shipments that probably get into these warehouse sales. Then there’s the fact that WCC sometimes purchases the inventory of wineries who are shutting down, like with Twisted Oak, and those can make their way into sales over time also.

@kawichris650 @klezman thanks everyone for all the info. My only regret on this mystery case offer is that I didn’t order 2…

@gtcharlie @kawichris650 @klezman What is “WCC” please?

I’m just hoping there’s a bottle of that wine I couldn’t buy after Christmas. And that I don’t get three bottles of Twisted Oak, but instead get more variety.

@SylvreKat

WD and his brother started Wine Country Connect. It’s how we get our wine.

https://www.winecountryconnect.com/

@kawichris650 Thank you.

Now where do they sell these yummies?

@kawichris650 @SylvreKat I have seen them on Woot at times. They show up under the “Grocery & Household” section, sub section “Candy & Desserts”. Changes daily, so good luck!

https://www.woot.com/category/grocery/candy-and-deserts?ref=cat_sub_cd

@Allieroon @kawichris650 Whoever over there think that Halls cough drops are candy belongs in the nuts section.

@kawichris650 @SylvreKat Ha! I thought that very same thing! A few days ago the selections were mostly fancy caramels and chocolates…and Halls cough drops. Guess not enough people eat them like candy?

@mfossati probably the Oakville Cabernet

@klezman the only price i can find online for it is ~30 bucks?

i’m not mad, just puzzled

@klezman @mfossati Looks like Wine Spies offered it for sale way back in 2021. They claim the retail as being $95…but they sold it for the bargain discount price of $29. I think the winery may have gone out of business.

https://winespies.com/sales/11742-harmon-durand-estates-2017-houndstooth-oakville-cabernet-sauvignon?srsltid=AfmBOorBMh1HjV6IHnhATREuERLGQYpisZ_liI2KIOK-b6kX73z1UDRS

@Allieroon @klezman good find.

If a price no one ever realistically paid is the basis for the advertisement, then I guess it’s kosher.

Though I feel like the incongruence between advertised MSRP and FMV was the basis for TJ Maxx’s class action a decade or so ago?

Again, no biggie. I’ve moved on.

@Allieroon @klezman @mfossati every deal ever offered on this site has the discounted price related to the winery MSRP, which is almost always higher than you’ll find it anywhere else.

@CruelMelody @klezman @mfossati That and (don’t mean to open Pandora’s box…but), one can argue that not every Napa Cab from Oakville is automatically worth $100.

@Allieroon @CruelMelody @mfossati yes to all that. And it’s not just here, it’s all the deal sites that advertise the same way. WTSO had to pay some money in a lawsuit about their practice a few years ago, which is why they now show SRP and “best web price” now.

As always, caveat emptor.

@Allieroon @CruelMelody @klezman now that we’re down this rabbit hole, the original post of the mystery box says “…as well as an ultra-premium bottle (think napa cab or equivalent) that sells for at least half the case offer price…” Emphasis mine.

Things “sell for” their FMV. When someone tells me I’m being given something that “sells for” more than 70 dollars, I would expect to find that item somewhere for sale for more than 70 dollars at the time of my purchase. Not “suggested” to have that price.

I feel like the language here was a bit more deceptive than the strike-out price that’s dogged retailers for the past decade. It wasnt the intent of this thread, but i think i’ll write to CS to get their opinion.

@Allieroon @CruelMelody @mfossati Meh, you can try to impose that meaning, and you’re entitled to feel cheated or misled, but you can’t honestly have thought they meant “street price” or “flash site price”.

@Allieroon @CruelMelody @klezman tbh i thought to myself “huh a ~70 dollar of wine and 11 more. not bad!” because my last mystery box did have that level of value it it.

i think the right terminology is to say “with suggested price of” or “that retails for”

again, not cheated or mad. just puzzled.

if they had put one TSLA share in the box and said “it sells for 400 dollars” i’d call them liars.

@Allieroon @CruelMelody @klezman @mfossati I’m going to switch hats to devil’s advocate. If, for instance, the winery had/has a tasting room and wine there sold/sells for SRP, then the construction of the offering description would be correct.

@Allieroon @CruelMelody @davirom @klezman @mfossati I use cellar tracker, all of my wines have “value” factors for most wines based on what other users claim to have paid. Most of my wines were “valued” at over $30, one was over $40, one over $60. Not including the TO or bottled cheer. Very satisfied.

@Allieroon @CruelMelody @davirom @kainc @mfossati Yeah, that field is a good indicator, but imo it needs to be assessed alongside the popup on the right that tells you what stores people bought it from. When you see it’s all WineSpies or Casemates or WTSO then you know it’s a wine that maybe never sold for SRP - not that there’s anything wrong with that - but it helps interpret the “value” given on CT since that’s just the trimmed mean price. (And some people - myself included - include tax/shipping while others do not.)

@Allieroon @CruelMelody @davirom @kainc @klezman @mfossati

(And some people - myself included - include tax/shipping while others do not.)

I as well try to enter delivered prices.

@Allieroon @CruelMelody @davirom @klezman @mfossati @rjquillin I do tack on a (rounded) delivery amt.

@pienka
Yeah, probably the Sullivan. Not familiar with Beckon, but anything made from Bien Nacido fruit grabs my interest!

@chipgreen when i google the label of sullivan, the lowest price i see is around $175 to $250. Am i crazy? I have no clue how to upload a photo here…

@pienka funny you should mention it, how to post photos was just the topic of a conversation on another thread last night.

@chipgreen @pienka Welp…seems you’re not that koo-koo based on a 30 sec google search…

@Allieroon @chipgreen yep…thats the bottle i got but i was pinching myself figuring this cant be real right?

@Allieroon @chipgreen @pienka Wowee!

@pienka

It definitely seems you lucked out. Congratulations!

@pienka
ilCesare said Sat, Jun 11th 2022 at 12:00am ET:
2017 Beckon Bien Nacido Pinot Noir
4 bottles for $64.99 $16.25/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $149.99 $12.50/bottle + $1/bottle shipping

@normanl0 Nice…that 2019 Priorato clocks in around $72

@normanl0 Best I can find

2017 Twisted Oak Syrah ($30.00)
2017 Twisted Oak Touriga Nacional ($24.00)
2018 Twisted Oak Torcido ($39.00)
2022 Cheers Red Blend (Pedroncelli) ($20.00)
2018 Paradise Ridge Pinot Noir RRV ($37.93)
2019 Bodega de Edgar Priorato ($72.00)
2017 Salvestrin Cabernet Sauvignon ($65.00)
2017 Chateau Les Pins Cotes Du Roussillon Villages ($17)
2021 Perrin+Dobbs Pitch Black Cabernet Sauvignon ($41)
2020 Oz de Cailleteau Cotes De Bordeaux ($14.00)
2022 Mayuco Malbec ($11)
2021 Cola de Zorro Malbec ($14)

About $384

@normanl0 As with all of the others’ posts, these “values” are a combination of SRP, street price, and flash sale pricing. The TO Touriga, for example, was a $39 or $49 bottle at the winery, and frequently sold at 20% off to club members. The Paradise Ridge Pinot has SRP of $50. Meanwhile, the Cheers blend was only ever sold here, for $10/bottle.
Sooo…shrug

@klezman Yep, completely agree, still believe it was a pretty good deal

2014 Chateau de Vie Cabernet Sauvignon $65
2019 Rose & Son Malbec $30
2021 Andrew Murray Vineyards This Is E11Even Petite Sirah $40
2018 Chateau Leroy-Beauval $34
2015 Byron Bien Nacido Vineyard - Q Block Pinot Noir $25
2017 Beckon Bien Nacido Vineyard Pinot Noir $15
2016 Ram’s Gate Winery Winemaker’s Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon $60
2016 Onesta Golden Vineyard Syrah $45
2017 Twisted Oak Syrah $39
2018 Twisted Oak Torcido $50
2017 Twisted Oak Touriga Nacional ???

Prices from Wine-Searcher

@eanvick 2020 Bodega Tacuil 33 de Davalos (couldn’t find American prices for this Argentina wine)

First place that came up on Google was wine-searchers which has it for $40.

@eanvick @SylvreKat Taquill is the sleeper of
The bunch. High altitude Argentina. One of my favs.

@jmdavidson1 3 of the same? That’s a mistake. I packed every one of
Them. That was not my intention.

@Winedavid49 see photo below.

@jmdavidson1 let’s chat when I get back from vacation. There were to be no repeats… apologies.

@Winedavid49 Happy Vacation!! I just got back from Cabo. That would be awesome. When are you back?

VAN MURALS! GROUND SQUIRRELS! SPIT CURLS! AWESOME!

@jmdavidson1 But at least they are all the same vintage.

@CorTot Why is that a good thing?

@jmdavidson1 Sorry, should have used the sarcastic smiley.

@CorTot Gotcha.LOL

@CorTot @jmdavidson1
/sarc
On the plus side one now to evaluate when to pull corks for the other two.
I most always like bottles in threes, or more.

And you may even get more bottles to rat from @wccwinegirl as an apology.

@CorTot @rjquillin @WCCWineGirl If WD is going to be kind enough to swap me a couple of bottles, I’m hoping i dont have to rat them.

@SylvreKat Not a her, but it is due today.

@davirom I am a her, hence the pronoun

Mine is due Fri (assuming my neighbour-friend stays home and hears the doorbell)

@vandemusser My CellarTracker app has the 2019 “A Quiet Moment” community value for the 750ml bottle at $53.25.

@vandemusser Nice - I think the Laura Michael Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon may be the high ticket one

@toddlamp @vandemusser Still confused why everybody is pegging the Twisted Oak Touriga at $24. The CT average value is $32.38 and the winery price was $39.
Not like it’s a big deal, obviously, but it’s confusing.

@halwarning Nice selection - although I am not a fan of the Two Jakes Roman reserve (understatement and I got 8 bottles of that in the Two Jakes mystery case) so hoping it does not turn up in my 6er! Would be interested to get your take on that wine when you get to it.

@ctmariner LOL I’m not much of a Cab Franc fan so this might end up being a gift at a party I didn’t really want to go to in the first place.

@halwarning Whoa, I was totally sleeping on the 2021 Larkmead Solari Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. $200/bottle? Holy Moley.

@ctmariner @halwarning
Don’t recommend that you gift the Roman Reserve.

@halwarning
Yeah, that’s a big boy wine!

@Foobarski You can tell most of these bottles are coming from here and UC!
Nice assortment. And for drinking dates, it’s a good thing most CT drinking windows are waaaay too short. At least for my tastes. Frequently I’ll open up something that’s 3 years past the “window” and will think it still tastes pretty young.

@klezman Yeah, I certainly don’t treat CT drinking windows as gospel. That said, the other night we had a bottle of a 2013 Arbor Bench Meritage that CT has a window of 2021 - 2023 for, and it was fine … but I definitely plan to drink the other two bottles I have within the next couple of months, knowwhatimean?
Mostly it’s just a quick way to determine, “drink this before that”.

@Foobarski Looks like you have a few interesting hauls, which in my opinion is nice….I enjoy receiving random wines in these mystery cases…wines I’ve either never heard of or have and wanted to try.

As indicated in the above conversations, I think using CT pricing is fine for those who know what’s up and have been buying wine long enough to also know that most of those price points are conditional, based on whether you were awake or aware of when a bargain was available (even then…was shipping and/or tax in the calculation???).

For example, whether you like the wines or not, I feel you have both of the Two Jakes wines extremely undervalued. Sure, you may have scored a case at $14-18 per/bottle on Casemates a few years ago if you were paying attention. But if you were going to buy one today at MSRP, you’d be paying attention least $40/bottle before tax and shipping.

I used a thorough Google search investigating all wine platforms to post my retail pricing, but did not include tax and/or shipping. If I couldn’t find information on a price using a traditional search, then I did reference CT and Wine Searcher to get an idea of what someone paid for their bottle.

Comparing prices on a Casemates forum is probably the epitome of comparing apples to oranges. You indicate that you are only “slightly” disappointed, so really that is all that matters.

Enjoy your mystery wines!

@Allieroon As I said, my slight disappointment was only about getting the same three Twisted Oak bottles in both cases, given that there were several other varieties that were included for others.
And as far as prices … yeah, I know enough to not necessarily trust the values on CT. In this case it’s not that important to know precisely what the wine I got was worth, it’s more just a quick check to validate that I got well more than I paid for, which I clearly did. If some of these wines actually still retail for more than what CT indicates, that’s gravy, but whatever.

@davidd13 Nice assortment. The Deerfield, Brunello, and maybe that Bien Nacido Pinot are the winners in my books.

@davidd13 ooh 2020 vintage of the cheer. I just noticed @foobarski had it too, up until now we’ve only seen 2022s

@davidd13 @james Yeah, I now have 25 bottles of the 2020 Cheer … haven’t popped one yet. Guess I oughta.

@Foobarski you could always figure out how to spread the cheer around

@davidd13 I’d love to hear how the Cheer held up once you get around to drinking it.

@ksujeff99 IMO, you got a great grouping. The Sullivan and Beau Vigne are really nice.

@ksujeff99 What a cool selection…enjoy!

WORKER BEES! HERCULES! TURKEY GREASE! AWESOME!

@ksujeff99 Lol the caption caught on the screen in the background

@fermentedwisdom Great Pinot vineyard and the Mixed Blacks sounds interesting!

@klezman Thanks! I might need someone to help me pour the Mixed Blacks, I think the bottle weighs more than I do

@trapuh you seem to have a deep dive into Argentina

@trapuh
The Peachy Canyon is listed for $65 on the winery website, $55 on Invino. Other than that…? Sad about the Twisted Oak. I would contact CS. I’m pretty sure they would send a TO bottle your way.

@davirom So, I guess, don’t cry for me…

@chipgreen Yeah, as far as my quick “research” showed, the Peachy Canyon would be the best candidate for the “ultra premium” bottle (but still not something at least half the purchase price of the offer, as promised). Thanks for the advice, I was tempted to write to customer service, but wanted to see what others had to say. I’m still excited by the variety, but…

@davirom
The Fort Ross Pinot is good stuff!

@winedavid for what it’s worth, I think there’s a silver lining in having a couple of duplicates, as we can try a bottle out, see what we personally think it would pair best with, and then know what to expect when we crack open the 2nd bottle and polish up the experience.

Sure, variety where possible is definitely nice, but just noting that as a first time Casemates customer, there are parts of having the multiples that I think I will really appreciate!

@nwalls2009 I think it was the edge hill

@Winedavid49 I figured it had to be that, just couldn’t find much info.

@nwalls2009 Also see below - someone values the Deerfield Cab Wolf Run at $108!

@poultrymom Nice haul!

@klezman Thanks! I am pretty jazzed!

@davirom

You spoke too soon. Take a look at what @msten received.

@kawichris650 @msten Did I? There was a correction posted. FWIW, I hope the original pix are what was received, but I have never gotten a bottle from CM with THAT much dust on it!

@davirom My interpretation of an ambiguously worded description was that each box (be it 6 or 12 btls) would have one bottle valued at half the order price - ergo, the full cases would receive a pricier bottle.

On the other hand, full cases were only assured of a single Twisted Oak - same as six packs.

Ergo, buying two sixers assured you of two TOs and two [semi]premium bottles. Could easily a better choice for some buyers.

And one thing to remember: this is CASEmates, mate!

@jaybird I did send a note to customer service.

@jaybird whodathunk the biggest mystery would be if ups would actually deliver the package.

@jaybird I had the same happen with a WTSO shipment - I opened an investigation myself a few days ago - still waiting to hear back.

@ctmariner interesting, they refused to let me open an investigation

@jaybird I did it online using UPS My Choice (which I was already subscribed to) after speaking to customer service. I am sure Casemates customer service will help you if you reach out to them.

@ctmariner I tried that too. Said I couldn’t start an investigation on this package online and to call. I called and they said to contact the shipper. UPS is usually really good. I’m really disappointed that I cannot go to the center anymore and talk to an employee. I had a missing package one other time and they had to look for 20 minutes to find it. She said that it would have stayed missing if I hadn’t come in.

@jaybird Processing!

There’s hope it isn’t missing. Won’t know til Mon.

@msten

No way!!!

Now that’s a bundle I would’ve hoped for! (Hopefully the bottles were stored in ideal conditions.)

@msten lol. Average haul.

@kawichris650 Yes, they have been properly stored.

@msten wow, what a cool delivery, vintage!

@msten

I figured you were pulling our legs haha. But had it been true, it’d be reminiscent of scoring an amazing BOC from the old site.

@kawichris650 @msten WD would have been sure to advertise that if it was a thing.

@msten LOL!

@msten Woof!

@llennyfar You can’t tell from looking if a wine is “corked” - meaning that the cork was contaminated with TCA.
What you’ve got there on that Twisted Oak bottle is a slightly leaky cork. Given my experience with similar bottles, in all likelihood the wine inside is just fine, but you never know for sure until you open it.

@klezman very fair point. Not going to not try it!

@msten Similar to mine! I got 3 of those in my 6-pk.

@itsjer
I’m guessing the Wellington Victory was a photo bomb of sorts? (Unless you were sent a baker’s dozen.)

@kawichris650 Peter felt left out.

@eldano Love the Gard Kvasir

@forlich two bottles of Onesta Cinsault (always welcome in my house) and two bottles of Loom SV Sangiovase. One bottle of the others

@SylvreKat I’m in the group who loves tasting notes like forest floor, mushroom, earth, tar, and savoury notes in wine. Fruit bombs are the opposite of my preferences, so those sound good to me!

“Vibrant acidity” should mean that it’s got enough acidity to taste “fresh” and “bright” rather than dull and muddy. Acidity is like salt and sugar in that sense - it wakes up your palate and keeps things tasting new again. (Just ask the lady who wrote Salt Fat Acid Heat!)

But yes, I think you got a good set.

@klezman @SylvreKat
I think overall Klez likes bottles with a touch more acidity than me, but other than that I’m all in for the forest but leave out juicy fruit bombs.
Nice selection, and you did your homework.

@klezman @SylvreKat wait, don’t you have an annual Turley allocation?

@klezman “loves tasting notes like forest floor, mushroom, earth, tar…” Yes, but how about tasting like gravel? And thanks for explaining acidity. Sounds like my thought was completely opposite. I figured more acidity meant more dry. I like fresh and bright!

@rjquillin Thank you. Maybe I like juicy fruit bombs 'cause I’m not a very sophisticated wine drinker. If it’s too dry, I add some nice Sprite to the “sand.”

So if acidity isn’t dryness, is it tannins?

@losthighwayz What’s Turley?

@losthighwayz @rjquillin @SylvreKat that “Sandy” sensation is tannin. But not all tannin is created equal, withsome being harsh while others are just textural.

Yes, I have a Turley allocation. But I sit on them for at least 5 years so the crazy fruit fades a bit and the wines get more into balance. And I’ve been buying less and less from them as their alcohol content has continued to creep north of 15.5%.

Turley makes full throttle Zinfandel from old vines throughout California. I like them when they’ve got 6-12 years of age on them because I prefer the wine to have a more savoury balance to it than fruity.

@klezman @losthighwayz @SylvreKat

that “Sandy” sensation is tannin.

Not sure I’d ever equated the two.

Resounding ‘yes’ on needing some years.

@klezman @rjquillin @SylvreKat Turley winery in Paso Robles. Big and bold zins (and other reds)

@klezman @losthighwayz @rjquillin Oh my gosh I’ve learned more from your comments than all my googling about these things! What I’ve found googling hasn’t been in a way I understand.

So I’m going to ask another question that I’ve been trying to figure out. How do you know how long you should keep a wine (or a tawny/port) before opening it? And how do you know how long is too long? 'Cause I usually have bought a bottle and opened it that weekend. But then I’ve also heard about manyMANY-decades-old bottles that are crazy-expensive. I assume the ideal is somewhere between, but when?

@losthighwayz
Yes, Turley makes a lot of big reds. It’s not the “bigness” that I don’t like, it’s the all-fruit-no-acid wines, and Turley has plenty of acidity usually. They also make a couple whites and a pink that are stingingly acidic. It’s a stylistic choice that, other than the alcohol content, I like for the change of pace and they do age decently well. Their Petite Sirah, though, I think is their best stuff.

@rjquillin @SylvreKat
I learned a LOT about wine from the wine.woot boards and that’s always been one of the things I appreciate about this community. Lots of knowledge that people are happy to share. Now that I’m on the other side of the learning curve I figure it’s part of my job to help others get up the learning curve!

How long to keep a wine…that’s a very difficult and personal question. In the end it comes down to taste. But here’s a few guidelines/points to consider:
-Tawny port is pre-oxidized and will never really go bad from oxidation. Madeira is the same. I’m not sure how much more they age once bottled, similarly to how whiskey doesn’t age more once bottled.
-Vintage/ruby port is more like a “regular” wine as far as ageing is concerned.
-Many wines are made to drink now-ish while others are made to age for 3-5 years, 10+ years, or many decades. Your average bottle of <$25 grocery store wine is made to drink now and will likely fall apart if you give it 20 years to rest.
-Views differ as to what makes a wine that ages well, but it comes down to some combination of acidity, pH, structure, tannin, and oxygen-holding capacity. Note that these things are not entirely independent either.

As a wine ages, two things tend to happen with respect to its aromas and flavours. Fruitiness declines while the other flavours develop and/or intensify. That’s why you’ll hear people say things like “this wine is really primary right now”, meaning that it smells and tastes young – fruity, rough(er) tannin, and more “perfumed”.
At the other end you’ll hear about secondary and tertiary notes. Some people use “secondary” to mean things like oak and other artifacts from winemaking while others use it to mean the first set of not-fruity flavours that come out over the first 3-10 years or so in bottle, like earth, mushroom, herbs, etc.
Tertiary are those sorts of aromas/flavours that are common in older wines: blue cheese, truffle, jalapeno, meat, and more. Also sometimes called bottle bouquet.
At some point, a wine reaches its “peak”, where (subjectively) the balance between primary, secondary, and tertiary notes are harmonious and the wine has reached a high point in complexity and interest. This point is different for each wine for each person since, you know, tastes vary and all that jazz. Bottles of the same wine vary, too, and with older wines you’ll hear about bottle variation.
If you want to see some of this in action, check out both rpm’s and my lab rat reports from the aged Pinot vertical a month or so back. https://casemates.com/forum/topics/negociant-pinot-noir-vertical

So how long to age a wine? Up to you! Try to find some older bottles at a local retailer (not a grocery store) that would have likely stored it properly. If you are in the LA area, ping me and visit and we’ll open some. The only way to learn if you might like older wine is to try a bunch of them. It’s quite different from younger wines, and you need to try a wide variety of ages and wines to start to wrap your head around it. Consider it a fun mission!

@klezman I will check out your lab rat reports later (I’m just taking a quick break from cleaning).

Mine have mostly been Aubrey Vineyards (they’re local), who told me they don’t sell 'til it’s already aged a few years and is ready to open and drink right away.

And I will take you up on your gracious offer should I find myself LA-ways. And thanks! And also thanks for the teaching

@losthighwayz What vintage was the problematic one?

@moondigger some of the cases of the 2012 went bad. Besides that, you’ll want to decant for several days, a week even (sounds crazy but it’s made to last this way) to get the full development potential. There may be quite a bit of sediment as well.

@moondigger I have 10s and 12s of the RR. Tbh I assumed all were same vintage. Opened two bottles and both were awful

@Ten9Eight

2013 Exuberance Pinot Noir ($??) MSRP $80

@Ten9Eight where do you live? Might find someone willing to donate a bottle of RR. I know I would. I even like it, but the whole decant for a week plus process means the six bottles I have left will last at least a decade.

@rjquillin thanks! am I right to think this in real drink now territory?

@slowbie I live in central Iowa

@Ten9Eight
CT link suggests 10 users put the window at Drink between: 2017 - 2023. I don’t pay much attention to those, as many a bottle is consumed way too early, but if you don’t have good storage, let it sit for a week or so to settle out and pull the cork. Oh, average CT value, $63+

@Ten9Eight nice haul!

@Burns72 Contact CS
Top of the page; account -> your orders -> details -> I need help with this

@rjquillin Thanks! Just did that. Looks like I lost my Twisted Oak bottle.

@Burns72 @rjquillin CS support will take care of you. I had a case that I assume had a bottle broken enroute. I say “assume” because UPS opened the box and individually wrapped the bottles, dumped them back into a different box and delivered it. The thing is… THEY ONLY DELIVERED 11 BOTTLES. And they acted like nothing was wrong. And then I had several bottles in the case that tasted odd. My assumption was that some of the bottles were cooked and one of the corks popped and UPS cleaned it up. CS support took care of me and refunded me for the missing and odd tasting bottles. They are really good about that.

@crabbyman I think Blackbird is the $$$ bottle there.

@rjquillin I’m sure you’re likely busy with more important things.

However, looks like @crabbyman could use your help consolidating the photos into one post (if/when you have time).