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We returned to the red wines with a magnum of 1988 Dujac Clos St. Denis, which had all that autumnal sous bois action along with sweet, caressing fruit. This was also candied and perfectly mature with great mesquite flavors and tremendous complexity. It was definitely aging and maybe past its prime, a bit dry on the finish but still an excellent wine (94M).

I made my way back to Soldera with a 1988 Soldera, which had a touch of egg to it, but it was full-bodied and rich with loads of tobacco (95).

There was another 1996 bubbly that snuck into the mix, that being a 1996 Jacques Selosse. It was so sweet with extreme caramel, earth and gingerbread notes. Selosse should make more vintage Champagnes (96).

The 1949 Drouhin Marquis de Laguiche Montrachet was not cooked but just too old, not a perfect bottle somehow (DQ).

It had been a while since we had a magnum of DRC Monty, and a magnum of 2004 DRC Montrachet was willing, able and obliging to end that losing streak. This was a sweet and classic DRC Monty, creamy and outstanding. It was rich and buttery with a nice, light grit. I can’t remember the time, but I felt like writing that it was getting to the point where notes were not going to work lol. It was only wine number 24, and I would rally quickly (96M).

I spilled all over my note for the 1989 Petrus. Some of the words I can still recognize are intense, chocolate, exotic, molasses and ‘as always.’ The 1989 Petrus is, along with the 1989 Haut Brion, the greatest Bordeaux(s) made in the last thirty years (99).

The 1989 Lafleur had superb intensity. It was rich, full-bodied and a rock star wine. Its finish kept building in the glass. It boa constricted on its finish, and I kept writing ‘intense’ and ‘super intense’ again and again. I wondered at the end if this might ultimately be better than the Petrus, although I am not sure that is possible (98+)!

The 1989 Le Pin was exotic as ever, as well as gamy and almost grimy. There were purple berries there in a brambly way and lots of creamy notes. Someone noted ‘vegetal hay,’ and I felt like it kept sliding down the scale. Truth be told, I have never been a huge fan of this vintage when from this Chateau (93).

The 1971 Ruinart Blanc de Blancs was similar to the earlier 1996. There was a good sweet core of vanilla and sugar flavors, but it was gamey and grassy, too (93).

A magnum of rarely seen 1958 Haut Brion showed up, and it was ok and interesting to try. Gravel and band-aid were the signature characteristics (89M).

There was an intermezzo of sorts, a 2002 D’Auvenay Chevalier Montrachet. It had a super sweet finish with lots of yellow fruits, but it’s over sweetness dominated. While this was gritty and classy with a long finish, it was always a bit too sweet (94).

The 1959 Latour in magnum was rich and decadent with great spice, cedar and cassis flavors. This was a classic in every which way of the word; it is tough to find a better Bordeaux to drink right now, especially out of magnum (99M).

The 1993 Rousseau Chambertin was an ALL TIME ALL STAR, written exactly that way. This was a rich and decadent Burgundy, just starting to show its stuff. Its taut, citric, cherry fruit was tangy, round yet ripe in a sweaty, animalistic way. This was so good with a good greenness, a veritable Green Lantern in a black night. Ok, I think I was getting a little tipsy with that one lol. It was wine number 32, after all (98).

It was finally Rousseau time, and the 1995 Rousseau Chambertin Clos de Beze had great vigor with nice citric tension and lots of shades of red fruits. It had nice citrus and red fruit flavors with firm tannins. This was a rock solid wine that lived in vim city with a gritty and dry finish (95).

The 1989 Haut Brion was perfect AS EVER. I have gotten lazy with taking notes for this wine, as I have it fairly regularly, and it is always 98 or 99 points. Wine life can be so mundane (99).

A 1990 Roumier Bonnes Mares was a strong match for the ’89 HB. It was a rich and heavy Burgundy, but still possessing pure red fruits, foresty goodness, and citrus twists despite the deep ocean here. This wine has decades to go. No 1990 ‘problems’ here (97+)!

The 1985 Dujac Clos de la Roche is always a special wine, and this bottle was like nectar. It had great mature fruits and was right there in that perfect, sweet spot. Autumn’s first breeze blew out of my glass along with fresh hay aromas and juicy grape flavors. As the Brits would say, lovely (97).

A 1985 Ponsot Griottes Chambertin was creamy, milky and gamey but at this point uninteresting (91).

A 1985 Ponsot Latricieres Chambertin was more interesting and on that mature ’85 plateau with a leafy, fleshy personality and a few other things I couldn’t read (95).

The 1971 DRC Richebourg was ‘unreal great,’ per Bad Boy, and I couldn’t disagree. My affection for 1971 and DRC, and 1971 Burgundies in general, is well documented, and this was another fine exhibit. Wagyu flavors dripped from its bones, along with signature rose, menthol, and iron. Great stuff (98+).

The 1962 Comte de Vogue Musigny Vieilles Vignes that followed was a touch bretty and a bit earthy. There was good fruit and some freshness to it, but it was full of bouillon and this outdoor nature action, kind of like shit happening lol (93).

The clock reset with another magnum of Monty, this time the 2006 DRC Montrachet. The 2006 was open for business, wide open in fact, and full of green garden goodness. The ’06 was quite extroverted with its sweet, flamboyant personality (94M).

The 1971 Rousseau Clos de la Roche had pleasing hay, wheat, game, animal, brown sugar, and menthol aromas and flavors. Irv found it ‘really good’ (95).

The 1971 Clair-Dau Chambertin Clos de Beze was full of soft autumn leaves with a great balance of tannin and acid, but its flavors felt like they were downward sloping (94).

The 1962 Comte de Vogue Bonnes Mares was fresher than the Musigny and like walking through a citrus garden. It was quite good (95).

As you can probably tell, my notes were starting to wane. I had sampled forty-four wines up to this point, and we were in full evening mode. One of the founders of Instagram was there, and he arguably brought the best wines, certainly the wine of the night. I love it when the guy who should bring the best wines actually does lol.

Speaking of Instagram, you can follow me @john.kapon. There is a nice wine community there; originally I joined to show my kids I was still cool lol, but I do admit that I enjoy it, lots of great images and pictures and comments, it is pretty fun so go out and join, don’t be such a stuffy old codger. Also, for the record, Twitter is so annoying with all of its opinions, I find Insta much more positive and pleasurable.

Ok, that’s enough social media commentary from me, back to the grand finale, and it was quite grand. Instaman brought the three, maybe four, Bordeaux, and they went fast and furiously. We were like a plague of drunken locusts descending on these Bordelais lights, and there was Bad Boy, deciding if you got a hall pass first or if he would squash you like a bug instead lol. Thankfully, I got the hall pass, and these four BDX were all spectacular wines. The chocolate, cassis and mint of the ’59 Mouton, the richness and black walnuts of the Latour, the incredible deliciousness, flesh and vigor of the always amazing 1945 Mouton, a wine in my Top Ten of all time…and let’s not forget the La Miss, which someone called ‘ethereal.’ All four of these bottles were in superlative condition.

I missed one magnum of DRC Montrachet for sure, but I didn’t miss the 1996. It is one of the best DRC Montrachets ever made. King Angry finally made his presence felt with a Methusaleh of 1990 Cristal, which was damn delicious. I tried to ask him for his opinion on the wine, but he just kept muttering to himself, ‘bigger is better!’ The ’71 DP was disgorged in 2006, and while good, it wasn’t great. I got two swallows of two more incredible Bordeaux, but you will have to see other writeups for more detail. Let’s just leave it at they were great lol. The ’78 Chave was an official cellar raid, plucked from the frigid racks in Bad Boy’s personal wine cellar, and he was more than obliging. It was a phenomenal bottle and a great way to end the evening. I always love finishing a great wine dinner with a bottle of Chave; it doesn’t get much better, especially when it is a ’78 that is full of animal, violet and bacon with the sizzle. It got a ‘WOW.’

So that was the wine party of the year, and many thanks to Bad Boy for the great effort organizing the event, and for the extreme generosity he provided as well as motivated from each of the guests. So on this New Year’s Eve in 2018, make sure you stay safe, enjoy yourself, drink irresponsibly well AND PARTY LIKE IT’S BAD BOY’S BIRTHDAY!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!