Bern's Reservation Question

Craig_G · February 2, 2019, 6:24am

Nobody goes there any more. It’s too crowded.

bradkaplan · February 5, 2019, 2:50am

I have also learned through the years to skip the cheap bottles at Berns - yes it seems cool to drink a 79 Beaujolais for $30 from a producer you have never heard of or a 65 Charbono but in all honesty those are still on the list for a reason.

I had a 1983 Saint Amour for $27 there twice (a couple of years apart) and it was really good both times. I’d easily pay twice that or more for that wine at another restaurant (not that I could) and be very happy. Same with a Petite Sirah from the '70s that was on the BTG glass for some crazy cheap price. Yes, there are some duds in there, but I’ve had great experiences with some of those cheap old wines. I think it’s well worth getting a couple of those and a couple of more prestigious bottles. Even just raiding the BTG list at the bar can be very inexpensive and fun (some good wines, some not so good) before heading to a table and getting into some more serious wines.

I’m another who has had very good experiences with some of their 80’s cru boos, as well as some of the 80’s german rieslings still available - both on multiple occasions over the past several years. Are they transcendent wines? No. But there’s practically nowhere on earth where you’ll find such aged gems at such crazy good prices.

Robert_Dentice · February 5, 2019, 1:34pm

I have also learned through the years to skip the cheap bottles at Berns - yes it seems cool to drink a 79 Beaujolais for $30 from a producer you have never heard of or a 65 Charbono but in all honesty those are still on the list for a reason.

I had a 1983 Saint Amour for $27 there twice (a couple of years apart) and it was really good both times. I’d easily pay twice that or more for that wine at another restaurant (not that I could) and be very happy. Same with a Petite Sirah from the '70s that was on the BTG glass for some crazy cheap price. Yes, there are some duds in there, but I’ve had great experiences with some of those cheap old wines. I think it’s well worth getting a couple of those and a couple of more prestigious bottles. Even just raiding the BTG list at the bar can be very inexpensive and fun (some good wines, some not so good) before heading to a table and getting into some more serious wines.

I’m another who has had very good experiences with some of their 80’s cru boos, as well as some of the 80’s german rieslings still available - both on multiple occasions over the past several years. Are they transcendent wines? No. But there’s practically nowhere on earth where you’ll find such aged gems at such crazy good prices.

Apologies I did not do a great job of expressing that this is part of my personal strategy for Berns - I agree lots of those wines are fun and definitely worth the money. I have been to Berns well over 50x and tried many of them. These days I would rather drink wines that have the potential to be transcendent wines. I think the strength of Berns is their old Bordeaux and that is where I focus these days. It is also a type of wine I rarely get to drink in any other setting.

Paul_Jaouen · February 5, 2019, 4:26pm

I think the strength of Berns has always been their mature Bordeaux and Burgundies. The better Bordeaux lasted longer than the better Burgundies. I would love to see your lifetime spend on 50+ visits. Then again it might be too much of a shock

Robert_Dentice · February 5, 2019, 4:38pm

I like to think of it in terms of the money I have saved!

bradkaplan · February 5, 2019, 6:41pm

YES, think of the MILLIONS of dollars Bern’s has collectively saved its happy patrons! This is the ultimate place for wine shopper math. : )