The Michael Fridjhon Wine Experience 2016

Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle 1985.

In 1996, the rand-dollar exchange rate was 4.3 and today it is 14.11. Back then, Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1990 cost R900 per bottle while the 2010 vintage will cost you in the region of R15 000. The 20^th anniversary Michael Fridjhon Wine Experience was held this past weekend – convener Fridjhon saying that with the rand’s devaluation over the last two decades plus the hard currency increase in the price of international icon wines leading to a 40-fold input cost increase between then and now.

A great treat then to be able to attend this year’s event as a guest of the organisers (the full-weekend package valued at R10 450 per person) – it’s difficult to pass judgement on a Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon if you’ve never had the best of Bordeaux or a Swartland Syrah if the finest of the Rhone remains an unknown quantity.

The list of wines as follows:

Saturday 17 September
Pre-Tasting Champagne

• Champagne Liebart-Regnier Cuvée Excelia 2008

 Benchmark Tasting

• Batard Montrachet Grand Cru
• Louis Latour 2012 Grands Echezeaux Grand Cru Joseph Drouhin 2006
• Chateau Angelus St.Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé A 2006
• Chateau Lafite Rothschild Pauillac Premier Cru Classé 1985
• Chateau L’Evangile Pomerol 1986
• Hermitage La Chapelle Paul Jaboulet Aîné 1985
• Vouvray Le Haut-Lieu Moelleux Domaine Huet 1989
• Oberemmeler Raul Riesling Beerenauslese Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt 1989

Pre-Dinner Champagne

• Champagne Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé

 Dinner

• Chablis Vaudesir Grand Cru Domaine des Malandes 2012
• Corton Pougets Grand Cru Louis Jadot 2006
• Côte Rôtie Chateau d’Ampuis E. Guigal 2000
• Chateau Rieussec Sauternes Premier Grand Cru Classé 1996

Sunday 18 September 2016

Champagne Brunch

• Champagne Laurent-Perrier Grande Siècle
• Champagne Louis Roederer Cristal 2005
• Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs 2005
• Champagne Laurent-Perrier Brut
• Champagne Forget-Brimont Rosé Grand Cru
• Champagne Laurent-Perrier Demi-Sec