Bez hit the mark with his absolutely first class Zinfandel tasting and related fabulous barbeque last Saturday. So I got to thinking....How many of us laugh (but would love to be there) when we see the $1650 per person (hotel and transportation extra) for Spectator's November 4th Chicago Wine "Experience".

What about a modest wine experience at one of our homes on November 5th? Perhaps everyone could bring a Wine Spectator READY TO DRINK top ten red from the past decade. The event would be free and if it was held at my home I would volunteer my theater so that we could have our own "Michigan Grand Award Banquet" on a very small scale (25 people max. I would even volunteer a 1995 Taylor Port (wine of the year) to help us get through dessert.

If everyone brought a dish and a bottle my guess is we could arrange a very memorable tasting--and with food that would at least equal mass banquet fare.

Is there interest in Michigan for this idea? Please no one from Ohio as football season will have begun and the wrong license plates in my driveway would be problematic (it would be ok if you were able to get a ride).

Bez--any chance you might help with the menu?

i would love to help with the menu. allso need to check with the boss, should know hopefully by the end of the week the wine is the easy part.
bez

Count my wife and I both in!!!. As for top ten wines, does any one have a list or reference to look at for past top ten wines. I have a 99' Whitehall Lane Cab I can bring, I think it was in the top ten two years ago.

Wine Spectator will display past top 100 selections. Hit archive on the roster to the left. Then search "Top 100".

okay we are in,
i really think we need to set some tough rule on this one.
all people and wine must be posted by agiven time. no walk ins unless posted 1 week be for.
under stand their will be a lot more going in to this one. oh yea and the plates that will go with the wine ! with the menu.
okay some of the wines i think i have in the top ten

viader 98
ch. st. jean 99 & 96
pine ridge sld 99
duckhorn 99

OK...First wife and I are in. We would be pleased to provide the beef tenderloin for the group.

Wine, I need to think about. If no one volunteers a Paloma Merlot 2001 I'll bring it. It may be a little young yet but with proper decanter time it should be fine.

Do we dress for Christmas and call it a holiday party or do we just come as normal turkey dressing. (What happened to summer?)

Slapshot,

Sounds great, that is one hard to find wine, I'm sure WineO will be pleased to see that bottle!!!.

hi all!!
maybe we should allso post wine pts,year of top ten !!!
like,
rank wine score year score,
1 paloma merlot m.d 2001 95pts. 2003
5 whitehall lane cab nv 1999 93pts 2002
3 viader nv 1998 95pts. 2001
so on!

1989 Margaux Best wines ranked in 1992-3rd overall---99 pts

If they are going to taste the best Margaux in Chicago we should be similarly accommodated. I am starting to love the way the selection is shaping up.

hi thomas,
let's talk abbout the menu if you want!you should have my phone # an my email is
bez780@hotmail.com
thanks

had dinner with my mother an father in law tonight mike an connie, they were at the BBQ on the 21st. they would love to come to the nov 5 tasting, but told me they could not make it. an left a bottle of wine for the dinner, that is in the top ten red and is rated 93pts an the number 1 wine of 2002 E.guigal cdp 1999. very nice, thanks mike an connie. this is the second # 1 wine i just might have to add an nother.
thomas where are you?

Mike and Connie are to be praised for their generous contribution. The list is sensational.

Received confirmations from them. As I count we now have 14. Capacity is 24.

head count and wine
thomas 2 margaux 1989
slapshot 2 paloma merlot 2001
zinfanman 2 whitehall lane cab 1999
bez 2 viader 98 e guial 99
dr. jim ? ?
pond place lady 2 ?
wineo 2? ?
i really hope this stays small!!!!!!!!

maybe thomas you need to change the it to one bottle per head and a dish if it gets any bigger just wondering how you are going to do the tasting . i am willing to bring two bottles of wine but will everone else? (same type an vintage) 2margaux 1989, 2 paloma 2001 an so on. so all can taste!!! even at two bottles with 24 people tasting will be very small.
just a thought!!!
you don't want to do the menu at the last min.!!!
so all can help with that to!!!

You can count the wife and I in. I can do (2) 2000 Clos Apalta. I may change later. I have a freind with an extensive french collection. I want to do some research and maybe buy a couple of his.

As for a dish. My wife does a mean pork tenderloin. Cut into 1/2 to 3/4 slices and then marinated. Cooked on the grill for maybe 5-7 minutes per side. Simply awesome.

Cheers to GrapeFriends!

We seem to have 13 firm attendees. I like the idea of limiting this given the quality of the wine and the need to allow access to each varietal. One bottle per person seems useful. I will add a bottle of 1997 Tapestry.

Has anyone heard from Ksyrah?

The date is set--Friday November 5. 6:30 p.. We stop drinking at 10:00 watch the movie and take coffee with the intent of ending by midnight.

No child care option as our house has not seen children in some time.

The menu will be appetizer based--everyone brings a ready to eat (or heat and eat)contribution. The only restriction is that nothing should be hot pepper based--subtle seasoning to not detract from the wine.

I will contribute an orange turkey waldorf salad and some clam dip (family recipes). It would be useful if we could have clear committment to menu items to avoid duplication.

Everyone should bring a bottle--two bottles to a couple.

Conceal the identity of your wine. We will drink each wine in some random order make notes and then reveal. I have five decanters and anticipate that it would be useful to decant everything. If you can bring a decanter that would be useful.

We have tentatively decided to screen one of the Star Wars enhanced sound trilogy although this is very optional.

Slapshot had generously volunteered tenderloins--It seems useful that we ask you to consider something simpler as the goal is for no sustained time in the kitchen.

I will provide paper plates and silver ware and napkins.

I would like to hear from everyone again as to who is coming and what you are bringing.

Thanks,

Thomas

thomas,
are the wines, staying the same. topten reds from the last decade? all neeeds to be posted.food,wine, people.


its in your hands

thomas,
the appetizer thing sound great for the start ,but with the top ten wines there should be special food to match them . an have you may give this some thought 20 people 20 wines in 3 an half hours , fine wines,!!!!! you may want to start earlyer. the budget part i thought was that all of us were pitching in to make this the best we can. even better then mine! then lets do it. if we all do our part with the food, it should cost a h**l of a lot less.(just with the first 5 to 6 wines) all should do the right .
then their is decanting time for most. you told me that you don't cook some one will help. i just think to have the best time of it
lets do it right .we will have a great time.
think of the margaux an what you would be wanting to eat with it .

anyone else what to help on this, please speak up,

Either way, dinner or just appetizers, I'll bring tenderloin. If it's dinner, tenderloin roasts grilled to perfection. If appetizers, tenderloin stips on sticks, grilled to perfection.

How many are we now?

slapshot,
my wife got a laugh at the tenderloin thing.she said it was a good one.

tom said saturday the max would be 20. but may be wrong.
i would like to know if it is still top 10 reds of the each year? of the decade. and if we are posting it?
don't forget to bring you own glasses he said something about that too.
we are going to bring- goat chesse,roasted red an yellow peppers an roasted garlic with a couple french bagets.
an maybe an eggplant tapenade.
wine-from my fatherinlaw e guigal cdp 1999 #1 2002 x1
ours, open for right know- i have 10 red
different wine in the top ten
would like to see what else come in to play.

thomas i hope you can start this earler it would also be safer for all!!!! think of it more coffee time (driving home)
thanks, bruce

Bez--I agree that an earlier start would be useful. I propose 6 p.--I had thought of stopping the consumption of all wine at about 9:30-10 p. when we go to the movie.

I want to stay with appetizers/casseroles because I simply don't have the desire to cook all night. We can heat anything that anyone cares to bring.

Slapshot--given the closeness of our residences it seems that Tenderloin in any form would be a delightful addition.

It would be extremely useful for everyone who is planning on coming to offer feedback.

I didn't realize this was on a Friday night. I don't think I can attend. Fridays are tough.

Cheers to GrapeFriends!