BWE 18 Friday night.

[JimHow]

A crazy scene here at Bistro Cacao.
We just started with Stuart’s 2005 Cristal, 1995 Krug, and 2002 Dom.
I’m making videos, hopefully I can figure out how to post them here from my iPhone...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=S6vKvlCgKdg

[Blanquito]

A little part of me died just reading “2005 Cristal, 1995 Krug, and 2002 Dom”.

[JimHow]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=umSBEx7im1s

[SF Ed]

Another insane fantastic BWE Friday night dinner.

I didn't take notes, but my standouts were the 1989 Beaucastel, the 2001 Donhoff, and the 1995 Krug. But so many great wines, including tons of great Burgundy and Rhones.

Great company, a well executed event, and a great warmup for the main event tomorrow.

SF Ed

[JimHow]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uSjn4bh1BrA

[tim]

Sorry I am missing all the fun. Just spent four out of the last six weeks on the road, ready for a repose. Hoping everyone is having a great convention so far!!

[Comte Flaneur]

Thanks for the videos Jim, looks like a gr at time was had by all. What was Michael’s 1924?

[JimHow]

That was a wild night last night.
The Friday night dinners tend to be more raucous than the Saturday night affairs, but this one was up there.
We were in a small but comfortable room and the service and food were again great.
A big thank you to Marcus for setting us up there. I guess the sommelier did not quite grasp the magnitude of what he was going to be facing in the BWE onslaught but he adapted very quickly and did an outstanding job.
I think the restaurant staff was a little bit in awe by the time we left.
Like Ed, I loved the 1989 Beaucastel and 2001 Donnhoff. All three champagnes shined, they were amazing, thank you Stuart and Kathy, very generous.
The 1988 Beaucastel from 3 liter was also tremendous. It was insanity plus, as one great Burgundy and Rhone passed across the table like a whirlwind.
Not sure what Michael's 1924 was, Ian, but I recall it as being youthful.
A great BWE Friday night dinner!

[DavidG]

My favorites were the 1995 Krug, 2001 Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermansholle Auslese and 2002? Prum Wehlehner Sonnenhur Auslese, the 1959 Charles Krug Cab, 1989 Beaucastel, and the 2001 Donnhoff Norheimer Dellchen Auslese Goldkapsel.

The 1924 was an Hermitage from Burgundy.

[DavidG]

I didn’t take notes and there were way too many wines to keep track of all of them, but I do remember my impressions of the Champagnes that Stuart so generously brought.

The 2005 Cristal was crisp, mineral, pear and citrus, very sharply focused and my second favorite. Will it add complexity with more age?

The 1995 Krug was all about richness and power with toasty breads complexity. The style is right up my alley and this is in a sweet spot right now and likely to stay there for many years.

The 2002 Dom was too young. Just not much there there, but I tend to prefer Dom with 20+ years of age. Some thought this lacked the acidity to turn into a great Dom. I say give it another 10 years and it’ll come around.

[Nicklasss]

Clearly a great Friday night dinner at Bistro Cacao. Everybody in great shape, interesting discussions (especially in the Ms Vino and Ms Winona Chief corner!).

Was fun to meet Noah and his wife, and sorry at the same time they're not attending tonight.

Great wines all around, with highlights for me being the 2005 Cristal, 1990 Beaucastel, 2001 Donhoff and the q996 Jadot Clos St Jacques. More later.

Nic

[marcs]

I guess the sommelier did not quite grasp the magnitude of what he was going to be facing in the BWE onslaught but he adapted very quickly and did an outstanding job.

It was good I got there early. The sommelier had set up a little tiny table in a closet, that could hold at most one case of wine, and he was all like, "exactly which wines would you like me to open for each course? Shall I bring each wine to you before serving so you can determine if it's corked? What size pours for each individual?". I was like, dude, you have no idea what is about to hit you. This is going to be an uncontrollable tidal wave of wine. You need to get your head around what is about to happen here. It took a little while but he finally got it straight. ("So, you're saying this is like a wine pot luck? With people bringing more than fifty bottles? And you don't know exactly what will come?"). Then as Jim said he did an excellent job. And got some good tastes of aged Beaucastel for his trouble.

The 1959 (?) Charles Krug cab that Cabfan brought had to be the wine of the night for me. In terms of its condition it was the finest 50 year old+ wine I've ever had easily. Very delicate and almost haunting, but at the same time keeping a gentle intensity of flavor that filled up your whole mouth. Black tea with hints of berry sweetness around the edges.

But the 1989 Beaucastel was the best conventional wine of the evening, for me. Last night reminded me that I actually don't like aged Burgundy that much. Heresy, I know! Have to turn in my wine geek card now.

[marcs]

Clearly a great Friday night dinner at Bistro Cacao. Everybody in great shape, interesting discussions (especially in the Ms Vino and Ms Winona Chief corner!).

Was fun to meet Noah and his wife, and sorry at the same time they're attending tonight.

Great wines all around, with highlights for me being the 2005 Cristal, 1990 Beaucastel, 2001 Donhoff and the q996 Jadot Clos St Jacques. More later.

Nic

I think you mean to say you're sorry that Noah + Courtney are NOT attending tonight.

There was a terrific 1983 (?) Gewurtztraminer floating around very early on that I really loved too, now that I think about it.

The 1995 Krug Champagne was definitely the COTN for me.

[Winona Chief]

My what an amazing evening. Great to have the 1988, 1989 and 1990 Beaucastel together - all good but the 1989 was my favorite of the the three. 1995 Krug really rocks. Loved all those great German wines. Also so good that the 1959 and 1924 were both in fine shape - always a treat to sample older wines. Lots of great red and white Burgundy.

Chris Bublitz

[dstgolf]

Sounds like a great night all around. Can someone explain 1924 Hermitage from Burgundy....syrah in Burgundy? Was it part of their fortification of Burgs with syrah back then??

[DavidG]

Danny that was a sardonic reference to the old practice of fortifying Burgs with Hermitage. The 1924 was so youmg and tough it had several of us saying "Hermitaged."

[NoahR]

Courtney and I had a wonderful time - it was great to meet everyone new and see a few familiar DC faces. Despite having lived here for a decade, I had never previously been to bistro cacao, and I was impressed by the food across the board. There were so many wonderful wines!

I wish I had had a chance to sit down with them over the course of 2 Weeks or so to really get my head around them instead of the 3-hour whirlwind!

Highlights for me included the Cristal and Krug (also Courtney’s Favorite), the 1959 Charles Krug, which was beautiful. I had trouble picking between the 88 and 89 Beaucastel. There was a lot of wonderful Burgundy on the table, and I particularly enjoyed a 1995 Echezeaux, several lovely Clos Vougeots, a surprisingly good 1998 Patel Bonnes Mares and a few others. Courtney loved the St Innocent Pinot. The 2011 Cameron aclos electrowue was also phenomenal and will be better in a decade.

Cheers and thanks to everyone! Enjoy the evening tonight, as I am at an engagement party for close friends and can’t make it. Thanks also to Nicola for the lovely 85 Gruaud-Larose!

[Jay Winton]

Lots of Friday fun with the gang-old and new! The venue took good care of us. Too many good wines but tasting a 24VR and a 59 CA cab was pretty special. Were there any corked bottles? Special thanks to the Drs for the 3L of 88 Beaucastel and the lovely champagne but I'm still mystified why the DP gets the press it does-just my plebeian palate I guess. The Krug and Cristal were in good form but Krug is always Krug. Thanks Marcus for organizing!

[Winona Chief]

Just my opinion but I think Don Perignon is at its best at age 18 to 25+ - I thought the 2002 Dom was too young. Give it another 5 years.

Chris Bublitz

[DavidG]

Chris, my opinion on Dom is similar. They really need 20 years to show their stuff. The 88 and 90 are killer now. Time will tell on the 02. I'm holding another 5 years before opening my first.

[Blanquito]

As good as the 96 Dom is, it is still showing very primary (especially the last time I had it a few months ago).

[sdr]

DP takes a l-o-o-g time to come around. If you want to sample a great Dom at the peak of its power, try the 1985. It’s spectacular. Krug-like in its richness and power with a fillip of extra citrus to let you know it’s not. When Dom gets really old, 40+, it develops a unique note of coffee.

Stu