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We began with a trio of Clos du Mesnils, and they set the tone early. The 1989 Krug Clos du Mesnil was nutty and full bodied with lots of heavy cream and rich butter flavors. Heavy and creamy appeared again in my notes, as it was an outstanding plus bottle, hitting lots of oily notes with rock star acidity (97).

The 1985 Krug Clos du Mesnil was leaner and cleaner than the ’89, and it had more marzipan sweetness with some ice capped mountain action. While it didn’t have the stuffing of the 1989, it was still long, and the Comte found it ‘young and elegant’ and that it ‘needed the most time.’ It definitely unfurled in the glass(95+).

The 1979 Krug Clos du Mesnilwas Montrachet-like with its buttery butter bomb of a personality. This was a little oakier at first, but it turned into woodsy goodness. WOW, this wine had the intensity and sweetness of a DRC Montrachet. This was an ‘epic’ Champagne, roasted and reminiscent of ‘toasted apricots’ per the French Paradox. While starting to mellow and ‘not so fizzy like the others’ per the Comte, make no mistake about it: this was a stone-cold stunner(99)!

Unfortunately, the 1996 Niellon Chevalier Montrachet was premoxed (DQ). Next!

The 1996 Domaine d’Auvenay Chevalier Montrachet was rich, coconutty and almost vodka-ish. There was much more animal here and also butter that was melted. Its palate was meaty and gamier with a bit of brown sugar and honey. It wasn’t a dancer, but you could feel the wine coming, and it did get better in the glass as it tightened up. This was a big, chunky and buttery white, and the Hamburglar admired its ‘concentration, minerality and tension’ (95).

The 1999 DRC Montrachet had a deep, honeyed nose full of floral spice. It had a rich and meaty nose with a full body and touches of yeast. It was heavy and honeyed with so much power. This was a muscular Montrachet like ’99s are prone to be, and the Zen Master found it ‘exactly what you expect in DRC.’ This intense wine got more honeyed in the glass (97).

The 2002 DRC Montrachet was perhaps the most typical of the DRC Montys. It was full of mango, cream, honey and lavender with a sweeter profile. This was another rich white and oh so tasty, but it was getting picked on after the first two. The French Paradox found it ‘too toasty’, and the Comte thought there was a ‘lack of elegance’ oh, the French lol… the Zen Master agreed that it ‘lacked precision’ but it did improve with air time, significantly. Exotic coconut and lemon flavors emerged on its finish, and it still made me happy(96).

The 1982 La Mission Haut Brion had a more chocolaty nose and was ‘darker’ per the Paradox. It had a touch of band-aid to its nose, but the palate had loads of acidity and gravel and charcoal flavors. Its backside banged with mesquite flavors (95).

The 1989 Haut Brion was near perfect, as always. There were deep black fruits with a nutty glaze, and while heavy, it had an effortless finish. It was gritty and zippy with regal acidity and length. It lasted so long on the palate yet was still utterly stylish. It is still the greatest Bordeaux made over the past thirty years, along with the 1989 Petrus (99).

The 1989 La Mission Haut Brion was not as opulent as usual. It had some tootsie pop, chocolatey flavors, but it was a touch cooked and off (95+A).

The 1982 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Monfortino Riserva was unfortunately corked(DQ).

The 1985 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Monfortino Riserva was clearly the best of flight, and it was thick, rich and full of grit. There was all sorts of desert action on its finish. The Zen Master found it had ‘all the elements’ one could want in great Barolo and also noted ‘Chinese tea.’ This was so dry and so long, just awesome stuff and full of tobacco and leather flavors (97).

We went to the young Burgundies next before the old Bordeaux. It’s ok, you can do that when you’re sophisticated lol. It was time for some Musigny, but the 1996 Vogue Musigny VV, was a bit lacking compared to the next two. It was milky with zippy acid on its nose. There were lots of vitamins, make that vitamin city with a m©lange of colors in the nose. The Vogue did pack a ‘punch’ per Zen, but he also found it ‘not approachable.’ It was a bit too dry as well given the context of all the great wines we had been drinking (93).

The 1993 Leroy Musigny showed that ‘signature Leroy’ per Zen, along with ‘fresh blood,’ per another, and ‘Chinese root’ per one more. There was so much garden and the ‘flower of Chambolle’ according to the Comte. This had great stink and was super gamy, rich and saucy, and it only got better with air. This was a ‘crazy tasty’ wine, I wrote, and it was full of forest goodness. The Hamburglar called it ‘one of the wines of the weekend,’ while the Comte found it ‘exceptional.’ There was great smack to its bouncing ass of a finish (97).

The 1945 Lafite Rothschild had caramel on its nose along with pencil, with its caramel outweighing the classic cassis qualities. There were old book flavors in this elegant and graceful claret (94).

The 1945 Mouton Rothschild had that mint and eucalyptus sweetness that is such a trademark for this wine in this era. It was kinky, flamboyant and exotic. There was some ‘spicy pepper’ per the Comte, and I got the Shishito. I also got the pork luau with a touch of pineapple. I told you it was exotic! Toffee and animal led us all into a round of ‘jungle boogie,’ followed quickly by an ‘electric shock.’ This was the wakeup call that the Comte would desperately need tomorrow lol (99+).

The 1980 DRC La Tache was a great surprise to all, but not me. It was elegant and delicious, with nice forest floor aromas, and beautiful red fruits, roses and flowers. There were nice minerals to this vimful LT, and it kept improving in the glass until it was a real thriller. There was so much spine and acidity here in the end (97).

The 1990 DRC La Tachewas milky, yeasty and honestly a touch dirty. This wine was still young, and Puppup was right that it was ‘still tight.’ This was great but not on the level of the others. I should note that I had a magnum of this one month later that I rated 99 points. Maybe I will write that one up, maybe I won’t lol (96+).

The two Rayases that followed were both great, but I couldn’t pay as much attention any more. The 1989 Rayas had a Smuckers jam quality to it, and that is all that I wrote, other than (95). I could see the ’45 Ra in my glass of 1990 Rayas. Such great potential, I can’t wait to try it again in 45 years, and maybe another dozen times before then (98).

And there you have, Night Three of the Greatest Wines of the World Weekend. See you next year.