****BWE SAN FRANCISCO '17: MARCH 23rd-26th****

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Wed Nov 23, 2016 1:52 am

Potential attendees so far:

JimHow + 1
Stefan & Lucie
Blanquito + hermano
Chris & Marjorie
SF Ed & Lisa
MicgaelP & Nalan
Jacques & Jill
Nicolas & Marie-Claude
Chris + 1
AKR + 1
WilliamP + Linda
Claret
Danny + Danielle
Tim
hm$ + Lisa
Ian & Maureen

Total = 30

Blanquito · Post by **Blanquito** » Wed Nov 23, 2016 2:57 am

This will be epic.

If (and only if) all 30 of you attend, Jim will produce his Nebuchadnezzar of the 1900 Chateau Margaux, gifted to him by the late François Mitterrand in an after-ceremony when the BD was in Paris to be named a Chevalier dans l’Ordre National du Mérite.

Blanquito · Post by **Blanquito** » Wed Nov 23, 2016 3:22 am

I may be confusing Jim with another famous wine American, but I am certain they are both at least attorneys.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Thu Nov 24, 2016 1:36 am

Ha ha. Is the bro gonna be in Cali '17 Patrick?

Ok we need to start focusing here. I'm going to provide some dictatorial leadership…

I'm going to cut Napa out of the equation, with the possible exception of an event at the MichaelP "shack."

So…. San Francisco? Sonoma? Both?

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Thu Nov 24, 2016 3:57 am

I thought that the 1900 Margaux was liberated from the secret cellar of another François as part of a Black Op carried out in the vicinity of Paris last spring. James Comey has the emails that prove it, but uncharacteristically for him, he's not talking.

SF Ed · Post by **SF Ed** » Thu Nov 24, 2016 3:11 pm

Thanks for providing leadership, BD. Demand far exceeds supply everywhere out here, so if we want to have this event, we need to plan for it now.

Out of towners should be making this call. Weigh in or we will end up doing whatever BD chooses

SF Ed

jal · Post by **jal** » Thu Nov 24, 2016 3:59 pm

SF Ed wrote: Out of towners should be making this call. Weigh in or we will end up doing whatever BD chooses

SF Ed

Works for me!

Racer Chris · Post by **Racer Chris** » Thu Nov 24, 2016 6:17 pm

I've already made my preference known.

Jay Winton · Post by **Jay Winton** » Sat Nov 26, 2016 2:58 pm

trying to work this out. What's the cap?

Blanquito · Post by **Blanquito** » Sat Nov 26, 2016 3:35 pm

The logistics could be a challenge/pain (mostly due to vehicle needs), but I'd vote for a Sonoma and San Fran combo, OR as a second choice, San Fran with an optional daytrip pilgrimage to Lytton Springs et al.

By like Jacques, whatever the BD prefers works for me!

Winona Chief · Post by **Winona Chief** » Tue Nov 29, 2016 11:19 pm

I vote for primarily in San Francisco with a side trip to Sonoma.

Chris Bublitz

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Wed Nov 30, 2016 1:30 am

Lucie: Sonoma
stefan: SF
both: only one hotel

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Wed Nov 30, 2016 10:48 am

Yes we don't want to be switching hotels.
I think we'll do San Francisco. There are more options there.
That still leaves the option of a side trip to Sonoma or Napa if anyone is interested.
I don't know how enticing those areas are at that time of year, I'm guessing it's still going to be fairly chilly.
I'll likely arrive on Wednesday, I think.

So it is written, so it shall be done:

The BWE convention shall be based in San Francisco.
This does not preclude visits to wine country.

BD

Racer Chris · Post by **Racer Chris** » Wed Nov 30, 2016 11:34 am

This will be fun.
Mary and I stayed once in San Francisco, in the early '90s for one night, at the end of a weeklong vacation that started with my youngest brother's wedding on Shaw Island, WA.
We discovered Merryvale Winery on that trip.
However I never even thought about cellaring my own wine back then.
It wasn't until we revisited Merryvale in 2010 that I started buying more than we consumed.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Wed Nov 30, 2016 6:10 pm

Awesome.

Title of thread changed to BWE San Francisco '17.

Racer Chris · Post by **Racer Chris** » Wed Nov 30, 2016 7:55 pm

I'd like to visit Merryvale again during this trip. They have a great tasting room.
My March 2017 club order will be processed earlier in March, so I'm thinking about picking it up at the winery.
The other place I really want to visit is Lagier-Meredith.
Of course they're both in Napa but it's still only a short drive.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Wed Nov 30, 2016 8:01 pm

Sounds good to me, maybe a Friday day trip to Napa.

dstgolf · Post by **dstgolf** » Wed Nov 30, 2016 8:11 pm

Double Awesome.

Love the executive decision and looking forward to returning to San Francisco. Now we have to start planning a few side trip extensions from San Fran. Thinking of taking some time after and driving north to Seattle then home or south to Yosemite then Palm Springs and fly home. Any thoughts from locals or others...Bill/Jan on the Northern version ??

Nicklasss · Post by **Nicklasss** » Thu Dec 01, 2016 3:04 am

Good decision and I'll be happy to go back to SF, as it has been too long. Last time was in 2003.

Nic

William P · Post by **William P** » Thu Dec 01, 2016 3:14 am

dstgolf wrote:Love the executive decision and looking forward to returning to San Francisco. Now we have to start planning a few side trip extensions from San Fran. Thinking of taking some time after and driving north to Seattle then home or south to Yosemite then Palm Springs and fly home. Any thoughts from locals or others...Bill/Jan on the Northern version ??

If your are interested in Yosemite, I'd be happy to help you plan. Late March should be excellent for the falls in the Valley.

William P · Post by **William P** » Thu Dec 01, 2016 3:18 am

Jim, chilly in March for Napa is balmy to the East Coasters. SF is great. Best of the hotels and dining. Those who want can easily do day trips to the wine country.

Claret · Post by **Claret** » Fri Dec 02, 2016 2:36 am

Please add Joanne as my guest.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Fri Dec 02, 2016 2:51 am

Potential attendees so far:

JimHow + 1
Stefan & Lucie
Blanquito + hermano
Chris & Marjorie
SF Ed & Lisa
MicgaelP & Nalan
Jacques & Jill
Nicolas & Marie-Claude
Chris + 1
AKR + 1
WilliamP + Linda
Glenn + Joanne
Danny + Danielle
Tim
hm$ + Lisa
Ian & Maureen

Total = 31

sdr · Post by **sdr** » Fri Dec 02, 2016 3:38 am

I am likely in, will know for sure in January. Kathy is a maybe.

Stu

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Fri Dec 02, 2016 3:40 am

That would be awesome Stuart!
I'll add both of you to the potential list.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Fri Dec 02, 2016 3:41 am

Potential attendees so far:

JimHow + 1
Stefan & Lucie
Blanquito + hermano
Chris & Marjorie
SF Ed & Lisa
MicgaelP & Nalan
Jacques & Jill
Nicolas & Marie-Claude
Chris + 1
AKR + 1
WilliamP + Linda
Glenn + Joanne
Danny + Danielle
Tim
hm$ + Lisa
Ian & Maureen
Stu + Kathy

Total = 33

SF Ed · Post by **SF Ed** » Fri Dec 02, 2016 2:18 pm

Lisa and I are going to start talking to venues for Friday and Saturday night. Hopefully we will have those sorted by the end of the month.

SF Ed

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Fri Dec 02, 2016 4:04 pm

Great, Stuart! It has been too long since you and Kathy last came.

Blanquito · Post by **Blanquito** » Fri Dec 02, 2016 4:14 pm

We are getting the band back together.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Sun Dec 11, 2016 5:45 pm

Looks like it's going to be a great convention.
We'll have to start thinking about a theme or two.

SF Ed · Post by **SF Ed** » Sun Dec 11, 2016 10:18 pm

We think we have a great SF venue for Friday night lined up already - 36 people max.

Still working on Saturday night, but lots of feelers out.

More to come...

SF Ed

dstgolf · Post by **dstgolf** » Sun Dec 11, 2016 10:26 pm

Looking forward to this and hooking up with old friends. I missed the note that Stu is likely coming and now have to put a little pressure for Kathy to join us.

AKR · Post by **AKR** » Sun Dec 11, 2016 11:51 pm

SF Ed wrote:We think we have a great SF venue for Friday night lined up already - 36 people max.

Still working on Saturday night, but lots of feelers out.

More to come...

SF Ed

Ed - are you thinking SF for all weekend or SF - Fri and Napa/Sonoma - Sat ?

Thanks for investigating venues.

SF Ed · Post by **SF Ed** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 1:38 am

BD already decided in the thread above - SF for both

SF Ed

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 1:58 am

Yes, we don't want to have to switch hotels.
Let's just stay in SF.

tim · Post by **tim** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 2:07 am

An idea: can we possibly send a note out to Bordeaux winemakers to see if they will be in California during that time, perhaps we can invite a few to the saturday dinner...

tim · Post by **tim** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 2:10 am

We could potentially do a Friday night "judgement of Paris" dinner too...?

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 2:16 am

Yes, although that is generally when they are doing their big new vintage events, that's why Jeff Leve can never make it. But I agree, a Cali v Bordeaux event is in order.

Blanquito · Post by **Blanquito** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 5:25 am

What are some good claret and Cali vintages that we are likely to have? 90 Bordeaux vs 91 Napa? 2000 Bordeaux vs 2001 Napa? 96 vs 96?

AKR · Post by **AKR** » Mon Dec 12, 2016 8:07 pm

2005 and 2009 are also good pairs, albeit young.