Chinese wines with Sichuanese food

Dinner at Chef 1996 Restaurant in Beijing.

2022 Petit Mont Baima Snow Mountain Yanjing (寸山白马雪山盐井) - OK la... this opened up after a while, showing some nice fruit, some forest notes, and maybe even a hint of coffee later.

2024 The Four Girls Mountain Chardonnay Selection (四姑娘山霞多丽臻選) - lots of vanilla and oak on the nose, along with flint and stone fruits. A little sharp and alcoholic on the nose. Got decent acidity on the palate.

1996 Wuliangye (五粮液) - very smooth on the palate. Still got that classic baijiu profile on the nose.

89 Lang Jiu (郎酒) - there was more umami on the palate, more like Shaoxing, with plummy and fermented flavors.

2023 Clos Mao Shuó Lin (说林) - definitely more rustic on the nose, reflecting the cabernet franc. Still very tannic on the palate.

2018 Célèbre Red (寶莊) - tons of vanilla oak on the nose, ripe and jammy.

2020 Lapu Valley Vidal Golden Ice Wine (藏云谷威代尔冰酒) - very floral with lots of honey.

Full post on dinner is here.

Chinese bistro wines

Supper at Bistro Strong in Beijing.

Henri Giraud MV20, dégorgée le 17 Fevrier 2025 - pretty nice and yeasty nose. Can't go wrong with this.

2023 Yunling Strong White (2023 云翎壮壮干白) - there was some fragrance here, but overall it was pretty muted on the nose.

2023 Canaan Chapter and Verse Master Riesling Sweet (2023迦南诗百篇特选甜型雷司令) - the nose was kinda interesting, floral with lychee notes, but also a bit sharp on the nose like acetone. Maybe this was just too young. Has shades of Trimbach but nowhere near as lovely.

Full post on supper is here.

Whites and Chinese bongwater

Dinner at Shanghai Fraternity Association.

2022 00 Wines Chardonnay VGW - very toasty nose, and kinda buttery.

2008 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese - big nose of petroleum, with a little bit of white flower. There was definitely some sweetness on the palate along with the acidity.

Xiaopu perdue.J - this was soooo bongwater, unfiltered and very cloudy appearance. Pretty sweet and fruity, with notes of forest, leather, strawberries, and raspberries.

Full post on dinner is here.

Keller and Le Gallais

Dinner at Gem Garden in Shenzhen.

1989 Le Gallais Wiltinger Braune Kupp Riesling Auslese - decanted before serving. Big nose of white flowers, white truffle, orange blossom water, marmalade, and honey.

2020 Keller Dalsheim Bürgel Spätburgunder Trocken Großes Gewächs - decanted before serving. First whiff showed strawberries and eucalyptus. About 45 minutes later the wine got softer on the palate. The fragrance was nicer after almost 1½ hours, showing more leather.

Full post on dinner is here.

2022 Muxin Chardonnay

Lunch at Jiang by Chef Fei in Guangzhou.

2022 Muxin Chardonnay - showing lemon, a little honey, flint, and some fruity notes at first. After 20 minutes or so the nose opened up more, and the acidity also came out on the palate. We've got more toasty notes, then the body gathered weight and the wine had a grippy finish on the back of the throat. A very nicely balanced chardonnay, and pretty elegant.

Ordered from the wine list for CNY 1,5xx.

Full post on lunch is here.

90 Fleury and Jacquesson

Dinner at Song in Guangzhou.

1990 Fleury, dégorgée en Septembre 2020 - this had plenty of age on it, so it was very nice and smooth, with marmalade, red plums, and salty plum on the nose.

Drinks at Park Hyatt Guangzhou Roof Bar.

Jacquesson Cuvée N°745 - yeasty nose with brioche, flinty and mineral. The acidity was a bit higher as this is extra-brut, but there was still a bit of ripeness on the palate. I could smell the caramelized sugar on the nose, and maybe a little bit of pear thanks to the minerals.

2015 Résonance Pinot Noir Résonance Vineyard - drank about 30 minutes after decanting. Nose showed smoke, leather, vanilla, black cherries. After a few more minutes there was smoke on the nose, too. Reasonably soft on the palate after 10 years. Second pour was another 20 minutes later, and was now less sweet on the nose. Body also got a bit bigger.

Full post on the evening is here.

61 Pichon Baron and more

Dinner at 7 Paintings at the Murray Hong Kong.

Perrier-Jouët Blanc de Blancs - a little mineral with reasonable acidity.

2023 Michel Redde Pouilly-Fuisée La Moynerie - nose of stone fruits, a little flinty, very refreshing and lively.

2019 Reale Primitivo di Manduria Gloria - the nose was kinda corked, with that wet cardboard scent. The palate was pretty ripe, hot, and alcoholic. 

Drinks at a friend's home.

1961 Pichon-Baron - level was slightly below mid-shoulder, with the cork shrunken and fallen in. Initially the first pour was a little pungent on the nose, a little farmy, but also showed plenty of smoke, grilled meats, pencil lead, mint, with black fruits like cassis underneath. The palate was not great, very soft, and perhaps slightly cooked and over the hill. With the second pour after half an hour this was more open with more fruit, and also more smoke. After 1 hour this was really nice and fragrant now, definitely more alive, and still got the fruit and now also capsicum. Palate improved significantly and the power of the vintage is still there. Not in tip-top condition, but drinking very well for its age.

Bought from Christies for HKD 3,646.

1995 Corton

Drinking at home.

1995 Hospices de Beaune Corton Cuvée Charlotte Dumay, élevé par Dominique Laurent - started drinking 10 minutes after decanting. The nose was very fragrant, with some leather, a bit meaty, plum, and a little animal notes. The acidity was definitely on the high side. After half an hour in the decanter, the nose got a little floral. The acidity got a little too high for my liking.