I gather they were not decanted. I wouldn’t think simply pulling the corks would be responsible for all this serious madeirization.
The Haut-Brion 1985 I drank for Christmas 2007 had lovely “Pessac” smoky aromas (your description).
Polished light weight for me (some tiredness).
Do not wait to drink it (actually, this bottle).
93/100
As pointed out in various Bern’s related threads, Eric Renaud, the wine director, always decants really old wines. The yields were much lower back then especially compare to the 60s and the 70s, creating very concentrated wines. These are much sturdier than some people think. Also John is correct in that these were madeirized. FWIW, if exposed to much air, these old wines will show more VA but not get oxidized.
Laurent,
I agree but if you like a lot of tertiary notes, this will last for awhile.
Kevin,
I understand what you mean.
Of course, we had neither the same context nor the same bottle (ours was quite weak - even diluted ?).
With more weight, I would have rated this bottle very high, closer to the fantastic 1989, nearly perfect today (and 85 is not 89 in this area).
I’ve never read that about yields – or really thought about it. I’m curious where you heard that. Are you referring to deliberate efforts to keep yields down, or just the fact that some small crops turn out very well?
A small crop (and concentrated grapes) is usually cited as the reason for the greatness of 1961, when there was a devastating frost at the end of May – very late – and then drought conditions. On the other hand, the vintages of the late 50s were mostly small because many vines were damaged in a bad frost in 1956, but not all were great years. Some other factors that would produce low yields wouldn’t necessarily correlate with quality either, e.g., less dense plantings or less healthy vines.
The funny thing is that, since they were picking less ripe pre-1980s, you’d expect less concentration in one way – more water in the grape for the solids (less drying out on the vine at the end of the season) and less fully ripened fruit flavors.
Less ripe grapes might actually be a factor in the longevity, though, because the wines may have had lower pHs/higher acidity. Clive Coates, for instance, thinks solid acidity is the key to longevity.
Anyway… just a bunch of thoughts prompted by your statement.
I’m not following. Do you mean the Avery wines couldn’t get more oxidized? Madeirization is oxidation par excellence! Certainly some old wines can fade and oxidize noticeably in the glass.
I remember reading, don’t recall the source, that the yields were much lower in the 20s. I always separate the 60s and the 70s as they are diluted and green for my plate compare to the 50s and earlier.
The wines of the 20s, if exposed to air for a few days, become like vinegar but don’t really get madeirized in my experience.
The yields were much lower decades ago, but it came from large patches of diseased vines or empty parts of the vineyard that were not replanted. There simply wasn’t the money and vineyards were far less healthy than they are now. So yes the yields suggest great natural concentration but it’s more of a statistical anomaly.
It’s hard to believe now but Bordeaux was undergoing huge financial hardship for years. Even First Growths suffered; Clarence Dillon bought Haut Brion in the 1930s did not turn a profit until the late 1950s.
I think the yields were similar once you counted the Hermitage. 
May be the 20s were the original biodynamic cultivation. They are sweeter, denser and more concentrated than the 60s through 80s Bordeaux.