this blog sometimes reads like a kind of list of exploits. either for my own records or for some showmanship, i will leave that up to you. but this one is worth telling and, i promise, i will start writing more about my wset diploma in the coming days and month so that i can share the secrets i am learning about from deep inside the moutains of books i have been poring over in the last few weeks.

in the meantime however, let me tell you about this magnificient wine tasting i attended last friday. offered by the good people of acker merrall & condit as a preview of their next day auction, the list was in itself amazing, pretty amazing. i will spare you the details of my tasting notes but will nonetheless list the wines so that you can understand that the world of fine wine is very special indeed...

bordeaux:

chateau ausone 2004

chateau cheval blanc 1983, 1995

chateau haut brion 1979

chateau la conseillante 1989

chateau lafite 1976, 1988, 1990

chateau lafleur 1986, 2001

chateau latour 1995, 1996

chateau lynch bages 1982

chateau margaux 1986, 1990, 1996

chateau montrose 2003

chateau mouton rothschild 1983

chateau pichon lalande 1986, 2003

chateau pavie 2003

burgundy:

comte de vogue bonnes mares 2004

j.roty charmes chambertin tvv 2004

domaine de lambrays clos de lambrays 2005

j.grivot clos de vougeot 2005

drc echezeaux 2004 (amazing!!), 2004

a. rousseau g.c. clos st-jacques 2005

leroy gevrey chambertin les combottes 1996

a.gros richebourg 2005

bouchard volnay les caillerets acc 2005

rhône:

chateau de baucastel cdp homm. a j. perrin 1999

e.guigal cote rôtie la mouline 1998 (stunning!!!)

j.l. chave hermitage 2005

p.jaboulet hermitage la chappelle 1983

united states:

abreu cabernet sauvignon madrona ranch 2001

harlan estate red 1998

sine qua non syrah atlantis fe 203 1a

vega sicilia unico 1995

as for the auction the next day, i am told the atmosphere was not as electric as the one they held in may (in which they sold in excess of usd 10 million at prices that many later said they were crazy). still, considering the economic climate, i found that the wines were moving quite well. they sold 90% of the lots available reaching sales in excess of usd 6 million.

one of the most impressive sale of the day (this one in terms of total amount spent on 1 lot) was the "superman lot" which was an incredible collection of 10 consecutive vintages of romanée conti from 1990 to 2001 (144 bottles in total) and sold for usd 226,221.00 (that is usd 1,570 per bottle or usd 261 per glass). then, there was the 12 bottle lot of screaming eagle cabernet sauvignon 1992 (impossible to find and an incredible opportunity for a serious collector) which sold for usd 92,544 (usd 7,712 per bottle and usd 1,285 per glass).