2004 Leeuwin Art Series Riesling

2004 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Riesling - drank over dinner at L'Idiot.  Lots of petrol in the nose, with flint and plenty of polyurethane.  Also lots of toast, like roasted corn cobs, and kinda floral.  Ripe but not sweet like the Germans.

Full post on dinner is here.

New World and alcoholic

Dinner at Hoi King Heen.

1999 Beringer Chardonnay Sbragia Limited Release - I bought this years ago and had been a little fearful that it's overly oxidized - which would produce a nose that only a few of us would appreciate.  The color was certainly a dark copper tone, not golden or straw-colored like a young Chardonnay.  Nose was very sweet and buttery, with sweet grass, pear and a little flint.  I was happy with this wine... It had everything I wanted from an old Chard, without being over the hill.  Didn't really feel the 15.1% alcohol at all...

2001 Henry's Drive Reserve Shiraz - can this be more typical of Aussie Shiraz?  TONS of coconut butter like I was chewing a Mounds bar and savoring the shredded coconut...  There was also lots of vanilla, mint and exotic spices.  I knew what I was getting into and there weren't any surprises...

2009 Pride Viognier - very floral, lots of oak, extremely sweet with vanilla, banana and exotic, tropical notes.  Ripe and alcoholic, definitely feeling that 15.4%.  Very young Cali Viognier...

Full post on dinner is here.

A pair of Kiwi Sauvignon Blancs

Lunch at Aberdeen Wholesale Fish Market.

2007 Cloudy Bay Te Koko - I've always been happy drinking this wine, and I was glad I brought it.  Trademark pipi de chat, flint, muscat, lemon and toasty oak.  Very rich and full-bodied.

2009 Grove Mill Sauvignon Blanc - light-bodied and slightly more acidic, with lemon notes.  Ripe and acidic finish.  More of a food wine.

Full post on lunch is here.

Drinking at Acker XIV

2003 Calon-Ségur - smoky, sweet fruit, dried herbs.  A classic claret that was lean and still tannic.

2002 Cos d'Estournel - sweeter, very open nose with chocolate and dried herbs.

1985 Hospices de Beaune Mazis-Chambertin Cuvée Madeleine-Collignon par Bouchard - I opened this bottle at dinner, as I bought it at auction earlier this year and was eager to try.  Initial nose of preserved orange peel (陳皮), caramel, prunes, very ripe, salty plum (話梅)... Surprisingly it was a little sweet on the palate and not acidic.  One and a half hours later back at the auction, mint, herbs, and a bit chalky.  Acidity came out.  Performed better than I expected.

1998 Cheval Blanc - lots of herbs, potpourri, brett, savory, smoked duck, minty, floral and cedar.  Very nice.

1955 Lafon-Rochet - smoky, minty, a little brett... and light and acidic on the palate.

Die-Nasty and more

Dinner at Dynasty.

Hanzo Plum Liquor (半蔵の梅酒) - not bad, actually...

2002 Comte Lafon Meursault Clos de la Barre - Anjou pear, mineral, a bit flinty, a little sweet on the nose, a hint of straw.  Two hours later the nose was much more open, with a little almond/marzipan even...

2007 Chateau Ste Michelle Muscat Canelli - initially a little menthol?  Lots of tropical mango, a hint of flint and a tiny bit of effervescence.  Very sweet on the palate.

2007 Chapoutier La Croix des Grives - minty, pine needle and leather.  Pretty concentrated and I definitely felt the alcohol.

2009 Chateau Dynasty Merlot Red Label - smoke, pine needle, a bit sweet... not very complex.  Nose was still a little sharp after double-decanting for 3 hours.

Full post on dinner is here.

Chablis and Mondavi

Lunch at Cépage.

2006 William Fevre Chablis Le Clos - big and open nose, with lots of flint, minerals and oak. Actually sweet on the nose, which was a bit surprising to me.  This drank beautifully.

1996 Robert Mondavi 30th Anniversary Cabernet Sauvignon - very minty, grassy, very sweet and jammy, concentrated and smoky.  A beautiful wine.

Full post on lunch is here.

Tasting with Marchese Lodovico Antinori

Dinner at Pierre, tasting a range of wines from Lodovico Antinori's new projects.

2008 Mount Nelson Sauvignon Blanc - nose of minerals, a little pipi de chat, toasty and a bit of muscat.  Fairly ripe on the palate with good acidity balance.  As always, a very refreshing drink.

2007 Il Pino di Biserno - very ripe and jammy, fruity, cassis, herbs, sweet and almost bubblegum.  Lots of concentration here.  This wine was showing beautifully tonight, and the display of opulence meant it was probably drinking best among all the reds.

2007 Biserno - concentrated, more reserved than Il Pino, minty, smoky, toffee, and much later sweet coconut butter.  Very silky tannins but they are definitely there.  Nice, long finish.

2007 Lodovico - I had the privilege of tasting this wine with Lodovico before its release last year.  At the time Lodovico asked me not to name it in the blog, so I called it a "mystery wine".  I was totally blown away, and the wine was so young back then!  Tonight the nose was a bit ripe, concentrated and alcoholic.  But it was more muted and definitely not as open.  A second batch was opened during dinner, which was smoky and alcoholic.  Lodovico was disappointed in Lodovico - pun fully intended - but there's always going to be bottle variation...  I'm not worried, though... since I've got bottles stashed away that I'll wait to open over the next decade or more.

2000 Baron Bornemisza Tokaji Aszu 6 Puttonyos - honey, apricot, marmalade, plastic, dates, and concentrated grapes.  Very sweet as expected, since this was a 6 puttonyos.

Full post on dinner is here.

2002 New World

Dinner at Bistronomique.

2002 Kistler Chardonnay Kistler Vineyard - very toasty nose with minerals, buttery corn and sweet grass. Exactly what I wanted out of this bottle of wine.

2002 Penost Robert Hartley Reserve Shiraz - this Aussie Shiraz was apparently a real bargain, and actually drank pretty well. Smoky, a bit sweet with a hint of grass, minty with a potpourri nose.

Full post on dinner is here.

2009 Hétszolo Tokaji Furmint

2009 Hétszolo Tokaji Furmint - ordered a glass at M Bar.  What a mistake!  The bottle had been opened a while and my glass was basically the last pour.  The wine had clearly been oxidized from excessive contact with air, and in any case it was served too cold.  Not enjoyable at all.

Hugel Riesling VT and Mud House Sauvignon Blanc

Dinner at Hong Zhou Restaurant.

1995 Hugel Riesling Vendage Tardive en magnum - classic nose of petrol, floral, minerals, plastic and honey.  Very rich and big wine.

2010 Mud House Sauvignon Blanc - a very refreshing, light-bodied wine with nose of green apples, banana, vanilla and a hint of pipi de chat.

Full post on dinner is here.

1943 Doisy-Daëne

1943 Doisy-Daëne (rebouché au château 2006) - drank after dinner at Silks Palace.  Honey, nutty, orange marmalade, grapey, very rich.  Thick and viscous.  A very long finish of more than 45 seconds.

Full post on dinner is here.

UGC 2008 tasting

I had tasted some of these on our trip to Bordeaux 2 years ago, so it was interesting to see how they have evolved since then.

2008 La Conseillante – tropical coconut, a little pruny, ripe and sweet, and alcoholic. A little dry on the palate. Jean-Michel Laporte, Director and winemaker whom I had first met at the château 2 years ago and again last December, was pouring the wines.

2008 Haut-Bailley – green peppers, smoke and a bit animal. Véronique Sanders, the winemaker whom I missed meeting on our trip 2 years ago, was pouring the wines.

2008 Branaire-Ducru – sweet, fruity, minty, exotic and lovely. We met Patrick Maroteaux 2 years ago, and he was here tonight.

2008 Rausan-Ségla – lead pencil, smoke, a little sweet fruit and a bit green.

2008 Pichon-Lalande – smoky, exotic spices, not bad at all! A hint of sweetness on the finish. I was surprised to see Sylvie Cazes behind this table and not behind the one for Lynch-Bages, but apparently she had been appointed Director of this château last month.

2008 Clerc-Milon – lovely nose of coffee, fruit and smoke. Very classic.

2008 d’Armailhac – a little too pungent with prominent sulfur notes. Smoky.

2008 Langoa Barton – minty with spices. First wine where I felt the tannins as it was so concentrated.

2008 Léoville Barton – coffee, smoke and still a bit alcoholic.

2008 Lascombes – lots of animal, leather, smoke, lead pencil, Asian spices. Very open and lovely.

2008 Brane-Cantenac – minty, a bit sweet and tropical. Henri Lurton, who participated in the 2009 tasting I attended last year, was pouring the wines

2008 Clinet – smoky, meaty, sweet with notes of oak. Ronan Laborde - who was also at the 2009 tasting last year - was here again, and I heard compliments from the crowd on his good looks…

2008 Angélus – very sweet, lots of coconut butter, exotic, caramel and buttery popcorn. I loved this wine. We actually missed visiting the château 2 years ago, so I'm glad to finally be able to taste the wine.

2008 Talbot – muted, a bit dusty and dirty. Not enjoyable at all. Took only a small sip and poured out most of my glass…

2008 Beychevelle – a bit sweeter, smoky with wood notes.

2008 La Lagune – minty, a bit smoky with lead and forest notes.

2008 Figeac – a little smoke and some oak, and a bit sweet.

2008 Canon-la-Gaffelière – much more concentrated, with forest and mint notes. Not bad. Comte Stephan von Neipperg was here. The Specialist didn't quite like the "fake camera".

2008 Canon – very open and lovely nose, which was very well-balanced in terms of acidity. Lovely smoky notes. The Specialist much preferred the "real camera".

2008 Grand-Puy-Ducasse – smoky, alcoholic and oaky. Not great.

2008 Gruaud-Larose – smoky, animal, a bit sweet, toffee, oak and exotic spices.

2008 Troplong Mondot – lots of coffee and smoke.

2008 Domaine de Chevalier Rouge – coffee, smoke, a bit of wood.

2008 Smith-Haut-Lafitte Blanc – big nose of pipi de chat and smoke. Very powerful, and quite enjoyable.

2008 Smith-Haut-Lafitte Rouge – ripe berries and a bit of smoke. Not as good as the Blanc.

2008 Pape Clément – coffee grinds, smoke and leather.

2008 Guiraud – plastic, orange and honey.

2008 Lafaurie-Peyraguey – much lighter with minerals, a bit urethane and floral. Almost more like a dry white. Sweet on the palate, though.

2008 Climens – orange marmalade but more complex and fragrant, with honey, a hint of botrytis, honeydew melon. On a different level compared to the previous sweet wines. Lovely.

2008 Rayne Vigneau – plastic bad nose, served colder and more muted.

2008 Doisy-Daëne – more minerals, pungent, pipi de chat and orange rind. Fabrice Dubourdieu - who came for the 2009 tasting last year - was here again.

2008 Coutet – richer, more honeyed and fragrant.

2008 Sigalas-Rabaud - plastic, sweet on the palate but not as sweet on the nose.

I think my favorite wines of the evening were La Conseillante, Pichon-Lalande, Lascombes, Angélus, Canon, Gruaud-Larose, Smith-Haut-Lafitte Blanc and Climens.

2009 Whispering Angel

2009 Château d'Esclans Whispering Angel - drank a glass at Azure.  Floral, flinty, with a hint of tartness and bitter on the finish.  Very light.

1970 Ygay and Barolo

Dinner at On Lot 10.

1970 Marqués de Murrieta Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial in magnum - Mr. Dyson and I have the same birth vintage, so I brought this out for him.  Double-decanted at home, perhaps a tad early.  Acidity was high as I expected, with a little gamey, ripe and pruny nose, and a little smoke.  Later on I was surprised by the sweetness which emerged, plus some minty notes.  The wine actually lasted a little longer than I expected.

2004 Pio Cesare Barolo Ornato - lots of pine needle, forest, spices and potpourri in the nose.

Full post on dinner is here.

German Riesling and Aussie Pinot

Drinks at Tastings.

2003 S.A. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese - a hint of sweetness on the palate, with nose of petrol and plastic and hint of floral notes.  Very bad combination with smoked salmon, as it turns metallic.

2007 Ten Minutes by Tractor 10X Pinot Noir - very fruity, minty, overripe fruits, sugar and caramel.  Pretty enjoyable.

Frozen Johnnie Gold

Dinner at the Chinnery.

Whisky mojito frappé - I ordered it again as it's really very good, and David Sinclair showed me the bitters he splashed onto the ice, which was actually aged in whisky barrels. It does add some complexity to the flavors. Glu-glu-glu...

Johnnie Walker Gold Label, frozen - David very kindly poured me a frozen shot of this.  It was spicy with just a hint of sweetness mid-palate and spicy on the finish. Flavors were complex and woodsy. He seems to really like freezing them! I think it's an interesting take, except I was definitely able to smell the freezer as I held the shot glass to my nose, just like the other night...

Full post on dinner is here.

A Scottish evening

Dinner at Chinnery.

Whisky mojito frappé - whipped up by David Sinclair, Bar Manager at the Gleneagles.  Here's a combination of two drinks which I like, so what's not to like?!

Talisker 10 years - kinda sweet, with that hospital disinfectant peaty nose, and spicy on the finish.

Tullibardine Pedro Ximenez - distilled in 1997, aged in Pedro Ximenez casks and bottled in 2009.  This was much bigger and richer, with caramel and ripe fruit notes.  Perfect to go with haggis.

Highland Park 12 years - very interesting.  The peaty flavors were indeed different from what one would find in Islay malts... here they were a little more complex and elegant, not just heavy smoke or hospital disinfectant. 

Dalwhinnie 15 years, frozen - very interesting as the viscosity seemed to have gone up after freezing.  Nose of caramel and sweet fruit became more prominent after warming up a little.

Dailuaine the Manager's Choice - this is a 12-year old, single cask selection at cask strength.  A lot sweeter, rich with vanilla and caramel.  Funnily enough it was also a bit green and mossy.  The alcohol singed a few nose hairs and started to burn a hole through my nose...  A few drops of water toned things down a bit.

Full post on dinner is here.