Rinaldi and Trevallon

Drinking at a friend's home.

2019 Rinaldi Barolo Brunate - there was a hint of dust on the nose, but there was sweet fruit undereneath and overall it was pleasant. It opened up in the same glass after an hour and got a lot more fragrant.

2012 Trévallon Rouge - this was intense with a big nose, at first was a bit sharp. After 40 minutes in the decanter this was so fragrant, with a big toasty nose and notes of coffee, mint, and eucalyptus.

1969 Unico

Dinner at A Cut in Taipei.

Egly-Ouriet Grand Cru Vieillissement Prolongé, dégorgée en Octobre 2023 - thanks to spending 87 months on yeast, this was pretty smooth and there was very little mousse. Nose was showing lemon, straw, and a little bit of yeast. Also some nutty notes. With a second pour, the nose was definitely more floral and elegant.

1969 Vega Sicilia Unico - initially the nose was showing sweet grass and woodsy notes, already pretty fragrant. About 1 hour in the nose was dominated by stewed prunes. A few minutes later this turned more fragrant with lovely wood. Given another few minutes we had beautiful coconut butter show up, and then a bit more acidity on the palate. Still a lovely wine and drinking pretty well.

Full post on dinner is here.

Fortia and Thalabert

Drinks at a friend's home.

2015 Jaboulet Crozes-Hermitage Domaine de Thalabert - meaty and leather nose, and the acidity was higher than expected.

2019 Il Marroneto Brunello di Montalcino - pretty fragrant nose with some woodsy notes. Pretty easy to drink.

2003 Château Fortia Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée du Baron - started drinking after 1 hour in the decanter. Pretty fragrant with eucalyptus notes, with a surprise later on in the form of black olives.

Bought from Farr Vintners for GBP 13.

Pinot noirs and a cab

Dinner at Neighborhood.

2000 Dom Pérignon P2 - nice and toasty, mineral, flinty on the nose. Good maturity now, pretty nice and rounded on the palate.

1979 Bouchard Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Aux Perdrix - nice and toasty on the nose, with red fruits. Very soft and light and not much there left on the palate, with a short finish.

2009 Méo-Camuzet Corton Les Perrières - nose of blueberries and vanilla, with lots of toast.

1996 Gruaud Larose - tasted almost 2 hours after opening. So soft and supple on the palate. Smoky and a little brett, with leather, ripe stewed fruits, savory minerals and mint.

Full post on dinner is here.

Two Rieslings

Dinner at The Chairman.

1990 Maximin Grünhauser Riesling Herrenberg Kabinett - this was still pretty fresh and lively, with good acidity level on the palate.

Bought from Mayfair as part of a mixed lot for HKD 316.

2019 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese - definitely sweeter as a spätlese. Very nice and classic.

2011 Payre Rose Marlène N°3 - pretty smooth now given its age, with nice leathery notes on the nose.

Bought from Ginsberg + Chan for HKD 560.

Full post on dinner is here.

Rieslings and Champagnes

Dinner at Wing.

Frederic Savart L'Ouverture-Premier Cru, dégorgée en Janvier 2025 - lean as expected, with good acidity for a crisp palate, a little yeasty on the nose.

Sylvie Moreau Edition N°11, bouteille n° 0133/1300, dégorgée 16 Novembre 2019 - base year was 2004. The nose was very fragrant, with straw and sugar cane thanks to some oxidation due to aging.

1985 Maximin Grünhauser Riesling Abtsberg Kabinett - the front palate was a little short, but with the acidity on the palate the finish was reasonably long. Ripe and mature after 40 years with notes of straw alongside lemon citrus and white flowers.

Bought from Mayfair as part of a mixed lot for HKD 316.

2006 Kistler Pinot Noir Bodegas Headlands Vineyard Cuvée Elizabeth - nice with plenty of sweet fruit. so fragrant with eucalyptus notes.

Bought from the winery for USD 90 plus tax and shipping.

1980 Baron Gaston Legrand Bas-Armagnac - lovely with vanilla and caramel nose.

Full post on dinner is here.

Alsace and Burgs

Lunch at Lucky Ship.

2019 Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Boudriotte - this was very ripe and very buttery, and oaky. Pretty classic.

2020 Trimbach Riesling Grand Cru Schlossberg - there was a bit of ripeness on the palate, but also got decent acidity. Some flint on the nose.

Bought from RNG for HKD 598.

Drinking at home.

2002 Weinbach Clos des Capucines Pinot Gris Altenbourg Sélection de Grains Nobles, en Jennie - nose of honey, apricot, and marmalade. Of course this was pretty sweet on the palate, but also came with a good dose of acidity.

Bought from Tatung Atherton.

2008 Peyre Rose Clos des Cistes - started drinking about 1 hour after decanting. This was really fragrant, but perhaps with a hint of chalk at the beginning. Otherwise the woodsy nose came with black fruits, mineral, and a bit savory on the palate.

Bought from Ginsberg + Chan for HKD 616.

1995 Hospices de Beaune Corton Cuvée Charlotte Dumay, élevé par Dominique Laurent - wet cardboard, definitely corked.

Yoemon and Amakumo

Dinner at Godenya.

Iseno Shiroki Junmai Nama Sparkling (伊勢の白酒 純米生活性), 2025-26 - served at 10°C. Seimaibuai of 65%. Always the lovely fermented notes, and very fruity with lactic acid.

Yoshidakura U Yamahai Junmai (吉田蔵u 山廃 純米), 2025-26 - served at 12°C. Seimaibuai of 60%. This was very elegant and very clean, and the first sip was more lean and dry, with a dry finish. Became slightly rounded and sweet with the paired dish. If this were aerated in the mouth, the slight fizziness became more evident.

Urazato Junmai Ginjo Nama (浦里 純米吟醸 生), 2025-26 - served at 12°C. Seimaibuai of 55%. The palate was rounded on the front, with a little fermented flavors and a little dry, but this tasted sweeter after the fish.

Yoemon Junmai Daiginjo (酉与右衛門 純米大吟醸), 2019-20 - served at 14°C. Seimaibuai of 40%. No surprise that this tasted a lot more fermented, oxidized, and savory after a few years of aging.

Tedorigawa Daiginjo Kokoshu (手取川 大吟醸 古古酒), 2021-22 - served at 23°C. Seimaibuai of 40%. This was very, very round and soft on the palate, with a hint of that fermented, savory flavor profile.

Tamazakura Junmai Nama Nigori (玉櫻 純米 生 にごり), R7 BY - served at 57°C. Seimaibuai of 70%. It's unusual for me to drink nigori sake warm, and while this had the acidity it was more dry and spicy.

Amakumo Kimoto Junmai (天雲 生酛 純米), R6 BY - served at 55°C. Seimaibuai of 60%. A bit of that fermented, savory flavors came out after warming the sake up, but this was slightly sweet on the palate.

Full post on dinner is here.

Clinet and Starting Point

Dinner at Neighborhood.

2022 The Starting Point Riesling - the nose was a little flinty. There was good acidity on the palate, leaner but with a bit of ripeness and roundness.

2009 Clinet - this was very lovely and classic. Smoky and woodsy nose that was fragrant and minty. Drinking so well.

Full post on dinner is here.

Fonteneau Morgeot

Dinner at Ship Kee.

2022 Pierre Fonteneau Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot - got the acidity on the palate, but this was very, very ripe and buttery.