Just in case anyone was interested… I took took a 2013 Chanin Chardonnay Bien Nacido Vineyard, 2009 Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona Brunello di Montalcino,2012 Tenuta dell’Ornellaia Le Serre Nuove.
Just from inexperience (or just my ignorance), I never thought that white wines needed breathing so I PnP’d the Chardonnay, which I regretted as the wine completely changed over the first hour or so.
I had opened both of the reds a couple hours before our Res time and tasted upon arrival. Both were still very closed, the Tuscan, more than the Brunello. So we decanted both immediately and they drank nicely by the time we got to them. And yes, they were way too young. So for Dennis from above, I killed the babies, yet enjoyed myself thoroughly.
That’s the important part. If you have more of those same wines, take notes from this experience and stash the paper with the bottles. Go back to them years from now and see how they improved.
But how do you know the wines weren’t the same the first time, ie, hadn’t improved “years” later…and just needed good handling (something other than “Radio Shack speakers”) the first time. In fact, that the wines weren’t misjudged the first time because of the handling?
I realize to some “enjoying myself thoroughly” is the main criterion…and one I can’t argue with. But, that goal is very different from being able to report on the quaility/development of particular wines with confidence that you gave them their best shot at shining.
That’s why I’m so intrigued by Greg’s hypothetical case of aged wines that were popped and poured. That’s how most wines get treated, I fear. And, I think that no one would do the same with them at home, but I could be wrong.
I wasn’t trying to determine whether or not I should open the wines or not; simply, trying to see how to drink the wines that day at their potential best for that moment.
I think if you have the time at a restaurant, like we did, taking small samples and determining a course of action (decanting) was the best I could do. I can’t say how it would be for a properly aged wine thought as they can be finicky.
That’s why the Peter Michael winery decants their Chardonnays that they pour at tastings.
Uncorked this 71 Barolo ~ 4 hours before bringing it to dinner Weds evening, and it sat in 4 glasses for an hour before we enjoyed it with roast beef.
Worked out nicely, this time. It’s not an equation.
The biggest risk of bringing unopened bottles to the restaurant is that when you open them there only to find one or more is corked, oxidized or otherwise spoiled. So if possible, better to open them at home to take a test sip and have backups available in case of disaster.
Pop and pour. Letting wines breath is a myth that has be debunked by numerous studies.
Here we go again. 
Do we all have to list our examples of wines that needed several hours of decanting again also?
That may be the most ridiculous comment I’ve ever read on these boards. There were studies that showed that simply pulling the cork, and leaving the wine open with decanting, had little effect, as the suface area was too small. To that, I agree, but Mr. Audouze has a different opinion.