Le Jaja du Ben

Dinner at Cheong Gor Cantonese Cuisine.

2016 Anne et Jean-François Ganevat Le Jaja du Ben, en magnum - pretty meaty nose with leather, with floral notes underneath. Also pretty big and toasty. Acidity was on the high side.

Bought from Christie's for HKD 321.

SQN and Pietradolce

Dinner at Estro.

2023 Pietradolce Archineri - the nose was very fragrant and tropical, showing stone fruits along with floral and flinty notes. The crisp acidity shone through.

2016 Sine Qua Non Deux Grenouilles - 36% roussanne, 29% chardonnay, 23% viognier, 9% petit manseng, 3% marsanne. Started drinking around 15 minutes after opening. Nose of apricot, a hint of honey, definitely very ripe, oxidized, and alcoholic. Showing notes like Chinese licorice, and almost reminds me of Chartreuse.

Bought from the winery for USD 137.

Full post on dinner is here.

La Rioja Alta and Bouchard

Gaggan Tirreti Bazaar at Red Sugar in Kerry Hotel.

Henriot Brut Souverain - this was rounded on the palate with good acidity balance.

2023 Chapoutier Condrieu Invitare - sooo floral as expected, and as with Condrieu these days, incredibly ripe and sweet on the nose as well as the palate.

2017 Bouchard Beaune 1er Cru Clos de la Mousse - lots of ripe fruit and plenty of sweetness on the nose, but this was a little like old school bubble gum...

2016 La Rioja Alta Viña Arana Gran Reserva - the nose was so fragrant and so woodsy. Sweet with a little coconut butter underneath the woodsy notes. A bit smoky, too. Very nice.

2021 Dr. Loosen Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese - classic nose of petrol and white flowers. Just enough sweetness to make me happy.

Full post on dinner is here.

Ganevat, Rostaing and more

Dinner at Cristal Room by Anne-Sophie Pic.

Billecart Salmon Pic, MyOrigin 191220 - we were told the base vintage was 2020 but the website says 2019... This has a lovely fragrance. Good balance on the palate, very easy to drink, but by no means bland or light. Finish was nice and long.

2023 François Cotat Sancerre Monts Damnés - this was soooo fresh, full of green apples and a little bit of vanilla from oak. Sweet and fragrant on the nose. Lovely wine.

Hanatomoe Extended Aging Koshu (花巴 本醸造 長期熟成古酒), 1988, released 2024 - seimaibuai of 70%. This was very fragrant, very savory, with beautiful notes of soy sauce, plus a little nuttiness thanks to oxidation. Absolutely perfect pairing with the mushroom.

2022 Cos Zibbibo in Pithos - pretty fragrant with some interesting spices on the nose. Definitely a little oxidized but not too bad.

2016 Rostaing Côte-Rôtie Ampodium - this was pretty young and soooo fragrant, so floral with a hint of violet, and plenty of cedar. So full of life at this stage, and I would love to revisit in another 5 or 10 years.

Jean-François Ganevat Vieux Macvin du Jura - apparently aged for 8 years. This smelled not like wine but Chinese white tea, with a slight hint of raisins. Very fragrant in the mouth, with a light sweetness, some acidity, and a nice and herbal finish that just lingered on. Such a beautiful wine!

Full post on dinner is here.

Isojiman Adagio vertical

Isojiman Adagio vertical tasting at Hotel Metropolitan Edmont in Tokyo, organized by Tamanegiya.

Isojiman Junmai Daiginjo Nakatori 35 Adagio (磯自慢 純米大吟醸 中取り 35 アダージョ), 2009, from jeroboam - only 51 of these 3-liter bottles exist, with glass handblown in Italy. This was very smooth, and slightly sweet on the palate. It's clear that there is age on it but it's not showing too much of the fermented or savory notes one usually finds with koshu. Did I smell a little more of the alcohol than usual, and was it because of the light fermentation notes? Regardless, this was just a really smooth and beautiful drink.

Isojiman Junmai Daiginjo Nakatori 35 Adagio (磯自慢 純米大吟醸 中取り 35 アダージョ), 2010 - the nose was not as open as the 2009, and this was more dry on the palate.

Isojiman Junmai Daiginjo Nakatori 35 Adagio (磯自慢 純米大吟醸 中取り 35 アダージョ), 2011 - this was a little more rounded on the attack but turned dry and spicy almost immediately afterwards.

Isojiman Junmai Daiginjo Nakatori 35 Adagio (磯自慢 純米大吟醸 中取り 35 アダージョ), 2012 - very smooth and round, soft and slightly sweet on the palate now.

Isojiman Junmai Daiginjo Nakatori 35 Adagio (磯自慢 純米大吟醸 中取り 35 アダージョ), 2013 - rounded on the palate, but slightly more dry than 2012.

Isojiman Junmai Daiginjo Nakatori 35 Adagio (磯自慢 純米大吟醸 中取り 35 アダージョ), 2014 - definitely sweeter on the palate, and showing notes of starchy rice on the nose.

Isojiman Junmai Daiginjo Nakatori 35 Adagio (磯自慢 純米大吟醸 中取り 35 アダージョ), 2015 - sharper alcohol notes on the nose, a little more dry than the 2014, and bigger on the palate.

Isojiman Junmai Daiginjo Nakatori 35 Adagio (磯自慢 純米大吟醸 中取り 35 アダージョ), 2016 - very sweet and starchy nose, but also started to be a little spicy on the palate.

Isojiman Junmai Daiginjo Nakatori 35 Adagio (磯自慢 純米大吟醸 中取り 35 アダージョ), 2017 - got a little more acidity on the palate here, but overall rounder and smoother on the palate.

Isojiman Junmai Daiginjo Nakatori 35 Adagio (磯自慢 純米大吟醸 中取り 35 アダージョ), 2018 - reasonably smooth on the palate, with a good balance between being neither too sweet or too dry.

Isojiman Junmai Daiginjo Nakatori 35 Adagio (磯自慢 純米大吟醸 中取り 35 アダージョ), 2019 - this was more dry on the palate.

Isojiman Junmai Daiginjo Nakatori 35 Adagio (磯自慢 純米大吟醸 中取り 35 アダージョ), 2020 - rounded on the palate, a little bit sweet but still kinda dry, too.

Isojiman Junmai Daiginjo Nakatori 35 Adagio (磯自慢 純米大吟醸 中取り 35 アダージョ), 2021 - this leans dry on the palate.

Isojiman Junmai Daiginjo Nakatori 35 Adagio (磯自慢 純米大吟醸 中取り 35 アダージョ), 2022 - rounded and smooth on the palate, but I could taste the alcohol a little more. Slightly dry on the finish.

Isojiman Junmai Daiginjo Nakatori 35 Adagio (磯自慢 純米大吟醸 中取り 35 アダージョ), 2023 - the nose was not as open on this one, although it was sweeter on the palate.

Isojiman Junmai Daiginjo Nakatori 35 Adagio (磯自慢 純米大吟醸 中取り 35 アダージョ), 2024 - a little bit of banana on the nose.

Isojiman Junmai Daiginjo Nakatori 35 (磯自慢 純米大吟醸 中取り 35), 2023 - this was the very last vintage of Nakatori 35, as a new product line started in 2024. The palate still started out being sweet, but turned dry towards the finish.

Isojiman Junmai Daiginjo Nakatori 33 Grazioso (磯自慢 純米大吟醸 中取り 33 グラツィオーソ), 2024 - this was the first vintage of Nakatori 33 Grazioso, which replaced the "regular" Nakatori 35. Having just been released, the alcohol seemed to be a little sharper on the nose for this one.

Photo credit: Kinoshita Takayoshi

Full post on the tasting is here.