Quick writeup now that we’re on the next leg of our trip:
Firstly, great to see a couple of the New York crew that I had met previously, and to meet several new Berserkers. I was rather blown away by the event itself, as Decanter went big on the facility, for sure - what a spectacular space. I found two new (to me) producers I will definitely be seeking out, and my wife, as always managed to find the most expensive wines when tasting a producer’s array being poured. I was impressed with Poderi Luigi Einaudi’s entire lineup, positioned right next to rather disappointing Pio Cesare and a few other Italian producers that were decent but not terribly memorable, and Ramirez de Ganuza simply blew my mind. @I.S_a_n_c_h_e_z forced us to try them and I’m very happy he did. The producer was familiar to @Jorge_Henriquez but not to me, and I definitely asked about distribution in California, but, alas, not yet. Incredible stuff.
My expectations were exceeded in the Veuve Cliquot Master Class, which featured Le Grande Dame. I can post notes later if anybody wants my useless blather, but most memorable was the 1990 from magnum and Jeroboam - what a remarkable difference. The wine from the Jero was fresh, bright, and completely different in nearly all qualities to the magnum, as if it was an entirely different wine. The Jero had 4gm/l and the magnum 5g/l but it wasn’t just a difference in disgorgement, all flavor and aroma profiles were entirely different. Well executed Master Class, very educational. The Rioja Master Class was a bit of a disjointed mess to me.
The VIP afterparty was just fantastic - incredible foods, open bar, and a chance to schmooze with several of the industry folks I met during the brief times I was able to work my way through the Grand Tasting. Having the opportunity to speak to them with some focus (and less noise) was valuable, indeed.
A few photos below, including our Berserker lunch, and a shot of me with @LauraT24 when we finally had a short chance to hang out (at the afterparty).
I highly recommend this event for all Berserkers next time - while the Grand Tasting was a bit busy, and loud, the wines being poured were interesting, varied, and definitely worthwhile. Many discoveries for me, and a tasting such as this is far different from what we typically see in California
