Krug and Cossard

Dinner at Neighborhood.

Krug Grande Cuvée, 172ème Édition, ID 223024 - nice and toasty on the nose, but that acidity was pretty sharp. In fact, I initially thought this was 171ème because of how high the acidity was. Not a fan of the high acidity tasted in the recent editions.

2020 Frédéric Cossard Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Abbaye de Morgeot - kinda rounded on the palate, but with good acidity from mid-palate to finish. Not too toasty on the nose, with just a bit of flint.

1988 Domaine de la Pinte Vin Jaune - alcoholic on the nose, with a little apricot and a hint of honey. Nice and nutty, too.

Full post on dinner is here.

Pélican and friends

Dinner at Fumée in Shenzhen.

Christophe Mignon ADN de Meunier Brut Nature, dégorgée le 20 Mai 2020 - initially this was served much too cold, a common mistake, so there wasn't much showing on the nose except for a little minerals. Got a little better once it warmed up with a little more depth on the palate.

2018 Domaine du Pélican Arbois Grand Curoulet Chardonnay - really big toast on the nose. Also got some notes of coffee. This was soooo nice, so fragrant and beautiful.

2022 Mamaruta Constellations - definitely smelling like bongwater, a little reductive, definitely kinda savory. Later on the toasty notes come out but also kinda like German weißbier on the nose.

2017 Pieropan Recioto di Soave Classico Le Colombare - notes of marmalade, and a little bitter on the palate.

Full post on dinner is here.

Burgs and Jura

Dinner at Yong Fu.

2017 Testut Chablis Grenouille - this was decanted to give it time to air, but the staff made the mistake of serving it right away. Nice and toasty nose. Good acidity, a little tannic and grippy on the palate.

2020 Tissot Arbois Les Bruyères - much bigger toasty notes on the nose. Palate was more focused with crisp, higher acidity.

2018 Rémi Jobard Meursault 1er Cru le Poruzot-Dessus - the nose was toasty as one would expect, and still got the acidity on the palate, but this was a little more buttery and certainly softer.

1995 Hospices de Beaune Corton Cuvée Charlotte Dumay, élevé par Dominique Laurent - first bottle was served after about 2 hours in decanter. First taste was a little acidic, but still got the black fruits. More fruity with the second pour, along with smoke and toasty notes. Second bottle decanted about 30 minutes before serving was tasting a little more fresh.

Bought from Christie's for HKD 774.

Full post on dinner is here.

Arbois and Austrians

Dinner at Roganic.

Drappier Carte d'Or, en magnum - I could smell the acidity on the nose. The palate was rather soft.

2022 Hiedler Grüner Veltliner Thal - pretty fragrant nose with some stone fruits. Very pleasant and easy to drink.

2015 Michel Brégeon Les Vigneaux Gorges - the nose was nice and flinty, and there was a little fruit on the nose. Got the acidity and was reasonably grippy on the palate.

2019 Coursodon Etincelle - flinty nose, ripe and alcoholic on the palate, and alcoholic on the finish, too.

1986 Rolet Trousseau Arbois, en magnum - the nose was very fragrant, toasty, and a little funky. This was really nice, with lovely, juicy fruit together with that toasty nose.

2022 Kracher Cuvée Auslese - honey and floral notes, with orange blossoms.

Full post on dinner is here.

Oxidized

Dinner at Tin Heung Lau.

2003 Trimbach Riesling Clos Sainte Hune - ripe and mature now but still got the acidity. Pretty rounded on the palate upfront, but gets drier.

1996 André et Mireille Tissot Arbois Selection - nose was oxidized as expected, showing caramelized sugar, a little honey, and slightly savory notes.

2005 Marcel Deiss Schoenenbourg - flint and marmalade on the nose. Sweet-ish on the palate, showing at least vendage tardives and almost auslese level.

Kidoizumi Afs Old Reserve Plum Liqueur Aged 42 years (木戸泉 アフス オールドリザーブ plum) - very, very big nose with savory notes, and plenty of soy sauce. So complex.

Full post on dinner is here.

From Alsace to Rhône

Dinner at Upper Modern Bistro.

2005 Ostertag Pinot Gris Muenchberg A360P - a little mineral, a little fruity, with stone fruit notes.  A little ripe and sweet on the palate, but more dry than I expected.

2000 Rayas - first pour was disappointingly dirty and chalky.  Turns out it was a dirty glass.  Second pour into a new glass showed more animal notes.  After 2½ hours it finally opened up, showing good fruit and a little violet, along with a little sharp alcohol.  Pretty good, but not nearly as stunning as the bottle I drank 4 weeks ago.

2004 Domaine Leroy Vosne-Romanée - opened for more than 2 hours without decanting.  A little leather, nice and sweet, ripe fruit, with plenty of toast in the nose.  Soooo fragrant.  A little acidity comes out at the end.  Just about as good as the bottle I had last week.

2000 Barnett Cabernet Sauvignon Rattlesnake Hill - very vanilla, oaky, minty, lots of coconut butter, along with some pencil lead.  Drinking very nicely now.

1990 Yquem, en demi-bouteille - a little wax, marzipan, a little marmalade, acetone.  Obviously very sweet. Viscous. Beautiful.

2006 Rolet Arbois Vin Jaune - a little waxy.  Nice and oxidized.

Full post on dinner is here.

85 Madeleine Collignon and more

Dinner at Le Moût in Taichung.

Torresella Prosecco - we were served small pours as an aperitif.  Lovely, tropical and fruity with nectarines and minerals.

2008 Leflaive Mâcon-Verzé - recommended by the sommelier.  Big, toasty nose of minerals, loads of beautiful and lovely butter.  Pretty ripe.  Drank very well.

1985 Hospices de Beaune Mazis-Chambertin Cuvée Madeleine-Collignon par Bouchard - my contribution for the evening, and the third bottle I opened in recent months.  Again this was opened earlier but not decanted at the sommelier's suggestion.  Chilled in a bucket to lower the temperature.  Served around 2 hours after opening.  Nose seemed very slightly cooked with pruny notes.  Definitely some fruit but didn't get much sweetness coming out.  A little mushroom.  The wine drank OK, but not at the level of the previous two bottles.  Perhaps it's still suffering from bottle shock, having traveled from Taipei to Taichung today and from Hong Kong to Taipei 2 weeks ago...

2002 Désiré Petit Arbois Pupillin - this vin jaune was served by the sommelier together with my Bresse chicken.  Quite fragrant, a little nutty, mossy and medicinal.

2003 Charmes des Vignots - this Sauternes was served by the sommelier with our desserts.  Classic nose of acetone, orange rind and honey.  Pretty sweet on the nose and palate.

Full post on dinner is here.