Flannery Fest II final thoughts

Thanks for hosting us bro . . . it was a blast. I will send money/bottles to cover the cleaning bill!

it was great seeing everybody again and thanks for having me!

Phil, I can’t thank you enough for having all of us raid your house, I had a wonderful time meeting everyone.

Leo, your a piece of work.

Oh, and one more thing. Special thanks to Bill and Manlin for slaving away all day feeding everyones faces. They both went above and beyond the call of duty.

A great event. Thanks for hosting Philip and to Bill/Manlin for all their hard work. A chance to put faces and names together over great food and wine!

Couldn’t agree more with the comments above. I had a blast getting to put faces with names I know so well. Thanks to Phillip for being such a gracious host and to the meat department for using those grill skills.

Oh, and I heard it was T-Bone’s birthday! Happy Birthday T-Bone!

T-Bone is so shy. He got all flushed when we sang to him!


Thanks to everyone or making this event spectacular. Landreth for coordination and grilling duties. Phil for hosting. Manlin and Fremont on the assist. My bar crew of Michel and Zach for helping pour and going on meat runs. Bryan for sending us such incredibly awesome meats. And most of all thanks to everyone who showed up and brought such spectacular wines. Great to put faces to names of such great fun folks. I will post a wine list when I get it together later on.

Love the new avatar…Elmer.

over and over again.


thanks again Phil for hosting all of us degenerates. As mentioned above, scott and Bill for slaving over all of the meat.

OK all, here is the list of wines I was witness to. I think I got only about 80%, maybe less. I do know I missed most of the case that Bryan Flannery sent for instance which was several bottles each of Sullivan, Morlet and Vineyard 7&8. I completely failed writing down the Barbaresco maker so I could use some help there. There were several Sauternes bottles as well I remember sipping later on but didn’t scribble down. Also, I’m sure I got the bottle format wrong on a few of these as well so point them out as found. Only 3 corked bottles that I know of which is pretty good but the 63 Dow’s Mag was especially painful.

N.V. Taittinger Champagne Brut (France, Champagne) - 9 Liter
N.V. H. Billiot Champagne Brut Reserve Grand Cru (France, Champagne, Ambonnay, Champagne) - Magnum
1990 Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Champagne Brut Rosé Vintage (Reserve) (France, Champagne) - Magnum
1995 Louis Latour Corton-Charlemagne (France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru) - Magnum
1989 Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Brand Vendange Tardive (France, Alsace, Turckheim, Alsace Grand Cru AOC) - Magnum
1988 Mount Eden Vineyards Chardonnay Estate Bottled Santa Cruz Mountains (USA, California, San Francisco Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains) - 3 Liter
2005 François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre (France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru)

2004 Sine Qua Non Into the Dark (USA, California, Central Coast)
2005 Bodegas Roda Rioja Cirsion (Spain, La Rioja, Rioja) - Magnum
2004 Bodegas Roda Rioja Roda I Reserva (Spain, La Rioja, Rioja) - Magnum
2004 Bodegas Roda Rioja Roda Reserva (Spain, La Rioja, Rioja) - Magnum
1989 Château Meyney (France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe) - 3 Liter
1994 Von Strasser Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Mountain (USA, California, Napa Valley, Diamond Mountain) - Magnum - CORKED!
1996 Von Strasser Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Mountain (USA, California, Napa Valley, Diamond Mountain) - Magnum
1997 Von Strasser Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond Mountain (USA, California, Napa Valley, Diamond Mountain) - Magnum
1995 Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red (USA, California, Napa Valley) - Magnum
1996 Bacio Divino (USA, California, Napa Valley) - 5 Liter
1999 Château Pavie (France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru)
2004 Château Pavie (France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru) - Magnum
2005 Château Pavie (France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru)
1999 Château Péby Faugères (France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru)
2000 Château Pape Clément (France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan)
2005 Lillian Winery Syrah (USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County) - Magnum
2005 Trivium Cabernet Sauvignon Les Ivrettes Vineyard (USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena)
2001 Bernardus Winery Marinus (USA, California, Central Coast, Carmel Valley) - Magnum
2004 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de mon Aïeul - 3 Liter
2005 McPrice Myers Cuvée Kristina (USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley) - Magnum
1997 Turley Petite Sirah Hayne Vineyard (USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena) - Magnum
1999 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie Brune et Blonde (France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie) - Magnum
2001 Château La Nerthe Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée des Cadettes (France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape)
2006 Morlet Family Vineyards Syrah Bouquet Garni (USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast)
1986 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon Estate (USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena) - Magnum
1995 Gaja Barolo Sperss (Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo) - Magnum
2001 Le Vieux Donjon Châteauneuf-du-Pape (France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape) - 3 Liter
2004 Martinelli Zinfandel Jackass Vineyard (USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley) - Magnum
1991 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon The Montelena Estate (USA, California, Napa Valley) - 3 Liter
2002 Anderson’s Conn Valley Vineyards Éloge (USA, California, Napa Valley) - Magnum
1998 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape (France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape) - Magnum
1995 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Asili (Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco) - Magnum
1995 Château Monbousquet (France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru) - Magnum
1991 Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve (USA, California, Napa Valley)
1987 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon (USA, California, Napa Valley) - Magnum
1983 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle (France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage) - Magnum
1990 Château La Conseillante (France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol) - 3 Liter
1999 Château Lafite Rothschild (France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac) - Magnum
2005 Lagier Meredith Syrah (USA, California, Napa Valley, Mt. Veeder) - Magnum
2000 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Réserve des Deux Frères (France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape)
1993 Sean Thackrey Orion (USA, California, Napa Valley, St. Helena)
1999 Michel Magnien Clos de la Roche (France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Clos de la Roche Grand Cru)
1990 Château Figeac (France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru) - CORKED!!! [suicide.gif]
1982 Château Gruaud Larose (France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien) - Magnum
1994 Groth Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve (USA, California, Napa Valley, Oakville) - Magnum
1989 Domaine d’Auvenay (Lalou Bize-Leroy) Auxey-Duresses Les Clous (France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Auxey-Duresses)
2003 Harlan Estate (USA, California, Napa Valley) - Magnum
1998 Robert Biale Zinfandel Black Chicken (USA, California, Napa Valley) - Magnum

1963 Dow Porto Vintage (Portugal, Douro, Porto) - Magnum - CORKED!!! [suicide.gif]
1970 Taylor (Fladgate) Porto Vintage (Portugal, Douro, Porto)
1970 Fonseca Porto Vintage (Portugal, Douro, Porto)

Personal highlights of the wines I tried were:
1995 Corton-Charlemagne
1988 Mt Eden Chard
1989 ZH Tardive
2004 Into The Dark
2004 Roda 1
2000 Pape Clement
1989 Meyney
1995 Gaja
1986 Spottswoode
1991 Montelena
2001 Donjon
1999 Lafite
1990 La Conseillante

Surprise of the night was the 2004 Martinelli which smelled just like a Pinot to me. Terrific wine.

Special shout out goes to Bowden who went above and beyond the call of duty going back to the hotel to get me some of the leftover '68 Unico which is a birth year wine for me. Though I think he was just taking the opportunity to drive Phil’s wheels. Cheers Meathead!

d-d-d-d-dddddammn!! ya’ll did it fo real! sheezy … [ok.gif]

It was really great to meet so many that I only knew from an avatar.

Pretty big party.

Leo. Thanks for your generosity and incredible positivity.
You really are a piece of work. It was wonderful to get to meet you.
I think the highlight of the party was seeing you with your shirt off and that huge bottle of Taittinger.
A great 85 Corton Charlie from Jadot BTW. I love that wine!

Big thanks for the invitation and acceptance. Bill Landereth cooked all day and night. Phil. You were so nice to allow such
a large undertaking in your house and brave too. The bar guys did an exceptional job. Scott did the dissecting of the meat as it came off the grill.
Great job on that Scott and lots of work.
Chris Freemont was his moral support. (Great to be with you again Chris.)

Lots of great people and an excessive amount of wine although we managed to run out somehow.

Bryan is such a gem. It was great to have him there.

I need a few days of rest.

Cheers to all of you.

Don

OUTSTANDING AFFAIR!!!
Kudos to Phil, Bill, Manlin, Freekmount, Flannery, etc., etc… It was amazing to meet everyone, eat such killer food and drink such killer wines.

Special props to Dan McNiff @ Centennial for making Zach and I aware of their Berserker discount and Riedel loaner program. Mucho appreciado Senor Dan!!!

Unreal evening. Everything said so far has been true … just wanted to add my two cents on that front. A real pleasure to attend. Hard to believe how cool it was. I think I’m still processing it. An awesome, unforgettable night. Well done all around to our planners and most kind and generous host!

…

It was great meeting you Don, can’t wait to share bottle with you in NY

Leo

Echoing what has been said already, everything was fantastic, and our hosts were extremely generous.
And I finally got my Croat Cuddle!

It’s an experience, yes? The Leo Love Grip.

Ken, leo’s going to have dinner with us in June.