11/16/2023 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

Soft nose, gently aromatic: raspberries and rose petals. Decanted at my request but does not feel like it was needed. Very approachable on the first sip. Gentle velvet on the mouthfeel. Balanced red fruit profile with easy earthy tones. Graceful in its delivery it's a wine easy to overlook waiting for another Volnay flavor wave to hit. What you would miss is the deft touch of lightly complex red fruits and black tea notes that sneak into every sip. Nice medium length finish rounds out this wine warmly. This drinks like a winemakers wine where craftsmanship won out over power and presence.
Addendum: while this note correctly identifies its drinkability and fine showing at basically pop-n-pour, after 45- 60 minutes decanted much richer complexity elevates this wine. Highly recommend giving this some air to properly experience its true mettle.

11/2/2023 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

"Off" Vintages from Elite Producers: (Petrus, Lafite, Margaux, etc) (Charlotte, NC): Decanted at 5:30am, put back in bottle 45 min later and refrigerated. Brought to dinner and popped the cork about 90 min prior to serving.
Rich nose of cassis and gentle floral notes. Great depth of flavor on the palate delivered with the deftness of a master winemaker – dark red and black fruits with hints of complexity just beginning to show. The rich flavors hit your palate with a gentleness you don’t expect from this reputationally “big” wine. Long, savory finish. A wonderful and approachable wine that complimented the more decidedly Old World lineup and very fitting in its quality. Is ‘Mr. Tin” actually a “value-wine” in the ultra-premium Napa market? Served properly, maybe so.

11/2/2023 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

"Off" Vintages from Elite Producers: (Petrus, Lafite, Margaux, etc) (Charlotte, NC): 30 min decant at 7:30am. Back in the bottle, corked, and placed in the fridge until arrival.Cork pulled upon arrival for dinner at 6:30pm before serving at 9:00pm. Sourced directly from the winery.
Rustic and aromatic “Old World” nose (cedar and dark fruits) signaling something special in the glass. Confirmed on the palate this wine had a delightful balance between dark cherries. Blackberries, and black currants. A tasty long finish topped the experience off. Wonderful structure delivered this full-bodied wine with a deft elegance – Old World craftsmanship wrapped in New World juice. Likely the best 1998 Napa Cabernet I have consumed.

11/2/2023 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

"Off" Vintages from Elite Producers: (Petrus, Lafite, Margaux, etc) (Charlotte, NC): Opened at 5pm and decanted for one hour. Back in the bottle until dinner at 6:30pm when cork was removed and slo-ox until serving at ~9:00pm.
Complex nose that immediately spoke of Lafite – leather, barnyard, lead pencil, and red fruit. Confirmed on the palate, this wine had all the stuffing if lacking a more mature profile one might anticipate from a “lesser” vintage. Youthful and fresh while still showing a balanced secondary profile. This wine flowed easily into a long savory finish. “A suit-and-tie wine with class and restraint” noted one commenter. Even with its elevated performance, it likely would have benefitted from an earlier decant. One vote for WOTN, fourth place overall.

11/2/2023 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

"Off" Vintages from Elite Producers: (Petrus, Lafite, Margaux, etc) (Charlotte, NC): Opened at 5pm and decanted for one hour throwing off a lot of sediment. Back in the bottle until dinner at 6:30pm when cork was removed and slo-ox until serving at ~8:15pm.
Such a compliment to the 1992 tasted alongside – Aromatic nose of rustic red fruits and baking spices. Slightly more intense on the palate with a freshness owing to its more youthful vintage and likely better provenance, though that seemed to have little negative impact on the ‘92. Otherwise these were mirror images of absolutely fantastic bottlings – dirty full-fruited strawberries and rustic raspberries balanced against a delicious note of sauvage. Lengthy finish. Splitting hairs between the better bottle in this flight. Overall 3rd place for WOTN.

11/2/2023 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

"Off" Vintages from Elite Producers: (Petrus, Lafite, Margaux, etc) (Charlotte, NC): Ultra-soft cork could have been easily pushed in. Opened at 5pm but waited an hour to decant solely for sediment. Cork removed at 6:30pm and slo-ox until serving at ~8:15pm.
Aromatic rustic red fruit nose with a hint of baking spice. Balanced fruit profile on the palate – dirty full-fruited strawberries and rustic raspberries balanced against the embodiment of sauvage. This wine drank wonderfully – clearly mature but gentle in structure and finesse. Maybe shorter on the finish than I would have liked but a fantastic wine made the way Syrah should be made.

11/2/2023 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

"Off" Vintages from Elite Producers: (Petrus, Lafite, Margaux, etc) (Charlotte, NC): Opened at 5pm and decanted for one hour. Back in the bottle until dinner at 6:30pm when cork was removed and slo-ox until serving at ~7:30pm.
Beautifully expressive nose – red and black fruits with a hint of rusticity. Confirmed on the palate with a great balance between structure and complexity – dark fruits, truffle, and soft leather. For this flight it had a more youthful intensity that was only surprising because of how youthful the 1981s drank. Excellent length finish, an A+ wine that was my WOTN until retasting hours later when both the Petrus and Margaux reached absolutely sublime levels.

11/2/2023 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

"Off" Vintages from Elite Producers: (Petrus, Lafite, Margaux, etc) (Charlotte, NC): Decanted at 5:30pm and back in the bottle/corked at 6:00pm. Cork pulled upon arrival for dinner at 6:30pm and served at ~7:30pm. Complex aromatic nose – dark raspberries and dried brown leaves – a Bordeaux’s Bordeaux. Smooth on the palette. Elegant mouthfeel with a deftness that glides over your palate. More lightweight than expected but lacking nowhere in depth of flavor – dark fruits, forest floor, and bramble; with a mature secondary and tertiary balance. Lengthy finish rounding out this first-rate wine. Six 2nd place votes for WOTN and clear 2nd place overall.

11/2/2023 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

"Off" Vintages from Elite Producers: (Petrus, Lafite, Margaux, etc) (Charlotte, NC): Opened at 5:30pm, into a decanter for 30-40 min, then back into bottle; Served at ~7:30pm.
Richly aromatic dark fruits on the nose with an intensity that belies its age. Confirmed on the palate blackberry and dark cherries held sway against a gently smokey, though almost burnt, backdrop. Those who had elk chop were richly rewarded with the pairing whereas I opted for fish to have less intrusive flavors with these wines. That was a mistake. Lengthy finish of rich merlot complexity (this was the era where Cab Franc was still blended) made this a stellar wine that upon re-tasting 2 hours later became an absolutely sublime wine. Five votes for Wine of the Night and overall winner.

7/15/2023 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

100% Nerello Capuccio

Aromatic perfume of dusty red cherries and dried violets on the nose. Soft on the palate with with rich, red fruit notes. An elegant wine possessing both structure and finesse. Volcanic soil provides gently balanced minerality despite its smooth, long finish. A wonderful wine to pair against a quality, Central Coast California Pinot Noir.

7/4/2023 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

Coravined a glass and drank after 20 minutes.

Color of dark red fruit with ruby tones. Concentrated nose of dried red fruits. On the palate a freshness pops gently against an earthy note of black pepper and spice. Smooth and long finish of red fruits of fine cherries create a pleasant resolution to this wine. Drinks with an enjoyable, simple structure that would pair wonderfully with some kebabs are similarly spicy meat.

5/2/2023 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

Return to Italy: Pio Cesare, Gaja, Oddero, Tignanello and more (Flour Shop, Charlotte, NC) (Charlotte, NC): Double decanted 3 hours before serving (lots of sediment). Wonderfully complex old world nose teasing great depth of flavor on the pallet. Sadly this was not confirmed on the pallet as the juice was comparatively simple and jammy. In the moment I wrote: “good, not great, wine” but I think it is my olfactory biases that elevated this to a “good” rating. It was a fine wine but out of place on the night. “Hardly an Italian wine” was accurately uttered.

5/2/2023 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

Return to Italy: Pio Cesare, Gaja, Oddero, Tignanello and more (Flour Shop, Charlotte, NC) (Charlotte, NC): Slow-ox for 3 hours before serving. Complex nose of young dried cherries, leather, and tobacco. A wine displaying high quality tones and brimming with confidence. Notes of dried cherries and lightly smoked meat on the pallet. A wine with both power and finesse. Richly flavored and demonstrating great depth resolving into a long finish to red and black fruits. My wine of the flight. 3rd place for Wine of the Night.

5/2/2023 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

Return to Italy: Pio Cesare, Gaja, Oddero, Tignanello and more (Flour Shop, Charlotte, NC) (Charlotte, NC): Slow-ox for 3 hours before serving. From a Magnum. Nicely aromatic nose of dried cherries and raspberries. Ruby with slight browning on the edges. Super smooth on the mouthfeel – such an easy drinker. Excellent complexity and depth of rustic flavor – blackberry, red cherry, and tobacco. Long savory finish. Beautiful expression of a 100% Sangiovese Super Tuscan. Would be a capstone bottle at any other dinner.

5/2/2023 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

Return to Italy: Pio Cesare, Gaja, Oddero, Tignanello and more (Flour Shop, Charlotte, NC) (Charlotte, NC): 7 hours in advance, decanted for 2 hours, back in the bottle and slo-ox in temperature controlled cellar. From start to finish this wine screamed quality of the highest order. Explosive nose of concentrated dark fruits. Dark ruby in color. Fresh and fulsome on the mouthfeel, the wine displayed great strength of blackberry and black cherry flavors. Leans decidedly primary but beginning to develop those secondary notes and increased complexity. Long, long finish for a wine that can go for decades. Possibly the highest quality Barolo I’ve ever had and this bottle can reach even greater heights. Really hope I can drink this again in 5 - 10 years. Overall Wine of the Night (5 first place votes).

5/2/2023 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

Return to Italy: Pio Cesare, Gaja, Oddero, Tignanello and more (Flour Shop, Charlotte, NC) (Charlotte, NC): 5 hours in advance, Double decanted and then slow-ox’d until serving (lots of sediment). Distinctly rustic nose of dried red cherries, fig, and rose petals. More brick-like and tawney in color. Fully mature on the pallet: nearly all secondary and tertiary notes – dried red fruits and tobacco. As ‘Old World’ as Old World gets. A wonderfully crafted wine though mostly devoid of its primary characteristic at this point. Excellent savory finish. Not a wine for modern Napa Cab drinkers.

5/2/2023 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

Return to Italy: Pio Cesare, Gaja, Oddero, Tignanello and more (Flour Shop, Charlotte, NC) (Charlotte, NC): 7 hours in advance, decanted for 30 minutes, back in the bottle and slo-ox in temperature controlled cellar. Dried flowers and plums on the nose. A brickish, ruby color with slight browning. Smooth and plush on the mouthfeel. Notes of red fruit, cherry, and plum meshed with earthy notes, spices, and balsamic notes Mostly resolved tannin and superb length. Enjoyable medium+ length on the finish. A fresher, more lively, more put-together version of the ‘67.

5/2/2023 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

Return to Italy: Pio Cesare, Gaja, Oddero, Tignanello and more (Flour Shop, Charlotte, NC) (Charlotte, NC): 9 hours in advance, decanted for 90 minutes, back in the bottle and slo-ox in temperature controlled cellar. Decidedly rustic nose of complex dried red fruits and flowers. Similarly cloudy and hazy in the glass. Wonderful contrasts on the pallet: braised seasoned meat mixed with dried raspberries and black cherries. Excellent structure, complexity, and depth of flavor. A fantastic wine with excellent contours and a savory finish. 2 votes for Wine of the Night and a close 2nd place overall.

5/2/2023 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

Return to Italy: Pio Cesare, Gaja, Oddero, Tignanello and more (Flour Shop, Charlotte, NC) (Charlotte, NC): 9 hours in advance, decanted for 30 minutes, back in the bottle and slo-ox in temperature controlled cellar. Nicely aromatic nose of dried rose petals. Very cloudy and hazy in the glass. Smooth and refined on the mouthfeel. Flavorful notes of dried raspberries. Great texture and tasty, soft finish. A deliciously elegant Barolo that can complement aged Red Burgundy.

2/21/2023 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

Pre-1996 Blind Napa vs Bordeaux (Ducru, Heitz, Abreu, Cos d'Estournel, Cask 23 & more) (Charlotte, NC): 12 hours in advance slo-ox for 1 hour before recorking and placing in the refrigerator for 10 hours before removing and slo-ox for 2 hours before serving (compliments to Derek Polzien for this method). Dark garnet in color and very concentrated. Nose of raspberries, delicate eucalyptus and the slightest and wonderfully integrated note of menthol. Classic Martha’s Vineyard in every way. Full-bodied and richly flavored: blackberries, cassis, and bramble. Long savory finish. Another delicious showing.

7 votes for Napa and 1 for Bordeaux: My guess: 90 Heitz Marth’a Vineyard

2/21/2023 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

Pre-1996 Blind Napa vs Bordeaux (Ducru, Heitz, Abreu, Cos d'Estournel, Cask 23 & more) (Charlotte, NC): Double decanted one hour before dinner and slo-ox for 2 hours before serving. Aromatic nose of dried fruit, plums, and rose petals. Finely textured on the mouthfeel, this was a smooth, if lighter, wine than most on the evening delivering one of the more elegant experiences tonight. Excellent blackberry notes dominated the soft leather and tobacco notes. Savory finish trailed off softly. The color was youthful but this wine felt older. This was a wine I thought to be wonderful and a top performer for me but also one to be consumed sooner rather than later. One vote for WOTN.

7 votes for Bordeaux, 1 for Napa: My guess: 84 Mondavi Reserve

2/21/2023 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

Pre-1996 Blind Napa vs Bordeaux (Ducru, Heitz, Abreu, Cos d'Estournel, Cask 23 & more) (Charlotte, NC): Double-decanted 2 hours in advance and slo-ox for 2 hours before serving. Fragrant “Old World” nose of dried fruits: chalky red cherries, cassis, and leather. Nicely textured on the palate with dark raspberries and gentle raspberries notes shining against a backdrop of tobacco and forest floor. Very Bordeaux-like. Enjoyable lingering finish. An excellent wine. One vote for WOTN.

6 guesses for Bordeaux, 2 for Napa. My guess: 96 Beychevelle

2/21/2023 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

Pre-1996 Blind Napa vs Bordeaux (Ducru, Heitz, Abreu, Cos d'Estournel, Cask 23 & more) (Charlotte, NC): 1 hour slo-ox before quick double decant and slo-ox for 90 minutes before serving. Easily the most confusing wine on the night. Garnet in color, the nose showed nice fruits if somewhat restrained. On the palate the wine was smooth with blackberry and bramble notes but lacked expressiveness. This was a tasty wine that would hint at a smokey leather aroma but then hide behind its more fruit forward profile. A very good wine I could not put my finger on this night. One vote for WOTN.

4 guesses for Napa, 4 for Bordeaux. My guess: 95 Abreu

2/21/2023 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

Pre-1996 Blind Napa vs Bordeaux (Ducru, Heitz, Abreu, Cos d'Estournel, Cask 23 & more) (Charlotte, NC): 2 hour double decant, recorked within 30 minutes and then slow-ox for 60 minutes before serving. The wines were selected at random but I thought this was a facsimile of Wine #3, only a couple years younger, Floral aromas and dark fruits on the nose though more restrained than the Ducru. Elegant but powerful on the mouthfeel, the rich, dark fruits with a hint of mint sing lovingly on the palate. Fully integrated tannins. Clicking on all cylinders between primary and secondary notes with a touch of tertiary. A brilliant wine with a long fruit-driven finish. Hard to believe this wine is at least 27 years old. 2nd place overall for WOTN and two votes for WOTN.

6 guesses for Napa, 2 for Bordeaux. My guess: 90 Cos d’Estournel

2/21/2023 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

Pre-1996 Blind Napa vs Bordeaux (Ducru, Heitz, Abreu, Cos d'Estournel, Cask 23 & more) (Charlotte, NC): Double decent 6 hours in advance, recorked within 30 minutes and then slow-ox for 60 minutes before serving. Purchased ex-chateau and was recorked in 2011. There was no sediment on the decant and an explosive nose when opened. The nose remained wonderfully aromatic with rich dark fruits highlighted by cassis. The nose was confirmed on the palate and this wine was a delight: richly textured, ample dark fruits, fully integrated tannins. A wine elegantly balancing primary and secondary notes with restrained power. Medium+ fruit driven finish. A wine I would enjoy all night if this was the only option. Third place overall for WOTN.

5 guesses for Bordeaux, 3 for Napa. My guess: 1986 Ducru.

2/21/2023 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

Pre-1996 Blind Napa vs Bordeaux (Ducru, Heitz, Abreu, Cos d'Estournel, Cask 23 & more) (Charlotte, NC): 1 hour double-decant. Showing some age on the rim, ruby in tone.Delightful, soft, dried fruit nose. Elegant on the mouthfeel. Extremely pleasing balance of secondary and tertiary notes while maintaining ample primary fruit resulting in an outstanding performance. Savory medium+ length finish cap off a fabulous wine. Overall Wine of the Night. Two 1st place votes, four 2nd place votes.

6 guesses for Bordeaux, 2 for Napa. My guess: 84 Stag’s Leap Cask 23

2/21/2023 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

Pre-1996 Blind Napa vs Bordeaux (Ducru, Heitz, Abreu, Cos d'Estournel, Cask 23 & more) (Charlotte, NC): 3 hour double decant; served at room temperature (all other wines served with a slight chill). Heat on the nose followed by raspberry aromas. Garnet in color. Rich, dark fruit on the palate with a very pure expression. Drank like a richly textured modern Napa Cabernet with a hint of rustic notes. Commented that when we come back to this wine in a few hours it will probably be a far superior wine which was confirmed. Definitely give this wine a very long decant. This wine on the initial tasting was delicious but on the later tasting was spectacular. One vote for Wine of the Night.

7 guesses for Napa, 1 for Bordeaux. My guess: ‘89 Pichon Baron

2/9/2023 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

aromas: chalky, black raspberry; definitely showing some alcohol on the nose
palate: medium-bodied; dark fruited, blackberries, dark plums and graphite; slightly acidic; gentle tannins not yet fully integrated add texture
finish: medium length; soft, dark fruits linger nicely

Decant to let this wine show its wares.
A "down-the-middle" Pomerol.
Quite enjoyable on this night with a medium-rare filet mignon.

1/24/2023 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

2020 Bordeaux UGCB -- the 3rd straight great vintage? Possibly (Washington DC): UGCB Washington DC tasting:
Aromatic nose of cherries and barnyard;
slightly acidic
Full bodied; dense, dark red fruits
A young Cali Cab made in a Bordeaux style
Tasty

1/24/2023 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

2020 Bordeaux UGCB -- the 3rd straight great vintage? Possibly (Washington DC): UGCB Washington DC tasting:
More muted nose (buy it's late) picking up some dark fruits.
Velvet glove on the mouthfeel; richly fruited, red raspberries, elegant with finesse
Worthy WOTN contender

1/24/2023 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

2020 Bordeaux UGCB -- the 3rd straight great vintage? Possibly (Washington DC): UGCB Washington DC tasting:
50% Cab Sauvignon/40% Merlot/10% Cabernet Franc
Gentle nose of rustic blackberries
Smooth easy drinker; soft dark fruit
Crowd pleaser while still being a Bordeaux
Tasty but simple
EMH Blackcat of Bordeaux

1/24/2023 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

2020 Bordeaux UGCB -- the 3rd straight great vintage? Possibly (Washington DC): UGCB Washington DC tasting:
Dark inky in color
Rich, concentrated nose
Softly tannic on the palate, blackberries and dark fruits, Smoothed out once the wine settled
California Cabernet/Mike Smith (Myriad) feel but it's a Bordeaux.

1/24/2023 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

2020 Bordeaux UGCB -- the 3rd straight great vintage? Possibly (Washington DC): UGCB Washington DC tasting:
Delicious
72% Cabernet, 28% Merlot
Yeasty nose of black currants
Elegant on the mouthfeel
Black raspberry notes balanced delicately against soft tannins.
Nice medium+ length finish.
Drank too easy
Tied with Le Gay for wine of the night.

1/24/2023 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

2020 Bordeaux UGCB -- the 3rd straight great vintage? Possibly (Washington DC): UGCB Washington DC tasting:
Opulent nose; rustic red cherries
Gentle grippiness on the palate; rich red fruit flavors and bramble; hint of tobacco; great structure though lacking some finesse
Tasty wine

1/24/2023 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

2020 Bordeaux UGCB -- the 3rd straight great vintage? Possibly (Washington DC): UGCB Washington DC tasting:
Rustic nose; barnyard
Slight grippiness on palate; currants, red fruits, graphite, iron, complex
Full bodied finish.
Really nice Bordeaux

1/24/2023 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

2020 Bordeaux UGCB -- the 3rd straight great vintage? Possibly (Washington DC): UGCB Washington DC tasting:
Earthy nose, softly aromatic
Rich mouthfeel, tasty dark cherries with some spice
Savory finish

1/24/2023 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

2020 Bordeaux UGCB -- the 3rd straight great vintage? Possibly (Washington DC): UGCB Washington DC tasting:
Aromatic nose of rose petals;
rich mineral profile on the palate; great depth of flavor, raspberry, dark cherry, elegant.
Long finish
A top wine
This and Duhart Milon were my top wines on the night.

1/24/2023 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

2020 Bordeaux UGCB -- the 3rd straight great vintage? Possibly (Washington DC): UGCB Washington DC tasting:
Brightly aromatic
Smooth mouthfeel, raspberries and some blackberry notes, gentle grippiness
Savory finish

1/24/2023 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

2020 Bordeaux UGCB -- the 3rd straight great vintage? Possibly (Washington DC): UGCB Washington DC tasting:
Soft nose of lavender
Smooth on the mouthfeel. Savory. Elegant blue fruits with some cassis. Easy drinking.
Stellar wine

12/1/2022 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

Somewhat muted nose. Soft velvet on the mouthfeel with gentle minerality, this is a very straightforward Merlot with very enjoyable flavors of red cherries and blackberry. I would have guessed it was a Pomerol and with 75% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Franc I was not far off. A delightful daily drinker at a fair price. Enjoy.

11/7/2022 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

Concentrated nose of red cherries and blackberry. The nose is confirmed on the palate with rich dark fruits dancing lovingly against an earthy, minerally backdrop. Smooth upfront on the mouthfeel, this wine has gentle grippiness on the midpalate and finish that adds structure to the wine. Enjoyable lingering finish of black cherries. A delicious wine with any meal but obvious Italian pairings are the easiest fit. Would be fun to drink this against similarly price Pomerols.

10/25/2022 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

Right Bank vs Left Bank Bordeaux Through the Decades (Charlotte, NC): Decant at 4pm, back in the bottle at 5:45pm and recorked until 6:30pm, then slo-ox until serving at 8:30pm. Dark color – looks like a recent release Napa Cabernet. Much richer and deeper profile on the nose and palate than the other wines in this flight. Nose was a bit tight and intense. On the palate, the high quality fruits shine brightly – black currants, plums, dark fruits. Long savory finish. A standout wine in a strong line-up. Stellar tonight and only greater things ahead for this beauty. Finished 3rd in Wine of the Night voting. 2 votes for WOTN.

10/25/2022 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

Right Bank vs Left Bank Bordeaux Through the Decades (Charlotte, NC): Opened at 8am, slo-ox for 30 minutes, then recorked until 6pm, double-decanted off the sediment and slo-ox until serving at 8:30pm.
Most complex nose of the flight – floral and rustic. Plush on the mouthfeel with a balanced profile of red raspberries and barnyard notes. An extremely elegant wine with plenty of flavor. Long finish. Stood up nicely between the two big Cabernet wines in the flight. One vote for WOTN.

10/25/2022 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

Right Bank vs Left Bank Bordeaux Through the Decades (Charlotte, NC): Opened at 8am, slo-ox for 30 minutes, then recorked until 6pm, double-decanted off the sediment and slo-ox until serving at 8:30pm
Slightly bretty nose but aromas of strawberries and raspberries prominent. Nice complexity on the palate with firm tannins balanced against the red and black currant flavors. Still quite primary, this wine is only beginning to enter its prime drinking window. Decades of life ahead of it.

10/25/2022 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

Right Bank vs Left Bank Bordeaux Through the Decades (Charlotte, NC): (Served Blind) Decanted 24 hours in advance for 30 minutes before back in the bottle and recorked, placed in the refrigerator and removed 2 hours prior to serving. On the nose rich aromas of dark fruits sang brightly. Smooth mouthfeel and tasty wine of cassis and blackberry if a bit simple. THe bright flavors clearly displayed its more youthful profile, A fine wine but lacking finesse and complexity found in the other wines. This was a blind to test the aging potential of micro-oxing wines. While the wine drank well, it was clearly as much as 10 years younger than the other wines in the flight.

10/25/2022 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

Right Bank vs Left Bank Bordeaux Through the Decades (Charlotte, NC): Decant for one hour, then back in the bottle to slo ox for 2 hours, then in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Gentle nose of strawberry and rustic cherry. Elegant mouthfeel, soft tannins, dark raspberry notes balanced against a hint of tobacco. Wonderful finesse on this wine and drinks bigger than I would have expected,. Tasty and long finish.

10/25/2022 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

Right Bank vs Left Bank Bordeaux Through the Decades (Charlotte, NC): 2 hours full decant, back in the bottle for transporting to dinner and then slo-ox for 90 minutes prior to consumption. Aromatic and young nose – cedar, forest floor, hints of cigar box. Rich on the palate with balanced notes of blackberry, bramble; tannins well-integrated but present giving great body to this wine. Long finish of plum and blackcurrant. Drank wonderfully when served but reached glorious heights 90 minutes later. Give this wine plenty of time and you will be handsomely rewarded. WOTN, 4 votes for 1st place

10/25/2022 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

Right Bank vs Left Bank Bordeaux Through the Decades (Charlotte, NC): Double decant 2 hours prior to dinner and recorked; slo-ox for 30 minutes before serving. Intense barnyard on the nose but somewhat shut down. Full-flavored on the palate rich dark fruits enveloping your mouth – a big and delicious wine. Still a bit tight but flavorful. While still excellent, this wine lacked the finesse we saw in the other bottles in this flight. Medium + finish.

10/25/2022 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

Right Bank vs Left Bank Bordeaux Through the Decades (Charlotte, NC): 6am decant for 45 minutes, back in the bottle, recorked, and placed in the refrigerator until dinner at 6:30pm. Slo-ox until served at 7pm.
Rich structure on the nose – powerful but measured.Delightful barnyard and cedar aromas. The structure was confirmed on the palate with gentle grippiness from not-yet fully resolved tannins. Great mouthfeel. Dark cherry flavors with rustic blackberry notes. Plenty of primary flavors remain while the secondary notes of tobacco begin to show. Drinking wonderfully tonight with decades of life in this bottle. Finished a very close 2nd in WIne of the Night (WOTN) voting. One vote for WOTN.

10/25/2022 - kevinpatrick Likes this wine:

Right Bank vs Left Bank Bordeaux Through the Decades (Charlotte, NC): Slo-ox for 90 minutes prior to serving. Aromatic nose of rustic strawberries. Soft and fully resolved tannins on the palate – velvet mouthfeel. Delicious red fruits, richly aged cherries. A tasty, elegant and gentle wine. Savory finish. This is a wine to be consumed in more isolation to really enjoy the many nuances. Stellar showing.