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.

SQN and friends

Dinner at Caprice.

2015 Vincent Dancer Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières - started drinking some 3 hours after opening. This was sooo beautiful! There was a nice balanced level of toast on the nose, which wasn't too big and heavy but just right. Nice and buttery with a dose of lemon citrus and minerals. There was acidity on the palate, but once again it was nicely balanced with ripeness. What a wine!

2001 Sine Qua Non Albino - the nose was nice and floral, with lots of honey, marmalade, and some straw. Very ripe both on the nose and on the palate, but a little hot and alcoholic on the palate. A really lovely wine.

2006 Hundred Acre Ark Vineyard - decanted some 30 minutes after opening, and started drinking a little more than 1 hour after opening. Minty, a bit earthy, and actually a little savory on the nose. Definitely showing cool fruit, and surprisingly not as jammy as expected. Really opened up after 2 hours, and showing smoky notes, too. Delicious.

2005 Sine Qua Non Atlantis Fe₂O₃ Syrah 1c - decanted around 1½ hours after opening, and started drinking more than an hour after decanting. A bit smoky on the nose, and there was almost a hint of brett. Savory and a bit stinky on the nose. Pretty smooth and drinking well, but this was one of the least SQN reds I remember drinking. Totally lacking the typical punchy character and jammy fruit, and leaning more towards a French syrah.

1955 Toro Albalá Don PX Convento Selección, bottle 004, from imperial - this was so complex with lots of spices and herbs on the nose. Viscous texture and sweet on the palate.

Full post on dinner is here.

Wines with UNO

Drinking at a friend's home.

2015 Maison Leroy Bourgogne - tasted a couple of hours after aerating. Nice and fruity, jammy, and a little plummy.

2005 Kongsgaard Syrah - drank almost 2½ hours after opening. Very ripe, sweet, and jammy on the nose. Lovely nose of leather and mint. Sooooo fragrant. Fantastic!

Bought from the winery for USD 150 plus tax.

1999 Avignonesi Vin Santo di Montepulciano Occhio di Pernice - this was really thick and viscous, like pouring syrup into a glass. Nose showing smoky, nutty, honey, and medjool dates. Lovely.

2019 Méo-Camuzet Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Chaumes - a little pungent on the nose, with some exotic spices.