Lightening in London

[Comte Flaneur]

Watch this space

[Nicklasss]

Hey hey!

[Comte Flaneur]

A young man is flying over from Washington DC…

[JimHow]

Nice!

[Nicklasss]

Sorry to read that. I really thought it was greatbxfreak flying from Copenhagen to London, to finally go kick your a**!

[Comte Flaneur]

Yes Nic, you nailed it, I have sleepless nights and recurring nightmares about the Polish guy from Copenhagen coming to…as you put it.

So in spite of the alliterative title of this thread, designed to chime with Jim’s, this will be a fairly low key and modest affair.

But of course the future of our cherished and beloved BWE, and how to preserve its gravitas and priceless identity, will be a an ever present and perennial topic of conversation, and hover over us like Banquo’s ghost.

[barsacpinci]

Joel!

[JimHow]

Pictures!

[Nicklasss]

Looking forward the stories. Say hello to Joel for me.

[JimHow]

Pictures from Joel in London….

[Comte Flaneur]

Last night at Noize where we had the BWE party in March 2023. The theme last night was ‘grower champagne and burgundy’ - some terrific wines here with the two 2002 red burgundies neck and neck in my book and both at least 95 pt wines, while the 90 Climens was fabulous and the Meursault Charmes went up a couple of gears

[greatbxfreak]

No, I am not on the way to London. I visited this city multiple times in the '80s.

[SF Ed]

Looks like fun! I have a soft spot for Lamarche and 2002 Clos Veugeot but have never had theirs. Glad to hear it was excellent.

SF Ed

[Comte Flaneur]

Last night we matched the 1982 vs the 1985 Magdelaines

[Comte Flaneur]

I thought the 1982 edged it but they were both stellar, like 96 vs 95 point wines. Joel thought the 1985 edged it. It was a bit like the men’s 100m Olympic final and the 1982 came out the blocks faster.

[Comte Flaneur]

1982 Magdelaine - out of a Conterno Sensory

Evolved colour mahogany, ripe, rich berries intense, incense, exotic, ginger, array of spices, plenty of tobacco notes, aromatically more expressive and complex than the 85

Later very beautiful lovely tertiary complexity and truffles and tobacco notes -96 pts

1985 Magdelaine - out of a 1855 Grassl

Bit of menthol, less intensity, exuberance and concentration, more youthful colour, some residual tannin, more maroon, a bit less ripe than the 82, with an austere note

Then after 30 mins opening up very nicely with evolving mushroom and truffle and Christmas spice notes and sauvage

Later out of a smaller glass compact lovely beautiful bit of grip and tension and nervosity lovely - 95 pts

We also opened a half bottle of 1995 Figeac which was also excellent, a bit tighter but opened up well. This still has a long way to go, but a solid 94 pointer

[DavidG]

Glad to see you two popping corks. The Magdelaines both sound wonderful. The only one Ive had is the 2000. Plenty of earthy complexity, some mint and fresh leafy green notes, excellent balance, should drink well for years to come.

[Comte Flaneur]

Dinner last night at the Hawksmoor in the City of London with one of my London groups. Haut Bailly 2000 was the clear stand out and comfortably win the wotn accolade.

The two 2005s are still a work in progress but nearly there (one Blanquito away).

I was t over the moon about my 1996 Calon - it was decidedly old school and a fruit free zone - Joel liked it much more than I did

Likewise the 1990 Rauzan which was sensational on opening tired a little too quickly

[/i]

[barsacpinci]

How were the four Pinots I see in that pic? I can’t
Make out the second one to the right of the Rhys.

[Comte Flaneur]

Brian the that wine is a white Rioja, and very good it was too. https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=4307285

[Comte Flaneur]

Last night we had dinner at Cabotte in London where we had a BWE event in March 2023. The theme of the dinner was mature first growths, and all of them showed well, and demonstrated the virtue of patience. We had three vintages of Haut-Brion: 1966, 1985 and 1990 and two 1989s: Margaux and Mouton. The 1966 Haut Brion sang to us beautifully like a nightingale. Glorious translucent mature claret. However the 1990 was the runaway winner and was just spectacular and perfect. It was as good as any 1989 Haut Brion I have ever had. The Mouton was brilliant as well, the 1989 is so underrated and misunderstood being deceptively light on its feet. My pecking order would be HB 90, 99 pts, Mouton 97 pts, HB 66, 96 pts, HB 85 95 pts and Margaux 89 95 pts.

[Comte Flaneur]

[SF Ed]

WOW! That's an impressive BWE lineup.

SF Ed

[DavidG]

Holy cow, what an evening!

[stefan]

That was a superior tasting even by your exhalted standards, Ian. It's great that the 1966 haut-Brion has held up so well and interesting that the 1990 is on a par with the 1989.

[Comte Flaneur]

Thanks guys for the comments

This was arranged a good while ago so we weren’t trying to rain on Jim’s parade and Jim I can assure you there is no conspiracy to unseat you.

There never has been as far as I am aware. It is all in your mind. You have said on some occasions that you have wanted to step down so there have been discussions about ‘what if’ Jim steps down.

I have been approached to participate in such discussions, but I have made it clear that I have no interest in participating in any succession plan, for what I regard as a US-centric wine board.

It would be helpful for everyone if you refrained from baseless unhelpful posts about the so called Five Assassins.

I hope BWE survives and thrives past its 25th anniversary. I hope I can remain a part of BWE. I have no interest in taking in any responsibilities for this site. Joel and I hardly discussed BWE while he was here. When we did I closed down the conversation.

[JimHow]

Don't be sad, Comte. 'Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. You should come to the "last hurrah" DC convention in October, I'll uncork a 1989 Lynch. We'll never agree on the cause of death of BWE, but in my own demented mind it was the Five Assassins by turning a mole hill into a mountain and then proceeding to scorch the hallowed earth of BWE in their righteous piety and self-importance over an off the cuff late night comment made half in jest, one of over 100,000 I have made in a quarter century on BWE, a site that I have invested an enormous amount of time and energy into over the past quarter century. My conscience is clear. Going "nuclear" against me harmed only the many good BWEers who have participated here in good will over the decades and chose not to get involved in a spat that should have been resolved offline. Dictators, of course -- even benevolent ones -- are beyond criticism. If you want to participate in a democratic site, go to berserkers or some other such place. I have my viewpoint on what happened in NYC, you and the other assassins have yours. It is only the other good people of BWE who were harmed by the self-important "outrage" of the Five Assassins, not the benevolent dictator. In any event... Those were beautiful wines you had in London, befitting the gravity of such an important occasion as a summit on the future of BWE. <rolls eyes>. It was a year ago that I made it clear that I won't "step down" <rolls eyes> as the BD of BWE. I'm glad you finally got to your very important summit, though, as it was an opportunity to drink those great first growths.

In any event, I have a big six months ahead, leading to the 25th birthday of BWE on February 26, 2025. Two more BWEers coming to the Great State of Maine next week, then I'm off to Paris and Thailand in September, then I have three brutal back to back to back murder trials through the fall and winter. Through all that I'm looking forward to the DC convention in late October! Going to Old Ebbitt Grill for oysters with the Johnsons, lunch at Black Salt with Nicola and Jean-Fred, the Saturday night "convention dinner"... seeing all the BWEers from far and wide, many of whom I've known for nearly 25 years. In my kindness and benevolence, all are invited... Even would-be assassins!

[Nicklasss]

Nice event and a very long lightning of 5 days! Many excellent and great wines in that lot, on multiple themes.

Good limited comments that makes us appreciate. I’m happy the 2000 Haut Bailly was the star one night, and sorry the 1990 Rausan Segla did not stand long.

For the 1st Growth dinner, nice selection. I guess i never had the 1990 Haut Brion, but all the other yes, at different BWE events.

You had a bunch of red Bourgogne too, Chapeau!

Will surely go back to London one day, but of course i encourage you Comte, and all other BWEers to come to DC in October. I'm working on the Dayton to attend, it has been too long.