1966 Bordeaux decant advice

originally posted by VLM:
I even bought a Durand to open them with. It better fucking work.
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Might help to read the instructions. I have seen many men skip that step and then use it incorrectly.
 
Brad, it can be handy but it can also be a hassle.

The tongs seem to be too thick...unlike the Ah So which has thin tongs.

Even so, except for sometimes being a hassle, it has never failed to serve its purpose when I've used it.

. . . . Pete
 
So, I followed my original plan. I opened (the Durand worked!) and decanted the wines and recanted them into the cleaned bottles right before I left for the restaurant. I kept them corked while we had white wine and our first course and then uncorked them and began to try them.

The Calon-Segur had the lightest color and also seemed the most advanced, though not dead. Just gossamer, as Coad would say.

The VCC was all mellowed plums and cocoa powder.

The Trotanoy moved around the most through the course of the evening in terms of it's aromatic and flavor profile. Starting with a strong tobacco note that mellowed to more of a sous-bois thing.

The LLC was the most robust of the wines and the best of the night. There was more fruit hanging on this one than the rest and also a bit of structure. Showed a mineral tang that I really appreciated.

All of the wines showed well and none were dead. The order above is the order of preference from least to best and it was unanimous at the table.

It was a real treat to be able to share these with my parents and brothers to honor my parents 50th anniversary.
 
Congrats to your parents, VLM. Good to hear those wines, too. I'll have to open my last '66 Calon-Segur soon to see if it's as advanced as your was (my last sure wasnt).

Thanks for the report,
Mark Lipton
 
originally posted by Ben Hunting:
Great report.
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Indeed. It makes me 1) miss the Translucency Report 2) happy that people properly stored wine for future consumption 3) wonder what might happen to any of my bottles that might live longer than me.
 
originally posted by Tristan Welles:
3) wonder what might happen to any of my bottles that might live longer than me.
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Normal people will look at them, decide you were an undiagnosed hoarder, shake their heads about how treatment could have improved your life, and throw them out immediately.
 
I am surprised that noone here talked of the slow oxygenation method. IE, uncork the morning before evening meal, no decant, just pour. That has worked well for me.

I just think the Durand is ridiculously expensive for what it is. Also, if you don't get the screw centered, it just messes things up.
 
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