How a $319 bottle of wine is a good deal

Joseph Phelps’ Insignia is one of the world’s benchmark wines—it also happens to be relatively well-priced in overpriced BC.

 Just so we’re clear from the get go: paying $300 for a bottle of wine is extreme. But there are many among us who dwell in the nexus between wine lover and hedge fund manager and for these lucky few BC once in a while eases up on the oppressive pricing. And this is one of those unicorns.A bottle of Insignia goes for $250US, which—brace yourselves—translates into $326.11 CDN or, if you can believe it—$6.12 more than it sells for in the BCLDB. Compare this to another California import—the vastly inferior Cannonball—which sells in the US for $13.50, or $17.61 CDN, but checks in at the BCLDB at a not cool $27.99. Now that’s the sort of face slap we’re used to!And while the Insignia is no doubt a sound investment,it’s an even better wine. The 2013 vintage is soon to be released (the 2012 is still on shelves) and it celebrates the 40th Anniversary of the wine. It’s an exhilarating wine: powerful and tannic with layers of controlled blueberry and blackberry flavours tempered with subtle eucalyptus notes. The colour is almost darker than black and one assumes it will age easily for decades, but it’s not impenetrable right now. And if you’re into scores—which provide me some comfort when I’m laying down 3 bills for a single bottle of wine—Robert Parker says it’s a perfect 100 point wine.So who’s up for splitting a case?