Howdy:

I just got a case of Glen Ellen Cabernet. As I pulled the 750 ml bottles
out of the box I noticed someting unusual about the labels. Looking closer
I noted that there was one label upon another. I pulled off the topmost
label, Cabernet 2001, to find a label for Merlot 2002 underneath!

After a bit of detective work I found the number for customer service at
Wine Group Inc. handling issues concerning Glen Ellen (whom they bought
out). Customer service person in a recording said to leave a detailed
message and that she would get back to me in a couple of days.

Anyone have comments on the practice of putting a label for Cabernet over a
label for Merlot... besides backdating the vintage a year?

Sincerely,
Tom

In article >,
says...
>
>Howdy:
>
>I just got a case of Glen Ellen Cabernet. As I pulled the 750 ml bottles
>out of the box I noticed someting unusual about the labels. Looking closer
>I noted that there was one label upon another. I pulled off the topmost
>label, Cabernet 2001, to find a label for Merlot 2002 underneath!
>
>After a bit of detective work I found the number for customer service at
>Wine Group Inc. handling issues concerning Glen Ellen (whom they bought
>out). Customer service person in a recording said to leave a detailed
>message and that she would get back to me in a couple of days.
>
>Anyone have comments on the practice of putting a label for Cabernet over a
>label for Merlot... besides backdating the vintage a year?
>
>Sincerely,
>Tom

My first thought would be that it was a mistake on the bottling line. While
I've never seen such, I imagine that it could happen. OTOH, I'd guess that
2001 Cab might bring a tad more at retail. Have you contacted your retailer?
Have you tasted a bottle to try and ascertain what grape it contains?
Admittedly, from a producer such as Glen Ellen, a 3 yo Cab MIGHT taste a bit
like a 2 yo Merlot. Good luck, and let us know what the distributor/new owner
says about the labels.

Hunt

Hunt > wrote in message ...
> In article >,
> says...
> >
> >Howdy:
> >
> >I just got a case of Glen Ellen Cabernet. As I pulled the 750 ml bottles
> >out of the box I noticed someting unusual about the labels. Looking
closer
> >I noted that there was one label upon another. I pulled off the topmost
> >label, Cabernet 2001, to find a label for Merlot 2002 underneath!
> >
> >After a bit of detective work I found the number for customer service at
> >Wine Group Inc. handling issues concerning Glen Ellen (whom they bought
> >out). Customer service person in a recording said to leave a detailed
> >message and that she would get back to me in a couple of days.
> >
> >Anyone have comments on the practice of putting a label for Cabernet over
a
> >label for Merlot... besides backdating the vintage a year?
> >
> >Sincerely,
> >Tom
>
> My first thought would be that it was a mistake on the bottling line.
While
> I've never seen such, I imagine that it could happen. OTOH, I'd guess that
> 2001 Cab might bring a tad more at retail. Have you contacted your
retailer?
> Have you tasted a bottle to try and ascertain what grape it contains?
> Admittedly, from a producer such as Glen Ellen, a 3 yo Cab MIGHT taste a
bit
> like a 2 yo Merlot. Good luck, and let us know what the distributor/new
owner
> says about the labels.
>
> Hunt

Thank you for your comments.

Yes, it might be a bottling mistake. When I took the bottles out of the box
the first thing I noticed was the odd label. They were wrinkled (not flat
on the bottle), cocked from the vertical, and it wasn't the regular label
design (larger size) that I had been familar with. The label at the rear
showed the same characteristics. As I was going through the bottles I
noticed part of one label underneath another. That's when I pulled off the
topmost label and saw the one underneath. The topmost label is composed of
paper that seems to be thicker, has an adhesive backing (similar to a
Post-it), and is about 1/4" to 3/8" larger all around; the same applies to
the one at the rear. If my memory serves correctly, this larger label might
be the same one that is currently being put on the 1.5 L bottles. At first
glance, judging by the crude placement and alignment of the label, one might
even suppose that the label was put on by hand. All bottles in the case are
similarly configrured.

I suspect I will return the case, then again, it would be a novelty to serve
the wine with the label peeled back to expose the one underneath!

Sincerely,
Tom

In article >,
says...
>
>
>Hunt > wrote in message ...
>> In article >,
>> says...
>> >
>> >Howdy:
>> >
>> >I just got a case of Glen Ellen Cabernet. As I pulled the 750 ml bottles
>> >out of the box I noticed someting unusual about the labels. Looking
>closer
>> >I noted that there was one label upon another. I pulled off the topmost
>> >label, Cabernet 2001, to find a label for Merlot 2002 underneath!
>> >
>> >After a bit of detective work I found the number for customer service at
>> >Wine Group Inc. handling issues concerning Glen Ellen (whom they bought
>> >out). Customer service person in a recording said to leave a detailed
>> >message and that she would get back to me in a couple of days.
>> >
>> >Anyone have comments on the practice of putting a label for Cabernet over
>a
>> >label for Merlot... besides backdating the vintage a year?
>> >
>> >Sincerely,
>> >Tom
>>
>> My first thought would be that it was a mistake on the bottling line.
>While
>> I've never seen such, I imagine that it could happen. OTOH, I'd guess that
>> 2001 Cab might bring a tad more at retail. Have you contacted your
>retailer?
>> Have you tasted a bottle to try and ascertain what grape it contains?
>> Admittedly, from a producer such as Glen Ellen, a 3 yo Cab MIGHT taste a
>bit
>> like a 2 yo Merlot. Good luck, and let us know what the distributor/new
>owner
>> says about the labels.
>>
>> Hunt
>
>Thank you for your comments.
>
>Yes, it might be a bottling mistake. When I took the bottles out of the box
>the first thing I noticed was the odd label. They were wrinkled (not flat
>on the bottle), cocked from the vertical, and it wasn't the regular label
>design (larger size) that I had been familar with. The label at the rear
>showed the same characteristics. As I was going through the bottles I
>noticed part of one label underneath another. That's when I pulled off the
>topmost label and saw the one underneath. The topmost label is composed of
>paper that seems to be thicker, has an adhesive backing (similar to a
>Post-it), and is about 1/4" to 3/8" larger all around; the same applies to
>the one at the rear. If my memory serves correctly, this larger label might
>be the same one that is currently being put on the 1.5 L bottles. At first
>glance, judging by the crude placement and alignment of the label, one might
>even suppose that the label was put on by hand. All bottles in the case are
>similarly configrured.
>
>I suspect I will return the case, then again, it would be a novelty to serve
>the wine with the label peeled back to expose the one underneath!
>
>Sincerely,
>Tom

Now, if they had only printed the logo upside down, or something! I can see
this puppy fetching great sums on e-bay :-} If nothing else, think of the "oh,
shit" moment, when someone in packaging noticed the mistake, if that is what
it was. Boss, ehr boss, we've got a problem... remember those 40,000 bottles
of Cab we just ran? Well, guess what...

Let us know how it goes,
Hunt