2007 Clos du Marquis

Dinner at Miyoshi in Kyoto.

2007 Clos du Marquis - earthy, some sweet fruit, and smoky.

Full post on dinner is here.

Schiopetto and Moulin de Gassac

Dinner at Amber.

2013 Schiopetto Collio Friulano - much riper and sweeter on the palate than expected, very rounded, but perhaps a little overripe.  Some minerality here.

2017 Moulin de Gassac Syrah - lots of dried herbs and potpourri, eucalyptus.  A little bitter on the palate.

Full post on dinner is here.

MNSC dinner - Country Club

MNSC dinner at the Grill Room of Hong Kong Country Club, hosted by The Ox.

Jacques Selosse Brut Initial, dégorgée le 26 Mars 2013 - surprisingly kinda pungent at first, with savory minerals on the nose.

First flight: decanted for 2 hours prior to serving.

1988 Henri Bonneau Réserve des Célestins - still sweet, fruity, almost a hint of floral notes, toasty.  Second pour showed more animal, not as clean and elegant.  94 points.

1995 Henri Bonneau Réserve des Célestins - unfortunately bouchonée...

1998 Henri Bonneau Réserve des Célestins - sweet nose of strawberries, minty, leather, and almost some bacon fat.  Really lovely and beautiful.  96 points.

Second flight: opened 2½ hours prior and decanted 30 minutes prior to serving.

1977 Musar Rouge - really grassy, very dirty on the nose, a little savory.  Acidity was there.  93 points.

1990 Musar Rouge - Very clean nose, a little savory.  Light on the body with some acidity now.  92 points.

Third flight: decanted 3 hours prior to serving.

1994 Beaucastel Hommage a Jacques Perrin - a little closed and a bit tight at first, almost a hint of sugar cane.  96 points.

1995 Beaucastel Hommage a Jacques Perrin - almost a little cough syrup, a little sharper alcohol, with smoke, pencil, and leather notes.  95 points.

1999 Beaucastel Hommage a Jacques Perrin - smoky, a little savory, and still a little grippy on the palate.  94 points.

Full post on dinner is here.

Krug and Matriarch

Lunch at Seventh Son.

Krug Grande Cuvée, 163ème Edition, en magnum - lively and fresh, with just the right amount of toast.

2003 BOND Matriarch - decanted shortly before serving.  Nice and sweet fruit, fragrant and woodsy, with vanilla notes.  Sweet on the palate.

2003 Chapoutier Ermitage de L'Orée - acetone and beeswax notes.  Only took a small pour.

Full post on lunch is here.

German rieslings and more

Dinner at The Chairman.

Godmé Extra Brut Grand Cru - nice and toasty.  Slightly bitter mid-palate.

1990 von Schubert Maximin Grünhäuser Abtsberg Riesling Spätlese - nice acidity balance, and nice and rounded on the palate.  Beautiful nose of minerals and lemon.

1986 Domdechant Werner Hochheimer Domdechaney Riesling Auslese - very marmalade on the nose.  Very flat on the palate with a short finish.  Not great.

1980 Dunn Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain - minty with sweet fruit, so fragrant with cedar notes.  Tannins were smooth now but wine was by no means diluted, still full-bodied, with good acidity.

1968 Fortia Tête de Cru - decanted for a while.  Really huge nose of iron rust, savory underneath with a bit of black olives, and still some nice fruit here.  Pretty interesting.

2002 Marquis d'Angerville Volnay 1er Cru Taillepieds - minty with dried herbs.

Full post on dinner is here.

70 Ygay and chardonnay

Dinner at Neighborhood.

2011 Domaine Roulot Meursault 1er Cru Clos des Bouchères - a little toasty, flinty, with high acidity.

2005 Kongsgaard Chardonnay The Judge - more mineral, very ripe, but actually younger and fresher.

2006 Kongsgaard Chardonnay The Judge - initially served too warm so the nose was muted.  Lots of sugar cane, more oxidized nose, very ripe, and a little bitter on the palate.

1970 Marqués de Murrietta Castillo Ygay Gran Reserva Especial, from magnum - opened for more than an hour without decanting.  Lovely and fragrant nose with strawberry and woodsy notes.

Full post on dinner is here.

1969 DRC Marey-Monge RSV

Dinner at Bencotto in Taipei.

1969 DRC Marey-Monge Romanée-Saint-Vivant - popped and served without decanting.  Obvious notes of stewed fruit, still a little sweetness on the nose, so fragrant and lovely.  Later on also a little bit of black olive, and almost a little nutty on the nose.  Acidity relatively high but still has a little sweetness on the palate.

Full post on dinner is here.

Kistler and Yangarra

Drinking at home.

2003 Kistler Pinot Noir Kistler Vineyard - initially very alcoholic, lighter-bodied than expected, and acidity was higher than expected.  Tasted like hawthorn on the palate.  Disappointing.

2012 Yangarra Grenache High Sands - the vines were planted in 1946.  Smoky, animal, woodsy, very fragrant.

Drinks at Ham and Sherry.

González Byass Alfonso Oloroso Seco - savory minerals in the nose, savory on the palate.  Dry, lovely finish with nutty flavors.

2005 Torbreck The Factor

Dinner at home.

2005 Torbreck The Factor - ripe fruit, oaky, toasty, a bit metallic, animal, smoky.  Good concentration and sweet on the palate.  Drinking beautifully and still going strong after 3½ hours.  Showing potpourri and cedar notes after extended aeration.

2006 Te Koko

Dinner at home.

2006 Cloudy Bay Te Koko - no longer fresh but still lively, good depth on the palate.  Mature and kinda bitter mid-palate, with a lingering sweetness.  Nose of toasty oak, plenty of lemon, Anjou pear, almost a little mineral and metallic, without any savory notes.  Pretty complex now.

2017 Le Caprice de Clémentine

Drinks at The Continental.

2017 Les Valentines Le Caprice de Clémentine Rosé - nice and fruity, red fruits, a hint of flintiness, and reductive nose.