Wine pairing at MONO

MONO x Toyo Eatery dinner.

Krug Grande Cuvée, 170ème Édition, ID 221042 - more toasty on the nose than I remembered, but that's very, very classic Grande Cuvée. Pretty popcorn. Wonderful.

Black Kite Theobroma Blonde - OK la... pretty nice on the palate, at least it's not bitter. Some honey and a little caramel.

2019 Roda I Blanco - nose was very alcoholic initially and kinda fragrant. Very ripe on the palate, but grippy mid-palate with an acidic finish. Gained more body as the wine warmed up.

2018 Leflaive Mâcon-Verzé Les Chênes - a little toasty, with reasonable acidity balance.

2016 Bouchard Corton-Charlemagne - a more elegant wine. Later on this was much more buttery after enough aeration.

2019 Catena Zapata Malbec Argentino - very, very ripe and jammy, a little metallic almost, with lots of vanilla oak. Really sweet on the palate but the tannins were surprisingly soft. Showing some blueberries later.

2012 La Chapelle de la Mission - unfortunately this was very chalky and dusty so not too enjoyable. Pretty savory with lots of soy sauce.

Full post on dinner is here.

Foillard Morgon and Leflaive

Drinks at Neighborhood.

2014 Foillard Morgon Côte du Py - forest and exotic spices, and floral notes.

Supper at Hidden.

2010 Domaine Leflaive Mâcon-Verzé - ripe and sweeter than expected on the palate.

Azurmendi wine pairing

Dinner at the Azurmendi / Aziamendi pop up at the Landmark Mandarin Oriental.

Grosset Brut Excellence - not a bad way to start the evening... Nice and a little toasty.

Truffled martini - this was meant to go with the truffled egg, although I didn't get the pairing right...  Made with 1½ shots of Belvedere, lime juice, apple juice, egg white, rosemary and basil.  Then add a dash of truffle oil and sprinkle with pepper.  This was OK I guess, although I didn't really understand why the pepper was only on one side.

I can't remember what went into this drink, but it was very fruity, refreshing, and no doubt deceptively alcoholic...

2011 Laurenz V Grüner Veltliner Singing Laurenz and Sophie - toasty, a little flinty, lemon citrus, a little ripe on the nose.  A little bitter on the finish, perhaps a little overripe.

2012 Robert Weil Riesling Kabinett Trocken - very floral, with lots of white flowers and some white pepper.  Very dry on the palate.

2011 Domaine Leflaive Mâcon-Verzé - a little ripe, with lemon citrus notes.  Reasonable acidity balance.

2009 Haegelen-Jayer Nuits-Saint-Georges - still very tannic as it's a young wine from a big vintage.  A little ripe and jammy, with forest pine, potpourri and some metallic and mineral notes.

Louis Perdrier Brut Rosé - prominent nose of strawberries, although I found the nose also a tiny bit pungent.  Certainly paired well with the dessert!

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.