Happy Birthday Alex!

[Comte Flaneur]

Alex turned 70 today

Happy birthday my old friend

[dstgolf]

Congrats Alex. Aging like a fine wine!

[Blanquito]

70 is the new 30, Alex. Happy bday, I hope you drink something special.

[jal]

Happy birthday Alex. Many many more and wishing you only good things

[JimHow]

To ChatGPT:

Write a birthday poem to my friend Alex Rychlewski, an American ex-patriot and Bordeaux Wine Enthusiast who lives in Bordeaux, France, and is 70 years old today.

….

In Bordeaux's embrace, a connoisseur thrives,
Alex Rychlewski, the wine enthusiast, with age he strives.
Seventy years have adorned his vibrant path,
A life of passion and Bordeaux's aftermath.

From the land of stars and stripes, he took flight,
An American soul, seeking France's delight.
In Bordeaux's vineyards, his heart found its place,
A taste of heaven's nectar, his eternal grace.

With every sip, his spirit dances with glee,
As Bordeaux's secrets whisper, "Come, let me be."
From the bold Cabernets to velvety Merlots,
Alex's devotion to wine forever flows.

His cellar's filled with treasures, aged to perfection,
Each bottle telling stories, a reflection of his affection.
From Pauillac to Saint-Émilion, his palate explored,
A journey of flavors, a symphony encored.

Today, we celebrate a milestone so grand,
Seventy years of life, a legacy in his hand.
To Alex Rychlewski, a friend tried and true,
May Bordeaux's blessings continue to renew.

Raise your glass high, a toast to this special day,
To an ex-patriot who found his love in Bordeaux's sway.
Happy 70th birthday, dear Alex, with joy we sing,
May your Bordeaux dreams forever take wing!

[JCNorthway]

I cannot hold a candle to ChatGPT, but Happy Birthday, Alex.

[DavidG]

Happy birthday Alex!

Nice gesture Jim. Just keep AI out of your briefs. And out of your court filings, too.

[stefan]

Welcome to the septuagenarian club, Alex!

Best,

Bill

[ericp]

Jim, that’s great - nicely done.

Wishing you many many more birthdays Alex, you are aging like a 1929 Bordeaux!!

Eric

[JoelD]

Happy 70th, Alex! Hope to see you again soon.

[tim]

Bon anniversaire Alex!!

[Nicklasss]

Joyeux anniversaire à mon bon ami Alex. Une belle journée à toi, avec les personnes que tu aimes.

[AKR]

That is quite the poetic homage! Congratulations

[AlexR]

Hi guys,

Many thanks for your birthday wishes.

Jim, I showed your poem around to friends and family and we all loved it.
What a great idea!
What input did you put into ChatGPT for them to come up with it?
I invited 35 people over to dinner to celebrate my birthday, which entailed a lot of work. But it was well worth it. We had good wine, but nothing earthshaking.
I served four magnums of NV Champagne: one each of Mumm Cordon Rouge and Jacquesson Cuvée 742, and two of Bollinger. We all pretty much preferred the Bollinger. It is definitely my favorite grande marque. I long to go there one day…

We also had magnums of 2016 Ch. de Ferran and Ch. Seguin, two wines from Pessac-Léognan. The Seguin was really lovely, as good as some crus classes. The 17 Langoa Barton was thin and angular. We also had other mid-range wines, mostly from Burgundy and the Roussillon.
My daughter and grandson flew in from England for the bash which finished, as it ought to, with a good cigar (Wide Churchill from Romeo y Juileta) and Pierre de Sognozac XO Cognac.

All the best to my BWE friends,
Carpe Diem,
Alex

[JCNorthway]

Sounds like the right way to celebrate, including the cigar and Cognac.

[Claudius2]

Yes happy birthday!
Hope to meet you again in Bordeaux some time.
Cheers
Mark

[greatbxfreak]

Hi Alex,

You were born in 1953, which is a spectacular Bordeaux vintage, when the bottle has perfect provenance, and you obviously hadn't tasted any on the day. But it's a choice of course how to celebrate your birthday.

I chose differently, and In December 2016, when I celebrated my 70th birthday, I invited about 15 people to my event at a great restaurant in Copenhagen with a menu suggested by myself and created by the chef and 27 exclusive wines. Unfortunately, 9 people didn't accept the invitation for different reasons, so we ended with 6 participants (me included). 27 wines for 6 people. There was enough wine for the sommeliers and kitchen staff after the tasting diner. The wines tasted were a historic line-up. 0 was the second digit of my age, and 6 was the last digit of the year I was born in.

It was a life-time moment and I maybe repeat it in some way in three years time when I be 80 years old

[AlexR]

Izak,

One of the high points of my life was drinking 1953 Château Margaux during a lunch at the château.

Mind you, 1961 Margaux from magnum at the château with fellow BWEers wasn't too shabby either.

Alex