What are you drinking in homage of the demise of eBob? 1995 Ch. Bel-Air Marquis d’Aligre for me.

Sierra Carche [cheers.gif]

A McManus Petite Syrah?
Perhaps Sierra Carche?
Maybe Emilio Morro or a Priorato?
Montille, Harlan, SQN, Clos de Papes?

Maybe just a raspberry milkshake.

Was it a Valtellina tasting many moons ago that got Roberto Rogness and many others apoplectic when Bob scored nothing above 78pts?

That would seem appropriate. champagne.gif

2004 Las Rocas. My last bottle was lost at the back of my Morton’s wine locker and when they closed, I assumed it was gone. A few years later, they reopened in another location. I made a joke to the manager and he told me he had an old box with my name on it. I brought it home and put it in the basement. This seems fitting, since Bob was a big Advocate of that wine

The truth is, I generally aligned with Parker’s palate and except when he made stupid assembly errors, like when he issued a Bordeaux report and 100 of the reviews were identical, I liked his assessments. He seemed to have a bad habit of surrounding himself with people of dubious distinction at best and the organization and administration of the bulletin board left a lot to be desired, to say the least. As he got older, he also seemed to get cranky himself, which didn’t help matters. At least if EBob dies, I won’t have to worry about reading more bad legal advice from Mark Squires, who once even refused to shake my hand when we were introduced by an innocent wine distributor who didn’t know the history.

Speaking of which, whatever happened to him.

Unfortunately he is unwell.

Mine was the 1947 in magnum. I got like two cases.

Unfortunate. I liked his posts, even when I disagreed with him.

WK is certainly a fan of BAMA and has written articles about it in the past, but as far as I can see, he hasn’t done so for TWA. The only mention there of BAMA seems to be a tasting note of the 1970 by Neal Martin a couple of years ago. Perhaps Bob was thinking of Vinous, where as you know NM published an excellent report last year. Anyway, it doesn’t matter, I was just curious.

That bottle of the 1970 that Neal tasted was from my cellar!

But no, I’ve never written about Bel Air Marquis d’Aligre for TWA, only for Noble Rot a few years back.

Thanks for clarifying that, William - and for your regular contributions here, which are always much appreciated.

Neal Martin refers to it as a lost gem. Bob Parker only has a brief mention of it in his book, saying it is worthy of its status of a cru borgeois exceptionalle. I think the idea thrown up originally that he wouldn’t like it is likely false and just a straw man, especially as he is clear that the old style Haut Brion my be his all time favorite wine. But I also know that I open myself to much derision by making such statements.

I would be surprised if Uncle Bob, post-2000, liked this wine. At all.

I only ever tasted with Uncle Bob one time back in 2003, but it was quite apparent to me that he appreciates the full and broad range of wines that are available. He seemed to be very catholic in his approach to wine, able to talk about what he liked about any wine that he considered a good wine regardless of style.

Sierra Carche indeed!

We’re at the beach and I forgot to pack the wine bag. [blush.gif]

Fortunately there’s a good (but expensive) store 2 blocks away. I picked up a bottle from a quintessential big, buttery, oaky California Chardonnay producer that Parker introduced me to and which was a favorite back in my formative years: Kistler. They had the 2017 Noisetiers on the shelf. We’ll drink it tomorrow on the balcony with a late dinner watching the fireworks and raise a toasty oak toast to the guy who made wine fun and exciting just when we were getting into it.

JH,

“At least if EBob dies, I won’t have to worry about reading more bad legal advice from Mark Squires”

OR arrogant, demeaning, rude rants!

Pass the “2 Buck Chuck” please, the only apropos selection I can think of!

A 1995??? I thought they were all charmless. You should have had a 2019 - the best vintage yet. Or a 2003 Pavie.

[winner.gif]

Sorry to read that.