A Two Part Wine Quiz for Millennials

 

Recently, one online retailer offered the 2015 Screaming Eagle

Napa Cabernet for $2,499.99 a bottle. That it was available was odd enough but then I asked myself, who would pay that for one bottle? And online?

Since millennials are the usual suspects for things we don’t understand, I created this fool-proof quiz to get some answers.

 

A. Which of the following would you buy for $2,499.99?

                  (hint, this can be pretend money or bitcoins)

  1. One Bottle of 2015 Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon
  2. 36 bottles of 2015 Caymus Napa Cabernet Sauvignon        
  3. 24 bottles of 2014 Dunn Vineyards Napa Cabernet
  4. 48 bottles of 2015 Jordan Cabernet Alexander Valley
  5. 200 bottles of Prosecco. Maybe as many as 300.   
  6. 10 bottles of 2004  “Dom” Rose Champagne

B. Would you Who Checked “A-1” Buy the Screaming Eagle Based on this Review?

98-100 pts – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate  

“Blended of 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc, the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon reveals a medium to deep garnet-purple color and nose of crushed blackberries, black cherries and wild blueberries with notions of fragrant earth, garrigue, lavender, Sichuan pepper and dried leaves. Medium-bodied with signature elegance and finesse, it’s the incredibly fine, oh-so-pixelated tannins that help to define the signature of this vineyard, beautifully supporting the elegant fruit, finishing with great poise. This is a very sensuous, pensive style and not for those seeking a full-on blockbuster but rather will greatly pleasure lovers of wines with quiet intensity and subtle depth. Note that this was a tank sample, due to be bottled within a week.”

TIME’S UP

Answer Sheet:

A.

  1. You must love eagles and didn’t know this was a wine. Or you have too much money, low self-esteem, and are bad at math. Congrats…you can be a wine collector.
  2. You know your wine history and vintages. Show off!
  3. So you are stocking or starting a wine cellar and want one to hold for several years. Good for you…planning ahead. Are you really a millennial?
  4. You are a lover of “quiet intensity and subtle depth” and are very good at math.
  5. Party On! You might also qualify for…

“I’ll Be There In A Prosecco” T-Shirt offered on Amazon.

6. You know Dom?  Feel free to invite me to the tasting.

B.

Yes, but who or what is a Robert Parker?

Is that an app, new designer running shoe or what?

And why so many, what are they…words?

No. How can you rate a wine before it is in the bottle? Tank sample?

Tank this!

And why does wine need an advocate, anyway?

Must be FAKE wine.  SAD.

 

Unknown's avatar

Author: robywine, norm roby

My career as a wine journalist/critic began in 1975 when my article about California Petite Sirah was published. My focus remained on California as I edited a monthly wine magazine and then moved on to The Wine Spectator in 1982. Over the following years, my column appeared under the banner of “Stormin’ Norman, and I also wrote articles about wine collectors and wine auctions. Without getting into a year by year bio, let me try to summarize here. During my time with The Spectator which I enjoyed immensely, I taught wine classes at a culinary school and at other venues in San Francisco. Before venturing into wine, teaching was my thing, English Lit and Rhetoric. After The Spectator I was the U.S. Contributor to Decanter Magazine, writing mostly about California, but also expanding into Washington State and Oregon. My Decanter years began in 1992 and after buying a summer home in France in 2000, I traveled throughout France and eventually published articles about St. Emilion, Castillon, Bergerac, Minervois, Roussillon, Luberon, Provence, and Alsace. Also, around 2000, my wife began working for Cousino-Macul in Chile, so we tasted and traveled our way through Chile and, of course, managed to fly over the Andes and explore and taste our way through Argentina. As travel lovers, we have also spent many interesting days visiting the wine regions of Spain, Italy, Portugal, Scicily, Greece, and New Zealand. And to come to a close, I was Director of Winesong, a Charity Wine Auction for 20 years, 1992-2000 that benefitted a local hospital. That brought me in contact with wine collectors and to the auction scene. And finally, I co-authored a book, The Connoisseurs’ Guide to California Wine published by Alfred A. Knopf. It went through 4 editions and sold over 500.000 copies.

Leave a comment