Community Tasting Note
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MJP Hou TX Likes this wine: 93 points
December 14, 2020 - I typically refrain from tasting bottles that have just arrived as I think packages have been treated like the opening scene of Ace Ventura Pet detective. So bottle shock might be in play. Just note that I might have butchered this bottle but it was a fun break from the "norm".
Day 1 Coravin pull. Tannins pronounced. Fruit muted and hidden. Medium volume on the nose of dark fruits and graphite. Acid medium and finish short. Quickly realized that bottle shock might be in play. 92
Day 2. Pulled cork and poured one healthy glass in vitamix (mentioned I was going to do this on another thread.) 30 sec blend on 3. (In the name of science) Fruit came forward and tannins subsided. Nose became slightly muted. I actually enjoyed this glass more than the coravin pull. I could actually taste the depth of the fruit but at the cost on the nose. Medium finish. 93+
Day 3. TBD... I'll revisit tonight and update the team. A little less than half the bottle with cork replaced at cellar temp. 54
Update. No real improvement with the extra 24. I agree with Mark the best drink window was the first drinking window. Without the bottle shock. double or triple decant.9 people found this helpful 9,211 views
20 Comments
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Mark1npt commented:
12/16/20, 9:30 AM - Gotta like the Vita-mix! Nice experiment you have going! Mine have only been here about a week which is why I drank the one I sourced locally the other night. Interesting that my bottle performed best in the first hour and worse as the night progressed. These animals do have different personalities when they're shipped and/or treated differently. This particular bottle of wine reminded me of so many '16s that drank well right from the pnp then went a tad downhill at 3-5 hrs of air. And of course that behavior completely reverses with aging! Lord help me if I ever develop dementia.....I'll never get the decant right by then!
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Cabernet4me2 commented:
12/16/20, 9:35 AM - Ace Ventura referenced was ‘classic’ !! Reminds me of most of my wine deliveries from GSO!!! Cheers
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TMOVino2 commented:
12/16/20, 9:40 AM - Like a glove!
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JLuch1 commented:
12/16/20, 11:39 AM - Wine Folly posted on "hyper decanting" aka, throwing wine in to a blender. I think it unfortunately pulverizes the wine to a point where it is flat.
Interesting read/watch nonetheless.
https://winefolly.com/episode/3-ways-to-decant-wine-hyper-decanting/ -
MJP Hou TX commented:
12/16/20, 1:03 PM - I've only hyper decanted twice and I think both times the result was reduced tannins but muted nose. Either way one glass of Bard was worth it. I remember really liking the 16 at Realm and the recent bottle. Less tannins and more fruit. Hopefully that is what will come of the 18.
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MJP Hou TX commented:
12/16/20, 1:05 PM - Would you like an ashtray? I don't smoke it's a disgusting habit.
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JLuch1 commented:
12/16/20, 1:16 PM - I have been having some decent luck with mid-day slow ox for evening consumption. Have done that more recently for the 16-18 napa cabs and have been enjoying the results.
Still haven't had the stomach to do it with the 18 bard yet, based on the other reviews. -
MJP Hou TX commented:
12/16/20, 1:19 PM - Smart man. I agree with your technique. The only reason I dove in early was to see if I want to buy more at a very good price. I'm on the fence as I still have 3 more in the cellar.
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TMOVino2 commented:
12/16/20, 1:27 PM - MJP are you getting additional bottle offer direct from Realm or just good price out there on the market some places? Curious, I bought 3 direct but have considered a few more also but all are decently more than direct from Realm.
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MJP Hou TX commented:
12/16/20, 1:36 PM - TMO- This would be through distribution in Texas. A bunch of us on CT buy through Michel Thibault Wine. Retail is now selling it for around $150.00 but this would be closer to DTC.
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Vinomazing commented:
12/16/20, 2:07 PM - Hyper-blending, vitamix!...this is all so interesting. Thanks MJP for something new to research and for your TN/test results. Secured 3 18s and 3 16's just this past month here on east coast for $140 secondary. cheers
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jviz commented:
12/16/20, 2:17 PM - HDS sir and how are you this afternoon? Alrighty then!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YrpmZFixp0 -
Mark1npt commented:
12/16/20, 5:53 PM - JLuch....thanks for the link....a wine shop here will use a vita-mix for about 5 seconds to get a wine to open up if it's too closed down tableside for a customer during dinner.
I too, don't find that the Vinturi do much to aerate a wine, to me they are a waste of time. Now, double or triple decanting back and forth into a bottle/decanter does fine by me most times. I stick by the standard decant being equivalent to an hour of air, triple decant back and forth good as 3 hours of air. It has worked pretty well for me over the years. -
Mark1npt commented:
12/16/20, 5:56 PM - jviz......just classic. Hate the actor, love the scene.
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Decanting Queen commented:
12/17/20, 2:58 AM - Thanks for playing scientist for all of us!! Bottle shock is all relative when there is a vitamin waiting at your destination. Lol
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MJP Hou TX commented:
12/17/20, 10:32 AM - At this point I prefer the 16's depth of fruit. More body in the early going over the 18. Now, this could change with bottle age. I will add the 18 did not gain weight over with ox.
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MJP Hou TX commented:
12/17/20, 10:32 AM - Updates above on day 3.
At this point in time I prefer the 16's depth of fruit. More body in the early going over the 18. Now, this could change with bottle age. I will add the 18 did not gain weight ox. In fact, the last sip had a weightless chalk that showed up. Rutherford came to mind. Is Rutherford in this blend? -
TMOVino2 commented:
12/17/20, 10:49 AM - MJP - Thanks. I'm familiar with Michel Thibault. I saw their kids have a site now as well.
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MJP Hou TX commented:
12/17/20, 11:58 AM - Yes sir. Victoria has been great. Plus for me she is in Houston which makes it easy.
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sfwinelover1 commented:
12/23/20, 9:10 AM - Love the AV reference! The scientist in me is constantly fascinated with changing the amounts of air, temperatures, etc., in getting a wines to open up, but there’s no way I’d ever be brave to use a blender (paging Neil Young: Once you’ve gone, you can’t come back, out of the blue and into the black). Hey, hey, indeed.