2002 Da Party

Da Party at Conrad.

199x Jaboulet La Chapelle en magnum - drank very well.

1992 Chapoutier Barbe Rac en magnum

1992 Chapoutier Le Pavillon en magnum - this was OK.

1990 Chapoutier Le Pavillon en magnum - this needed more airing time.  It was clearly too powerful and not ready.  I was little bummed about having to bring this wine and commit infanticide.

1994 L'Eglise-Clinet en double magnum - OK but nothing to write home about. Pol Roger White Foil - drank for the countdown.

1994 Haut-Marbuzet + 1990 Rieussec

1994 Haut-Marbuzet - not interesting.  We had two bottles and neither really opened up.  Smooth tannins, yes, but not exciting to drink.

1990 Rieussec - lots of honey, nuts, orange, apricot in the nose.

Bought from 67 Wines for USD 56.

1994 Beaucastel

Dinner at Au Trou Normand.

1994 Beaucastel - pretty decent, but needed breathing time as it was too sharp when first opened.  Fruity, spicy nose opened up later.  Grilled meats, smoke, saddle, cherries, nose sweet but palate remained relatively acidic.

Bought from a friend for HKD 400.

1993 Ridge Santa Cruz

Dinner at Napa Valley.

1993 Ridge Cabernet Santa Cruz Mountains - my last bottle from the case.  Very good stuff.  Powerful, fruity nose.  A hint of spicy peppers.  Full-bodied, round tannins.

Bought from Berry Brothers for HKD 368.

1996 d'Arenberg Riesling the Noble

Drinking at home.

1996 d'Arenberg Riesling the Noble - good stuff and reliable.

40th birthday party

Friend's 40th birthday party at the Peninsula Hong Kong.

Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve Mis en Cave en 1996 - pretty good.

2000 Chapoutier Crozes-Hermitage Blanc Petite Ruche - very light-bodied and refreshing.

1997 Les Carmes Haut-Brion - very smooth, light to medium-bodied, easy to drink.

1989 Climens - sweet enough with honey, caramel, apricot nose.

Bought from Oaks for SGD 145.

1992 Mondot

Drinking at home.

1992 Mondot, en demi-bouteille - still very good.  Very sweet, fruity nose.

Bought from Ponti for HKD 136.

1998 Barde-Haut

Dinner at Wolf.

1998 Barde-Haut - this was pretty good.  Sweet nose with caramel notes, sweet on the palate.  Very approachable now.

Bought from Vinum for SGD 66.

MNSC Dinner - 1982 Right Bank

MNSC dinner at the Board Room in Grand Hyatt.  The last of the series of '82 dinners and the theme was 1982 Right Bank.

Pol Roger White Foil - not so impressed.  A little too sharp and young for me.

1982 Trotanoy

1982 Lafleur - what a beautiful wine! Started with a little bit of fruit in the nose, while being strong and powerful on the palate.  Opened later to a very sweet nose with loads of ripe fruit, grilled meat and mint.  Second favorite wine and almost on par with Petrus.

1982 Latour à Pomerol - drinking beautifully and almost on par with the big boys.  The best value of the evening given its fractional cost compared to the big guns.

1982 L'Evangile - very ripe fruit in the nose.  A bit of Chinese medicine and smoke.  Later on sweet grass emerged in the nose.  On the palate, the tannins were pretty rounded, with a good, long finish.

1982 L'Eglise-Clinet

1982 Petrus - you just can't say anything bad about this wine... This was absolutely amazing.  Very, very sweet nose.  Finish was long.  I was blown away by this wine.  My favorite wine of the night.  Everyone agreed that this was a great bottle.