<$BlogRSDURL$>
Thursday, May 19, 2011
 
I Knew I Hated That Guy
Bernie Madoff's wine and liquor collection was sold off at auction by Morrell & Co. last week.  "All we know about the provenance is that it was seized by the FBI and U.S. Marshals' Service from two locations. More than that, we do not know." Not the best provenance, but Morrell seems to be peddling the collection more as conversation pieces than as quality consumables, and has even included some wines that normally “wouldn’t pass muster and make it into our auction."  The 58 lots were valued at a low estimate of $15,000, with the proceeds going to the United States Department of Justice Asset Forfeiture Fund to help pay damages to the victims of Madoff’s multibillion dollar Ponzi scheme.  That'll help.  
 
I know a guy who was pretty nearly destroyed by Madoff.  Life savings wiped out.  So I may already be a little biased in this matter, but what I really, really hate about the guy is that with all that money he stole, he had crap wine and stored it indifferently.  I mean, if you're going to rip off all your closest friends, some Jewish charities, some hedge funds, whatever, that's your business.  But have some decency.  Get a little wine refrigerator for the house in Palm Beach, for god's sake.  

Sunday, May 15, 2011
 
Epic
I don't know what to say.  Mark Beavan's 50th birthday party at Il Grano restaurant.  I got the last seat.  


A few of these were not good bottles, or were simply over the hill, but the line up is as stellar as any I've been party to.  


We actually passed on the last five, but washed it all down with a magnum of 1985 Cristal.  



1961 Bollinger RD Jeroboam 
1961 Moet Imperial RD  mag 
1961 Taitinger CDC
1959 Dom Perignon
1911 Moet
MV Krug Private Cuvee
1959 Bouchard Montrachet
1966 Bouchard Montrachet
1973 DRC Montrachet
1983 Ramonet Montrachet
1985 Ramonet Montrachet
1928 Chevillot Les Gaudichots
1943 DRC La Tache
1955 Leroy Chambertin - 
1962 Vogue Bonnes Mares
1971 DRC RC Magnum
1971 DRC La Tache Magnum
1978 DRC La Tache
1985 DRC La Tache
1991 DRC La Tache
1995 DRC La Tache
1999 DRC La Tache
1947 Pol Roger (Charles & Diana wedding uvee)
1971 Salon
1961 Monfortino
1961 Vega Sicilia
1961 Palmer
1961 Mouton 
1961 Latour  
1961 La Mission Haut Brion 
1961 Haut Brion
1961 L'Evangile
1961 Latour a Pomerol 
1947 La Tour Blanche

Passed on:
1978 Chave Hermitage
1978 Guigal La Landonne
1945 Gruaud Larose Magnum
1947 Calon Segur Magnum
1990 Margaux (which means we ONLY had 3-of-5 First Growths)