March is "BWE Month."

Nicklasss · Post by **Nicklasss** » Thu Mar 25, 2021 1:27 am

Wow, I'm impressed! What a very nice set of vins de Bordeaux opened this month by BWEers.

I'm running late, will try to open something interesting thing weekend. But I don't have access to old wines, let see this weekend what i can open in BWE month honor.

Nic

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Thu Mar 25, 2021 1:33 am

I look forward to your BWE Month selection, Nicola.
It does not have to be a 1982 Mouton.
It just has to be a "BWE kind of wine...."

hautbrionlover · Post by **hautbrionlover** » Thu Mar 25, 2021 2:59 am

I was delighted to read about Tom’s ‘86 Montrose, because I acquired two bottles at auction last year and have been planning on opening the first of them to celebrate our 35th anniversary this spring!

Nicklasss · Post by **Nicklasss** » Sat Mar 27, 2021 9:51 pm

Sorry to be late, but trying to catch up tonight.

Nic

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Sun Mar 28, 2021 2:31 am

As we wind down the month, I want to thank everyone for your enthusiastic response, it was fun reading about all the special occasion wines.
We'll have to do this every March!
With most of us vaccinated, we had a family gathering of lobster and steak to celebrate my nephew Jack's 18th birthday, I uncorked a 2016 La Dame de Montrose, 2016 St. Innocent Momtazi, 2017 Felsina Berardenga Chianti, 2016 Lilian Ladouys, and 2005 Domaine Pierre Gelin Gevrey Chambertin Clos des Meixvelles. They were all displaying beautifully, not a drop remained by the end of the night.

Nicklasss · Post by **Nicklasss** » Sun Mar 28, 2021 3:27 am

Nice Jim. Looking forward to do the same here, quickly.

Nic

AKR · Post by **AKR** » Sun Mar 28, 2021 3:32 am

JimHow wrote: ↑Sun Mar 28, 2021 2:31 am As we wind down the month, I want to thank everyone for your enthusiastic response, it was fun reading about all the special occasion wines.
We'll have to do this every March!
With most of us vaccinated, we had a family gathering of lobster and steak to celebrate my nephew Jack's 18th birthday, I uncorked a 2016 La Dame de Montrose, 2016 St. Innocent Momtazi, 2017 Felsina Berardenga Chianti, 2016 Lilian Ladouys, and 2005 Domaine Pierre Gelin Gevrey Chambertin Clos des Meixvelles. They were all displaying beautifully, not a drop remained by the end of the night.

For the 'lobbys' they would have requested you have red meat with all that vin rouge

JCNorthway · Post by **JCNorthway** » Sun Mar 28, 2021 2:28 pm

Nice range of reasonably affordable bottles. Not surprised they all got drained. Glad you were able to celebrate with a family gathering.

Claret · Post by **Claret** » Sun Mar 28, 2021 3:05 pm

I am cellaring 1 86 Montrose. Is it a drink now or hold for later?

jal · Post by **jal** » Sun Mar 28, 2021 4:22 pm

We had a visit with family last week, all vaccinated and easily finished a 2018 Fevre Chablis, an Agrapart les 7 Crus, 2012 Canon la Gaffeliere and 2012 Smith Haut Lafitte. With ten adults (and two kids) the pours were not large, but the two Bordeaux got a lot of praise from my cousins.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Sun Mar 28, 2021 4:49 pm

We did have steak as well as lobster, although I think most chose lobster.
The wines all shined, loved the Momtazi and that darned '16 La Dame is special, just sped down to Portsmouth for the last day of the 15% off sale, picked up more 16 La Dame, 15/16 Corbin, and Pol Roger NV, all among my favorites from the past year or so. Plus a lone bottle of '16 Larose Trintaudon to try out.

AKR · Post by **AKR** » Sun Mar 28, 2021 5:12 pm

Claret wrote: ↑Sun Mar 28, 2021 3:05 pm I am cellaring 1 86 Montrose. Is it a drink now or hold for later?

There is a thread on that over on WB as someone just poured one and commented

JoelD · Post by **JoelD** » Sun Mar 28, 2021 6:41 pm

On top of the two small tastings I had this month, I decided to finish off my Napa/SF trip with a fun bottle that I've been meaning to try for a while now.

1986 Rauzan Segla. On a short hike/lookout to the Golden Gate Bridge on Thursday. Such a structured wine that would have benefited from opening hours earlier. Not much fruit left, but still plenty of enjoyment. Revisited 6 hours later after dinner, and it hadn't lost much or softened much.

This would be better paired with some steak or duck that is well marbled. However it was still quite good with an amazing pastrami sandwich from Lucinda's Deli. Which I highly recommend.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Sun Mar 28, 2021 9:16 pm

I had a 1986 Rausan Segla back in 2002, my buddy Steve and I drove cross-country from Maine to the 2002 BWE convention in Napa, when we first met the likes of SF Ed, HM$, AKR, and others, the weekend of the (in)famous l'incident de pie de la whoopee. We stopped in Iowa at the home of early BWEers Rob and Deb, they uncorked a 1986 Rausan Segla, glorious then, I think I've had it since, I want to say with Nicola at some point in the years since?

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Sun Mar 28, 2021 9:41 pm

We were in the old 2000 Lincoln LS, the "Motor Trend Car of the Year," what a fucking joke, what a lemon that car was, I put more into repairs on it than I paid for it in the first place. Just passed 345,000 miles on the Blue Demon, the 2008 Corolla, it drives like the day I bought it....

AKR · Post by **AKR** » Sun Mar 28, 2021 9:48 pm

JimHow wrote: ↑Sun Mar 28, 2021 9:41 pm We were in the old 2000 Lincoln LS, the "Motor Trend Car of the Year," what a fucking joke, what a lemon that car was, I put more into repairs on it than I paid for it in the first place. Just passed 345,000 miles on the Blue Demon, the 2008 Corolla, it drives like the day I bought it....

I used to work with a guy, that every time we'd have to travel for biz, he wanted to rent a Lincoln LS (when they first started to make a European styled car). It made me nervous driving a US car given their poor reputation for quality.

The few times I had the 86 R-S it was stunning, incredibly memorable.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Sun Mar 28, 2021 9:55 pm

When there wasn't a problem going on, it was a nice ride. Problem was that was literally about 10% of the time. By some miracle I drove it without major problems from Maine all the way down the Baja Peninsula and back. It was a miracle that I didn't get stranded over the Donner Pass (twice) and have to resort to cannibalism. I had it for 8 years and got about 200k miles out of it, but it was a HARD 200,000, by the end, when I somehow got $500 on the trade in for the Corolla purchase (I would have paid THEM to take it off my hands), when they inspected it the guy couldn't believe I made it the 30 mile trip from Lewiston to Augusta at Charlie's Toyota, where I got the Blue Demon.

JoelD · Post by **JoelD** » Sun Mar 28, 2021 10:38 pm

JimHow wrote: ↑Sun Mar 28, 2021 9:16 pm I had a 1986 Rausan Segla back in 2002, my buddy Steve and I drove cross-country from Maine to the 2002 BWE convention in Napa, when we first met the likes of SF Ed, HM$, AKR, and others, the weekend of the (in)famous l'incident de pie de la whoopee. We stopped in Iowa at the home of early BWEers Rob and Deb, they uncorked a 1986 Rausan Segla, glorious then, I think I've had it since, I want to say with Nicola at some point in the years since?

The good old days. I have some more bottles of it. Curious to see where those are at. This was so classic and structured, maybe a decant would soften. You could see the greatness, although my guess is that I would have preferred it a few years ago. Or maybe it needs another blanquito.

Or maybe just a whoopee pie to pair it with!

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Sun Mar 28, 2021 10:43 pm

Mmmmm Rausan Segla and whoopee pie....
Mouth-watering. I gotta bring some fresh ones to the next event, Labadies Bakery, Lewiston, Maine, has reopened for in-store customers.
I was telling DavidG the other day, there's nothing quite like those fresh ones, with the sprinkle of powdered sugar on the top, straight from the bakery.
When Tom and Gail came up a couple years ago I bought a half dozen... We ate three with dinner with fine northern Medocs that night, and then finished off the other three with coffee for breakfast. Heaven.

Racer Chris · Post by **Racer Chris** » Sun Mar 28, 2021 11:09 pm

No need to blanquito but a healthy decant is still called for.

dstgolf · Post by **dstgolf** » Sun Mar 28, 2021 11:32 pm

Jim,

You Lincoln experience brings back bad memories of a lemon 1994 Cutlas Supreme that I bought as a family car after selling my Toyota Supra which was a dream by comparison but didn't work with two young kids. This pig chewed through brakes with faulty rotor design requiring yearly brakes and rotors. 4 alternators, two water pumps and an oil pump finishing with an entire engine replacement when the motor seized at 5yrs old coming back from Christmas in Montreal dying half way home. Choice was to fix it or get rid of it and I made the wrong decision to replace the engine and the repair bills kept adding up. I kept the car another 3 years and it cost me way more in repairs than I paid for that car. I swore I'd never buy an American made vehicle again and basically have had Audi's since with a very good track record for reliability with A6, A8 and now A7. I broke down and got Danielle a Ford Escape 6 yrs ago(her choice as she loved the vehicle) and just gave it to my daughter replacing it with a Lexus RX350. I'd have a tough time buying an American vehicle apart from maybe a new Vet if I can get in and out of it easy enough....always wanted one. Nothing worse than a lemon vehicle!!

Nicklasss · Post by **Nicklasss** » Sun Mar 28, 2021 11:55 pm

My merory is failing, but did i ever had the 1986 Rausan Segla? In your company Jim?

I know i had the glorious, extreme example of Margaux berries, near perfect 1990 two or three time. Rauzan Ségla is surely one of the top 1990 i had.

Nic

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Mon Mar 29, 2021 12:21 am

Maybe not. Seems to me I've had the '86 Rausan Segla at a BWE event one other time since that 2002 cross-country trip.

JeanFred · Post by **JeanFred** » Mon Mar 29, 2021 1:09 am

JimHow wrote: ↑Sun Mar 28, 2021 2:31 am
With most of us vaccinated, we had a family gathering of lobster and steak to celebrate my nephew Jack's 18th birthday,

Happy to read that, give me some hope...

Jim, Do the start to vaccine the kids in the State.

JeanFred

JoelD · Post by **JoelD** » Mon Mar 29, 2021 1:33 am

Racer Chris wrote: ↑Sun Mar 28, 2021 11:09 pm No need to blanquito but a healthy decant is still called for.

Thats what it seemed to me, although I haven't been decanting older Bordeaux lately. Seems like a majority on here are against it and I see the point. I think this was an outlier that needed one. Will certainly decant or long slow ox on the next bottle.

Was quite fun and enjoyable either way.

Now that some of us are getting vaccinated, maybe a mini east coast meet up is in the cards this summer. I personally can't wait to start having more real tastings with friends again.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Mon Mar 29, 2021 1:45 am

Next month for the kids, JF, they are really kicking into high gear with the adults.
Won't be long now.

Claret · Post by **Claret** » Mon Mar 29, 2021 3:30 pm

JimHow wrote: ↑Mon Mar 29, 2021 12:21 am Maybe not. Seems to me I've had the '86 Rausan Segla at a BWE event one other time since that 2002 cross-country trip.

I am pretty sure I brought the 86 to Dallas. A favorite Chateau of mine.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Mon Mar 29, 2021 4:09 pm

Yes, it was definitely you, Glenn, it's a beauty.

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Tue Mar 30, 2021 6:45 pm

We drank a 2005 Pichon Baron earlier in the month in honor of BWE Month and our Zoom. Here’s my note: Cellared since release, perfect cork and fill. Decanted 4 hours. Dark red to rim. Cassis, cherry, leather on the nose. Full body, well-balanced on the high-ish acid side, still plenty of tannins left but not intrusive, ripe fruit, no real tertiary complexity yet, medium-long finish. Excellent now, should improve with age as it develops complexity.

Seeing all the notes in this thread, we were inspired to open something a little more special, so last night with a reverse-sear Flannery ribeye we opened a 1989 Lynch Bages. It was a great match for the beef. This was the second bottle of a case purchased in 2007, perfect cork and fill. Dark red core, slightly lighter at rim. Given an hour of air, the nose shows an intense mix of cassis, dark berries, tobacco, cedar, clean moist earth and some beginning mature complexity. Full body, great concentration and balance, ripe fruit offset by a hint of vegetal green. Long finish. Showing a bit more maturity and actually more enjoyable than bottles I’ve cellared since release. I would expect further improvement and decades of great drinking ahead. Outstanding.

Then for dessert we paired a 1988 Climens with grilled pineapple, a trick I learned from Francois many years ago. This bottle was cellared since release, perfect cork and fill. Light-medium gold. Rich sweet mature nose, yellow stone fruits, creme brûlée and honey/botrytis. Medium-full body, rich, lush, ripe sweet fruit and perfectly balanced acidity, long complex finish. Well-stored bottles have many years to go. Outstanding. It was a great match for the grilled pineapple.

We'll be enjoying more of these tonight after a night in the fridge with a Repour.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Mar 30, 2021 7:23 pm

Now we are cooking with grease!

JoelD · Post by **JoelD** » Tue Mar 30, 2021 11:24 pm

Well done, David. I will definitely have to try that grilled pineapple pairing. As well as my last bottle of 89 Lynch Bages. Next to an 89 Pichon Baron of course. Hopefully with other BWE'ers in the future!

I forgot, on my trip to Napa for my friend's birthday. I busted out another fun birth year wine for her, the 1990 Pibran. I had no idea it was a Cru Bourgeois when I purchased. Had little hope upon opening. However, it very much delivered. It was honestly like a baby Lynch Bages. Less complexity and breadth of notes, however extremely balanced and gulp-able. Tasty wine that didn't lose anything with a couple hours open. Decent pairing with Coq au vin.

Great way to end a day off of wine tasting, doing an 11 mile coastal hike at Alamere Falls off the Palomarin Trailhead. Highly recommend to anyone visiting SF/Napa/Sonoma.

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Tue Mar 30, 2021 11:34 pm

Jealous of your trip Joel.

Jim and I have a 1989 Lynch/Baron showdown in the works for the next time we get together.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Mar 30, 2021 11:54 pm

Can't wait!
I owe David a Lynch from the last election results.

JoelD · Post by **JoelD** » Wed Mar 31, 2021 12:09 am

DavidG wrote: ↑Tue Mar 30, 2021 11:34 pm Jealous of your trip Joel.

Jim and I have a 1989 Lynch/Baron showdown in the works for the next time we get together.

It was a great one. Hard on the wallet but worth it. Even got me appreciating some Cali wines again. The 2016 Lokoya Howell Mountain should be a beauty. Highly recommend a tasting at their estate if you ever make it out.

That sounds like a ton of fun. Has the 89 Pichon Lalande ever been introduced to this duel before?

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Wed Mar 31, 2021 12:16 am

Trying to remember what the third double mag was in Chicago the year we did it in the Willis Tower. I brought a 3L of '89 Lynch, I think it was Rob who brought the 3L of '89 Baron, who brought the third 3L, and what was it? David, you were there, did you bring that third 3L?

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Wed Mar 31, 2021 12:39 am

No, wasn’t me.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Wed Mar 31, 2021 12:48 am

I remember you were there, though, I remember you came up to me at the end and said, "Best convention ever!"
JC Northway and friends did an awesome job organizing that event.
Still, though, trying to remember what that third 3L was... Was it the PLL? Was it a right banker?
May have been the PLL...
Okay, this is killing me...
I'm sure Jon knows.

Jon:
What year did we do that Chicago Willis Tower convention, and what was the third 3L?
I know Danny was there as well...
And of course we know MichaelP and Stefan were there.

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Wed Mar 31, 2021 12:49 am

Yup, I remember it well, at least parts of it!

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Wed Mar 31, 2021 12:50 am

By the way, the '89 Lynch won the blind tasting, in a completely free and fair vote....

By one vote, if I recall.

I know Howard was there, he counted the votes.

jal · Post by **jal** » Wed Mar 31, 2021 1:32 am

Here you go:

http://www.bordeauxwineenthusiasts.com/ ... f=4&t=1738