Friday the 14th.....

[Nicklasss]

A great dinner in great company. First of all I thank everyone in DC who made it happened. Courtney/Noah, Marj/Chris, marcs and Jim, are so great company, they are addictive.

Talking about the kids, the house, the wines, everything else, was simple but simplicity is making perfect things.

Well, some wines were there. More details tomorrow.

Chartogne-Taillet cuvée Ste-Anne
Bernard Delesgranges

2003 Lynch Bages
1989 Lynch Bages
2000 Pichon Baron
2000 Pichon Lalande
1988 Gruaud Larose
1992 Dominus
1982 Canon
1982 Évangile

Strange night as the 1982 weren't first for me tonight. The young 2000 Pichon Baron made me a St -Louis Blues impression.

Nic

[Jay Winton]

Wow, great lineup! See everyone tonight.

[Nicklasss]

We kept the white Bourgogne for tonight finally, knowing that your wife Jay, likes good whites.

Looking forward to tonight. Long time no see.

Nic

[marcs]

This really worked out well, it was $100/person all in (including a generous tip) for three to four courses and unlimited wine.

Some quick observations:

--I thought the 1982s were a bit tired for my taste, on the palate particularly (nose was great)

--my first 1989 Lynch Bages, tremendous nose, so complex and subtle, palate was somewhat stern but clearly had depth and force

--2000 Pichon Baron is at the beginning of its drinking window and was fantastic once it opened up (after about 30-45 minutes). Really deep and vivid fruit, great purity, very good blend of hedonistic appeal and budding complexity. This is a wine that brings the thunder without ever tipping over into excess -- combines power and grace in a very Bordeaux way. To show you how good this wine was, fearless leader JimHow wondered whether he should pick it as WOTN over the legendary 1989 Lynch Bages!

--2000 Pichon Lalande lived up to its reputation, it was delightfully green and herbal in a very distinctive way. I called it a "super-Loire". Didn't have the the depth or weight of the Pichon Baron but in its own way was a lot of fun.

--1992 Dominus was a great combination of Napa sweetness and Bordeaux-styled earthiness and herbal qualities

--2003 Lynch Bages was very recognizably Lynch, clearly not up to the 1989 but also very solid, had a deep midpalate and a lot of fruit, many years to go on this one, it's fun to drink now but has not yet fully developed. Lacked some grace on the finish.

[JimHow]

Nicolas and I here at Black Salt having oysters and white wine, mmmm.

[Claret]

92 Dominus is killer Napa!

[stefan]

82 Canon was outstanding a decade ago and 82 L'Evangile was close to being a perfect wine. Maybe the great right bank 82s are now past their best period? That is certainly not true of the great left bank 82s.

[Winona Chief]

I think the 1982 Canon, while still good, is now past it’s best. I think the 1982 l’Evangile is still in it’s prime but it was being consumed along with much younger and fruitier wines - which I think affected our perception of it.

Chris Bublitz

[Winona Chief]

Those oysters sure look good. Black Salt is one of my favorites in DC.

Chris Bublitz

[Michael-P]

I'll need to sample some 82 RBs.....
Keep the reports coming for those of us that couldn't make it!
Michael-P

[JimHow]

Great, great weekend.
What a couple of great dinners!
Will report back.

[jckba]

Nice lineup and it looks like the purple Baron strikes again!

[NoahR]

Great night and great company! So glad to have been a part of this!

[JimHow]

Thanks to David and Marcus for leading the organizing and to everyone for coming.
It was a really fun weekend, a great, interesting group of people.
The food and service at both dinners were A+.
Honest to goodness, that meal at Bistro Bis was one of the greatest in BWE history, in my book.
What great creativity from the chef.
And the night before at Montmartre was likewise absolutely fabulous.
Two superb venues, it was fun to hang out in hip Capitol Hill neighborhoods with some of the BWE locals.

The 2000 Pichon Baron on Friday night was stunning, edged out only by the '89 Lynch.
The '89 Lynch, as has been its hallmark in recent years, strutted its stuff after a couple of hours of oxygen.
I poured a healthy glass and held it until my main steak course and it was a perfect match.
The 2000 Baron is really living up to its BWE wine of the year billing.
I thought all of the wines on Friday night showed very well, although I agree that the two '82s may be on a downward slope.
The 2003 Lynch was solid but not very interesting.
I loved the '92 Dominus, and it is always a treat to drink Gruaud from the 1980s.
The 2000 Lalande was no match for the Baron, but I still thought it was one of the more interesting wines of the weekend, that vaunted greeness was completely in your face. I could see how some might not like this, but I enjoyed it for its unique personality.
Everyone was looking great, it was fun to get to hang out with Noah and Courtney for the weekend, two true BWEers.
Nicolas and I drank beers at the hotel lobby into the early morning hours.
Although, I think Nic is slowing down a little bit at age 45, just an observation.

I'll report back on day two festivities....

[Nicklasss]

You're observation is good Jim, about Friday night at the hotel. But I don't think it is due to my age, more to who is in my company! :-p

Seriously, yes i need to slow down.

Nic

[Nicklasss]

It was fun to find back marcs, Noah/Courtney, Chris/Marjorie abd Jim for a well organized Friday dinner. The restaurant Montmartre was a bit noisy, but the food superb for the price. I had some mussels and some cod, both cooked perfectly.

Many wines opened. First the two Champagnes were different but both excellent. The Bernard Delesgranges was yeasty, bubbly, creamy with also a good fruits and just a slight touch of hazelnut. Very well made, impressive for it reasonnable price. Tn: 92. The Chartogne-Taillet Cuvée Sainte Anne is also reasonably priced. This have more acidity and minerality, kinda salty finish, mixed with white flowers and fruits. Excellent too. Tn : 91.

I started the red with my offering, the 2003 Chateau Lynch Bages. Dark red color, nose was very Pauillac in the dark black fruit, some oak, blackberries, spices and light vanilla. Still young, this is the best bottle of that wine I had, seems to gain weight with the years. Mouth was rich and ripe, lot of blackberries and blackcuurants, limited roastiness, good freshness with only 13 % alcohol, but unfortunately bit of heat too. Oak flavers and on the very far end, the graphite. Young and still promising. A very good to excellent Lynch. Tn: 91.

Next was his 1989 big brother. Darker, very concentrated nose of blackcurrants, lead pencil, light coal, light spices, concentrated dark fruit aromas. In mouth, very Pauillac and this was an austere bottle (in a good way). Structured, almost too young, will last forever wine. Flavors were intense, blackcurrants, blackberries, cedar, graphite, minerals, rasberries. Even something meaty. Very mini-Lafite. Elegance too.tannic and long blackfruit and earth final. Tn: 96.

Next i tried the 2000 Pichons side to side. Lot of discussion about these two dyring the night. For my taste, the Comtesse was having a strong green vegetal nose and mouth that was too much for me. Yes there was also some blackberries, rasberries, light oak, even black licorice but the green note made it hard to appreciate for me. Tn: 90. Was this bottle a good example? If yes, it is clear i prefer the 1996 and 2001. On the opposite, the Baron was the WOTN. like many, i thought this wine just started it changes and opening to a pure blackcurrant creamyness, with that severity of Pauillac and some well integrated oak and lead mineral, but very balanced with the strong controlled Médoc fruit. Long, unspittable, very complete wine. Tn: 96. Long way to go.

Next, i tried the 1992 Dominus that was a revelation. That night, the famous Moueix Napa wine was playing in the same league as the Bordeaux. Great color, superb nose so perfumed with blue fruit, blackberries, dark rasberries, flowers, vanilla, and a light dark spicy cherries. In mouth, creamy fruits, blackcurrant cream, light blueberries, good structure, just a touch left of exotic spicy oak. Some soil flavors too. Very long and convincing. A sincere thank you to Noah to have brought this wine. I really thought it was like if Cos d'Estournel was making a Pomerol, but made of Cabernet Sauvignon. Tn: 95.

1988 Chateau Gruaud Larose was as good as ever, as each time i had that great 1988. Again super nose, with the ripe St-Julien fruit, mixture of Pauillac and Margaux with slight severity and flowery red berries concentrated nose. Just a small touch of funky spices and chocolate. In mouth, perfectly balanced, with it medium weight, excellent concentrated redberries/rasberries flavors, spices, kinda of smoky cocoa oak with rock and fruit on the final. Excellent. How come Gruaud lost it recipe after the 80's? Tn: 92. Still holding but i would not wait longer to drink. Offering it best now.

Lastly, i tried the 1982 Chateau l'Évangile and Chateau Canon side to side. While the two wines were good, they were not having the same power that i remember from the 1982. Évangile was having a medium rasberry jam, merlot berries and something black nose. In mouth, medium weight too, fruity, with that long warm clay ripe grape flavors, with fine tanins. I'm sorry to be that hard, guessing the wine was slightly past or very muted. Tn: 91. The Canon was better to me, with a rasberries/redberries stewed nose, dark earthy mineral like coal, and still a flowery component. In mouth, tasting the fruit with calcaire minerality. Like a wet stone flavors, with rasberries, light dark prunes, redberries. Still having tannins, medium power too in that bottle. Tn: 92.

All in all an excellent night, in great company. Again thanks to everyone for organizing and being there, and i think this was one of the best Friday night dinner I had, food, wine and company. Small group of 7 brings a completely different dynamic.

Nic

[sdr]

I think the 1982 Canon, while still good, is now past it’s best. I think the 1982 l’Evangile is still in it’s prime but it was being consumed along with much younger and fruitier wines - which I think affected our perception of it.

Chris Bublitz

Much as I love ‘82 Bordeaux, I have to admit some of the Right Banks are starting to fatigue, including the Canon. L’Évangile has an alarmingly brown color, but the fragrance alone makes it a marvelous experience. Conseillante has seen better days, as has Certan-de-May. No such problem with the Lefties.

Stu

[JCNorthway]

I have always assumed that, given equal growing conditions, left banks would last longer because they generally have higher levels of Cabernet rather than Merlot. For those of you in the know, is that the primary reason?

[sdr]

I have always assumed that, given equal growing conditions, left banks would last longer because they generally have higher levels of Cabernet rather than Merlot. For those of you in the know, is that the primary reason?

I assume, like many others, that that is the reason.

But I hear the ‘21 Pétrus is still drinking well .

Stu

[JeanFred]

I think the 1982 Canon, while still good, is now past it’s best. I think the 1982 l’Evangile is still in it’s prime but it was being consumed along with much younger and fruitier wines - which I think affected our perception of it.

Chris Bublitz

Much as I love ‘82 Bordeaux, I have to admit some of the Right Banks are starting to fatigue, including the Canon. L’Évangile has an alarmingly brown color, but the fragrance alone makes it a marvelous experience. Conseillante has seen better days, as has Certan-de-May. No such problem with the Lefties.

Stu

I’m quite surprised

Still 2 years ago at the San Francisco BWE convention, the 82 on both Banks were great and Canon, L’Évangile and La Mission were fabulous.

JeanFred