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Everyone loves a good Hollywood ending. Boy gets girl, good defeats evil, big family hug, Hollywood Jef turns 55, money shot… and fifty-five is significant of course, it’s like a notice that you are now about to pass the legal speed limit, and all fun must get off at the next exit. But Hollywood Jef is no ordinary man; he has been following a strict diet of fine and rare wine for the last decade or two and is seemingly getting younger with each sip. When he invited me to his 55th birthday celebration, I moved our next Hong Kong auction back a week, because I knew it would be that special. I underestimated.

A magnum of 1971 Dom Perignon provided ample amplitude for the cocktail session. It was a clean and classy magnum, more wheaty than expected, but it still possessed signature white fruit. It was fresh and zippy, all one could ask for out of a magnum of this wine. I was a few minutes late arriving, so I didn’t have too much time with it (95M).

Two whites followed, beginning with a magnum of 1966 Leroy Montrachet, courtesy of the Wolfgang Grunewald collection. Everyone that was fortunate enough to buy from that auction in 2008 keeps telling me they wished they bought more. This magnum was another example. It had a warm, open and mature Chardonnay nose with aromas of candle wax, old honey, game and sea salt. It was sound and rich in a mature way, not like internet money. This was EF Hutton money; Leroy earned it. Someone called it or Leroy ‘one of the greatest,’ and its creamy and nutty finish didn’t have me disagreeing (95M).

Three magnums of DRC Richebourg equal one happy dinner table. The 1971 DRC Richebourg was spectacular like all 1971 DRCs always are. Aromas of tomato, menthol, rose oil, vitamins, creamsicle, tree, forest and wet wood combined harmonically in its nose. The palate was minty and rich with meaty flavors of dill and truffle. It still seemed so young and had some wet toad goodness to it. The Rev picked up some ‘licorice’ on its grainy, granular and thick finish. Touches of cedar and eucalyptus rounded out this special wine (97M).

Twin towers of La Tache were a fitting follow up to the riches of Richebourg, beginning with a 1971 DRC La Tache. It equaled the greatness of the ’71 Richebourg in the nose, but it had more rose and cedar goodness. There were also aromas of oyster shells and red dates. Its fruit was oily and its palate saucy and meaty. Rich and leathery, it felt like a Hermes bag in the mouth, supplemented by great cedar and red citrus flavors. Usually I am in 98 point territory for this wine, but on this night, the Richebourg was the LT’s equal (97M).

After so many great DRC’s that were drunk to the last drop, the Bordeaux were a bit anti-climactic. Those that argue that Burgundy should come after Bordeaux had a case in point on this night. My notes started to wane. Yes, I am predictable. The first wine was out of double magnum, the only non-magnum in the crowd. It had a great nose full of nutty goodness, with some caramel and chocolate. Wet wood, bamboo and wafer flavors complemented nice acidity in this solid wine (94D).

The 1949 Gruaud Larose had aromas of chocolate, caramel, cedar, spice, cabinet and nutmeg. Its palate was soft, creamy and easy. It didn’t live up to its younger brother’s performance (92M).

The 1945 Gruaud Larose was ‘too tannic’ per Bipin. I wrote a few more words, but ‘cold, simple and easy’ were all I could read (90M).

The last wine on this night was actually from the vintage of our Hollywood host, a 1958 Latour. It was quite good given the vintage’s lackluster reputation in Bordeaux. It was smooth, balanced and lush without the richness. It was an uplifting finish to a heavenly night (93M).