**BWE '18 Saturday night dinner at Charlie Palmer.

[JimHow]

Let's see....
On Saturday night I remember drinking 1982 Mouton, 1986 Mouton, 1998 La Fleur Petrus, 1966 Haut Brion, 1998 Haut Brion, 1998 La Mission, 1982 Figeac, 1998 Figeac, 1982 Lynch Bages, 1998 La Conseillante, 1998 l'Evangile, 1998 Pavie, 1998 Pavie Macquin, 1976 d'Yquem, 1995 d'Yquem, 1986 Climens, 1998 Pape Clement, a vertical of Leoville Poyferre, more Krug, Tattinger Comtes champagne, and that's just off the top of my head.
It was a spectacular Saturday night convention dinner culminating another spectacular BWE annual convention, our 18th in a row.
I am missing many more wines in my list, these are just a few that I recall off the top of my head.
I'm having breakfast and getting ready to head out of town, I'll try to post some pictures and videos soon.
Thank you to everyone for your generosity and good will. It is what BWE is all about!
Mor to come....

[JCNorthway]

Not too many slouches in that list! Sounds like a great evening. Hope everyone had a grand time.

[DavidG]

I think you meant 1976 Yquem, not 1986, unless I missed the 1986.

Thought I would start a list of wines for starters and update as people fill in.

MV Krug 164eme (3)
2006 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne (2)

Plenty of 1998s
1998 Angelus (2?)
1998 Conseillante
1998 Evangile
1998 Figeac
1998 Pavie (2?)
1998 Pavie Macquin
1998 La Fleur Perus
1998 La Mission Haut Brion
1998 Haut Brion
1998 Pape Clement
1998 Ducru Beaucaillou

Marcus' vertical:
1990 Leoville Poyferre
1996 Leoville Poyferre
2000 Leoville Poyferre
2003 Leoville Poyferre

1982 Mouton
1986 Mouton
1982 Figeac
1982 Gruaud Larose
1970 Gaffeliere
1970 Giscours
1966 Haut Brion
1982 Lynch Bages

2001? Abreu Thorevilos

1970 Yquem
1976 Yquem
1995 Yquem
1986 Climens

[JimHow]

Oops yes 76 d'Yquem.
I also see 1970 Giscours and 1970 La Gaffeliere here in the room.
More on the late night festivities later....

[DavidG]

I remember drinking the 1970 Giscours. Missed the Gaffeliere.

[JimHow]

Kathy and Stuart with 1982 and 1986 Mouton.
The 1986 Mouton was declared/voted the wine of the night....

[JimHow]

Nicola's annual sentimental convention speech takes on added meaning as he dons a pro-gun-reform hat in Canadian solidarity in support of U.S. gun reform....

[JimHow]

Cab Fan and MichaelP and 1998 Angelus....

[marcs]

Totally unreal evening, felt like I was in a 15 round heavyweight match with the world's greatest wines. They just kept coming! I remember the BWE DC two years ago but I thought last night took it to another level.

to the lists above, add the 1982 Gruaud Larose, perhaps the most unique wine of the night, so many Asian spices but still held together as coherent Bordeaux.

The Poyferre vertical was 1990, 1996, 2000, 2003. None were decanted in advance but were opened on arrival around 6. the 2000/2003 were too young but very promising for the future. The 1990 and 1996 lived up to the vintage character -- which you prefer will depend on whether you like the more lush and exotic 1990 or the purer expression of Cabernet in the 1996. I leaned toward 1996, drinking very well right now. All of these wines had just a slight touch of funk/brett (?)

[SF Ed]

What an amazing evening!

My absolute favorites were the 1982 Gruaud Larose, 1986 Mouton, and 1998 L'Evangile. I continue not to rate the 1982 Mouton (at least I am consistent even if everyone other than Jim disagrees with me).

On the 1998s, it was a joy to drink so many different top wines all together. 1998 is a profoundly great vintage in the Right Bank and Graves. The 1998 Haut Brion is starting to drink well. The 1998 La Mission Haut Brion will surpass the Haut Brion, but probably not for another 10 years. The 1998 La Mish reminds me of the 1959, which is one of the greatest red wines I've ever had. The 1959 was young and sweet in 2002, and those 40+ years after the vintage is what I would recommend for the 1998.

As for the Pomerol/St. Emilions, the L'Evangile was my favorite. Long, complex, balanced, huge fruit but not jammy. La Conseillante was nice but needs more time, the VCC was super closed to me and needs way more time, Figeac was tasty but not nearly as complex as the 1982 we also tasted, Pavie Maquin was super primary and not at all complex, Lafleur Petrus was in a great place with lots of plummy fruit, and Angelus had a great attack and finish but tasted a bit hollow in the middle to me.

Also great to have so many 1982s, all of which are still singing, and of course a number of d'Yquem to finish (with the 1976 being my clear favorite)

Another BWE triumph where everyone brings and shares their great juice and we all get to share the great company.

I'm already looking forward to next year!

SF Ed

[William P]

Wow, that was some night. Nicely done gents.

Bill

[Blanquito]

Incredible. The 86 Mouton is still the king.

So to everyone in the room (except Jim), are those hard 98s finally softening? I am high on RB 98, but they’ve been aging at a glacial pace. At one point, I considered making a “needs 10 more years” rule for this vintage. I don’t have many so I’ve stopped trying them until I hear they’re fully in the zone.

[DavidG]

Jim's using a bit of political license regarding the 1986 Mouton. It was declared the wine of the night but as to voting...

Highlights for me were both Moutons with a slight preference for the completeness and lushness of the 82 over the power and finish of the 86, but I
cant really argue with those who picked the 86.

82 Gruaud Larose was outstanding and in the same league as the Moutons, only a step behind. La Mission Haut Brion was killer and outshone the Haut Brion.

My impressions of the 98 right bankers mimics Ed's, with the L'Evangile running away from the pack. One of the top wines on the night with the Moutons, 82 Gruaud and 98 La Miss. Of the modern 98 St Ems I preferred the Angelus to the Pavie.

Of the Yquems, the 1976 was in my wheelhouse with the perfect combination of aged complexity, retained sweetness, perfect balace and great length. Another WOTN candidate.

[dstgolf]

Wow!! Another unbelievable lineup of wines highlighting BWE generosity and most of all friendship. The two warmup nights can't compare with the Saturday show and looks like another great success Jim and all who made it possible. Its still nice to live vicariously through others joys in life from time to time but hopefully next year we'll be able to partake the festivities once again.

Nice to hear about that 86 Mouton. I've been saving it for our 50th in 18 years but I may not have discipline to wait that long or the life ahead!! 35th may be more practical.

The 82 Mouton that I had last year for my 60th rocked. The one with Stu and Kathy last month was good but didn't move me the way it did last year and it was overshadowed by a superb 82 Latour which I thought may have had something to do with my impression in the comparison. Maybe bottle variation?? other??

The 98 horizontal I'm disappointed to have missed. Sounds like some great wines at present or in the making.

Well done indeed!

[JimHow]

Sorry I missed your call last night Danny, I would have called you back but didn’t gave your number.

[JimHow]

I have been honored to have the 1986 Mouton about 4-5 times over the years and it has been consistently amazing every time. It rivals the ‘89 Lynch as my greatest wine ever. It’s hallmark is the finish. I’ve never had a finish on any other wine that even comes close to it. It literally numbs the nerve endings I’m your mouth. It’s like when you have a small allergy to peanuts and you’d lips and toungue get slightly numb. The taste buds wY back where your toungue meets your throat become numb. It’s an amazing wine, and the 82 is greatness as well. An amazing treat from Stuart and Kathy. Everyone is just so incredibly generous.

[Comte Flaneur]

If you had all those wines in the same evening ten years ago, we would have been impressed, but to have them today when they are much rarer and more expensive must have been an enormous thrill - others would walk barefooted over burning coals to drink such a line up - testament to the enormous generosity of the BWE family. Each night you guys raised the level another notch.

Very interested to read of the progress of the 98 Haut Brion and La Mission, because I have cases of each. Seems like the latter could turn out the better wine. I haven’t tried them for years but I always found them pretty backward. Interesting on the right bank 98s too.

As a matter of interest how many bottles were consumed last night and on Friday, magnums count for two double mags for four. Did anyone count them.

[DavidG]

Patrick the 98 Pomerols and St Em tannins have softened and they are drinking well in general but are at different stages of evolution. As Ed said the Conseillante and VCC need more time. The others showed well but are likely to reward further cellaring with greater complexity.

The Haut Brion and La Miss both need more time but I was happy to drink them. My impression differed from Ed's in that I thought the La Miss more open for business now. Maybe mine saw more air by the time i drank it? Or maybe I mixed up my 2 glasses? But I did think the La Miss the better wine for now and the future.

Ian, I'm not sure I even have all the Saturday wines listed, let alone multiples. I put numbers next to those I'm reasonably sure showed up in duplicate. Others may chime in once they get home and get settled.

[tim]

Brilliant bunch of wines, they just keep getting better and better. Sounds like another epic BWE event!

[AKR]

Impressive lineup!

[sdr]

Wonderful evening, as usual.

Unfortunately, the ‘82 Mouton was not up to par. It lacked its usual flamboyant plummy/pruney fruit and turned astringent. The ‘86 Mouton fortunately was on form and youthfully great.

My WOWE was the ‘76 Yquem, so sophisticated, elegant and poised. If you think all Yquem is top heavy with sugar and botrytis, this one could change your mind.

I was very impressed with ‘82 Lynch Bages, ‘82 Figeac and ‘98 Pavie, Haut-Brion and LMHB.

Stu