Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

QUEBEC CHRONICLE-TELEGRAPH

A-LIST CELEBRITIES ARRIVING FOR SAGUENAY NUPTIALS

Quebec City (AP) -- Security was being beefed up and final preparations being made at the historic Chateau Frontenac as world celebrities began to descend on the province for the much anticipated social event of the year, the wedding of Jean-Nicolas Maltais and Marie-Claude Gauthier.

World renowned physician Danny S. Golf and his lovely bride Danielle were expected to arrive in the old city on Friday for a pre-pre-event dinner with an unknown guest from the United States. Speculation has run rampant as to who that guest may be, but judging from the level of security the anticipation was reaching a fever pitch by midday on Wednesday.

Not since Winston Churchill met with Franklin Roosevelt here in 1943 has there been this level of excitement.

The long anticipated ceremony will occur on Sunday in the quaint town of Saguenay, north of Quebec City, the longtime home of the betrothed couple.

Congratulations to Nic and Marie-Claude. Have a fantastic celebration!

Finally it is happening, the wait for Marie Claude is nearly over…

Congratulation Nic and Marie-Claude.

Bill

Congratulations Nic and M-C, and best wishes for many more happy years together.

Congrats Nic and MC!

Hope you have a great time up there, Jim.

Congrats and better late than never!

Congratulations Nic; best wishes Marie-Claude!

Thank you all. I wish you could all be there, as it will be a special day, but dstgolf and Jim will represent the BWE fraternity very well. Unfortunately no Bordeaux at the wedding dinner. My friends and family like regular good wines, so there will be excellent Muscadet and Langhe for all. But also, good beers, as the wedding dinner and night is in a local micro-brewery.

We will have a pre-wedding dinner at JeanFred's place on Saturday, and who knows what wine can show up there? Anyway, it will be chilly fun time (yes, we had some hail today! Max today was 3 C or 34 F...

Festivities started tonight as the guests are arriving in town. Pizza with red Toscana and Côtes de Brouilly tonight.

Congratulations Jean Nicolas and Marie Claude, very happy for you two! Best wishes from Jill and me.

I wish you a wonderful celebration.

AR

Congratulations!

Cote de Brouilly from Thivin?

Congratulations Nic and Marie Claude!!

QUEBEC CHRONICLE-TELEGRAPH

"Ou est la poutine?" International lawyer arrives in province for royal wedding.

Quebec (AP) -- A smiling, ebullient Jimmy "Lynch Bages" How arrived in the old city this evening ahead of the much anticipated wedding of Canadian celebrities Jean-Nicolas Maltais and Marie-Claude Gauthier.

How, the internationally renowned lawyer and philanthropist known for his fluency in eight languages, mingled smoothly with local French-Canadian government officials who greeted him at the entrance of the historic Chateau Frontenac.

"Je suis honoré d'être ici au nom de mon ami Joe Biden et de tout le peuple américain," said How. "Que la fete commence!"

The historic province was in a festive mood this week in celebration of the much anticipated wedding of Maltais and Gauthier, scheduled for Sunday afternoon in Saguenay.

"Ou est la poutine?" How was last heard to say as he was escorted into the historic Quebec hotel.

Izak, it was Laurent Martray CdB, very mineral, way more than fruity.

Tonight, a lemony and lot of almonds Greco di Tufo, and a young Hermitage that delivered a lot, smoke, coal, violet flowers, dark berries, old rasberries, nice tannins, lot of freshness, drinks well.

Life is good!

Congrats to a great couple!

Agent DSTGOLF and lover safely on site in QC looking forward to rendezvous 18:30 with Jimmy LB Chez La Girolle for pre event festivities.

dstgolf wrote: ↑Fri May 19, 2023 8:12 pm Agent DSTGOLF and lover safely on site in QC looking forward to rendezvous 18:30 with Jimmy LB Chez La Girolle for pre event festivities.

Have a great time. The weekend will be quiet.

Over.

It will be quiet until we get there.

Great start in Le Capital National de Quebec with the infamous Jimmy H. Tried to keep it light and easy starting with a crisp citrusy 2020 Francois Carillon Cote d'Or Borgogne. More in the chablis mode than cote d'or for me but a nice entry.

1998 Vieux Chateau Certain was stunning. Right in its wheelhouse silky smooth with a nose to remember. Great length, perfect balance so what more can one ask from a wine.

Quiet night tonight but tomorrow not so sure Nic!! We're on our way for the big event!

Nice!

I understand you. Tonight, it was ladies night for MC. I stayed home and MC brother came for dinner.

Muscadet, Côtes de Brouilly, Loupiac, finally Cognac.

Will i make it to the big day?

We had a spectacular night tonight at the Jean-Fred residence, every single wine was amazing. More details to follow.

170er Krug
1986 Cos d'Estournel en magnum (I'll tell the incredible story of this bottle later)
2002 Lafite Rothschild
2008 Lafite Rothschild
1996 Mouton Rothschild
1996 d'Yquem
2000 Gruaud Larose
1996 L'Ermita

Many details to fill in, incredible hospitality in Saguenay.....

So much love, generosity and goodwill in one room. Restores one's faith in humanity.

Magic times! We were verry cozy at JeanFred and Josée house, and they prepared a fabulous dinner.

The frienship and company was great, and when i left with my bro Alex, he told me that he did not figure out it has been 20 years (YES 20 FUC***G YEARS) since he last saw Danny/Danielle and Jim... and is looking forward to have fun with them again tonight.

Of course, we discussed one more time of the long term frienship of BWEers, and how we handle well together. Other topic was how come i changed my mind to mary MC...

Finally, all the wines showed perfectly, no corked or underperforming bottles. It was just marvel after beauty, after one to the other. Hard to give ratings as frankly, all the wines performed between 95-96 to 98-99 points... they all had THEIR moment!

Last night was hard to decide which one we preferred. All wines showed exactly like expected, Cos being extravert, perfumed, mellowed for a 1986 in magnum, a beauty from A to Z, complex berry tobacco, light spices and secondary notes. Lafite being classical, very Pauillac with lead pencil, complex black and red fruits, light cedar, and long with elegant tannins. Mouton being very Pauillac too, with just a bit more oomf than Lafite, complex, blackcurrants and very blackberries, good minerality and spicyness from the oak. Gruaud being very Saint Julien having a bit less seriousness than the Pauillac with more charming fruity and sweet spices, but very Gruaud with light funky side, little horse, but the wine that started with the most impressive nose and mouth out of the gate! The Ermita was having nice slightly confit and kirsch cherry fruit, a bit of dry port tones, with complex oak in the mix, very long spicy, fruity and very lightly smoked finish.

Better conclusion was that top Bordeaux are top wines period. And the Ermita, clearly a "First Growth" from Spain.

It was a spectacular evening, omg, merci merci Josee and Jean-Fred for a spectacular dinner, better than most top restaurants. The lamb chops were the best I've ever had. Their house is beautiful.

As Nicola said, each of the wines performed brilliantly, they each evolved during the course of the evening and I swear at one point or another we had each wine as the wine of the night.

I first met Danny, Danielle, and Alex 20 years ago in Montreal, with Nicola, MC, and MichaelP. When I left them 20 years ago I left a magnum of 1986 Cos d'Estournel with Alex in gratitude for their hospitality. I told them we would drink that bottle when next we saw him. Well, 20 years later, we next saw him. And he brought that same 1986 Cos mag. Incredible. It was as stunning as you would expect an '86 Cos to be. It was probably the wine that evolved the most during the course of the evening, very tight and sharp when we first uncorked it, but open and singing loud in all of its glory by the end of the night. An absolutely spectacular experience.

We kept going back and forth on the two Lafites, the 2008 was a bit more fruit and the 2002 was, as expected, a bit more reserved. But both were just tremendous classic, classic Lafites and by night's end I just thought the 2002 was a classic lead pencil, cedar Lafite and the 2008 was leveling off just a touch. Both spectacular, which attained extra ecstasy as they were joined by the 1996 Mouton during one flight at the table, and by now we were in just Pauillac ecstasy with the lamb, OMG.... As Nicola said, the Mouton was bigger, brooding, a Cabernet beast, an immense complement to the food, such a treat to match up these Lafites and Moutons at the table with lifelong friends. We really got to examine the wines and experience them as they evolved throughout the evening, both with and without food. Ah to see that Lafite deep ruby and Mouton purple in the glass.... All of these Bordeaux were 12.5%. As good as it gets.

The 170th Krug was stunning, a touch more forward that the 168 but just such a joy to drink with the delicious appetizers. I'm definitely going to get more when they go on sale in NH, hopefully as early as next month. It really got the evening off to a great start.

We were thrilled to drink the 2000 Gruaud Larose, it was definitely of the mold of the great Cordiers of the 1980s, with funkiness and just the epitomization of St. Julien. It screamed St. Julien on the nose and palate. It was soooo St. Julien!! I haven't had it in years and it is really realizing its promise. What a delight. And the L'Ermita as well, such a fascinating, complex wine, flamboyant, sexy, slutty, a wild animal in the room of staid Bordeaux.

JF presented a 1996 d'Yquem at the end that left me in utter ecstasy with our hosts' dessert, aged, viscous, complex, JF thought it could have benefitted from more acidity but to me it was in just a perfect place age wise, mouth filling, caramel, taste-buds-tingling, classic d'Yquem.

Wow, what a night! Speaking on behalf of the internationally renowned lawyer and philanthropist Jimmy L.B. How, we want to thank Jean-Frederic and Josee for their incredible Canadian hospitality. It was a night to remember on a very special weekend!

What a lovely evening. And the perfect amount of great bottles so you guys shouldn't be hungover for the festivities today. Who needs strippers at a bachelor party when you have first growths?!

Enjoy the wedding! Congrats!

Amazing wines to complement what sounds like an amazing evening of comradery. And great "history" to have that 86 Cos.

We echo the sentiments of Jin and Nic....What a Night. Thanks to JF and Josee to open their beautiful home and serve up a spectacular dinner from start to finish. The gravlax app was one of the best I've ever had and matched perfectly with the Krug. A little salty and hint of sweetness it was treat to compliment the Krug.

The bottle opening frenzy was a site to behold and taught us all a lesson to have more tools of the trade to handle crumbling corks. I forgot my Durand which would have been a big plus as JF struggled with a screw that was too short and the corks kept breaking/crumbling making us somewhat worried about what was inside. With a little staring to remove the cork pieces every wine as described showed perfectly. Some jumped out of the gate early like the Gruaud and others more reserved with very present tannins in most. Just like a great horse race these beauties jockeyed for position all night long and over the 5-6 hours it was impossible to declare a clear winner. Each wine at some point had somebody saying wow...has 86 Cos ever come to the forefront, then the 08 Lafite jumped in front only to be trumped later by the 02 which battled with a spectacular 96 Mounton. The l'Ermita a star in its own right but a different kettle of fish with only 1400 bottles produced, 91% Garnacha/9%Carignan it had a different profile to the Bordeaux's altogether with deep rich kirschy black cherry and incredible length. A first growth in its own right and didn't back down in this race of champions.


96 Y'Quem was a classic end to a fabulous night that seemed to fly by with everyone having an incredible time with the hi light of the evening the wonderful friendships that have carried on for decades and going strong.

Looking forward to the wedding today which will bring this wonderful Saguenay weekend to an end.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/JxTxhCZc8Noz58QZA

What a fabulous dinner we add yesterday!

It was such a pleasure to have Jim and Danny-Danielle in Saguenay and to receive all those people.
Friendship and generosity was there!

For the wine, as Nicolas said:

Nicklasss wrote: ↑Sun May 21, 2023 1:51 pm Finally, all the wines showed perfectly, no corked or underperforming bottles. It was just marvel after beauty, after one to the other. Hard to give ratings as frankly, all the wines performed between 95-96 to 98-99 points... they all had THEIR moment!

And Nicolas, Jim and Danny well resume all that the wines shine and have given us!

Long life to BWE and our future married

Jean-Fred

What a fabulous occasion - one to go down in the immortal BWE memories - all these occasions strengthen the family spirit among BWE…notably the story about the magnum of 1986 Cos…

Well done Jean Fred and Josee and congratulations again to Nic and Marie Claude. Great photos Danny - as always - which vicariously caught the spirit of the event.

Jim are you going to publish the BWE memoirs for our 25th anniversary? “BWE: the first 25 years…”

Your intrepid reporter…

JimHow wrote: ↑Sun May 21, 2023 8:51 pm Your intrepid reporter…

How awesome! Congrats Nicolas and MC!

SF Ed

Mazel tov! Welcome to the team, Nicola.

Heading back home to the other side of the border. It was a very beautiful, special wedding. Jimmy L.B. How does not cry at weddings but he must admit there was a tear or two during this one. A very special event with good people in Quebec province, beautiful families. A big BWE congratulations to Nic and Marie-Claude!

Felicitations Nicolas et Marie-Claude!

Great weekend and so nice to share it with some special people culminating in the marriage of a wonderful couple. Nice to be finally home safe and sound but we had a superb time in Saguenay which surprised us in how well developed this place was for such a northern community with lots of history and shear natural beauty.

Best Wishes to the Bride and Groom!

Thank all for the wishes. It was a nice wedding, and i feel great that Marie-Claude is now my wife!

dstgolf/Danielle and Jim, thank you for the very generous wedding gifts. Hope you had a good meal, good drinks, good company, and good time.