Lambrays Rosé and Musar

Dinner at Estiatorio Keia.

2015 Viña Nora Nora de Neve - more oaky and toasty, and a little more mature and oxidized than expected for an albariño.  Interestingly not caramelized for an oxidized wine.  Acidity still on the high side with a bitter finish.

2016 Domaine des Lambrays La Rose du Clos - flinty, strawberries, with almost a hint of jamminess in the nose.

1998 Musar Rouge - leather, smoked meats, some fruit, minty, almost a little savory.  A little sweet on the palate.  Drinking very nicely.

Rice Wine for White Foods

Dinner at home.

Itaya Rice Wine for White Foods - seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 70%.  Stronger, fermented flavors, with a drier and spicy finish.  Noticeable acidity on the palate.

Juyondai dinner

Dinner at Hong Kong Country Club.

Tatenokawa Three Peaks (楯野川 純米大吟醸 33) - made with Dewasansan (出羽燦々) rice from Shonai (庄内), at a seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 33%.  Really prominent notes of banana, honeydew melon, stone fruits.  Drier on the palate than expected, with a little bitterness on the finish.

Tatenokawa Eighteen (楯野川 純米大吟醸 18) - seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 18%.  Also lots of banana, tropical fruits, and also drier than expected.

Juyondai Nakadori Muroka Junmaishu (十四代 中取り 無濾過 純米酒), 29BY, from isshobin - made with Miyama Nishiki (美山錦) rice and a seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 55%. Nose of banana.  Sweet on the front palate, especially since it was served very cold.  Finish turned drier.

Juyondai Sekibanomati Junmai Ginjo (十四代 中取り 赤磐雄町 純米吟醸), 29BY, from isshobin - made with 80% Omachi (雄町) rice from Sekiban (赤磐) and a seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 50%.  Still got those banana notes and sweet fruit,  a hint of honeydew melon.  Actually a little soft on the palate.  First sip was sweeter but paired with food, it was definitely drier.

Juyondai Tatsunootoshigo Daigokjo Nama Junmai Daiginjo (十四代 龍の落とし子 大極上生 純米大吟醸), 30BY, from isshobin - made with 80% Tatsunootoshiko (龍の落とし子) rice and a seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 35%.  More fermented notes on the nose, definitely more savory on the nose.  Sweet on the attack, very crisp, with a little banana.  More depth on the palate, drier, and with a longer finish.  More viscous on the palate.  Beautiful nose.

Juyondai Shichitare Nijikkan Junmai Daiginjo (十四代 七垂二十貫 純米大吟醸), 30BY, from isshobin - seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 40%.  Much more depth on the palate, drier, not that sweet on the attack.  Later on it was sweet mid-palate with a very long plateau, but turns dry and spicy at the end.

Juyondai Choutokusen Junmai Daiginjo (十四代 超特撰 純米大吟醸), from isshobin - seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 35%.  Nice depth on the palate, almost with some acidity.  A little sweet mid-palate with a long finish.  Nose was a little savory and fermented at the end.

Juyondai Gokujyo Morohaku Junmai Daiginjo (十四代 極上諸白 純米大吟醸), from isshobin - made with 80% Aiyama (愛山) rice and a seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 45%.  Alcoholic nose, a little paint thinner, and slightly fermented.  A bit sweet on the attack but turned spicy towards the finish.  Lots of depth on the palate.

Tsuruume Yuzu Liqueur (鶴梅 柚子酒) - a little salty lemon on the nose.

Full post on dinner is here.

More bongwater in Bangkok

Lunch at a friend's home.

Olivier Horiot Cuvée Métisse, dégorgée le 18 Octobre 2017 - mmmm definitely dominated by pinot noir.

2013 Muster Morillon Graf - huge toasty nose, a bit pungent on the palate.

2004 Grillo Pecoranera - very fragrant with eucalyptus and stewed fruits.  Savory on the palate.  Still pretty tannic and grippy on the palate.

Full post on the afternoon is here.

Bongwater in Bangkok

Drinks at Wet in Bangkok.

2008 Marguet Sapience - this is a brut nature, so I wasn't surprised at the high acidity.  The nose was nice and caramelized.

2016 François Rousset-Martin Cuvée du Professeur Sous-Roche - very oxidized and caramelized on the nose, a little beeswax, but kinda flat on the palate.  Meh.

2015 Muster Sgaminegg - kinda fruity on the nose, almost like pineapple.  Lots of acidity here.

Dinner at Gaggan in Bangkok.

2013 David Léclapart Coteaux Champenois Trépail Blanc - a little pungent with mineral notes.

2014 Georges Noëllat Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Chaumes - decent amount of fruit on the nose, with nice forest notes.

2016 Clos des vignes du Maynes Mâcon Cruzille Aragonite - flinty, much riper on the nose than expected but with sharp acidity.

2006 Werlitsch Ex Vero III - a hint of toast, honey, and marmalade.  Very ripe on the palate.

2010 Ponsot Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru Cuvée des Alouettes - leather and stewed fruit notes.  A little tannic.

Full post on the evening is here.

Austrians and Germans

Dinner at Sühring in Bangkok.

2015 Melsheimer Reiler Mullay-Hofberg Riesling Sekt Zéro Dosage - a little pungent on the nose, showing minerals.

2015 Tement Sauvignon Blanc Steirische Klassik - dry and rather mild on the palate.  Aromatic nose with a little green apple.

2017 Ökonomierat Rebholz Im Sonnenschein Weißer Burgunder Großes Gewächs - really fruity and tropical with stone fruits.  Soooo flinty.  Reminds me of a Pouilly-Fuissé.

2016 Jean Stodden Recher Herrenberg Frühburgunder Großes Gewächs - nice fruit, with honeydew melon, beautiful notes of leather and grilled meats, and bacon fat.

Full post on dinner is here.

Wine pairing at Chefs Table

Dinner at Chefs Table in Bangkok.

Bollinger Brut Rosé - definitely tasted the pinot noir.  Richer, with more depth on the palate.

2016 Joseph Drouhin Morgon - nice fruit, leather, lots of potpourri.  Later showed strawberries.

2017 Henri Bourgeois Sancerre Les Bonnes Bouches - the nose was so tropical, peaches, big and flinty.

2015 Chanson Meursault - big nose of toast, ripe and sweet on the palate.  Paired well with the sea bass.

2015 Delas Châteauneuf-du-Pape Haut Pierre - ripe, almost jammy.  Exotic with black pepper.

2011 Carmes de Rieussec - marmalade, apricot, honey notes.  Sweet but with some acidity.

2013 Kirwan - exotic nose with coconut butter, minty, smoky.  Very nice.

2017 Leon Beyer Riesling - nice nose of petrol, minerals. Good acidity.

1994 Dow's - a little savory like salty plum.

Full post on dinner is here.

Dethune and Petit Cheval

Dinner at Uwe.

Paul Déthune Blanc de Noirs - yeasty nose.

1989 Le Petit Cheval - served without decanting.  Nice and smoky nose, with pencil lead.

Full post on dinner is here.

85 and 90 Solaia

Dinner at Caprice.

Armand de Brignac Brut Gold - yeasty, quite nice on the palate.  Interestingly there was acidity on the nose, and later on also became slightly more acidic on the palate.

1990 Antinori Solaia - decanted for an hour prior to serving. Smoky, lovely fruit, a bit of maturity here, plummy, cool fruit, with a hint of grass.  Acidity started to come out later, but still a powerful wine.  Especially beautiful and open when first served.

1985 Antinori Solaia - decanted for an hour prior to serving. Initially a little more dried out and grippy on the palate, but opened up nicely.  So fragrant with nice smoked meat notes.  Became softer on the palate after an hour in glass.  Absolutely beautiful 2½ hours after the first pour.  A stunning wine!

1952 Clos de Nouys Moelleux - really honeyed nose.  Rich with acetone.  Still kinda dry and very nutty on the palate.  Marmalade and pear notes.

Full post on dinner is here.