Have Alban syrahs become culty?

[Jenise]

Remember buying the Reva for $30ish, and I know that demand for California syrahs had not been outpacing supply, so was surprised to see this listing on a K & L auction:

2007 Alban "Reva" Edna Valley Syrah Starting bid (as of September 12, 2012 8:07 AM PST): $95.00
Bid on this bottle of 2007 Alban "Reva" Edna Valley Syrah (96RP, 94WS, 94ST). "The 2007 Syrah Reva is dazzling. It possesses striking inner perfume and beautifully delineated fruit. Blackberries, blueberries, freshly cut white flowers, licorice, tar and asphalt are some of the notes that take shape in the glass. Alban gave the 2007 Reva 44 months in untoasted French oak barrels." - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Definitely priced higher than I would expect even for the points.

Remember buying the Reva for $30ish, and I know that demand for California syrahs had not been outpacing supply, so was surprised to see this listing on a K & L auction:

2007 Alban "Reva" Edna Valley Syrah Starting bid (as of September 12, 2012 8:07 AM PST): $95.00
Bid on this bottle of 2007 Alban "Reva" Edna Valley Syrah (96RP, 94WS, 94ST). "The 2007 Syrah Reva is dazzling. It possesses striking inner perfume and beautifully delineated fruit. Blackberries, blueberries, freshly cut white flowers, licorice, tar and asphalt are some of the notes that take shape in the glass. Alban gave the 2007 Reva 44 months in untoasted French oak barrels." - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Definitely priced higher than I would expect even for the points.

Jenise,
I'm not sure I'd define Alban as a "cult" wine..but they are expensive.
Reva used to be priced in the low-$30's, but they started getting big scores from Parker and escalated in price pretty rapidly.
I believe they're priced around $90 now, current release. So that price doesn't seem out of line for an '07. I think the Lorraine is
around $145 by now.
Not sure what the wait-list time for the Albans are these days...4-5 yrs I think.
I followed his wines from the very start, but was dumped from the mailing list. On my last order, the check got there a few days late and
the wines were all allocated by then. I could have raised a hissy-fit, but the wines were getting too expensive for my blood.

So...my answer is "no".

Tom

[Jenise]

Thanks, Tom; I had a feeling you'd be the one to answer my question. I do remember the Reva well--it was the first CA syrah that really tasted serious Northern Rhoney. I tasted it, and bought the bottles from, that wonderful store/tasting room in south Los Olivos that you knew so well owned by a big man larger-than-life in so many ways who since passed away. But anyway, prices like that and a 4-5 year wait list would to my mind constitute cult-y. Not quite Sine Qua Non territory, but (thankfully) almost no one else is.

Our Liquor Control Board today offered bottles of Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape from 1988, 1995,1998, 1999, 2000 to 2005. The 1988 at 198 dollars, the 1990 vintages at 150 and the 2000s for 130. They come from Beaucastels Cellar with perfect provinence. Much better deal than a California Syrah for $95 frankly.

Our Liquor Control Board today offered bottles of Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape from 1988, 1995,1998, 1999, 2000 to 2005. The 1988 at 198 dollars, the 1990 vintages at 150 and the 2000s for 130. They come from Beaucastels Cellar with perfect provinence. Much better deal than a California Syrah for $95 frankly.

Unless like me you bought those wines back in the day for $20-45 a bottle...

Our Liquor Control Board today offered bottles of Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape from 1988, 1995,1998, 1999, 2000 to 2005. The 1988 at 198 dollars, the 1990 vintages at 150 and the 2000s for 130. They come from Beaucastels Cellar with perfect provinence. Much better deal than a California Syrah for $95 frankly.

Unless like me you bought those wines back in the day for $20-45 a bottle...

Yes Mark I agree. I have 98 and 99. Everyone has there own taste. But this is so much more complex. I have 98 and 99 but was simply comparing todays prices. Many of the wines have gone crazy in price. In Canada, $100 buys a second California wine that used to be $30 not long ago.

Our Liquor Control Board today offered bottles of Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape from 1988, 1995,1998, 1999, 2000 to 2005. The 1988 at 198 dollars, the 1990 vintages at 150 and the 2000s for 130. They come from Beaucastels Cellar with perfect provinence. Much better deal than a California Syrah for $95 frankly.

Unless like me you bought those wines back in the day for $20-45 a bottle...

Yes Mark I agree. I have 98 and 99. Everyone has there own taste. But this is so much more complex. I have 98 and 99 but was simply comparing todays prices. Many of the wines have gone crazy in price. In Canada, $100 buys a second California wine that used to be $30 not long ago.

I'm in complete agreement, David. I was simply commenting that my own ingrained pricing bias (CalCabs for $20, Zins for $5-10, CNdP for $20-$30, Chave Hermitage for $35...) makes the words "better deal" choke in my throat these days. Those days are well and truly gone, though, and I now content myself with better deals from the Loire, the Macon, Beaujolais and the Arbois, though I'm watching the price creep in these regions, too.

Mark Lipton

Mine is about double except the Chave which would be more. I cannot believe how much wine is selling for today. I can buy a new car for less than a case of 1st growths.