VINTAGE TASTINGS - Four in a Row, Night Two

The second night of my recent four in a row found me at Veritas, home to one of the worlds greatest wine lists. It was a casual night and late start, so we only had three bottles between the four of us, most notably Jay, who had insisted we get together to research an article he was writing. I need to have these three wine nights more often, as it makes for easier write-ups, even though it has taken me more than a week just to find the time to write this one up!

We started with a 1996 Joseph Drouhin Marquis de Laguiche, which performed in fine fashion. Despite a lot of opinion out there that there is a significant amount of prematurely oxidized white Burgundies in the market from about 1995 onwards, with a lot of different hypotheses why, I have to say that I have been fairly lucky in my drinking them over the past few years, although I do not drink as many whites as often as those more opinionated than I. I do know that the problem exists, more so with a combination of certain producers and certain vintages, but this bottle had no issues for sure. The Drouhin was spectacular, delivering everything it should have and then some. Smoky aromas of butter, corn and minerals graced its forward yet coiled nose, and the breed of Montrachet rippled through every inch of its core. One could easily lose ones nose for minutes in its aromatics, its firm nose anchored by the great acidity of the 1996 vintage. The palate was delicious, still youthful but also seemingly in a great spot, still showing the vigor of youth along with hints of mature nuances, particularly in the smokiness and sweetness of its fruit flavors. It was lip-smackingly good (95+).

The second wine we plucked from the list was a 1998 J.F. Mugnier Musigny, one of the wines of this often overlooked vintage, as I hadnt had it in a bit and was curious to check it out again. Its nose was reticent and full of breed, chunky in its personality, especially so given the vintages usual leaner characteristics, and I say that in the fondest way possible, as I like 98s and their lean, leathery personalities. The Mugnier, however, transcends the vintage, as it literally drips with fruit. Its nose unwound to reveal a deep core of dark fruits, leather, musk and that Musigny terroir. Light spice danced around its edges and came out more and more with time, flirting with cinnamon stick. Thick and dense in the mouth, the 98 was as concentrated a young Musigny as I can remember tasting, completely natural and without the steroids but still as strong as any other. Its long finish reminded me that this was still Musigny, as its elegance regained control each time the wine went gently and lingering-ly down the hatch. Still an infant, this wine will easily last thirty years and then some (96).

We had just enough thirst left for one more wine, and after a couple of young bucks, it was time to move into more familiar territory  old. A 1971 Roumier Morey St. Denis Clos de la Bussiere was reasonably priced on the list, and 1971 Burgs are a few of my favorite things, so we decided to give it a try, and were we glad we did. The wines aromatics jumped from the glass, possessing both the greatness of Roumier and the 1971 vintage. Autumnal aromas were inviting like football season, and meat dripped from its bones like parking lot cookouts. It had great citrus and wilted rose aromas to balance out its game and meat qualities, and its earth components were bordering on grand cru quality. It also reminded me of fresh rain hitting earth in need of water, and it was still vimful despite being a 37 year-old Morey St. Denis. Its flavors were consistently good, autumnal yet fresh, full of citrus, rose, game, bouillon and earth flavors. It possessed a sweet, chewy core that would hit anyones wine spot. The wine just kept on singing in the glass until there was no more left, something that happened sooner than expected, but it was just that good, one of those catnip wines that make everyone drinking it frisky and happy to the last drop. It had all the bright citricity of 1971 yet was decidedly and decadently mature. It was a real eye-opener and another testament to the greatness of Roumier (95).

The most eye-opening thing about the 1971 was how impossible it was to go back to the Mugnier. Even though I think the Mugnier was the best wine we had on this night, its youth served as a handicap in the end. After drinking some of the Roumier, I found it near impossible to enjoy the Mugnier as much as I had, as in couldnt even go there anymore.

And therein lies the greatness of old wine.

FIN

JK

VINTAGE TASTINGS - VINTAGE TASTINGS - Four in a row

VINTAGE TASTINGS - Four in a Row

Four in a Row Man, I don’t know where to begin…so many events that deserve recognition and commendation, especially from me since I was at all of them J. I guess we might as well get the bad news out of the way first. I can’t seem to find my La Paulee, Part IV notes, the grand finale. It is really bothering me. I gotta have them somewhere. I took 52 notes that night, and it was one of the all-time greatest wine nights ever, starting with the hotel suite pre-Paulee and old bottles of Roumier (and others) with Christoph (and others), all the way down to the La Paulee and its sheer insanity, then outside, around and upside down, only to end up back in the suite again 50 wines later. I was carrying those notes around for weeks, as it was going to be my next article, and somehow now I can’t find them. Aaaaarrrrggghhhh. But that train cannot wait at the station my dear, but even moving on has so many possible directions. Happy Birthday celebrations for King Angry, PMJ and Hollywood Jef were all stupendous evenings of incredible, old wines. Bruce’s thunder-ific night of Soldera and 1979 Champagne? Or a night with Roberto Conterno at Del Posto?? I try some young wine too, you know. Two snapshots of the 2005 Burgundy vintage, one of all the DRCs and another with Clive, have given me lots to say about this indubitably great vintage. Bipin orchestrated a magical Sunday afternoon at Spago with 1978s, Burgundy again, of course. Important tastings of Meo-Camuzet (Bipin with Meo) and Jayer were significant and significantly delicious. Evenings benefiting the City of Hope and Mount Sinai were out of control wild and good, and for good causes, too. Brief journeys into Europe and Asia saw a few good bottles go down the hatch. But, of course, I can never forget Big Boy’s not one, but two spectacular VIP dinners celebrating his incredible sale just a couple of weeks ago. I can’t even go there. I have to catch my breath just thinking about them again. All I can say is that by the end of April, I have never seen anyone open up as much great wine over a shorter period of time than what Rob has already drunk in 2008. Actually not drunk, make that opened up and shared with many people, strangers and friends alike. He has redefined the wine world’s definition of ‘throwing it down.’ Was that good enough for you, Rob lol. Seriously, I am only mentioning the facts; I think it is safe to say that we all know that Rob’s ego doesn’t need any more encouragement. All those events I just mentioned are the biggest highlights of the past quarter. I wish I had them all ready to go; gotta figure something out there. Just…no…time… :( …which brings me to a mini four-part series, a recent four nights out in a row in the greater New York area. I decided to start with the last evening of the four first, just because. Every write-up can’t be twenty-five wines; otherwise, I never get to writing it up damnit. Speaking of which, back to the evening at Blue Hill Stone Farms up in Tarrytown, a definite destination point for any foodie. All the produce is grown on location, and the meal was one of the year’s top five, food-wise for me, and I get around a little. It rests on the grounds of the Rockerfeller Estate, and I am not talking Jay-Z. The Barber family owns and operates the restaurant. We could thank rockin’ Roger for this memorable evening, both food and wine-wise. He has been threatening to do a dinner up there for the past two quarters and finally pulled one together. This is the third time I have been up there, all with Roger, and every time I am there I say to myself, ‘man, I have to come here more often!’ ‘Nuff said. About the food, that is. I write about the wines. We started with three bubblies, the first of which was a 1990 Dom Perignon Oenotheque. It had that pungent Oenoethque thing happening, the cat’s pee and spice box mélange. Its acidity was excellent and also pungent, and it was obviously fresh, but a bit linear and a touch horsey. It was great, don’t get me wrong, and I know there are many that feel the ’75 Oeno is the best thing since the Internet, but I just have to say that when I drink a bottle of Oeno, I taste the ‘Oeno’ more than the vintage. Maybe that’s a good thing, I don’t know. Will have to get back to you in 20+ years (94+). The 1982 Krug was a little off, a touch advanced, so I am going to keep it simple and (DQ). The 1982 Cristal was stellar, as it should be. Its nose was full of vitamins and yellow fruits, still wound but also round and rich. Citrus, butter and spice flavors were all there and harmonious in this rock-solid bottle of Cris (95). Author’s note***There was some confusion as to the Krug versus Cristal and which one was actually off. I am going by what the sommelier told me they were, even though Roger is convinced it was the other way around. I did find the good bottle to be Cris-ish. We sat down to a 1989 Raveneau Chablis Vaillons. The nose was great, singing with its lemon, lime and guava fruit, while also possessing supporting aromas of minerals and white smoke. More hints of citrus and tangerine emerged. Its flavors were a different story, showing wax and yeast first, and then some corn with the dirt and some stalk, too. Still tasty, it was round and had a soft finish, its acidity barely holding on to excellence, and it was a 20-year old premier cru white, after all (93). The first offical flight was one of whites, all Joseph Drouhin Marquis de Laguiche Montrachets. We began with a 1993, which also had a great nose. 1993 has become a pet white wine vintage for many connoisseurs to be drinking at the moment, and one whiff of the Drouhin was reason enough to understand. It was singing even more so than the previous two, all of which could have made any wine choir. The nose was huge, full of vigor and life, super smoky, nutty and deep, dark and edgy. ‘Lots of mesquite charcoal and hot rocks,’ I wrote, along with 7up, dandelions and daisies. It also had this honeycomb catacomb impression. It was an amazing nose. The palate was round and nutty, also with traces of honeycomb, and Dave noted, ‘jasmine tea.’ The evil John Slover called it, ‘Roussanne-like,’ which I saw more so on the palate. The palate was rounder than the nose led me to believe and just didn’t have that ‘oomph’ I expected. As Roger summed it up, ‘the nose was a symphony, but the palate a quartet’ (92). The 1990 was more honeyed and forward, nutty with lots of brown sugar, and pinches of A1. Honeyed and gamy, it also had lit fireplace aromas. The mouth was very floral in this complicated and rich wine. Ned noted, ‘marzipan,’ and I picked up on more of its oily qualities. It was exotic, thick, oily and ‘floral fresh city.’ ‘Coconuts!’ became most distinctive with time. It was a wild and kinky guy (95+). The 1973 was a real treat and had a great, old nose. Wax, fireplace, bamboo shoot jungle and a touch of mountain rocks were all present. Dave cooed how he ‘could smell it all day.’ Round and balanced, its fruit was definitely aged on the palate but still excellent. Its waxy, edgy personality held form well (93). A pair of reds was served blind next. The first had a dank, dark nose with lots of spice, a bit woodsy but still with some red fruits underneath. ‘It’s earthy and vegetal in a great way,’ Slover added, along with ‘reeds and straw.’ And by reeds, he meant swamp reeds, not his years of playing the recorder. A hint of mesquite and ‘tobacco’ rounded out its nose. The palate had dry, sour cherry and vitamin flavors, and I started to note a bit of must. In fact, there was definitely some cork issues with this bottle, but it was not enough to discourage drinking it. Oh yeah, it was a 1985 Drouhin Chambolle Musigny Les Amoureuses (93A). The second wine was more saucy. Roger was saying something about ‘heavy balls,’ but he was in deep conversation with a former tennis pro lol. Saucy, soupy and gamy, there were great aromas of menthol, game, iodine, tomato and cherry fruit. In fact, it had this distinct puttanesca edge with more time. There was nice spice and better acidity in this 1985 Mugnier Musigny, his first vintage. Slover called it, ‘really really good,’ and Dave hailed it as ‘killer,’ continuing with ‘nice cherry fruit qualities mixed with its earthiness.’ This was a much better showing for me than previously experienced (94). Ned reminisced of his days at Bouley when the 1991 Mugnier Musigny was $360 a case wholesale, and they were going through this wine at $100 a bottle on the list. Wine’s come a long way, baby. We had another pair of 1985s, also served blind at the time. The first was nutty, deep and dark with lots of autumnal notes on its surface but clearly young and not autumnal overall. Beef meets perfume was a good way to put it, which was seconded, and someone added ‘cola.’ Dave found it ‘reduced,’ and the sommelier later commented how ‘its atypical burliness’ even threw him off of which wine this was for a second. It was a bit earthy and weedy on the palate, a touch confused and lacking a centerpoint. My experiences with 1985 Roumier Bonnes Mares have been up and down, and this was definitely on the down side for this wine (92). Dave shared some interesting tidbits about Roumier and his two parcels of Bonnes Mares, the Terres Blanches and the Terres Rouge and how before 1988, the Terres Rouges came to America while the Terres Blanches went to Europe, and that starting in 1989, there was one final blend. I did have both versions of the 1985 many years ago at an event hosted by Daniel Johnnes. Of course, Christoph brought the bottles. Back to the second wine, which we all thought was the first wine. It was a 1985 Bertheau Bonnes Mares, and it walked the Roumier, something that doesn’t happen too often. Minty and floral with the greens, its nose was deep and intense, ‘Dujac-like’ I wrote with its stemmy spice. It had sweet, cinnamon purple fruit. Rich, fleshy and tasty with excellent vitamin flavors, this was a smooth and velvety Burgundy that was in the right place at the right time (94). The last flight was one of La Taches, ending the night in grand fashion. We began with the 1991 DRC La Tache, which had a deep, intense forest nymph orgy thing happening in its nose. Nutty with firm aromas of game, beef and iron, the 1991 had full frontal spine and spice. Its palate was citrusy, sweet, satiny and sexy, yet a bit tight. Ned found it in a ‘dumb’ phase, while Dave countered that it was not dumb, rather ‘young but classic.’ It jumped out more with food, and there remains an ocean of potential in this young buck of a La Tache (95+). The 1980 DRC La Tache had superb aromatics, so much so that I found it unlikely to ever be better. It was so forward and gamy, full of garden, fresh game and spice, wild weeds and fields, and just a heck of a lot of overall sex appeal. Dave found it ‘rosy,’ and it was many’s favorite wine of the night, although I do think this will be a La Tache that will drop the point ladder sooner rather than later (96). The last wine on this special evening was the 1970 DRC La Tache, which was more herbal in the nose; dark, dank and musky with lots of animal fur. The palate was citrusy and more hollow than the previous two, starting to dry out but still respectable (91). A quick glass of 1985 Krug got me ready for the trip back home. Full of vitamins, spice and intense game, this fresh and perfect bottle of 1985 was great with a spicy and long finish, still young (96). And that was my last night of four in a row. Three more to follow shortly, and I mean shortly! I will end this segment of tasting notes with some facts shared with us by another Dave, Dave Barber, a fellow Collegiate alum, while discussing food and consumption. Over the past fifteen years, China has gone from 5 kilograms to 20 kilograms of meat consumption per person per year. If China were to ever equal the average American consumption per year of 120 kilograms, we would need three earths just to sustain that consumption pattern, because 65% of the agriculture on earth feeds its meat production. Wow. Looks like the price of wine isn’t the only thing going up in the near future. Eat less meat. Drink more wine. FIN JK back to top VINTAGE TASTINGS - VINTAGE TASTINGS - Four in a row 5/13/2008 12:00:00 AM Four in a Row Man, I don’t know where to begin…so many events that deserve recognition and commendation, especially from me since I was at all of them J. I guess we might as well get the bad news out of the way first. I can’t seem to find my La Paulee, Part IV notes, the grand finale. It is really bothering me. I gotta have them somewhere. I took 52 notes that night, and it was one of the all-time greatest wine nights ever, starting with the hotel suite pre-Paulee and old bottles of Roumier (and others) with Christoph (and others), all the way down to the La Paulee and its sheer insanity, then outside, around and upside down, only to end up back in the suite again 50 wines later. I was carrying those notes around for weeks, as it was going to be my next article, and somehow now I can’t find them. Aaaaarrrrggghhhh. But that train cannot wait at the station my dear, but even moving on has so many possible directions. Happy Birthday celebrations for King Angry, PMJ and Hollywood Jef were all stupendous evenings of incredible, old wines. Bruce’s thunder-ific night of Soldera and 1979 Champagne? Or a night with Roberto Conterno at Del Posto?? I try some young wine too, you know. Two snapshots of the 2005 Burgundy vintage, one of all the DRCs and another with Clive, have given me lots to say about this indubitably great vintage. Bipin orchestrated a magical Sunday afternoon at Spago with 1978s, Burgundy again, of course. Important tastings of Meo-Camuzet (Bipin with Meo) and Jayer were significant and significantly delicious. Evenings benefiting the City of Hope and Mount Sinai were out of control wild and good, and for good causes, too. Brief journeys into Europe and Asia saw a few good bottles go down the hatch. But, of course, I can never forget Big Boy’s not one, but two spectacular VIP dinners celebrating his incredible sale just a couple of weeks ago. I can’t even go there. I have to catch my breath just thinking about them again. All I can say is that by the end of April, I have never seen anyone open up as much great wine over a shorter period of time than what Rob has already drunk in 2008. Actually not drunk, make that opened up and shared with many people, strangers and friends alike. He has redefined the wine world’s definition of ‘throwing it down.’ Was that good enough for you, Rob lol. Seriously, I am only mentioning the facts; I think it is safe to say that we all know that Rob’s ego doesn’t need any more encouragement. All those events I just mentioned are the biggest highlights of the past quarter. I wish I had them all ready to go; gotta figure something out there. Just…no…time… :( …which brings me to a mini four-part series, a recent four nights out in a row in the greater New York area. I decided to start with the last evening of the four first, just because. Every write-up can’t be twenty-five wines; otherwise, I never get to writing it up damnit. Speaking of which, back to the evening at Blue Hill Stone Farms up in Tarrytown, a definite destination point for any foodie. All the produce is grown on location, and the meal was one of the year’s top five, food-wise for me, and I get around a little. It rests on the grounds of the Rockerfeller Estate, and I am not talking Jay-Z. The Barber family owns and operates the restaurant. We could thank rockin’ Roger for this memorable evening, both food and wine-wise. He has been threatening to do a dinner up there for the past two quarters and finally pulled one together. This is the third time I have been up there, all with Roger, and every time I am there I say to myself, ‘man, I have to come here more often!’ ‘Nuff said. About the food, that is. I write about the wines. We started with three bubblies, the first of which was a 1990 Dom Perignon Oenotheque. It had that pungent Oenoethque thing happening, the cat’s pee and spice box mélange. Its acidity was excellent and also pungent, and it was obviously fresh, but a bit linear and a touch horsey. It was great, don’t get me wrong, and I know there are many that feel the ’75 Oeno is the best thing since the Internet, but I just have to say that when I drink a bottle of Oeno, I taste the ‘Oeno’ more than the vintage. Maybe that’s a good thing, I don’t know. Will have to get back to you in 20+ years (94+). The 1982 Krug was a little off, a touch advanced, so I am going to keep it simple and (DQ). The 1982 Cristal was stellar, as it should be. Its nose was full of vitamins and yellow fruits, still wound but also round and rich. Citrus, butter and spice flavors were all there and harmonious in this rock-solid bottle of Cris (95). Author’s note***There was some confusion as to the Krug versus Cristal and which one was actually off. I am going by what the sommelier told me they were, even though Roger is convinced it was the other way around. I did find the good bottle to be Cris-ish. We sat down to a 1989 Raveneau Chablis Vaillons. The nose was great, singing with its lemon, lime and guava fruit, while also possessing supporting aromas of minerals and white smoke. More hints of citrus and tangerine emerged. Its flavors were a different story, showing wax and yeast first, and then some corn with the dirt and some stalk, too. Still tasty, it was round and had a soft finish, its acidity barely holding on to excellence, and it was a 20-year old premier cru white, after all (93). The first offical flight was one of whites, all Joseph Drouhin Marquis de Laguiche Montrachets. We began with a 1993, which also had a great nose. 1993 has become a pet white wine vintage for many connoisseurs to be drinking at the moment, and one whiff of the Drouhin was reason enough to understand. It was singing even more so than the previous two, all of which could have made any wine choir. The nose was huge, full of vigor and life, super smoky, nutty and deep, dark and edgy. ‘Lots of mesquite charcoal and hot rocks,’ I wrote, along with 7up, dandelions and daisies. It also had this honeycomb catacomb impression. It was an amazing nose. The palate was round and nutty, also with traces of honeycomb, and Dave noted, ‘jasmine tea.’ The evil John Slover called it, ‘Roussanne-like,’ which I saw more so on the palate. The palate was rounder than the nose led me to believe and just didn’t have that ‘oomph’ I expected. As Roger summed it up, ‘the nose was a symphony, but the palate a quartet’ (92). The 1990 was more honeyed and forward, nutty with lots of brown sugar, and pinches of A1. Honeyed and gamy, it also had lit fireplace aromas. The mouth was very floral in this complicated and rich wine. Ned noted, ‘marzipan,’ and I picked up on more of its oily qualities. It was exotic, thick, oily and ‘floral fresh city.’ ‘Coconuts!’ became most distinctive with time. It was a wild and kinky guy (95+). The 1973 was a real treat and had a great, old nose. Wax, fireplace, bamboo shoot jungle and a touch of mountain rocks were all present. Dave cooed how he ‘could smell it all day.’ Round and balanced, its fruit was definitely aged on the palate but still excellent. Its waxy, edgy personality held form well (93). A pair of reds was served blind next. The first had a dank, dark nose with lots of spice, a bit woodsy but still with some red fruits underneath. ‘It’s earthy and vegetal in a great way,’ Slover added, along with ‘reeds and straw.’ And by reeds, he meant swamp reeds, not his years of playing the recorder. A hint of mesquite and ‘tobacco’ rounded out its nose. The palate had dry, sour cherry and vitamin flavors, and I started to note a bit of must. In fact, there was definitely some cork issues with this bottle, but it was not enough to discourage drinking it. Oh yeah, it was a 1985 Drouhin Chambolle Musigny Les Amoureuses (93A). The second wine was more saucy. Roger was saying something about ‘heavy balls,’ but he was in deep conversation with a former tennis pro lol. Saucy, soupy and gamy, there were great aromas of menthol, game, iodine, tomato and cherry fruit. In fact, it had this distinct puttanesca edge with more time. There was nice spice and better acidity in this 1985 Mugnier Musigny, his first vintage. Slover called it, ‘really really good,’ and Dave hailed it as ‘killer,’ continuing with ‘nice cherry fruit qualities mixed with its earthiness.’ This was a much better showing for me than previously experienced (94). Ned reminisced of his days at Bouley when the 1991 Mugnier Musigny was $360 a case wholesale, and they were going through this wine at $100 a bottle on the list. Wine’s come a long way, baby. We had another pair of 1985s, also served blind at the time. The first was nutty, deep and dark with lots of autumnal notes on its surface but clearly young and not autumnal overall. Beef meets perfume was a good way to put it, which was seconded, and someone added ‘cola.’ Dave found it ‘reduced,’ and the sommelier later commented how ‘its atypical burliness’ even threw him off of which wine this was for a second. It was a bit earthy and weedy on the palate, a touch confused and lacking a centerpoint. My experiences with 1985 Roumier Bonnes Mares have been up and down, and this was definitely on the down side for this wine (92). Dave shared some interesting tidbits about Roumier and his two parcels of Bonnes Mares, the Terres Blanches and the Terres Rouge and how before 1988, the Terres Rouges came to America while the Terres Blanches went to Europe, and that starting in 1989, there was one final blend. I did have both versions of the 1985 many years ago at an event hosted by Daniel Johnnes. Of course, Christoph brought the bottles. Back to the second wine, which we all thought was the first wine. It was a 1985 Bertheau Bonnes Mares, and it walked the Roumier, something that doesn’t happen too often. Minty and floral with the greens, its nose was deep and intense, ‘Dujac-like’ I wrote with its stemmy spice. It had sweet, cinnamon purple fruit. Rich, fleshy and tasty with excellent vitamin flavors, this was a smooth and velvety Burgundy that was in the right place at the right time (94). The last flight was one of La Taches, ending the night in grand fashion. We began with the 1991 DRC La Tache, which had a deep, intense forest nymph orgy thing happening in its nose. Nutty with firm aromas of game, beef and iron, the 1991 had full frontal spine and spice. Its palate was citrusy, sweet, satiny and sexy, yet a bit tight. Ned found it in a ‘dumb’ phase, while Dave countered that it was not dumb, rather ‘young but classic.’ It jumped out more with food, and there remains an ocean of potential in this young buck of a La Tache (95+). The 1980 DRC La Tache had superb aromatics, so much so that I found it unlikely to ever be better. It was so forward and gamy, full of garden, fresh game and spice, wild weeds and fields, and just a heck of a lot of overall sex appeal. Dave found it ‘rosy,’ and it was many’s favorite wine of the night, although I do think this will be a La Tache that will drop the point ladder sooner rather than later (96). The last wine on this special evening was the 1970 DRC La Tache, which was more herbal in the nose; dark, dank and musky with lots of animal fur. The palate was citrusy and more hollow than the previous two, starting to dry out but still respectable (91). A quick glass of 1985 Krug got me ready for the trip back home. Full of vitamins, spice and intense game, this fresh and perfect bottle of 1985 was great with a spicy and long finish, still young (96). And that was my last night of four in a row. Three more to follow shortly, and I mean shortly! I will end this segment of tasting notes with some facts shared with us by another Dave, Dave Barber, a fellow Collegiate alum, while discussing food and consumption. Over the past fifteen years, China has gone from 5 kilograms to 20 kilograms of meat consumption per person per year. If China were to ever equal the average American consumption per year of 120 kilograms, we would need three earths just to sustain that consumption pattern, because 65% of the agriculture on earth feeds its meat production. Wow. Looks like the price of wine isn’t the only thing going up in the near future. Eat less meat. Drink more wine. FIN JK back to top VINTAGE TASTINGS - Big Boy Does Los Angeles 4/12/2008 12:00:00 AM I go to a lot of wine dinners, most of which no one ever reads about. Most of the legendary dinners that I have attended, you have read about, and what happened this past Thursday night in Los Angeles quickly became one of the all-time legendary nights for everyone in attendance, and there were some serious and experienced connoisseurs in the room. Allen Meadows, aka the Burghound, was there, and the next morning had this to say to Rob: ‘Seriously, I have attended a lot of really nice events over the years, but this one ranks in my top five ever, which is saying something,’ or as he put it to me, ‘Dude. That was AWESOME.’ Another said the next day, ‘the best Burg and Champ night ever…I am done, it’s over…no way could I drink more or better…’ Here’s one more comment for good measure, ‘You rewrote LA wine history last night.’ Big Boy had come to Los Angeles, and now all of Los Angeles wants to know when Big Boy is coming back. Cocktail round began with a magnum of 1979 Krug Collection, a nice aperitif. It was tight as nails at first, slowly revealing signature vanilla cream, oil and nutty wood frames. Its nose got creamier and creamier, and I thought to myself, ‘Here is a Champagne that almost needs decanting.’ It got more and more buttery in the glass, and almost a pan-fried complexity a la Zeppoles with some powdered sugar. The palate was very zippy, citrusy, spiny, bright and long with nice grit and dust. Rippling with minerals, I couldn’t help but feel that this was a food Champagne, and one that needed much more time in the glass to open up and show even more (95+M). The mag of Krug went rather quickly, so we popped an impromptu magnum of 1971 Dom Perignon Rose. Mr. Rosania always likes to travel with a few extra bottles just in case lol. The ’71 was in a great spot right now, round and rich with tasty strawberry fruit. It had good earth flavors and didn’t get dirty like some old Dom Roses can. It popped without being overly acidic, and it seemed to be entering that plateau of maturity where it will stay for a long time. It still had some zip and was long in its own regal way (95M). We finally sat down to the first official flight. We waited for Rudy as long as we could, but there was a lot of drinking to do, and he was running an hour late as usual. All the Champagnes and wines were served blind, and I dropped a few hints as the guessing games went along throughout the night. I, of course, knew what was what, and Rob knew what he brought to LA but not what I selected for each flight. The first Champagne was superb. We started off on the right foot with this creamy, nutty, toasty and honeyed nectar. It had this smoky, glazed donut edge and the perfect amount of sweetness possible. In the mouth, it was seamless, balanced and pure with great, granulated sugar flavors and excellent acidity. Someone picked up on ‘caramel.’ This magnum of 1969 Dom Perignon was as good as it gets (96M). The second bubbly in this flight of three had a sweet and toasty nose that had this earthy streak that was more root vegetable. The nose had some woodsy and funky edges, but still possessed positive geyser, game and sunny yellow fruits. The palate was wild and woolly, sweet and buttery, gritty and exotic. Jerry admired its ‘jungle flowers’ and then made one of the most interesting and astute wine comments I have ever heard, ‘You can feel the humidity in the wine.’ It was so true, this bottle of 1969 Cristal really gave off this humid impression. Jef picked up on ‘coffee-coated licorice.’ Jerry added, ‘cat pee,’ and I a touch of cigar. Rob found it ‘kinky’ and observed ‘anise.’ I thought that this bottle was either very slightly corked or affected somehow, as I have had near-perfect bottles of this bring me to my knees, and Rob felt the same. It was still decadent and very, very drinkable (95A). The last Champagne of this first flight really got Allen’s attention, and mine as well. This was clearly in a separate category from the first two with its breed and structure. Jerry liked its ‘yeasty’ personality, and its nose was just extraordinary. As Allen succinctly put it, ‘it has perfect balance and punch. I love austerity.’ It was austere in the most noble of ways, lemony and fiercely intense. Its finish took off like a rocket ship and went on and on and on…its acidity was unreal. Superlatives were not enough to describe how good this bottle of 1969 Krug Private Cuvee was, original bottling (97+). Everyone was immediately bowled over by this impressive flight of ‘69s. Steve had a funny line about the flight, and one of the best things about fine and rare Champagne, “You can fake an orgasm, but you can’t fake Champagne.” The next flight was comprised of four glasses, and I gave a hint early on: one producer, three decades. The first Champagne had amazing color, all the more so given its age. It was a ‘wow’ nose, full of vanilla bean and sugar crystals. Nutty and creamy with a nice foresty complexity, there were also hints of marzipan and bread crust from a fresh baguette. Its vanilla cream flavors were decadently good, ‘butterscotchy’ as Jerry put it, and one hour later this bottle of 1928 Louis Roederer was still singing. Old Roederer is still one of Champagne’s best-kept secrets, and it was easy to see why Big Boy calls 1928 ‘Champagne’s greatest vintage’ (97). The 1952 Louis Roederer was a touch oxidized, but still excellent. It had lots of caramel and brown sugar in the nose, and Rob pointed out how it wasn’t as oxidized on the palate as it was in the nose. Delicious golden raisin and Madeira flavors graced its palate, which was a bit more wine-like than anything else so far (93A). Allen was all over the next bottle, admiring its ‘crème brulee’ and ‘light Sauternes’ characteristics. There were touches of yeast and fig to this unraveling giant. Game, white meat, vitamins and oil started to take over in dominant fashion. Its fruit became sweeter and more exotic, and additional flavors of oats and yeast added to its complexity. We had another ‘rocket ship’ finish, and the 1955 Louis Roederer was all that and then some, still spritzy and oh so tasty, with pinches of sweet liquid dropped vitamins. This was another ’55 proving why Big Boy says this is the vintage of its decade (97). The last wine in this flight was also Roederer, but it was also Cristal, 1966 to be exact. The 1966 Cristal was the ‘youngest’ to Jerry while guesses were still being made. The ’66 nose was racy and linear in a 99 mile per hour way. Loads of vanilla, yellow sunshine and this exotic sushi/soy/wasabe complexity graced its long and vigorous nose. Allen admired its ‘tertiary’ qualities and the fact that it was just starting to come into that phase. The palate was long, fresh and ‘super-duper,’ so yellow and full of corn-buttered fruit that was just divine (97+). The third flight of Champagne was a duet, whose clue was ‘same vintage, different producer.’ The first bubbly had an unbelievable nose. It gave elegance a whole new meaning with its pure, clear and clean personality. Seductive aromas of straw, hay, nut, yeast, white fruits and vanilla were intoxicating. Long and ‘so good,’ there were loads of vanilla flavors to this thick yet agile 1949 Pommery. Balanced and full of minerals, this was another superb bottle of ancient Champagne from the cellars of Robert A. Rosania. When all was said and done, Rob actually felt that this was Champagne of the night as it had ‘the greatest balance and the highest pitch.’ He would know (97). The 1949 Dom Perignon was more advanced than the Pommery, more wine-like but still with some petillance and delicious in its own right. There was more texture and a sense of grandeur, but this bottle was already in a graceful declining stage. It might have been the bottle, or it might be ’49 DP in general. I guess I will have to have it again. Good thing I know Rob! Back to the DP…it was rich, saucy and almost soupy, sweet and delicious in its ‘On Golden Pond’ way (95). It was time for some reds, and Jerry surprised us with a flight of his own that just so happened to fit into our program quite nicely. I love it when that happens. The first wine was serious juice. It had a killer nose of deep black fruits and incredible spice. There was what I call ‘fireplace action,’ along with tobasco, Worcestershire and earth. The palate was rich and hearty with great bouillon, earth and spice flavors. Hearty and long, and with huge acidity, despite its larger than life persona, it still remained polished and softened out in the glass wonderfully over time. It was a 1962 Ponsot Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes. Boing (97). Many preferred the second wine in this flight the best, a surprisingly good 1962 Lamarche ‘La Grande Rue.’ I could see why as it was decadently mature, more advanced and more ready to go than the Ponsot, which was following the Lamarche’s road to maturity many years behind. The Grande Rue (a monopole vineyard in Vosne Romanee) had lots more beef and Worcestershire sauce in its big, spice-laden nose. There was also more garden, and some eucalyptus and cola complexities. Heady and saucy, both in the nose and on the palate, the wine’s flavors were of beef, citrus and cola, and it reminded someone of a ‘gamy Richebourg.’ It definitely showed the oldest of the three ‘62s, but it kept expanding in the glass, gaining and growing on me. Its acidity really came out with some food, and despite its browned old fruit nature, it kept going and going and going, as did my score up up and up (96). The third wine in this flight of ‘62s had a deep, sexy nose, also with lots of beef and Worcestershire, but some cassis behind those as well. There was incredible spice to its oily nose and a soft citrus edge. It was thick, rich and creamy with this nutty cassis kink becoming more pronounced. Its flavors were earthy and spicy with edges of bouillon and garden. It got mintier in the glass, thickening and leaving an impressive impression in the end. It was a rare 1962 Gros Frere et Soeur Richebourg (95). There was another guest flight, but this one was planned, as there is also a guest consignment in Rob’s sale from ‘THE Cellar.’ Rudy had long since arrived on the scene, and he brought gifts, two flights of them, in fact. Rudy and Rob have developed a great friendship over the years with their comparable generosity and passion for rare, old wines. I should start a dating service lol. The first wine in this second flight of red wines first had oats and brown sugar in its nose, also having classic bouillon, garden, earth and dirt. Flavors of citrus, earth and ‘caramel’ (Jerry) were present in this tangy wine, and Allen was all over its ‘lemongrass’ quality, and it was just that! Clean and almost crisp, this was a mellow yet solid bottle of 1959 Ponsot Clos St. Denis Vieilles Vignes that had nice spice and stayed fresh (95). The second wine was a noticeable step up from the first wine, possessing ‘so much energy’ per someone. This wine ‘got game,’ I wrote, and it was as if there was a slice of Kobe beef in the center of its decadent and oily nose. Its earth qualities were incredible, citing Rob to call it ‘another dimension.’ It was more like ‘another night of wine dementia,’ I mused to myself, and we did certainly feel demented by the end of the night, not to mention the next morning. A hint of exotic lavender graced its palate, which was so thick and rich that I wrote the combination of those two words five times in my notes. I guess I wanted to get that point across lol. Its texture was ‘retarded,’ and its acidity was ‘off the charts’ as well. What a bottle of 1959 Roumier Bonnes Mares (97+). The third wine in this flight of ‘59s was a bit stinky at first with some urine notes. With some oxygen, big, beefy fruit emerged, along with a bit of ass, to be blunt. Spiny yet soft, there was a rough, masculine edge here, ‘wood and spice’ as Jerry put it. There was excellent and spicy alcohol and acidity in this 1959 Ponsot Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes. This is a wine that I have had one near-perfect bottle and one near-perfect magnum, so it always seems like a letdown relative to those even though it was still (95). That doesn’t happen too often! There was one more flight from Rudy, this one being a flight of 1949s. Oh alright, if you insist. First up was the 1949 Rousseau Chambertin, which was gamy, earthy and spicy in its nose with decadent bouillon aromas. It was ‘rankly’ ripe; ie, very pungent and gamy, bordering on ‘rank’ in a good way. The palate was chunky and long, full of beefy and citrusy flavors and incredible earth on its finish. Ah oui oui (96). As good as the Rousseau was, the next two bottles were staggering. It is pretty hard for Rousseau to get beat by a significant margin in 1949, or any vintage for that matter, but that is exactly what happened. The second ’49 had a minty nose with a deep leather component. Thick and decadent aromatically, there was iron, spice, earth and garden, and all those carried over to the palate in synchronicity. ‘So thick, so spicy, so outta control good,’ I wrote. This was wine number nineteen, and the notes were starting to wane as this was a tasting that you just had to drink almost every last drop! This bottle of 1949 Roumier Bonnes Mares was as good as it gets, and it flirted with 98/99 points, and were it not for the bottle that would follow, it might have actually gotten it. It was that good (97+). The twentieth wine of the night would end up being its finest for me so far. The 1949 Ponsot Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes had a spiny and spicy nose, showing some of the same, old Burgundy character traits of the Roumier, with more hints of anise and allspice. The Ponsot went one step beyond the Roumier, its richness even more mind-blowing, its minerals and acidity extraordinary. This was breathtaking wine. In the end, the Ponsot ‘killed it’ (98). We had an intermezzo, a magnum of 1952 Krug, which unfolded into its signature intoxicating vanilla cream, super sexy with its gamy fruits and mature nuances. Although the bottle gave me the feeling that the sun was starting to set for this wine, it was a breathtaking sunset, so to speak, a memory that will always linger. Round, lovely, lush and rich, it was super buttery in the mouth, so voluptuous, so concentrated, balanced and mature (94). Rob brought some old Burgundies, too. You know he also has a bit of wine. Just a bit. It’s not all about Champagne for Mr. Rosania. He needs his Burgundy, too. The flight that would follow was crowned ‘best flight ever’ by David, and everyone couldn’t help but concur. Emails of adoration ensued the next morning about this flight, Rob’s version of ‘shock and awe.’ I only mustered up one official note for the four wines, which seemed to take all my note-taking skills with it. The 1934 DRC Romanee Conti was monumental, as it should be. The nose was rich and intense beyond belief; aromas of cigar, cherry and a touch of cat’s pee went with the usual rose, menthol, citrus, rust and animal of great old RC. The palate had ‘insane’ intensity; one sip made me write, ‘99 points no question,’ the second time I have had that impression for this incredible vintage. Hey wait a second, both times I was with Allen! Man, the Burghound does know how to sniff out the right events to come to J. Thick, earthy, spiny and spicy, this wine sent shivers up and down my spine. If there ever were a wine to challenge the 1945 as ‘best wine I have ever had,’ it would be this bottle of 1934. If every person on earth could drink a wine like this, the world would be a much better place (99). The 1923 Liger-Belair La Tache that followed was no slouch, either. ‘Sick as always,’ I wrote. I have had this wine three or four times from Rob’s cellar, and he has an incredible batch of this wine. It has always been at least a 98-point wine for me, and its gamy, leathery and earthy qualities were all legendary again. I might have been splitting hairs, but I gave it (98+). You’ll have to check some old notes for more details, sorry. The third wine was the wine of wines, the king of kings and the lord of lords, the 1945 DRC Romanee Conti. It is nice when two of your best friends have virtually all the bottles of this wine left in existence! Only 608 bottles were made; I have had it now five times (one still to be written up but you will read that one next week), and yes, they were all real. Man, what a wine. I have said so much about this wine before, that I don’t feel bad about my lack of a detailed note here. ‘YOWSERS’ was one of my detailed observations lol. ‘Super intense’ was another. Notwithstanding this wine’s usual perfection and status as the greatest wine I have ever had, as bottle and circumstance variation would have it, I actually found the ’45 on this night to be a small step behind the ’34. We are talking videotape replay, Indianapolis 500 photo finish material here (98+). The last wine in what was supposed to be this last flight was a 1919 DRC Les Gaudichots, actually brought by Rudy. My only notes were, ‘Holy f-*%#.’ Everyone ought to have at least one or ten of those in their lives, don’t you think? The 1919 was so good it had world-class skier Kate doing iron crosses off the table lol. She immediately retired after this flight to pursue a life of drinking wine with Big Boy HA (99). No matter where you are or what you are drinking, if you have wines from Domaine de la Romanee Conti in your plans, make sure you drink them last because there is really no place to go from there, and you are about to see exactly why. There was another flight that was supposed to be opened earlier, but we fell off course. However, the bottles had already been opened, so we had to drink them, right? The wines were a 1952 Monfortino and 1966 and 1969 La Moulines. These are all 98 or 99 point wines and probably Italy’s and the Rhone’s greatest wines…EVER, but after the DRC’s, they all lost a couple points and were down to 96-97 point territory. The DRC actually lowered their scores! They probably would have lowered some of the other wines’ scores from before, too, if we had them after the DRCs. Allen emailed me the next morning, ‘What amazed me was how the ’66 La Mouline was just lost after that foursome, which is as we both know, for as great as the ’66 La Mouline is, really saying something.’ There was one more Champagne to wash it all down, a glorious 1961 Krug. If there is one wine in the world that can follow a flight of RC, it would be Krug. It alone stands worthy. Big Boy took this bottle of ’61 Krug outside onto the streets of LA and La Cienega Boulevard, and successfully sabered this bottle in one shot. The Krug was all Krug, buttery, lush and full of decadent vanilla and cream aromas and flavors. Man, those ’61s are in a great spot now, and not going anywhere anytime soon (97). I don’t remember quite everything from there, but I do remember waking up the next morning still drunk. That doesn’t happen too often. I had missed my flight to Palm Beach, where the Great Wine Seminar was taking place, but after last night the simple truth of the matter is that I couldn’t even think about drinking anything for a few days. I had a mini Guy Savoy moment the night before when I got back to my hotel room at 2am, a brief moment of consciousness, that every wine I could possibly taste this weekend would seem like ordinary table wine no matter what it was. Plus, I would have to wake up and pack in like three hours, and that was definitely not happening! I cannot thank Big Boy enough for his incredible generosity. Thank you Rudy and Jerry as well. To have so many 97-99 point wines in one setting (sixteen!!!) is truly extraordinary. As Rob often says, ‘with privilege comes responsibility,’ and I love it when he is responsible like this lol. But seriously, sharing these wines and drinking these bottles with people are what it is all about, and there is definitely one man who understands this: Robert A. Rosania. FIN JK back to top VINTAGE TASTINGS - Big Boy Does Vegas, Night Two 4/10/2008 12:00:00 AM The second night in Vegas was a smaller gathering at Guy Savoy. Rudy had to leave after dinner the night before, and Gil and Krissy were tied up at a big charity event, although they joined us later. Guy Savoy was in town but also at that same charity event; we would see him later as well. We were still hungry, and of course again thirsty, and on this night Big Boy carried the torch of fine wine all by himself. We started with a gorgeous magnum of 1971 Dom Perignon. It had a vanilla sugared nose, baked brulee if you will, and was hazelnutty, toasty and fresh. Its palate was also fresh and zippy with hints of Dr. Brown’s celery soda. The palate was delicious; meaty, rich and fresh with great focus, a long finish and singular in its drive. It grew on me more and more, and hints of Asian orange blossom rounded out this immensely pleasurable Dom (95M). A curiosity and veritable antiquity was next, a magnum of 1937 Geissman (Champagne). The color was incredible, and the nose was divine and full of complexities. Aromas of green dried apple fruit, spice and thinly carved white meat right out of the pan with a decadent sauce made up its undeniably great nose. The palate was delicious, make that absolutely delicious, full of caramel and apple flavors. Exotic musk and honey took over both the palate and the nose, and the Geissman became more and more wine-like with time in the glass without losing any of its deliciousness. What a treat, and what a find that only Rob could unearth (96M). I had bought a couple of whites off the list, a pair of young Ramonet Batards. The 2002 Ramonet Batard Montrachet had a great nose full of huuuuge acid, alcohol and spice. Additional signature aromas of menthol, butter, corn and citrus all lined up accordingly. Its combination of white fruits and minerals galore cleared my sinuses. It tasted like mint city with its decadent white fruit tropicality, and its acidity was insane. Delicious, sweet, sexy and lush, this was a white wine easy to appreciate, and admire (95+). The 1999 Ramonet Batard Montrachet was more shut down and square by comparison, even though the nose was unmistakably a sibling of the ’02. There was an almost cedar-like edge to the ’99, which also had ‘insane’ minerals and acidity. Shut down yet solid, slate flavors dominated this brute of a Batard (93). Rob started paying attention again when his magnum of 1929 Mouton Rothschild was served. There must be something about ‘Vegas’ and ‘insane’ as I kept writing it all weekend in my notes. The ’29 had an insanely good nose full of menthol, old book, chocolate and super sexy citrus (there’s another frequent Vegas vocab word – super sexy lol). Plum, nut, more old book, cedar, wax, pencil – this nose had everything. Secondary aromas of garden, beef and Asian spices also joined the party. Rob keenly observed, ‘very Burgundian yet so Bordeaux.’ Soft cherry flavors were present on its milder palate, but the acidity was still there and hanging on. Someone observed, ‘finished basement’ in the wine, and I totally understood. Paul noted, ‘old bookshelf, ink and wood.’ I have always liked the ’29 Mouton, and while the palate may be starting to trail its aromatics, this was still very special (95M). Can we get some Burgundy already? 1969 Rousseau Chambertin, that’s more like it. It is no secret that Rousseau made the wines of the vintage in ’69, wines that have transcended beyond the usual scope of the vintage into legendary status, and this bottle lived up to that fact. The Rousseau had an incredible nose full of iodine, that ’69 rust and the red fruit orgasmatron. It smelled so good, I wanted to wear it as cologne, and I never wear cologne. The Rousseau had additional, sumptuous aromas of beef bouillon, lit match, Versailles garden and a pinch of poivre sauce. Wow. Rob hailed it as ‘perfumed.’ It was so tasty, deliciously good nectar and full of rust, citrus, earth, bouillon, ‘sous bois’ and BBQ goodness flavors. This was sheer catnip. Here kitty kitty (97). It was not a Vogue weekend, as a bottle of 1929 Vogue Musigny Vieilles Vignes was maderized. Bummer (DQ). It was a Romanee Conti weekend, however, and the bottle of 1929 DRC Romanee Conti was another incredible bottle of old RC. ‘What a nose,’ my note began. It was decadently saucy and musky, full of menthol, beef, exotic lychee and garden. It had a hint of kinky overripe fruit to it, but that did not mar the wine in any way, shape or form. The palate was so rich, so long and so lush. Nutty and tasty beyond belief, there was an unreal earth component that could only come from the terroir known as Romanee Conti. Rob put it in terms that he understands, ‘740 Park. Unreal.’ Told ya. Decadent steak sauce flavors emerged. My next notes were ‘wowowowowowowowow….ni hao.’ The ’29 RC was so good it made Rob confess, but I wouldn’t be a good wine priest if I told you lol. The ’29 had enough energy to power up the Vegas strip. It was then that Guy Savoy returned, and for those of you that don’t know, he is arguably one of the top ten chefs in the world. He has my vote. He came into our private room to say hello and thank us, etc., and Rob quickly gave him a glass of 1929 Romanee Conti. Chefs usually have pretty good palates, and I would imagine that Guy’s would rank up there pretty highly. He was emotionally moved by this glass of wine; you could see his eyes widen as the wine swirled around his mouth. Our sense of joy soon became his as well, and he savored his glass religiously. Once finished, I offered him a glass of 1969 Rousseau. ‘No no no!’ he insisted. ‘Guy! This is 1969 Rousseau Chambertin! You must try it, c’est incroyable!’ I insisted back. I will never forget his response as long as I live, ‘Je veux garder le gout de la Romanee Conti dans ma bouche toute la nuit.’ Translation: he wanted to keep the taste of the Romanee Conti in his mouth for the rest of the night. He wouldn’t dare put anything else on his palate after that; it was that good. You just can’t make this stuff up! While I have had other bottles of ’29 RC that were more mature and advanced, this was as good as it gets, but it still ain’t the ’45 lol (98). A couple of Champagnes wrapped up our evening, a pair of Clos du Mesnils, the Romanee Conti of Champagne (I am talking terroir here not producer, although I suppose you could make both arguments!). The 1980 Krug Clos du Mesnil had a perfectly toasted nose with dried yellow and white fruits. Creamily good, it had a baked honey glaze to its aromas, along with white smoke and ‘urine’ per Big Boy. The palate was beautiful and delicious, all the more so considering the vintage, possessing edgy and gamy flavors of yellow fruits (93). Last but not least on this legendary weekend was another 1989 Krug Clos du Mesnil. The weekend had come full circle and ended where it started. This was identical to the first bottle, buttery, nutty and with an ocean of acidity…make that deep ocean. Check my last article if you missed it (96). Not much to say except thank you, Rob. Check out the catalog when it comes out tomorrow - you can end up thanking him too! JK

VINTAGE TASTINGS - Big Boy Does Vegas

For those of you who are curious, the catalog for Rob’s sale will be online on Friday and in the mail on Monday. The salesroom will be packed; make your reservations sooner rather than later if you plan on coming to this historic auction. I interrupt my report on La Paulee and its final chapter (and its 53 tasting notes) to catch up on some of very special evenings that I have shared with Rob so far in 2008. Two of those nights happened in Las Vegas this past February. We arrived at the Wynn’s at about 2AM, coming straight from the Mount Sinai charity event whose notes I seem to have lost grrrrrrrr, and we shared a celebratory toast with some 1989 Krug Clos du Mesnil. It was served about cellar temperature, cool but not cold, and it actually ended up being just right, as it allowed the flavors and nuances of this great Champagne really strut their stuff. Its nose was buttery, gamy and pungent at first, morphing into more of the classic vanilla cream of Krug, in oil form. Its butter qualities began to take on many shades; ie, it gave me the impression of different buttered things such as buttermilk biscuit, cheese Danish and even cinnamon roll! There was crazy complexity in this killer Krug. The palate was racy, fresh and lean with delicious corn oil flavors, a touch leaner than the nose indicated, but lively and oh so fresh. Rob called it ‘staggering.’ Its slaty finish was linear yet focused, and while the ’89 lacked a touch of fat in its middle at this stage, it had seductive oil flavors and was indubitably 5-star stuff (96). That was our Thursday night, and Friday the setting would be Picasso’s, one of Vegas’ best restaurants, one where the chef, Julian Serrano, is actually in the kitchen on most nights. It was 2/8/08, and dinner was set for 8pm, so this officially became our lucky ‘888’ Happy Chinese New Year’s dinner. It was all the more appropriate with Rudy and his mother joining us, as well as ‘Mr. Wine Vegas’ Gil Schwartz, Patman and a few others. I actually met up with Rudy early, who served me a glass of blind Champagne to begin before the others arrived. It had nice apply richness to its lush nose. Rudy also admired its lush and rich qualities, and it had a mildly pungent, citric character. There was a great stony edge to this long and minerally bubbly that reminded me of an older Dom, actually. ‘You’ll never guess it,’ Rudy insisted, but that’s not the point. It’s just to see if you like it,’ he smiled. There was a nice hint of lime to this NV Armand de Brignac Ace of Spades Champagne. Apparently, Rudy’s got all that Southern California had to offer. What else is new? He told me it was made in a ‘solera style like Jacques Selosses.’ Big Boy was next to arrive and caught a glass and also admired it, citing its ‘great cracked egg nose.’ Jigga what? (94). It was Big Boy’s turn at the wheel, beginning with the official aperitif for the evening, a 1928 Jacquesson. Now there’s something you don’t see every day. Gil was loving it immediately, citing ‘oloroso and olive.’ There was lots of white and brown sugar in the nose, along with aromas of apple orchard with an autumnal breeze running through it. Still fresh, the Jacquesson was delicious – sweet, tasty, lush, mouthfilling and chewy. Gil picked up on ‘multi-vitamin’ flavors, and there were also kisses of band-aid (Ray Tuppatsch trademark here lol) and white brick. Yum (94). An impressive quartet was next, pairs of 1928s and 1929s from Lanson and Dom Peringon. I know of only one man on earth who could put together that flight, and he did just that! The 1928 Lanson was a revelation, and Pat and Gil were immediately going bananas over this incredible Champagne. Big Boy found it ‘so Burgundian,’ and its amazing nose was practically perfect in its balance of nut, honey, perfume, lavender and white chocolate aromas. Still very vimful, it also had gorgeous flavors of orange blossom, honey and white minerals. This was stunning stuff! Exotic tangerine flavors developed, and it ‘flirts with 6 stars,’ as Big Boy put it. Krissy, Mrs. Wine Vegas, added ‘Krispy Kreme donuts,’ and it sure was. I was right on the border of 6 stars as well (96+). The 1929 Lanson had a honeyed, sugared, nectar-like nose with amazing sweetness yet still some reserve to it. Minerals also sparkled in its fresh and apply nose, which still had great pitch. The palate was sweet and more wine-like with mature apricot flavors, excellent in its own right but no match for the 1928 (93). The color was stunning in another ancient bottle, this time a 1928 Dom Perignon. Rob immediately was calling out ‘6 stars,’ and even Rudy acknowledged that this was a perfect bottle. The nose was very exotic and very fresh, ‘stony’ to Rudy. Gil admired its ‘Northern gooseberry’ qualities, finding it ‘almost Sauvignon Blanc-ish.’ Rudy likened it more to a ‘white Rhone with its beeswax.’ Like I said, this was one exotic Champagne! The nose was also pungent, and the gooseberry carried over the palate. Its texture was soft yet lingering like a great, mature Montrachet, almost a ringer for a great, old Ramonet (95). The 1929 Dom Perignon had unique aromas of clove and mint that morphed into more definitive spearmint, per Krissy. It was very intense in these regards, and Gil called it ‘really Gin-ny,’ and it was totally that. He was having flashbacks of Tanquerays and tonics, his favorite childhood drink lol. Rob added, ‘the essence of mint in a garden,’ and Rudy added, ‘Chinese herbs,’ and I added, ‘1000 year-old fungi from China,’ half-joking, but half-serious. Gil was all about its herbs, now picking up on ‘chartreuse,’ and to be honest all those gin and chartreuse flavors are not a few of my favorite things, but it did sweeten up considerably in the glass, but its sweetness remained in those herbal families. However, I admired its quality and ageability even though stylistically it was not my cup of tea (93). What an incredible flight; all these bottles were as good as they could be. Rob toasted 1928 as ‘the greatest vintage ever,’ and then Gil toasted Rob. ‘If it weren’t for guys like you, no one would ever know.’ It was time for some wine and a flight of old Clos des Lambrays courtesy of Big Boy again. The 1901 Clos des Lambrays was obviously ‘topped off,’ but it still retained solid Burgundian character. There was a decadent mix of old and new fruit, and Rudy was muttering about Grenache and chapitalization, still admitting that it was ‘delicious but not all 1901.’ The palate showed much older than the nose, full of strawberry flavors. Pat called it ‘the sherbert of the evening,’ and it was. Gil admired its ‘smoke’ qualities (90?). The next three Lambrays would show decidedly differently and stood together compared to the 1901. The 1919 Clos des Lambrays was ‘more gamy and meaty, how it should be,’ per Rudy. Aromas of bouillon, garden, earth, tobacco and sweet brown sugar graced its nose. Its palate was rich and citrusy, stabilized by an earthy, light spice. It was gorgeous per me and ‘beautiful’ per Rudy (94). The 1929 Clos des Lambrays had ‘stupid VA (volatile acidity)’ per Gil. Aromas of old rose, hibiscus tea and vitamin C were present in this sweet, soft, tender and old wine. Its palate was light and dusty, earthy with a touch of good bitters, and pure cherry fruit. It was a pretty and graceful wine, and Rudy loved its ‘lushness.’ Someone likened it to something relating to a period, and it wasn’t about an era. Let’s just leave it at that. There was this overseeped tea quality on the finish as well (93). The last Lambrays on our agenda was the 1937 Clos des Lambrays, which had Gil initially wondering out loud if this was the best of the four. It had a nutty, smoky, sweet nose, sweet on the browned side of things, with a great autumnal complexity. Soft and round with nice citrus, earth and tea bag flavors (stop right there Ray), I liked its bright cherry fruit but ultimately found it less complex than the previous two (92). We switched to an outstanding flight of 1934 Bordeaux from bottles nestled away carefully in the cellar of Mr. Wine Vegas himself. The bottles were in superb condition, and as in the previous two flights, all the wines delivered everything that one could possibly hope for. A 1934 Lafite Rothschild had classic pencil in the nose and a great, waxy freshness, along with nice carob, earth and mineral aromas. Shortly thereafter, aromas of jasmine rolled in like a tidal wave and took over. Sweet and tasty, this was a delicious and perfect bottle of ’34. Rudy noted ‘barnyard’ flavors. Citrus, dust and spice all joined the party. This was a tender and lovely wine with a pinch of pungency. Fundamentally linear, the Lafite got tangier in the glass and seemed less impressive after the next two wines, but it was still pretty nonetheless (92). The 1934 Mouton Rothschild immediately seized control of this flight with its deeper, richer and lusher nose. It was very brooding by comparison with its incredible and trademarked chocolate aromas, accompanied by earth, minerals and nuts. The nose also had an intense trio of cedar, ceramics and mahogany. The palate was intense and hearty, meaty and long with great acidity. The finish was thick and grainy. Rob picked up on some also trademarked ‘mint.’ Earth and oak flav