Way back in 2004 (I think) I was walking through my local Costco and of course I had to see if there was anything interesting in the wine dept. There I spotted a couple bottles of Chateau Latour 2001 for $127. It was a lot of money at the time (and still is for that matter) however I kept hearing a voice say “At least once, everyone should experience a First Growth Bordeaux”.
It’s been in my cellar ever since and I think this weekend is the time. My son is taking me out for dinner to celebrate my 70th birthday at a private club in Atlanta called War Horse and I’m very excited.
My questions revolve around how to prepare the wine. How soon should I bring it out of the cellar? I assume they will decant the wine at the restaurant but will that allow enough time for the wine to open up? Anything else I should know or do to properly enjoy this wine?
Thanks for your help.
If me, I’d bring the bottle out of the cellar say a week beforehand (this not really important). I’d decant myself to keep sediment from getting back into the wine during transit. If you have the day free, I’d do a 2 hour decant and then back into the cleaned bottle (and wiped off cork) for the trip to the restaurant. Then I’d have the restaurant put into a decanter and drink with dinner. If I didn’t have the day free I’d do a 1 hour decant in the morning, back into the bottle, and then back into the decanter in the restaurant.
keys for me would be:
- decant at home so as to not mix the sediment back in during travel.
- give some decant time before getting to the restaurant as it may not be enough at the table.
All other stuff can be adjusted.
Happy 70th Birthday Ken!
I agree with everything Peter said and also … Happy Birthday!
That was the exact same bottle and price point that got me into wine.
Happy birthday!
One more thing which you’ve probably already done - make sure the restaurant is okay with bringing the bottle beforehand.
agree w Peter—have seen too many sloppy decants to trust an unknown somm. Happy birthday.
ALSO, make sure the restaurant will allow you to bring a previously opened bottle!
TTT
All of the above. Happy birthday and post a note!
Make absolutely certain that there are NO SOAP STAINS WHATSOEVER in the vessel which serves as the decanter.
Soap stains in the decanter will “cork” the wine, and ruin it.
And I wouldn’t pour anything [which I cared about] into one of those bizarre “flask” shaped decanters, which are impossible to clean.
When you hold the vessel up to the light, it should be utterly transparent - no spots, no streaks, no milkiness, no murkiness, no cloudiness - as though it’s not even there.
Hint: Windex [with “Ammonia D”] is your friend.
[The idea being, among other things, that the ammonia neutralizes any chlorine compounds which might still be clinging to the interior of the vessel.]
By the way, the same goes for the glasses into which you pour the wine - NO SOAP STAINS WHATSOEVER.
Happy Birthday Ken, I have that milestone coming up in 2019 
Absolute cleanliness of the glassware is one of the very few peculiarities within this ridiculous hobby which is actually worth worrying about [and, if necessary, putting your foot down & insisting upon] - almost nothing else really matters.
great point. Always smell the glass before pouring a wine into it. Same goes for decanters.
Happy Birthday, and love the subject line. Well done!
Under these particular circumstances, you might call ahead and arrange to drop the wine, a decanter of your own, and some stems by before they event, and if the timing works out, decant it then too. I never bring stemware etc to a restaurant (the glares from the spouse and son would be withering) but under these circumstances, working this out the afternoon of might make sense.
Ken–Just remember that your date can sense if you’re nervous and that may spoil the evening…
In addition to the above advice:
–When you call the club/restaurant to find out their policy, make sure you talk to the sommelier (or manager if they don’t have a sommelier). Sometimes the person answering the phone doesn’t know the policy and may give you incorrect information.
–Let the person you speak to know you’re bringing the 2001 Ch. Latour. The club/restaurant may have a policy that you can’t bring something that’s already on their list, so make sure that you go over that part in the call so you’re not bringing in a bottle that they already have. It’s unlikely, but better safe than sorry.
Happy birthday.
Bruce
I always season the decanter. Rinse with hot water, then cooler water. The aim is to have a rinsed, room temperature
decanter. Then pour a small amount of your newly opened wine into the decanter. Swirl it, tipping it upside down and all around, so that all inside surfaces of the decanter have been “rinsed” with your wine. Then dump that small amount of wine.
Then go ahead and decant. The tiny amount of wine you lost in preparing your decanter is nothing compared to the satisfaction that you have removed soap, dust, cellar odor, etc., from your vessel. Just wipe the outside of the decanter with a neutral, white
(untreated, unscented) paper towel and you are ready to go.
I do this each and every time I decant. Which is often.
Another “one last point.” Some restaurants have a nominal “no-corkage” policy but it is intended to keep people from bringing in Yellow Tail to avoid paying their list prices. If they know you are bringing a serious wine they don’t sell, and that it is for a special occasion, that nominal policy can often be waived. Another reason to make sure you talk to the somm.
Trust no Atlanta “sommelier”