Te Koko and Chenevottes

Drinking at home.

2016 Cloudy Bay Te Koko - muscat, flinty, green apple, served a little warm so more ripe on the palate than expected.  Slightly bitter.

2012 Michel Niellon Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Chenevottes - ripe and a bit alcoholic.

Pur Sang and Beaune

Dinner at HAUS.

2005 Didier Dagueneau Pur Sang - very ripe on the palate, pretty soft, still got toasty notes on the nose but probably over the hill.  Acidity was still here but not so much, with a slightly bitter finish.  Later showed pear and acetone notes.

2010 Hospices de Beaune Beaune 1er Cru Cuvée Rousseau-Deslandes, mis en bouteille par Lucien Le Moine pour MNSC - HUGE nose of toast, with sweet fruit underneath.  Plenty of sweet vanilla, too.  Drinking better than my last bottle 6 years ago.

Full notes on dinner is here.

Japanese sake pairing

Dinner at Godenya.

Iseno Shiroki Junmai Nama Sparkling (伊勢の白酒 純米生活性), 2020-21 - served at 10°C.  Seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 65%. Very fruity as expected, with a little pear.

Hanaabi Junmai Daiginjo Unfiltered Nama (花陽浴  純米大吟醸  瓶囲無濾過生原酒), 2020-21 - served at 11°C.  Seimaibuai of 40%. Nice and fragrant, with a little fermented rice along with banana notes.

Kaiun Junmai Unfiltered Junmai Nama (開運 無濾過純米 生), 2020-21 - served at 15°C. Seimaibuai of 55%. Light and fruity. Sweeter on the palate with a long finish.

Sogen Junmai Unfiltered Nama (宗玄 純米大吟醸 無濾過生原酒), 2019-20 - served at 43°C.  Seimaibuai of 55%. The warm serving temperature brings out the fermented flavors as well as alcohol. Sweet on the attack with a dry finish.

Kikuyoi Junmai Ginjo (喜久酔 純米吟醸), 2018-2019 - served at 13°C. Seimaibuai of 50%. Round on the palate. Sweet on the attack but dry mid-palate. Very nice.

Nida Shizensyu Kimoto Junmai Nama Nigori (にいだしぜんしゅ 生酛純米生にごり), 2020-21 - served at 11°C.  Seimaibuai of 80%. Fizzy, fruity, and sweet. Refreshing with some lactic acid.

Hikomago Junmai Ginjo (ひこ孫  純米吟醸), 2005-06 - served at 47°C.  Seimaibuai of 50%. Very soft on the palate, and a little more dry.

Nansen Premium Organic (南遷 プレミアムオーガニック)

Full post on dinner is here.

Kususa, Gantenbein and more

Dinner at Ta Vie.

Jacques Selosse Initial, dégorgée le 22 mai 2014 - very yeasty nose, really floral and fragrant.  Great depth on palate.

2015 Gantenbein Riesling - white flowers, a little tropical stone fruit, and flint.  Riper on the palate than expected.  With more aeration, petrol notes became more prominent. 

2008 Petitjean Montrachet - what a surprise!  The nose was soooo fruity and tropical like pineapples and peaches, with some acetone.  I couldn't believe this was a chardonnay.

2013 Kusuda Pinot Noir - lovely nose with plenty of sweet fruit.  Very clean, cool fruit.  Eucalyptus and roses, very floral.

Full post on dinner is here.

1943 Sisqueille

Dinner at Liu Yuan Pavilion.

1943 Sisqueille Rivesaltes, mis en bouteille 2012 - very nutty, lots of medjool dates, and marmalade.

Full post on dinner is here.

Paul Déthune and Y

Lunch at Forum Restaurant.

2011 Paul Déthune Cuvée l'Ancienne, dégorgée le novembre 2017 - yeasty mousse with honey notes.  Really nice and very easy to drink.

2015 Y d'Yqum - flinty, a little floral, with a hint of acetone and also polyurethane.

Full post on lunch is here.

2000 Lagrange

Drinking in the office.

2000 Lagrange - decanted for 30 minutes.  Smoky, pretty earthy, with grilled meats, and there is some sweet fruit underneath.  A little pungent.

Omadhaun and Poltroon

Dinner at Yong Fu.

2002 Moët et Chandon Cuvée Dom Pérignon Plénitude 2 - very toasty nose.  Always smooth and lovely to drink.  Pretty lively.

1996 Sine Qua Non Omadhaun and Poltroon - roussanne and chardonnay blend, with more roussanne in the mix.  Very ripe on the nose, very oxidized... much more so than expected.  Sugar cane, honey, a little metallic, very complex nose.  Lovely, but a little too ripe and over the hill.  Not sweet on the palate, though.  About an hour after opening, kinda alcoholic with a little flint.  Disappointing as this bottle seemed a little over the hill.

2009 Kongsgaard Chardonnay The Judge - definitely oxidized nose with a little acetone, and some savory notes under the sweetness.  After some aeration, this seemed leaner, a little more alcoholic, and somewhat bitter on the palate.  Sweet, buttery notes showed up after about 30 minutes.  Still very much alive.

Full post on dinner is here.

98 La Mission and more

Dinner at Nikushou.

2004 B de Boërl and Kroff, dégorgée en avril 2016 - nice and yeasty mousse, fragrant and lovely nose with marmalade notes.

2003 Harlan The Maiden - decanted 1 hour prior to serving. Smoky, grilled meats, minty. Sweet on the palate and tannins were still a little grippy. One and a half hours in the nose showed more coconut butter.

1998 La Mission Haut-Brion - decanted for more than 2 hours prior to serving. Classic claret, with more smoke and leaner palate, higher acidity, and not so tannic. Showed more dusty and dirty notes after 3 hours in decanter, perhaps too much aeration? Poured back into bottle and brought over to Caprice Bar, then improved and showed coffee notes.

Drinks at Caprice Bar.

2004 Clape Cornas - beautiful nose of leather, some sweet fruit, some exotic spices and eucalyptus. Fucking beautiful.

Full post on dinner is here.

03 Pavillon Rouge

Dinner at Beefbar.

2003 Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux - decanted 1 hour afer opening and served 30 minutes after decanting.  Very muted, with some smoke in the nose.  Finally opened up a little more after an hour in decanter, showing more fruit.  Pretty disappointing.

Full post on dinner is here.

Etude and Togni

Drinks at a friend's home.

2000 Etude Cabernet Sauvignon - double-decanted 1 hour prior to serving.  Some smoke and leather in the nose, kinda muted, with some sweetness on the palate.  Improved over time.

1996 Philip Togni Cabernet Sauvignon - popped and decanted prior to serving.  Initially a little closed, with smoke and graphite dominating the nose, and not the fruit I smalled while decanting.  Really surprised that I didn't get any ripe and sweet fruit out of this wine.

Riesling for Cantonese

Dinner at The Chairman.

2012 Michel Niellon Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Chenevottes - pretty ripe and soft on the palate, with marmalade notes.  Some acidity here.   

2007 Joh.Jos. Prüm Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Spätlese - tons of petrol, white flowers, and polyurethane in the nose.  Classic.  Loved the sweetness on the palate.

2007 Pichler Riesling Smaragd Loibner Steinertal - also polyurethane notes, with white flowers, a little flint.  More elegant than the Prüm and also more dry on the palate.

2009 Lascombes - popped and poured.  Smoky and minty.  Pretty ripe and sweet.

Full post on dinner is here.