Penfolds and Wendouree

Dinner at Neighborhood.

1999 Howard Park Chardonnay - this was really nice and buttery. Ripe on the palate but still got a good amount of acidity, with a little bit of bitterness on the finish. Drinking so well now.

1996 Wendouree Shiraz Mablec - the nose was so fragrant, a bit smoky, with exotic spices like anise. Very nice and soft on the palate now, very silky, and not at all diluted or weak. So happy I got a chance to taste this.

1981 Penfolds Grange - started drinking 1½ hours after opening without decanting. This has opened up nicely, showing the coconut butter along with oak, leather, and gamey notes. So classic. Drinking so well at 45 years of age.

2002 Penfolds Bin 707 - started drinking more than 2 hours after opening without decanting. There was a slight hint of metallic nose, sweet fruit, some green capsicum, and a hint of savory notes. Very nice and smooth on the palate.

1996 d'Arenberg Riesling The Noble, from half-bottle - classic honey, honeydew melon, marmalade, saffron, orange blossom, and even a hint of coconut butter.

Full post on dinner is here.

Penfolds and Clos Mimi

Dinner at Neighborhood.

Egly-Ouriet Brut Rosé Grand Cru, dégorgée en Novembre 2014 - this has some nice age to it, so it's got plenty of complexity and that savory profile I love so much. Such a treat.

1981 Penfolds Grange, re-corked August 22, 2025 - this was the bottle that was deemed "sub-standard" at the Penfolds Re-corking Clinic, so I figured I'd bring it out and drink it with a couple of Grange lovers. We opened it and decanted it after about 30 minutes, and the nose was definitely still pretty fragrant, with plenty of coconut butter I love so much.

Bought from Sotheby's for HKD 3,100.

2023 Yukidoke Shonai Blanc, from half-bottle - a curious blend of about a dozen grape varietals. In addition to the main ones like Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, and Riesling, there was also Gewurztraminer... which explained why it was so tropical with prominent lychee notes. Very ripe and very sweet on the palate.

2003 Clos Mimi Syrah Brave Oak Vineyard - this has clearly aged and mellowed, and no longer as vibrant as it was in its youth. A little disappointing, to be honest.

Bought from the winery for USD 50 plus tax.

Full post on dinner is here.

90 Montrose and friends

Dinner at Flower Drum.

2020 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc - nose of green apple and muscat. Drinking well with a little ripeness to balance the acidity.

Bought from Altaya for EUR 112.

1981 Guigal La Landonne - all sediment poured into decanter. Started drinking around 40 minutes after decanting. Kinda meh. With the char siu the after taste was pretty metallic and a little funky. Got better after 1 hour in the decanter, and now I could smell the acidity, and the acidity also started to show on the palate. Still got sweet fruits like plum on the nose. After 1½ hours the nose was now better than the palate. Just kinda disappointing.

Bought from Sotheby's for GBP 195.

1990 Montrose - all sediment poured into decanter. A little bretty just after decanting. Started drinking about 1 hour and 45 minutes after decanting. Very lively. Around the 2-hour mark the nose was very smoky, showing lots of tobacco, leather, mineral and savory notes. Really nice and fragrant. Maybe not performing as a 100-point wine tonight but very delicious nonetheless.

Full post on dinner is here.

1981 Silver Oak

Light meal at Caprice Bar.

R. Pouillon Grande Vallée, dégorgée 2e trimestre - very fresh on the nose, floral and fragrant. Nice with good complexity on the palate, and I thought I tasted the meunier. With time the nose became more caramelized, and the wine became more alluring.

1981 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley - started drinking around 15 minutes after opening without decanting. Surprisingly big and lively nose, with lots of coconut and plenty of sweet fruit hanging around after more than 40 years. This was such a classic Cali cab, with leather and a bit of smoke thrown in. After about an hour the nose had really opened up well. The bottle was in excellent condition, as evidenced by the immaculate labels and a level that was into neck. Drinking very, very well and I would never have guessed this was more than 25 years old.

Bought as part of a mixed lot from Christie's for HKD 804.

Full post on the meal is here.

A pair of 1981s

Dinner at Caprice.

2014 Delamotte Blanc de Blancs - nose was very yeasty with notes of brioche. Ripe but not too sweet on the palate with good depth. Pretty elegant and alluring.

1981 Guigal La Landonne - served without decanting about 30 minutes after opening. This was showing beautifully, with lovely notes of leather, prunes, black cherries, and almost a hint of floral fragrance. Color was lighter than the '81 Grange. Also showed a bit of smokiness both on the nose and on the palate.

Bought from Andromeda for HKD 5,350.

1981 Penfolds Grange - served without decanting right after opening. Nose was more green and grassy than expected. About 30 minutes later this was more minty, and lacking the coconut butter that usually comes with this wine and this vintage. Still some oak on the nose, sweet but not the same richness typical of Grange. More than 1½ hours later there was a little more sweet fruit, a little smoke, then some savory minerals and black olives more than 2 hours after opening. Unfortunately I do think there was a little cork taint here. Not bad to the point of the wine being undrinkable, but just very disappointing and not really enjoyable.

Bought from Acker for HKD 2,456.

2014 Yquem, en imperial - nose of orange blossom water, saffron, beeswax, and a little candied pineapple. Really nice.

Full post on dinner is here.

1981 Taittinger

Drinks and snacks at Caprice.

1981 Taittinger Collection - nose was the more toasty of the pair, almost coffee-like. Initially we thought this was un petit bouchonée but in the end we thought it was just closed. Good acidity on the palate. This turned really nice after it opened up some 30 minutes in, with caramel on the nose.

1981 Taittinger Comte de Champagne Blanc de Blancs - nose of marmalade, a little flinty, Chinese salted plum with that savory profile, got a little more oxidized. Very lovely.

These two made a very nice pair.

1994 d'Yquem, en imperial - opened for about a week. Tons of acetone, definitely some saffron. Good sweetness on the palate but still got the acidity.

Full post on the evening is here.

Burgs and old Grange

Dinner at a friend's home.

2014 Nicolas Joly Clos de la Coulée Serrant - nose was pretty typical of this wine, reductive and slightly pungent, with honey and pollen notes. Pretty ripe and rounded on the palate.

1983 Taupenot-Merme Charmes-Chambertin - served 1 hour after decanting. Mushroom, leather, and some eucalyptus on the nose. Nice and mature with good sweetness on the palate.

2004 Ponsot Clos de la Roche Cuvée Vielles Vignes - decanted 40 minutes after opening and served 1½ hours after decanting. Initially very open and fragrant, lots of leather, not too sweet and fruity. Pretty fragrant 2 hours after decanting and got better, showing toasty and woodsy notes.

1981 Penfolds Grange - decanted just before serving almost 2 hours after opening. Tons of exotic coconut, lots of sweet vanilla and mint. Somehow died 30 minutes after decanting, and additional pours were much leaner, more smoky leather and not a lot of fruit. Need to note for future reference that 2½ is the limit for this wine.

81s for a friend

Lunch at Clarence.

2016 Didier Dagueneau Buisson Renard - still relatively lean on the palate but much riper than expected, especially at the beginning. Lemon citrus notes.

1981 Trimbach Clos Ste. Hune - very smooth and elegant, not in-your-face or powerful at all. Still lively some 1½ hours after decanting, with lemon citrus and some flint. Great acidity balance with some maturity to tone things down.

1981 Sassicaia - minty nose but a little green, still got some sweet fruit, elegant and smooth but not so lively anymore. Almost 2 hours later this opened up and was showing much better.

Full post on lunch is here.

Daishichi Omega and Myoka Rangyoku

Dinner at Nikushou.

Daishichi Myoka Rangyoku Omega (大七  妙花蘭曲  𝝮), 2016 - popped the stopper for 5 minutes around 6½ hours prior to serving, then opened for 30 minutes about an hour before serving. With the first pour there was plenty of banana and rice flavors in the elegant nose. Some dryness mid-palate, and actually pretty round and supple on the palate. Around 1½ hours after serving this seemed more dry than the "regular" bottling.

Daishichi Myoka Rangyoku (大七  妙花蘭曲), 2016 - popped the stopper for 5 minutes around 6½ hours prior to serving. Also showing lots of rich rice flavors along with banana. More dry and bitter on the palate, with a slightly more fermented nose. Around 1½ hours after serving it seemed very sweet on the nose.

2018 Bass Phillip Pinot Noir Premium - very weird nose as I thought I was smelling cream of tomato soup. A little disjointed. But there was still bubblegum sweetness in the nose.

1981 Penfolds Grange - decanted 1 hour and 45 minutes after opening, and served 2 hours after opening. Pretty savory nose, but also still got tons of coconut butter, and almost like sugar cane. Wondering if I've over-decanted a little.

Full post on dinner is here.

MNSC dinner - Arbor

MNSC dinner at Arbor, hosted by Dr. Poon.

1995 Moët et Chandon Cuvée Dom Pérignon Rosé – nice nose of strawberries.

First flight: served from bottle 1 hour after opening.

1975 Sassicaia – vanilla and a hint of coconut, definitely sweet, a little smoky. Flabby with finish that was a little short. 94 points.

1975 La Mission Haut-Brion – more green and vegetal nose, slightly leaner, cigar smoke, minty. More classic claret with savory notes. Became pretty bretty later and really smoky. 93 points.

Second flight:

1985 Armand Rousseau Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St Jacques – served from bottle 1 hour and 50 minutes after opening. Beautiful nose with leather and really toasty notes. Also some nutty notes later. 97 points.

1985 Sassicaia – served 1½ hours after decanting. Really intense nose with smoky, savory, and really minty notes, along with a little brett. Still tannic. 99 points.

Third flight:

1985 Henschke Hill of Grace – served from bottle 3 hours after opening. Really green and vegetal nose, with a hint of exotic coconut butter underneath. Funky with some orange notes. 94 points.

1985 Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Turque – served 2 hours and 45 minutes after decanting. Really lovely with a little leathery notes, along with a little potpourri. Sweet on the palate. 95 points.

1981 Armand Rousseau Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St Jacques – served from bottle 4 hours after opening. Toasty and beautiful nose, nice and kinda elegant, but slightly bitter on palate.

Full post on dinner is here.