What de Négoce wine are you drinking tonight?

WINE TALK
10032

OG N.68 2018 Sonoma County “Mountain” Cabernet Sauvignon
Decant unnecessary. Delicious and ready for Prime time! This has matured perfectly and is finally fantastic! Easily a double Yum at this point! :wine_glass: :wine_glass:
I got 2.5 cases, after 6 early bottles I wisely stashed the rest. Good call. Now it’s got some delicious complex curly cues currently! Beautiful balance! :face_savoring_food:

Lot 400 | 2020 Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon
Decanted this one. Big, Bold, Strong and Rich! This hefty wine needs additional aging. It’s yummy, but needs to soften and develop over more time. 15.5% on the label, 14.5% on the offering note. I vote for 15.5%, it’s that big. I expect better times in another year or three.
with Lamb Chops

Contemplating dN 68, with a gourmet PBJ mountaintop lunch:

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10033

Unfortunately I bought into the story that 68 was a good early drinker and always thought it was good not great. If it’s really pride I shouldn’t have touched any before now. I think I have four left. I also think I missed the massive fire sale on this one at the end of it’s life. Didn’t you guys scoop these up at half off at some point?

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10034

Yeah, don’t remember the price exactly, but it was like $12 during the moving sale. Lot 38 Syrah, also supposed to be a Pride was $6!!! It too is killer, last I had it!

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10035

I really hated the moving sale. I was about to move and I just couldn’t pull the trigger on anything. I bought 2 cases of 38 on release and love it. Wish I bought more, but I still have plenty.

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10036

Lot 68 Sonoma ‘Mountain’ 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon was initially offered $216 case plus $29 shipping ($18 btl) before it was placed in the Bottle Shop for $29 btl. On the ‘Moving Day Sale’ it went for $11 btl shipped ($139 case). One bottle left.

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10037

Now you’re just rubbing it in.

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10038

I ended up with 4 cases of Lot 68, and ironically just opened a bottle. It is indeed drinking well.

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10039

Great Call! Bon Appetite!
Both Smart & Lucky, now that’s a good combo. :wine_glass: :wine_glass:

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10040

Exactly Boris, I sent out a notice to the board here that Lot 68 was available for moving sale, wine sold out within the day if I recall. Of course, I helped myself to a couple cases (~1 case left) then blast to board.

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10041

Opened 46 Cab and 38 Syrah last night based on recent chatter here. Both had 2+ hour decant. 46 was alright, we’ll see how it is this afternoon. 38 was amazing. I’ve had at least 10 of these so far and last night was the best showing yet. East 94 pointer. Silky smooth and glugable, but with plenty of good savory notes.

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10042

Thursday evening: 2018 Napa Merlot delivered

  • 2018 de Négoce Merlot OG N.15 - USA, California, Napa Valley (8/27/2026)
    Popped and poured for homemade Pizza & 9ers/Raiders preseason FB game.

    Consistent with previous tastings, however tonight bottle best yet of this 8 year old Merlot. Finish seemed to last longer and firmer.

    Nose: Plums, layered with mocha. Pleasantly aromatic Merlot.
    Color: Dark Red, nearly opaque in Bordeaux glass.
    Palate: Plums, dark cherry, touch of earth, ending with almost bright raspberry on a long tannic finish. Superb bottle, outstanding value for a Napa Merlot. This has years left if you have any. (93 points)

Posted from CellarTracker

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10043

Friday evening, started with a Lot 347 Sau Blanc (Aussie wine) that’s still drinking great. Dinner wine:

  • 2018 de Négoce Cabernet Sauvignon OG N.60 - USA, California, Napa Valley, Yountville (8/28/2026)
    Double decanted back into bottle 30 mins prior to serving with lamb rib and loin chops.

    Pours quite dark in wine glass, purple and opaque. Swirling the glass provides fantastic Cabernet aromas of dark berries, acacia, graphite, along with the finest French Oak one could imagine. First sip and you're greeted with dark cherry, dark plums, cassis- and then the tannins attack. Massively tannic in what one would expect from a nearly $300 Yountville Cabernet from Sleeping Lady Vineyard. One of the top de Negoce OG Cabernets.

    Lamb chops (American grass fed) paired well with this dark, tannic Cabernet. (94 points)

Posted from CellarTracker

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10044

Tim, I cannot stop the inevitable: my relinquishment of the title as #1 dN taster in CT is a certainty at the pace you’re keeping. Keep up the great work, my friend! :smiling_face_with_sunglasses:

Notes (311) / Avg. 90.0 pts. in 205 ratings

Notes (283) / Avg. 91.6 pts. in 283 ratings

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10045
  • 2018 de Négoce Pinot Noir OG N.171 - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast (8/29/2026)
    Pigs n Pinot night:
    Stuffed Coleman Pork Loin homemade pesto and prosciutto, wild mushroom risotto.
    Had company for dinner, pulled out a 2022 Windy Oaks Estate Cuvee Pinot Noir and 2018 OG N. 171 Pinot Noir.

    Consistent with last tasting, maybe better, this 2018 S.C. Pinot Noir is one of my favorite Pinots I've drank over the years. Pulled this last bottle to share with special company we entertained.

    Nose: Earthy dark fruit, allspice mix in whiffs of wild strawberry. Took awhile for these bottles to become aromatic- pleasantly so now.
    Color: See through ruby.
    Palate: Medium + body with gobs of strawberry, some cola, bracing acidity at 14.5% abv Pinot. This is quite delicious now.

    At the end of dinner, this Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir impressed guests with it's aromatics, balanced fruit, and tannic grip. The SCM Pinot was fruitier (hot vintage) with less tannins to pair with pork roast. (93 points)

Posted from CellarTracker

1 Like
10046

Last night in the mountains, we went for a 3-way! Provocative!?!
The punch line first: Blending can greatly improve our favorite beverages:

OG N.50 2018 Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon
We accidentally opened this a night early. Hence a serendipitous 24 hour decant, Good accident!
This dark, big, dark wine is dark colored, dark flavored, darkly tannic and will benefit from additional aging. Subtle to little dark fruits. Nice tannic mouthfeel. Needs age. Or, blending?

Lot 409 | 2021 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Decanted, Good thing. 3+ years in the bottle. This is a medium/heavy bodied, pleasantly powerful CS that is drinking fine currently. (Named after a household cleanser??) I expect this 2021 to add complexity with future aging. Or, blending?

Lustily, Decided to open:
2023 Cam X Stags Leap Cabernet Sauvignon Lot 32
One year bottled, 2/48.
Vanilla! More vanilla! Red/dark red fruited. Seductive and yummy. Very tasty The vanilla aroma was over evident. But the flavors were clean. I anticipate a great future here. It needs more age. Or, blending?
all 3 with Gold Label Wagyu Tritip

Surprisingly, X32 is the most accessible, followed by dN 409, with dN 50 a distant 3rd.
Both 409 & 50 were tamed, enhanced and vastly improved with ~10-20% of X32 blended in! :open_mouth:
Above ~25% the vanilla in X32, became over evident. Diminishing returns…

Day 2(3 on dN 50): after a long drive across the Mojave Desert
X32, the vanilla tamed down nicely, improved dramatically and no oxidation issues. Yummy :face_savoring_food:
dN 50, better tamed tannins, still dark and subtle aroma/minimal bouquet. Slightly oxidized after 3 days and the warm Desert drive. Age it more, please…
with Grilled Chicken

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Lone Pine Peak 12,949’ left, looks tallest?
Mount Whitney, center rear, is the highest peak in the contiguous United States, standing at 14,505 feet (4,421 meters) in the totally triple fantastic and extra yummy Sierra Nevada range. :face_blowing_a_kiss::snow_capped_mountain:

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10047

Didn’t get back to 46 Cab until day 4. That much time certainly didn’t help.

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10048

OG N.17 2018 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Over 6 years bottled. Bottle 62/64, PnP.
YES! It’s as delicious than ever, a perennial favorite of mine! This was my second dN purchase & my “dN Gateway drug”! I suddenly realized that I could buy a delicious Napa Cab for $12, a huge revelation! So, I “Backed up the Truck!” So Complex and Seductive. Fantastic balance and drinking great now.
DAY 2 with Wine Preserver, still fresh and yummy!
with Wagyu Tritip

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10049

Nice…I think I have two bottles left

10050

OG N.17 2018 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Tried our first of these in the fall of 2024 and marked this for 2027. 5/6 bottles remain and look forward to revisiting this selection in the very near future. I think that my cost for this was $14.50 btl plus shipping. Looking forward to cooler weather and trying one of these earlier dNé offerings.

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10051

Lot 550 | 2021 Napa Valley Proprietary Red
1.5 years bottled, 4/24, PnP.
I enjoyed my first bottle, a year ago. I was disgusted by bottle 2&3. I was ready to avoid, give or dump this one.
I decided to give it a try with Tacos Tuesday. It reminded me of a lesser Bordeaux Supérieur. Thin, acidic and uninteresting. Tasted about 12.3%, not 13.9% per label.
Actually this may be an AFWE wine, some folks might enjoy it. More unflavored than Malflavored.
I Only could drink about half the bottle, against a bit of day 2 of dN17 for comparison. HA!
On Day 2, could barely only tolerate 2 ounces, against delicious 2018 Merlot dN 124, which is ready. At this point, 550 is easily my biggest dN disappointment.
with Tacos

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