Bordeaux wines of the 1970s: NYC October 16, 2010

Chasse-Spleen · Post by **Chasse-Spleen** » Mon May 10, 2010 12:05 am

Marisa,
No problem, we would love to have you and your friend join us on the 24th. Please send me a PM so we can coordinate.
Regards,
Chasse aka Chris

tim · Post by **tim** » Tue May 11, 2010 11:42 pm

I'd like to add a guest to the waiting list for Oct 16, after winestory. Thus winestory is first on the waiting list, then my guest is second if there is an opening.

Thanks.

jal · Post by **jal** » Wed May 12, 2010 12:29 pm

I will try to make it to the Italian dinner the night before, put me down for a 1974 Produttori Moccagatta

Comte Flaneur · Post by **Comte Flaneur** » Thu May 13, 2010 12:02 am

Ok Tim duly noted

I have updated the list of wines that people are bringing...as I said the aim is 2 bottles per person given the expected high failure rate

Jacques good that you can make the Italian dinner - any other takers?

Tom In DC · Post by **Tom In DC** » Thu May 13, 2010 4:08 am

RE: Friday night... I'm fighting through a disk crash...

(When folks tell you to back up your data, please, please, please, please listen to them... I'm in the IT biz, but still had enough not-backed-up data that I spent a fortune recovering data from the crashed disk.)

...but I know we'll have a Barolo and a Barbaresco from the decade in question, as well as a few elder statesmen...

Ciao,
Tom

PS - I hate breaking in a new computer, when it identifies things like"Barolo", "Barbaresco" and "BWE" as misspellings...

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Thu May 13, 2010 6:00 am

I know what you mean, Tom. I have to buy a new unit before the end of the month. Probably it will sit in the box for a month before I can bear the pain of switching to it.

jal · Post by **jal** » Thu May 13, 2010 12:42 pm

All I have to say to you guys is Mac+1tb External HD+Time Machine. Saved me last December.

PappaDoc · Post by **PappaDoc** » Fri May 14, 2010 11:29 am

Just got hold of a 71 Latour A Pomerol. Will sub it for the 79 Du Tertre, we can pair it with Toms 70 Trotanoy.

Jay Winton · Post by **Jay Winton** » Fri May 14, 2010 2:29 pm

75 Montrose and something else. A kind BWE has offered me an additional 70s vintage unless I come across another bottle.

Comte Flaneur · Post by **Comte Flaneur** » Fri May 14, 2010 3:12 pm

As I said earlier we are aiming for two bottles per person

Why? For two reasons

1) At the last two events - 1986 and 1989 - we had two bottles per person and everything was drunk - there was not a drop left and no faulty bottles
2) We wont be so lucky with these 1970s vintages - I estimate one bottle in three with be faulty to the point of not being drinkable

So if we bring one bottle per person or two per couple - I guarantee we will run out of wine and we will have to order stuff off the restuarant's (very modest) list.

We should therefore have a minimum of three bottles per couple...if I bring someone I will definitely be bringing four bottles...there is plenty of time to source stuff

Jay Winton · Post by **Jay Winton** » Fri May 14, 2010 4:57 pm

Comte Flaneur wrote:As I said earlier we are aiming for two bottles per person

Why? For two reasons

1) At the last two events - 1986 and 1989 - we had two bottles per person and everything was drunk - there was not a drop left and no faulty bottles
2) We wont be so lucky with these 1970s vintages - I estimate one bottle in three with be faulty to the point of not being drinkable

So if we bring one bottle per person or two per couple - I guarantee we will run out of wine and we will have to order stuff off the restuarant's (very modest) list.

We should therefore have a minimum of three bottles per couple...if I bring someone I will definitely be bringing four bottles...there is plenty of time to source stuff

ok, besides 1sts, what's on your wishlist?

Comte Flaneur · Post by **Comte Flaneur** » Fri May 14, 2010 5:41 pm

La Mission 75/78, Petrus 70/71/75. Lafleur 75/78/79 - none of these are first growths...

No joking apart Jay there are quite a lot of reasonably priced 75s, 78s and 79s floating about - stuff for less than $100 a bottle

We are just looking for a fair distribution of contributions

Jay Winton · Post by **Jay Winton** » Fri May 14, 2010 6:25 pm

Comte Flaneur wrote:La Mission 75/78, Petrus 70/71/75. Lafleur 75/78/79 - none of these are first growths...

No joking apart Jay there are quite a lot of reasonably priced 75s, 78s and 79s floating about - stuff for less than $100 a bottle

We are just looking for a fair distribution of contributions

To me, 78 is a better vintage OVERALL than 79 or am I offbase?

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Fri May 14, 2010 7:11 pm

I agree, Jay.

stefan

Blanquito · Post by **Blanquito** » Fri May 14, 2010 8:24 pm

I'm trying to source a well-stored 1978 GPL, and I think can get it, so put that down as my 2nd bottle.

Comte Flaneur · Post by **Comte Flaneur** » Fri May 14, 2010 9:05 pm

Ah...excellent Patrick...GPL 78 that was my unsung hero of the Pauillac tasting...

You're right Jay, 1978 is a better vintage than 1979, but 1979 shouldn't be sniffed at. The best vintage of the 1970s was 1975 and the best appellation was Pomerol, which scored 94 points in that vintage

In terms of overall rankings of the vintages, including all eight major appellations equally weighted, this is the pecking order, including score:

1975 87.9
1970 86.5
1978 84.9
1979 84.4
1971 83.9
1976 81.4

The other vintages don't even merit a ranking

jal · Post by **jal** » Fri May 14, 2010 11:16 pm

It's still early and we have five more months to source some good wines. I am hoping that the 1970 Yquem arrives at Premier Cru before the tasting, and will bring the 1978 Trotanoy as well. I am also bidding on some mixed lots at a few auctions and will happily schlep whatever I can get my hands on. Too bad I drank my last remaining bottle of 1978 Palmer a couple of months ago. That was a stunner! I'm sure everyone would have enjoyed it a lot.

Comte Flaneur · Post by **Comte Flaneur** » Sat May 15, 2010 2:09 am

I bet the last bottle out of the case was the best Jacques. Palmer 78 is a stunner. The 1996 Palmer is cut from the same cloth.

Chasse-Spleen · Post by **Chasse-Spleen** » Sat May 15, 2010 9:39 pm

'72 was a great year - for the Stones

-Chasse

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Sat May 15, 2010 10:36 pm

I think I also have a '78 Palmer left and will bring it. I chose the '70 because of its great reviews, but I have had better experience with the '78.

Comte Flaneur · Post by **Comte Flaneur** » Sat May 15, 2010 11:42 pm

Good on you stefan.

It looks like I have located a stash of 70s wines which we can use as a pool for those struggling to source stuff. Assuming I can get them I will post the details.

Comte Flaneur · Post by **Comte Flaneur** » Fri May 21, 2010 11:25 pm

Jay - or anyone else attending - I have sourced some 1975 Leoville Barton and Pichon Lalande if you are interested

Tom In DC · Post by **Tom In DC** » Sun May 23, 2010 4:26 am

Chasse-Spleen wrote:'72 was a great year - for the Stones
-Chasse

And DRC wines!

Chasse-Spleen · Post by **Chasse-Spleen** » Sun May 23, 2010 5:15 am

Tom,
Was it really? I'm going to have to go look that up in my Broadbent and Parker Burgundy books. I never heard of that. Of course, I believe you. Nobody ever mentions that '72 was a great Burgundy vintage, as far as I know. or a great vintage for anything, except maybe "Keep on Truckin' tee-shirts. Maybe we should ask Alex, I mean - he's VISITED DRC. That fact always brings a smile to my face.

On an unrelated topic, although it does tie into the 'brings a smile to one's face' idea, I met Fred Thomas tonight at a gig I did. I had never heard of him before. But he played bass for James Brown for 30 years, and was the nicest guy you could ever meet. He looked amazingly cool as well, even at 70, more hip than most people have a right to look at 50, and he totally kicked as on stage, singing and playing bass in his band which is very James Brown oriented. He played BEFORE us! I was scared to death.

I feel like sharing that with anyone who will listen. It was so cool.

-Chris

Winona Chief · Post by **Winona Chief** » Sun May 23, 2010 4:37 pm

I have no experience with 1972 DRC but I remember enjoying many very nice 1972 Burgundies (both red and white). Don't know that it was a great year in Burgundy but there were some very good wines. Mine are long gone.

Chris Bublitz

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Sun May 23, 2010 5:57 pm

Nothing that happens to you in your music exploits surprises me, Chasse, you are extremely talented. I gotta check out a performance live sometime.

Jay Winton · Post by **Jay Winton** » Sun May 23, 2010 6:29 pm

Bill put a 76 Cheval Blanc in my hand last night and it is slumbering until October. Comte, I may take you up on your offer...I'm looking around.

RDD · Post by **RDD** » Mon May 24, 2010 12:00 pm

Very nice story Chasse. My only James Brown connection is "Pappa Got A Brand New Bag" was recorded around the corner from my house. The JB Band had played a show at the Charlotte Colliseum and afterwards headed to the studio while they were still hot from performing..

Ramon_NYC · Post by **Ramon_NYC** » Mon May 24, 2010 5:57 pm

Chasse-Spleen wrote:'72 was a great year - for the Stones
-Chasse

Yep, a good year for other bands too. The only Deep Purple albums that I bought were released in '72: Machine Head and Made in Japan. Also, the only David Bowie that I recall ever having bought was released in '72: Ziggy Stardust.

Chasse-Spleen · Post by **Chasse-Spleen** » Tue May 25, 2010 9:59 pm

Those are some of my favorites, Ramon.
-Chris

Tom In DC · Post by **Tom In DC** » Wed May 26, 2010 4:21 am

Maybe not a "great" year for DRC, but a year for very good DRC wines that were quite affordable for the quality. Probably a result of being in the shadow of the truly great Burg vintages of 1969 and 1971. I think Broadbent in his revised edition gave 3 to 4 stars to the '72 DRC's he had tasted, which was pretty respectable in the days before grade inflation.

~Tom

Comte Flaneur · Post by **Comte Flaneur** » Wed Jul 28, 2010 7:48 pm

Bumping this back up as we are less than two months away...

Unfortunately we have had some drop outs...Patrick and then Tom and Gail can no longer make it...that could put the kibosh on the 1970s Italian dinner too

So that leaves space for Tim and Marissa on the waiting list

Jay Winton · Post by **Jay Winton** » Wed Jul 28, 2010 9:14 pm

if we can't find some kind of reasonable price on a hotel room, I'm not sure we will be able to make it. Ridiculously high at this point. Any suggestions welcome

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Wed Jul 28, 2010 9:40 pm

Why not priceline, Jay? That is what I often do. Not this time, because I'll be there on business, but you should get something decent.

Jay Winton · Post by **Jay Winton** » Wed Jul 28, 2010 11:01 pm

stefan wrote:Why not priceline, Jay? That is what I often do. Not this time, because I'll be there on business, but you should get something decent.

thanks, that sounds like a good idea.

mike reff · Post by **mike reff** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 10:56 am

if there is a wait list for the bordeaux dinner please add my name to the list. THanks

Mike

tim · Post by **tim** » Sun Aug 01, 2010 12:31 am

Just to confirm, it is my guest that was on the waiting list from before, so I'm confirmed for two (me and my guest).

Still need to sort out what we are bringing.

Cheers,

Tim

mike reff · Post by **mike reff** » Sun Aug 01, 2010 11:12 am

is the list on an above thread? Usually most offlines that I have attended have waitlists posted in an above thread

JonoB · Post by **JonoB** » Tue Aug 03, 2010 3:05 am

Mike, I would guess that Ian has it written down on thr back of an envelope somewhere!!??!!

Which brings me to my point.
Ian,

However much I would love to turn up for this, whether I go to Hong Kong and Beijing for work in September or after I finish what needs doing in Tokyo has not as yet been finalised, so I can't promise anything. As such it is probably safest to disregard me... However, when I do manage to get to NY, I will bring some things and we can do something impromptu.

Comte Flaneur · Post by **Comte Flaneur** » Thu Aug 05, 2010 3:49 pm

Mike - I put you down on the bench - not promising but chances are that you will get a run out for the full 90 minutes

Marissa - let me know if you want in - there is a place now available for you - you were on the original sub list

Others - please let me know what you want to bring bearing in mind my original prediction of a high duff bottle rate

I am travelling and wont be checking the board until next week