Ganevat and Grange des Pères

Lunch at Caprice Bar.

2015 Anne et Jean-François Ganevat Le p'tiot Roukin, en magnum - very fragrant and fruity.  After 25 minutes floral notes came out, with leather, a little metallic and iron rust, also toasty.  Beautiful wine!

2004 Grange des Pères Rouge - animal, a hint of savory notes, a little honey, some herbs, and pollen.  Very smooth on the palate.

Full post on lunch is here.

2005 Anwilka

Drinking at home.

2005 Anwilka Stellenbosch - alcoholic, a little stinky, smoky.  Still tannic.

Wines for sushi

Dinner at Sushi Saito in HK.

2006 Louis Roederer Brut Nature - good acidity on the palate, but also plenty of ripeness.

2000 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne - a little nutty almost, and soft on the palate.

1995 Maison Leroy Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Les Cazetiers - initially a little more leather notes, but later showed more sweet fruit.

Full post on dinner is here.

89 Maximin Grünhäuser

Lunch at Celebrity Cuisine.

1989 von Schubert Maximin Grünhäuser Herrenberg Riesling Kabinett - nice acidity on the palate.  Nose of white flowers and a little flint.

Full post on lunch is here.

Ganevat, Valentini, Durieux

Dinner at the Flying Elk.

2014 Jean-François Ganevat Grusse en Billat

2008 Valentini Trebbiano d'Abruzzo - big, toasty nose with coffee notes.  Soft on the palate.  Very nice.

2014 Yann Durieux DH Rouge - nice and floral, almost a little like Leroy.  A little ripe and sweet on the nose with dried herb notes.  Good acidity on the palate.

Full post on dinner is here.

Hodgepodge

Dinner at Flying Elk.

2015 Simi Cabernet Sauvignon Alexander Valley - very fruity, very minty, really ripe and jammy, with metallic and iron notes.

2012 Alejandro Fernández Tinto Pesquera Reserva - notes of black fruits.

2015 Shaw and Smith Shiraz - very sweet and oaky, minty.

2011 Bonny Doon Le Cigare Blanc Beeswax Vineyard - pretty toasty, flinty, later getting pungent with sulfur.

2015 Foillard Morgon "Côte du Puy" - really beautiful nose, with fragrant potpourri.

Full post on dinner is here.

Drouhin and Clos Ste Hune

Lunch at Chez Nicolas in Paris.

2014 Joseph Drouhin Vosne-Romanée - fruit, a little floral, and still tannic on the palate.

Dinner at Sea Grill in Brussels.

Ruinart Brut

2004 Trimbach Riesling Clos Ste.-Hune - what a beautiful wine!  Big nose of petrol, white flowers, and polyurethane.  Good ripeness and a little round on the palate, with good acidity levels to boot.

Full post on the day is here.

J'en Veux Encore

Dinner at Au Passage in Paris.

2015 Anne et Jean-François Ganevat J'en Veux Encore, en magnum - pretty light on the palate, with smoky and leather notes on the nose.  Served far too warm.

Full post on dinner is here.

Stephan Côte-Rôtie

Dinner at Le Baratin in Paris.

2013 Jean-Michel Stephan Côte-Rôtie - beautiful!  Nice nose of black olives, violet, leather, and some eucalyptus.  Still tannic, and definitely drunk too warm for my taste.

Full post on dinner is here.

Pommery Louise and André Beaufort

Lunch at Le Meurice in Paris.

2004 Pommery Cuvée Louise - nicely integrated together.  Mature and softer on the palate.

Full post on lunch is here.

Dinner at Neige d'Été in Paris.

1996 André Beaufort Ambonnay Brut, dégorgée en Avril 2016 - this has matured well, but still got some sharp acidity. Very full-bodied.  Took about 2 hours to get the toasty notes to come out.

Full post on dinner is here.

Deutz and Selosse

Dinner at Passage53 in Paris.

Deutz Rosé

Jacques Selosse Le Bout du Clos, dégorgée 13 Mars 2013 - the nose was surprisingly floral, with vanilla, Chinese licorice root, and caramelized notes.  Really lovely and fragrant, toasty with marmalade notes.  Good depth on the palate.

Full post on dinner is here.

Trimbach and Pibarnon

Tasting at Champagne Senez.

Cristian Senez Carte Verte

Lunch at La Colombe d'Or in Saint-Paul de Vence.

2011 Trimbach Gewurztraminer Réserve - really floral nose, totally ripe and sweet on the palate.

2013 Pibarnon Rouge - minty, forest, kinda ripe fruit.

Drinking at a friend's house.

2011 Cristian Senez Rosé Saignée, en magnum - not very impressed...  Very far from the type of saignée I would normally buy.

Full post on the day is here.

Pouilly-Fuissé and more

Lunch at Quai des Artistes in Monte-Carlo.

2017 Pascal Renaud Pouilly-Fuissé - flinty, tropical stone fruit, bright and refreshing.

Dinner at a friend's house.

2017 de Berne Grande Recolte Blanc - tropical stone fruit, light-bodied nice summer white.

2016 Léo de la Gaffelière - ripe and sweet.

Full post on the day is here.

Rayas and la Nerthe

Dinner at Mirazur in Menton.

2006 Rayas Blanc - drinking beautifully, with a little acetone, very ripe on the palate, and sweet nose.

2003 La Nerthe Cuvée des Cadettes - nose was beautifully floral, with sweet fruit, mint, eucalyptus, jammy, exotic spices, cedar, and almost anise.  Wow!

Full post on dinner is here.

Ganevat Florine

Dinner at Au Passage in Paris.

2013 Jean-François Ganevat Cuvée Florine - a little oaky, good acidity, good depth of flavors, and long finish.

Full post on dinner is here.

Two bongwaters

Lunch at Septime in Paris.

2013 Recrue des Sens BT - pretty fruity, a bit of bacon fat, leather, dried herbs.  Toasty notes came out after 1½ hours.

Full post on lunch is here.

Dinner at Clown Bar in Paris.

Jacques Lassaigne Les Vignes de Montgueux - a blanc de blancs extra brut that showed crisp acidity.

2013 La Grande Colline Le Canon Rouge - a little fizzy, still fruity, some leather notes.  Pretty flat on the palate.

Full post on dinner is here.

Coche-Dury Rougeots

Lunch at Hof van Cleve in Kruishouten.

2001 Coche-Dury Meursault Les Rougeots - big, toast nose.  Absolutely beautiful.

Full post on lunch is here.

Samuel Billaud Fourchaumes

Dinner at Brasserie Raymond in Bruges.

2015 Samuel Billaud Chablis 1er Cru Les Fourchaumes - crisp acidity.

Full post on the evening is here.

André Clouet and Coche-Dury

Lunch at Hertog Jan in Zedelgem.

André Clouet Un Jour de 1911 - beautiful, yeasty nose.  Love the balance and the depth of flavors here.  Only 1,911 bottles are made each year, from a blend of different vintages.

2008 Coche-Dury Meursault - nice and toasty as expected, a little grassy, almost a bit coffee.  Good acidity here with a bit of ripeness.  After 1 hour, finally turned beautiful without a hint of grass.

2015 Braida Barbera d'Asti Montebruna - very minty, exotic spices, potpourri, very sweet and ripe.

Full post on lunch is here.

Rebholz Spätburgunder

Lunch at 'T Zilte in Antwerp.

2009 Hansjorg Rebholz Im Sonnenschein Spätburgunder GG - lovely nose once it cooled down, with leather, a little floral, eucalyptus, spices, and nice red fruits.  A hint of tannins on the finish here.

Full post on the day is here.