@Luke_Newton great photographs and write-up. Thanks for sharing.
@Otto_Forsberg’s tasting notes of the n.300 v. Harlan Estate 2019 blind tasting have been posted to CellarTracker. With many thanks to Otto for getting these to the front of the line, ouch!
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Did you ever post notes, results from this? tia.
And it won’t take much before I publish my full tasting report here as well, I promise!
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I asked chat gpt to summarize the 2 reviews…here is what it gave me: “I hate American wine and almost never drink them….but if I must drink it, I hate lot 300 a little less than i hate Harlen…one was garbage and the other was a little less garbage. If you are a fan of garbage in this style, then at least you won’t have wasted a ton of money on the dN wine.”
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Hmmmmm, very interesting to see multiple Lebanese wines listed in his top 100.
I have yet to try any. Must be very Yummy!
The world has an abundance of delicious booze, some is fancy. Much is delicious!
OG N.56 Anderson Valley Pinot Noir
Surprise, Surprise!! 4+ years bottled, PnP. A VERY Fine, medium bodied cool climate PN.
I drank the first 10 bottles before the nose developed. Previously, it was a nice red wine with just a little PN character. Now, the nose is filled with delightfully enticing Pinotberries galore!! 
Huge positive improvement.
My last bottle remains in the Library, for another 1-2 more years. I think it will still be ok?
w/ Chicken Drumsticks
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Haha, I’m not surprised @Otto_Forsberg gave those scores, he likes a bit of mud and poop in his wines 
The interesting thing to me was the comparison, not the exact score (and there were people in the tasting who likely would’ve been in the 90s in their scores, I scored them 92 and 93 that night). I could have brought a more Otto-wine with higher acidity and all that, but that wouldn’t have been a straight comparison as #300 v. Harlan was as I wanted 2 very classic muscular Napa cabs in the polar opposite ends of the price spectrum from the same vintage.
Key point was, 7 out of 8 preferred #300 that day. No matter what scores anyone gives those wines (I think I’ve been around 93-94 on #300 myself, but I like wines with more yum than mud). One called Harlan correctly 100% blind (these guys are blind tasting machines!), and still preferred #300.
@AskoKassinen Did you end up writing any notes from these 2 wines?
Apparently Otto gave my third wine 96 points, so it was not all torture for him 
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I love Chateau Musar, both red and white. They are more in the interesting and intellectual end of wines rather than pure “yum”, but when you want to concentrate on a wine and you happen on a good bottle, man those things are amazing. Some of the best red wines I’ve ever had.
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Yes.
And then my Windows decided to auto-update itself overnight and those notes were lost.
summa summarum, Opus One actually was a more approachable wine of those two, dN needed more air and needs more time. Complexity and length were comparable. Opus is another cult Napa wine that simply provides atrocious QPR these days.
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I just noted down that Harlan nose was oak and alc, some redeeming values in taste department but not really altogether together as a wine. #300 was big, bold, wide and long, full bodied but not too jammy for my taste.
We have often discussed, @Otto_Forsberg and me, our different wine preferences. Our wine Venn -diagram is googly eyed af. Big California wines, and Spanish RdDs, are in one far side and the lean and mean Nebbiolos in another distant curve. Chateau Musar is on the nose.
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Indeed, there is relatively little common ground - yet there is still some overlap in the middle - not just Musar! Probably we share more common white wine preferences than with reds.
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Finally, OG N.74 Walla Walla 2018 Syrah has turned to much, much better. Realize that this was only a $108 case wine back in the day. Though originally compared to a $30+ wine, ~ today I would have not blinked paying $40 for this 91 pointer.
Was my exaltation a little extended considering we are currently ‘living’ in day 6 after Hurricane Helene in the Carolinas? Roads still closed, trees down on highways & homes everywhere, no power or Internet for most people, but fortunately for us and a natural gas generator humming along, air conditioning and wine refrigerators maintain proper temps for hundreds of dN wines. Neighbors have parked their coffee percolators & favorite beans at our house, a few ladies take showers downstairs before heading to work and today I grilled hamburgers served with an appreciated dN Lot 74 Syrah. / Duke Power contingently promises us electricity by Friday, 11:45 pm Oct 4th. Over 20 massive oak, hickory, poplar and pine trees down in our rhododendron & deciduous magnolia gardens, but looking forward to all the de Négoce wines it will take to clear out this mess before the International Magnolia Society meets here in 2026 (next year’s meeting in Belgium-France).
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I’m sure all of us WBers hope you and the other hurricane victims recover soon. Your story should remind us of the importance of disaster prep. Here in the Cal fire country, I have a propane generator, cords of wood for heat, and enough food and water to last weeks. Also have enough wine to last a year at least.
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Just popped one as it is the epitome of a cellar defender and agree. Probably the best $9 bottle I have ever had.
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- 2018 de Négoce OG N.127 Red Blend - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley (10/3/2024)
This wine continues to develop and improve and it's in a better place than it was a couple of years ago. Drink now and enjoy, or hold a little longer. Cheers.
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2023 de Négoce Chardonnay OG N.452 - USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley (10/3/2024)
Notes after following for three hours open. Very light gold color with a bright shine. Timid nose of honeydew and pear. Similarly, the palate is light and bright with a little additional peach and kiwi flavor. Complete opposite of Lot N.451… no wood, partial malo, high acidity. Not my favorite style, but clearly a well-made wine. 5+10+15+7= 87 (87 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
2023 de Négoce Chardonnay OG N.451 - USA, California, Napa Valley, Oak Knoll District (10/2/2024)
Notes after 30 minutes open. Light gold color with quick legs and no sediment.
Generous nose of lightly toasted bread with some honey and nuts, rather Champagne-like. Medium weight mouthfeel with acidity right down the middle. Good flavor intensity and persistence. Some green melon and lemon peel on the tail. I could see this stepping up its game a point or two with more time in the cellar. 4+11+17+8= 90 (90 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
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I feel like I owe 239 an apology. After giving away as much as I could I opened my last bottle for my wifes friends. They didn’t drink it. I poured a glass out of the decanter that it had sat in overnight and I have to say it wasn’t bad. I would be very curious to revisit in 2028, but I’m all out (and not looking for more).
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I also opened a bottle of 239, last night, and it was very good. Sorry that it is the last of my case 
#239 was $8/bottle at release. I’ve been through 3 cases, still looks like I have few more bottles left. Sometimes you just want a high alcohol bruiser-style wine, and the QPR for that is bonkers.
It’s interesting as at release it was much more earthy and rustic, after a bit of age it turned into the fruity bomb it is. Zero finesse or class, just a Rocky Balboa of a wine.
It’s best on day 3 as it tones down a bit.
Oh, and Otto scored it 1 point lower than Harlan Estate, which is 200 times more expensive
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