A walk with B-21 through the years...
1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s-Present
1997 Robert Mondavi Reserve Chardonnay ranked #1 wine in the Grand European Jury Wine Tasting. 2000 Seagram's alcohol products interests are purchased by Diageo and Pernod Ricard. 2001 The 2000 Bordeaux futures market flames hot and prices soar; the quality is outstanding, the wines classic and not of the precocious variety. 2003 The Australian wine market began to explode on the scene with hundreds of wines and outstanding scores. Robert Parker, Jr. from the Wine Advocate wrote and article entitled, "Australia: The Thunder from Down Under" where he said, "Certainly 2001, 2002, and even 2003 are excellent vintages in South Australia". 2004 A new wave of excitement is created by 2003 Bordeaux and once again the Futures market frenzies. Grey Goose is sold to Bacardi for more than $2 billion, only 8 years after being founded. Robert Mondavi Winery sold for $1.36 billion in cash and assumption of debts. 2006 B-21 hosts an extraordinary dinner with Casanova di Neri and customers get the chance to taste the 2001 Casanova di Neri's Brunello Tenuta Nuova, The Wine Spectator's Wine of the Year. Again, Bordeaux futures top the charts as a region with the celestial 2005 vintage in the first decade of what may become the Bordeaux century. Bob Sprentall of B-21 is pictured below with Chateau Margaux Director, Paul Pontallier, on one of his many trips to Bordeaux from 2006-2008.
2007 B-21 hosts Katharina Prum of JJ Prum and pours amazing 2005 wines at dinner. 2008 Justin Hammer joins B-21 and within a year he was in charge of all operations. To be continued... |