In a perfect world one could raise and lower one’s price based on vintage and quality without any problem. Oh wait, you can do that, unless your wine is listed at the LCBO; which just so happens is the case with this Coyote’s Run offering. In 2005 this 50-50 blend of Cabernet was exquisite and the winery priced the wine at $17 … the LCBO liked it too, so they bought some and put it on their general list. In 2006, owner Jeff Aubry thought the vintage wasn’t as good as the ’05 and lowered the price by a buck, the LCBO said “we can do that”. We are now starting to see wines from the outstanding 2007 vintage and recognizing quality level increase, Jeff wanted to return his wine back to the original $17 – the LCBO isn’t quite sure he should be doing this. Which at this moment is good for you and me, but not so good for Coyote’s Run. So be warned, this wine will raise in price, but for now we are getting one heck of a deal on a wine loaded with black cherry, earthy-cedary nuances, lots of black fruit like cassis and black berry, cinnamon, spice, a full mouth feel with good tannins and a dusting of bittersweet chocolate on the finish. Funny thing is, with all those descriptors this wine is still a bit closed at this time – I’d give it a year to a year and a half before opening and a cellarability of 7-plus years … if you can’t wait then the decanter is your next best option.
1 comment:
Not entirely correct...
The LCBO generally "frowns" upon large price changes in any direction, since it tends to reduce profits for price decreases, or scare off customers for price increases. Also, price changes in general are expensive for the LCBO, as they have a lot of things to which they need to make adjustments, such as price tags, marcom pieces, publications, web sites, etc.
Furthermore, this isn't a problem for the LCBO only. Most large retailers in most industries feel the same about swings in wholesale prices.
Let's face it...vintage variation is as old as winemaking. We just have to learn to deal with it as best as possible, producers and retailers.
Jeff Aubry
President, Coyote's Run Estate Winery
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