Estate Bottled does not mean much to me except when it is in relation to environmental practices. Other than those considerations, who raises the grapes has no bearing on their selection or blending.

Estate Bottled does not mean much to me except when it is in relation to environmental practices. Other than those considerations, who raises the grapes has no bearing on their selection or blending.

Estate Bottled does not mean much to me except when it is in relation to environmental practices. Other than those considerations, who raises the grapes has no bearing on their selection or blending.

Gary,

Great guest and really interesting conversation. I especially appreciate the total honesty you both displayed. A very enjoyable 2 parter.

QOTD: Estate grown does matter to me, but I agree with Gary that it has to become a bigger play in order for the public to notice and be educated. Being in the food sales biz, if our product had “organic’ in small print on the front panel, those consumers looking specifically for that will miss it. In the end though , good wine is good wine – a farmer might grow exceptional grapes but is not ineterested in taking on the whole winemaker thing.

Gary, great show (both parts). Jeff was a terrific guest with obvious passion for his craft. QOTD: Absolutely it means something to me. Having previously lived the grape growing life, I understand the importance of having control “from dirt to bottle”. So many decisions throughout the growing season (and some before) have subtle effects on the finished product. Estate, to me, gives me the confidence that the producer has sacrificed and paid attention to details all the way through which more often than not should mean that the wine will reflect the terroir and the winemaker’s true intent. Keep up the good work – looking forward to seeing Jeff back again some day.

To me…estate bottling matters! YUP…

To me…estate bottling matters! YUP…

So, to answer Jeff’s question, I’ve never even noticed “Estate” on a wine before, let alone wondered what it means.

So it’s meaningless.

However, if as Gary suggests Jeff starts branding it properly, then you could do something like this: http://www.xkcd.com/641/

And then *everyone* would go “Oh, this *ISN’T* an estate wine? Pfft!”

Seth

Great 2~fer, G. Really enjoyed the banter back and forth.
QOTD.. I tend to respect Estate-grown wine more though I think the majority of the wine buying public doesn’t have a clue what it means. So I guess it’s all in who you ask.

I really loved Jeff and his ability to talk about his passion for well-made, tradition-routed wine in a down to earth way.

QOTD: Estate grown is VERY important. I work at a small winery in Pennsylvania, and knowing the wide expanse of factors that affect the characteristics of the grapes, I think estate bottling is the only way to ensure consistency of quality and development of terroir. Many good wines are non-estate grown, but I hold a level of esteem for the true craftmanship of an estate wine.

I agree, it needs to be talked about and made more prominent. Many people do not know what it means.

I really loved Jeff and his ability to talk about his passion for well-made, tradition-routed wine in a down to earth way.

QOTD: Estate grown is VERY important. I work at a small winery in Pennsylvania, and knowing the wide expanse of factors that affect the characteristics of the grapes, I think estate bottling is the only way to ensure consistency of quality and development of terroir. Many good wines are non-estate grown, but I hold a level of esteem for the true craftmanship of an estate wine.

I agree, it needs to be talked about and made more prominent. Many people do not know what it means.

Another great episode. I liked the interview component.

Estate bottling is somewhat important to me but does not enter into my buying decisions as often as it probably should. It’s usually more of an afterthought. I think Gary’s advice about making the statement more prominent and trying to get the word out as far as marketing that idea is great.

Gary,

Terrific back to back episodes with Jeff. BTW, I’m not bothered at all when two passionate people speak simultaneously, it adds to the excitement for me. To an earlier comment, I think the interview with Heidi Barrett was the show topper. I?d love to see her back on the show.
QOTD: Yes, I?m more likely to buy an Estate wine if the choice is presented in a heads up, one or the other, same appellation, similar price point etc.

Listening to knowledgeable and passionate people is always a pleasure, doubly so when they’re also obviously good people.

Gary, I have to agree with the folks above about your interruptions. It’s not so much the interruptions per se (we get it: time constraints, no editing, got to keep things moving), it’s that your interruptions are often wildly off-topic. Many’s the time a guest has been talking about winemaking and you’ve interrupted to ask about the distributor the winery used years before; you did that sort of thing this time, too. (Interviewing is tough, as everyone who has ever tried it knows, and I admire you for having the guts to put yourself out in front of the world the way you do. A little more focus would help, that’s all I’m saying.)

QOTD: Wines at the price I buy are almost never estate bottled, so that clearly hasn’t affected my purchasing decisions. Until today, I wasn’t entirely sure what the designation meant, and I know I’m not alone. The wine *business* doesn’t seem to have done enough to educate consumers about the *wine* business.

hey gv,
QOTD…great guest, to me im not sure if i buy because it says estate bottled, but i like to see it, does that make sense? what does everyone else think? great educational show and a nice guy. I just started http://www.eatdrinkandroll.wordpress.com because gary forced me to crush it after the great book .
thanks guys,
bill
@wrollcia

Gary bringing the heavy questions!

And we get a New Orleans Crawfish shot out with no reference to the New Orleans themed label? Come on now…

QOTD: For me it does matters, and I like to visit the vineyards when I can as a Viticulture student. Being from Louisiana and around the restaurant business, the buyers do look at Estate wines in a higher class and are likely to be put on their lists vintage after vintage. With that said, does it matter to the average person looking at 18 feet of shelves filled with wine? Most likely not.

QOTD — in the end, it matters a little, but not a whole lot; yes, the winemaker(s) have greater control from bud to bottle, but it also limits what they can do if their vineyard has a local problem

Great episode! Cool guest!

QOTD: Gary hit it right on the head: Market it so it means something! Jeff got great marketing advice from Gary for free. 🙂

Gary and Jeff,
Great show! I wish I lived in a state that allowed me to order wine via the interwebs so I could get in on the club.

QOTD: For me (been serious about wine for ~6months) estate bottled makes a huge difference in my buying habits. Last week I was picking out a pinot noir and ended up choosing a bottle priced $5 more solely because it was estate bottled. If I know nothing about a wine before hand, and I’m having to decide between two bottles priced the same, 9 times out of 10 I will pick the estate bottled. As I learn more and experience more wine I may not always be willing to pay the premium but for now it’s part of the decision making process. That being said obviously what’s in the bottle, regardless of origin, is what will keep me coming back.

what is going on?

QOTD: It does mean something, but no where near enough to make me want to pay the “estate” premium that the owners think “estate” wine deserves.

Yo Jeff, YOU WAS GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!!

qotd: You Betcha……. 🙂

QOTD: Estate bottled definitely means a lot to me. They have been putting on bordeaux labels for years, and it does or should mean alot. I used to sell as a distributor and I think buyers liked estate wines in general more too.

Great show!

Hey Guys

Great show with lots of passion. It’s great to see a family bussiness battling on and making great wines.

QOTD: It matters, but not always. As you say I’m always up for trying new things and if it’s estate bottled or not will not stop me trying a wine, but if I was buying a case of wine to cellar or had too choose between two bottles it would certainly come into play as an important consideration.

Cheers
Andrew

I believe that if you find a particular wine that you absolutely love, and want to continue a relationship year after year at a price point that you can live with, then estate wine makes alot of sense. That being said, why should estate wine be more costly? The producer is using his own sweat equity instead of paying for anothers’. I think doing one’s own labor should balance out the ‘price point’.
Smell it first! TR