Wines of the Century

[OPJK]

I recently received the following invitation. It is just boggling on many levels. Note the price at the bottom. javascript:emoticon(':blink:')

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TOP 100 WINES OF THE CENTURY

The moment of truth has arrived. Between October 29th and 31st, 2004, in New York City, the greatest celebration of fine wine the world has ever seen will take place at four of New York’s finest restaurants: Daniel, Cru, Per Se, and Veritas. There are actually 144 wines…ish. Space is limited to 40 guests; the weekend is being offered as a weekend only; ie you cannot sign up for only one meal. There might be some special situations which will allow for emergency ‘substitutions’ for guests; however, those substitutions will not be initially guaranteed and will be taken off of a wait list. There will be a limited number of shared pours available; however, some of the venues do not support enough capacity to have shared pours for as many people that might request them, so we will not be able to guarantee shared pours for everyone for every event. There will be two bottles or one magnum of each wine listed below. I have been working for over six months on sourcing bottles for this event, working with a small amount of the world’s most distinguished collectors. Almost all of the bottles sourced have been previously sampled by the collector (and sometimes myself) from the same lot or case. There is a small chance that a handful of wines on the following list will change subject to their final inspection, but the list should be 95% accurate as to the lineup we will taste. Reservations will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis and your payment will serve as your confirmation. There will be no cancellations accepted whatsoever, unless we can find a substitute for you in time. I look forward to sharing this spectacular weekend and the memories of it with you for years to come.

FRIDAY NIGHT, OCTOBER 29TH, 2004, 6:30PM

WHITE BURGUNDY, RHONE, AUSTRALIA, CULTS AND GERMANS AT DANIEL

We will begin our journey at Daniel’s, featuring the culinary genius of Daniel Boulud in a seven-course extravaganza.

Champagne Reception

Flight #1

1978, 1982 Leflaive Chevalier; 1986, 1989 Coche-Dury Corton Charlemagne;

1990 Lafon Montrachet; 1992 Leflaive Montrachet

Flight #2

1966 Drouhin Laguiche Montrachet; 1970, 1978 DRC Montrachet;

1978, 1979, 1982 Ramonet Montrachet

Flight #3

1969, 1971, 1978 Chateau Rayas; 1971, 1976 Penfold’s Grange

Flight #4

1969, 1976, 1978 Guigal La Mouline

1949, 1959, 1961 Jaboulet La Chapelle; 1971 Chave

Flight #5

1989 Beaucastel Hommage Perrin; 1990 Bonneau Celestins;

1990 Chave Cuvee Cathelin; 1996 Three Rivers

Flight #6

1991 Dalla Valle Maya; 1992 Screaming Eagle; 1994 Colgin; 1995 Araujo;

1997 Harlan; 1995 Pingus; 1997 Dal Forno Amarone

Flight #7

Three Germans TBD

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30TH, 2004 12:00PM

RED BURGUNDY, LOIRE AND ALSACE AT CRU

The restaurant formerly known as Washington Park has a new chef, Shea Gallante formerly of Bouley, and a new name, CRU, and the same great wine list as before. It is fitting that we celebrate the wines of Burgundy at perhaps the country’s best wine list of Burgundies. We snuck a Chave Hermitage Blanc in as well!

Champagne Reception

Flight #1

1973, 1976, 1983 Trimbach Clos St. Hune; 1983 Chave Hermitage Blanc

Flight #2

1937 Leroy Richebourg; 1937, 1947 Clos des Lambrays;

1949 Rousseau Chambertin; 1955 Leroy Chambertin

Flight #3

1945, 1949, 1962 Vogue Musigny V.V.; 1959 Marey Monge Romanee St. Vivant

Flight #4

1978 Dujac Clos de la Roche;

1978 Jayer Echezeaux, Richebourg, Cros Parantoux

Flight #5

1929 Les Gaudichots; 1942, 1945, 1949 La Tache

Flight #6

1959, 1962, 1971 La Tache

1959, 1962, 1971 Romanee Conti

Flight #7

1985 Leroy Mazis Chambertin Cuvee Madame Collignon;

1985 Meo Camuzet Richebourg; 1990 Roumier Musigny;

1990 Ponsot Clos de la Roche V.V.; 1990 Dugat Griottes Chambertin;

1990 La Tache; 1993 Leroy Chambertin

Flight #8

1921 Bredif Vouvray; 1947 Huet Vouvray Le Haut Lieu;

& 1989 Trimbach Clos St. Hune VT

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30TH, 2004, 8PM

AROUND THE WORLD AT PER SE

This evening will featuring the wines of classic California, Italy, Spain, Australia, and Portugal. Thomas Keller, of French Laundry fame, has landed in New York’s new Time Warner Center with a bang and quickly has one of the Big Apple’s hottest tickets.

We will be ready to go Saturday night, after a quick nap, of course.

Flight #1

1935 Simi, 1941 Inglenook, 1951 & 1968 B.V. Private Reserve,

1968 Heitz Martha’s Vineyard

Flight #2

1970 Ridge Montebello & 1971 Eisele, 1974 Heitz Martha’s Vineyard,

1975 Phelps Eisele, 1978 Diamond Creek Lake

Flight #3

1925 Marques de Riscal Rioja Reserva; 1922, 1942, 1953, 1968 Vega Sicilia Unico

Flight #4

1947, 1955 G. Conterno Monfortino Riserva; 1955 Biondi Santi Riserva;

1961 Giacosa Santo Stefano Riserva; 1971, 1978 G. Conterno Monfortino Riserva

Flight #5

1978 Giacosa Santo Stefano Riserva; 1982 Gaja Sori Tilden;

1985 Sassicaia; 1990 Sandrone Cannubi

Flight #6

1927, 1935, 1945 Taylor; 1948 Fonseca;

1963 Noval Nacional; 1931 Noval

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 31ST, 2004, 12:00PM

BORDEAUX AT VERITAS

The restaurant that turned the wine world upside down is the perfect scenario for our grand finale, as chef Scott Bryan will tantalize our taste buds with his amazing cuisine.

Flight #1

1900 Margaux; 1921 Cheval Blanc; 1926 Haut Brion;

1928, 1929 Latour; 1929 Ausone, Cheval Blanc

Flight #2

1945 Haut Brion, Mouton Rothschild;

1947 Cheval Blanc, Lafleur, Petrus, Vieux Chateau Certan

Flight #3

1949 L’Eglise Clinet; 1950 Latour a Pomerol; 1953 Lafite, Margaux;

1955 La Mission; 1959 Haut Brion, Lafite, Mouton

Flight #4

1961 Latour, La Mission, Palmer;

1961 Lafleur, Latour a Pomerol, Petrus, Trotanoy

Flight #5

1975 Petrus, 1982 Lafleur, Le Pin;

1982 Mouton; 1989 Haut Brion; 1990 Margaux

Flight #6

1921, 1928, 1937, 1949 Yquem

$25,000 per person

[Craig Camp]

Nice wines.

[Boris_A]

Please tell me that nobody is going to spit those juices.

[Carolyn Tillie]

Can I put in on my Chevron card?!?!?!

[docsconz]

Does the $25K include hotel?

It actually sounds cheap for what is on the list, although I can't imagine that all together like this the wines can really be appreciated. While an extravaganza, it is almost a waste. It is perfect for someone who can afford it and wants to be there just to say (s)he was.

I have to admit as much as I would love to taste those wines with that food, I couldn't possibly appreiate so much in so short a time (and survive). Where are Bourdain, Ripert and Ruhlman?

[Brad Ballinger]

I know someone who will probably go. Not that I travel much in his circles. He mostly slums in mine.

[Carolyn Tillie]

OPJK, can you enlighten us on who is sponsoring this *event* - i.e., WHY is it occuring?

[DonRocks]

It actually sounds cheap for what is on the list

It's not cheap, even for what's on the list. Assuming the 1900 Margaux is the most expensive wine there (and I'm not certain that it is), this wine goes for about $10,000 per bottle. You could have an all-you-can-drink buffet of 1900 Margaux for under $25,000, and most of the wines being served are waaaayyy less expensive, with some running in the hundreds-of-dollars rather than thousands. I suspect the retail price of alcohol consumed at things like this is $5,000 at most, given the average cost of the bottles, and given that one person can only consume so much alcohol.

Spitting? Unthinkable, and there should be mandatory prison time for those who do.

I hate events like this because the ever-dwindling supply of these precious wines is wasted on people who just want to say they tried them. It's like flying over the Grand Canyon and saying you've "done it."

Longing to curl up with just one of these bottles and actually enjoy it,

Rocks.

[mdibiaso]

How do you get an invitation to such an event. Is it first come first serve. It there an advertisement for it anywhere on the web?

[wnissen]

They say they will have two bottles of each wine. Assuming no ullage and no loss to sediment, that's 1.27 oz. per person. Isn't enjoying a taste of the century's greatest wines for a few minutes the definition of masochism? It's like listening to the "World's Greatest Symphonies Selections," where you get a personal performance from the finest orchestra in the world of fifty symphonies, allotted five minutes each. Would be fun as a novelty, but mainly it seems like a joke. Give me one great performance of Mahler's fifth, or of Chave, please.

Walt

[OPJK]

OPJK, can you enlighten us on who is sponsoring this *event* - i.e., WHY is it occuring?

This was put together by the president/auction director of Acker Merrall & Condit, which is the oldest wine merchant in the country. It conducts a lot of wine auctions. I believe the invitation list came, in part, from a list of people who have participated to a certain level in the auctions. I think the impetus was simply an attempt to create what the organizer is calling "indubitably the greatest wine event of all time."

In making some broad assumptions about the pricing of the wines and the dinners, it appears to me that there is an enormous difference between the actual financial cost and the $1mm in proceeds. (If you assume the wines average $1,000 per bottle and there are two bottles of each of the 144 wines, and that the meals are $200 each (remember, this price does not include wine!), the total cost is $320,000.)

It is more the overall collection of wines that is stunning, combined with the bragging rights. That said, I will not be taking part for many reasons. However, the event was virtually sold out earlier this week, and, I assume, that it has since been completely sold out.

[OPJK]

Just to make clear, I have nothig to do with Acker Merral (except to have purchased some wine from them). I don't think I could remotely appreciate all the wines being served and the bragging aspect holds absolutely no appeal to me.

However, the idea of the grabbing a bunch of individual bottles of truly awesome wines, a couple of well-chosen compadres, and making a food mecca marathon weekend is quite tempting (and relatively economical)!

[winemike]

Isn't enjoying a taste of the century's greatest wines for a few minutes the definition of masochism?

I'd go further ... it's not only masochism, forgive me but I think it's plain stupid.

These wines diserve far more respect than they'll get in this show off event.

I'd have more respect for someone stating he passed out after drinking too much 1961Haut-Brion ...

Edited May 5, 2004 by winemike (log)

[OPJK]

too much 1961Haut-Brion ...

Now that's a problem I would love to have.

[winemike]

too much 1961Haut-Brion ...

Now that's a problem I would love to have.

I must admit I'd love to have this problem for all the wines of the list.

.... and plenty of time in front of me .. to drink them, not digest them, goes without saying !!

Which leads to this implicit? question.

Can you actually enjoy all these wines even if you had, say 1 year, in front of you ?

What I'm saying is that I understand how great Coche-Dury's Meursault are when I compare

them with "regular" Meursault. Had I only known Coche-Dury or just drunk his wines for

a long time (without drinking 'lower' quality) , I probably would not appreciate his achievement...

Well, I will probably not get the answer by actually doing this !!

Edited May 5, 2004 by winemike (log)

[KatieLoeb]

too much 1961Haut-Brion ...

Also a problem I'd love to have.

1961 is both the vintage of the century and coincidentally the year of my birth. Hopefully by my 50th birthday I'll have both located a bottle and saved enough to buy one for the festivities.

I'll weigh the options thusly:

New House? Bottle of wine? New car? Bottle of wine?

[DonRocks]

What I'm saying is that I understand how great Coche-Dury's Meursault are when I compare them with "regular" Meursault.

Hell, Coche-Dury's Bourgogne is great compared with "regular" Meursault.

Cheers,

Rocks.

[WineMiles]

Contents of the spit bucket might not taste too bad.

Edited May 5, 2004 by WineMiles (log)

[Carolyn Tillie]

Contents of the spit bucket might not taste too bad.

Eeeeuuuuwwwww!!!!

[GordonCooks]

The best part of the dinner will be the banter around the table - "This is dead, this is still closed, I've had this 3 times before, too young, etc, etc...."

[Brad Ballinger]

1961 is both the vintage of the century and coincidentally the year of my birth. Hopefully by my 50th birthday I'll have both located a bottle and saved enough to buy one for the festivities.

Same here. I knew there was a reason I liked your vibe.

I've yet to have a wine from 1961 (with Bordeaux being the way to go of course). And the wines are priced so far out of reach. I need to find some extremely generous friends, and then get them to bestow an act of kindness upon me.

[KatieLoeb]

1961 is both the vintage of the century and coincidentally the year of my birth.  Hopefully by my 50th birthday I'll have both located a bottle and saved enough to buy one for the festivities.

Same here. I knew there was a reason I liked your vibe.

I've yet to have a wine from 1961 (with Bordeaux being the way to go of course). And the wines are priced so far out of reach. I need to find some extremely generous friends, and then get them to bestow an act of kindness upon me.

Brad:

Let's forget friends and acts of kindness. Let's be self-reliant! How's this for a pact. We locate and share the bottle on a date that falls right in between both our birthdays. Or do something with slightly Pagan overtones and share it on a solstice or equinox or something equally universally significant. Nothing less would be worthy of either us or the wine!

I knew there was a reason I liked you too.

[Scott]

I couldn't imagine anything worse than attending this weekend.

what a total bore, too much good wine, no balance or perspective, god knows how small shared pore is.

and the people who might attend such an event... the whole idea pains me greatly.

You cannot appreciate or reason with that many great wines, nor should you try in such a short time.

dreadful idea, that represents the very worst in this business.

[pirate]

I`ve been traveling and am currently in Singapore. I decided to check eGullet and came across this thread. It`s the 1961 Haut Brion which caught my attention.I had a case of it which is now consumed. It was a fine wine but certainally not as memorable as a number of other red wines I`ve had.

[ctgm]

1961 is both the vintage of the century and coincidentally the year of my birth.  Hopefully by my 50th birthday I'll have both located a bottle and saved enough to buy one for the festivities.

Same here. I knew there was a reason I liked your vibe.

I've yet to have a wine from 1961 (with Bordeaux being the way to go of course). And the wines are priced so far out of reach. I need to find some extremely generous friends, and then get them to bestow an act of kindness upon me.

An impressive list of wines but to me most of them are far too old - I have gone from liking old wines to those which still have some of their fruit left.

As for the 1961s I have been lucky enough to have had a few recently and they (to my mind at least) were over the top and the 1959s are better.