Well my cellar is a challenging environment! It started in 2012 and is now full, but I never manage to keep wine more than a few years, except for port and Sauternes.
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I have also had wines with a slightly off-putting, chemical or something, nose as well that dissipated after being carafed for a while. A corked wine is quite, wet-cardboard like, and never really goes away. I’ve only ever had about two or three corked wines, so I’m no expert on it.
Grenache and Syrah is such a nice blend tho … must have been lovely.
My cellar also began, seriously, in 2012. 10 or so years before that, I had dabbled with keeping some bottles and a few cases, but since 2012 everything is catalogued properly and I hold wines for anywhere from 3 to 6 years.
A few I’ll open at two years, and a few special ones I’ll hold for 8-12 years, but all-in-all, it’s just so much more enjoyable than buying a new release off the shelf and taking it home and drinking it right away.
Apparently, 90% of the wine that is purchased in Ontario, Canada, is opened within 45 minutes … the horror …
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That long ! 
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[quote=“Pete_the_painter, post:8074, topic:254, full:true”]
That long !
The desperation. Apparently 99% of statistics are wrong, and the other 2% are a bit iffy
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Very renaissance style of photo. 
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Another cracking lunch with some gems. The Gonet BdB was simply stunning - could have enjoyed it through the whole lunch service. Three excellent Chardonnays but the Jadot was the most complete and balanced. The Hermitage was rich and redolent of the Rhône.
The Barolo flight was a real contrast with the Ballarin very different in style especially with the dark and brooding Scavinos. The impact of climate change is creating challenges and opportunities that probably mean the Scavinos are yesterday’s style.
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To go with the risotto. Quite a lovely wine now. Very soft tannins with savoury flavours. Great with the food.
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Vintage 2014 champagne tasting last night. Had a great time…
Delamotte 2014
Ayala Blanc de Blanc 2014
Philipponat Blanc be Noir 2014
Bollinger La Grand Annee 2014
Louis Roederer Cristal 2014
Henri Giraud Argonne 2014
Favourites were Demamotte and Cristal 
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we collect any kind of stuff, old, new… contemporary… fun job
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Here’s the rest of my fantastic fortifieds.
Rutherglen/Vin Doux Naturel/Porto
And then a three wine mock-exam to round it off.
Lovely!
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Plate lf oysters … Mmmm.
And, like, the wine looks good too …
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ahead of us our current Vintage is 2019 - hope you enjoyed the visit
Just finished three days of tasting practice for this year’s aspiring MWs.
Great fun! Although blind tasting is always much easier when you know what they are.
Twelve whites “No Chardonnay”
Twelve reds. No-one got Cabernet Franc for the first four.
Twelve lovelies. Unspittable Sherry, amongst others.
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Platters 2024 rates the 2020 as 97 points, just ahead of a new tasting of the 2019 on 95 points. Both 5 stars obviously. We didn’t stop any longer at the winery as we were on our way to our friends’ house just round the corner in Hout Bay. The place was busy with people tasting of course. The winery still sells the 2019 and 2018 bottling. And one or two older ones in magnums.
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