With Hart, Brandon and QH at home + dinner.
This bottle underwent the winery’s decanting process in 2023.
Brandon texted me within minutes of the announcement of our corporate bonus. We split the bottle, and the order was made within 16 mins after.
It had been a month or two of anticipation. Pepe’s are notoriously finicky and unpredictable. Sure, in theory, the decanting program is supposed to guarantee both provenance and quality. But I was still fucking scared. I’ve had a bunch of Pepe’s, and it’s unpredictable. The 2010 was ultra hyped, good but couldn’t live up my expectations. The 2011 opened my eyes to the Montepulciano grape, god, I remember the distinct funk that was so complex and delicious. The 2014 is just outrageously good. The 2015, idk – I think I had a corked bottle.
We prepared an Italian themed salad with tonnato dressing, 3 different lasagnes, and a ribeye roast prepared with 24 hours of dry brining and 21 hours of shio koji.
Popped the bottle, took a whiff of the bottle, and all my fears were erased. Perfume.
We ended up letting it breathe in the bottle for 30 mins. Poured a tiny sampler and then decanted it for about an hour.
Off the bottle: dark red fruits, mild perfume. Tight. It needed time to breathe. Red color with a touch of orange. Light medium body.
With enough decanting (1 hr in decanter after the initial 30 mins). Wow. The nose bloomed. Red fruits with a dark note. EARTHY. Delicate. Perfumey. This is not like the 2014, which had a punchy penetrative nose. Nope. 40 years of aging had mellowed it. Made it delicate. Elegant. The development of the earthiness lent a certain depth and complexity that was just, pleasurable. The important thing is, age has not robbed it of its fruits.
On the palette, mild but grippy tannins, with mid acidity. Mind you. This is a 40 year old wine.
Overall, this is well within its drinking window, but I’m not sure it has the acidity to support the wine for another 10 years. 5 probably.
I’m not sure this was worth the obscene price tag, but I’m so fucking thankful I got to taste it. Beautiful fucking wine, and I can’t wait for my stockpile of earlier vintages to mature.
