Boston-area -- Troquet's Summer Wine Sale, Wednesday July 25th

Hi All,

Troquet on South’s (Boston MA) annual “Summer Wine Sale” is starting next Monday June 4th! If you haven’t attended in years past, here is today’s e-mail:

“Starting on Monday, June 4, and throughout July and August, we will select a group of wine bottles to be marked down significantly. These are the last wines of their kind our cellar. Some are old, some are rare, and all are a great deal.

The wine must be consumed at the restaurant with dinner, and the limited number of bottles are sold on a first-come, first-sold basis. The available wines might change quickly but we will refurbish the selection nightly. Make your reservation, ask to be part of our “Annual Wine Sale”, and we’ll help you choose a nice wine during your visit.”

We attended several times last year, and as I remember, my favorite wine was a wonderful 1974 Inglenook Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, which I believe cost us a whopping $30, a pretty good deal for what has a current $140 auction estimate (on another night, a second bottle was just OK). Some other nice wines we enjoyed:

1975 Altesino Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli
1967 Château Talbot
1970 Château Duhart-Milon-Rothschild
1958 Château Coutet

As you can see from their Instagram photos (the little white stickers are the prices), even off-year 1st Growths occaisonally show up in the nightly selection (we didn’t see any of those).

Who’s up for a dinner (or dinners)? I’d even be willing to go Monday - Wednesday June 4-6th next week if anyone is interested (and maybe go early and grab a Lafite!)…
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Some interest by email in either Tuesday 6/5 or Wednesday 6/6 next week. Anyone else up for it next week?

Also Monday 6/18 - Wednesday 6/20.

I’ll be out of town the week of 6/18. Could possibly do the week after if there is interest. July will be impossible for me.

So far we tentatively have the following dates proposed for the next 3 weeks:

Monday June 4th
Kevin F
Neil P +1

Wednesday June 6th
Kevin F
Doug E
Greg B

Tuesday June 12 or Wednesday June 13
Eric B +1

Mon June 18th, Tues June 19th or Wednesday June 20th
Kevin F
Steve C
Alicia C
Michael M
Gerry M (6/20)
Eric B (6/19 or 6/20)

TBD:
Bill V
Albert B
Brian S

I know I won’t be able to do 6/5, 6/6 or 6/18-6/20. Will see what other dates come up as the summer approaches.

ooh, i’d be happy to check this out! the later dates might be a bit better (week of 6/18) or whatever dates folks decide.

Added you Alicia, also Michael M.

Kevin, I can make the 20th if that works.

BTW, don’t forget rush hour traffic around there can be a bit slow (thanks to nearby South Station).

Also, Troquet has valet parking Tuesday - Saturday evenings (I can’t remember if it is free, other than tip). There is metered parking in front of the restaurant, but there may or may not be spaces. There is also a convenient underground garage around the corner with an entrance at 237 Essex Street, where you can buy “dinner parking” (4-11PM) online for $11:

https://bostonparking.spplus.com/60-south-st.html

TALES OF TROQUET (Act 1, Scene 1)

The sad, sordid tale of a 1969 DRC…

Late Sunday night I noticed Troquet had posted an Instagram video entitled: "A sneak preview of tomorrow nights opening of our annual Summer Wine Sale”.

And low and behold, peaking out from between dozens of other bottles, I’m pretty sure I spy a good fill 1969 DRC Grands-Echezeaux! Zoom in, snap a picture, blow it up on my laptop…yes that’s definitely what it is, and the price tag is only $275. Wow, that’s an unbelievable steal for a $1400 bottle of wine!

So, long story short, a couple of friends and I, none of whom have ever had a DRC before, decide to go really early and grab that bottle for ourselves! I drop my friend off at 4:15PM (bar opens at 4, dining room at 5), and while I go park, he runs inside to grab our trophy before someone else does.

A few minute later, I saunter in and walk up to him, “Did you get it???”. “No,” he grouses, “you missed a damn ‘1’ on the label, and the price is actually $1275 you effing dip-@#$%!!!”.

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Oh well, we wouldn’t have got it anyway, as a couple of guys ITB got there before us at 4 with the exact same plans we had (they did end up sharing a bunch of wines with us).

Apparently, the bottle was drunk by someone last night, since I can see it in today’s “garbage bin” photo on Instagram.

Happy ending: 1975 Cos d’Estournel was WOTN.
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I’ll be there on the 21st in case others are going. Look for the table of loud Hispanics driving Jud Reis nuts.

Bring it on Carlos!

Updated as of 6/10. For the week of 6/18-6/20, does anyone have a preferred night?

Tuesday June 12 or Wednesday June 13
Eric B +1

Mon June 18th, Tues June 19th or Wednesday June 20th
Kevin F (any date)
Steve C (any date)
Alicia C
Michael M
Gerry M (6/20)
Eric B (6/19 or 6/20)
Philip C (6/19 or 6/20)
Angelo M (6/18?)

TBD:
Bill V
Albert B
Brian S

FYI, a few of us went twice last week, and here’s the wines we enjoyed (all of which were good):

Night #1 (Kevin F, Neil P, Alisha):
~1996 Domaine Billaud-Simon Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos ($30)
~1975 Château Cos d’Estournel ($50)
~1998 Dom. Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape ($50)
~2003 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle ($75)
~1982 Château Roûmieu-Lacoste 375mL ($20)

Night #3 (Kevin F, Greg B, Doug E):
~1996 Guy Robin Chablis Grand Cru Valmur Reserve Cuvée Unique ($35)
~2001 Dr. Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel ($60)
~1962 Château Lafite Rothschild ($150)
~1982 Château Meyney ($70)
~2003 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle ($85)
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It looks like we have 6, possibly 7, attendees on Wednesday June 20th for Troquet’s Summer Wine Sale.

Please reply to this post or PM or email me to confirm your attendance, and also let me know what is the earliest time you can arrive so I can make a reservation. Earlier is better as far as cherrypicking the night’s bottles. I’m sure Steve and I will arrive extra early!

Attendees for Wednesday June 20th:
Kevin F
Steve C
Alicia C
Gerry M
Eric B
Philip C
Albert B (tentative)

BTW, I did notice an '86 d’Yquem ($150; 375mL) and an '82 Latour ($200; fill was a bit low) in videos they posted this past week.

Note, Troquet has valet parking (I forget if it is free or not). Alternatively, there is an underground garage around the corner with an entrance at 237 Essex St, where you can buy “dinner parking” (4-11PM) online for $11:

https://bostonparking.spplus.com/60-south-st.html

Cheers,
Kevin

Leave some wine for us!

I can be as early as you like, Looking forward to a great time.

yes, definitely count me in! I could probably arrive at 5:30 or so.

Updated attendees.


It seems like we can all get to Troquet between 5:30-6PM on Wednesday, and they’ve never had an issue with us not arriving all together.

I’m going to adjust the Troquet reservation for 6PM on Wednesday June 20th (8 people). If you can get there earlier, please do so, since the best wines are available to select early.

Steve and I will get there at 5PM and start cherry picking a few of the available wines (subject to the rest of the group’s approval), and the rest of you can make some selections whenever you arrive.

If you run into traffic, text me with your ETA. If we have to, we’ll just get some oysters to start while waiting for late arrivals. See my earlier message below about parking.

Attendees:
Kevin F
Steve C
Alicia C
Gerry M
Eric B
Philip C + Karl

wow!! what a tasting! still amazed this morning by all the good fortune we had with those bottles last night. kevin, thanks again for organizing this! a really fabulous night!