Comments on: Parker hosts $12,000 Bordeaux tasting

By: Wino

Wino — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 01:51:37 +0000

Is AG’s middle initial “I”? That would be cool.

By: Jack Bulkin

Jack Bulkin — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 16:56:29 +0000

Hey Wino, nice. I guess it could have been worse if AG had also been a member of the Federal Reserve Bank.

By: Wino

Wino — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 16:50:11 +0000

Guess that’s what happens when you get an MBA investment banker on board. Show me the money!!!

By: Daniel Posner

Daniel Posner — Sun, 08 Jul 2012 04:10:59 +0000

Since Antonio Galloni has become more involved, it would seem that he intends to make these events more of the norm.

La Festa del Barolo at Del Posto
Masseto Dinner at EMP
Italian Classes at Tarry Wine Shop
ANd a host of other events that Galloni is doing through Acker, etc.

It is great that Antonio intends to get the Wine Advocate “more involved.” Unfortunately, it also comes with questions. The alleged high profits from the La Festa del Barolo last spring, the $1300 per person Masseto dinner, while working with the winery and winery’s winemaker, etc etc etc.

Now a $12,000 dinner for charity, where only half is going to charity and anyone calculating is struggling to get past $7000 in expenses.

The bottom line is that the Wine Advocate needs to change its stance on ethical standards.

Of course, we have exhausted this subject for years. Even Parker’s hired investigation team for Jay Miller and his pay for reviews issues in Spain, recommended a change to the ethics page that Parker appears to very proud of.

Dr Vino,

Of course, it will be interesting if we start seeing more of these big ticket events. There are always rumors that Parker has a serious amount of Guigal La Las stashed away. Maybe that would make for another interesting “charity” dinner.

By: Wino

Wino — Sun, 08 Jul 2012 03:15:44 +0000

So let’s say $500 a head for the restaurant? $600? Hell, make it $1,000 for the sake of argument, although he’d have to host it at Marc Veyrat or L’Ambroisie to get charged that much. That’s still a huge profit for the guy based on release prices for the 1982s.

By: Jack Bulkin

Jack Bulkin — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 13:56:01 +0000

Parker is now speaking about other charities benefiting several hundred thousand from the proceeds. I and others raised the obscene profit potential. The restaurant is expensive. That also comes out of the 6K.
He changed his policies long before this meal was proposed.

By: Wino

Wino — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 03:59:26 +0000

Since he bought these wines on release and he’s keeping $6,000 from each seat purchased, he is selling the wines, and at an extremely handsome profit, no? That means he’s changed his policies, right?

By: Isaac James Baker

Isaac James Baker — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 15:42:00 +0000

Wow, that’s quite a list.

By: Jack Bulkin

Jack Bulkin — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 15:36:27 +0000

Parker installed a generator Dan. He tweeted today.
Robert M Parker, Jr‏@RobertMParkerJr

…hellacious &violent storms ripped through Maryland last weekend-some of the worst ever in this region-why I have a large generator:)

By: 1winedude

1winedude — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 11:03:09 +0000

He offered me a discount, my price was only $11,999. And on condition that I never blog again, of course…

By: monkeyboy

monkeyboy — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 02:30:10 +0000

How can you not trust him??? It’s Parker we’re talking about here

By: Jack Bulkin

Jack Bulkin — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 01:49:04 +0000

Heat rises but if the entire house is hot hot hot, the floors are also hot. Temps rise in the summer in a passive cellar. The house above the cellar should ordinarily be cool. That could affect the cellar if even just slightly.

By: Dr. Vino

Dr. Vino — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 01:24:12 +0000

Yes, it has been really hot there over the past week.

I thought the 60 Minutes footage was interesting since it shows that 12,000 bottles have been transported into (and many out of) the cellar through that trap door in the mud room. Also, it is either at grade or partially above grade, thus it may not be that well-insulated. I wonder if Parker would post temperature logs of his cellar in advance of the event or post the current temperature.

By: Daniel Posner

Daniel Posner — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 01:12:30 +0000

Why would you need a generator for a passive cellar? As I recall, Parker never put any cooling into the cellar.

Tasting 30 year old Bordeaux purchased upon release would be testament to how well those wine have been stored, if that is the case.

The heat in Maryland this week is no different than any other year. I went to college in Baltimore. It gets freakin hot there over the summer.

By: Jack Bulkin

Jack Bulkin — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 01:09:45 +0000

I haven’t had many 30 year wines from passive cellars Dr. Vino. Considering the heat and lack of electricity in Central Maryland this week, the quality of those 30 year old wines might come into question. I believe Parker stated recently that he expected to install a generator in his cellar. I wonder if he did before the recent loss of power.