Slo Down Wines
Château Sociando-Mallet
Haut-Médoc Red Bordeaux Blend 2020
Pierre Gonon
Saint-Joseph Syrah 2021
Never mad about opening Gonon. Delicious as always. Will be really incredible years down the line. — 8 months ago
Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
Pauillac Red Bordeaux Blend 1989
1989 vintage. Last tasted 3.28.24, 5.5.23, 4.4.23 and 12.9.22. Solid fill and cork. Recommended decanting but was denied. Mmkay. Eventually got clearance to decant after the bottle had been open for 1.25 hrs. Tasted after being open 5 mins, 45 mins and 2 hrs. Light-medium body throughout. Wine was funky and super tight initially. Had to talk a few of the “participants” down from their “this wine ain’t nothing” perch by telling them it needed at least an hour in the glass (since it hadn’t been decanted at that point). Wine threw expected sed on the decant. Started to loosen up at the 45 mins open stage and fairly exploded at the 2 hrs open (45 mins decanted) point. Dude that didn’t want to decant it gave me a wistful, regretful look at that point (since it blew the other 4 reds at the table away and was getting better) and it took waay too much willpower on my end not to say “Congrats on minimizing a fantastic wine experience, bro.” It wasn’t the best 1989 P-L specimen tasted semi-recently but feel this coulda delved into the 9.4 range without the unnecessary power trip from someone that didn’t even bring this wine to the shindig. Hopefully, this individual learned their lesson. 7.6.24. — 6 months ago
Château Lynch-Bages
Grand Cru Classé Pauillac Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2018
Just don’t open this yet folks. Took about 4 hours in a decanter to open up at all. Very classic dusty and graphite nose. Powerful red fruit and tannins. Good mid palate. Good acid. Very long finish. QPR not great. Needs min 10 years to calm down. — 24 days ago
Dunn Vineyards
Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
Opened several hours prior and decanted off sediment and a portion of the cork that had broke and crumbled before returning to the bottle. The 2007 “Howell Mountain” pours a deep garnet color with a near opaque core and very slight rim variation. On the nose, the wine is developing with gorgeous notes of dark fruit: black currants, blackberries, tobacco, leather, earth and gentle spices. On the palate, the wine is dry with medium+ tannins and medium+ acid. Confirming the notes from the nose. The finish is long and savory. This is firing on all cylinders right now and the structure suggests the power of the 2007 vintage is not slowing down anytime soon. Drink now with a decant and through 2037 with ease. — 3 months ago
Clos des Papes
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhône Blend 2001
2001 vintage. Nice fill and great cork. Opened and decanted. Expected sed but fairly minimal compared to a Cabernet-based wine. Beguiling nose. Light-medium body that had dropped any extra fat long ago. Spiced plum definitely afoot. Tasted after 15 mins open, 1 hour open, 1.5 hrs open and 8 hrs open. Remarkably consistent. Likely another half-decade at this plateau before dropping down. 10.16.24. — 2 months ago
Opus One
Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 1994
This magnum has been laying down for 30 years and is fully mature, medium bodied Cabernet Sauvignon with blackberry, tobacco, earth, coffee and black cherry on the nose. Soft textured, with no tannin remaining, the wine ends with a cherry. An Easter treat. — 9 months ago
Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego
2020 vintage. Last tasted 7.7.24 (9.3) and 3.15.24 (9.2). Medium-heavy body. Previously hesitant and reticent tannins beginning to creep into the finish right off the bat. Starts off fairly fruity, then tapers that down a bit at the end. Harmonious and über-pleasant. PNP now, double park it for a ten-spot or investigate somewhere in between. Consider the invitation proffered. Haut-Médoc doesn't move the needle at work (wish it did) but always more than happy to crush this Bordeaux bestie off premise. Consistent catch-all producer with "that's all?!" pricing. 12.03.24. — 18 days ago