La Paulee: did anybody go to the gala dinner?

Been to a couple and really enjoyed them, but not able to get to this one.

I do not plan on paying $1500 a person plus wine for dinner until I win the lottery. And, I doubt I would go even then.

But, each person should do what they are comfortable doing. Just about every bottle of wine any of us buys would be considered highly extravagant by most people. As would the cars, watches, razors, bikes, etc., that people here buy, so I am just discussing what I feel is not worth it to me and not making any judgment about anyone else.

I’ll probably go the next time it’s in nyc

Well, maybe a little bit. neener

I went this year for the first time, and enjoyed it, though I’m not sure I’ll go again. It IS very expensive. I definitely had some wines I otherwise never would, which was wonderful. For instance, I’d never had any DRC before, and I have to say - the 69 Grand Echezeaux I tried was pretty, pretty amazing. Also, fortunately both the bottles I brought were sound which is always a worry.

I believe it’s staying in NYC for 2020.

I went to an alt-Paulee dinner. Much better value.

Correct. 20th anniversary

Was this just with friends or are there any organized by retailers/distributors/etc. that people can attend?

Plus the glassware is typically better and there’s no rush to pour out (or guzzle) something lovely…on the off chance that the next pour will be lovelier.

The Gala Dinner is an experience. I’m not in a hurry to repeat it, yet it’s unlikely that I’ll ever again encounter as many world-class Burgs in one evening. $1500 is the entry fee. The high end Burgs are what you bring and share.

RT

Unless things have changed, you are seated with one or more of the winemakers who bring older wines from the cellar.

I agree that the dinner is an experience, and the second time I took precautions. Booked a hotel within a couple of blocks of the event, took a nap after the tasting, and drunk very sparingly. And still, I was plastered at the end, and only the first two pages of my notes are coherent. I do remember a bottle of Rousseau 1990 as being rather fine, but in my notes it is recorded as a rather spidery squiggle.

It was the only time I ever met Rudy. He shared a very tired Romanee Continue 1928, and a double magnum of 1979 La Tache which was excellent. Both genuine I am pretty sure.

Mark, that’s how I remember it. The wines they bring are usually quite good…probably not the treasures one might expect for a $1500 entry fee. The food was fine, definitely not the focus. If you want to share and enjoy better wines with other attendees, I’d recommend bringing some of your own for that purpose.

RT

What is an alt Paulee dinner? Is this something other restaurants put on during the same time? How was it? What did you drink?

It’s when people in town for La Paulee make a reservation at a restaurant and bring Burgundy to drink.

The alt Paulees are fun, more relaxing and plenty of time to linger over a great bottle. Not so the gala, which is an exercise in excess, and frankly a place to compare male appendages. The secret is to bring nteresting stuff that can be traded.

I could not compete with some of the people there with DRCs and Rousseau, so went old. I found a 1937 Clos de Lambrays, and a 1920s Barolet which resulted in some interesting trades. I do remember the Lambrays as showing brilliantly, but in hind sight I should have savored the bottle with close friends rather than trade.

Uh oh I think I may fall short in the male appendages department [wink.gif]

Thanks for the explanation!
The alt dinners sound really fun. If Paulee is in NY in 2020 for the anniversary does that mean they are in San Fran in 2021?

One other thing.
Looking for the loo, I stumbled into a room with all the corked and premoxed bottles. A sad sight, the number of premoxed far outnumbered the corked, but there were still probably close to 100 bottles of incredible wines that were tasted by the sommeliers and rejected.

Sorry about that, while plenty of women attend, it was definitely a high testosterone event with all the noise and backslapping came from the male side of the species.

oh no worries - I wasn’t offended. I thought what you said was funny.

I skipped it and indeed had several wonderful alternative dinners. Definitely worth checking in with NY retailers you buy from to see if anything is planned. But my favorite dinner was a small gathering of friends, some of whom I met here :slight_smile:.

Wine of the week? Very kind people did share some wonderful bottles. Tops were 1996 Rousseau Chambertin, 2007 Coche Ensegniere, 1993 Leroy Beaux Monts and a 2001 Clos de Tart. Sadly the first three only afforded modest pours.

Rich, good to meet you at the Thursday dinner!

That’s one of the high points of La Paulee for me, the opportunity to meet up with people I’ve either never met, or see once a year, or know only online as a Berserker, of whom there were several I spent time with over the weekend.

I did attend the gala, and yes it’s excessive to the point of ridiculousness, but it’s another opportunity to taste with people I wouldn’t otherwise meet. Dominique Lafon was our table host, and poured a lovely pair of 1991 Meursault Charmes/Perrieres. One wine I brought was an old 1961 Drouhin Vosne just in the hopes it was still alive, not only was it sound, but I was able to enjoy it with Veronique Drouhin, so another high point for me.

I do thoroughly enjoy smaller dinners with fewer wines that can be appreciated throughout a meal, but I did enjoy the gala.