I optomistically opened this bottle tonight after scoffing at another member and the Todd who both announced disappointment in the 97 Cab Vintage and the former specifically in this great bottle of wine.
I opened the wine two hours before I expected to pour it and tasted a sip. It had great fruit, but little complexity, structure or tannins.
I decided to let it air “Audoize” style and not decant because I was afraid it might quickly go down. Mistake. After one hour the wine had no real volume or interest and I feared the worst. I saw a mass selloff at winebid of my remaining bottles.
I poured a large glass and let it sit to see how it would devolp and refrigerated the rest.
After an hour in the glass the wine grew in volume and became considerably thicker, more viscous and grew both complexity and bite.
If this one bottle is any indication, if you have any of these bottles a minimum, 2 hour decant is required to seek a joyful tasting experience. I would finish the bottle and not allow it to go to day two unless a nitrogen preservation system is in use.
After two + hours with air it is again a great wine. It clearly needs oxygen, the old bugger. ![[basic-smile.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/8/83717c74df9b0ce202453063bc4f11baf0ee6b8a.gif "smile"){kind=small}
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