Are expensive wines worth their price? part 1

Have you ever wondered, while beeing in a wine shop, what is the reason of wine price? What can you find in bottles for three or four digits representing the amount of money you have

Have you ever wondered, while beeing in a wine shop, what is the reason of wine price? What can you find in bottles for three or four digits representing the amount of money you have to pay for it? I must admit, that I asked myself such a question a lot of times. Will the feeling in my mouth and on my tongue justify such expenditure? The moment for answer has come. I invite you to the report from the meeting, when I was able to try, if expensive wines are worth their price…

Everything started on one afternoon in June, when I was about to finish my work that day. I had a call from Mr. Piotr Kuźnia – owner of dionizos.com shop. I know Mr. Piotr for a while – I was taking part in tastings organised by him a lot of times. I am also shopping at his shop from time to time. During this particular call, he asked me, if me and my girlfriend want to try some red wines during a private meeting. I must admit – I was as much suprised, as I was excited at that moment. Mr. Piotr had an idea to organise a small tasting meeting with only a few people, to decide, if wines costing a few hundreds (sometimes over one thousand) of PLN, are really worth their price. My reaction was simple – two weeks later we met in group of ten. Just to clarify – the meeting took part in time, when there were no covid restriction, everything was in accordance with the law.

The tasting was taking place in Vanilla Sky restaurant in Niebieski hotel – were Mr. Piotr oganised many of such events. This resturant is unique due to its beautiful interior, perfect dishes and the service on the highest level. But the main advantage of this restaurant is its terrace with the view of Wawel Castle and Wisła river. On late sommer evening, when the lanterns are on, standing by the balustrade full of flowers, you have an impression of living a dream. Moments in this place are always magic and will stay in memory forever…

Moving back to the tasting – it started with a short dinner with two wines: New Zeland Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. Although they were not considered as part of actual tasting, I let myself to make a short note of them: Sauvignon Blanc got 72/100 and Pinot Noir – 66/100. As soon as I get info about the exact names of these wines, I will update this article.

This event was meant to be a blind degustation – we started with rating particular wine, not knowing what is it, describing all impressions. When we were ready with our notes, the label was revealed. We didn’t want to know, what wine we have in our glasses a priori in order not to give in to suggestion.

First wine of the evening

The first wine of this meeting has a color of deep raspberry with red reflections of brick. It was completly transparent. At the beginning in the nose I felt incredible deep and mature aroma of barrel, slight tone of oak, pretty intensive red fruits with a little bit of smoke. After a while it evolved, adding some marzipan. In the mouth this wine was also really intensive, with well marked tones of alcohol. There were also present sharper flavor, like pepper or spicy red pepper. Apart from them, there were red fruits all over the mouth. Tannins were very nice: medium intensive, but delicate and well arranged. Aftertaste was suprisingly short, but full and as pleasent, as the rest of sensations. At the beginning my note was 78/100, but after a few minutes, I decided to rise it to 82/100. This change was the result of how this wine opened in the glass. The first bottle of the evening was 2014 Gaja Pieve Santa Restituta Brunello di Montalcino. Average price of this wine is about 100 dollars for bottle (according to vivino.com), however you can buy it for much more attractive price of 270zł in Mr. Piotrs shop. All participants decided, that due to dynamic and the depth, this wine is worth its price.

I just realized that the last part of previous paragraph may suggest, that this article is sponsored. I would like to declare, that it is not and I did not got any honorarium. I think, that it is obvious, that Mr. Piotr after this evening introduced some of wines to offer of his shop, according to participants recommendations. Due to the fact, that the main question of this article is if expensive wines are worth their prices, I think it is also obvious, that these prices must appear this or other way and naturally I will be verifying them in different places, including Mr. Piotrs shop – dionizos.com.

Moving back to the tasting – the second wine in our glasses was also in color of deep raspberry with red reflections of brick. The nose was dominated by petrols, with a lot of kerosene. However in taste, these petrols were replaced by a lot of red fruits, very dynamic, changing the character and structure on tongue over time. The bouquet was a little bit sweeter, very nice a well balanced, with a velvet impression in mouth. Tannins were pretty weak; did not have any influence for general impression of this wine. The aftertaste could be called a grande finalle – it was very long, very intensive, pleasent, underlining the bouquet. One word description – just beautiful! My personal score is 87/100. The ceremonial unveiling presented the label of 2014 The Contender Paul Lato Pinot Noir. The average price of this bottle fluctuates around 90 dollars. Again all participants considered the wine is worth its price.

The mysterious number two

So far, so good – two wines have been evaluated without much discussion. Just very nice bottles, everyone agreed, their prices are adequate to what are offering. At this moment, wine number three appeared in our glasses. And the discussion began… Let me start with my personal evaluation.

In the glass appeard red transparent liquid with the shade of blackberry. The aroma was pretty weak with intensive alcohol and not exactly balanced red fruits. The alcohol was also well felt in taste, but with company of sweeter tones of dark fruits and a delicate acidity of red fruits – raspberry, sour cherry. A little bit further one could feel a taste of horseback and old house. Tannins were medium intensive, almost weak. Aftertaste was also pretty short, but full of taste. In general I would say, that this wine was not balanced yet. It was still very good and got 81/100, but it came out poorly compared to others. I think, that it requires a few years of maturation in peace in dark, quiet cellar.

Number three

Honestly I was surprised with the reaction of other guests to this wine. I thought, that my note was pretty negative, even if it is not reflected with final note. But what I heard about it… Let me sum up this way: after the official tasting was over, in each bottle there was still some wine, absolutely no one decided to pour some from bottle number three. It was 2015 Dominio Pingus Ribera del Duero Flor de Pingus – 100% Tempranillo made by famous Dominio de Pingus. The price of this wine is about 100 – 130 dollars for bottle. We all agreed, that it is definitely too high for what it is offering. Well… First wine, that failed this evening…

After intensive discussions, the time for fourth unknown has come. It was clear, also with the color of blackberry, but a tone darker than Pingus. In the nose I felt pretty strong tones of soil, then some dark fruits, especially blackberries and blueberries, followed by tones of slight butter, maybe a little bit stronger over time. Bouquet was much better than nose, apart from dark fruits, which was present in aroma, there was additional taste of sweet red fruits, dominated by character of cherry. It was all emphasized by some spice of pepper. Tannins were medium, but nice. Aftertaste was not too complex and pretty short. My general score of this wine was 85/100. The revealed label presented 2013 Valbuena 5º Vega Sicilia – Ribera del Duero. With a price there is a short interesting anecdote – the next day I went to one of shopping malls in Cracow and in one of wineshops I found that particular bottle. Its price was 999zł per bottle. Honestly, even considering how good was that wine, I would never pay so much for it; Even with high note, it does not explain its cost.

Number four
Californian number five

Next – fifth wine was clear and had a color of dark raspberry. However its aroma was completly different from other wines of that evening. In nose I felt the old house and cologne, followed by black currant and a slight tone of alcohol. In general I would describe the aroma as pretty wild. The taste was extremly intensive, in character of red fruits improved by red and green pepper. Tannins were really delicate, very well balanced and the aftertaste was long and as pleasent, as the rest. My final note was 90/100. This wine was Californian Bordeaux blend – 2015 Ridge Monte Bello. Its price exceeds 1000zł, sometimes reaching 1200zł per bottle. It was the first bottle I had problems to decide, if it was worth this money or not. From one hand, when I am thinking of paying over 1000zł for a bottle of wine, I am dizzy (no, it is not effect of alcohol :P). On the other, I am not able to tell, what I would expect for such expense… I understood, that this is the level, where nuances are crucial and explicity for them the winemaker does everything he can and his efforts rises the price. After contemplating this wine for longer moment I decided, that I could make a final decision only after 10 years of leaving this bottle in a cellar to find out, how this wine will get old. But at this point I can say – I would risk such money, knowing, how this wine presents today. At this moment I can say, that even with such a cost (especially for average Polish citizen) – this wine is worth its price.

This evening there was one more to try – clear with a color of dark raspberry. The nose was overwhelmed with black currant and intensive alcohol. I would say that its aroma was not well balanced. But it was catching up with taste – stronger tones of red fruits, young wood, a little sweetness of barrel, in the second taste addidtional spice , but hard to say, if it was more pepeer or red pepper. Taninns were medium intensive, but very well balanced, perfectly corresponded with taste and flavour. Aftertaste was also very long and very nice. In the end, despite not too good first impression in the nose, my final notr for this wine is 86/100. The last subject of this evening was 2013 Clos Apalta – Chilean version of Bordeaux blend, which costs about 650 – 700zł per bottle. Although the note is high, I would not say, that this price is proportionate.

Sixth and the last wine of the evening

All wines of the tasting

The evening ended up with these six wines. In my opinion, three of them did not manage to justify their cost, two of them did and one is still figthing, mostly with success. In others opinion, the one, that for me is questionable, its price corresponds with the quality. I actually wonder, how to summarise the result. 3 out of 6… It is definitely for discussion. On the other hand I am not sure, if this amount of bottles can be considered as sufficient to make a judgement. I had an opportunity to take part in one more tasting evening, simmilar to this one, but with white wines. I invite you to follow this blog and check for second attempt to answer the question, if expensive wines are worth their prices.

In the short summary I would like to mention about a long time from last publication. Recently a lot of things happened in my life and I was not able to find a longer, quiet moment to finish this article. This is why I am more that happy, that you came back and got through the whole article. As always I invite you to next publication and comments section.