During ten action-packed days of tasting in Napa Valley this month, I focused on the wines in front of me and attempted to ignore pricing that in many cases is grossly out of whack with today’s straitened times. By most accounts, smaller producers known for high quality and (relatively) moderate prices continue to sell their wines, particularly those from the widely praised and mostly superb 2007 vintage. But when wines surpass $100 a bottle, and especially when prices head north of $200, sales slow dramatically—especially since even the swankiest restaurants have been extremely hesitant to restock their cellars with expensive items. Plenty of pricey collectible wines continue to be consumed by American winos, but today they’re more likely to do it in the privacy of their own homes, and much less likely to pay steep restaurant mark-ups for the privilege. READ MORE »
