Dinner with Michael P in Manhattan

[JimHow]

We dined last night at Piccolo Fiore, which was just coincidentally recommended by one of Michael's friends.
If I'm not mistaken BWE has had some dinners there.
They waived their $25 corkage fee for us.

Michael brought a 1967 Barolo, I don't think it even had the producer's name on it. It was interesting to drink but I just don't understand it, it still had good fruit but seemed disjointed and out of sorts. An interesting experience nonetheless.

A 1996 Ducru Beaucaillou from the famous Emil stash was a disappointment. There was nothing flawed about it but it was pretty nondescript, unexciting, still extremely youthful. Dark colored, really no sign of lightening. It got a little better as dinner progressed but it was still pretty closed up by the end of the night. I don't think the problem with this wine is its youth (geez, it's 20 years old, for crying out loud). I just think this is not a great wine. I got the sense it is not going to improve much more with age. Don't get me wrong, it complemented my ribeye well enough, it just wasn't very profound.

The 1998 Pape Clement was quite lovely, well balanced, it was even deeper colored than the Ducru. Still very youthful. Not overly strong on either the nose or palate but it exuded a lot of class. This needs at least another five years under its belt.

We popped and poured all of the wines. The food was fine and reasonably priced. We partied into the wee hours of the night over on the east side, a lot of fun hanging out in the Big Apple with the man from California.

[Comte Flaneur]

Jim - that is the venue where we did a lot of BWE off-lines including four annual Bordeaux tastings back to back around mid-October:

1986 Bordeaux in 2008 - Alex flew over for that one
1989 in 2009 - when Lafite was the surprise winner even beating Haut-Brion
1970s in 2010 - Rodeo swirler
Lesser 80s vintages in 2011 - Rodeo two pours

I had a similar experience with the 1996 Ducru, and so have others. It is extremely tight. Even the 2000 is more approachable now.

Regarding old barolos they need to be treated with kid gloves. Ideally they need to be stood up for a few weeks, and then you have the problem of transporting them..

Great that you guys could meet up. I still have vivid memories of Michael's 1934 Petrus, a wine Francois would have approved of.

[stefan]

The Piccolo Fiore dinners Ian organized were great events. When is the next one?

I like to try old Barolo from time to time, but I do not love them the way I love old Bordeaux and old women. I tend to prefer Barolo when it is in its nubile period, around 20, but in fact tend to drink Barolo when it is still jail bait.

[AKR]

Last time I was in NYC a year or so ago, we had a dinner in their new Fabio Cucino or something like that. We had the private room downstairs. I remember the absolutely monstrous butterflied veal chop, which I couldn't finish, and the SO put the kibosh on me doggybagging the rest back to our hotel room, since she didn't want the room to smell of food.

Those all sound like pretty serious wines, maybe the just needed a little air.

========

I too have never really gotten Barolo, although I buy it periodically, and sometimes enjoy it when I want something different. I will acknowledge that a Gaja that jal poured for us some years ago was absolutely stunning. If that was what can be done there, I can see why there is such a fuss. Despite all that, I have still put some 2010's down, but not so much for me, rather for the kids. The stuff ages, and perhaps they will appreciate different flavors than I do, so they'll start adulthood with a spectrum of mature fine wine.

[Comte Flaneur]

[quote="stefan"]The Piccolo Fiore dinners Ian organized were great events. When is the next one?

How about mid-October 2016? I need to come over to NY to sort some personal stuff out.

Any interest - we would need a theme - I could suggest several.

One vintage we didn't do and we might have done in 2012 if I was still there was 1982. I have a bottle of Mouton in storage in Manhattan. I could put it on death row...

Another vintage we didn't do was 1985, most if which are still drinking very well

[Blanquito]

Piccolo Fiore on E. 44th (where all the big Ian events occurred, though Ramon, who used to live in the neighborhood, was our original "in" with Fabio) used to be called Fabio's Piccolo Fiore. At some point in 2014, Fabio left Piccolo Fiore and opened his own place 8 blocks north of Piccolo Fiore.

I've attended two events at the new Fabio's, one in May 2015 and another shortly after BWE DC '16 when we learned that that Fabio has passed away fairly suddenly from cancer. I like both venues, they have nice private dinning areas, they waive corkage and they are very accommodating to large, long wine events. The food ranges from very good to decent.

I'm not sure how long the new Fabio's will last-- between his passing and how quiet it was on a Saturday evening (we were practically the only people in there).

I'd be up for NYC October 2016. '82 or '85 sounds great, I've had a bunch of truly wonderful 85s in the last 12-24 months.

[stefan]

If the October date does not conflict with a family wedding, Lucie and I would almost surely come. We are overdue for a visit to NYC. Unfortunately, the date of the wedding is not yet set.

[Comte Flaneur]

Well tell them to hurry up and fix their wedding date so we can work around that.

I've not been to the Big Apple for nearly four years.

Stefan - 1982 or 1985?

[Comte Flaneur]

Patrick - very sorry to learn about Fabio. He was a terrific personality. A Roman with a twinkle in his eye.

1. Do you think you could make an October dinner in NYC?
2. Is Piccole a suitable location?

I remember the first time we did this and we had a Friday warm up dinner at the Fabio Piccole as well where I met Tom and Gail for the first time. Memorable evening with memorable wines. A great warm up for the main event the following night...

[Nicklasss]

Nice report Jim, but I'm sad about how the wine performed... But doesn't matter. When you're with MichaelP, heading out late in NYC, who cares about the wines. Younger, I really liked the 1996 Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou. I brought this wine to a dinner with SdR in 2008 in Miami, but never opened it than as SdR had plan many wines. I open it a few months later, with my brother.

I wish i could have been there this weekend, but birthday of Julien got my vote!

I remember in 2003, thrashing late at night after the official BWE convention dinner, going out, i did the dragon spitting fire with zambuca, drinking some crazy wines late that night at Maureen flat (including some Gevrey Premier Cru from Roty) while watching that never sleeping city that is New-York.

Completely zombie for the next day lunch in Chinatown, at Mr. Tang, where I brought a 1988 Chateau Haut Brion to get everybody out of their hangover, and getting a haircut while the last hours of the convention where going down, and like Alice, would go out of Wonderland around 5:00 pm that Sunday. And missing my good BWE friends until we next meet each other.

NYC, in October? Why not!

Nic

[stefan]

I would say 1982, Ian, although everyone's stash of these '80s vintages is probably pretty low by now.

[Claret]

Coincidentally I opened a 98 Pape Clement this week.

I really enjoyed it. The truffle earthiness and texture were superb.

[Jay Winton]

Nic,

I remember the 88HB, the haircut and my immense hangover. 2 good, one bad which ain't bad.

[jckba]

I'd be interested in meeting some of you if a get together in NYC materializes ...

[JimHow]

As benevolent dictator of BWE I order your attendance jckba.

[TomRippe]

Hi, I attended a couple of dinners some years back and would love to be included on the mailing list, please. I can offer the 80's and some 78's. Thanks.

Tom Rippe