Let’s get to the juice. We started with a 1982 Krug Collection, which was finally showing some mature aromas. My knock on all the recently released Krug Collections is that they are tough to drink upon release, delivering more rocket fuel and razors than fruit and flavor. This bottle was toasty and tasty with a balanced, nutty finish. ‘Great’ was written once, and the ’82 was finally starting to come into its own, although it still seemed young forever (95).

We began a fine flight of whites with a 1995 Coche-Dury Corton Charlemagne. It had a gamy, yeasty nose, a blend of yellow stew and waterfall. There was a touch of suntan to its nose, with the oil. The Coche was very forward, starting to turn the corner of its drinkability window. The palate was round and rich, tropical and smoky, still meaty. There was a rival mogul in the crowd, Jay G, who noted it had ‘a nose like the jungle.’ It did stay a touch gamy for me, too. A Chaperon from Dom Perignon noted, ‘sweet, spicy curry’ (94).

The 1998 DRC Montrachet was initially not at all like the bottle I had had six weeks prior in San Francisco, at least in the nose. This was less extroverted, possessing aromas of mint, smoke, waterfall, musk, citrus and butter. However, the palate was super sweet again; it was practically dessert wine. The sea urchin and caviar dish cut the sweetness of the wine a bit. Even though it seemed more mature in San Fran, I liked that bottle better, although this bottle wasn’t what I would call one of 99 problems (93).

It was time for some reds, and we began with a bang and a zoom, aka a 1990 Roumier Musigny. At first, this wine blew me away, showing 1990 at its best with a meaty nose full of iron, blood, rose, red fruits, musk and divine spice. Big Boy found it ‘tight as hell,’ and it was, but so tight never felt so right. It was a wow wine, just so thick and extraordinary. Black fruits came all over its palate, and someone hailed it as ‘nails.’ Licorice emerged after time. Big Boy debated its six-star status, and wasn’t as enamored with it as I was. I must confess, while this wine was in 97 point territory at first, after the Chambertins that followed, it seemed to lose a step, and I wasn’t as blown away twenty minutes later as I was at first bite. It was still pretty special, I think Bonnie and Clyde would have robbed a bank for this one (96).

The 1985 Rousseau Chambertin Clos de Beze was shy for 1985 at first sniff. Slowly, red fruits, iron, menthol and blood crept out of my glass. There was a citrusy intensity on top of its strawberry goodness, and its spine was erect and noteworthy. Its palate was rich, saucy and thick, especially given the usual style of the vintage. Flavors of beef, blood and iron combined with decadently taut red fruits to deliver a six-star experience (97).

It was turning into a La Tache kind of night, so we continued on with some 1985. This was the second time that I had this wine in this given week, which is by default the definition of a good week. It also reinforced the ‘first is always better than second’ theory, as this bottle didn’t live up to the previous one. Its nose was intensely complicated, led by the dirt first and the perfume second, although I’m not sure which quality I would put first. It had a sexy nose, with a touch of pungent, almost shellfish, along with oil, blood and a caramel glaze. There was a hint of dirty birdie there, but I think we all like that at some point or another, at least I do lol (94).

The 1990 DRC La Tache was an exceptional bottle, make that magnum, courtesy of our rival moguls in attendance. The Chaperon noted ‘cocoa and dark chocolate.’ It was clearly much younger than its two siblings, with blacker and pungent purple fruits. Its core was intense, so deep and so brooding, with a midnight-like complexity. There was also a hint of good dirty to go with its enormously long palate. Its acid uncoiled like a beast, and its brick flavors were thick and long. Jigga what? This was one of the better bottles of this that I have had in recent memory, make that magnum (97M).

Italy was the next destination, but the 1978 Giacosa Barolo Collina Rionda Riserva didn’t quite deliver the usual Giacosa experience. If a gun were to my head, Giacosa would be atop my list of Italy’s greatest, as in the greatest, but this particular bottle was a bit watery and marred by a touch of cardboard. The palate was easy and smooth, and its finish leathery, but this was the first 1978 Giacosa that I’ve had in a while that wasn’t staggering (92).

A 1978 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo was back in the right direction, delivering in classic fashion out of magnum. It had rich fruit in its black nose, was long and balanced, and had a dry and leathery finish. Yes, this is the part of the evening where the notes start to get shorter (95M).

The 1974 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo was not as good as the ’78. It was much more forward and mature, with more gamy fruit. It was great in a forward and ready to go kind of way, and it had the advantage of being served out of jeroboam (94J).

The 1955 La Mission Haut Brion double magnum was corked, but it was ok, as The Punisher brought a backup. The second didn’t have much time to breathe, so it was a bit tight, showing youthfully but with signature gravel and chocolate edges. It was pungent in the nose, but the palate was fresh and classy, smooth and sexy, with great lingering acidity (96D).

Magnums of 1974 Heitz Martha’s Vineyard were one of the least impressive experiences of this usually stellar wine. The nose was mint city with loads of eucalyptus, reminding me of 1947 Mouton but with more mint. The palate was even more minty, too much so, and although there was great structure here, the flavors came across a bit sickly for me (92M).

Oh, what a night. It’s a hard knock life.

I will try, I will try, I will try to write up La Paulee this year. I never got to 2010, possibly the best of them all. I only got through the whites for 2011, although I made a rapid-fire attempt to “tweet” the reds a week or so ago before La Paulee 2012, which ended up seeing 98 notes taken over the course of three, special, Burgundy-filled nights. And yes, I am now a tweeter, and so is Acker Merrall. Check us both out @JohnKapon and @AckerMerrall. I pretty much only do wine notes. It actually helps me stay more current and publishing more notes, as opposed to them being on a piece of paper in a drawer for eternity. So far, so good.

The 1971 DRC Richebourg that followed seemed to take it up a notch, and we could thank The Imperial Cellar for sourcing it originally. This was a perfect bottle, everything one could want from a bottle of this wine. Menthol sex immediately came to mind. Bouillon, cherry, tomato and wintergreen lit up the room with its bright nose. It was in 98-point territory, and the palate obliged with a rich, saucy and jammy personality. Yum. However, it, too, dried just a bit, taking it down a couple points. The transformation wasn’t nearly as dramatic as the Ponsot, although I felt that I was somewhat responsible by over-swirling. The wine got me so excited that I couldn’t help but swirl it around and around and around. Mental note – don’t overswirl older wines! Its red fruit changed to black, and cola emerged along with cassis. Gil closed it out with ‘Indian spice’ (96).

The evening was a prime example of a proper, civilized six-pack. We ended up with a ‘Top Ten’ wines of all-time discussion. For those of you that may not know, or that have forgotten, it goes 1945 DRC Romanee-Conti, 1945 Petrus, 1934 DRC Romanee-Conti for starters… It was great to go back in time with The Historian, and I look forward to more lessons in the near future.

The Envelopes, please…

The end of February seems to be the last call to look back and celebrate 2011, and I thought I would do some of my own celebrating before La Paulee and 2012 officially took over.We begin with two forgotten nights and end with the Top Ten wines of the year.

The Envelopes please…

Best Night I Never Wrote Up – New York :

And the winner is… The Don Stott Magnum Dinner

Best Night I Never Wrote Up – Hong Kong

And the winner is… One Blind Sifu

Best Producer

And the winner is…Eric Rousseau.

Best Value White Wine – Gruner Veltliner

I drank a lot of Gruner in 2011, meaning like 30+ bottles. These unique whites from Austria deliver incredible quality at an incredible price. You can get some of the best in the world for less than $50 or even $40 a bottle, and even the really inexpensive ones rarely disappoint for casual drinking.

Best Value Red Wine – Chianti Classico

Italy is a hotbed of uniqueness and diversity, with more grapes and regions in play than probably any other country. As much as I love Piedmont the most when it comes to my Italian wine regions, I find myself often grabbing a Chianti for casual drinking. Even though it isn’t a ‘Super’ Tuscan and perhaps its original popularity has made it less ‘fashionable,’ there is nothing like a good Chianti (try Fontodi or Felsina) to reward a hard day’s work.

Top Ten Wines of the Year

And now, the moment we’ve all been waiting for…

#10. 1996 Krug Clos du Mesnil (98+) – Clos du Mesnil is the Romanee Conti of Champagne, and 1996 is arguably its greatest vintage…ever. One has to go back to 1928 to find a vintage of comparable quality, per the Champagne man himself, Richard Juhlin. It is nice to see theory and practice come together. No matter how great any other 1996 Champagne may be, the Krug C du M takes the concentration and weight levels up a notch. “Whenever 1996 Krug Clos du Mesnil is served, it is a great night. It is one of the greatest Champagnes ever made, and it will be a benchmark for me for the rest of my life. Its nose was deep, big and rich, with aromas of saucy butter, wood, vanilla cream, nuts, oil and yellow musky fruit. The palate was huge yet balanced, with laser-like acidity and a tidal wave of a finish. I summed up the Krug with ‘strength and wealth,’ two of Americas favorite things (98+).“

#10. (It’s A Tie!) 1961 Latour (98+) – Although I haven’t had this wine over 100 times like my European wine brother Pekka (who has declared it the greatest wine ever made), I have had it somewhere around fifteen to twenty times, and it isn’t going out of style yet. One of the true wine monuments to Cabernet Sauvignon. “What better wine than 1961 Latour to have next? The ’61 is Pekka’s personal #1 wine of all-time, and he has had it over 100 times. Man, I thought my fifteen-to-twenty times tasted was pretty strong! The ’61 was another classic, again deep and brooding, full of signature walnut and cassis, with a hint of exotic berry and fig. Caramel and mocha drizzled about the nose. Its palate was also long and thick with perfectly-centered, lengthy acidity and an endless finish. The ’45 was more seductive with its kinky fruit, but the ’61 would win a back alley fight. There were great slate and stone flavors on the finish. This was an extraordinary bottle (98+).“

#9. 2001 Yquem (99) – Now I must confess, I don’t drink much sweet wine, and although I have long adored ancient Yquems, they just don’t make it into my rotation that often. And when they do, they tend to be older, but a 2001 this summer in Switzerland really made me stand up and take notice. It is rare that a young wine leaves a ‘greatest wine of my life’ impression, ie 99 points, but this Yquem did just that. Impressive, and relatively easy to acquire. “Even though I am not a big drinker of sweet wines, it was hard not to notice the greatness of the 2001 Yquem. This was so rich, so oily, so special, with coconut and cocoa butter and an exotic passionfruit, peach and apricot three-way unfolding dramatically in front of me. So creamy, so incredible, it was much more than just so so (99).”

#8. 1993 Rousseau Chambertin Clos de Beze (99) – Historically, this wine in this vintage has averaged 97 points for me, but something magical happened one afternoon in the middle of Hong Kong harbor on a yacht, with another dozen plus Rousseau wines from many great vintages. I almost forgot Eric himself being in attendance. This bottle 1993 reached beyond its normal wingspan and touched the heavens this afternoon, delivering a mind-blowing combination of fruit, finsh and balance. When a great 1993 Burgundy shows fruit like this bottle did, it can be amongst the greatest vintages ever in Burgundy. “There was something extraordinary about this bottle of 1993 Rousseau Chambertin Clos de Beze, bordering on supernatural. Everything I could ask for in a great Burgundy was there – ripe red fruits, forest floor and the complexity of terroir, breed, style, length. The fruit had a catnip-like quality that made me feel happy and silly, and its acidity and finish said, ‘I know I’m good now, but just you wait and see.’ It was impossible to stop drinking, even in the context of a dozen plus other, fabulous Rousseau reds. This may prove to be one of those lightning bolts in a bottle; on this day, it didn’t get any better (99).”

#7. 1999 DRC La Tache (99) – This has traditionally been for me one of the youngest wines to achieve ‘legendary’ status at a young age. While some 1999s have shut down a bit, the La Tache still shows why 1999 is one of the great and generous vintages of our lifetime. Even Aubert mentioned that it may be his greatest vintage ever, and he is not a man who would say something like that lightly. It will be a pleasure to taste this wine again and again and again over the course of the next three or four decades. “Last and never least was a 1999 DRC La Tache, which was clearly the best in our flight of the last three. Its nose was so deep; it felt like I could literally dive into its aromas. There was an oceanic feel to the breadth of its violet fruit. That plush 1999 signature fruit was everywhere. Sweet caramel and nut were balanced by smoke in this behemoth of a nose. The finish was so thick, I had to undo and work the wine back out of my mouth after each sip. It is rare that a wine this young makes me do cartwheels and handstands, but the ’99 LT is that great, especially for such a young wine. Stem and stalk flavors added zip and vim to the fantastic fruit. So long, so strong and so balanced, the 1999 DRC La Tache is an anywhere, anytime wine that has never delivered anything but an extraordinary experience (99).“

#6. 1989 Petrus (99) – It wouldn’t be an appropriate top ten list without one vintage of Petrus, and while there are many great vintages of Petrus that can flirt with this score, I find myself going back to 1989 more than any other vintage. It remains the reference point, great young Petrus for me. I am looking forward to an historical vertical of Petrus back to 1945 to be held later this year. “We warmed up with the 1989 Petrus. Man, I love this wine. 1989 is clearly the greatest modern-day Petrus, the one against which all others should be measured. We’ll see how vintages like 1998, 2000 and 2005 develop, but they will all have to answer to this vintage. The ’89 was unreal as always, even more of a behemoth out of magnum, infantile in its initial expression, and all the more brooding. There was still fruit showing, and its acidity was hidden at first but slowly uncoiled to reveal regality. Big Boy observed its ‘vahlrona chocolate.’ This wine was quite hedonistic, packed and stacked with chocolate, plums and earth, adding up to near-perfection again (99M).”

#5. 1989 Haut Brion (99) – The thing I love most about 1989 Haut Brion is the fact that I have had it at least a half-dozen times in 2011. It is the most accessible, young, great Bordeaux, no exceptions, and it always delivers a near-perfect experience. Some bottles ‘slip’ to 98 points, forgive it. No other First Growth between 1982 and 2005 can touch this wine. “We began with 1989 Haut Brion, which is the equivalent of Albert Pujols batting leadoff. I happened to have this wine last week as well (I love it when that happens), and both bottles were equally great. Great was actually an understatement. How’s this for a different statement – when all is said and done, the 1989 Haut Brion could possibly be the greatest First Growth ever made, and how ironic would that be since Haut Brion tends to lag a little behind the other Firsts as far as overall perception. The 1989 was fabulous with aromas of peanut, olive and densely packed cassis fruit. It was chewy, nutty and long, tickling my tongue and warming my soul. Its balance and length defined ‘thoroughbred.’ The greatest thing about this wine is that it has never shut down; it has always been incredible (99).

#4. 1966 Guigal Cote-Rotie La Mouline (99) – I have had this wine on at least three occasions, and my notes are consistent. The first vintage of Guigal’s La Mouline (which is easily the best of the three La La’s, by the way) remains a benchmark wine for the Rhone. What made this bottle even more impressive was how it sent 1971 and 1978 Roumiers, along with a 1945 Haut Brion (that were all spectacular bottles) to the back of the bus. In fact, it probably knocked the 1945 Haut Brion off this list. “It is rare for a Rhone wine to upstage Bordeaux and Burgundy legends like ’45 HB and ’71/78 Roumiers and so forth, but the 1966 Guigal Cote Rotie La Mouline did just that. It had a ‘wow’ nose, full of white pepper and sexy supporting singers named violet, bacon and beef. One commented, ‘this is perfect; no flaws.’ It was incredibly tasty, adding lavender to its previous violet and bacon, and its flesh and length were superb. There was great kink to its finish, and its flavor was as good as the Rhone gets. In fact, the 1966 La Mouline, its first vintage, might be the greatest wine ever made in the Rhone. Consistent notes (99).”

#3. 1962 DRC La Tache (99) – It is always great to have a flight of old wines from the same vintage, as it really gives a perspective that one would never have with one bottle. On New Year’s Eve, thanks to Big Boy, we had a flight of 1962 Burgundies that will be difficult to duplicate. Rousseau, Vogue, Roumier…they were all spectacular, but there was only one 99-point wine, and it was La Tache. “It couldn’t get any better, could it? Enter 1962 DRC La Tache. At first, there were oysters and ocean action in the nose; it needed some time to unravel, and did it ever. Aromas of rose and tobacco slowly took over, with secondary rose and menthol seeping up out of its earth. The palate was out of control. It was rich, saucy and long with crazy spice and oomph to its finish. I must confess that I was starting to think the sun was setting on the 1962 vintage, in a long, graceful way, as great vintages fade away and never disappear. I am happy to officially stand corrected. Long live La Tache (99).“

#2. 1966 Krug Blanc de Blancs (99) – This is one of those bottles that doesn’t exist. Really. 500 bottles were made, and it was only made in 1966. This was the pre-cursor/predecessor for the Clos du Mesnil thirteen years later. 1966 is often hailed as the best vintage from Champagne’s greatest decade, and one sip of this nectar states that case clearly and concisely. Every Champagne lover should be fortunate enough to taste this at least once. “Big Boy went straight to the hoop, Blake Griffin style, with the next selection. ‘Perfect, flawless, top five ever produced,’ he went on, and he was right. Richard was at first in the 55/47 camp, identifying the strength of the wine with some of Champagne’s strongest vintages. Its nose was both classic and insane at the same time. There were hints of hinterland oak, along with meaty, yellow aromas that were sweet, rich and nutty in an autumnal way. Its palate was musky and zippy yet rich and lush, with divine flavors of seltzer, bread and citrus. Secondary flavors of orange, chocolate and tobacco emerged in this incredible wine. It was a 1966 Krug Blanc de Blancs, the pre-cursor to Clos du Mesnil that was only made once, and only 500 bottles were made. Holy shit (99).

#1. 1900 Margaux (99) – The Bucket List has one less wine on it. I have never been blown away by a bottle of this despite having it from time to time, more in the early part of this century than later. Thanks to the Keymaster and his magnificent collection, I was treated to a historic afternoon of Margaux led by Paul Pontallier, and the day had the appropriate storybook ending thanks to this bottle of 1900. Burgundy may give more pleasure for the first 30-40 years, from age 40-80 it’s a bit of a horserace, but when it comes to drinking wines eighty years or older, nothing can compete with Bordeaux. Case closed. “We began with a bottle of 1900 Margaux, or should I say THE bottle, as this was the bottle of 1900 Margaux that I had been looking for my whole life, being previously disappointed on a handful of occasions. There was a level of complexity here unmatched by any other wine so far. There were lots of wows from the crowd, along with oohs, aahs and omg’s. Its nose was perfect, so good with its smoke, wheat, earth, chocolate and cassis. The palate was rich and complete, with great sweetness and a long, scintillating finish. There was still zip to its dusty finish, and the fruit stayed great to the very last drop. ‘Unbelievable’ came from the crowd and summed it up perfectly (99).”

Honorable mentions go to the following wines in vintage order, all scoring 98 points:

1911 Moet
1923 DRC Romanee Conti
1945 Haut Brion
1945 Latour
1947 Roederer
1953 Margaux
1961 La Mission Haut Brion
1962 Roumier Musigny
1962 Vogue Musigny V.V.
1971 Salon magnum
1979 Bollinger V.V.F.
1990 Krug Clos du Mesnil
1996 Latour

And the oldest wine of the year also goes to Chateau Margaux with a delicious and still fresh 1864…

It’s a whole new year, so make a resolution to drink better in 2012. You deserve it!

For a while now, the wine market has been buzzing about Hong Kong, China, Asia, etc. 2010 saw HK just eke past NY for the title of world’s largest wine auction market, but it was basically a 50/50 split. 2011, however, saw the margin increase to about 60/40 in HK’s favor. Simple projections might put HK at 70% market share in 2012, but I’m not so sure about that. No one ever talks about the fact that many Americans also bid in Hong Kong auctions. Five of those finest American collectors and I gathered in New York last week for a birthday celebration of The Cardinal, one of America’s greatest wine tasters, as well as collector extraordinaire in his own right.

Unfortunately, The Cardinal didn.t show up. I should disclose that we knew in advance; apparently The Cardinal has been very pre-occupied with numerous altar boy interviews and lost track of his schedule. He had to go back to The Vatican the day of the event, and a few other guests dropped out accordingly, but six of us remained, and we were rewarded for our diligence.

We started with a 1996 Dom Perignon Oenotheque off the list, as two of our guests were late, and they both happened to have the Champagne. The 96 was rather grassy and herbal, and despite its zippy and impressive finish, its flavors had me leaving it in the glass, which is no easy task. DP Oenos really need at least ten years in the bottle after being disgorged; I think this one was disgorged in 2008 (91+).

A 1966 Krug was more like it, at first coiled and tight, almost a bit tarred. Its nose was bready and full of apple cider, flirting with the sour side of the apple. The palate was also apple-y, yeasty yet possessing great spritz. Rob noted, very laser, with great acidity and a briny, zippy, tangy finish. It kept getting better (96).

Lady Agah noted coconut. in the 1959 Salon. It had a white knight of a nose, with fruit, minerals and wafers to support. The vanilla quality emerged victorious, in unreal. fashion. This was a manly Champagne, and while it didn.t have the spritz of the Krug, its acidity was stronger. Flavors of orange rind emerged on its gamy, bitter finish (94).

A pair of Coches were next thanks to the Artful Roger, beginning with the 2000 Coche-Dury Meursault Perrieres. You could see the 2000 at first smell, but this was meatier than most. Aromas of rainwater, citrus and that signature Coche nutty sex appeal were all present. Lush. and big bosoms. came from the crowd. It was a full-bodied 2000 for sure, heavy and thick, almost unctuous. Great smokehouse flavors defined its earthy, big palate, and a minty finish put this white in its own league. (95)

The 1995 Coche-Dury Meursault Perrieres was more minty in the nose, and more open with its snow-capped white fruit. There was great spice and super menthol flavors in this bigger and lusher. wine. One found it more refined, and while its finish was a bit dirty, it was a good dirty (95).

The 1945 Lafite Rothschild was unbelievable. It was a perfect bottle, with sweet and sour cherry immediately defining its nose. Cedar, musk and caramel joined the party in this open and sexy wine. The palate was fleshy yet still serious, showing all the best qualities of 45, ie fruit, finish and balance. There were great caramel and carob flavors, along with rusty nail. and paprika.. 1945 Lafite doesn.t get much press compared to Mouton, Latour and Haut Brion in 1945, but this bottle was awesome (97).

The 1959 Lafite Rothschild was more factory fresh, as in reconditioned. Deep cigar and chocolate slowly emerged from within. The palate was full and chalky, and a big debate ensued about reconditioning or topping off.. While it was lovely, it tasted too young to be fifty years old.. Thankfully, most producers have stopped the practice. The wine was still outstanding, but it didn.t show as many mature nuances I wanted, especially after the 1945 (95)

A great bottle of 1970 Petrus ensued. It was a beast, and a nice counterpoint to the 59, showing mature and open flavors despite being ten years younger. It had stony and zippy Pomerol fruit, with aromas and flavors of dates, plums and olives. The 70 was huge with extraordinary acidity and a massive finish, although it did mellow after an hour (96)

A bottle of 1955 La Mission Haut Brion was a negociant bottling, but if I didn.t know beforehand, I would have thought it to be one from the Chateau, as it was consistent with other 55 La Misses. Aromas of oatmeal, wheat and classic cassis were framed by gravel and tobacco, along with violet, per Lady Agah. Its flavors were full of chocolate, although it ended up being a touch too yeasty on its finish, more likely at the hands of the negociant than anyone elses (95)

It was goodbye Bordeaux, hello Burgundy, and time to say hello to a wine I had just over three weeks prior, a 1962 Vogue Musigny Vieilles Vignes. It’s been a good month. The Vogue once again had a great nose, although it needed a minute or two to shake off this fish tank element. Old wines can often have unusual qualities right after opening that need aerating out, and this was one of those occasions. Once the wine opened, it was knee-wobbling material. Aromas of fresh herbs, cherry cola and divine earth made way for this wild uni/sea urchin edge, which indubitably emerged from the fish tank. I know it sounds unusual, but it was amazingly true, wild stuff. The palate was spectacular, with great game and garden flavors and superb acidity. Someone noted the classic wine metaphor, iron fist in a velvet glove.. I got iron flavors, and bread as well. It was consistently great, just like the previous bottle (97)

All hail the 1971 Romanee Conti. 1971 and are two things that have always gone great together. We.re not talking almonds and coconut here. THUNDERSTRUCK. were how my notes began. It was quite appropriate, as the RC was immediately rocking hard and frenetically. Spectacular. came up twice, as did menthol, meat, rose, iron, citrus, animal and wow.. Its acidity, too, was superb, and it took it up a notch from the Vogue, almost to the most Promised Land of 99 points. That’s fitting, as Romanee Conti already is the most Promised Land (98+)

A couple had to go, and four of us were left with one last bottle, a glorious 1919 Vogue Musigny. I’m not sure it was Vieilles Vignes or not now that I think about it, but it was great. Faint vanilla in that ice cream way handed off to the core of cherry and citrus. There was great spice and spine to this ancient wonder still, and Jay found it bursting. A dollop of mature port flavors made their way into the party. The only negative about this wine was that it started to fade rather quickly. After the first ten or fifteen minutes, the bloom was off the rose, and each sip started to take a step (and point) backwards, but man, that first sniff and smell was unforgettable! It didn.t fall off a cliff, though, so I settled on (95)

New York still knows a thing or two about its fine wine, especially how to drink it.