It is really great to see that this thread lives on and that it has a struck a cord with many. I think we underestimate the amount of lurkers here. I ran into someone in London last night who I met 15 years ago when he was in his mid 20s and just starting a career as a lawyer. He mentioned how influential it was for him to taste and discuss wines with me. It actually changed the course of his career and now he has a very successful club and restaurant business that is all focused on wine.
I think one of the best things about this Board is to meet others IRL and to be able to taste widely! I am doing a rieslingstudy in Kingston NY with Leon Michels from El Michels Affair in a couple of weeks. I will be digging very deep in my cellar with a focus on the wines of Keller (I change up the focus for each event).