Last weekend, August 27-29, 2004, Pinot Envy held her annual “Vino Las Vegas II” weekend in where else but Las Vegas, NV.

Friday night the 27th was designated as “Caviar and Champagne” night and the Pinot Envys hosted the group with nibbles, caviar and lots of excellent champagne. I’m not sure exactly who all attended but the group looked something like this: Pinot Envy (+2), HighDesertWine (+3), WineCat (+1), Lafon Rochet (+1), T-Bird (+1), Pyang, DGoerisch (+1), Flubis (+1), Red4Life (+2), Gigond Ass, Tlily (+1), Winetex, WIML, GR8HNDS (+1) and Mbansek (+1). Opened in the large ice cooler were some 1996 M&C Dom Perignons, 1996 Charles Heidseick Brut Roses, a mag of 1994 Roederer Estate L’Ermitage Sparkling Wine and maybe others. I certainly didn’t need anything else after one of my favorite combos – caviar & champagne. Incredible.

After that a smaller group went over to Delmonico’s in the Venetian for a nice dinner. Unfortunately our wines did not show as well as we would have liked (see here)

The next evening, August 28th, was the Vino Las Vegas II Dinner at the Pinot Brasserie in the Venetian Hotel.

Pinot Brasserie Saturday-- August 28, 2004 7:00 p.m.

Le Menu, choice of one item per category
Cold Starter
* Endive salad with watercress, carmelized walnuts, Roquefort cheese and shaved pear
* Scottish smoked salmon with lemon creme fraiche and toasted brioche

Warm Starter
* Lobster Bisque with Armagnac creme fraiche and lobster medallions
* Seared foie gras, pickled kumquats, toasted brioche and citrus reduction

Entree
* Rotisserie chicken with creamy onions and Pinot Garlic fries
* Marinated Rib Eye, blue cheese mashed potatoes, watercress salad and rib jus
* Baby rack of lamb, miniature Provencal vegetables, panisse and black olive lamb jus
*Garlic potato gnocchi with a medley of fresh vegetables

Dessert
* Tahitian vanilla creme brulee
* Chocolate croissant bread pudding with fresh raspberries

And the wines brought by the attendees were (list courtesy of Wineismylife and Mbansek):

1990 Pol Roger Brut Rosé Champagne
1996 Bollinger Brut Champagne Grande Année
2001 Didier Dagueneau Pouilly-Fumé Pur Sang
1989 Trimbach Riesling Alsace Cuvée Frédéric Émile
2000 Zind-Humbrecht Riesling Alsace Turckheim Herrenweg
2002 Weinbach Gewürztraminer Alsace Altenbourg Cuvée Laurence
2002 Zind-Humbrecht Gewürztraminer Alsace Turckheim Herrenweg
2002 Buttonwood Marsanne Santa Ynez Valley
1975 Chateau Suduiraut Sauternes
1989 Château d'Yquem Sauternes
2001 Delas Muscat de Beaunes de Venise La Pastourelle
2001 Château de St.-Cosme Valbelle Gigondas
2002 Seasmoke Pinot Noir Botella
2002 Seasmoke Pinot Noir Southing
2001 Melville Pinot Noir Carrie's Pinot Noir
2000 Sterling 3 Palms Merlot
1994 White Cottage Howell Mountain Merlot Napa Valley
1974 Sutter Home Amador County Zinfandel (double magnum)
2002 Charter Oak Zinfandel Napa Valley
2002 Martinelli Zinfandel Russian River Valley Jackass
2002 Oliverhill Shiraz Jimmy Selection
2001 Two Hands Shiraz Sophie’s Garden
2001 Pride Cabernet Franc Sonoma County
1997 Crocker & Starr Stone Place Cuvée
1998 Crocker & Starr Stone Place Cuvée
1999 Crocker & Starr Stone Place Cuvée
2000 Crocker & Starr Stone Place Cuvée
1979 Mouton Rothschild (double magnum)
1997 Jones Family Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley (magnum)
2001 Herb Lamb Vineyards EII Cabernet Sauvignon
1999 Foley Claret Napa Valley (magnum)
2001 Walla Walla Vintners Cabernet Sauvignon
1997 Mount Veeder Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (magnum)
1998 Harlan The Maiden Cabernet Sauvignon
1995 Taylor Fladgate Port Quinta de Vargellas
2001 Domaine Drouhin Pinot Noir Louise
2001 Martinelli Zinfandel Guiseppe & Luisa
2002 Marquis Philips S2 Cabernet Sauvignon
2002 Martinelli Charles Ranch Chardonnay
2002 Pride Cabernet Franc Sonoma County
2000 St. Supery Cabernet Sauvignon Valley Dollarhide Ranch Limited Edition
2001 Neal Family Cabernet Sauvignon
1995 Groth Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley (leftover from Delmonicos)
2000 Cambria Tepusquet Vineyard Syrah
1997 Hartford Court The Comet Hand Select Late Harvest Muscat Canelli

And the WOTN and WOTW for me and many others was definitely the 1989 Château d'Yquem Sauternes. I didn’t taste probably at least ten of the wines above. Sorry for the delay in the write-up but it's taken me days to recover from the uh, travel.

Thanks to Pinot Envy for her incredibly good planning and generosity. She is one of a kind.

I'll cheat here and say "ditto" to Winetex's post. Thanks for the write-up Winetex. The 1989 d'Yquem was definitely the winner of the month for me.

Harumph. I see a few more wines added to the list that I did not get to taste. Not that I was short on wines or anything, but the common thread is that they are mostly champers. I wonder whose table finished them all?

Thanks for doing the writeup.

Mike

There was some bogarting of wines from rumors I heard. I brought one wine that I never saw again but then again some winners came by our table.

Damn that's a lot good wine.

It sure was. And don't forget to add in all of the warm-ups.

Quote:

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And the WOTN and WOTW for me and many others was definitely the 1989 Château d'Yquem Sauternes.

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You really like this stuff?

jeeezus, what a line up. I gotta get in on this next time

Holy Keyrap! Now that's how you do it in Vegas.

Vegas Baby.....VEGAS!

Wow that is some chunk o' wine!

i think i am going to try and make this event next year. that is if they will let me attend.

It was awesome. Bring some SHillside Select and I think they would let you attend.

Don't worry birdman, I'm there to pick you up. LOL.

Litteraly.

It was a great time....and rumor has it table 4 had a hidden stash under the table! So Mbansek, that may explain the loopholes!
Guess next year I better bring a 1.5L of d' Yquem!

That might explain why after I wrote all of the wines down a few more mysteriously appeared at the end of the night - empty of course.

Winetex:

That would be because of a warp in the space-time continuum. Have Spock chime in and explain it.

Mike

Mike - so they were under your chair, eh?

Scotty beamed them in.