2021 Dormilona Cab

Drinking at home.

2021 Dormilona Cabernet Sauvignon - started drinking 40 minutes after opening. This was sooo young, with lots of oak on the nose. It was a little rough around the edges, and a little sharp on the nose. An hour after opening this wine was very, very sweet, with tons of vanilla.

Bought from Oz Terroirs for HKD 238.

Bijofu Éclat

Dinner at Sushi Kumogaku.

2020 Bijofu Yumebakari Éclat (美丈夫 夢許 Éclat 2020), bottle No.141 - seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 30%. This is a tobingakoi (斗瓶囲い) and aged for 5 years at 1°C.　Definitely sweet on the palate, with a nose that was very much banana and floral. Funny that I thought the nose "smelled cloudy". This had the complexity that reflects its age. After the crab this tasted a little alcoholic and dry. Changed a little bit after about 30 minutes, and the nose smelled a little more fermented and savory. About an hour in, the banana came back on the nose, and as the temperature warmed up it tasted more dry on the finish. A wonderful sake.

Bought from Hasegawa for JPY 55,000.

Full post on dinner is here.

SQN On the Lam

Drinking at a friend's home.

2009 Sine Qua Non On the Lam - 48% Roussanne, 35% Chardonnay and 17% Viognier. 15.5% alcohol. Very ripe and hot on the palate, sweet with a bitter finish. Toasty nose came out after a little more than 5 minutes, instantly changing the whole profile of the wine. There was so much honey, or actually honeysuckle, with some apricot and a hint of nuttiness. More than 2 hours after opening, the sweetness on the palate was still there, and the cold temperature of the wine kept the bitterness in check. The nose got more floral, with a bit of straw and acetone as well. Incredibly beautiful after 2½ hours.

Bought from Andromeda for HKD 1,700.

2001 Arietta

Dinner at home in Taipei.

2001 Arietta Hudson Vineyard H-Block - started drinking about 30 minutes after decanting. Nose was showing a bit of smoke, and still got the sweet fruit, but not to the point of being jammy. Nice woodsy notes.

Bought from the winery for USD 75 plus tax.

2020 Calon Ségur

Dinner at Ginza in Taipei.

2020 Calon Ségur - started drinking 40 minutes after opening. Smoky, minty, very classic claret. Nice and lively fruit as the wine is still young.

Bought from Altaya for EUR 91.

Palacios and Cañas

Dinner at Leela.

2023 Alvaro Palacios Camins del Priorat - very ripe and very oaky, with forest and potpourri notes.

2018 Luis Cañas Rioja Reserva - the nose was a little sharp at first, and riper, more intense. Later on the wine got softer on the palate.

Full post on dinner is here.

2021 Mayer Volcanic

Drinking at home.

2021 Mayer Syrah Volcanic - started drinking around 1 hour and 15 minutes after opening. Smoky, gamey, leathery, a little stinky, with black fruits. This was definitely more Rhone-like, pretty open and fragrant now, so floral with lots of lavender. Just really beautiful! Quelle surprise!

Bought from Oz Terroirs for HKD 348.

2022 Avani Amrit

Drinking at home.

2022 Avani Amrit Pinot Noir - started drinking 40 minutes after opening. Fruity nose with a little leather, almost a hint of sugary bubblegum. A little animal and smoke, and the nose became more open after 10 minutes in glass... showing more blueberries. The alcohol was still a bit sharp at this young age. After 3½ hours, the nose was still pretty fragrant, but this was more acidic on the palate now.

Bought from Oz Terroirs for HKD 225.

Col d'Orcia and Arietta

Dinner at Deng G.

2017 Col d'Orcia Riserva Poggio al Vento - this was very fragrant with good amount of sweet fruit. About 1½ hours later we also had nice, woodsy notes.

2001 Arietta H-Block Hudson Vineyards - started drinking after 1 hour and 15 minutes in the decanter. This was really sweet and very ripe, almost jammy. Smoky and also nice, woodsy notes.

Bought from the winery for USD 75 plus tax.

Full post on dinner is here.

Ganevat and Muxin

Dinner at Man Ho.

2018 Domaine Ganevat Les Varrons Vieilles Vignes - it took time for the wine to open up, with more ripeness on the nose than expected, together with flint. Lean on the palate with high acidity. More than an hour later the nose began to show toasty notes. Drinking decently.

Bought from Ginsberg + Chan for HKD 1,000.

2020 Jean-Marc Vincent Santenay 1er Cru Le Beaurepaire - this was pretty forward. Nice and fruity on the nose, with a little leather and also a little meaty. Very pleasant and easy to drink.

Bought from Ginsberg + Chan for HKD 800.

1982 Giscours - started to drink more than an hour after opening. Clearly a little tired, as the sweet fruit was gone. Got some sweet grass on the nose, musty, definitely bretty. Not great.

2021 Muxin Rouge - started drinking about 1 hour and 15 minutes after decanting. The nose was pretty open, and this was definitely predominantly cab. Smoky, earthy, mineral. Young and lively. This was much better than the one I tasted last year.

Bought from Ginsberg + Chan for HKD 1,250.

Full post on dinner is here.

Grange and Jubilation

Dinner at Yong Fu.

2017 Darviot-Perrin Meursault 1er Cru Genevrières - this was initially served too cold and needed a little warming up with the hands. There was good ripeness on the palate, with lemon citrus, and also got those flint and toasty notes, but thankfully not too heavy.

1991 Penfolds Grange - this was opened prior to arriving at the restaurant. Showing that classic coconut butter and jammy nose. With aging this has developed tertiary notes on the nose, and was now so fragrant with spices and this lingered in the mouth. Also prunes but not unpleasant nor too acidic on the palate. Finally showing some notes which reminded me of hawthorn. Drinking nicely.

2004 Colgin Jubilation - started drinking after 1½ hours in the decanter. This was much riper and much sweeter on the nose as well as palate. Pretty fragrant on the nose, and so soft on the palate now... but not diluted or weak. Pretty elegant and feminine.

Bought from Winebid for USD 284.

1999 Hugel Gewurztraminer Sélection de Grains Nobles, en demi-bouteille - the nose was so floral, so much lychee, so much honey here... and definitely nutty, too.

Bought from Hong Kong Wine Vault for HKD 495.

Full post on dinner is here.