Number 53 —  September, 2004

Our Last Event

What a great room that was at the Stonewood! Excellent food, and excellent prices. The favorite wine of the tasting was (not surprisingly) the 1968 BVGDLTPR. It was interesting — if sad — to see the stylistic changes in the wine in the 1980s and again in the 1990s. My personal favorite was the 1971 Pommard from Leroy. For me, great old burgs are the only thing that can dethrone that 1968.

Al Gane, one of our charter members, is leaving the group. Thanks for all the good times Al, and we’ll miss you.

Suzanne Chaney, a former charter member will rejoin us, beginning this quarter. (The purchase price of 1/14 of the syndicate cellar, calculated in July, was $1636.36, which will go directly from Suzanne to Al.) Welcome back, Suzanne!

Our Next Event

Cancelled due to Hurricane Frances

Our next event will be a weekend at The Four Seasons Palm Beach, Friday September 3rd – Monday September 6th.

The Four Seasons has a package called “Under the Sun”. You book three nights, pay for two and the third night is free. They also give you a $100.00 credit to be used on dining. Rates start at $275 for a Garden Room, so effectively it’s $150 a night! Their phone number is 1-561-582-2800. http://www.fourseasons.com/palmbeach

Tentative event schedule:

We will arrive Friday, no plans made as everyone will be arriving at different times through out the day including early evening. Ron and Bev may have a small wine tasting in their room before the dinner hour. They may go to Chez Jean-Pierre Bistro.

Saturday lunch perhaps at Cafe L’ Europe?

Saturday night at the Restaurant at the Four Seasons. We can conduct our blind tasting and serve our wines with dinner( please bring your best as they have an excellent list) Prix fixe menu.

Sunday night at Cafe Boulud in their best private room, with large glass windows looking out to the garden. We will conduct our blind tasting, followed by a 4 or 5 course meal with wine pairing by sommelier Levy.

Coming Events

Wine Syndicate, November 13, 2004.

Wine Syndicate, January 22, 2005.

There was also some discussion of a non-Syndicate trip in January or perhaps another Syndicate trip in the Spring.

Auction Action

We got about half the lots I bid on in May’s Bonhams & Butterfields auction, but nearly all went at the top of the range. You can thank Robert Parker for the increase in the price of BV, but I figure we better get it while we can. The lots we didn’t get were all Burgundies that went for double their estimates.

Treasurer’s Report