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.

Hundred mountains and Glaciers

Dinner at Yong Fu.

DEVO MV04 Brut Nature - the nose was flinty and mineral. The palate was fairly well-balanced, although it was rather flat mid-palate, with some orange marmalade notes.

2023 JiangYu Grechetto - this was very oxidized. Ripe and sweet.

Bai Yue Cheng Qu Long Jian Fu Xi (百越承曲 龙见伏兮) - made with a solera system, with wines up to 30 years being used. Long finish here. Nice.

2023 Domaine des Glaciers Cabernet Sauvignon - started serving almost 3½ hours after opening. Initially the nose was rather muted and only so-so, with a hint of spices and some green capsicum. Then it got more open and fragrant, with smoky notes and some graphite. Some 4½ hours after opening this got to be pretty nice.

2017 Franco-Chinois Petit Manseng - very sweet on the nose, with lots of intense honeydew melon.

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.

MNSC dinner - Ami

MNSC dinner at Ami, hosted by Dr. Poon.

1990 Moët et Chandon Cuvée Dom Pérignon Rosé - a little flinty on the nose, with Chinese salted plum and marmalade. A little grassy, perhaps? Very soft of the palate after 35 years.

First flight: served without decanting around 2 hours after opening.

1995 Armand Rousseau Chambertin Clos de Beze - very fragrant nose, the fruit was just so sweet. 96 points.

1995 Leroy Clos de Vougeot - the nose was just so explosive, so fragrant, so floral, and just FUCKING GOOD. A little farmy, with leather and eucalyptus. Lots of ripe fruit. 98 points.

Second flight: served without decanting 1½ hours after opening.

1982 Cheval Blanc - smoky nose, minty, and a little stinky. More concentrated on the palate. After another 20 minutes the mint was more obvious, with a little capsicum. Still very lively and sweet on the palate, and even came with a hint of coconut butter. 97 points.

1982 L'Evangile - the nose was so perfumed, also a little smoky and bretty, with nice sweet fruit but slightly leaner. After another 40 minutes the nose was still very perfumed but now came with more leather. 96 points.

Third flight: served without decanting around 2½ hours after opening.

1926 Haut-Brion, acquired from Baghera/wines and reportedly reconditioned at the château - very ripe and jammy on the nose, so interesting with lots of spices and stewed prunes. 92 points.

1982 Haut-Brion - the nose was minty but a little muted. Also a bit alcoholic, and a hint of farmy, bretty notes. 93 points.

Since we had questioned the condition of the 1926 Haut-Brion - while tasting it blind and not realizing its age - Dr. Poon very generously opened up his "back up" wine for this flight. Just popped and poured.

1959 Haut-Brion - the nice was so sweet with lots of vanilla, so beautiful, and a little grassy. 96 points.

Somehow we ended up popping a bottle of Moutai at the very end, which isn't really my thing...

2019 Kweichow Moutai (贵州茅台) - not too bad as far as baijiu goes...

Full post on dinner is here.

2019 Nine Peaks

Drinking at home.

2019 Nine Peaks Reserve Red - started drinking 30 minutes after decanting. Nose of forest pine, sweet black fruits, with a little earthy tones. Definitely a cab sauv. Another hour in the wine was very smooth on the palate. Almost 2 hours after decanting this was showing smoky, oaky notes.

Chinese wines with Sichuanese food

Dinner at Chef 1996 Restaurant in Beijing.

2022 Petit Mont Baima Snow Mountain Yanjing (寸山白马雪山盐井) - OK la... this opened up after a while, showing some nice fruit, some forest notes, and maybe even a hint of coffee later.

2024 The Four Girls Mountain Chardonnay Selection (四姑娘山霞多丽臻選) - lots of vanilla and oak on the nose, along with flint and stone fruits. A little sharp and alcoholic on the nose. Got decent acidity on the palate.

1996 Wuliangye (五粮液) - very smooth on the palate. Still got that classic baijiu profile on the nose.

89 Lang Jiu (郎酒) - there was more umami on the palate, more like Shaoxing, with plummy and fermented flavors.

2023 Clos Mao Shuó Lin (说林) - definitely more rustic on the nose, reflecting the cabernet franc. Still very tannic on the palate.

2018 Célèbre Red (寶莊) - tons of vanilla oak on the nose, ripe and jammy.

2020 Lapu Valley Vidal Golden Ice Wine (藏云谷威代尔冰酒) - very floral with lots of honey.

Full post on dinner is here.

Chinese bistro wines

Supper at Bistro Strong in Beijing.

Henri Giraud MV20, dégorgée le 17 Fevrier 2025 - pretty nice and yeasty nose. Can't go wrong with this.

2023 Yunling Strong White (2023 云翎壮壮干白) - there was some fragrance here, but overall it was pretty muted on the nose.

2023 Canaan Chapter and Verse Master Riesling Sweet (2023迦南诗百篇特选甜型雷司令) - the nose was kinda interesting, floral with lychee notes, but also a bit sharp on the nose like acetone. Maybe this was just too young. Has shades of Trimbach but nowhere near as lovely.

Full post on supper is here.

Whites and Chinese bongwater

Dinner at Shanghai Fraternity Association.

2022 00 Wines Chardonnay VGW - very toasty nose, and kinda buttery.

2008 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese - big nose of petroleum, with a little bit of white flower. There was definitely some sweetness on the palate along with the acidity.

Bought from Sotheby's for HKD 517.

Xiaopu perdue.J - this was soooo bongwater, unfiltered and very cloudy appearance. Pretty sweet and fruity, with notes of forest, leather, strawberries, and raspberries.

Full post on dinner is here.