Azumaichi and others

Dinner at Godenya.

Iseno Shiroki Junmai Nama Sparkling (伊勢の白酒 純米生活性), 2020-21 - served at 9°C. Seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 65%.  love the round, viscous mouth feel.  Sweet with lactic acid, fizzy.

Hanaabi Junmai Daiginjo Unfiltered Nama (花陽浴 純米大吟醸 瓶囲無濾過生原酒), 2020-21 - served at 11°C. Seimaibuai of 40%.  Fragrant with tropical fruit notes, a little more alcohol in the nose.  Some fermentation notes, with a pretty long and dry finish.

Azumaichi Junmai Ginjo Nama Usunigori (東一  純米吟醸  生  うすにごり), 2020-21 - served at 13°C.　Seimaibuai of 49%.  Sweet on the attack but dry mid-palate.

Kaiun Unfiltered Junmai Nama (開運 無濾過純米 生), 2020-21 - served at 15°C. Seimaibuai of 55%.  Pretty fruity with higher acidity.

Komagura Tokubestsu Junmai 60 (独楽蔵  特別純米 60), 2017-18 - served at 44°C. Seimaibuai of 60%.  More fermented and savory notes.

Harunotsuki Junmai Ginjo Nigori Nama (春の月  純米吟醸  にごり生), 2020-21 - served at 10°C. Seimaibuai of 60%.  Sweet on the attack but dry on the palate.

Togo Kimoto Junmai Daiginjo (東郷  生酛  純米大吟醸), 2009-10 - served at 46°C. Seimaibuai of 40%.  Fermented notes, both dry and sweet on the palate.

2016 Afruge No. 1 - seimaibuai of 65%.

Full post on dinner is here.

Dewazakura Yukimegami

Dinner at Kichi.

Dewazakura Yukimegami 35% (出羽桜  雪女神  三割五分) - seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 35%. Smooth. Sweet on the palate but nicely balanced with the dryness mid-palate. Good depth, a little bitter, with a long finish. 

Full post on dinner is here.

Faiveley Mazis

Drinking at home.

2005 Faiveley Mazis-Chambertin - served 30 minutes after decanting.  Black fruits, plums, forest, leather.  Tannins are still here so slightly grippy on the palate.  Second pour 45 minutes after decanting was slightly better, and gradually opened up.

1997 Remoissenet Montrachet - oxidized and pretty dead on the palate with no finish.

Champagne and syrah

Dinner at Ren Ren Heping.

Pascal Agrapart Complantée, dégorgée octobre 2017 - medium body, very balanced with slightly more ripeness than acidity. A little mineral.

Sharaku Tokubetsu Junmai Daiginjo (写楽  特別純米大吟醸) - seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 50%. Pretty sweet, very banana with lots of rich, rice flavors.

1998 Kay Brothers Shiraz Block 6 Amery Vineyards - unfortunately corked.

1996 Guigal Château d'Ampuis - really floral and violet nose, along with leather notes. Just beautiful.

1996 R et L Legras Saint-Vincent - this was really nice. A little desiccated coconut and sugar cane on the nose. Great depth on the palate, with some sharp acidity balancing the ripeness.

Full post on dinner is here.

99 Burgs and Kistler

MNSC dinner at The Pawn, with The Ox hosting.

1999 Bouchard Montrachet - served after 2 hours in the decanter.  Nose was a little reductive and dusty at first.  A little caramelized, some what sweet and oxidized but the acidity was there.  After 2 hours in glass, showing more water chestnut.

First flight: served 1½ hours after opening without decanting.

1999 Dominique Laurent Richebourg - very fragrant, a little bubblegum, exotic and beautiful nose. 95 points.

1999 Dominique Laurent Charmes-Chambertin - this was more clean, slightly more elgant and floral, a littl toast. Showing mor floral notes some 40 minutes in glass. 96 points.

1999 Dominique Laurent Bonnes-Mares - exotic notes like coconut. Sweet, toasty, and pretty fragrant. 96 points.

Second flight: served 2½ hours after opening without decanting.

1999 Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier Bonnes-Mares - very clean, very savory, lean on the palate and kinda tannic. 93 points.

1999 Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Fuées - very savory and clean. More funky, a little stinky and barnyard, but then opened up to some sweet fruit. 94 points.

Third flight: served 3½ hours after opening without decanting.

2004 Kistler Pinot Noir Kistler Vineyard - really floral, beautiful nose of cherries almost like cough syrup, and a little alcoholic. 97 points.

2005 Kistler Pinot Noir Kistler Vineyard - very dusty nose with savory notes. 91 points.

2007 Kistler Pinot Noir Kistler Vineyard - cleaner nose with floral notes and more concentration, sweet, black cherries, also bubblegum, later on very sweet and exotic. 97 points.

Full post on dinner is here.

SQN duo

Dinner at Lotus Bistro at the Ladies Recreation Club.

1996 Sine Qua Non Omadhaun and Poltroon - slightly more roussanne than chardonnay. Decanted and served. Very, very sweet on the nose, caramelized for sure and definitely ripe on the palate, but still got the acidity.  The chardonnay was very obvious.  Got better with the second pour, really sweet like sugar cane.  After 1½ hours it was even better.  At 2 hours in it was also a little metallic, along with Chinese licorice.  Sweet and so fragrant.  Really fantastic after 2½ hours.

2012 Sine Qua Non In the Abstract - 37% chardonnay, 31% roussanne, 16% petite manseng, 16% viognier. Decanted and served.  More funky nose with tropical notes, beautiful, toasty notes coming out, with some bubblegum.  After 1 hour in decanter it was sweet and beautiful.  After almost 2 hours there were also some metallic notes.

1997 Napa

Dinner at Neighborhood.

2012 Franck Bonville Les Belles Voyes, dégorgée en octobre 2019 - smooth and easy to drink.

First pair: decanted more than 4 hours after opening, and served 15 minutes after decanting.

1997 Barnett Cabernet Sauvignon Peacock Family Vineyard - minty, fruity, rich on the palate.

1997 La Jota Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain Selection - initially a little more closed, more barnyard, smoky, leather, pungent.

Second pair: decanted more than 4 hours after opening, and served 45 minutes after decanting.

1997 Araujo Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard - surprisingly concentrated, some oak, smoke, and black fruits. More elegant and very well-integrated. After 1½ hours in decanter this was really lovely. About my favorite wine tonight.

1997 Whitehall Lane Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve - smoky, more concentrated, the fruit was still going strong, and the tannins were still here.

Third pair: served more than 2 hours after decanting.

1997 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Clone 4 - initially more muted, more balanced, with a little less fruit.

1997 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Clone 6 - minty, smoky, leaner. Later on more fruit, almost a hint of savory notes. Ripe and almost jammy towards the end.

Fourth pair: served more than 2½ hours after decanting.

1997 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cask 23 - nicely balanced, a little smoke, a bit of leather, and still got good concentration. Just about my favorite wine tonight.

1997 Pahlmeyer Proprietary Red Blend - some smoke, a little riper, and definitely sweet on the palate.

1997 Philip Togni Ca' Togni, from half-bottle - lychee, floral, a little dried longan. Very sweet on the palate.

Full post on dinner is here.