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This past week I was in New York, but I might as well have been in Hong Kong, as the three dinners on my calendar were with three of HK’s finest collectors, all in New York on separate business occasions, although there were a couple of interconnected links.

The Chairman is a name bestowed on three different individuals in three different continents as far as Vintage Tastings lore goes, but it would be safe to say that they all might defer to the one in Hong Kong for any final votes in the boardroom. A number of us were treated to a night of incredible wine and food in the private room at Bouley, as the pulse of America’s and China’s investment market met and broke bread and reds.

I think five bottles of 1995 Krug went down the hatch by the time we sat down to dinner. The 1995 is definitely getting better with age, and it is starting to thicken a bit. It was still rustic yet bready, with nice oil and vitamin flavors, flirting with outstanding (94+).

The 1997 Chave Hermitage Blanc took up the Montrachet challenge, and if there were ever a white that could knock a Montrachet down to its knees, it would be this. While some might put its personality under the ‘acquired’ or ‘geeky’ category, I find his whites fabulous and unique. It had that glue-do-voodoo kink, which hopefully anyone who has had his whites will understand. There were kinky fruits, icy flavors and diamonds sparkling on its finish. It was round and full, with mango, game and (good) bitter flavors. This was a white wine still ascending at age 17, although its fruit was starting to hit that sweet spot (95).

The 2000 Drouhin Montrachet Marquis de Laguiche was more than up for the challenge. This is my favorite Montrachet in terms of price-to-quality ratio. It always delivers outstanding quality without the stratospheric price tag, and this was no exception. The crowd immediately jumped in the Montrachet camp, but of course, they were bankers, so no surprise there J. Its nose oozed buttery spice, along with nice mint, cedar and cream aromas. Its palate was long, smooth and buttery, while Jennie observed, ‘overripe pineapple.’ I loved this wine (95+).

Actually, it wasn’t the end of our Bordeaux program, as I had to slip in a blind wine of my own. Such generosity must be reciprocated. I told everyone if anyone guessed what the wine was, dinner was on me. After a few near-misses, The Chairman was honing in, so I decided to reveal it was a 1979 Petrus. This was a gorgeous bottle with an open nose full of chocolate. There was ‘a big, bold finish’ per someone or another, and its foreground was satiny, round and smooth. Mints, olives and other usual Petrus friends joined this party (95).

We had a couple more Ganbeis revisiting some of the Bordeaux, then a couple of Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelles. The 1989 was a dirty birdie (92) and the 1990 was jammy, chewy, friendly and zippy, one of the better bottles of this that I have had recently (94).

Oh yeah, we had some 2001 Yquem. Although I rarely drink sweet wine, that one rocks (98+).

I’m not sure how I managed to have lunch the next day, but the fact that it was at Marea helped. The Artist Formerly Known as Dr. Vino plucked a delicious 2012 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey off the list, and I felt better again. I can’t remember which wine it was, but they are all good from this up-and-coming Burgundy star.

For those of you that really pay attention to what I write, you may remember a group from Hong Kong called the AlcoholiHKs. Well, one of their Chief Drinking Officers was in town, so we two CDOs got together at Sparks, since he wanted a great American steakhouse. Since I was out Monday with the Hedonist, Tuesday with The Chairman and Wednesday again, dinner was at 5:30. If I wasn’t home by 7:30, I think I might have gotten a homemade vasectomy. So we shared a single bottle, a reasonable 2004 Montrose off the list. It was big and brawny, a bit tight at first, showing more oak than anything else. With some air, and some steak, it settled down into another drinkable ’04, solid but not earthshaking (90).

A couple of days later, I was lucky enough to catch The Zen Master while he transcended through New York City. The Zen Master is also a wine master, so there was only one place to take him: Charlie Bird. We warmed up with a 2007 Raveneau Chablis Montee de Tonnerre. It was quintessential Chablis; the ultimate starter wine. It drank like silk embroidered with exotic sea shells and minerals. There was smack to its lemony, tangy palate, and enough length to get into the serious class (94).

1983 Guigal Cote Rotie La Mouline. When it comes to the La la’s, there is no doubt that the La Mouline rules the roost, although any given Sunday, La Turque or La Landonne can of course steal the show. I doubt anything could show much better than this ’83. It was a great bottle, showing everything that La Mouline wants to give. Its nose was deep and dark, full of purple, violet and black fruit. Bacon, pepper and that Rhone hot rock spice simmered throughout the wine. This was big, rich yet deft, an agile wine on a heavyweight level (97).

There was one more wine on our menu, although we probably could have done without. Yeah right, it was a 2002 Rousseau Chambertin. 2002 has always been a darling vintage of mine, but it is starting to join my favorite camp. Dare I say greater than 1999 or 2005 as far as Red Burgundy vintages go? If we are talking pleasure right now, it is tough to argue against the 2002, and it still has a long way to go. There was flesh to the usual musk, wet bamboo and cherry fruit. It was open and singing, singular in its powerful terroir, and long with its acidity. This was a great wine, a definitive knockout blow (96).

Three of my favorite restaurants in NYC (Bouley, Marea and Charlie Bird) along with three of my favorite friends in HK made for three of my favorite things last week, all here in New York City. When it comes to fine wine, invasions are welcome.