Champagnes and sakes

Dinner at Nikushou.

Heidsieck Monopole Blue Top - toasty on the nose, pretty soft and sweet on the palate.

Kikuhime Yamahai Ginjo (菊姫  山廃純米), 9BY - seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 55%. Very savory and smoky, but kinda sweet on the palate after the oysters.

Henri Giraud Fût de Chêne MV10, en magnum, dégorgée le 18 novembre 2016 - very, very tasty... with nice ripeness and good depth.

2004 Paul Déthune, dégorgée en avril 2012 - very smooth and easy to drink.

Denshu Junmai Daiginjo Yamahai (田酒  純米大吟醸  山廃), from isshobin - seimaibuai of 40%.  Very tropical nose with lots of banana.  Pretty sweet and smooth on the palate.

Full post on dinner is here.

1990 Penfolds trio

Dinner at Dynasty.

2015 Penfolds Yattarna - huge nose of toast, flinty, some buttery sweetness.  Really lovely.

The three reds were all opened for 1½ hours before decanting.

1990 Penfolds Bin 90A - a little savory soy sauce on the nose.  Still good concentration with some acidity.  A bit smoky.  Much more open after 1 hour in the decanter, showing beautifully some vanilla notes.  Two hours after decanting this was really beautiful, with some coconut butter and tropical notes.  My wine of the evening.

1990 Penfolds Bin 920 - unfortunately this was corked.  Still got the sweet vanilla underneath all the green and vegetal notes, with some smoke.  But kinda flat on the palate now.  Not undrinkable, just not enjoyable.

1990 Penfolds Bin 707 - still pretty tight at first, with a little smoke.  Showed better with the second pour.  Two hours after decanting it showed somewhat better, and pretty minty.  But still not really open.

Full post on dinner is here.

06 Kistler Sonoma Coast

Drinking at home.

2006 Kistler Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast - very fragrant, with black cherries and some woodsy notes.  After 45 minutes in decanter showed forest and ripe, jammy black fruits. 

Ohmine 3grain

Drinking at home.

Ohmine Junmai Ginjo 3grain (大嶺純米吟醸3粒) - seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 58%.  Very soft and very round on the palate at first.  Short on the attack and fades quickly, but there was more length down the back of the throat.  More length and depth later.

99 Matriarch and friends

Dinner at ZEST by Konishi.

Delamotte Brut - toasty with good acidity.

2018 Domaine Thomas Sancerre Le Pierrier - floral, tropical, with flinty notes.

2013 Liger-Belair Vosne-Romanée - unfortunately the wine was too warm.  Showed lots of toast, along with leather notes.  Very beautiful for a village wine.

1999 BOND Matriarch - decanted for 1 hour prior to serving.  Very minty, smoky, with pencil lead along with sweet fruit underneath.  Very ripe and sweet on the palate.  Really open nose with decadent fruit.  1½ hours after decanting the wine showed explosive fruit, more woodsy notes.  Still very concentrated on the palate.  Two hours later showed some coffee notes.

Full post on dinner is here.

97 Beringer Bancroft

Drinking at home.

1997 Beringer Merlot Private Reserve Howell Mountain - smoky, a little dirty, minty, with stewed prunes.  Actually still going strong, with plenty of fruit.

Sake and Bordeaux

Dinner at Neighborhood.

Rikyuume Junmai Ginjo Namazake Natsu Ginjo (利休梅  純米吟醸  生酒  夏吟醸) - seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 55%.  Really fruity, lots of banana, musk melon, light and refreshing.  A little more dry when warmed up.

Iwa 5 - opened the day before serving as advised by a friend.  Seemingly a more "serious" sake, with more concentration and more body.  Not as easy to enjoy, and more dry on the palate.  Later on fruity notes did show up, with some musk melon notes.

2010 Domaine de l'A, en magnum - decanted 1 hour prior to serving.  Nice and ripe fruit, with fragrant woodsy notes, and some smoke.  Drinking very, very nicely.

Full post on dinner is here.

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.