Paulee AMEX pre-sale out

https://www.lapaulee.com/program

Grand Tasting: Grand Tasting Wines 2020 — La Paulée
Verticals: 2023 Program - New York City — La Paulée

Thanks. Gotta make plans for this. Missed last year

We have questions!

Wife and I are considering going for our anniversary, which is on 3/7. Wondering whether we should head up to NYC and make a weekend out of it. Bonus is free babysitting as my sister-in-law lives there. Things we’re wondering;

  1. Is the Grand Tasting worth it? Walk around tastings can either be good or bad experiences. Seems like the good wines go fast, so if you’re not at the table right away, you might miss out. Is this a problem at La Paulee or do the winemakers bring enough to last through the entire event?
  2. Tell me about the dinner - again, is it worth the price of admission? How do you get seated? What kind of bottle are you expected to bring to share? If coming as a couple, do you bring 2 bottles or 1?
  3. First Press Package - says for people 40 and under. We are 41 and 45, but this would be our first time coming. Any idea whether we could sweet talk our way into this package?
  4. The Zachys auction. Very interested in attending, but is there an expectation that you buy wine? What if you just get outbid on everything you are interested in? Is it difficult to reserve a spot? How does that work?

Thanks in advance!

Then someone isn’t in tune with the market. It might be you, or it might be the winning bidders.

Yes, of course that’s true. Widgets are worth what someone is willing to pay for them, right? My question was more about whether there’s an expectation that you bid on and win something if you’re attending the auction.

No - no expectation that you bid. Many people go to just be in the room and many people bid in the room or are bidding for others or place their bids in advance. You could be sitting by somebody who winds up spending a few million and they have never raised their paddle. If you see something you like then you should bid but you are never forced or expected to bid (or win) on anything.

OK, this is great. Thank you for the insight.

Sorry. I was in a flippant mood. [cheers.gif]

No harm, no foul. champagne.gif

I am also thinking about attending grand tasting, vertical tasting and gala dinner.

It would be great to hear from those who have been there in the past, particularly on gala dinner.

I’ve only ever been to the Verticals which were well run and a lot of fun. I never had a problem trying everything I wanted to. I’ve stopped attending since I’ve mostly stopped buying new release Burgundy (and the one relatively low cost producer I still buy doesn’t attend La Paulee).

Friends who attend the GT speak highly of it. Certainly worth it if you want to get a feel for the current vintage when deciding what to buy.

The dinner depends on whether you like that sort of thing. I don’t like being rushed to drink up one great wine to get a pour of another great wine so I’ve never attended. But there will certainly be a lot of great wine being poured.

If you go to the auction, bring good wine otherwise you will feel foolish when others at your table are opening bottles and sharing and you have nothing to share.

FIFY

Troy, I think the Grand Tasting will be worthwhile…it will be a showcase of 2017s, and after the praise for the quality of the white burgs especially I am looking forward to it. I don’t think there’s any chance of great wines running out.

I’ve enjoyed the gala dinners when I’ve gone, but agree with Jay that they can be over the top, a lot of excellent wine is dumped to make room in glasses for the next pours.

The auction could be fun for a while if you’ve never been.

I saw that the Roumier dinner is already sold out.

What constitutes great? I assume by “great” what you really mean is “expensive,” but correct me if I’m wrong.

If I’m correct, would something like '09 Richebourg or RSV suffice? A little young, but it’s the “best” (most expensive) I’ve got.

That’s crazy. I guess there’s no shortage of rich people who love Burgundy. :slight_smile:

DRC Dinner… wow… $9,250 per person…

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti is the most famous estate in Burgundy, and securing a visit to their renowned cellars is near-impossible. Proprietor and Estate Director Aubert de Villaine will present a lineup of incredibly rare vintages from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti dating back to 1971 in the private Bellecour room at restaurant DANIEL, featuring the incomparable cuisine of Chef Daniel Boulud and guest Chefs Michel, César, and Léo Troisgros, visiting us from their three Michelin-starred restaurant in Ouches, France.

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Echézeaux Grand Cru 2014
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Grands-Echézeaux Grand Cru 2014
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru 2014
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Richebourg Grand Cru 2006
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Richebourg Grand Cru 2001
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Richebourg Grand Cru 1999
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, La Tâche Grand Cru monopole 2000
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, La Tâche Grand Cru monopole 1991
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, La Tâche Grand Cru monopole 1971
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Romanée-Conti Grand Cru monopole 1991 en magnum
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Romanée-Conti Grand Cru monopole 1971 en magnum
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Montrachet Grand Cru 2003
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Montrachet Grand Cru 1979

i.e. ~$700 per pour, depending on how much value you place on the food… O-o

Wow that verticals lineup looks amazing

unfortunately these days great usually means expensive if you have to go to the marketplace to get it—unless you have older stock for which you paid little. When I went to the NY version, it was a Bacchanalian over the top event with amazing rare wine after rare wine. One had to spit 50 year old Musigny to grab the next great wine. It was too crazy for me and I didn’t like not spending adequate time w the wines so I’ve never gone again. People are very generous and I’m sure 09 DRC would be well-received. I wouldn’t bring Beaujolais or Bourgogne!