2007 Ram's Hill

Drinking at home.

2007 Ram's Hill Sauvignon Blanc - green apple, flinty, very ripe on the palate with a hint of bitterness.

Peter Michael and DRC

Dinner at Ta Vie.

2005 Peter Michael Chardonnay Cuvée Indigène - really ripe, but not too bad on the palate and at least it was still lively.  Almost like candy.

2001 DRC Grands Échézeaux - notes of forest pine and potpourri, lovely fruit.  A little grippy.  Very fragrant, with black cherries.  Some toasty notes after almost 2 hours.

Full post on dinner is here.

2000 Chave x3

Lunch at Petrus.

2000 Chave Hermitage Blanc - lovely nose with some toasty notes, but not too heavy.  Very aromatic with honeysuckle, a little sweet, honey, lemon citrus.  After 1½ hours still lovely, with heavier toasty notes.

2000 Chave Hermitage Rouge - decanted 2 hours prior to serving.  Initially rather closed with a hint of sweetness on the nose.  Some ripe prunes, a bit of leather and surprisingly high acidity on the palate.  Three hours after decanting showed more smoke.  Three and a half hours after showed more leather and violet notes.

2000 Chave Ermitage Cuvée Cathelin - decanted 3 hours prior to serving.  Still closed at first, with a little smoke.  A little minty after 4 hours, and finally started to open up 4½ hours after decanting with some floral notes.  Very smooth on the palate.  Started to show some coffee notes 5½ hours after decanting.  A nice wine, but not stunning.

1969 Mas Amiel Maury, from bonbonne - initially the nose was really savory, almost like mahua (麻花) that's been coated with sugar.  On the palate it was still very nutty, date-like, very rich and unctuous.

Full post on lunch is here.

2003 Langoa Barton

Drinking at home.

2003 Langoa Barton - served 45 minutes after decanting.  Nice and smoky, and very smooth.  2 hours after decanting actually got more tannic.  Some fruit here with woodsy notes.  Ripe and sweet fruit came out.  Really fragrant about 2½ hours after opening, with lots of woodsy notes.

Joseph Faiveley Amoureuses

Drinking at home to remember Kuma's birthday.

2013 Joseph Faiveley Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses - leather, black fruits, rose, floral, dried herbs, and animal notes.

2003 Kistler Vine Hill

Drinking at home.

2003 Kistler Chardonnay Vine Hill Vineyard - oxidized and caramelized, with sugar cane and cotton candy notes.  Still got enough acidity here.

Margaux and friends

MNSC gathering.

1973 Louis Roederer Brut - lovely and oxidized/caramelized, notes of Chinese licorice, kumquat, marmalade.  Beautiful!

First flight: opened 1 hour prior to serving.

1982 Margaux - leaner on the nose, more smoky, kinda short on the finish.  A hint of sweetness on the palate.  Chalky and a little bretty.  Was this a little off?  92 points.

1983 Margaux - smoky with decent amount of fruit, definitely some age on it.  A hint of amber around the edges.  Second pour was more open, sweeter, woodsy and more smoke.  94 points.

Second flight:  opened 2 hours prior to serving.

1990 Margaux - smoky, dried herbs, still a little chalky and dirty after switching glasses.  More open and lovely later.  96 points.

1996 Margaux - very nice, more vibrant, very elegant.  Second pour more open and beautiful, with a bit of smoke and cedar.  96 points.

Third flight: decanted 45 minutes after opening, and served 1 hour and 45 minutes after decanting.

2003 Margaux - smoky, lean on the nose but sweet on the palate.  Later on a little off on the palate.  Sweeter on the second pour.  94 points.

2003 Latour - a little dusty and chalky, more concentrated with a little brett.  Later on some soy sauce notes.  Beautiful!  98 points.

2003 Lafite-Rothschild - smoky, lean on the palate.  Second pour was really nice.  96 points.

2003 du Tertre

Drinking at home.

2003 du Tertre - ripe vintage means there's good fruit here, and definitely minty.  Later on the nose got really sweet almost like honeydew melon with cedar notes.  Some sharp alcohol on the nose, but pretty smooth and velvety on the palate.

71 Biondi-Santi and friends

Lunch at Neighborhood.

2002 Piper Heidsieck Rare - nice and ripem very smooth, with good depth on the palate.

1971 Biondi-Santi Brunello di Montalcino Riserva - opened 1½ hours prior to serving, without decanting.  Beautifully smooth, with some acidity.  Smoky with a little coffee.  Even better 2½ hours in, with a bit more sweet fruit in the nose.

1985 Taittinger Collection - very mature on the palate, with Chinese licorice, salted plum, and water chestnut on the nose.

1990 Vilmart Grand Cellier d'Or Coeur de Cuvée, N°3514, dégorgée le 8 avril 1999 - nice and mature with some salted plum and cotton candy notes.

2000 La Chapelle de la Mission, en magnum - opened 2 hours prior to serving. Sweet and fruity, very minty, smoky. Still got a long life left.

Full post on lunch is here.

2010 Clos Floridene Blanc

Drinking at home.

2010 Clos Floridene Blanc - a little riper than expected, but thankfully still got enough acidity and not totally dead.

2014 Gantenbein Chard

Lunch at Petrus.

2014 Gantenbein Chardonnay - decanted just prior to serving.  Beautiful nose with toasty notes that wasn't overwhelming, like roasted corn with butter on top.  Creamy and buttery for sure.  Good acidity on the palate.  Beautiful and opulent.  Got more toasty as it opened up.

Full post on lunch is here.