Kikuhime and 2001 Napa

Dinner at a friend's house.

Kikuhime Aged Daiginjo (菊姫  大吟醸  熟成酒), 8BY - this has aged for more than 22 years prior to release, so it wasn't surprising that the palate delivered lots of oxidized and savory flavors.  Very viscous and rounded on the palate.  So delicious!

2001 Karl Lawrence Reserve Gary Morisoli Vineyard - served about 1 hour after opening.  Very minty with animal notes.  After 1 hour 45 minutes still concentrated, but nose and opened up and became more woodsy and fragrant.

2001 Fisher Cabernet Sauvignon Wedding Vineyard - served 1 hour and 15 minutes after opening.  Very fragrant nose with lots of very ripe fruit along with smoky notes.  Medium- to full-bodied.  Drinking beautifully now.

Dom and Maiden

Dinner at home.

1996 Moët et Chandon Cuvée Dom Pérignon - nice and ripe, smooth, rounded, and elegant on the palate.

2000 Harlan Estate The Maiden - decanted for 1½ hours before serving.  Smoky, grilled meats, with very ripe fruit and vanilla oak.  Drinking very well.  Also some woodsy notes.

2006 Arietta Quartet - decanted just prior to serving.  Very ripe and sweet, smoky, and fragrant woodsy notes.

Full post on the evening is here.

2007 Il Pino

Drinking at home.

2007 Biserno Il Pino - smoky, fragrant and woodsy.  Slightly ripe and sweet.

2002 Ojai

Drinking at home.

2002 Ojai Syrah Thompson Vineyard - smoky, grilled meats.  Some sweet fruit underneath.

2010s and friends

Dinner at Neighborhood.

Pommery Brut Royal - nice and easy to drink.

2010 Clos Floridene Blanc - flinty with green apple.  There is ripeness on the palate.

2010 Arietta On the White Keys, from 500ml - very strong nose of flint and pipi de chat.

2010 San Filippo Brunello di Montalcino Le Lucére - ripe on the palate, smoky, could smell the acidity, kinda reminded me of Amarone made with dried grapes.

2005 Pax Syrah Kobler Family Vineyard - after almost 3 hours in the decanter, this was no longer sharp on the nose.  Ripe on the palate but with good acidity, and some violet notes.

Full post on dinner is here.

French wines for froggy

Dinner at Seventh Son.

2011 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Embrazées - nice and toasty, a bit floral.  Good acidity behind the slightly ripe mid-palate.

2006 Dominique Laurent Mazis-Chambertin - a little dusty upfront, but pretty nice once it faded.  Got better and better with some nice fruit.

1990 Tertre Roteboeuf - served one hour after decanting.  Just beautiful.  So fragrant, woodsy, a little smoky and minty.

2009 Beaucastel Rouge - minty and ripe.  A little on the young side...

1989 Trimbach Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Émile Vendages Tardives - huge petrol nose, flinty, and white flowers.  A little ripe and sweet, but not too much.

Full post on dinner is here.

2009 George Hansen Vineyards

Drinking at home.

2009 George Pinot Noir Hansen Vineyards - initially showed only sweet fruit, then intense nose of leather, metallic iron, a little forest pine, and finally vanilla oak.

Sake pairing at Godenya

Dinner at Godenya.

Beau Michelle Snow Fantasy (ボー・ミッシェル スノーファンタジー うすにごり生原酒), 2019 - served at 10°C. Seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 60%.  Full of fermented flavors like fermented rice lees.

Sawaya Matsumoto Shuhari Junmai Nama Gohyaku Mangoku (澤屋まつもと 守破離 純米 五百万石 うすにごり), 2019 - served at 13°C.  Nicely balanced, slightly dry, a little effervescent, kinda fermented flavors, and slightly bitter finish.

Sogen Junmai Hattannishiki Unfiltered Nama (宗玄 純米 八反錦 無濾過生原酒), 2020 - served at 15°C. Seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 55%.  Big on the palate, kinda rich and rounded on the palate at first, but pretty spicy later.

Shinkame Mahoto Junmai Nama (神亀 真穂人 純米生酒), 29BY - served at 17°C. Seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 60%.  Really strong flavors, fermented and definitely savory.

Niida Natural Kimoto Hatsuyuki Nama (仁井田 自然酒 生酛はつゆき生),  2019 - served at 12°C.  Seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 80%.  Pretty sweet, but very alcoholic and spicy.

Okunoto no Shiragiku Tokubetsu Junmaishu (奥能登の白菊  特別純米酒), 1BY - served at 22°C.  Seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 55%.  Relatively mild on the palate, although not exactly light and boring.  Good depth with a long, spicy and bitter finish.

Sanin Togo Bupposo Kimoto Junmaishu Nama (山陰 東郷 仏法僧), 30BY - served at 46°C.  Seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 88%.  Very oxidized, and the slightly higher alcohol content - together with the warm serving temperature - gave a warm and fuzzy feeling.

2016 Afruge Ma Chérie - seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 90%. Very oxidized and savory.

Full post on dinner is here.