Yoemon and Amakumo

Dinner at Godenya.

Iseno Shiroki Junmai Nama Sparkling (伊勢の白酒 純米生活性), 2025-26 - served at 10°C. Seimaibuai of 65%. Always the lovely fermented notes, and very fruity with lactic acid.

Yoshidakura U Yamahai Junmai (吉田蔵u 山廃 純米), 2025-26 - served at 12°C. Seimaibuai of 60%. This was very elegant and very clean, and the first sip was more lean and dry, with a dry finish. Became slightly rounded and sweet with the paired dish. If this were aerated in the mouth, the slight fizziness became more evident.

Urazato Junmai Ginjo Nama (浦里 純米吟醸 生), 2025-26 - served at 12°C. Seimaibuai of 55%. The palate was rounded on the front, with a little fermented flavors and a little dry, but this tasted sweeter after the fish.

Yoemon Junmai Daiginjo (酉与右衛門 純米大吟醸), 2019-20 - served at 14°C. Seimaibuai of 40%. No surprise that this tasted a lot more fermented, oxidized, and savory after a few years of aging.

Tedorigawa Daiginjo (手取川 大吟醸), 2021-22 - served at 23°C. Seimaibuai of 40%. This was very, very round and soft on the palate, with a hint of that fermented, savory flavor profile.

Tamazakura Junmai Nama Nigori (玉櫻 純米 生 にごり), R7 BY - served at 57°C. Seimaibuai of 70%. It's unusual for me to drink nigori sake warm, and while this had the acidity it was more dry and spicy.

Amakumo Kimoto Junmai (天雲 生酛 純米), R6 BY - served at 55°C. Seimaibuai of 60%. A bit of that fermented, savory flavors came out after warming the sake up, but this was slightly sweet on the palate.

Full post on dinner is here.

Clinet and Starting Point

Dinner at Neighborhood.

2022 The Starting Point Riesling - the nose was a little flinty. There was good acidity on the palate, leaner but with a bit of ripeness and roundness.

2009 Clinet - this was very lovely and classic. Smoky and woodsy nose that was fragrant and minty. Drinking so well.

Full post on dinner is here.

Fonteneau Morgeot

Dinner at Ship Kee.

2022 Pierre Fonteneau Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot - got the acidity on the palate, but this was very, very ripe and buttery.

Anything but SQN

Dinner at a friend's home with Julia and Nik Krankl as guests of honor. Theme was "Anything but Sine Qua Non (and Fingers Crossed)". Magnums were requested.

2018 Robert Faivre L'Experte - light on the palate, acidity level was OK.

2023 Agnès Paquet Chassagne-Montrachet Les Battaudes - nose was very oak-oaked with tons of vanilla.

1966 Gruaud-Larose, en double magnum - definitely got that sweet grass on the nose, with smoke and leather, too. So classic.

1994 L'Evangile, en magnum - this had a much bigger nose than the '66 Gruaud-Larose, and it was nice and smoky, with pepper and green capsicum.

2018 Egon Müller Scharzhofberger Riesling Kabinett, from double magnum - there was a nice bit of sweetness on the palate balanced by the acidity. Huge nose of petrol and white flowers. So nice.

2002 Torbreck RunRig, from magnum - this was showing so beautifully, with lots of coconut butter, leather, and smoke on the nose.

1983 Auguste Clape Cornas, en magnum - tasted right after opening and decanting. Toasty nose with leather. Very smooth on the palate now, but a little less lively than expected. Not so much juicy fruit.

1995 Lafleur-Petrus, en magnum - nice and smoky on the nose, with more sweet fruit. A bit savory on the palate.

2006 Torbreck The Laird - tasted a couple of hours after opening. Very ripe and jammy on the nose, really big and so sweet on the palate. Just an amazing fruit bomb that has aged for 20 years. So nice.

1996 Cos d'Estournel, en magnum - still got the sweet fruit on the nose, as well as smoke and fragrant woodsy notes.

2006 Napa Valley Reserve, from magnum - very fragrant on the nose, without too much vanilla, but still got the lovely oak. Still so tannic after almost 20 years.

2006 Dal Forno Amarone della Valpolicella, from double magnum - this was double-decanted at 3pm yesterday... and showing lots of coconut and plenty of ripe fruit. This was such a big wine.

2014 FX Pichler Riesling Smaragd Dürnsteiner Kellerberg, from magnum - definitely got the white flowers and polyurethane, and also some flint.

2010 Alain Voge Cornas, en magnum - obviously fresher than the '83 Clape.

2011 Antinori Tignanello, from magnum - this was OK la...

2015 Eisele Vineyard Syrah - still really young after 10 years, a bit sharp and tannic.

Stephan Les Binardes

Drinking at home.

2018 Maison Stephan Côte-Rôtie Les Binardes - lovely nose of leather, fragrant wood, and very ripe fruit. Love the after palate with that bacon fat. The alcohol was still sharp on the nose, and the wine was hot going down the back of the throat. The wine also showed plenty of floral notes like lavender, and I enjoyed how ripe and sweet this was. But in reality the wine was just too young and still rough around the edges.

Meunier tu dors

Drinking at home.

Romain Henin Meunier tu dors, dégorgée 8 Decembre 2025 - with a heady mousse, this was very young and fresh. The palate was interesting in that it almost tasted like salmon, with a slight bitterness on the palate.

2003 Fortia

Drinking at home.

2003 Château Fortia Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée du Baron - started drinking some 20 minutes after decanting. Got the fruit here, but also very woodsy and some vanilla. Still kinda grippy and tannic more than 20 years later. This opened up very nicely after 45 minutes, and the nose was showing fragrant cedar.

Gobelsburg Zweigelt

Drinks at The Baker and the Bottleman.

2021 Domæne Gobelsburg Zweigelt - nose was initially not very open and just showing a bit of spices, kinda similar to amarone in that the grapes felt like they were dried and more concentrated. Some herbs and some leather on the nose.