The annual Grand Tour features over 200 of the world's finest wines.
Where can you go to compare the current releases of all five Grand Cru Bordeaux Cabernet Sauvignons? Or taste a dozen of the highest rated Barolos side by side? Why, at the Wine Spectator's Annual Grand Tour in Las Vegas, Chicago, and Atlantic City.
The Las Vegas Grand Tour was held last May 5 in the Grand Ballroom of the fabulous Venetian hotel. 203 wineries were represented, each pouring one wine. The wines chosen represented the Spectator's highest rated wines of the year, so no dogs allowed.
Tasters - there were around a thousand of them - strolled through the cavernous room sampling the world's finest wines at will. Glorious French Champagnes from houses like Bollinger, Heidsieck, Mumm and Chandon; Pinot Noirs from Archery Summit, Domaine Serene, Etude, Foley, Siduri and Williams-Selyem; famous Chardonnays from Patz & Hall, Mer Soleil and Newton; and some of the world's best Cabernet Sauvignons from Ch. Lafite Rothschild, Ch. Mouton Rothschild, Ch. Haut Brion, Ch. Latour, along with "lesser lights" such as Ch. Lynch-Bages, Ch. Pichon-Longueville and La Mission Haut Brion.
California Cabernets were represented by Phelps, Diamond Creek, Ferrari-Carano, Hall, Justin, Mondavi, Rubicon and Pine Ridge, among many others.
The finest wines from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Chile and Argentina were well represented by houses such as Casa Lapostolle, Montes, Cloudy Bay, Brancott, Trapiche, and Glen Carlou.
Particularly well represented were the great Italian houses: Sassicaia, Prunotto, Bruno Giacosa, Aldo Conterno, Pio Cesare, Felsina, Castello Banfi, Argiano, Altesino Antinori, Dei, Ornellaia, Avigonesi, Masi, and Allegrini, along with many others.
Great Ports and Sauternes were also offered.
Tickets to the Grand Tour are not inexpensive. $225 will get you in the door. $200 if you order in advance. That's $75 an hour for the privilege of unrestricting sampling the world's best wines.
