68, great Day 1, not good Day 2
240 Good Day 1 after a short decant. Great Day 2.
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N. 68 in the glass right now after a 2 hour decant - dang tasty stuff!
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if you have 2019 Lot 280 Barossa Valley “Centenarian” Old Vine Shiraz, I had it the other night and it was DELICIOUS! Big, bold and went really well with an array of foods.
Also #314 - 2020 Costières de Nîmes GSM is really nice & tasty if you are looking for non CA/ non Cabs.
Lot 319 | 2018 Santa Barbara County Nebbiolo is a good choice too!
I think that the merlots are pretty good as well.
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Can’t access the thread thru the link for some reason, but alas, I’ll be in Florida then for my dad’s 90th anyway - d’oh!
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Pinot tasting update:
Three of us tasted four Pinots, including 48, 24, a Virginia pinot by Ankida Ridge 2021 ($60) in Amherst Co, and a French Nuits St Georges 2015 ($75). The 48 was the hands-down favorite for all of us & was correctly identified by my nephew as RRV. The 24 Carneros threw him off. He detected “barnyard”/brett that made him think of France. He didn’t much care for 24 even after the Brett blew off.
The Virginia Pinot was the second favorite & showed a similar profile to the 48, just younger around the edges. He remarked several times that he couldn’t believe Virginia, with our hot & humid climate, could produce such a good Pinot. (Ankida Ridge grows a very limited amount of Pinot at 1800 feet. Suckling has given their Pinot 93 points & it’s on the list at some upscale venues, including the Inn at Little Washington.)
Despite being the oldest, the French was the least approachable for several hours. It was excellent however, by the time the steak dinner was served. A real food wine.
My nephew (who also happens to know the Macdonald bros) brought us a gift of three bottles: Tongue Dancer, Montaigne Russe, & Sea Smoke Ten.
Whoa. Probably the best Pinots I will ever have the pleasure to drink (in a few years).
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We had a reception - small- for a House Rep from Michigan and I poured a 08 and a 352.
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How is the 352 now?
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Please do tell on 352!! Is it yummy??
I was initially planning to hold until 11/24/23, it’s one year in the bottle then.
hmmm…
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I just broke open that case the other night. I found it enjoyable on day 1, very enjoyable on day 2. Long way to go, I would probably say you should wait on it. I think I have the only note on CT so far
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2021 de Négoce Cabernet Sauvignon OG N.352 - Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra (4/3/2023)
Drank over 2 days. First day ~3 hour open decant followed by ~6 slow-ox. Definitely opened up on the second day, and seems to have a good long way to go. Forgot to type this up day-of, so notes are a copy of handwritten scribbles.
Opaque purple; Marangoni in full form. Nose somewhat restrained, initially oak-dominated, blew off in ~1 hour or so. A bit of alcohol present on the nose. Blackberry, minor red fruit, some baking spice, or dried herbs. No chocolate, hint of vanilla.
First taste brought oaky, cedar notes, more complexity than some other DN wines I have had. More blackberry, no dried fruit notes, showing infancy. Sugar, acid, bitterness in decent balance. Tannin doesn't overpower, personally I was hoping for a tad bit more. Not hot at all, can hardly believe this is ~15%. Medium to medium+ body. Finish was pleasant, mouth-watering, medium+ in length. No unpleasant features.
Overall, this is an excellent value at T1 price. It has years to go, and is probably still too young, but I couldn't resist. This is probably closer to a 90 now, but has significant amount of room for growth in the bottle. Bumped up to a 91 overall due to great second-day showing. (91 points)
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Try one its good.
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Thursday Nite get together:
Double Delight de Negoce Lot 38 2018 “Altitude Series” Syrah and Lot 124 2018 Napa Valley Merlot.
Syrah loving friend brought the 38, I had picked and decanted the 124 hours before he arrived. Alright let’s enjoy them. As one person said earlier, the 38 showed alot of fruit, next to no tannins. Certainly the Syrah fruit overwhelms tannins at this stage, there are some good tannins at the back end of this. Delicious now, friend noted not to open another for 3 years.
Merlot reportedly from Stagecoach vineyard, my friend is a member of the alledged source winery for decades. He wanted to try this as well. Nice color in the glass, darker than 123 Merlot. Plum and dark cherry along with dark chocolate followed by grippy tannins and medium plus finish. Saved half bottle for Friday evening dinner to share with the wife.
Decented 141 for grilled filet mignon, grilled asparagus, steamed artichoke a Good Friday dinner after a nice day in Carmel by The Sea with the wife and Goldens.
Cheers, Tim
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N.188 tonight: again, low expectations given mixed reviews from the community…but great delivery!! Beautiful nose, mouthwatering, and long, delicious finish!
My wife decided to open another bottle we bought a few weeks ago. A Portuguese wine that technically retails for $45 (Poças Reserva Douro Valley). I did a blind tasting with her and she preferred the DN 188 by a long shot. Of course, very different wines, but still, a good experience 
And this helped me convince her that the random, white label bottles that keep piling up throughout the house are worth it
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Update for Good Friday de Negoce wine lineup:
Lot 141 jaw dropping good Cabernet, wife kept holding her glass up for more, after timid pours from me. Outstanding price at March Moving sale of $10. Damn should’ve bought more…the story of most de Negoce purchasers huh?
124 2nd half bottle during Warriors/Kings game- very delicious and much improved on 2nd night open, this Merlot has to be one of the best I’ve had from California. Deep dark cherry, earth, and tannins that still scraping my tongue from an hour after last glass. Superb finish. 93.
And Wine O’Clock started with Lot 177 RRV Rose of Pinot, just busting through these '20 Rose wines and this one is by far the best. Nice balance, fruit and acidity with meduim finish. Pinch myself this was $108/case.
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Recap of the past 3 nights:
#24 PN-delicious, only 2 bottles left outta 60 (5 cases). Drinking/Guzzling great now, can age, too.!
#164 Colombia Valley CS-very good, even better on night 2, even when tasted against #17!
#17 CS-Triple Yum!!! 
Note to self: does not need much decanting, finally! PnP, is okay, or, minimal decant only.
17 For Good Friday, pairs sooooo well with Rack of Lamb!!! Enjoy now or age a while more…
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Hey Tim, Is the source winery for the delicious 124 Merlot:
Liberate Mark Abbey???
Cheers, and should I age 124 longer still??
PS Just try to get your Golden Retrievers to retrieve some GOLD for you, that would be very nice, Good Dog Goldie!!! 
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Scott,
The correct Abbey winery for 124 source. Certainly 124 was “splash decanted” so to speak by pouring around half the bottle AFTER I double decanted it back into bottle to sample when Chris brought it over. Try one with a “24 hour slow ox” and determine it’s “yummy grade” from there. Rest of my 5 bottles will age a couple more years. Thanks for the notes on #17, need to try another bottle soon been almost 2 years.
Cheers, Tim
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Tim and Scott.
Love these recent reviews. 17, 24, 141 are in my regular rotation for reasons listed by y’all
124 is on the way from the big sale but I only got 6 so I’ll make sure to decant and pace myself
164 in LTS - based on how much I love the majority of my Washington cabs from dN I’ll likely have the sent soon. Was well worth the $5 for 2yr of storage for me not to have wasted a few bottles too early of that one.
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Luke,
My neighbor referred to himself as the “Merlot Maker”, when in fact, his Estate Cabernet was one of the best in Santa Cruz Mountains. Drank his Merlot based “Lateral” for years, loved Merlot based wines on his suggestions of finding/seeking them out. So yeah, I think 124 IS THAT good. Do others? I don’t know. Hope you get same enjoyment from the 124 too, If anybody says “Merlot does not have tannins” this wine would prove them wrong. This Merlot has > $75 a bottle tannins.
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I have loved 57 and 68 (sadly they are gone). For those that have had them, any others that you love in the same flavor profile?
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last night with Tri Tip - N.17 and N.300. 300 had about a 6 hour decant, both these wines are terrific, but 300 is something special.
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