2004 Vérité La Muse on a Sunny Sunday!

First tried this wine about two years ago at the winery.

Opened the bottle on a sunny Sunday in San Francisco.

Brought this to Arquet, located where the old Slanted Door used to be and sat outdoors.

It may be sacrilegious to have a heavy Bordeaux blend on a sunny day for lunch, but was saving this bottle for a special occasion, so went for it.

Opened and still a little tight, so gave it an hour decant before drinking, which was the right call.

Once this opened, it blossomed.

Dark plum, plum skins, cherry skins, graphite, young peppercorn, eucalyptus, maybe slight menthol?

Also picked up some slight cocoa powder and cinnamon notes, slight nutmeg as well.

This is an absolutely beautiful wine, drinking likely at its peak, but also has a long, long way to go.

Only got some slight tertiary notes, maybe slight leather, but more like fruit leather.

94 points.