I have a bunch of cases of cheaper wine sitting on the floor of my home office in Atlanta, and it’s 73-74 degrees in the summer. Some of it has been there 2-3 years and I feel that the wine is fine, but that it does age faster at those temps!
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My temperature ranges are similar. I always use a fun and handy infrared temperature gun to shoot the bottles when I bring them up. Winter bottle lows are about 54F, summer bottle highs run up to 74F. Certainly not ideal for triple fancy extra long agers. I have a ~50 bottle wine refrigerator in house, it’s handy and full.
I prefer to convince myself that this accelerated maturation is a benefit in my case. At Nearly 70 years elderly, I want to drink all 100+ cases while it’s still fun and actually yummy.
Fer instance, 5 cases of X80 are due here in the fall, how long can I wait to start and finish these? Time will tell.
Most wine shops have most wines at ambient temperatures. I’m not really concerned.
Don’t let the imperfect keep you from stacking them high! Cheers 
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I am 70 and my underneath storage is not walk-in unfortunately. I do have two wine coolers in the house that hold about 280 bottles total so when I put it under the house it’s going to be there awhile. I have not measured the temperature of an individual bottle. I like the accelerated aging concept though.
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I’m glad that we can rationalize imperfections!
This is handy & makes a fun gift?
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N.02 2017 Cabernet…in a nice initial secondary spot. No sediment but slow pour into a decanter. Nice first sip, it certainly enjoyed a few hours of air. A bit to go tonight. Vinc+ cork.
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Lot 138, Napa Valley Cab.
I broke a bottle of Cameron Hughes Lot 873, 2017 Super Tuscan while recovering the Lot 138!
I think 873 is Post-Cam, so it’s ok.
On Pop-N-Pour Lot 138 is delicious. I do taste a little organic solvent of some kind, can’t identify…
Not Acetone or Toluene…I’ve been out of the lab way too long. We’ll see if it blows over.
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OG Lot 157 2019 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
Over 5.5 years bottled, PnP, 9/12.
This solidly structured & moderately complex PN seems completely ready for my enjoyment now. This yummy + wine, can age longer in ideal storage. For me, it’s go time now. 7 years past vintage, ‘nuff said?
with chicken wings
While Recovering from monthly Cerro Alto summit #107/128 times 
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Thursday evening dinner and NLFX wine: Still a nice drink.
- 2018 de Négoce Cabernet Sauvignon OG N.43 - USA, California, Napa Valley (8/6/2026)
Popped and poured for homemade TOGOs #8 sandwich. Fairly consistent with last tasting, this Cabernet goes well food. It shined with the sandwich.
Nose: Black cherry, currants, cigar box mixed in with some earth. Very old school Napa Cab here.
Color: Dark Red and almost opaque in BDX stem.
Palate: Dark plums, black cherry, turned earth, blast of tannins and acidity. Finish is medium in length, pleasant and paired well with food. The tannins and acidity really match up with food. Wine throws off alot of tartaric sediment.
Not the best de Negoce Cab, but at $12 price tag, this wine beats MANY $20 - $25 bottles from Costco or Supermarket. (90 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
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Friday evening dinner wine:
- 2018 de Négoce Cabernet Sauvignon OG N.08 - USA, California, Napa Valley (8/7/2026)
Double decanted back into bottle 30 mins prior to dinner: Grilled Rib Eye & NY Steak combo. His & Hers
Pours dark crimson in glass. Aromas of dark fruit (cassis / blackberry), nutmeg, spice in the glass. Very inviting nose. Classic flavors of cassis with blackberry fruit, mixed with savory tones make this Cabernet just sing in your mouth. Minerality, glycerin, tannins round out a long finish. Very satisfying Napa Cabernet, have 6 bottles left. (93 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
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Started off Friday’s Wine 30 at the Ballard residence with this delightful Oregon Chardonnay. Very similar in quality to OG N.77 Chardonnay.
- 2019 de Négoce Chardonnay OG N.133 - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills (8/7/2026)
This is getting better with bottle age. Absolutely rocked the start of Wine 30 for Friday evening.
Nose: Lemon tart and jasmine. Really enjoyable, and Burgundian like.
Color: Light Yellow
Palate: Deft touch of oak here allowing a fleshy stonefruit to show through with layers of minerality, more lemon, and kissed with enough acid for a lip smacking finish. Hard to put the glass down, you want more. A fantastic Oregon Chardonnay sourced likely from Larry Stone's Lingua Franca. (93 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
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OG Lot 158 2018 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Last of 6, PnP. Over 5.5 years bottled.
For me, this is ready and my favorite of the dN Alexander Valley Cab’s.
I immediately noticed those elusive and extremely desirable fancy BDX curly cues, absolutely amazed. So Flavorful & very Complex. Drinking extra fine now, could age it longer. All gone here.
with Wagyu Tritip-Black Label
This has always been one of my favorite DN wines…unfortunately I drank all of mine long ago…
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Believe it or not I still have 4 bottles but I looked back my notes and they were similar “easily one of the best QPR bottles I’ve ever had””
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Looks like I have four more too.
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N159 Rutherford Red Blend. This might be my first time trying this one. What a treat. Perfect pairing with steak, the Merlot dominates, but in a good way. 92-93 points.
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I concur.
My grandson and I went down to the cellar to find one. There were still 12, so 1/12.
He approves, but gets to drink sparkling apple juice.
My wife says: “I don’t like meritage” and “something rancid in there”.
Very nice aperitif out in the gazebo.
Looks like I’ll get to enjoy this one several more times.
Day 2, on the counter corked. Just as good as day 1. Very nice wine!
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OG N.133 was epic. I blazed through my case in the early daze… 2021-2023
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n.240 2019 Red Mountain Cabernet
First bottle of this that I’ve had which I unfortunately felt like this wine has gone past its prime and is on the downslope. These were great back in the day and we went through many bottles of the 5 cases I bought. Kept about half a case for random weeknights and opened one with some grilled new yorks. It actually disappointed me for the first time and I’m hoping it was just a bum bottle because this wine has been one of my all time favorites from dN.
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164 2018 Washington cab. I have this stored in my office so I have to make a purposeful decision to bring it home. So these have lingerieres longer than some of my cellar defender type of wines. And is such a solid cab, easy to drink on Pop and pour. Dark fruit and leather. Good to
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