(ANWILKA) Friday Night Lights Dear Friends, Staring at the moon tonight is an amazing site - it is so bright, so present - like I could reach out and hold it in my hand (I believe this is the solstice moon?). You can make out every detail in the craggy surface and it seems alive in more ways than one. With the moon overhead, and wine off my mind for a change, this deal came in very late - so I'm sending it out early Saturday - it's such a good price for this wine that it doesn't need a lot of explanation. When we offered this 2-3 years ago for $35 or so, it was one of the hottest wines going. Parker had waxed poetic on its virtues as the greatest wine ever made in South Africa, etc and the Cos d'Estournel/Angelus connection was just the right mix of pedigree that it became an instant hit around the world (literally). Now it's in the discount bin. Why? The reason is simple - saturation. Too much came to the US. In a matter of weeks, it was being offered everywhere and unlike Bordeaux or Burgundy with limitless demand, the lesson was quickly learned that South Africa (despite it's great strides in quality) still has a ceiling with US consumers. Their is no secondary market demand for South African wine in the US - where Bordeaux can sit around and appreciate in value simply from time passing by (eventually someone will take it home), with most South African wine this is just not the case (not yet anyway). That doesn't mean South African wine is inferior, quite the opposite, it's just a rule of supply and demand and the US market is not ready to give the best wines from ZA the same secondary market status. So, when a boatload of this came to the market, a huge amount was traded in the first few months and then...nothing. The market's ignorance, is your gain. You can look up whatever TN's you need to on the 2005 Anwilka but this seems to be a fabulous deal. Many would argue that it's just as good as Parker's original proclamation and its best days are probably well ahead of it. This is a serious red wine through and through but its easy enough to enjoy at present that its appeal will find different paths at the same dinner table. To enjoy this now, you must decant it for several hours. This lot has been perfectly stored since release and is in pristine shape. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED 2005 Anwilka (Stellenbosch) Thank you, Jon Rimmerman Garagiste Seattle, WA SA8900
By Jon Rimmerman
(ANWILKA) Friday Night Lights Dear Friends, Staring at the moon tonight is an amazing site - it is so bright, so present - like I could reach out and hold it in my hand (I believe this is the solstice moon?). You can make out every detail in the craggy surface and it seems alive in more ways than one. With the moon overhead, and wine off my mind for a change, this deal came in very late - so I'm sending it out early Saturday - it's such a good price for this wine that it doesn't need a lot of explanation. When we offered this 2-3 years ago for $35 or so, it was one of the hottest wines going. Parker had waxed poetic on its virtues as the greatest wine ever made in South Africa, etc and the Cos d'Estournel/Angelus connection was just the right mix of pedigree that it became an instant hit around the world (literally). Now it's in the discount bin. Why? The reason is simple - saturation. Too much came to the US. In a matter of weeks, it was being offered everywhere and unlike Bordeaux or Burgundy with limitless demand, the lesson was quickly learned that South Africa (despite it's great strides in quality) still has a ceiling with US consumers. Their is no secondary market demand for South African wine in the US - where Bordeaux can sit around and appreciate in value simply from time passing by (eventually someone will take it home), with most South African wine this is just not the case (not yet anyway). That doesn't mean South African wine is inferior, quite the opposite, it's just a rule of supply and demand and the US market is not ready to give the best wines from ZA the same secondary market status. So, when a boatload of this came to the market, a huge amount was traded in the first few months and then...nothing. The market's ignorance, is your gain. You can look up whatever TN's you need to on the 2005 Anwilka but this seems to be a fabulous deal. Many would argue that it's just as good as Parker's original proclamation and its best days are probably well ahead of it. This is a serious red wine through and through but its easy enough to enjoy at present that its appeal will find different paths at the same dinner table. To enjoy this now, you must decant it for several hours. This lot has been perfectly stored since release and is in pristine shape. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED 2005 Anwilka (Stellenbosch) Thank you, Jon Rimmerman Garagiste Seattle, WA SA89006/21/2008, (See more on Garagiste...)