Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

Jay Winton wrote:I can't remember...are we in or on the waiting list?

As far as I am aware nobody is dropping out at this stage Jay...do you know of anyone dropping out? As I explained to you on a post above (4/29), and was made explicitly clear from the outset, the numbers are limited to 12, and it was first come first served. Otherwise it just isn't fair to everone else.

I remember this "happened to you" last year and I would suggest next time you get your name down early rather than procrastinate. But since you may still consider it unfair, you can have my place at the tasting. It just means someone else needs to take over the reins and you need to think about what you can bring.

I am now woefully short of ' 89s because they've been so enjoyable to drink.
That said, if there's room for me, and if you folks could tolerate a second bottle of Ch. Palmer that night, I'd like to join you on Oct. 17th. If it's already a full house, just toss me onto the wait list.

Steve

I will not easily give up my 1989 Palmer spot! But, I'm OK to have 2 Palmers just to have Steve in for the tasting. If I follow the thread correctly, the Tertre Rotebouf is still not in the line up. I can bring that instead (with the Prieure Lichine)

Thank you Ramon.
The wait list is fine for me. Fair is fair.

So Ramon are you OK with 14 + people? And d o you want to take over the reins?

Jay/Steve - these wines are missing from the line up:

Petrus, Le Pin, Lafleur, Cheval Blanc, La Tetre Rote-Boeuf, Mouton, LLC, Yquem...plus of course Lafite and Mish

Comte Flaneur wrote:

Jay Winton wrote:I can't remember...are we in or on the waiting list?

As far as I am aware nobody is dropping out at this stage Jay...do you know of anyone dropping out? As I explained to you on a post above (4/29), and was made explicitly clear from the outset, the numbers are limited to 12, and it was first come first served. Otherwise it just isn't fair to everone else.

I remember this "happened to you" last year and I would suggest next time you get your name down early rather than procrastinate. But since you may still consider it unfair, you can have my place at the tasting. It just means someone else needs to take over the reins and you need to think about what you can bring.

No worries, waiting list is fine

Comte Flaneur wrote:So Ramon are you OK with 14 + people? And d o you want to take over the reins?

Jay/Steve - these wines are missing from the line up:

Petrus, Le Pin, Lafleur, Cheval Blanc, La Tetre Rote-Boeuf, Mouton, LLC, Yquem...plus of course Lafite and Mish

I'm not really looking to step up over the fine job that you're doing on holding the reins Ian. I think Steve and Jay have opted for the waiting list and I'll go along with that.

Oh man, I so wish that I could magically hop onto NJ Transit from New Brunswick like I used to do and be at Penn Station in 1 hour, with a bottle of LLC and join you guys.

The 1989's are starting to open up now and should show very nicely with more upside potential in many cases. Many monumental were made wines including Palmer, Haut Brion, Montrose, Pichon Baron, Angelus. This will be a great tasting.

Jay (Mr Vino) and Steve (H)...thanks for your kind understanding, and apologies for my outburst...you know how these things work...spreading a bottle between 14/15 + is rather fraught....I have been to British trade tastings where greedy merchants, charging a small fortune, try to stretch a bottle over 15+ people...it just doesnt work if you end up getting a thimble full of dregs...if someone drops out rest assured you are No 1 and 2 on the waiting list

Ramon...Tertre Rote-Boeuf, would be awesome if you wanted to drop the Prieure...Margaux didn't click outside Palmer in 1989 in my experience...Ch Margaux was well off the pace...Latour was well off the pace too, but I think RMP seriously underestimated Lafite and Mouton...Mr Claret, I had LLC recently and it was superb, tho' I think in this vintage Mouton was even better (Ithink originally rated 99 by the succour, 89 by RMP).

Comte Flaneur wrote: Ramon...Tertre Rote-Boeuf, would be awesome if you wanted to drop the Prieure....

You got it.

...yet another victim of the '89 Lynch....

Heh heh heh.

Ramon_NYC wrote:

Comte Flaneur wrote: Ramon...Tertre Rote-Boeuf, would be awesome if you wanted to drop the Prieure....

You got it.

Ramon you are a gentleman and a scholar...

...what a line up we have got

Comte Flaneur wrote: Ramon you are a gentleman and a scholar...

...what a line up we have got

Ian, I've never been a scholar and it's been many years since I can recall when my own wife refered to me as a gentleman. But, I must agree that the line up has got me very excited. I'm looking forward to meeting up with everybody. Woo hoo!

The lineup, edited as of 6/30:

Ian: Lafite and La Mission Haut Brion and Mouton
Blanquito: Dominique and Cantemerle and Rieussec
Chris B: Climens and Angelus
Pappa: Pichon Lalande and Nicolay Urz/Wurz TBA
Jim: Lynch Bages
Tom & Gail: La Conseillante and Haut Brion
DavidG: Montrose and (2 btls) Laurent Perrier Grand Siecle MV
Jacques: Pichon Baron and l'Evangile
Ramon: Palmer and Tertre-Roteboeuf
Stefan & Lucie: Ausone and Cos D'Estournel and La Lagune

Truly awesome!

That's 23 bottles so far.

I need you-- I need anyone-- to bring something that will challenge the '89 Lynch....

I subed the Lalande, for the Champers once I located it. The 89 TBA is still in though.

David - thanks for taking the time in doing that, I was going to perform the same exercise...

...of course Tom is the dark horse (as he was in the 86 tasting)...and Gail, in one of her rare posts, let it slip that they would bring a sauternes...what ever could that be I wonder...?

Anyway what distingushes this tasting from the '86 tasting is the diversity of wines...at the 86 tasting we only had one 86 right banker...thanks to Tom and that was the Petrus!

This time we have much more diversity from left and right plus the two graves superstars...

I still vote for stefan to bring the Lagune, as the number one cheerleader for this under-rated estate...tho it is completely his prerogative...

This will be Jim's greatest ever challenge...either the Lynch emerges as the superstar, or it is relagated to the ranks of the also rans...Our Dear Leader's credibility is well and truly on the line for the ultimate test...

When we get closer to the event we should fdiscuss the flight order

Thanks Pappa & Ian I edited my post to reflect that.

I've seen Gail work on Tom re: Sauternes on several occasions. Quite successfully, I might add.

Jim, the saying is "only great bottles," but unless you've figured out a reliable way to stuff the ballot box, I think the Lynch is going down hard.

So do we want Champagne to start? If so, I'll bring a couple of bottles.

That would be exceptionally generous of you David, otherwise I could bring a magnum of 85 krug; or if you bring the Siecles I will bring Mouton

La Lagune it shall be, Ian.

stefan

I'll bring a few spare livers...

Ian, you're on! I'll bring 2 bottles of LP Grand Siecle.

If all the bottles show "as expected" I predict the Haut Brion will garner first place. And the Riesling TBA will beat the Sauternes.

This looks like a widespread conspiracy to down the Lynch Bages. I think we should pair it with asparagus soup, artichoke hearts with goat cheese, and a pasta with marinara sauce.

Bring on those Delon wines, baby. Bring on those big boys. The bigger they are the harder they fall....

Well, despite Gail's suggestion to the contrary, we don't have a single bottle of Sauternes from 1989 and I'm not inclined to try a get one at this point.

We'll add another red to our set -- we have Margaux (beautiful at the BWE dinner at the Chateau...), LLC, Cheval Blanc, La Fleur de Gay, or the dread "LB-Killer" Vieux Chateau Certan...

It will fascinating to see which wine comes third assuming the Dillon (not Delon, sry) wines are not faulty...I think every other wine has a shot at winning the bronze - even the Lynch

But was thinking about flight order...one flight will surely have to be: Haut Brion--La Mission Haut Brion--Lynch Bages

Will this be the Lynch Bages catharthis or nemesis?

Thanks Tom for that, so far we have:

One Margaux (unless you include Lagune and Cantermerle)

Two St-Estephe

Five Pauillacs

No St-Juliens

Four St-Emilions

Two Pomerols

Two Graves/Pessac

Two sauternes

One German and two champagnes

I think we need to do a flight of those three wines blind-- we'll have to change the bottle for the HB, of course. I don't want any of you guys cheating in favor of the Delon wines....

Delon wines? I think we're either talking about Dillon or Delmas... It'll be a sad day for the "Fight Fixer, er, uh, Fight Lawyer" if the LB can't top Potensac and Clos du Marquis.

Oops I thought that didn't sound right....

Hi Tom in CO
Oopsies - didn't realize d'Yquem would have to be an 89 ...... but it is an 89 tasting so....... I guess -- it's best to stick to the rules.
See you on thursday.

See what I mean? Is she great or what!? I particularly like the use of the graemlin...

No worries, Gail -- I can't keep track of what we have down there, so you have no chance whatsoever!

OK, so we'll bring the Leo-LC to cover Jim by putting a Delon wine in the mix and to get something "representing" from St. Julien, and we'll bring the Cheval Blanc to match up with the Ausone on the undercard.

Whoa...very kind Tom...you obviously have an amazing cellar...maybe we should call it a day there...I am counting 26 wines now among 12 of us...and we should perhaps restrict the Friday warm up strictly to one bottle per person. (to avoid hangovers for the Big Enchilada)...I spent an inordinate amount of time today juggling flight orders...and it is going to be a really tough one to finesse...apart from the obvious blind flight...I ended up disappearing up my own backside...would be interested in any suggestions...

An all-time great lineup, edited as of 7/1:

Ian: Lafite, La Mission Haut Brion and Mouton
Blanquito: Dominique, Cantemerle and Rieussec
Chris B: Climens and Angelus
Pappa: Pichon Lalande and Nicolay Urz/Wurz TBA
Jim: Lynch Bages
Tom & Gail: La Conseillante, Leoville Las Cases, Cheval Blanc, and Haut Brion
DavidG: Montrose and (2 btls) Laurent Perrier Grand Siecle MV
Jacques: Pichon Baron and l'Evangile
Ramon: Palmer and Tertre-Roteboeuf
Stefan & Lucie: Ausone, Cos D'Estournel and La Lagune

How about this for a line up?

Intro

Laurent Perrier Grand Siecle X2

Flight one

Cantermerle, La Lagune, Dominique

Flight two

Conseillante, L'Evangile, Tetre-Roteboeuf

Flight three

Lafite, Mouton, Palmer

Flight four

Ausone, Cheval Blanc, Angelus

Flight five - BLIND...

Haut-Brion, La Mission Haut Brion, Lynch Bages

Flight six

Pichon Baron, Pichon Lalande, Leoville Lascases

Flight seven

Cos, Montrose

Flight eight

Climens, Rieussec, Riesling TBA

The idea is to build up to the highlight flight 5 (though none are exactly shabby) so that time we are psyched more than fatigued as some of us might be towards the end

I like.

Me like too.