The Auswine Forum

Lucky enough to pick up 2 bottles of 90a from mark's auction. I'm thinking of sharing one over lunch (not rushed) with a good friend.

I'd like to have it decanted at the table when we arrive, which should give approx 40 minutes before mains arrive.

Would this be long enough for adequate breathing?

How about with a double decant?

Your thoughts would be appreciated - I'd like to enjoy this wine at its best presentation.

Regards, Damian

How long is the lunch Damian, and where is it at?

If it's at somewhere like Penfolds Magill Estate they should have a pretty good idea how long the wine should be breathed prior to serving.

Otherwise, if it's a very long lunch (of ideally indeterminate length) why not let the wine breathe and watch it evolve if you can? That's the ideal situation for such an icon as wine as this one, which will chop and change over quite a few hours if given the opportunity to do so.

Cheers,
Ian

Frankly - a truly great wine, that is still too young, and really needs another 5 or even 10 years (assuming it's been ideally cellared to date, of course) to show its best.

If you must open one, 40 minutes is pretty much meaningless - double decant, at least, and do it early that morning if you're having it for lunch (and why lunch - such wines are usually consumed over a long, leisurely dinner involving serious meat)

Apologies for the patronising tone, but I've had this wine and others like the Kalimna Block 42 1996, and deeply regretted that I did not have the patience to simply forget about them for another decade or more.

I agree with Mark S's to an extent - the wine will definitely get better over time. That having been said, it's so good right now (I've had many bottles in the last 3 years) its hard to resist. I plan to open another one in the next couple of months too.

My advice would be to stand the bottle for at least a day (there's tonnes of sediment) and double decant that morning - say at breakfast time.

Enjoy, and post a TN afterwards.

Mike

Yeah ok, I will help