Dan Murphy's and Other Wine Deals

Cellar One has Petaluma Evans 2015 and 2018 for $40 in a flash sale. Some people might be able to use birthday vouchers with it. I don't know when the sale started/ends.
 
Vinomofo look to have the ‘13 vintage in their goat sale
Wowee, it sold out as I was looking at it! Fortunately it doesn't seem as well rated as the '15 that I splurged on this a.m. on CellarOne. Cruel of all of you to put this in front of me, tho I suppose I should take some of the blame for being on the forum. Still, pretty shabby.
 
Wowee, it sold out as I was looking at it! Fortunately it doesn't seem as well rated as the '15 that I splurged on this a.m. on CellarOne. Cruel of all of you to put this in front of me, tho I suppose I should take some of the blame for being on the forum. Still, pretty shabby.
I do wonder if Petaluma clearing out old stock like this is an early symptom of what we'll see from the wine glut (licks lips...)
 
I do wonder if Petaluma clearing out old stock like this is an early symptom of what we'll see from the wine glut (licks lips...)
Australia has had a wine glut of small or large scale most of the time since the 1980's (the infamous Barossa vine-pull, Shiraz muffins etc.), here's a publication from 2012 https://fare.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Wine-Glut-Paper-FINAL-NO-EMBARGO.pdf
And one from 2019 Australia's wine glut is over, industry group says
For a combination of factors, not just China, we are currently experiencing possibly the most severe glut of them all.
A lot of the excess is at the cheaper end of the market, some will go to distillers, vinegar makers, some will be sold off at a loss, some maybe down the drain.
Some grape growers will go out of business or pull vines for other crops, big companies are selling off vineyards so they can screw growers on prices rather than have the asset/overheads on their books, some producers that were mainly on the China-train may even go out of business or have to sell at a loss if they can find a buyer.
One of the secrets of buying well in a glut is knowledge and information, to be able to react quickly when the more premium lines of stressed producers are (often briefly) reduced in price to generate cash-flow and interest in the other lines they are flogging. Hence Forums like this are a valuable resource.
Here we are in late 2023 and there are still new offers on 2017 reds and earlier every week, many of which are not worth much more than a passing glance. And yet premium small producers are selling out of all they can make in rapid time. I'm a firm believer in the old adage that "good wine, fairly priced, will always sell quickly".
So, sort through the junk and find the diamonds/pearls with glee, but perhaps spare a thought for some of those feeling pain behind those deals.

The Australian wine industry is only just coming to grips with the developing crisis and big changes are coming
 
Australia has had a wine glut of small or large scale most of the time since the 1980's (the infamous Barossa vine-pull, Shiraz muffins etc.), here's a publication from 2012 https://fare.org.au/wp-content/uploads/Wine-Glut-Paper-FINAL-NO-EMBARGO.pdf
And one from 2019 Australia's wine glut is over, industry group says
For a combination of factors, not just China, we are currently experiencing possibly the most severe glut of them all.
A lot of the excess is at the cheaper end of the market, some will go to distillers, vinegar makers, some will be sold off at a loss, some maybe down the drain.
Some grape growers will go out of business or pull vines for other crops, big companies are selling off vineyards so they can screw growers on prices rather than have the asset/overheads on their books, some producers that were mainly on the China-train may even go out of business or have to sell at a loss if they can find a buyer.
One of the secrets of buying well in a glut is knowledge and information, to be able to react quickly when the more premium lines of stressed producers are (often briefly) reduced in price to generate cash-flow and interest in the other lines they are flogging. Hence Forums like this are a valuable resource.
Here we are in late 2023 and there are still new offers on 2017 reds and earlier every week, many of which are not worth much more than a passing glance. And yet premium small producers are selling out of all they can make in rapid time. I'm a firm believer in the old adage that "good wine, fairly priced, will always sell quickly".
So, sort through the junk and find the diamonds/pearls with glee, but perhaps spare a thought for some of those feeling pain behind those deals.

The Australian wine industry is only just coming to grips with the developing crisis and big changes are coming
Great post RB, thanks.

Bit of a tricky one there, sparing a thought when markets turn, which as you say this one does frequently... You're right of course - I do feel keenly for anyone whose livelihood is threatened by market fluxes, transitions and stampedes. But behind every true massive discount on a good wine (ie, not the Curtis or GWD style of routine rrp lies) surely there's always someone not getting what they'd first hoped. What's a wine treasure hunter to do, insist on paying full price? Hope the discounts aren't too frequent and happen only when profits are high and all producers can give something back? Feel both elation and sadness at the same time? Stop drinking? I personally wouldn't be averse to ditching capitalism in the interests of more regulated production but I'm not sure how popular that would be!

Help me obi-wan!
 
Great post RB, thanks.

What's a wine treasure hunter to do, insist on paying full price? Hope the discounts aren't too frequent and happen only when profits are high and all producers can give something back? Feel both elation and sadness at the same time? Stop drinking?
There is an easy rationalisation.
1. I didn't cause the problematic situation leading to the low price offer.
2. I am helping move stock and generate at least some income.
 
There is an easy rationalisation.
1. I didn't cause the problematic situation leading to the low price offer.
2. I am helping move stock and generate at least some income.
Thank you! This is good advice. We opportunists are in fact the suppliers of a critical lifeline. I will sleep soundly now (next to my case of discount petaluma)
 
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I haven't tried the 2021 St Peters, but eventually will and I'll try to understand what HH saw in it that was so special to him.
I have tried this now.
It was ranked first of a set of 6 Victorian reds from 2021 by a group of 14 tasters, first despite several of the group disliking it enough to rank it last or close to last. Just not their preferred style, which is more the lush Barossa style.

I thought it was clearly and easily the best wine in the set, although the other wines were all cheaper than the St Peters. (Next best was Paul Osicka Heathcote Shiraz 2021 @ $38, nice, softer style, yet unexciting next to the St Peters and the ever-reliable ATR Wines Chockstone Shiraz 2021 @ $24)
What makes it stand out?
Purity of fruit. It must have had a perfect ripening season and perfectly timed picking and sensitive wine making not to stuff it up. I can't remember a better example of the line and I've tried/drunk most of them from the 70's onwards (previously Gt Western Hermitage line).
Ripe fine tannins. Depending on the winemaking choices, tannin comes from skins, seeds, stalks and the oak. Getting the fine, seamless structure without any hard edges or drying texture is a feature here that many wines don't exhibit.
Oak. Obviously expensive and adds a pleasant if slightly cedary dimension of aroma and flavour. It was a feature that some of the detractors mentioned, but in my experience/opinion is perfectly judged for the fruit weight and expected development over 10+ years of cellaring.
Acid. There, but unobtrusive, just as it should be.

So, if you appreciate this style of wine, this is indeed a very special example and the best of this line that I can remember tasting.
99pts? Who cares, it's just one person's opinion. But it's not unreasonable.
 
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I have tried this now.
It was ranked first of a set of 6 Victorian reds from 2021 by a group of 14 tasters, first despite several of the group disliking it enough to rank it last or close to last. Just not their preferred style, which is more the lush Barossa style.

I thought it was clearly and easily the best wine in the set, although the other wines were all cheaper than the St Peters. (Next best was Paul Osicka Heathcote Shiraz 2021 @ $38, nice, softer style, yet unexciting next to the St Peters and the ever-reliable ATR Wines Chockstone Shiraz 2021 @ $24)
What makes it stand out?
Purity of fruit. It must have had a perfect ripening season and perfectly timed picking and sensitive wine making not to stuff it up. I can't remember a better example of the line and I've tried/drunk most of them from the 70's onwards.
Ripe fine tannins. Depending on the winemaking choices, tannin comes from skins, seeds, stalks and the oak. Getting the fine, seamless structure without any hard edges or drying texture is a feature here that many wines don't exhibit.
Oak. Obviously expensive and adds a pleasant if slightly cedary dimension of aroma and flavour. It was a feature that some of the detractors mentioned, but in my experience/opinion is perfectly judged for the fruit weight and expected development over 10+ years of cellaring.
Acid. There, but unobtrusive, just as it should be.

So, if you appreciate this style of wine, this is indeed a very special example and the best of this line that I can remember tasting.
99pts? Who cares, it's just one person's opinion. But it's not unreasonable.
Great review. Thanks @redbigot

Sadly St Peters 2021 is back to just 10% off on the Seppelt website ($72pb).
 

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