October 2010 tasting

[Comte Flaneur]

Just want to start the ball rolling for the next annual tasting in NYC in mid-October.

In 2008 we did a vertical of the 1986 vintage and last year the 1989 vintage, so the question is what shall we do this time round?

Here are my thoughts:

The easy and apparently obvious option would be to do the 1990 vintage, but I would not be in favor of that because we have already done two mega vintage tastings back-to-back and my guess is that some of the top 1990s are still pretty adolescent. Why don't we wait until to say 2015 for the 1990 vintage? Likewise we could do the 1982s on their 30th anniversary in 2012.

What does that leave then? 1983? 1985? 1988? The first two may be getting on a bit and/or difficult to source. The 1988 vintage is certainly possible - a more restrained claret aficionados vintage.

What about 1994, 1995, 1996 or 1998? The 1994s I think are potentailly interesting, potentally a dark horse vintage...or it could end up being a masochists convention. 1995 and 1996s are great but too young IMHO, while 1998 could be worth a shot but my prefeence is to give that vintage a few more years too. 1999 could be a good choice perhaps.

Another possibility would be to do wines from the 1970s (as Jacques I think suggested), or wines from the 1980s (apart from 82s, 86s and 89s). Or we could even do an individual chateau vertical, like for example Palmer.

I am keen to keep the current format of limiting the numbers to 12 on a first-come, first-served basis. When we can agree on a theme I can start a new thread at a pre-determined time and date, so whoever wants to jump in can.

This would be a potential timetable:

2010 - wines from the 1970s (or the 1988 vintage)
2011 - other wines from the 1980s (from vintages we havent featured yet)
2012 - 1982
2013 - 1998
2014 - 1999
2015 - 1990
2016 - 2001
2017 - 2002
2018 - 1995
2019 - 1996
2020 - 2000


Thoughts appreciated

CFdB

[RDD]

I think 1994 would be very interesting.
IMHO a greatly overlooked vinatage.
It initially had some high scores which fell after time in the bottle.
Maybe it just went to sleep. Time to check it out and see.

[Jay Winton]

agree with Rob as I've had several 94s and all were tannic but with potential. As for 99, I drank a GPL last weekend that was surprisingly good as I had only read negative comments on this wine.

[Comte Flaneur]

I agree with both of you and I am definitely OK with 1994

[jal]

I am not in favor of a 1994 tasting. I doubt any of the left bank Bordeaux with the possible exception of the Graves is ready to drink at this point. If Ian decides on 1994, I will obviously be happy to come, and enjoy the company, the wines and the food. I also have a lot of different wines from the vintage.

My view is that by the end of the tasting we'll all look at each other and say that these wines are still very young.

Just my 2 cents.

[stefan]

I likel the idea of wines from the 1970s, but anything is OK for Lucie and me.

[Winona Chief]

I agree with Stefen - wines from the 70s.

Chris Bublitz

[Blanquito]

I'd vote for a 1970's tasting (though it might be hard to get consistently top-shelf wines, given how irregular that decade can be) or the stars of the 1983 vintage (there's some darn good Sauternes from '83 too).

FWIW, this is Parker's top 1983 Bordeaux:
Palmer 98
Chateau d'Yquem 96
Chateau Margaux 96
Cheval Blanc 95
Le Pin 95
Ausone 94
Pichon-Longueville 94
Chevalier Blanc 93
Lafite-Rothschild 93
Lafleur 93
Climens 93
Raymond-Lafon 93
Chateau de Fargues 92
Lafaurie-Peyraguey 92
Rieussec 92
Chevalier Rouge 92
Cantemerle 91
Leoville-Las Cases 91
Mouton-Rothschild 91

[DavidG]

Based on what I've got in the cellar, 1988 or 1994 would be easy. Agree with Jacques that the best '94s will have more to offer in another 5-10 years.

I've got one bottle of '83 left - a Gruaud Larose, but would be happy to contribute $$ or try to source a wine if that's what we choose. The '70s would be fascinating, but I had only a few from the later half of the decade and they are all gone. Again, happy to contribute $$ or try to source a wine if that's the choice.

[Ramon_NYC]

Any of the suggested vintages ones are good with me. I have very few '83s and '85s and am willing to source or contribute $$ if necessary. I wonder if folks wouldn't mind doing multiple, i.e. 2, vintages just so we can cast a wider net on the availabilities, especially of some of the hard-to-source ones.
Btw, thanks, Ian, for starting to get this off the ground.

Ramon

[Tom In DC]

We have one bottle of 1994 in the cellar.

[Winona Chief]

I would be fine with doing 1983 and 1985 - two good Bordeaux vintages that are ready to drink. Would certainly want to include DavidG's 1983 Gruaud Larose - one of the stars of the vintage.

I do have 5 or 6 1994s but I'm not interesting in doing a big tasting of the vintage this year - many of the wines were pretty nasty and the best ones would be better in about five years.

Chris Bublitz

[DavidG]

I know Chris' favorite wine is 1994 Troplong Mondot.

[Blanquito]

Adding 1985 to an 1983 horizontal would make an interesting tasting, methinks. We could strive to pair at least some chateau from both vintages.

[Winona Chief]

I know Chris' favorite wine is 1994 Troplong Mondot.

Thanks for the reminder though it was ok as broth for stewing beef.

Chris Bublitz

[Comte Flaneur]

Just giving this a litle bump

In spite of what I wrote in my first post, my initial instincts shouted out 1985, but the response was not overwhelmingly positive from a couple of people I sounded out.

There was a 1985 tasting in London this week and the wines generally showed very well, and few if any wines were over the hill.

http://www.wine-pages.com/ubb/ultimateb ... 1;t=025085

That was the first concern I heard expressed about 1985s. The second, perhaps more legitimate, concern is that most of us have drunk all/most of our 1985s.

I agree that some 1994s might be too young - Mouton and Latour definitely need a few more years - so I am happy to write that one off.

So how do people feel about these options?

- 1985, or
- Wines from the 70s?

Next year we could do 1988 or wines from the 80s (vintages we have not covered)

And then 1982 in 2012...

[DavidG]

To me, the advantage of '85 is that I've had a little more experience with them and would be curious to revisit them. But then the '70s theme would offer more opportunities to try things I haven't had before. So I'm fine with either one.

Either way, I'll buy a bottle or put $$ into the pot to source some wines as mine are long gone. Or maybe I could entice Tom in DC to trade for something I do have. I suspect he's got a few eligible bottles for either theme.

[stefan]

I am much better placed to offer wines from the 1970s than from 1985.

[jal]

A good compromise may be 1988 now and revisit next year, eeeeeh, next year.

[Comte Flaneur]

Would anybody object strongly if we do wines of the 1970s this year and wines of the 1980s (ex 82, 86, 89) next year?

The date I am shooting for is Saturday October 16th and the venue will be the same as the previous two events - Fabio Piccolo.

Numbers are restricted to 12 and those who have indirectly expressed an interest by participating in this thread are duly noted:

RDD, Jay, Jacques, stefan, Chris B, Blanquito, Ramon, Tom

When you add in yours truly and some partners would would want to come I think we already have 12.

[stefan]

Lucie would come with me.

stefan

[jal]

Jill will come with me, I'll check which wines of the 70s I have and will let you know.

[Ramon_NYC]

Ian.

Great call with the "wines of 70s". Even if I have only a few, I'm excited and looking forward to this one.

Ramon

[DavidG]

What am I, chopped liver? Well, you'd probably get to 12 before you got to me anyway based on the order of who responded.

[Ramon_NYC]

David,

Thank you for imparting your wisdom and having Ian see the light. Heh, heh, heh.
Thanks for the great suggestion.

R

[DavidG]

The speed with which these fill up is a testament to the quality of the people and the wines. Just gotta make sure I keep checking the board every few hours so I don't miss the next one.

[Comte Flaneur]

What am I, chopped liver? Well, you'd probably get to 12 before you got to me anyway based on the order of who responded.

David my apologies - that was a mistake on my part - I did not mean to leave you out - of course you are in

[Tom In DC]

Gail and I will be there with bells on!

Figuring "which wines" from the 70's will be great fun, but I'll be hoping for wines that are already in the basement... Liar's poker, anyone?

[DavidG]

No problem, Ian. Just had to bust your chops a bit. Really looking forward to it.

Tom, some of us might have to gather a little background intelligence at the "Chez in DC" dinner next month. Your cellar is perfectly organized as to appelation and year, right? Should make it easy to sneak in and grab a few spy shots...

[jal]

Ok, I know I have some Bordeaux but I have to find out exactly what. OTOH, I know I have one 1978 William Hill that has a BWE history, that wine will be definitely present.

[PappaDoc]

If I'm not too late I'd like to join in again.

PD

[Tom In DC]

Pappa,

You should be "grandfather-ed in" under any circumstance!

DavidG,

If you can find any pattern whatsoever in our basement, then you'll deserve the Nobel-equivalent in pattern recognition, since there are no discernible patterns in our cellar of which I am aware...

[Tom In DC]

Ok, I know I have some Bordeaux but I have to find out exactly what. OTOH, I know I have one 1978 William Hill that has a BWE history, that wine will be definitely present.

It might be fun to present some old Cali wines, in the context that "all old wines taste like they come from the Rhone" (wasn't that a Michael Broadbent quote?)

But this will still be a *Bordeaux* Wine Enthusiasts dinner, so let's try to stay on topic...

[jal]

But this will still be a *Bordeaux* Wine Enthusiasts dinner, so let's try to stay on topic...

Quite right, Tom. Sorry. Bordeaux it is.