This past Fall, I hit a significant milestone – turning 50. My first two observations were that the same workouts keep getting harder, and it takes longer and longer to recover from the previous night lol. Also, my scale refuses to acknowledge or congratulate me quite regularly. I haven’t cut it off yet; we still speak every day. Speaking of every day, I am also still happily married – well, at least three out of four weeks a month 😊. I now have two adult children, and two minors to go, although I should say four to go as they are all still on the payroll, so to speak! I am not sure I am any wiser, but I can say that I am all the richer thanks to a quarter-century of great memories of great wines and great times. This past Fall was certainly extraordinary in this regard, thanks to celebrations on both coasts over the course of a month, a week of which led up to my birthday in New York City. After warming up with a couple of great Wine Workshop events Monday and Tuesday, Wesdnesday saw a group of some of my closest friends and best drinking buddies host an evening of mainly 1971s, which is, of course my vintage. We didn’t always stay on topic, but that can happen with attention span these days. Appropriately, it was chez Big Boy. The gang was all there, Chef Hardy was in the kitchen, and we were ready to celebrate life once again.

The evening had a bit of turbulence taking off, as a magnum of 1971 Salon was a bit advanced, not DQ’d but not perfect. It had nice texture but was soon an afterthought (94A-M).

The first official flight was an oldie and a greatie. I don’t think I’ve ever had close to half a millennium in one flight of wine before. We started with my 1914 Pol Roger. It was Montrachet-like with a nutty and oily mouthfeel. Creamy and honeyed, there were nice wheat flavors to its magnificent texture. This was round and made me want to be Champagne-bound. Richness, roundness and greatness kept appearing in my notes, ‘what a body’ someone remarked. While it had lost all of its fizz, and I have had another bottle or two of this wine this century that hadn’t, there was no doubting its deliciousness and potability at age 107 (97).

The most appropriate wine to follow a 1914 Pol Roger is certainly a 1914 Moet. This was before Moet made Dom Perignon, so all the Dom was still in the Moet. The Moet was a bit grassy, lighter than the Pol Roger but a little fresher to Jetski, and he was right, unusual as that may be lol. It was still round and creamy, ‘so sharp’ per Gentleman Jim, and that was a compliment. There was a lightness and elegance here in an ethereal way, and someone commented on its ‘vitaminy sweetness from dosage.’ There was still enough honey and cream to go around in this ancient wonder (96).

#14) 1988 Roumier Bonnes Mares VV – All I can say about the 1988 Roumier VV is that it remains one of the greatest Burgundies ever made and respectfully request that Roumier makes another, and another, and another. Hands down the wine of the night and thanks to Big Boy for this special treat. ‘Vapor Juice’ according to a very experienced guest, which means it barely exists. For those of you keeping score I would go 99 no question. This was in a perfect spot, its richness, body and length in perfect harmony. Its fruit was rich, its finish was spicy, yet it was still delicate. What a wine!

An original bottle of 1911 Moet followed, and while it was a touch oxidized in the nose, its palate was ‘holy f***’ per Big Boy. It was sugary in an Icee good kind of way, clearly richer than the ’14, with some sasparilla action on its finish. It wasn’t a perfect bottle, but it was still great (97A).

One good 1911 Moet deserves another. This was a later release; in fact, it was released by Moet to celebrate the 100th year of this vintage. When first released, it was sold at auction along with a date with Scarlett Johansson. I’m not sure if the first buyer ever got that date, but I do know that the second buyer insisted if he got that date, Hollywood history might have been a little different lol. There was a ‘bigger finish’ here per Big Boy, and Jetski admired its ‘smokiness.’ There was so much exotic to this bottle – exotic fruits, exotic fireplace. It was clearly the most complex, and most people’s favorite. 110 years old never tasted so good (98).

A couple of DRC Montrachets segued us to the reds, beginning with a 2010 DRC Montrachet, which had a spectacular nose. It had lots of cut, great minerality and a long, elegant and stylish finish. While a bit young, there was no doubting its pedigree. This was hallmark in every sense of the vineyard and vintage, with that extra touch of DRC weight and kink (98).

The 2002 DRC Montrachet was clearly more mature, and some were not sure of its purity. It was nutty and more cloudy, showing more botrytis. While not past its peak, it clearly wasn’t on the fresher side of the daisy. There was a lot of lanolin and game in this still impressive white. It was on the mature side and arguably affected but still outstanding. I think the freshness and verve of the 2010 altered the perception. That’s a real thing and why company is so important (96).

A flight of Monfortino began with a 1971, of course. The 1971 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Monfortino Riserva was a perfect bottle of this wine, ‘as good as it gets’ per Diamonds. It was ceramic and leathery with darker fruits on the black and tar side of things. Its acidity was tremendous, and ‘straw on fire’ came from the crowd. This was a special bottle of Nebbiolo (98).

The 1958 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Monfortino Riserva was more elegant with redder roses. It had an stylish finish but was still very strong with lots of stony qualities. Leather abounded, and Lady Agah found it hit ‘the sweet spot.’ This was a gorgeous, mature Barolo (95).

The 1937 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Monfortino Riserva had some VA but also some sex appeal per The Admiral. I couldn’t do it at this stage. Old Barolos get highly risky after age 70, but sometimes still hit it (90A?).

It was Bordeaux’s turn to take a spin around the 1971 vintage with a couple of Pomerols in charge, starting with a magnum of 1971 Trotanoy. It was much fresher that the bottle the night before, but then I wrote fresher wasn’t the right word. The other was much more oaky, while this magnum was rich, creamy and coconutty, more classical in every which way. This was a perfect Trot, with round and tender leathery supplements, along with citrusy ones and a succulent, plummy core (96M).

The 1971 Petrus was ‘the same as last night’s bottle’ (last night was the Wine Workshop’s 1971 Dinner, btw). I couldn’t fish the note out from that, but the Petrus was richer and more decadent than the Trot. Even Jetski was impressed. It is pretty rare that anything similar can top a Petrus, even when owned and run by the same family (97M).

The Rhone took over with a pair of legends, the top wines from the North and South. A 1971 Chave Hermitage was musky and full of animal aromas – sweat, skin, fur and meat. It was rich, hearty and smoky, crackling with fireplace action. This was a tasty wine with a finish full of mesquite flavors. It is always a treat to have an old Chave like this; I rarely see anything older than 1978 (95).

The 1971 Chateau Rayas took the vintage up a notch. Certain years hit slightly differently in the Northern and Southern Rhone, and the Rayas hit almost as hard as it gets. The Admiral admired its ‘delicious’ and ‘jammy’ personality. It was tender and honeyed, balanced in its body and its sweet strawberry and honeyed flavors. Its palate was fresh and so lively, whistling ‘like the Western wind’ whatever that meant. Old Rayases are super rare, and incredible treasures (98).

We finally made our way to Burgundy, where 1971 sits amongst the pantheon of great red vintages, and a vintage whose wines are still singing at full strength right now. You know I had to be born in a great vintage, right 😉 The 1971 Dujac Clos de la Roche is another wine you don’t see every day. It is the third vintage commercially released by the Domaine! While its nose was a little mushroomy at first, certainly a touch funky, its palate was spectacular. There was a savory decadence here to go with prime earthiness and rich fruit. The full mélange of black, red and purple was on display here. Amazing wine (98).

The 1971 Rousseau Clos St. Jacques that followed had a crispy nose, citrusy and honeyed, reflecting like a mirror in a honey crisp way. It had a musky and sexy nose, and it was dusty, dusty, I wrote twice, make that American Dream Dusty for those of you up on your wrestling references! What was most amazing about the Rousseau was its freshness. That citrusy smack carried over to its flavors, and the wine vibrated on the palate. It was another great 1971, completely different in personality (97).

The 1971 Vogue Musigny VV, which can be great, wasn’t the best of bottles. It was darker, deeper and on the blacker side of the fruit spectrum. Someone also commented, ‘this can be exuberant but this is the darker side of this wine.’ The force wasn’t with it (94).

There was only one place to go for a celebration of 1971, and I will give you three clues. D…R…C. And five of them, no less! I love my friends 😊 We started with the DRC Romanee St Vivant, which was a great bottle of this wine. In fact, it was the best bottle of DRC RSV I have ever had. It had a brothy and foresty nose without the usual minty green goodness, though. Its acidity was bright, and the palate stayed brothy and sexy. This was an overachiever of an RSV, and a Wilf Jaeger bottle, that always helps (97).

I didn’t write much about the 1971 DRC Grands Echezeaux, of which I am usually a huge fan. This bottle got lost in the sauce of the RSV and the Richebourg that followed, even though it can often steal the limelight from both. Citrusy was the main takeaway, and while still outstanding, it was the fifth wine in the Fantastic Four (95).

The 1971 DRC Richebourg was smooth and satiny, special and sexy. It was incredibly sensual, long and unfurling in an elegant, playful way. There was more pitch here, hitting a high note previously unachieved by the last two. The Rev admired its ‘expressiveness,’ while I admired its rosy, red fruits and amazing spice (97).

1971 DRC La Tache. My birthday month was a great one if measured by this legendary wine. Two bottles, one magnum and one Jero. In fact, this was the second of three nights in a row with this wine. I think that’s called peaking lol. This was the second bottle of the week, and the best of the two. I’ll get to the magnum and the Jero in the next couple articles, I promise 😊 This bottle was incredibly decadent. Its nose was full of honey, menthol, musk, black fruits and tar. Its acidity was endless and perfect, lingering like a sunset during summer in Europe. Its palate was minty and dripping with cherry and ceramic goodness. This was a perfect bottle of what will always be a perfect wine to me (99).

Hold on there, fella. There was still a 1971 DRC Romanee Conti to be had. It was much deeper and darker, showing a beefier side than the LT. It had more earth and yeast as well. There was a density here unequalled by the La Tache. This was the masculine to the feminine of the LT, and let’s just put me in the ladies camp lol. While thicker and more substantiative, the elegance and grace of the La Tache stole the show, and stole my heart (98).

There were two more wines on this night, one of which I had taken a note, and I am glad I did, as it was a once-in-a-lifetime, perfect bottle of 1947 Petrus. Knowing the cellar where it came from, and how long it had been there, I was extremely excited to have this bottle, and it didn’t disappoint. I had never before had a bottle quite like this and might never again. The signature motor oil of the Right Bank in this vintage, which isn’t always there, was on full display here. The bottle hadn’t been moved in decades btw. There was so much chocolate and cream, oceans of fruit, and a thickness and richness unmatched by any other wine on this incredible night. ‘Sex appeal’ and ‘wow’ came from the crowd. With its kinky fruit and a sexy, stylish finish, this wine was all dressed up with only one place to go: “In my belly!!!” (99+).

The 1950 Cheval Blanc was another spectacular, old Right Bank wine. It was definitely in the 97-98 point territory, but I was no longer taking notes. I don’t recall how I got home, but I do remember there was another dinner the next night. Twice as many people were attending, so we had to do magnums. The celebration would continue!

Hello again! It has been a while. Let’s talk about 2021 again, a year that began with much uncertainty. In 2020, after everything shut down, I went to New York in the summer and for Christmas, and that was it. No one was really moving around, and the same went for Q1 of 2021. I scooted to St. Barth’s in January for a very select gathering on a very big boat, and then I went to Miami in March for a long weekend. People were actually going to dinner in crowded restaurants, could it really be??? I survived, the vaccines started becoming available, and soon some trips to New York followed, including a month over the summer. My rotation was limited to a few major American cities this past Fall, but there were some spectacular events that happened. The demand to share and care was pent up, some significant birthdays occurred, and the rest is wine history.

I wanted to get this article out about a month ago, but Covid finally caught up to me after nearly two years of “clean” living in mid-January. One of my kids gave it to me, what was the quote back in the day, was it Scooby Doo, “if it weren’t for those damn meddling kids” lol. Feeling better and better as time goes on, and I don’t plan on staying home forever again, either. In New York the week of March 7th for those of you there, let me know 😉

Let’s get to it, the Wines of the (last) Year! For those of you that are new to this, or for those of you that forget, any wine I give 97 points or up is something I consider to be one of the best wines I have ever tasted. It’s a significant hurdle, and there were 182 wines I tasted in 2021 that achieved that status. 149 of them were 97 and 98 points, and here they are, organized by points and vintage. I know, I should be able to find a way to get these things published, but for now, you get the scores, and what will follow are the tasting notes for the 33 wines that achieved 99 points or plus. 33 notes are a lot for a guy that hasn’t published one in a year. Cut me some slack, if you’re nice to me I might try to start getting one or two of these articles out every month moving forward 😊

Without further ado, here are the 149 wines that I tasted this year that were 97 or 98 points. I would put the accuracy level at 95%, as I don’t always take notes, especially as I get older. After this list come the tasting notes, I promise!

So the 33 wines that got 99 points or plus I have consolidated to a Top 15, I hope it makes sense!

#15) 1989 Haut Brion – This wine achieved 99 points three times for me in 2021. It almost gets taken for granted given its youth compared to the other Bordeaux that usually crack this list, but make no mistake about it, this is one of the best Bordeaux ever made. Here is my best note from last year:

Another monumental bottle of this wine! I don’t think I have ever had more bottles of a specific wine that have consistently scored as great as the 1989 Haut Brion. I mean, occasionally this wine scores 98 or 98+ and not 99. Never 97! And I must have had it 50 times. It will forever be one of the greatest Bordeaux ever made in my lifetime. Let’s get back to the actual note. ‘Nose so good’ is how mine started; the song remained the same. There were so many minerals, wheat and what I deemed great compost. The fruit flashed sweetness like meaningful eye contact from across the room. ‘So good’ appeared again, followed by ‘the best’. There was a tasty nuttiness to its divine finish.

#14) 1988 Roumier Bonnes Mares VV – All I can say about the 1988 Roumier VV is that it remains one of the greatest Burgundies ever made and respectfully request that Roumier makes another, and another, and another. Hands down the wine of the night and thanks to Big Boy for this special treat. ‘Vapor Juice’ according to a very experienced guest, which means it barely exists. For those of you keeping score I would go 99 no question. This was in a perfect spot, its richness, body and length in perfect harmony. Its fruit was rich, its finish was spicy, yet it was still delicate. What a wine!

#13) 1947 Krug Collection – But that 1947. Big Boy insisted we wait and let it unfold in the glass, but I’m not as patient as him. This was richer and wealthier than the 61 – more raw materials to work with. There were more brown sugar kisses, so many kisses. There was also this incredible smokiness along with a unique nuttiness and a savory musk that put this wine in a different stratosphere. I don’t own my own rocketship, but I’ll take a bottle of this instead any time.

#12) 1953 & 1959 Lafite Rothschild – I need to give a little context here, since this is a combo note(s). These were wines 44 and 45 on the most spectacular wine night of my year, hosted by the Rev for his 60th birthday even though he looks younger than me. Suffice it to say when wines #44 and 45 stand out, you remember them, but you may not write as much as usual. Here is the note: The two greatest Lafites ever made. Superb bottles that were pure perfection with all the classic claret components – cassis, cedar, pencil, nut, caramel, a touch of cream and lots of spice. Exceptional balance between fruit and finish and the sweetness was just right. Superlative stuff!!!

#11) 1992 Ramonet Montrachet (Magnum) – I have had a long love affair with the 1992 Ramonet Montrachet, often giving it 99 points. This one was right there; I am pretty sure the last time I had this made my top wines of the year as well. 1992 was also a sweeter vintage but it didn’t come across as sweet as the Leflaive (a 2001 Montrachet Magnum), and it had more tropical rainwater to it along with absolutely stunning texture. Its palate was gorgeous with honey, corn and burnt sugar flavors lingering both in the mouth and in the belly. It sparkled on its finish. Special wine.

#10) 1945 & 1978 Rayas – Unlike my Lafite combo, these will be two separate notes on two separate occasions. Rayas is one of the world’s most thrilling and unique wines, I guess that’s why its prices have gone up almost 200% this past year or so! The first note references Instagram, where I post most of my notes these days, come follow me lol.

I feel like it might be time for me to go on a run. Not like a real run don’t be silly lol. Like a run of posts and see if I can break my previous record of 20+ days I forget the number. My California trip is off to a sizzling start and reminded me that some of the best bottles are the ones you can’t sell. This Rayas was either from 45, 47 or 49 as that is what my friend bought from a great old cellar decades ago, but the vintage tag had fallen off, so there was no way to verify which one it was. They did not brand the corks with the vintage back then. So we drank it. This is even pre-Jacques, you can see L. Reynaud on the label for Louis, who was one of the first to estate bottle and sell his own wine in Chateauneuf. The wine was glorious, and based on my experience with 40s vintages in general, I think it was a 1945, but that is really irrelevant. The relevance is how amazing Château Rayas is, one of the truly unique and spectacular wines in the world. Having been there and seeing and understanding the unique microclimate there, I am not sure anyone else can do the same with Grenache. The wine aged magnificently, still with fresh strawberry fruit, extraordinary balance and significant length. The Provençal spice and the touch of brand-new leather were the right supporting actors to the fruit, which was the star of the show. So good, so special, so lucky!

Sexy, rich and decadent, the 1978 gave me a cherry cola impression at first. This was all about the Grenache, but the usual strawberry was second place to the rarely seen and under-appreciated lingonberry! Lingonberry!!! I am so glad to have two Rayas in my top wines of the year as I love it so!

#9) 1961 La Mission Haut Brion – It was tough to imagine a better bottle but somehow the La Mission edged out the Latour. It took longer to unwind and show its full frontal. At first, leather, charcoal and gravel dominated. It was a touch musty, which blew off into a beautiful mesquite and sandalwood. The palate was also fleshy and deep, its purple haze balanced by minerals and tobacco, almost a touch of clove. The finish lifted off like billionaires do these days, and that’s what separated the La Miss ever so slightly. Its chocolate components got sexier and sexier and ‘amazing’ appeared numerous times in my notes.

#8) Every 99-point Rousseau of the Year. So here you see how I have consolidated, as there are six of them, including one twice. What is most surprising to me is that 5/6 of them are also Clos de Beze, which can often trade 20% less than the “regular” Chambertin. Hmmmmmm. Regardless of that market inefficiency, no one can doubt that if Rousseau is on the label, the wine will be great, if not one of the best wines you’ve ever tasted. From youngest to oldest:

1993 Rousseau Chambertin Clos de Beze – Long-time readers will know my deep and lasting love for this wine, and this was another spectacular example. This was a thick, rich and heavy wine, with amazing concentration and a wow finish. Its flavors showed the full spectrum of Burgundy greatness. This was a heavyweight boxer compared to anything else, period! This was the one Rousseau that breathed the rare air of 99 points twice.

1991 Rousseau Chambertin Clos de Beze – The Beze was spectacular, with great fruit and musk in its nose. Tender strawberry, cherry and cranberry aromas were amidst a playful pillow fight for alpha status, but it was tough to pick a favorite. Wintry spice blanketed its sexy fruits, and great citricity and acidity began a list of many other greats in my notes. Its spice became ‘unbelievable’ and its leather smacked my mouth around. This was a wow wine. ‘So sweet’ and ‘sweet unctuosity’ came from the crowd. Its palate was bright like Scandavian summers. This was a stone-cold killer of a wine.

1991 Rousseau Chambertin – First 99 point wine of 2021. I’d say more but was too hungover from the forty wines I sampled over 36 hours this weekend. This was the St. Barth’s trip I previously mentioned. It’s tough to take notes when the Admiral is in charge!

1985 Rousseau Chambertin Clos de Beze (Magnum) – Both Bezes were extraordinary. The 1985 was more than rich; it was generationally wealthy, still young and still with a touch of baby fat. Dark, black fruits dominated this sumptuous and sexy wine, which was clearly WOTN so far. I couldn’t stop commenting how impressed I was with its youthful showing. A perfect bottle.

1971 Rousseau Chambertin Clos de Beze – Can someone explain to me why the Rousseau Beze is always less in price than the “regular” Chambertin? Is it the label design lol. Recent head-to-heads of both 1991 and these glorious 1971s had Beze on top by a decent margin. The 1971 was pure magic, silky and sensual with fabulous flavors and a delicacy unfound in younger wines. It was a real treat especially since my vintage. Another thank you to the one and only Big Boy.

#7) 1961 Dom Perignon Wedding Cuvee (Magnum) – The magnum of 1961 DP, the ‘Wedding Cuvee’ for Charles and Diana, was as good as older Champagne gets. Even though it was the 43rd wine I sampled on this day, it got my attention. ‘So good!’ was the initial impression. Rich, vivacious and sparkling as much as anything possibly can; its wintry, white flavors balanced out with its sweet caramel and honeyed finish. So much spritz out of magnum still, that always makes the difference! Rocket fuel!

#6) 1964 Giacosa Barbaresco Santo Stefano Riserva – This was the first vintage of SSR, and also the vintage of Ray Tuppatsch. Some of you may know him as King Angry; he later transformed into the Cardinal, then La Machina. I may be missing a name or two. To me, and to those that knew him well, he will always be King Angry, ready to let everyone know if someone was not representing appropriately for any given event. Ray was one of my first true friends in wine; we explored and drank our way through everything together. It is with great sorrow that I let all of you know that Ray died in 2021 at the very young age of 57. It was a heart attack. Ray was not a big doctor guy; in fact, he avoided them. All I can tell you is that you need to check yourself every year for everything, and if you don’t this is what could happen. This was my first great loss of a friend, someone my age. When Bad Boy summoned a few of us for a gathering, this bottle reached out to me, and it was the perfect choice for the perfect gentleman, Ray Tuppatsch. The wine was complex with cement, rose, sour cherry and ceramic aromas and flavors. Clay, cigar and more cherry dripped in my mouth. I couldn’t and didn’t stop drinking this nectar of a wine. Italian wines don’t get better, and neither do Italian guys! I love you and miss you Ray Tuppatsch.

#5) 1954 Henri Bonneau Reserve des Celestins – First vintage. Thrilling bottle. Shy on the nose but explosive on the palate. Lots of red fruits and barbecue aromas, great freshness. Consistent with the 1990 I had a couple months ago as to the overall quality, but this was better given the tertiary flavors that came out. Rich and decadent this was a bottle that deserved some singular attention and got it to the last drop. Chateauneuf du Pape in all its glory!

#4) La Tache. La Tache. La Tache. Here is another consolidated combustion of one of the finest wines made year after year. Any time any vintage of this is opened, it is a special occasion. Six vintages, seven notes, let’s roll it back again youngest to oldest:

1999 DRC La Tache – This was the second of the three 99-point wines sampled on my first wine weekend of 2021, and it delivered the apogee of this wine’s experience. It had a sweet core amongst dense layers upon layer of fruit. Rich, dense, chewy, thick, long, this wine was packed with fruit and blessed by a touch of good green. Amazing juice!

1991 DRC La Tache – The 1991 was in a perfect spot. It was redder than the 99, more sensual and less powerful. It was very perfumed with great leather and spices. Still with grip, this was ‘high-toned with bracing acidity’ and reminded another guest of ‘treble versus bass.’ Another found a Barolo-like edge to this beauty of a bottle, and there were classic menthol kisses to this spectacular La Tache.

1990 DRC La Tache – The ’90 La Tache’s nose was a deep, dark forest with lots of iron and the glove to go with it. There was incredible acidity here, and there was no doubting that this was one of the great bottles of this wine. I made a side comment about bottle variation, but let’s focus on the iconic bottle that I was enjoying. Its palate was full-bodied, rich and long. It was so deep and so young still, yet showing evolution with its citrus and leather backside expression. There was so much rust, leather and spice here, I envisioned Marco Polo coming back home with an incredible bounty of goods – all in this singular sensation of a bottle!

I had two 99-point experiences with the 1990 this year. A weekend in St. Barths started my wine year, and this was the ‘wine of the weekend.’ I can’t remember if it was two or three nights, but this was the last wine we tasted and certainly the best of forty wines sampled, although it wasn’t the first 99-point wine of the weekend, as you already know!

1978 DRC La Tache – Big Boy hailed the 1978 as ‘the real deal,’ and I could not disagree. It had all the mint and menthol action, spearmint to be more specific. It was a buttery wine in the mouth, oozing richness and tasty brick and caramel complexities. Its finish was long and full of acidity; there was no doubt that greatness was upon us.

1971 DRC La Tache – The 1971 LT was another level from the rest. Decadence was the first word that came to mind. There was this glaze of honey to go with signature menthol and musk. Its fruits were a touch blacker with a pinch of tar to go with its (of course) great acidity. Mint, cherry and ceramics rounded out this perfect bottle.

1959 DRC La Tache – Heads and shoulders the best LT of the flight, which was six significant samurais of vintages for La Tache. Flat-out awesome, this was indubitably a perfect bottle, brimming like a dozen fresh roses on Valentine Day. ‘Juicy’ came from JB, and it was so rich, so saucy, like the best homemade Italian red sauce. There was a touch of cereal/oat/wheat to it in a tasty way, rounding out this spectacular wine.

#3) 1947 Lafleur – The chances of having a real bottle of 1947 Lafleur is slim to none. But on this magical weekend, Vandermeulen came through with a spectacular bottle of this wine; make sure your Vandermeulen bottles have an embossed label! That is the lesson I learned on two occasions this week. Concentration was what this wine was all about; it came with the expected richness and mouthfeel accordingly. It dripped plums and prunes, chocolate and mocha. It stood out even after the 45 Mouton that was my – spoiler alert – one of my favorite wines of 2021! This wine was deep, deep inside, deep as the Milwaukee Bench, and that’s not basketball talk, that’s oceanography! Incredible wine!

#2) 1945 Petrus (with a Best Supporting nod to 1989 Petrus) – There was a staggering amount of great old Petrus on Bad Boy’s 14th Annual 50th Birthday Party, but none greater than the 1945 Petrus. This was my second perfect bottle of 1945, and I’m not sure I will see a third any time soon. It has been a while since the last one. This was an epic bottle from the greatest vintage of the 20th century. It had it all – the plum, the chocolate, the leather, the minerals. Everything was in perfect proportion including a finish that still hasn’t quit. PS – the 1989 had on this same night is the modern day equivalent of the 1945 and its equal for sure – lock and load up!

#1) So there were three wines that achieved the very rare 99+ points this year. It is impossible to say which one was best as they were each the best wine on three of the best wine nights I ever had. Let’s keep it consistent and go youngest to oldest:

1971 DRC La Tache (Magnum) – So this was one of the crown jewels of my 50th Birthday weeklong celebration. The next wine was, too, but I digress. I’m a very lucky guy. The month preceding my 50th birthday (I was born on 11/21/1971 for those who like to keep score), I was privileged to taste 1971 La Tache twice out of bottle, once out of magnum, and once out of jeroboam. This magnum was definitely the best of all the 1971 La Taches I was fortunate enough to have this past Fall. Here’s the note:

Very thankful to be born in 1971 and having the opportunity to have this wine four times out of three formats this month! This magnum was the best of them all. ‘Perfection’ was the first thing I wrote. Incredible musky spice and a sensuality of sweet red fruits that very few wines can match. Roses, strawberries, Asian spices, menthol…its minerals kept morphing and its spices kept spitting like a great MC. This wine had a lot to say, and it made the whole room go giddy. It had incredible richness and mouthfeel, and its acidity and lift took its finish beyond borders. The 1971 La Tache still remains of the greatest wines ever made.

1947 Petrus – This was a perfect, once-in-a-lifetime bottle of 1947 Petrus. I’ve never had one before quite like this and might never again. The signature ‘motor oil’ of the Right Bank in this vintage, which isn’t always there, was on full display here. This bottle hadn’t been moved in decades before it made its way to me. So much chocolate and cream, oceans of fruit, and a thickness and richness unmatched by any other wine made my wine spine shiver. ‘Sex appeal’ and ‘wow’ came from the crowd. With its kinky fruit and a sexy, stylish finish, this wine was all dressed up with only one place to go: “In my belly!!!”

Last but not least is a wine that usually graces my Top Ten, actually my Top Three, for the years that I am fortunate enough to taste this legendary wine. It doesn’t get any better than the 1945 Mouton Rothschild. And when you taste over fifty of the best of the best of the best wines ever made (Eternal Thanks to The Rev!), and this wine is a step ahead of the rest, there you have it. And here you have my note for one of the greatest of the greats, the 1945 Mouton:

The most extraordinary weekends call for a most extraordinary wine, and make no mistake about it, that wine was the 1945 Mouton Rothschild. This is a wine I’ve had plus or minus 15 times in my life, and it’s been as good as it gets 3/4 times. Thats’s 99+. This is where I write a long love letter to Bordeaux and talk about how no region can age as consistently and spectacularly as Bordeaux, even if you have to wait at least 30 years. Some things are worth the wait! Caramel, mint, eucalyptus, cassis – 25% each and decadent to the last drop. I am licking my lips just thinking about it again.

2021 turned out to be one of the best wine years of my life, and I have been doing this a long time. I’m not sure if I can ever duplicate the above, but I can tell you one thing. I sure as heck am going to try! Let’s get together again!!! Special thanks to the Birthday bashers, where a significant amount of these 99-point wines were sampled – Bad Boy, The Rev, Operation Starfish, and even though we are still waiting for Big Boy’s much anticipated 50th Birthday Celebration, a special thanks to him for always bringing the Big Boy bottles! Lots of love for all of you who read this to the end, and lots of love to the people that make the world’s greatest wines!!!

I recently spent two days traveling, one day working, and two nights drinking in order to process and evaluate the collection of Dr. Ivan Volent. For those of you that want more background on this collection, please review the introduction in our auction. For those of you who want a quick reference, I will quote Martine Saunier, who knew of him, and she said, “You got a gold mine!”

We planned a dinner on the first night, a tasting to evaluate the storage and the quality of the overall collection. We started with a wine not from the collection, a 2014 Raveneau Montee de Tonnerre provided by one of the fortunate guests for our two night extravaganza. It was a classic Chablis but still very tight, too young as are many 2014s if you ask me; however, no doubt about it, it is an incredible white wine vintage for Burgundy. There were great minerals, sea shells, sea breeze, yeast and reticent yellow aromas, but ‘needs 5-10 years minimum’ was the final note (93+).

A 1985 Lynch Bages was our one stop in Bordeaux, and it was classic all the way, resting comfortably on a bed of cassis with some nut and pencil aromas. Its palate was softer, charming and tender – a typical, easy to drink 1985 Bordeaux (93).

A trio of 1988 Burgundies were next. While many wrote off the vintage as too hard, tannic and not having enough fruit, it seems as if 33 years later the narrative can change a bit. These were three beautiful wines, led by a 1988 Roumier Ruchottes Chambertin. This bottle was so fresh, with the classic brick and stone components of the vintage, with lots of mineral and rust, too. ‘Orange meringue and black cherry’ came from the crowd, along with ‘sandalwood and coriander.’ All very on point! The acidity was tremendous and the wine lifted in the glass and had great weight and texture. It still felt like it had a lot of life ahead of it (95+).

The 1988 Dujac Clos de la Roche had a lot of Christmas spice but a lot of dirty tootsie pop as well. Anise, Asian spices and ‘watermelon’ came out on the palate. This was a bit of a sweaty bird with a muddy finish. While still an excellent wine, I have had so many superhuman bottles of Dujac this year, but this wasn’t one of them. I still enjoyed it (93).

The 1988 DRC La Tache told everyone immediately that it was here for business. There was some creamy, sweet spice, with lots of dusty tomato on the vine and some white pepper and a twist of lime. This was a margarita of a palate, in fact! Speaking of the palate, there was so much density and richness by comparison to the previous two. Rich and leathery, it had great vitamin flavors on its thick and long finish. I was flip-flopping between 96 and 97 points (96+).

We had two Leroy wines in the next flight, since there was a lot of Leroy in the collection, but I combined the two notes into one. Both of these wines were big and rich. There were dark, deep, black fruits and forests with intense structure and acidity. A meaty richness defined its savory palate, which flirted with heavy but wasn’t quite that. It was beefy with great garden and minerality buried deep, deep inside. Asian spices, hoisin and a fine varnish all defined each of their finishes. The 1993 Domaine Leroy Latricieres Chambertin (96) had more weight than the 1996 Domaine Leroy Clos Vougeot (95), but the 1996’s acidity was brighter. The richness of these wines was impressive!

We finished up with the ultimate cheese wine, a Chave Blanc, make that a 2012 Chave Hermitage Blanc. It was a wine from another guest, so rich, so tropical, move over dessert wine! Dry whites or Champagnes work for me best with cheese, and the concentration of a Chave Blanc is arguably cheese’s finest complement (95).

So we did the inventory the next day, and there were a bunch of wines we rejected for low fills, heavy seepage, etc. I suggested we taste a bunch of rejected bottles, you know, to be extra careful. Given the provenance and storage of the collection, there was no hesitation by its owner. We started with a 1986 Coche-Dury Meursault Perrieres. There were two bottles, and they were different shades of color, this one being a bit darker and more brown, so we rejected one of the two bottles of ’86 Coche accordingly. And there was nothing wrong with it. The Coche offered a glimpse of greatness and sweet caramel flavors typical of the botrytis-y 1986 vintage. It was still excellent but honestly, probably a decade past its prime. It was fun to try but dried out in the glass, and I think Coche in general is best in the 20-25 year window. That means drink those 1996 and youngers. I have had enough over the years to comfortably say that (93).

The next bottle we had was a low fill bottle full of seepage around the bottom of the capsule. It was a 1994 Domaine d’Auvenay Chevalier Montrachet. Given the vintage and the condition, I wasn’t expecting much, but this wine delighted my palate! I suppose this is a good time to mention Dr. Volent’s obsession with humidity, which can often cause more conditions but also cause more longevity. This bottle was clean and still fresh, with an elegance and charm not typical of the Domaine’s style. It was tender and on a plateau, with lovely flavors in tight, skinny jeans. There were pleasant yellow hues of flavors with a touch of rainwater goodness. This was ‘just’ a tasty wine (95)!

A tantalizing duo of Richebourg took center stage for the reds, beginning with a 1985 DRC Richebourg. This bottle had heavy seepage; literally all over the top of the capsule, as well as a tear down one side. The wine was perfect. There was so much rose, but menthol was really first. Leather and citrus tang were joined by a touch of Worcestershire and some young orange and brick flavors. There were tender layers of caressing fruit mixing with both autumnal and summer fruit profiles, like a perfect Labor Day weekend. What a bottle (97)!

A 1990 Meo-Camuzet Richebourg was a much deeper and darker side of the terroir, with more similarities to last night’s Leroys than the prior DRC. It was impressive, quite concentrated and blackish with its foresty fruit. There was a lot of blackberry jam on the palate, and a density not matched by the DRC. In fact, it felt a lot younger than the DRC despite only the five year difference. This was a stacked and packed wine, mountainous in its expression, with another two decades ahead of it. And this bottle had a 4.5cm fill and a sign of seepage (95+)!

There was a bunch of 1964 Maison Leroy Chapelle Chambertin with multiple label variations from three importers, two different vintage tags and fonts, so we decided to leave it behind. We opened one of them, and the wine was fine and what it should have been, but it was corked. That unfortunately, randomly happens (DQ).

The piece de resistance for the entire trip was a low fill (6cm), seeping, 1978 DRC La Tache. It was wine of the weeknights lol. It had a similar profile to the Richebourg, but it had a higher pitch with more mint than menthol, and an amazing acidity that danced and pranced. One sip is all it took to know that there would be no chance for any wine to defeat it. ‘6cm! Sos!’ I wrote with emphasis. There was a divine spine and sexy spice here, a lot of Asian action and a citrusy smokehouse tang that titillated (99).

We had another 1994, again a d’Auvenay, this time a red 1994 Domaine d’Auvenay Mazis Chambertin. It was another lovely and tender wine, with delicate red fruits leaning on the cranberry and lingonberry side. A touch of wet earth emerged on its finish. It was another beautiful, mature wine from Leroy (93).

We finished with another duo of Leroy, and each of the last three wines were also rejected bottles with heavier conditions, but no flaws were inside the bottles! A 1988 Domaine Leroy Vosne Romanee Brulees, the first vintage for the Domaine wines, was lighter than expected, but solid and classic (93).

The 1993 Leroy Chambertin was the best Leroy of the week, again this deep and dark, brooding style of wine, dripping with black fruits. The richness here seemed somewhat reined in by comparison to the other Grand Crus from the night prior. The king of Chambertin certainly let every other wine know it was nobility, and while it was also dense, it was also balanced and nuanced. An incredible wine from an incredible vintage that tasted like it will outlive me (97)!

I almost forgot the 1997 Leroy Richebourg that we popped at the warehouse. It was another beautiful, maturing Leroy. It seems all the great vintages still need significant time, but the ‘lesser’ years like 1994 and 1997 are really hitting sweet spots around 25-30 years of age. It was a great experience for me to taste so many of her wines in a couple of sessions as they don’t get opened that often, and it will be less and less as the prices keep increasing. Interesting stuff. This Richebourg had pretty red fruits and a succulent body. It was juicy and tasty, with great balance (95).

It was an incredible couple of nights enjoying the magnificent collection of Dr. Ivan Volent. The moral of the story is buy what you can from it. You won’t regret it!

Putting together The Trinity Collection catalog was a little more effort than usual thanks to the incredible amount of rare Champagne. The goal was simple: only offer the best bottles, and we went through the entire collection three or four times making the ultimate selection. I personally looked at almost every bottle of Champagne 1971 and older, for my own edification. The opportunity to see any of these older bottles of Champagne is extremely rare, let alone this many. I was talking to Truly about the number of great Champagnes I’ve had from this collection over the years, and that we should put together a greatest hits of tasting notes. Truly said that would be nice and added a big “IF” we could do it, due to time constraints and having to launch the sale ASAP. He then added that he thought it would be much better if I took bottles that we were offering right now and wrote some new notes. I made a quick call, and I got a quick answer. “Whatever you want.”

It just so happened that this weekend saw both a small and large gathering, and both gatherings saw a lot of Champagne bottles opened. Eighteen, to be exact, and seventeen other wines tasted. I will get to the entire weekend in due course, but this article is just about the six bottles and magnum that I literally pulled out of this auction to drink this past weekend.

Two of the bottles I had Saturday night at Marea, the first being a 1966 Salon. You know, just your everyday 55-year-old bottle of Salon that has come up three times in the market in the last five years, and those three times were all single bottle lots. It didn’t disappoint. The Secretary of Defense was loving it right away, and I could not blame him. It had a very nutty nose, and it even smelled oily and viscous. Its palate was rich and creamy, with toasty and nutty flavors. This was like a great white Burgundy; while there was just a trace of fizz left, there was still tremendous acidity lifting its finish. Its finished lingered with kisses of herbs and woodsy goodness, flexing like a mature Montrachet. You may notice my score for a previous bottle was 98+. It’s a good example of how results for older bottles vary, the ‘Any Given Sunday’ theory. I’ll take a range of 96-98+ any day (96)!

A brief sidebar about Champagne and bubbles. Original releases of older Champagne tend to have less bubbles after forty years of age and become very wine-like. Many Champagne houses recently disgorge older bottles, which gives them a much fresher and bubbly personality. The only problem with recently disgorged bottles are that they are often drunk way too soon. They really need at least ten years on the cork, post-disgorgement, for the mature flavors to come out again. Otherwise, it’s all fizz and no flavor! It’s tough to say what is the ideal time to drink; it’s a matter of personal taste. All I can say is the mature flavors of an original bottle in good condition are thrilling, but not always as bubbly.

Back to my Saturday night, then there was a 1969 Krug. This bottle was so fresh and vibrant, it danced on my palate. Again, there was finesse here to the wine. There was a bit more mousse to the Krug than the Salon, but the Krug was also still very wine-like. There was less vanilla than I often get in Krugs, but it had perfect balance and freshness. Long, delicate, fine and smooth, it was another stunning bottle (96).

Two for two, we were off to a good start. There were eight bottles of Champagne served on this night. One was corked, and one was oxidized by the way, but I will discuss that more later. The next day saw us also at Marea, and a 1928 Louis Roederer came out first. This was a rich wine, the greatness of ’28 coming through with the power of a thunderbolt. I do recall the owner of this Champagne collection once calling 1928 ‘the greatest Champagne vintage of all-time.’ The Roederer reminded me of that statement, in a back-to-back future kind of way. It sung with apple cider vinegar flavors and character, and that’s in the good vinegar way, not the wine is cooked kind of way. It had almost searing acidity, again not in a bad way, in a somewhere between strong and extremely strong way. Its acidity hit the high notes, like a perfect bottle of 1996 Montrachet. Are you starting to see a connection (96).

Next up was a magnum of 1964 Veuve Clicquot Brut, one with a gold label, not sure if that makes it a reserve or not. This was a super sweet Champagne. Bad Boy dropped some of his extensive Champagne knowledge, “All old Clicquots are in good shape because they are loaded with sugar.” He didn’t say great, he said good, and that’s exactly what this VC was. Sweet, soft and a vinous version of a sugar factory, the Clicquot pleased, but you weren’t running to get seconds (92M).

A 1961 Taittinger Brut, not the Comtes de Champagne, was full of caramel aromas and flavors. It was a bit more mature in style, but still tasty and drinkable, albeit almost dessert-like in its personality. That signature, sweet, butterscotch style of old “Tatt” came through, with nice honey flavors and “sweet walnuts” per Truly. At least I think he was talking about the wine (93).

The next wine, I mean Champagne, was the wine of the day and one of the wines of the weekend. It was a 1953 Krug Private Cuvee Extra Sec. Breathtaking stuff. ‘Awesome’ was the first thing I wrote. There was still some spritz, but this was all wine. The best acidity of the day, and the previous night for that matter. There was a combination of toffee and half n half flavors with vanilla kisses and a citrusy finish that lit up my palate. Electric! You will notice a “NO LOT” in the catalog, sorry. Don’t worry, there are four more single-bottle lots (98).

There was actually one more bottle, but it was oxidized and undrinkable. It doesn’t matter what it was. It literally was the last of the seven. That happens when you open up lots of bottles of older wines, or Champagnes. Let’s not forget that Champagne by definition is a sparkling wine! I mentioned the first night, where we opened eight bottles, and one was corked and one was oxidized. And the oxidized bottle had outstanding color! The other six were so good, no one cared. The same thing happened with all the Champagnes we opened from this collection this weekend. The first six were so good, no one cared about the fact that the seventh was bad. The point is that if you cannot handle the minority of off bottles when drinking older wines, there are plenty of other things to try. For Champagne, I recommend 1979 or younger. Tough to find an off bottle in this category. But if you want to touch the sun, make sure you are mentally prepared.

It was a very spontaneous and special selection of Champagnes sampled this Saturday and Sunday. I hope you enjoy this catalog and these three special collections as much as I have over the years!