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The reds began with an obscure yet ‘famous’ wine, per Pekka. Batman was on the case with ‘high acidity,’ definitely placing it outside the Bordeaux camp. I got cedar, chocolate and cassis, but who was I to question Batman? The palate definitely wasn’t Bordeaux, Nebbiolo I questioned? In a roundabout way, the wine was a combination of my instincts. There were earthy and chocolaty flavors along with sweet and sour cherry, and a dry, leathery finish. Someone observed ‘bitter dark chocolate,’ and Chianti was my last guess for this 1986 Isole E Olena Collexione di Marche Cabernet Sauvignon. I think it won some major tasting years that Pekka held years ago, but time had passed this wine by now, I guess. It was still good with nice acidity (90).

I didn’t take a note for the Madeira Malvasia Velha bottled in 1954, as I didn’t want the sugar here to affect my palate after lunch. There was the tasting, after all.

We were back in the other room for the tasting portion of our Saturday marathon, and a magnum of 1976 Philipponat Champagne Clos des Goisses welcomed us to the second act of our day. I guessed Clos des Goisses, as I find its style easy to identify, at least the style of its recently disgorged bottles. This magnum was disgorged only two months prior, and Champagnes need much more time in the bottle after disgorgement to get the mature aromas and flavors out of them, at least in my opinion. The Goisses was grassy and fresh, pungent and vivacious with oodles of zip. It was a touch too grassy for me, and Juha noted ‘coffee’ (92+M).

A nutty nose that was deep, heavy and rich had an oaky streak to it that I was hoping would blow off. The palate was more oaky, making this not my cup of tea. The oak eventually blew off, and this 1924 Margaux was pretty and fragrant (90).

A 1928 Smith Haut Lafitte was the definition of doctored. ‘Funny’ and ‘cheap candy’ came from the crowd. This was a wild and kinky wine, although I am not sure I could call it even that. There was nice definition to this reconditioned gone wild Bordeaux. The best way I could describe it is sour candy city with a touch of bathroom sex where the girl is sucking on sour apple and watermelon jolly ranchers at the same time. Amongst other things. The funny thing about it was that was exactly it (90?).

The 1905 Louis Jadot Charmes Chambertin was breathtaking wine, a veritable secret agent of the wine world, as its complex aromas and flavors touched many parts of the globe. Hints of Italy, Spain and the Rhone were all there; let’s hope figuratively. Its sweet nose was ripe and red, and its saucy palate was full of coffee flavors. It was ripe, rich and exciting, lush and oily with impressive acidity. Its flavors became more nutty and caramel-y in the glass, and this wine was good to the last drop. This was one of my wines of the weekend (96+).

A 1930 Pichon Lalande began the next flight seductively, and coffee was the first impression. Olive and a red and brown fruit mí©lange followed. There were flavors of wafer, tobacco and red citrus. The wine was in 92 point territory but fell a point every sip as the air attacked. Good thing I drank it in three sips. This was a solid effort given the fact that 1930 was about as difficult a vintage as you’ll find in the history of wine (90).

I generally love old Cvnes, but this 1951 Cvne Rioja Vina Imperial didn’t excite me as much as usual. There was this raw poultry aroma at first, but thankfully the nose got beyond that and opened into light citrus, wafer and street corner. Someone noted, ‘bloody steak’ (91).

The 1975 Lafleur was black as midnight, so concentrated and rich. It was ‘a tannic pucker’ as one commented. Secondary aromas of leather, tar and mint gave way to flavors of tobacco, plum and more leather. Monstrously tight, it was hailed as ‘a voluptuous virgin,’ with decadent cherry flavors slowly emerging. This will be thrilling wine for decades to come. This was another wine of the weekend (96+).

A new flight turned out to have two of the weekend’s most legendary wines, even though neither made it into my weekend’s top wines. The first wines was another Cune, this time being a 1933 Cvne Rioja Vina Real. Again I was disappointed, as there was a metallic nose, with some Burgish fruit behind it. Suprisingly, it was Dirk Diggler’s favorite wine of the flight (90).

The next wine was another super-concentrated wine that was earthy and a touch dirty in that diaper and band-aid direction. There were black fruits, and its dirty started becoming a good, nightclub dirty. The palate was rich and concentrated, a heavy wine with an ocean of fruit and penetrating acid. It was another wine of the century, a 1947 Cheval Blanc. It was also a reconditioned bottle. The wine was outstanding, but I remain convinced that this wine was at its best a little more than a decade ago (95).

I was convinced into believing the 1987 Gaja Sori San Lorenzo was a Cali Cab, even though my first instinct was Italy. Dangit! It was solid and leathery, dry and impressive for a vintage I have never seen or heard much about in Italy (93).

The notes started to fade, and the next flight was one of Port, beginning with a 1908 Warre’s Vintage Port that looked like a white port and perhaps was suffering a little bottle sickness. But for 104 years old, it got a round of applause (90).

I can’t tell you much about a 1917 Borges Soaltheira Vineyard Vintage Port except that I gave it (93).

I can tell you that the 1931 Niepoort Garrafeira Port was thrilling. It spent six years in wood before being bottled in 1938 in demi-john bottles, before being decanted into normal bottles in 1979. It was one of the best ports I have ever had, full of caramel and pepper, delicious yet most importantly smooth. The secret of the Garrafeira style is one that needs to be shared with the majority of the wine world! Thanks to Dirk Niepoort for this memorable experience. He was also the only winemaker in attendance (97).

A 1963 Cockburn’s Vintage Port was a bit young and sweet by comparison (91).

All I can tell you about the 1980 Quinto do Noval Vintage Port is that it was the best port from this obscure vintage (92).

A 1932 Veuve Clicquot had things like ‘pickled jalapeno’ and ‘leather couch.’ This was like a dry fino, and its overly tangy and bretty personality made me (DQ) it.

I guess the whole flight wasn’t Champagne, as we had a red sparkler, ‘Sparkling Shiraz,’ I wrote. It wasn’t bad, and while mature, there was still acidity there. Grapes, raisins and figs were present in this rich and drinkable 1965 Bertani Recioto Valpolicella Valpantena Riserva Spumante Naturale (90).

Unfortunately, a 1949 Dom Perignon was completely oxidized (DQ).

A 1934 Bouchard Corton Blanc had a metallic nose but a powerful palate. It had great acidity, but felt a bit fresh for 1934. It was reconditioned, as most bottles in the Bouchard cellar are. The palate was full of minerals, ice and fat skin, and this was certainly rich and sexy chardonnay that kept getting better and better (95).

The 1991 DRC Montrachet was guava city. It had a minty, Monty style with its big mouthfeel, and Juha noted ‘jasmine flavors.’ It was not the greatest example/vintage of this legendary wine (92).

There was a second flight of whites, and two were no good, starting with a 1942 Les Successeurs de J.M. Garnier Meursault (DQ).

The next wine had a Rhony kink but also had this older, buttery white Burg thing happening. It felt like it had the same top-off of the ’34 Blanc. It wasn’t as good as the ’34, but it was still solid with nice minerals to go with its butter flavors. ‘Tropical,’ ‘mocha’ and ‘roasted’ came from the crowd for this 1926 Leon Christophe Meursault (92).

Unfortunately, a 1958 Haut Brion Blanc was completely oxidized (DQ).

There was only one flight of reds left for the day, and we started with a ‘rocket ship’ of a 1983 Rousseau Chambertin. This bottle was quite vigorous, so much so I thought it might be from 1990. There were great rose, vitamin, perfume, waterfall, mineral and red fruit aromas. This was high-pitched in every which way, and there was citrus and depth to its palate. Its acid uncurled like a cobra, and ‘raspberry smoothie’ and ‘perfect’ came from the crowd. Its saucy finish had the topic of ‘kissemura’ making a comeback. I have had good luck with 1983 Burgs, and this was a fantastic bottle (95).

The 1992 Leroy Richebourg had so much cedar that it almost had me in Bordeaux territory, but the rose, blood and musk said Burgundy. It had a screechy nose, and an even tighter palate, although the wine did open on its finish more. Red citrus flavors were present, and while the wine was big in true Leroy fashion, the vintage’s shortcomings were evident (92).

SuperSomm noted ‘a hint of chicken shit’ in 1990 Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle. It had a buttery nose with percolating hints of acid, but its palate seemed really evolved and jammy. It was smooth and satiny, but I wanted and expected more from this wine (94).

And that was Day Two of the Tasting of the Year.