Newbie - Help with basics for Bordeaux Vertical Tasting

newhere

I’m fairly green into my wine collecting journey. I was blessed with an experience that allowed me to taste pristine old bordeaux (1980s and 1990s left and right bank), about 10 years ago and it launched me into wine. I’m only starting to collect and expand into auctions and wine bidding in the last couple of years.

I saw this thread though and it made me think that part of the experience i had was just the wonder of my friend’s private cellar and the prestige of the old wine even though i knew nothing beyond that Bordeaux is supposedly good.

https://www.wineberserkers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=3150684#p3150684

I can’t say for sure that it was my favorite style or type of wine as it was so early in my journey. I do have an affinity for cabs now, but no real idea if i like them young or old. The suggestion in the thread above seemed like a simple and genius set up: an '85 probably marked at peak around now, a '96 which may still be tanic but well aged, and a 2005 pup. It seems great way to figure out if i like Old Old bordeaux, Old bordeaux, or relatively young for bordeaux (15y), before i go nuts trying to backfill the older vintages at beaucoup $$.

What i’m hoping for help with is how to go about doing this.

I went with what feels like all out for me and have acquired an '85 Pichon Lalande, with a '96 and an '05 Leoville Barton. They were delivered two weeks ago and have been laying flat in a wine fridge at 60 degrees. I plan on having my in-laws over next Thursday for dinner and to do the tasting.

So far my plan is:

To stand the bottles up the night before and let sediment settle for 24 hours
Decant all three bottles about 2 hours before dinner (New Grassl Decanters from Chris @ CJF during my first Berserker Day!, Thanks Chris!)
Serve at the same time blind

Some questions I have:
I don’t have a way to stand the bottles in the wine fridge or a creative way to keep at 60 degrees after decanting before serving. Any thoughts?
How important is serving at 60 degrees, room temp for us is around 70 (my wife freezes below that, think she is cold blooded…)?
Is decanting all at the same time the right move, should i decant the '05 earlier?
Are there any good basic templates for me to take notes and basic flavors for me to look out for? I thought i saw some links in other posts to helpful beginner note sheets but i can’t find them anymore.

Thanks for any advice. I’m excited and nervous!

Sorry, I just saw your post today (should have posted in the other board). Hope it went well.

In my experience, the 05 needs more time than an 85. When at home and with sufficient time I open the wines hours before, taste them and decide if a decanting is needed. You can always go back, taste it again and decide to put it back in the bottle with a cork or let it breath for another hour or two. That’s the way to go, in my opinion.

How to keep it at the right temperature. When your home is at 70 the wine coming out of the fridge will take long to get to the too warm 70 degrees. No worries about that. What I do, if necessary and there is no space in the wine fridge: put the bottle/decanter in the sink with some water and ice around it and a few minutes later it’s at the right temp again.

How were the wines?

I suggest to always consult Cellartracker first before buying old vintages of any wine. Often you find decanting advice there too.