How does March 28-31 in Denver sound for BWE '19?

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Sat Nov 10, 2018 4:28 pm

Excellent, I'm going to put you down Nicola. How about JeanFred?

Potential attendees:

Patrick + Bro
Tom + Gail
Jim How
SF Ed + Lisa
Stefan + Lucie
Ian + Maureen
Bill + Linda
danzur + Lisa
Winona Chief + Marjorie
David + Peggy
Arv
RPCV
MichaelP + Nalan
Glenn
Krista + Gabor
Jacques + Jill
Steve + Stephanie
Rob + Sue
Stuart + Kathy
Gerry M
Nicola

Total: 36

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Nov 13, 2018 1:25 am

One of my favorite things about the annual BWE convention weekend is getting to hang out with Stefan and Lucie (and other BWEers) for lunch.
We get to see each other basically every year or so.
One thing I've learned as I've grown older (age 60 this year, ugh, but it really doesn't seem that bad) is that you can't take anything for granted.
We'll be doing our 19th (!) convention in Denver, but who knows how many more there will be!
If you have never attended, or if it has been awhile, I HIGHLY encourage you to attend the annual BWE weekend, I assure you that it will be memorable!
BD

gene m. · Post by **gene m.** » Wed Nov 14, 2018 8:56 pm

After our sac wine group tasting on Monday w/ Arv/Bill I think I'll try to attend.
Not sure what I'll bring but I like the 1989 vintage. I think I have a few multiples and plenty of time to source.

Kind regards - Gene

William P · Post by **William P** » Wed Nov 14, 2018 9:53 pm

Great news Gene. It's always a fun dinner.

Bill

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Wed Nov 14, 2018 11:46 pm

Sounds good gene m., we'll put you down!

Potential attendees:

Patrick + Bro
Tom + Gail
Jim How
SF Ed + Lisa
Stefan + Lucie
Ian + Maureen
Bill + Linda
danzur + Lisa
Winona Chief + Marjorie
David + Peggy
Arv
RPCV
MichaelP + Nalan
Glenn
Krista + Gabor
Jacques + Jill
Steve + Stephanie
Rob + Sue
Stuart + Kathy
Gerry M
Nicola
gene m.

Total: 37

jal · Post by **jal** » Fri Nov 16, 2018 4:23 am

https://nyti.ms/2DqBLpU

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Mon Nov 19, 2018 6:48 pm

Just read that article, sounds like a nice place.

AKR · Post by **AKR** » Tue Dec 11, 2018 12:46 am

I just booked my outbound ticket...flying into Vail/Eagle on Wed 3/27

Hopefully can go to Copper Mtn. on Thurs/Fri and then meet everyone on Saturday in Denver.

FWIW, if you have American miles, AND have any of their credit cards, AA are having a reduced mileage sale into a number of ski country airports in March.

My one way SMF>LAX>EGE is (supposedly) going to be ticketed for 8750 miles, which is pretty low.

EDIT: was ticketed for 7875 AA miles !

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Thu Dec 13, 2018 3:01 am

Excellent, AKR.
Looks like we are in the range of 37 attendees, Patrick and Tom, does that sound manageable to you?

Blanquito · Post by **Blanquito** » Thu Dec 13, 2018 3:13 am

Yes, we are planning for ~40 for Friday and Saturday.

Thursday is more of a wild card on numbers usually, right? I have a place booked for Thursday night which can hold 18-20, I’m assuming for now that will be sufficient.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Thu Dec 13, 2018 3:13 am

sounds good!

AKR · Post by **AKR** » Thu Dec 13, 2018 4:33 pm

Not sure if this is actionable but I'm seeing stories that the Grand Hyatt Denver has some of their bigger suites available on sale.

https://extremehoteldeals.com/hotel-deal-alerts/ which if you scroll down and look for Denver it leads to this

https://www.hyatt.com/shop/denrd?rooms= ... d=HI101520

Their 800 ft exec suite is $200 for that Saturday night for example.

Some of the other potential bookings have Club access

I don't have a sense for what room rates are in that city are though.

jal · Post by **jal** » Thu Dec 13, 2018 6:35 pm

I booked the Grand Hyatt for Friday and Saturday.
Rate is $154 for a King Club room and is cancellable 48 hours prior if the group goes somewhere better.
Thanks Arv.

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Thu Dec 13, 2018 7:22 pm

No availability now at the Grand Hyatt for Friday and Saturday. Jacques, you might have gotten the last room.

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Thu Dec 13, 2018 8:15 pm

Odd Stefan.
I just booked Grand Hyatt Denver King Club room for $119 + 3000 Hyatt points per night.
Flights are booked as well.
Arriving Friday, departing Monday.
Count Peggy and me for Friday and Saturday dinners.
We plan to find something fun to do around town Sunday.

William P · Post by **William P** » Thu Dec 13, 2018 8:44 pm

I'm at the Grand Hyatt on March 29-31. I just booked through Priceline. No problem for two nights.

Bill

Tom In DC · Post by **Tom In DC** » Thu Dec 13, 2018 9:10 pm

We're at the Grand Hyatt Friday and Saturday nights.

stefan · Post by **stefan** » Thu Dec 13, 2018 9:55 pm

OK, I was finally able to get a $108 rate at the Grand Hyatt for Friday and Saturday. The lowest Thursday rate I found was $186. Senior and Government rates are not available. I had to book Thursday separately to get the rates.

We will arrive on Thursday early afternoon and leave on Sunday.

Blanquito · Post by **Blanquito** » Thu Dec 13, 2018 10:56 pm

Well done, gents.

SF Ed · Post by **SF Ed** » Thu Dec 13, 2018 11:04 pm

We're booked in at the Grand Hyatt now too

SF Ed

jal · Post by **jal** » Thu Dec 13, 2018 11:23 pm

We have one way tickets arriving Friday
We may never leave....

Tom In DC · Post by **Tom In DC** » Thu Dec 13, 2018 11:46 pm

Our nomads-in-residence!

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Fri Dec 14, 2018 12:54 am

I'm booked at the Grand Hyatt Denver!
Arriving Thursday, departing Sunday.

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Fri Dec 14, 2018 4:49 am

stefan wrote:OK, I was finally able to get a $108 rate at the Grand Hyatt for Friday and Saturday. The lowest Thursday rate I found was $186. Senior and Government rates are not available. I had to book Thursday separately to get the rates.

We will arrive on Thursday early afternoon and leave on Sunday.

Yeah, for whatever reason Thursday is more $$.
Wine dinners 3 nights in a row is too much for Peggy and me anyway.
We should get in around 1pm Friday.

Tom In DC · Post by **Tom In DC** » Fri Dec 14, 2018 4:44 pm

Thursday is a business day. Friday and Saturday are weekends so lower rates try to fill up the hotel.

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Fri Dec 14, 2018 11:14 pm

That’s what I would’ve thought, but Monday is cheap too.
Maybe since legalization it takes an extra day to come down off the weekend and get to business.

jal · Post by **jal** » Mon Dec 17, 2018 12:29 pm

Can we nail down a theme for Friday and Saturday? I probably will need to source some wines. My cellar is pretty bare of older Bordeaux.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Mon Dec 17, 2018 2:50 pm

Thursday:
Champagne/Bordeaux/Sauternes

Friday:
Anything but Bordeaux.

Saturday:
Bordeaux, featuring the 1989 vintage.

Comte Flaneur · Post by **Comte Flaneur** » Mon Dec 17, 2018 7:25 pm

Sounds great!

Good thinking re the line up.

For Saturday I can bring some LMHB.

jal · Post by **jal** » Mon Dec 17, 2018 10:06 pm

Ok, I guess it's not a true BWE event without a 1989 Pichon Baron vs Lynch Bages showdown.

I'll try to get at least a Baron and maybe some other stuff.

Man, that 1989 tasting in NYC at Fabio was epic

Blanquito · Post by **Blanquito** » Mon Dec 17, 2018 10:41 pm

I can bring the 89 Pichon Lalande for Saturday and one or two more 89s once I check my stocks.

Are we going to do a blind showdown for any 89s? We might need multiple bottles of some stuff to get everyone a pour if yes. Our venue for Saturday has a rooftop terrace with great views of the city skyline and the mountains, plus a separate room where a more formal blind tasting could be set up if so desired.

We should start a separate wine organizing thread at some point, like in prior years.

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Mon Dec 17, 2018 11:54 pm

Ah, yes, a return of those great BWE warriors of blind tastings of yore, the 1989 Lynch "The New Lafite" Bages and Pichon "The Purple Baron" Baron....
Memories. Ah, the memories.... They light the corners of my mind....

Cabfan · Post by **Cabfan** » Tue Dec 18, 2018 7:15 am

Apologize for my absence. I can almost certainly make these dates for Denver, with my daughter Julia in tow, and possibly my wife Victoria. Can't stand missing one of these.

Looking forward to seeing
you all again.

Peter

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Dec 18, 2018 1:20 pm

Woohoo! Shaping up into an epic event!

Potential attendees:

Patrick + Bro
Tom + Gail
Jim How
SF Ed + Lisa
Stefan + Lucie
Ian + Maureen
Bill + Linda
danzur + Lisa
Winona Chief + Marjorie
David + Peggy
Arv
RPCV
MichaelP + Nalan
Glenn
Krista + Gabor
Jacques + Jill
Steve + Stephanie
Rob + Sue
Stuart + Kathy
Gerry M
Nicola
gene m.
CabFan + 2

Total: 40

DavidG · Post by **DavidG** » Tue Dec 18, 2018 10:10 pm

I’ve got a few 1989s I’ll bring, including maggies of Lynch Bages and Angélus, from back when it was a bit more traditional. Hope they’re not corked...

JimHow · Post by **JimHow** » Tue Dec 18, 2018 11:42 pm

mmmm. 1989 Lynch en magnum..
Mmmm. save some for me....

Nicklasss · Post by **Nicklasss** » Wed Dec 19, 2018 12:46 am

David, very generous offer. Hope I can make it.

Nic

Blanquito · Post by **Blanquito** » Wed Dec 19, 2018 1:00 am

Nice, David! So generous, so BWE.

jal · Post by **jal** » Wed Dec 19, 2018 1:43 am

Nicolas, if you come, I will bring a 1974 Mondavi wine for you

Nicklasss · Post by **Nicklasss** » Wed Dec 19, 2018 2:02 am

Hi Jal.

I want to go but i know I'm going to China from January 4th to 18th, and that I should go back sometimes in March. Don't know yet when in March, but trying to know as soon as possible.

I had the 1974 Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon reserve once at it was a great wine. So for sure i would be vey happy to taste another 1974 Mondavi wine.

Nic