The Great Wine Berserkers Bordeaux Tasting Challenge

WINE TALK
61

I heard back from Jeff, and he unfortunately cannot make this event.

I am still committed to spearhead this and move forward if everyone else involved is still interested.

62

I should add that Jeff has volunteered to help source a bottle to be served blinded in the tasting. I will talk with him to see what he has to offer.

I am thinking '82 Mouton, '00 Pavie or '90 Leoville Poyferre. newhere

63

“I have nothing to gain and everything to lose”
~Robert Parker.

Might also apply to Jeff Leve.

64

Father Saxon, you gonna come down?

65

I don’t think that’s true. He has credibility to gain. Short of a few people on eBob who believe that his palate is really that closely aligned with Parker, he has none.

In contrast, for all the jibes he takes, at least Parker gained credibility through his own actions, not for simply being able to repeat what others told him.

66

I haven’t read the whole thread yet, is there a date set?

67

No date even thrown out there yet, but I would imagine it would be in the Fall since so much is going in Berserkerdom in the Spring. Plus, who want to come to Dallas in the Summer with heat & humidity?

68

Well I must admit the Fall works better for me, however it’s to early for me to commit.

One question…if no date is set, how does Jeff know he can’t make it? Surely we can work around his schedule.

69

Jeff only stated that he does not think that he can attend.

70

I’m still in.

N

71

Then we move forward…

72

No one is surprised by this are you? given his “success” with the GJE, I cannot imagine he would be willing to attend something where the sub-text of the event was to demonstrate once and for all that without RMP’s notes, his would not be as accurate or as descriptive…

While I liked the idea and thought it interesting, I was never under any belief that he would actually attend…

Personally, I didn’t expect that I would do very well either, but I don’t put myself out there as the expert…I assumed i would score highly on color, decently on vintage, moderate to fair on appellation, poor to fair on winery and I would have considered that acceptable…

73

That’s to bad, I’ve always want to drink great bdx with Jeff. Hopefully if I visit Major Franks in LA we can all hook up.

74

If you did not score 100% on color, you would have relegated to drinking Two Buck Chuck for the rest of the day.

Having said that, and knowing that Jeff can/will not attend, are you still interested?

I am thinking we move forward as planned along with BYOB Pizza on Friday and Champagne and Fried Chicken on Sunday.

75

I wondered the very same thing.

I’m sure we can work around schedules and such with this much lead time.

76

If I were Jeff, I’m not sure I’d want to attend an event like this where I’m the only one with a huge target on my back. That said, I’m disappointed as I’ve been looking forward to meeting him for quite some time and have no axe to grind on any of this stuff. I’m just fascinated with all of the attention these threads have caused and the strong opinions they have revealed. Plus, if I end up at the tasting table I much look forward to being even more humbled and surprised than I usually am when I am blind tasting.

77

Chris, being fair, I would also have a sort of target on my back…as folks would be waiting for something bad to transpire or go down. Like I stated in the OP, and in a PM to Jeff, he would be treated with nothing but dignity and respect with no shenanigans. As we are looking at probably six months, or more, for this to come together, maybe some of the members here can send Jeff a PM to encourage him to attend. I think that basically everyone else has no real issues with him.

And for the record, moving forward I am cool with Jeff and look forward to him contributing here.

78

Well Todd, another way of looking at would be to wonder why in the world anyone against whom so much abuse is directed by a number of folks here, including Tex and Scott, dish his way- attacking his veracity, assailing his character, insulting him in ways too numerous to mention, would want to be in the same room with those very people who clearly think so little of him. Anyone who thinks he should (or would want) to “prove himself” to people who think so little of him really ought to think that through a little more.

79

I’m not convinced they think that little of him, honestly, John. I think much of it is show, but the majority of it is to call him out because of how he has set himself up. Yes, it’s a chance for them to prove their theories, but it’s also a chance for him to prove himself legitimate in the claims about the ‘foremost Bordeaux blogger’ and that he writes all his own notes with no reference to RMP’s. If it’s true, why not step up and show it? He has the opportunity to shut these two guys up FOREVER! That, to me, is worth the price of admission. It’s an old fashioned showdown.

80

Fair point. Two targets. [berserker.gif]