Akabu Junmai Ginjo

Dinner at Kyoto Oden Masa.

Akabu Junmai Ginjo (赤武 純米吟醸) - classic nose of banana. Actually this was sweet on the palate, which I did not expect. Drier mid-palate.

2018 Torbreck Steading

Drinking at home.

2018 Torbreck The Steading - decanted 1 hour after opening, and started drinking 15 minutes later. Very oaky, lots of vanilla, good concentration on the palate. Drinking nicely.

Pinots and chard

Dinner at Restaurant Petrus.

Krug Grande Cuvée, 172ème Édition, ID 223024 - lovely classic nose of toasty brioche, along with some white flowers and floral notes. Surprisingly the acidity wasn't sharp on the palate the way it tasted a few weeks ago with another bottle from the same Krug ID.

2013 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Meursault 1er Cru Charmes - a bit of toasty oak and nuttiness on the nose. Good acidity on the palate. Showing very well right now. Almost 2 hours in we finally got the buttery profile typical of white Burgs, along with lots of toasty popcorn.

2013 Perrot-Minot Chambertin-Clos de Beze - served without decanting around 4½ hours after opening. Nice fruity notes with plenty of cherries, eucalyptus, and mint. Very fragrant on the nose. Tasted terrible with the lobster. After more than 6 hours the wine was showing very well, so fragrant with nice, herbal notes.

2009 Robert Groffier Chambertin Clos de Beze - served without decanting nearly 5 hours after opening. This was soooo beautiful! Such amazing sweet fruit on the nose, along with some leather notes. Really fucking awesome after 6 hours, and this was sooo expressive!

2014 Lucien Le Moine Bonnes Mares - served without decanting around 4½ hours. The nose was reasonably fragrant but a little chalky and dusty. Nice and clean on the palate, though, and the fruit was still there underneath the chalky notes. After nearly 7 hours the dustiness cleared up and the nose was much nicer.

Full post on dinner is here.

Tar and Roses

Dinner at Catch.

2024 Tar and Roses Pinot Grigio - acidity was OK, and this was not totally bland. There was lemon and some tropical fruit on the nose.

90 Montrose and friends

Dinner at Flower Drum.

2020 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc - nose of green apple and muscat. Drinking well with a little ripeness to balance the acidity.

Bought from Altaya for EUR 112.

1981 Guigal La Landonne - all sediment poured into decanter. Started drinking around 40 minutes after decanting. Kinda meh. With the char siu the after taste was pretty metallic and a little funky. Got better after 1 hour in the decanter, and now I could smell the acidity, and the acidity also started to show on the palate. Still got sweet fruits like plum on the nose. After 1½ hours the nose was now better than the palate. Just kinda disappointing.

Bought from Sotheby's for GBP 195.

1990 Montrose - all sediment poured into decanter. A little bretty just after decanting. Started drinking about 1 hour and 45 minutes after decanting. Very lively. Around the 2-hour mark the nose was very smoky, showing lots of tobacco, leather, mineral and savory notes. Really nice and fragrant. Maybe not performing as a 100-point wine tonight but very delicious nonetheless.

Full post on dinner is here.

2009 Haut Condissas

Drinking at a friend's home.

2009 Haut Condissas Prestige, en magnum - definitely got that vanilla oak on the nose, with a bit of smoke as well as earthiness.

Bought from the château for EUR 50 plus shipping.

2004 Pax Emerald Pool

Drinking at home.

2004 Pax Syrah Alder Springs Vineyard The Emerald Pool - started drinking 30 minutes after decanting. Still pretty alcoholic on the nose. With the first sip this was smoother on the palate now, after 20 years. Showing sweet fruit like plums, and so sweet it was almost jammy. Still woodsy on the nose, though. The palate, though, seemed a little one-dimensional and not as lively as expected. Second pour 20 minutes later showed fragrant potpourri on the nose, with more of that sweet fruit. Now there was a little honeydew melon and banana. Another 10 minutes later and there was a little pepper. The palate improved after 1½ hours in the decanter.

Bought from the winery for USD 75 plus tax and shipping.

Zaku Primordial Galaxy

Drinking at home.

Zaku Primordial Galaxy Junmai Daiginjo (作 原始の銀河 純米大吟醸) - sweet upfront, but a bit more dry mid-palate. There was banana on the nose but also a bit of fermented notes along with umami. Surprisingly this was a little viscous on the palate.