Press release this morning states that Domaines Reybier, owner of Cos
D'Estournel, has purchased Chateau Montelena in the Napa Valley.

On Jul 22, 8:20*am, Mark Slater > wrote:
> Press release this morning states that Domaines Reybier, owner of Cos
> D'Estournel, has purchased Chateau Montelena in the Napa Valley.

Wowzers! This is interesting news, to be sure!

Will anyone else here be at the Bottle Shock premier at Montelena this
Saturday? Let me know and we'll meet up.

- Agent Red, Founding Partner
www.thewinespies.com

That sounds like good news. Glad it was NOT Constellation or any of the
huge wine conglomerates.

COS is a favorite of mine.
"Mark Slater" > wrote in message
...
> Press release this morning states that Domaines Reybier, owner of Cos
> D'Estournel, has purchased Chateau Montelena in the Napa Valley.

On Jul 22, 8:20*am, Mark Slater > wrote:
> Press release this morning states that Domaines Reybier, owner of Cos
> D'Estournel, has purchased Chateau Montelena in the Napa Valley.

Can you please post a link to the press release? I can't find a
mention anywhere.

On Jul 22, 12:18 pm, Agent Red > wrote:
> On Jul 22, 8:20 am, Mark Slater > wrote:
>
> > Press release this morning states that Domaines Reybier, owner of Cos
> > D'Estournel, has purchased Chateau Montelena in the Napa Valley.
>
> Can you please post a link to the press release? I can't find a
> mention anywhere.

The news first broke on eRobertParker, on the bulletin board. Decanter
is just reporting the story now: http://www.decanter.com/news/263977.html

Mark Slater wrote:
> On Jul 22, 12:18 pm, Agent Red > wrote:
>> On Jul 22, 8:20 am, Mark Slater > wrote:
>>
>>> Press release this morning states that Domaines Reybier, owner of Cos
>>> D'Estournel, has purchased Chateau Montelena in the Napa Valley.
>> Can you please post a link to the press release? I can't find a
>> mention anywhere.
>
> The news first broke on eRobertParker, on the bulletin board. Decanter
> is just reporting the story now: http://www.decanter.com/news/263977.html

That *is* interesting news, Mark. Thanks for passing it along (I only
try to wade through the crap at eBob on rare occasions). I agree that,
from what I know, this is probably about the best that could be hoped
for at Montelena given the fact that the Barretts were selling. It also
sounds as if, at least in the short term, Jim Barrett will keep making
the wines (a good thing IMO).

Mark Lipton

--
alt.food.wine FAQ: http://winefaq.cwdjr.net

On Jul 22, 1:04�pm, Mark Lipton > wrote:
> Mark Slater wrote:
> > On Jul 22, 12:18 pm, Agent Red > wrote:
> >> On Jul 22, 8:20 am, Mark Slater > wrote:
>
> >>> Press release this morning states that Domaines Reybier, owner of Cos
> >>> D'Estournel, has purchased Chateau Montelena in the Napa Valley.
> >> Can you please post a link to the press release? �I can't find a
> >> mention anywhere.
>
> > The news first broke on eRobertParker, on the bulletin board. Decanter
> > is just reporting the story now: �http://www.decanter.com/news/263977.html
>
> That *is* interesting news, Mark. �Thanks for passing it along (I only
> try to wade through the crap at eBob on rare occasions). �I agree that,
> from what I know, this is probably about the best that could be hoped
> for at Montelena given the fact that the Barretts were selling. �It also
> sounds as if, at least in the short term, Jim Barrett will keep making
> the wines (a good thing IMO).
>
> Mark Lipton
>
> --
> alt.food.wine FAQ: �http://winefaq.cwdjr.net

If recent Cos d'Estournel pricing is a clue,I guess I've bought my
last Montelena!

Agent Red > wrote:

>> Press release this morning states that Domaines Reybier, owner
>> of Cos D'Estournel, has purchased Chateau Montelena in the Napa
>> Valley.

> Can you please post a link to the press release? I can't find a
> mention anywhere.

There you are (came by mail this morning at 07:56 UTC):

--------------- Begin Citation ---------------

Michel Reybier, owner of Chateau Cos d'Estournel, grand cru classé
of Saint-Estèphe, today announced his agreement (subject to any
regulatory approval) with Chateau Montelena's owner, Jim Barrett,
to acquire the Chateau Montelena estate in Napa Valley.

"The Reybier and Barrett families share a relentless pursuit of
quality," said Michel Reybier. "More than anything else, great
wine is about place. These two estates are 7,000 miles apart, but
share many common qualities and experiences. The merge of that
experience will allow both estates to continue improving over time
with the combined knowledge of the two families." The similarities
between Chateau Montelena and Cos d'Estournel are notable: Both
Michel Reybier and Jim Barrett acquired historic wine estates and
led them through a renaissance. Both estates are known for their
exceptional and distinctive terroir, and both produce world-class
wines with unique characteristics that distinguish them in their
respective regions.

"This is a perfect fit - a dream marriage," said Jim Barrett. "We
could not have asked for a finer team to carry on this legacy."

Chateau Montelena was first established in 1882, and by 1896 it
was the 7th largest winery in Napa Valley and well known for its
quality. After going through a number of owners, the estate had
been substantially abandoned when the Barrett family acquired it
in 1972 and transformed this 125 year-old wine estate into what
has been called an American first growth.

Under the management of Jim Barrett and his son Bo, Chateau
Montelena has consistently garnered top accolades from the world's
wine experts and is well-known for its exceptional terroir and its
consistency of style and grace from year to year. Also famous for
its Chardonnay, the 1973 vintage won the famous international wine
tasting known as "The Judgment of Paris," which is said to have
put Napa Valley on the map.

Bo Barrett, who has made the wines at Chateau Montelena since
1982, will continue to provide the essential knowledge and
experience gained from 35 years of living and working on the
estate, in accordance with the Cos d'Estournel Management team.
Bo Barrett said, "Michel Reybier understands the importance of
continuity, commitment, and experience in making world-class
wine."

Contact name and phone number:
In Bordeaux, Jean Guillaume PRATS and/or Geraldine MARQUAY
(tel: (33) XXX - fax (33) YYY - email: xxx@yyy or xxx@yyy .

Press Agency in France:
Jean-François Hesse
Tel : 01 XXX Email : xxx@yyy
Phone : +33 XXX

---------------- End Citation ----------------

M.

DaleW > wrote
>
> If recent Cos d'Estournel pricing is a clue,I guess I've bought my
> last Montelena!

Dale,

for sure, Cos pricing is behind this purchase. Les Chateaux Bordeleaises
are charging so much for their wines and, in the last three years, have
profited so highly of second, third, fourth and subsequent tranches of en
primeur*, that they do have huge amounts of cash that they desperately need
to employ in whatever helps avoid paying the French taxes on profits.

* A few years ago, the negoce purchased very big lots of wines en primeur
and earned big profits in big vintages when the en primeur price changed
quickly responding to increasing demand. Nowadays, the big Chateaux are
selling very tiny amount of wines on each tranche and earning the profits
associated with demand pressures (and, in fact, creating this preasures by
releasing very small amounts).

Best,

santiago

In article 8>,
santiago > wrote:

> DaleW > wrote
> >
> > If recent Cos d'Estournel pricing is a clue,I guess I've bought my
> > last Montelena!
>
> Dale,
>
> for sure, Cos pricing is behind this purchase. Les Chateaux Bordeleaises
> are charging so much for their wines and, in the last three years, have
> profited so highly of second, third, fourth and subsequent tranches of en
> primeur*, that they do have huge amounts of cash that they desperately need
> to employ in whatever helps avoid paying the French taxes on profits.
>
> * A few years ago, the negoce purchased very big lots of wines en primeur
> and earned big profits in big vintages when the en primeur price changed
> quickly responding to increasing demand. Nowadays, the big Chateaux are
> selling very tiny amount of wines on each tranche and earning the profits
> associated with demand pressures (and, in fact, creating this preasures by
> releasing very small amounts).
>
> Best,
>
> santiago

I hope this purchase will not bode poorly for Montelena but so far, many
of the established wineries in CA that have been bought out have seen a
significant drop in quality as the parent company tries to squeeze every
penny of profit from it.

"Lawrence Leichtman" > wrote in message
news:larry-wrote
snip

> I hope this purchase will not bode poorly for Montelena but so far, many
> of the established wineries in CA that have been bought out have seen a
> significant drop in quality as the parent company tries to squeeze every
> penny of profit from it.

That is why I am Glad it was not purchased by a multi billion dollar
conglomerate like Constallation that owns Mondavi, Franciscan and so many
others....I agree, a tendancy if public owned to regard profit over quality.

See partial list of Constellation brands below on link:
http://www.cbrands.com/CBI/constella...tates/list.jsp