Happy 22nd Birthday to BWE!

[JimHow]

Twenty-two years ago, on a bright winter Saturday morning not much unlike today, Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts was created on a rudimentary old MSN website.

The experience since has been life-changing, the friendships eternal.

Thank you to everyone who has made it all possible for the past 22 years!

The best wine website on the internet!

Per the annual tradition, here is a copy of the first interaction between myself and Ben "Whuzzup__" Nelson that morning....

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From: JimHow (Original Message) Sent: 2/26/2000 11:02 AM
I have created this community on 2/26/00 in the hope that I can get at least 10-20 Bordeaux enthusiasts to keep a lively discussion going on a weekly basis. I was very frustrated when Wine Spectator changed the format of their bulletin boards. We had a good community of Bordeaux "experts" under the old Wine Spectator system who came on board regularly and offered a lot of information on tasting notes, where to find deals, etc. For some reason, the editors at WS changed to a much less user-friendly system and they have arrogantly ignored our requests to go back to the old format. If we can get some of the old participants to visit here, and work out any kinks along the way to improve this site, I am convinced we can generate some of the old enthusiasm. Time will tell....


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From: Whuzzup_ Sent: 2/26/2000 11:51 AM
Hey JimHow. I am in full support. I have tried some interesting wines lately. When I have a little time this weekend I will post some notes. Thanks for taking the initiative. Ben


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From: JimHow Sent: 2/26/2000 11:57 AM
Great to see you here, Ben. I'm really game to give this a try. I'll be posting some tasting notes as well this weekend. Any help or suggestions would be appreciated greatly. Thanks, Jim.


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From: Whuzzup_ Sent: 2/26/2000 7:28 PM
Got a question for ya: I like to share TNs with you guys on non- Bordeaux wines from time to time. I figure we all have similar palates so that if I run into something I like I should share... is it ok to break out of the Bordeaux topic from time to time?


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From: JimHow Sent: 2/26/2000 11:40 PM
Of course you can write about anything, Ben, I always look forward to your comments. At this point, as we're just getting started, I'm looking for as much discussion as possible....I've got some essays in my word processor that I'm trying to figure out how to get to this site. I've got a lot of ideas on how we can improve this site, I just want to get to know it better. But by all means, give us your notes on California or anything else.... Thanks, Jim.JimHow

[JCNorthway]

Cheers to BWE!

[JCNorthway]

At a dinner tonight with Paula's brother and family, we will honor BWE by opening a 2000 Talbot and 2000 Grand Puy Lacoste. I've opened both to do a quick decant and back in the bottle, and they both seem to be in fighting form.

[Jay Winton]

A great occasion!

[William P]

What a long strange trip it's been. Thanks to all who made it fun.

Bill

[Dom_P]

Congrats Jim!

I've been a member for about a month, and while I don't post very much as I don't want to overstay my welcome, I have to say that I really have enjoyed logging in each day to learn from your collective experiences and to partake in the friendly atmosphere you have created here.

I wish you all another 22 years... and then some!

[Comte Flaneur]

Happy anniversary BWE!

[Nicklasss]

Directly from Québec City, i wish a happy 22 yo to all BWEers. That little spark that Jim had 22 years ago, transformed into warming friendship, all because we like Bordeaux wines. The people made of BWE what it is, and i'll continue to have much fun as BWE will be living.

The best to all, and thank you Jim for your leadership.

Unfortunately, i won't open a great Bordeaux wine this weekend (sushis in Québec City with MC and our kids tonight, tomorrow back home to leave in pm for British Columbia), but i will organize to open some, with other BWEers soon.

[Winona Chief]

Last bottle of 1982 Pichon Lalande tonight at a great wine dinner in Minneapolis. Wonderful bottle. Magnum of 2004 Beaucastel was also very good. And 1970 Taylor vintage port - great stuff.

Chris Bublitz

[stefan]

Last night a 1979 Pichon Lalande that was in its prime. Very solid even if not one of the great PLs. We also drank a 2005 Roty Chevrey-Chambertin that is an example of why Jim named 2005 Burgundy as the WOTY. It is with five years of maturity.

[JimHow]

Well done, gents.
We've enjoyed your participation here, Dom P, you clearly have the BWE spirit!
We have a great, friendly group, it has been an amazing 22 year ride.

[SF Ed]

I just decanted a 2003 Leoville Barton to commemorate the 22nd anniversary of the founding of BWE.

It is a great wine in a great place. Loads of purple fruit without any of the candied sur maturite so common in 2003. Tannins are large and provide the structure to the wine, but starting to come around. A wine that would do well at a BWE event and one that I think the BD would find to be in its sweet spot.

SF Ed

[marcs]

I opened the 2000 Sociando Mallet and the 2004 L'Evangile last night with a guest.

The 2000 S-M was not I suppose one of the better bottles but had its own charm to the experienced Bordeaux drinker. My guests thought it had "gone bad" or "was sour" and on opening I thought so too -- tart, green, and knotted up. But then it gradually opened up to reveal powerful scents and flavors of used ashtray and cigar butt, but with an emergent vein of sweetness beneath that made it highly drinkable and even enjoyable to me. By the time it opened up the other diners had drunk their fill of the L'Evangile so I couldn't get a second opinion.

The 2004 L'Evangile was very good and much more enjoyable to the guests who immediately recognized it as a very high quality wine. Very classic Pomerol softness and ease and that touch of chocolatey merlot. With that said though it didn't totally reach the next level from very good to excellent, and was inferior to a superb 2006 L'Evangile I had a week or two ago. It didn't have the extra substance or depth to push its pleasant qualities to be more multi-layered and complex.

[stefan]

We finally got around to drinking with steak a 2000 tonight--Lagrange. It is still on the upslope but does show St Julien finesse behind the strong tannins and black fruit. We also drank a 2006 La Lagune that is more mature even if the floral scents and still slight.

[DavidG]

Congratulations on another great year Jim.

I popped a 2005 Clos L’Eglise on Saturday in honor of the occasion. Why didn’t I think to open something from 2000!? Anyway, this was great out of the gate, shut down hard by tannins within an hour, and came back beautifully the next day. Needs a Blanquito or two, or opening a day ahead.

[JimHow]

Well done, gents, another anniversary behind us.
Now on to the Ides of March on BWE, one of the harbingers of Spring....

[ericp]

Happy Bday BWE and Jim!

[JimHow]

Eric! Great to hear from you!

[JimHow]

I’m always heartened and amazed when I hear from BWEers who we haven’t heard from in years. Has anyone heard from JScott lately? How about Wyomissing, a couple of the very first participants during that first 24 hours following Genesis that February morning 22 years ago. A lot of people still check in on this site after all these years.

[JimHow]

Who was that lawyer from Philadelphia, drawing a blank, his screen name began with “E”, he was brilliantly funny.

[Racer Chris]

Speaking of birthdays, my dad turns 93 on the 12th of March. We're getting together to celebrate at my brother Charley's house in Poland Maine.
The first bottle on my wine list is 1982 Ch Talbot. I'm inclined to add a bottle of 2009 Ch. Talbot, and a bottle of 2014 La Conseilllante to the list. At least one more bottle to be added, not sure what yet. Kind of depends on whether my youngest brother and his wife are able to come over from Waldoboro.

[JimHow]

Ugh, would have loved to swing by, twenty minutes away, Chris, for a glass of fine northern Medoc and maybe some champagne, but I'll be in South Florida next weekend! Let me know next time you're up this way, or celebrating with your Dad.

[Dandersson]

Amazing 22 years, I think I joined the old platform around 02-04. Remember reading about the meet ups. Learning so much from this beautiful community. Will have to uncork something nice in the coming weeks, to celebrate BWE!

[Gerry M.]

I'd post a picture if I could figure out how but last Saturday Andy Jepeal and I got together for some of his great cooking and even greater wines. Andy was more active here in its early years but has gradually moved away from the online wine scene.

With the 1st course of rack of lamb we shared a bottle of the BWE crown prince of wines, a 1989 Ch Lynch Bages. It was a glorious bottle that opened up nicely after a little more than an hour. What really stood out was when it would 1st pass your lips it was balanced and not overwhelming but.... within a minute there was an underlying power that began to present itself that made you sit up and take notice. Just a big wow!! from both of us.

The main course of short ribs of beef with a side of polenta we enjoyed a 2002 Ch Haut Brion. Very nice wine drinking very well right now. It showed its' pedigree anf transitioning into early maturity.

Happy belated birthday BWE!!!!

[JimHow]

Very great to hear from you guys, you are two outstanding BWEers, without an doubt you "get it," what we are all about.
Danny, I didn't realize you were around as far back as 2002, but it doesn't;t surprise me, we have had MANY BWEers who have been here for 22+ years, who have checked in regularly.... It has been nothing short of amazing.

[JimHow]

Great note on the 1989 Lynch, Gerry, I see MacArthur's has a full case of 1989 Lynch for like $445 per bottle.
That's just too much for me, I'll pass. But it's actually probably a little below market these days.
Michael-P was wise to hold on to his case!

[Gerry M.]

Unfortunately $445 at retail is probably on the low end of the pricing now. At the last Skinner auction a couple of weeks ago a case went for $5,313 after the premium, $443/btl. I am so happy I bought my case 5 years ago for $280/btl at auction and still have 7 bottles left. That was beyond my comfort at the time but now it's not even a consideration.

[Dandersson]

Jim, back then I was a poor Swedish PhD student just trying to learn more about Bordeaux wines, never thought I could join your meet ups. Then I lost track of BWE during my post-doc in Prague, and just lately found my way back. Hope when Covid is tamed and I have time again, to meet up with some of you guys! Well overdue I would say!

Looking forward to the next 22 years!

Best, Dan

[JimHow]

A great thanks for staying with us all these years, Dan, it has been an unbelievable ride!

[Racer Chris]

I think you deserve a little time in the sun Jim!
We'll be in the same place at the same time eventually.

[JoelD]

Just getting around to posting these notes from Sunday. My first real Bordeaux in about 6 weeks of minimal wine.

Two second wines with some age that I had been meaning to try for a while. Two very different wines to start, that converged and somehow became more balanced and similar with air and on the second day

2004 La Gravette de Certan- A bit acidic and astringent to start with not much fruit left but a fantastic nose. This one clearly needed some air and food. So I decanted 1/3 of the bottle while opening the other wine. The decant definitely helped, although the wine lost just a little something even though the extra air balanced it out nicely. The best sips were when the wine evolved in the glass and the end of the bottle PNP. Voluptuous and sensual but restrained. Definitely similar to its big brother that I tried a year ago, although that had a ton more tannic structure and life left. I'd say this one is at the end of it's drinking window but it did hold up well the next day so maybe it has more time. Best with some drunken goat cheese. 92pts

1996 Reserve de la Comtesse- This fired out wonderfully from the open. Lean but beautiful. A fair amount of green pepper, but in a good way. Better fruit than the Gravette. My favorite sips of this may have been early, however with air it lost most of the green pepper and sweetness but gained weight and length. Great with 3 month manchego for the minerality match. This has more years left on it, although I don't see it improving. Definitely wish I owned some of the PLL. 92+pts

2009 Suduiraut- Out of 375ml. Not positive this is a perfectly stored bottle however it has really nice subtle sweetness and depth. I think this may have been in a bit of a dumb phase a year or two ago. Good fruit and some acidity. I am definitely looking forward to long aging on my 750's of this. Paired decently with some blue cheese and raw honeycomb. 91pts on this bottle.

[marcs]

Jim, back then I was a poor Swedish PhD student just trying to learn more about Bordeaux wines, never thought I could join your meet ups. Then I lost track of BWE during my post-doc in Prague, and just lately found my way back. Hope when Covid is tamed and I have time again, to meet up with some of you guys! Well overdue I would say!

Looking forward to the next 22 years!

Best, Dan

Where are you located Dan? Are you the guy who likes Pichon Baron? It’s one of my favorite wines too and I have plenty to share if you are ever in DC

[Dandersson]

Hi Marcs,
I love Pichon Baron it was amazing to visit them in 2019 before the pandemic hit. Sadly, it is priced just in the range where I find it hard to push into. I generally stay under $100, and with a 6 month daughter, and building my cellar up (just reached 100 bottles), I am sad to say I have not yet pulled the trigger for my current cellar. Last vintage I bought was 2004, which I had to drink both my bottles way too early in 2010 due to risk of boiling them in a non-AC flat in Boston.
I am actually located close to DC in Maryland. Would love to meet up in the future.

Best, Dan

[robert goulet]

HBD