Bongwater with Gaggan

Dinner at Gaggan's home in Bangkok.

2017 Emilien Feneuil Les Ruisseaux, dégorgée le 10 Decembre 2020 - definitely tasted like a meunier on the palate. The nose was fragrant and kinda ripe, with a little sweet vanilla. Good acidity on the palate.

2008 Hospices de Beaune Corton-Clos du Roi Cuvée Baronne du Bay, elevé et mis en bouteille par Lucien Le Moine pour Juli Soler, ⟪Rte. El Bulli⟫, en magnum - very fragrant nose, plenty of sweet fruit, almost a little floral, and perhaps a little savory as well. After opening for more than an hour, the classic toasty notes came out on the nose. NOW it's a rich white Burg.

2013 Henri Bonneau Cuvée Marie Beurrier, en magnum - decanted about 1½ hours after opening, this wine finally opened up after about another 1½ hours in the decanter. Fragrant nose with woodsy notes as one would expect. Softer on the palate now.

Bonnet-Ponson Griblanc - very metallic on the nose, like an Anjou pear. Acidity was pretty high on the palate.

Full post on dinner is here.

Bongwater from Vlad

Dinner at Gaggan Anand in Bangkok.

2015 Olivier Horiot Sève Rosé de Saignée en Barmont Les Riceys, dégorgée le 28 Mars 2022 - a nice rosé with decent red fruit notes, but palate was a little flat and short.

2018 Vodopivec Solo - initially servd a little too warm. Got good mouthfeel with grippy "tannins".

2018 Slobodné Majer Zemianske Sady Partisan Cru - still got the fruit. OK la...

Akishika 888 Junmai Muroka Nama (秋鹿 八八八 純米無濾過 生原酒), 2018 - seimaibuai of 80%. Very fermented and savory notes, a bit sweet on the finish. Definitely paired well with the caviar and also tomato. More rounded on the palate than I remembered from a few months ago.

2017 La Tangente L'Excuse - smoky, a little eucalyptus, a little meaty with leather notes.

2019 Čotar Sauvignon Blanc - very fragrant nose and a little floral.

La Grapperie La Désirée - the nose was pretty fragrant but also pretty oaky, almost buttery like a chardonnay from Burgundy. Almost vanilla, too. But this paired sooo horribly with the fish and made the aftertaste very... fishy.

2018 Stephan Côte-Rôtie Côteaux de Bassenon - really nice vanilla and fruit on the nose, along with eucalyptus. Love this wine.

2022 Meinklang Prosa - definitely got a little of that pungent sulfur on the nose, but also pretty sweet on the nose.

Full post on dinner is here.

Seii

Dinner at Baan Tepa in Bangkok.

Seii (誠意) - some fruity acidity along with some fermented flavors typical of Chinese rice wine lees, which are more acidic but not savory.

Full post on dinner is here.

Wines for spicy Thai food

Dinner at Sorn in Bangkok.

2020 La Grange Tiphaine Les Grenouillères - nose showing a little tropical fruit, honey, perhaps not quite pineapple, definitely mineral and flinty. A little sweet-ish on the palate. Nice and pleasant to drink, and works well with spicy food.

1997 François Gaunoux Pommard 1er Cru Les Rugiens - first whiff there was more prominent notes of leather on the nose, then came some black cherries. Not the very floral or fruity kind of wine, but still pretty nice.

1987 Yquem, en demi-bouteille - showing plenty of marmalade and dates, and a little savory on the nose. Almost a little like salted plum, plus definitely got that aged tangerine peel feeling. Some acetone on the nose, too.

Full post on dinner is here.

Katsuyama dinner

Katsuyama Sake dinner at Man Ho, organized by Berry Brothers and Rudd. Twelfth generation kuramoto Isawa Heizo in attendance with wife Julie and son Isawa Heiki.

Katsuyama Junmai Ginjo Ken (勝山 純米吟醸 献) - seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 50%. Very fragrant nose of starchy rice, along with fermented notes and a hint of umami.

Katsuyama Tokubetsu Junmai Sensho Masamune (勝山 特別純米 戦勝政宗) - seimaibuai of 55%. Bigger nose, also showing some starchy rice. Rounded and soft on the palate but ends up a bit dry on the finish.

Katsuyama Junmai Daiginjo Den (勝山 純米大吟醸 伝) - seimaibuai of 35%. More lean on the nose, definitely more dry and spicy on the palate. Drinking after the soup actually made it show much sweeter on the palate.

Katsuyama Junmai Daiginjo Akatsuki (勝山 純米大吟醸 暁) - seimaibuai of 35%. Nose was kinda big, while the palate was very soft.

Katsuyama Junmai Daiginjo Hyojuku (勝山 純米大吟醸 氷熟貯蔵酒) - seimaibuai of 35%. More rounded and viscous on the palate, very nice. Slightly more fermented on the nose and showed some umami. Also a little sweet, pretty rich and starchy. I love aged sake and this is exactly why.

Katsuyama Tarujuku Junmai Ginjo (勝山 樽熟 純米吟醸) - seimaibuai of 55%. This was aged in oak barrels for 2 years, and showed lots of vanilla notes thanks to the wood. Pretty sweet and definitely toasty oak.

Full post on dinner is here.

Kurahikari Soujyu

Dinner at Ishiyama.

Kurahikari Tobintori Tokubetsu Junmai Soujyu (倉光 斗瓶採り 特別純米酒 双樹), R3BY - seimaibuai of 60%. Very fermented flavor profile on the palate, definitely dry and spicy. With additional chilling this showed a little sweetness on the finish after dry and spicy notes.

Full post on dinner is here.

2009 Massandra

Drinking at home.

2009 Massandra Alushta Red - decanted for 1 hour before drinking. Definitely still has fruit here, although the wine is showing signs of advanced aging, and the palate was getting pretty flat. Nose showing plummy notes, but clearly oxidized and showing woodsy notes. Savory like soy sauce and black olives, with a reasonable fragrance after additional aeration. Past its prime.

2011 Napa

Dinner at Koji Charcoal Grill.

2011 The Mascot - double-decanted and served around 1½ hours later. Lots of sweet, jammy fruit on the nose while decanting. Pretty soft on the palate now, and still very sweet on the palate. Definitely has the Harlan style where there's a lot of sweet fruit, but also not quite warm and hot like other Napa cabs... just slightly "French".

2011 Kapcsándy Estate Cuvée - decanted by restaurant staff with all the sediment and drank 1 hour and 15 minutes later. Very ripe and jammy, with lots of vanilla oak on the nose. Much more sweet, candied nose.

Full post on dinner is here.