Bongwater with Italian

Dinner at Sagrantino.

2018 Jean François Ganevat Savagnin En Billat - a little toast on the nose, plus a little ripeness on the nose, but good acidity level.

2009 Chacra Pinot Noir Cincuenta y Cinco - double-decanted but stoppered for 30 minutes, then started drinking 1 hour after decanting. There was good amount of ripe fruits on the nose, but it was served a little warm at first. Very smooth now, and improved once the wine was chilled down a little.

Bought from IWM for HKD 590.

2019 Le Clos des Treilles La Décente Aux Amphores - the nose was nice and fragrant, with a little flint. Somewhat reductive, with a hint of savory, fermented notes as well as sulfur that is unmistakably bongwater. The palate was not really sweet but a bit more ripe and rounded.

Bought from Winetastic for HKD 351.

2020 Hirakawa Notre Siècle - some toasty notes on the nose, and definitely soft on the palate. Fairly easy to drink.

2003 BOND Matriarch - stoppered for 45 minutes after double-decanting, and started drinking almost 2 hours after decanting. Smoky nose with some meaty notes. Very ripe and sweet on the palate. Later on there was unmistakable nose of coconut butter as well as vanilla oak.

Bought from the winery for USD 85 plus tax.

Hokkaido Kerner and more

Dinner at Test Kitchen.

Antoine Bouvet Les Coutures, vendage 2017, dégorgée le 31 Janvier 2022 - nice with decent acidity, big and yeasty on the palate, with a long and very dry finish.

2018 Nicolas Réau Victoire - very big and toasty nose, flinty, but very ripe on the palate. Still had the acidity for balance.

Bought from Winetastic for HKD 351.

2004 Pax Syrah Lauterbach Hill - removed the cork 50 minutes after double-decanting, and drank another 50 minutes later. The nose was really fragrant, with lovely spices but not quite floral. There was a little leather with plenty of sweet fruit on the nose, although not quite sweet to the level of being jammy.

2020 de Montille and Hokkaido Kerner - some toast on the nose, but otherwise very flat and boring.

2020 10R Stella Maris Kerner - so much more fragrant on the nose, very lychee, like lolly water. Lots of ripeness on the palate, but also surprisingly lots of toast on the nose.

Full post on dinner is here.

Domaine Mont and Taiyo

Lunch at Sun Potter Cafe Nonbiriya in Tokyo.

2022 Domaine Mont Mont Kern AK - really floral, like Hoegaarden with the hops. Tastes fruity and as it is lightly sparkling, very much like beer.

2021 Sapporo Fujino (さっぽろ藤野ワイナリー) Taiyo - a rosé that is nice and fruity like strawberries.

Full post on the day is here.

Bongwater with Vietnamese

Dinner at Ăn Đi in Tokyo.

2021 Noraponne Blanche - fizzy like ginger sale. Definitely tasted like a natural wine. Sweet fruits like pear on the nose, with a little sulfur. Sweet on the palate.

2020 Moreau-Naudet Chablis - very soft on the palate. Still got acidity and grippy palate, but definitely more gentle. Some flint on the nose, too.

Aramasa No.6 S-type (新政 No.6 S-type), 2021 - seimaibuai 45%/55%. Lots of fermented rice lees notes on the nose, and still pretty sweet.

2021 Unico Zelo Esoterico - a little like canned lychees with that metallic nose. Not too bad for an orange wine.

2017 Ridolfi Brunello di Montalcino - a little bit of oak with some fragrance here. Not too acidic on the palate. OK lah.

Minshuku Tono Doburoku Sokujo Nama (民宿とおの どぶろく 速醸生), 2023 - fizzy, sweet, and alcoholic on the nose.

2016 Jean Foillard Morgon Côte du Py - really nice, nose of leather and also floral notes. Very fragrant.

Full post on dinner is here.

German varietals

Dinner at Shun Tak Fraternal Association (順德聯誼總會).

2006 Hokkaido Wine Yukitsumi Kerner (北海道ワイン雪摘みケルナー) - I remember visiting a winery in Hokkaido 10 years ago but don't remember if this was the one. I've also never had Kerner (nor heard of it) even though it's one of the most-planted varietals in Germany. Anyway, this is basically like eiswein...where the grapes are harvested after snow has fallen and the grapes have been frozen. Nose of muscat and green apple. Sweet on the palate but slightly tart on the finish. Can't say I was very impressed, but very interesting to drink something from Hokkaido.

2006 Selbach Riesling Kabinett "Fish" - minerals in the nose, with medium acidity balancing out the slightly sweet palate. It's a cheap wine that's very quaffable.

Full post on dinner is here.