***BWE 2018 Convention DC: Sat 3/24 Charlie Palmer***

Sdayton · Post by **Sdayton** » Sat Jan 27, 2018 12:53 am

Rob and I will be there for Thu and Fri and, of couse, Sat.

NoahR · Post by **NoahR** » Sat Jan 27, 2018 2:12 am

Ran into Chris B at a tasting recently and he reminded me this was going on - I’d forgotten! I am DC-based but have not yet gotten my Call schedule for March, so don’t know if I’m in or a healthy scratch yet... Would love to meet/see everyone!
Cheers,
Noah

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Sat Jan 27, 2018 2:16 am

Hey Noah!
As the kind and benevolent Benevolent Dictator of BWE I hereby order you to attend.
We'd love to meet you and drink some fine Bordeaux!
Sincerely,
BD.

JeanFred · Post by **JeanFred** » Sat Jan 27, 2018 3:15 pm

As Chris said, we should start new thread for the Thursday and Friday the get the count

Can just help to create a buzz.

Also, that we will help me and Nick which bottles we are going to bring or to buy

Jean-Fred

Michael-P · Post by **Michael-P** » Mon Jan 29, 2018 6:20 pm

Any pricing for Sat yet?

Michael-P

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Mon Jan 29, 2018 7:13 pm

I think price is connected up number of attendees, Michael, I wonder what the price would be David estimating an attendance of 24, recognizing the cost will go up or down depending on whether we are above or below that number.

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Mon Jan 29, 2018 11:12 pm

Jim's right as there is a minimum to get the room. I will work up a price based on 24 and 30 and report later this week. I'll make a final count Monday and send a request for checks.

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Tue Feb 06, 2018 6:54 am

Getting around to this again, this is the list I have as of now. I'll update on the first post as well.

Should have prices this week.

JimHow + 1
Stefan + Lucie
Nicola + Frederic
MichaelP + Nalan
SF Ed
Chris + Marjorie
Stuart + Kathy
DavidG + 1
marcs
Carlos
Rob & Sue

Total = 19

Maybes - let me know if any of you can confirm
danzur

JCNorthway · Post by **JCNorthway** » Tue Feb 06, 2018 11:56 am

David,

Paula and I cannot make it this year (sadly).

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Tue Feb 06, 2018 2:23 pm

Jon:

We’ll miss you both.

Jay Winton · Post by **Jay Winton** » Tue Feb 06, 2018 3:22 pm

We can't make Saturday. I encourage everyone to leave tribute bottles for my later consumption.

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Tue Feb 06, 2018 7:38 pm

Another

We'll miss you and Peggy too. We'll have to connect some time later this spring or summer.

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Tue Feb 06, 2018 8:57 pm

So here are the all-in costs, including:
Hors d'oeuvres for the reception
6 bottles of Champagne (3 each 164 eme Krug MV and 2006 Taittinger Comtes) for the reception
Dinner (Still working on details, probably 4 courses if we are only 19 or 20 people - appetizer, main, dessert, cheese)
Tax
Tip
Corkage
Rental glassware (6 glasses per person)

The minimum required for the room ($3500) makes a big difference when it comes to the number attending:
For 19 attending: $315/person (this is the amount based on the current head count)
For 25 attending: $245/person
For 30 attending: $205/person

I'll give it a few more weeks to see if the numbers change before asking for checks.

marcs · Post by **marcs** » Wed Feb 07, 2018 12:11 am

holy shit, $3500 minimum spend is a huge amount. Not trying to be obnoxious but if we end up talking $300 per person that is like double what you would have to pay at nearby restaurants of, I would say, superior quality to Charlie Palmers. PM me if you want details.

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Wed Feb 07, 2018 9:22 pm

$3500 is not huge if you have 30-40 people, which is our usual turnout. You are welcome to make alternative arrangements Marc. I will be happy to turn it over to you entirely.

Sdayton · Post by **Sdayton** » Thu Feb 08, 2018 1:17 am

Thank you David. I know coordinating all this is a PITA. when we have final numbers we will get our check to you quickly! Can't wait to see everyone!!!!

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Thu Feb 08, 2018 1:26 am

Oh yeah!
It would be nice if we could get at least 6 more attendees and get to at least that $245 level.

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Thu Feb 08, 2018 2:08 pm

The other big cost difference compared to past years, besides the higher minimum for the room, is the high-end Champagne. That adds about $50 per person at our current numbers. In past years we did BYO or I bought inexpensive Champagne.

I explained that up front and asked for input from the group before purchasing the Krug and Taittinger. I got enthusiastic thumbs ups from 3 or 4 people and no naysayers. But if cost remains an issue I can keep the Champagne myself and people can BYO. That would drop the cost to $265/person at our current number of attendees.

The cost of the dinner is not an issue for me but I understand that $315 is high, and above expectations/past years. I’ll do whatever the group wants. Meantime, let's see if we get some more participants.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Thu Feb 08, 2018 2:10 pm

I agree David, thanks for your efforts.

SF Ed · Post by **SF Ed** » Thu Feb 08, 2018 2:13 pm

The key is driving attendance. Having been the organizer for a few of these (well, actually, Lisa has done the heavy lifting), the number of people against the plan is the key.

We have a venue that has worked many times. For it to work economically, we need more people for the venue. Very simple.

Slackers of BWE - come through and come to DC!

SF Ed

sdr · Post by **sdr** » Fri Feb 09, 2018 4:22 pm

I could easily provide 6 bottles of champagne if I could ship it ahead of time.

Some combination of Dom P. 2002, Krug 1995, Cristal 2005 and Comtes 1996.

Let me know if interested.

Stu

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Fri Feb 09, 2018 6:43 pm

Very generous offer Stuart. I'm working with Charlie Palmer and seeing if some locals are interested. I think I'll be able to get the cost down to $250/person.

The BD decreed that CP is our venue, primarily because the room is great for our group and the staff is amenable, so that is where I went. And the 50% deposit I made is non-refundable. We'll make CP work.

danzur · Post by **danzur** » Fri Feb 09, 2018 10:58 pm

DavidG wrote:Getting around to this again, this is the list I have as of now. I'll update on the first post as well.

Should have prices this week.

JimHow + 1
Stefan + Lucie
Nicola + Frederic
MichaelP + Nalan
SF Ed
Chris + Marjorie
Stuart + Kathy
DavidG + 1
marcs
Carlos
Rob & Sue

Total = 19

Maybes - let me know if any of you can confirm
danzur

Sorry, just saw this. Unfortunately we can't make it, my son is home for Spring Break that week.

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Fri Feb 09, 2018 11:57 pm

Well if he’s 21 it’s not too soon to introduce him to some great Bordeaux and some pretty great Bordeaux lovers.

Seriously though, enjoy the time with your son. The time passes way too fast. Maybe next time.

Nicklasss · Post by **Nicklasss** » Sat Feb 10, 2018 2:58 am

With sdr offer, a 100 % Champagne night Saturday?

Would be cool and a Bordeaux breakfast Sunday.

Nic

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Sat Feb 10, 2018 6:09 pm

Oooh, Nic, you renegade you - Champagne for the BWE Annual Convention! Would that be like Jim's protest selection of 2005 Burgundy as BWE WOTY?

I am confident that I will find a way to get it down to $250 per person, similar to prior years, and that we will have the Taiitinger and Krug as originally planned. The last thing I'd want to do is turn down Stuart's generous offer. If he wants to bring his Champagne and can find a way to ship it (maybe to someone in DC?), I am certain we will find a time to enjoy it, perhaps added to our Saturday event or the Friday dinner?

We have a lot of interest in 1998 as a theme for this dinner. Anyone interested in a blind tasting of 1998s? One advantage of having a smaller group is that one bottle would suffice for 1-oz tastes. But that's just a taste, not a drink. I'm planning on having 5-6 wine glasses per person so that won't be an issue. I also have 1 oz pour restrictors to control pour sizes - but wines would need to be double decanted ahead of time and bagged or wrapped in foil. I can do that if the group wants to go that way.

I'm also OK with a random pour around where we'd get larger pours of fewer wines and not everyone would taste everything, kind of a smoke 'em if you got 'em free for all.

SF Ed · Post by **SF Ed** » Sat Feb 10, 2018 6:46 pm

I'd rather keep things fast and loose. But I am bringing 1998 BDX - La Mission Haut Brion and Angelus.

SF Ed

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Sat Feb 10, 2018 7:51 pm

I am also happy with skipping the blind tasting this year and drinking the 1998s with dinner.

Nicklasss · Post by **Nicklasss** » Sat Feb 10, 2018 8:02 pm

SF Ed wrote:I'd rather keep things fast and loose. But I am bringing 1998 BDX - La Mission Haut Brion and Angelus.

SF Ed

I think i never sat with Ed before. Seems like the good year to start!

Normally, I'll have minimum a 1995 La Mission Haut Brion.

Nic

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Sun Feb 11, 2018 4:15 pm

marcs wrote:holy shit, $3500 minimum spend is a huge amount. Not trying to be obnoxious but if we end up talking $300 per person that is like double what you would have to pay at nearby restaurants of, I would say, superior quality to Charlie Palmers. PM me if you want details.

PM sent. Or email me at dbg at comcast dot net.

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Sun Feb 11, 2018 4:18 pm

Free for all sounds good to me, especially with our smaller group this year. And less work for me!

Michael-P · Post by **Michael-P** » Tue Feb 13, 2018 4:34 am

I doubt any of my DC friends will do $250.

SF-Ed and our wines were shipped to NY today to rest before the train ride to DC the week of the 19th.

Michael-P

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Wed Feb 14, 2018 10:03 pm

Stimulated by Marcs price for the Friday dinner and my natural competitive juices, I've been doing a bit more negotiating. Charlie Palmer has agreed to reduce their minimum and I've made a few other adjustments.

The price for the dinner is now $200/person for 19. Includes:
Hour-long reception with hors d'oeuvres and Champagne (Krug MV 164, Taittinger Comtes 2006)
Four-course dinner (appetizer, main, cheese, dessert)
Corkage, tax, tip, 6 wine glasses per person included.

[strike]If we get up to 25 people, the price will drop to $175.[/strike]
(Sorry for any confusion. Price will remain steady at $200/person now since we've met the new reduced minimum)
I'll wait a bit more to see if we get any more takers.
Will ask for checks early March once I have a final number.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Wed Feb 14, 2018 10:20 pm

You da man!

Nicklasss · Post by **Nicklasss** » Wed Feb 14, 2018 10:58 pm

I thank you for this David. I'm far away, can just complaint or agree, but at the end, I will see you that weekend whatever the price.

BWE is a very special community, and IF YOU ARE A LURKER, i encourage you to become part of tha t great group and attend the DC convention.

Nic

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Thu Feb 15, 2018 12:17 am

Well I can't match Friday's $100 price, but the Alcove Room at Charlie Palmer comes at a pretty price.

And...

We'll have Stuart's Champagne for Friday! (will post this in that thread as well)

marcs · Post by **marcs** » Thu Feb 15, 2018 3:04 pm

DavidG wrote:Stimulated by Marcs price for the Friday dinner and my natural competitive juices, I've been doing a bit more negotiating. Charlie Palmer has agreed to reduce their minimum and I've made a few other adjustments.

The price for the dinner is now $200/person for 19. Includes:
Hour-long reception with hors d'oeuvres and Champagne (Krug MV 164, Taittinger Comtes 2006)
Four-course dinner (appetizer, main, cheese, dessert)
Corkage, tax, tip, 6 wine glasses per person included.

If we get up to 25 people, the price will drop to $175.
I'll wait a bit more to see if we get any more takers.
Will ask for checks early March once I have a final number.

Fantastic! Thank you David. This is a much more reasonable price given what I have seen in DC restaurants. Charlie Palmer gets a lot of lobbyist expense account events so you have to negotiate with them.

In fairness, if it is the same room we used at the last DC BWE the Charlie Palmer room is significantly larger than the room we are looking at for Friday night, with much more room to walk around and mingle (this will be difficult on Friday given the room size and # attending, it will probably be more sit down). That counts for something and justifies a higher price IMO

However, look out that Charlie Palmer keeps us in the larger room and don't give us the small narrow room off to the side of the main dining room. I have also had a wine dinner there and it is not large enough to walk around

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Thu Feb 15, 2018 3:21 pm

Thanks, Marcs, I'll keep an eye out for that. The Alcove Room is really the main reason we keep going back to Charlie Palmer.

A couple of Baltimore friends, Bob Hudson and Barb Thompson, will join us. They've been to one or two of our DC events in the past, but aren't into the online wine BB thing.

So the new numbers, updated here and in the OP:
JimHow + 1
Stefan + Lucie
Nicola + Frederic
MichaelP + Nalan
SF Ed
Chris + Marjorie
Stuart + Kathy
DavidG + 1
marcs
Carlos
Rob & Sue
Bob and Barb

Total = 21

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Thu Feb 15, 2018 6:20 pm

Great, David! Congratulations.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Thu Feb 15, 2018 6:27 pm

Looking good!