Len Evans Tutorial

[Rory]

Now this is an awfull lot of exceptional wine to taste, asses and then give judgment over in a short time!!

http://lenevanstutorial.com.au/wp-conte ... t-2016.pdf

[TiggerK]

Now this is an awfull lot of exceptional wine to taste, asses and then give judgment over in a short time!!

Awesome typo/Freudian slip.

I'm obviously jealous, I do firmly believe you need to have tasted greatness in order to see other wines in proper perspective. It can ruin you in some ways, but worth it!

[mjs]

So, was there an outcome from this?

[Con J]

So, was there an outcome from this?

Probably a headache and a hangover.

Seriously thou there’s some amazing wine listed.

Cheers Con.

[Ian S]

I remember seeing a UK wine writer write up about his experience at one of these events.

Oddly it had a counter-productive impact on me, that it came across as excessive. A lovely all expenses paid jolly for the wine writer and great coverage for the Aussie wine industry (Len Evans was a consummate marketing man, so perhaps fitting). However me as the average punter? It felt like a different world. So opulent it was irrelevant to me.

[Redwine&Rum]

The purpose is essentially for these people to be wine panel judges in the long run. So if you are judging wine on a consistent basis I agree that you need to have essentially tasted the best the world has to offer, to put what you are tasting into perspective.

I'm only your average wine punter and couldn't dream of drinking most of those wines, let alone any in my lifetime. Especially the first growth Bordeaux, burgundy etc.

I don't think I've ever seen a line-up of such high quality and rare wines though. I think my head would explode if you were lucky enough to be selected.

Any wine you drank after that would be absolutely ruined for you though. After drinking the best of the best, what could top that? It's one of the best things I love about drinking wine is that every now and then you open a bottle and it just absolutely blows you away. Maybe 1 or 2 a year. After drinking your way through such a high quality lineup, pretty much nearly every bottle you try would give you one of those moments.

[phillisc]

I remember seeing a UK wine writer write up about his experience at one of these events.

Oddly it had a counter-productive impact on me, that it came across as excessive. A lovely all expenses paid jolly for the wine writer and great coverage for the Aussie wine industry (Len Evans was a consummate marketing man, so perhaps fitting). However me as the average punter? It felt like a different world. So opulent it was irrelevant to me.

+1 Ian


Cheers
Craig

[JamieBahrain]

The wines seem really young? Almost as big a waste as spitting the wine. The older I get, the less impressed and more the absurdity of, shines through in some of these events.

Last night I had a 1990 Château Cos d'Estournel which changes a lot over the course of the bottle; what a waste to assess on a sip? Or the week before, a 1990 Monprivato, in front of a fireplace, what an obscenity to spit such a wine.

[Ozzie W]

The wines seem really young? Almost as big a waste as spitting the wine. The older I get, the less impressed and more the absurdity of, shines through in some of these events.

Last night I had a 1990 Château Cos d'Estournel which changes a lot over the course of the bottle; what a waste to assess on a sip? Or the week before, a 1990 Monprivato, in front of a fireplace, what an obscenity to spit such a wine.

The judging and masterclass wines are pretty young, but the evening wines which I presume are served with dinner have significantly more bottle age, many of them decades old from the 50's, 60's and 70's.

[michel]

The wines seem really young? Almost as big a waste as spitting the wine. The older I get, the less impressed and more the absurdity of, shines through in some of these events.

Last night I had a 1990 Château Cos d'Estournel which changes a lot over the course of the bottle; what a waste to assess on a sip? Or the week before, a 1990 Monprivato, in front of a fireplace, what an obscenity to spit such a wine.

These people are amassing experience and knowledge- they also need it fast.
I must agree - many many are sooo young- and the number very high.
But if you were young you would happily do the Tutorial.

On the weekend we had a 1990 Chave Hermitage in magnum that was high toned delightful and perfumed.
These days I enjoy a bottle more slowly rather than volume.

[TiggerK]

But if you were young you would happily do the Tutorial.

I'm not that young, but I'd happily volunteer. It might not be the ideal tasting scene, but that's a heck of a lineup, esp the evening wines.

Agree drinking many of those so young is something of a waste, but most of the wines they'll end up dealing with will be equally young so probably good experience seeing and comparing these wines in their extreme youth.

[mjs]

But if you were young you would happily do the Tutorial.

I'm not that young, but I'd happily volunteer. It might not be the ideal tasting scene, but that's a heck of a lineup, esp the evening wines.

Agree drinking many of those so young is something of a waste, but most of the wines they'll end up dealing with will be equally young so probably good experience seeing and comparing these wines in their extreme youth.

Same as TK for me, older and I'd happily give it a go, even if it was obscenely decadent, it's stuff at the absolute benchmark level.

Last week's MBSC tasting (see separate thread) was all Grand Cru Burgundy, nowhere near the same as the collective tutorial, but it was great to see what is there at the highest level

[phillisc]

Malcolm, on another note and the tasting I would like an invite to...but will never happen is Wynns 60 year black label vertical in 2017.

Just for fun, I expect that there will be 25 vintages of JR too...and what better reason to crack a few '55 Michael's

Cheers
Craig

[mjs]

Craig,
Spoke with Sue about this back in Oct. She thought it was going to be a smallish, wine industry thing, not a public event of any sort. Pity.
Cheers, Malcolm

[Mike Hawkins]

I love seeing these sorts of things. Aspirational beyond words, but intriguing nonetheless.

[JamieBahrain]

These people are amassing experience and knowledge- they also need it fast.
I must agree - many many are sooo young- and the number very high.
But if you were young you would happily do the Tutorial.

I don't mean to be a bah humbug but what we need is more big, red nosed-old folk blogger types specializing in a region. A diverse, generally academic appraisal of certain traditional regions a little common these days.

Not meaning to take a swipe at the Evans scholarship, but up my way everyone seems to want to be a MW and it's this diverse jack of all trades, master of none that leaves the gate desperately wide-open for passionate, regional experts. And here, the line up of wines seems less impressive than years past ( due cost I guess ), corralling the fortunate down the path of another boring Aussie wine judge?

[phillisc]

Craig,
Spoke with Sue about this back in Oct. She thought it was going to be a smallish, wine industry thing, not a public event of any sort. Pity.
Cheers, Malcolm

Perhaps I will write another letter on our behalves Malcolm, between you and I, we have certainly purchased more Wynns than all of these hacks combined, and probably tasted just as many.
Still, not once have they replied to any letters I have written.

Cheers
Craig

[phillisc]

Jamie, you have not held back here, and I actually agree. Your point about regional experts is spot on...too many jack of all traders relying on memory or influenced by one or two good vintages.
Cheers
Craig

[Ian S]

100% in agreement Jamie.

I'd much prefer someone who will passionately write about an area they have fallen in *love with, than an expert generalist just 'doing the rounds' or parachuted in to be an overnight regional expert (c.f. The Wine Advocate).

regards
Ian

*but care enough to say if they feel let down.

[tarija]

A balla wine list, no doubt.

The quantity of wines seems a touch excessive.