We have a few people from another wine board getting together in Philly the evening of Sunday July 1st to taste an assortment of left bank 2000 Bordeaux.
If interested, please chime in. No restaurant determined yet (somewhere between south Philly and northern liberties), but we won’t have a problem finalizing a location. How many wines will be opened will depend on our count, but we will probably choose wines that I have multiple bottles of.
Here are some of the wines we have to choose from.
Left Bank
Haut Bages Liberal - Pauillac. (8 or so bottles, in superb condition. Squeezed this out of John Fox from premier cru in Nov 2015)
Lanessan Haut Medoc. (8 or so bottles, in superb condition.)
Lagrange - Saint Julien (a few bottles, superb condition)
Cambon La Pelouse - Haut Medoc (a few bottles, recently bought from WineBid, was stored in a temp controlled cellar)
Cantemerle - Haut Medoc (I think I only have one bottle, purchased from Brentwood, great shape)
D’Armailhac - Pauillac (1 bottle, bought from Brentwood, the lot in general from this purchase has shown good storage)
Brainaire - Saint Julien (1 bottle, bought from Winebid, was temp controlled.)
Du Tertre - Margaux (1 bottle, maybe 2, bought from Benchmark.)
Sociando Mallet - Haut Medoc (3 bottles, bought from WineBid, temp controlled notes.)
Pontet Canet - Paulliac (3 bottles, bought local from a temp controlled cellar.)
Haut Bergey _ Pessac (1 bottle, mabye 2, Winebid, temp controlled notes.)
Larrivat Haut Brion - Pessac(1 bottle, maybe 2, bought from a temp controlled cellar in Boston. Superb condition.)
La Tour Carnet - Haut Medoc (1 bottle, from the guy in boston. Every bottle in superb shape.)
Chris is new to this board. However, quite a few of you know me, either personally or through various wine boards over the years. Hence I wanted to give a small introduction.
Chris and I have been the closest of friends for well over thirty years and got into the whole wine thing together. He has spent time in the business and still has ties within the wine industry. He unquestionably knows wine with a particular emphasis on Bordeaux and German Riesling. His Bordeaux focus is on the highest quality producers providing the best values in the lower tiers of classification. I think that interest is reflected quite well in the selection of wines listed.
I wish I could be there, as those who attend will be in for a treat.
Have hotel booked at Doubletree. It’s only 1.7 miles from restaurant. As I am an avid Champagne fan I have been designated as the provider. Haven’t decided which one yet, but will likely bring something new, that I haven’t tried yet.
Will - https://willbyob.com/ – “Will BYOB is a modern French-inspired BYOB, located on East Passyunk Avenue in the heart of South Philadelphia. 1911 E Passyunk Ave • Philadelphia, PA”
True that! Will is an ideal location for Philadelphia area Francophiles. I just spoke to Benjamin at Will and Sunday July 1st is not as booked due to plenty of people heading “down the shore.” Thus, we have room for 5 more. Repeat…room for 5 more, and no need to bring any vino, but just bring a credit card and/or cash for your food costs. Other than an obligatory Champagne and white burg, and a Sauterne finish thanks to Jonathan, the red 2000 Bordeaux so far are Pontet Canet, Haut Bages Liberal, and Lagrange (the classified Saint Julian, not the pomerol). All classified growths. Additional 2000’s brought along depending on the final number seated are Lanessan (confirmed, in pristine shape), Sociando Mallet, and a Bordeaux to be named later.
Afterwards, we all have the ability for a true philly “yo” moment, to uber on over to the art museum where a night time screening of rocky is being shown on the art museum steps.
I hope I don’t talk myself into taking a dip in the Logan Circle fountain again, as I did few summers ago after a Francophile byob night in our fair city of brotherly love.
Ken, I was very impressed by Will. Of the wines, the 2000 Pontet Canet was the group favorite earning the blue ribbon as the WOTN. (I did a CT review of it.) After about 3 hours of air, all of the wines still had plenty of life. The first to open up was the HBL, and the Lagrange was the last. Thankfully I have multiple bottles of all of these wines!