So I'm a little slower getting my notes posted over here because it takes some effort to break up TNs into the different forums, but I finally got to it. Sorry for the repetition to anyone who's been following this over on Wine Spectator...

With Sir Willy coming down to Napa from Walla Walla, an offline was certainly in order - and it took place last Sunday at the Grill at the Meadowood Resort in St. Helena. What can be said of an event such as this? With the confluence of Sir Willy, Pyang, Cavegirl, a Hat and a “Hot Tub”, and a total of about 28 wine nuts from both on and off-line, how could a gathering be anything less than monumental? Well, it can’t! Last night’s events will surely go down in the annals of offlines as a penultimate event, a defining moment in the history of the Napa Tasting group

Many thanks to Pyang for pulling this thing together(when the heck is that guy going to start participating here?!?!), and for the incredible vertical of Kenwood – I only wish I had gotten to all of them!! As for Sir Willy, it was great seeing her again, and what a fantastic idea with the hot tub! Well done . A big welcome to our new friends, AlohaJ and GrapeApe to name just two, it was great to meet you!

I simply cannot pick just one wine of the night, but at least I narrowed it down to three:

- 2001 Del Dotto ‘Lot C’ is some of the most intriguing wine ever to cross my lips – wonderful stuff now, I can’t wait to see how it’s remaining time in barrel transforms it.
- 1993 Ridge Monte Bello – sublime stuff, at it’s peak? Hard to imagine it getting much better.
1992 Arajo – simply beautiful, exudes elegance & grace.

Honorable mention for me goes to the 2000 Hundred Acre Cab, which was drinking simply superbly, with a finish that seemed indefinite. My only concern here is that it does not seem capable of aging, though what a beautiful drink now.

Remarkably, of 36 wines not one was corked, and not one was flawed! More details to follow shortly, and – we’ve got PICTURES
Now, the wines. I don’t think I’ve ever said ‘WOW’ so many times at one tasting, and one gander at this lineup will reveal why:

2000 Sine Qua Non “The Boot”

2000 Hundred Acres Cabernet

1999 Chappellet Pritchard Hill Cabernet

1999 Chappellet Napa Cabernet

1999 Dalle Valle

1997 Karl Lawrence Herb Lamb Vineyard Cabernet

1992 Araujo Eisele Cabernet

2001 Del Dotto ‘Lot C’ Cabernet

2001 Del Dotto Estate Cabernet

1985 Joseph Phelps Napa Eisle Cabernet

1993 Phelps Napa Cabernet

1993 Stags Leap Fay Vineyard Cabernet

1994 Stags Leap Fay Vineyard Cabernet

2001 Rochioli Estate Pinot Noir

1999 Acacia Desoto Vineyard Pinot Noir

1993 Ridge Monte Bello

1995 Whitehall Lane Reserve Cabernet

1992 Kenwood Artist Series Cabernet

2000 Behrens & Hitchcock Hommage to Ed Olivera Syrah

1998 Behrens & Hitchcock Ink Grade Cabernet

1993 Kenwood Artist Series Cabernet

1986 Chateau Talbot St. Julien

1989 Leoville la Cases

1999 Cadence Ciel du Cheval – YUM! 91 points
2000 Cadence Taptiel YUM YUM!!! 92 points
1997 Kenwood Artist Series Cabernet Shut down
2000 Rombauer ‘Joy’ late harvest Chardonnay YUM
1999 Behrens & Hitchcock Pitite Sirah – needs some time to come around, but very yummy

Many thanks for the TN links, Eric. Sounds like a winner of a time you all had.

As an aside, I find it interesting about the comments over on WS about the 'difficulty to navigate' over here and the 'difficulty in finding stuff I want to read about' comments too. I personally do not see this, but apparently a lot of folks do. I wonder if there's to address this to try to get more folks over here without sacrificing the look & feel. Ah well.

Again, thanks for all the TN links. I know how much extra work they are and it is much appreciated.

I'm WOWED by the line-up!

Eric - Great notes and links to the TNs. It takes a while to post in this fashion but is terrific.

Okay, what's the deal with the hot tub? We want pictures and stories!

Yeah, I wanna know about the hot tub too. Georgia told me she only saw a hot tub in the distance and ???? Tell us "the rest of the story".

Finally, I got round to editiing, formating, and posting. Here you go, enjoy!

Pictures from the Sir Willy Offline

I am BUMMED that we had a conflict!

No pictures of the hot tub? If there ain't pictures it didn't happen!

I think those were the ones entitled "censored," David.

Great photos!! Thanks for posting.

too spicy to post??!?!

Now if I could just figure out who was who.

Smileys are not good enough. We want pictures and stories to go with the pictures. Sir Willy looked awefully dry for having just been in a hot tub. I'm guessing there really wasn't one and it is just a big joke.

skwid, my lips are sealed, I only took and published the photos . But... I never said she had gotten -in- the hot tub, just that she had come back -from- the "hot tub".

I still don't believe it!

Guess you guys had to have been there. It was REAL FUN!!!!

Agree w Dinwiddie. I have no idea who is whom. Very mysterious.

Hmm, I did post names when I could - that doesn't help?

I understood who was who, mostly. Helped a good deal those captions.