Wines for 3-star lunch

Lunch at Caprice.

Vouette et Sorbée Fidèle, en magnum, dégorgée le 16 Octobre 2018 - more pronounced mineral notes, caramelized on the edges.  The acidity on the palate was balanced by some ripeness.

Olivier Cohen Les Vignes d'Olivier Ronds Noirs Version 2 - a little smoky, still got fruit, and later a little brett.

1999 Yquem, en imperial - this big boy has been open for a couple of weeks, I believe.  Still pretty nice, with classic notes of honey and botrytis.

Full post on lunch is here.

Kazenomori Petit

Dinner at Yu Dow Son in Taipei.

Kaze no Mori Petit (風の森 Petit) - lots of melon.  Sweet on the palate but a little dry on the back end.  After a while there was more depth on the palate.

Full post on dinner is here.

Jikon, Azumaichi

Drinks at Shuho in Fukuoka.

Jikon Daiginjo (而今  大吟醸), BY27 - seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 40%. Aged for 3 years before release.  Floral and fragrant nose, and sweet like mochi, fermented rice.  A bit more dry on the palate with good depth, a little bitter finish after a sweet attack.  Second pour was more open, more powerful, with more fermented notes.

Azumaichi Daiginjo Tobintori Show Selection (東一 大吟醸 斗瓶取り 選抜酒), BY28 - seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 39%.  Reasonably smooth.

Toyosaku Daiginjo Time of Tsugaru Aged 20 Years (豊盃  大吟醸  津軽の時間 20年古酒), BY31 - definitely fermented and oxidized, really strong on the palate, actually dry but without the spiciness.

Bruichladdich and Lassègue

Lunch at Authentic Living Butcher NYC in Fukuoka.

2008 Lassègue - smoky, a little bit of fruit, with some woodsy notes.  Relatively soft and smooth.

Full post on lunch is here.

Drinks at Bar Kitchen.

Bruichladdich 3D The Peat Proposal - peaty for sure.

Bruichladdich "Jazz Bar Rondo" - 16-year-old, bottled in 2019 for the 60th anniversary of Jazz Bar Rondo in Saga.  Clearly sweeter, more caramel, and less peaty.  Cask strength.

Bruichladdich 18 Year - not so peaty, somewhat sweet, more power thanks to its age, and definitely burns more.

Glen Grant 23 Years Cyborg 009 - bottled in 2018.  Notes of sweet pear.

Denshu Tokubetsu Junmai

Dinner at Daidokoro in Fukuoka.

Denshu Tokubetsu Junmai (田酒 特別純米) - smooth and neutral.  Second sip was a little more dry.

Full post on dinner is here.

Dry sakes for dinner and Juyondai Ryusen

Dinner at Sensui in Fukuoka.

Hoken Junmaishu Super Dry (宝劔  純米酒  超辛口) - seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 60%.  Not as dry as expected initially.  Second sip was more dry and spicy.

Hanahato Tokubetsu Junmaishu Brewed with Rice Grown by Brewery Master (華鳩 杜氏自ら育てた米で醸した特別純米酒), 2019 - seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 60%.  Much more depth on the palate, more rounded and viscous on the palate, a little bitter.

Ouroku 80 Jikagumi (王祿 八〇 直汲み), 2018 - seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 80%.  Sweeter and richer at first.  Later turned very dry and spicy.

Full post on dinner is here.

Drinks at Shuho.

Azumaichi Junmai Daiginjo Tobintori Show Selection (東一 純米大吟醸 斗瓶取り 選抜酒), BY28 - seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 39%.  Initially served too cold, showing banana notes but kinda oxidized.  Very smooth on the palate.  Sweet at first but gets a little drier.

Juyondai Junmai Daiginjo Ryusen (十四代  純米大吟醸  龍泉), BY27 - seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 35%.  Aged for 5 to 6 years before release.  Definitely fermented and yeasty nose, with fragrance like Chinese banana mochi roll, nice and complex.  Very, very soft on the palate, like Fiji Water.  Palate was a little short at first.  Much better with the second pour with a much longer finish.

Daishichi and Ducru

Dinner at Nikushou.

Daishichi Kimoto Junmai Daiginjo Shizuku Genshu Tamayori Gozen Ginkan (大七  生酛純米大吟醸雫原酒  玉依御前  銀漢), 2013 - a limited edition of 1,200 bottles released to celebrate the 1,200th anniversary of the founding of the monastery on Mount Koya (高野山) by Kobo-daishi (弘法大師).　With a seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 50%.  Nose of banana, sticky rice, a little sharp alcohol, kinda like paint thinner.  A little bitter on the palate.  Later this softened up after more aeration, and got sweeter on the palate.

2001 Arnaud Ente Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Referts - oxidized nose, almost Chinese licorice, with lovely lemon citrus.  Acidity was not too high.

1986 Ducru-Beaucaillou - Served 1½ hours after decanting.  Smoky with a hint of grass.  Actually it was TCA and the wine was lightly corked.  Some graphite and mint, leather.  Pretty nice after 3 hours when the wine has fully opened up, and the TCA faded into the background.

1997 Dubois Chasselas Réserve de la Famille - oxidized nose, sweet like Chinese licorice, but flat on the palate with zero finish.  A little later showed a little flinty notes, and also grassy and green notes.

Full post on dinner is here.

Selosse, Mondavi, and If

Dinner at Neighborhood.

Jacques Selosse Version Originale, dégorgée le 21 Avril 2015 - nice and yeasty, lovely mousse, with mineral notes.

2009 Joh.Jos. Prüm Wehelener Sonnenuhr Kabinett - served too cold.  Petrol notes.  Kinda light on the palate.

1996 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon - decanted after opening for an hour.  Softer now, still got good fruit, with minty notes.

2014 L'If - kinda pungent and reductive, potpourri, concentrated.

2002 Louis Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos Saint-Jacques - nice and fragrant with sweet fruit.

2013 Mark Haisma Bonnes Mares - not bad lah... actually pretty fragrant and sweet fruit, with leather notes.

Full post on dinner is here.

Lagrange and Bachelet-Ramonet

Dinner at Xue Tao in Chengdu.

1990 Bachelet-Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot Rouge - OK la... Kinda light and flat, but there is some fragrance in the nose.

2000 Lagrange - a little better than the bottle yesterday, but not much.

2005 Lagrange - more fragrant, more woodsy and minty notes.

Full post on dinner is here.

30-year Moutai and more

Dinner at Da Miao Hot Pot in Chengdu.

30-year Kweichow Moutai (贵州茅台30年陈酿) - definitely the smoothest baijiu I have ever had, and I could almost say that I liked it.

2000 Lagrange - kinda bland, but that could be a result of my very dulled taste buds.

Tsingdao Original 13° (青島啤酒原漿) - still one of my favorite beers.  So light and sweet.

Full post on dinner is here.

MNSC Dinner - Country Club

MNSC dinner at the Hong Kong Country Club, Juliano hosting.

1986 Ramonet Batard-Montrachet - so sweet and caramelized on the nose, still some toasty notes here, and nuttiness, with coffee and Chinese licorice.

First flight: decanted 2½ hours after opening, served 3½ hours after opening.

1982 Margaux - very smoky, a little dirty, not as pleasant.  Less dirty and pungent after 10 minutes in glass, with cigar smoke.  94 points.

1982 Palmer - tons of smoke, a bit of green pepper.  Lean and powerful, with a little tea leaves and leather.  95 points.

Second flight: decanted 2½ hours after opening, served 4 hours after opening.

1976 Lafite-Rothschild - smoky, a bit more fruity, almost orange citrus, and a little exotic vanilla.  96 points.

1995 Lafite-Rothschild - smoky, not very open, lean, with green pepper notes. 94 points.

Third flight: decanted 2½ hours after opening, served 5 hours after opening.

1995 Petrus - smoky, black pepper, grilled meats, a bit sweet on the palate.  Classic and beautiful.  98 points.

2003 Petrus - a little burnt rubber, exotic, funky, orange, really ripe and concentrated.  Beautiful!  98 points.

Fourth flight: decanted 2 hours after opening, served 5½ hours after opening.

1990 Haut-Brion - really smoky and bretty, like hospital disinfectant.  Alcohol still sharp.  94 points.

1990 La Mission Haut-Brion - bretty, smoky, a little savory.  Pretty nice after the brett fades a little.  97 points.

Full post on dinner is here.