Entire Lot Declassified Into Wine That Costs More

Following a difficult internal review in which the fruit was judged not to meet the standard of the estate flagship, ownership at Verhoeven Cellars confirmed Wednesday that the entire lot had been declassified into a second label that retails for $40 more, sources reported. “It just wasn’t going to be a Verhoeven,” said proprietor Lane Verhoeven, describing the decision as painful and necessary. “So we put it under Sixth Rung, which is our small-batch, winemaker-driven project, which is more limited, which is why it’s $215.” Verhoeven added that the flagship, which the wine had not been good enough to go into, sells for $175.