99 Dead Arm

Drinking at home.

1999 d'Arenberg The Dead Arm - started drinking 5 minutes after decanting. First whiff showed very sharp alcohol on the nose, along with very, very ripe fruit like cassis and stewed prunes. This all melded well with fragrant woodsy notes, and was so lovely in the mouth. The acidity was slightly on the high side now. About 30 minutes in the nose was showing more vanilla, and the palate got sweeter. About 2 hours in the nose got a little minty. To be honest this wine is now a little bit past its peak, but still very enjoyable to drink.

Bought from Wine Cave for HKD 557.

Penfolds and Wendouree

Dinner at Neighborhood.

1999 Howard Park Chardonnay - this was really nice and buttery. Ripe on the palate but still got a good amount of acidity, with a little bit of bitterness on the finish. Drinking so well now.

1996 Wendouree Shiraz Mablec - the nose was so fragrant, a bit smoky, with exotic spices like anise. Very nice and soft on the palate now, very silky, and not at all diluted or weak. So happy I got a chance to taste this.

1981 Penfolds Grange - started drinking 1½ hours after opening without decanting. This has opened up nicely, showing the coconut butter along with oak, leather, and gamey notes. So classic. Drinking so well at 45 years of age.

2002 Penfolds Bin 707 - started drinking more than 2 hours after opening without decanting. There was a slight hint of metallic nose, sweet fruit, some green capsicum, and a hint of savory notes. Very nice and smooth on the palate.

1996 d'Arenberg Riesling The Noble, from half-bottle - classic honey, honeydew melon, marmalade, saffron, orange blossom, and even a hint of coconut butter.

Full post on dinner is here.

2017 Kay Brothers

Dinner at a friend's home.

2017 Kay Brothers Cabernet Sauvignon The Cuthbert - very classic Aussie, with tons of coconut and vanilla on the nose, which was minty, very ripe, and very sweet.

All Aussie

Dinner at Ming Court in Wanchai.

2021 Bellebonne Natalie Fryar Vintage Rose - nose was kinda muted, although some would call it 'pretty'... with a little flint but not too heavy, along with some red fruits.

2023 Silkman Semillon Blackberry Vineyard - nose was big and punchy, with big, powerful flint, more mineral. Lean and thin on the palate, but the acidity came out on the finish and this got grippy at the end.

Chardonnay flight:

2023 Mayer Chardonnay - really big and oaky nose, very punchy. Nutty with coffee and flint. On the palate, though, this was much more muted and mild than expected. Light and with a short finish. The acidity was not high at all, with some lemon.

2022 Place of Changing Winds Larderdark Chardonnay - the nose was big and fragrant, felt more opulent, toasty, nutty, and rich, with some white flowers.

2019 Sorrenberg Chardonnay - this was the most vanilla and buttery, and also flinty.

2020 Tony Bish Zen Chardonnay -this was the one with the most punchy nose, got the biggest toast, with some butter underneath. This was actually mostly lean on the nose, but on the palate it was softer than expected... starting out lean but also a little rounded.

Pinot noir flight:

2024 Dr Mayer Pinot Noir - definitely got that bubblegum nose, and a bit earthy. Lighter than expected.

2022 Place of Changing Winds Pinot Noir Between Two Mountains - this was more minty, with cooler fruit, along with a little farmy notes. Good concentration here and really nice.

2023 Aphelion Rapture - nose was like cherry-flavored cough syrup. Didn't like this. There was a bit of leather and dried herbs which reminded me of some Italian wines.

2023 Aphelion Brini - this had a bigger nose, very minty, and really smelled like cough syrup.

Shiraz flight:

2022 Piggs Peake House of Bricks Shiraz - this was such a classic Aussie shiraz with lots of vanilla, lots of oak, and was just really big and punchy.

2021 Place of Changing Winds Harcourt Syrah - this was more open and fragrant, with really woodsy and cedar notes, and also plenty of juicy fruit.

2012 Torbreck Run Rig - nose was showing plenty of vulcanized rubber and some eucalyptus.

2021 Standish Lamella - really sweet on the nose with dried herbs.

Full post on dinner is here.

Airline wines

Lunch at the Qantas Lounge Hong Kong.

2023 Peter Lehmann Portrait Riesling - nice and a little toasty on the nose with flint. Good acidity on the palate.

2022 Warburn Estate Rumours Pink Moscato - fruity on the nose. Slightly sparkling and sweet on the palate.

2020 Brickfielder Shiraz Regional Icons W. Colton - classic Aussie shiraz profile, with vanilla, tons of coconut butter, and strawberries.

Onboard JAL flight from Hong Kong to Tokyo.

Kudokijozu Junmai Daiginjo Yamadanishiki (くどき上手 純米大吟醸 山田錦) - really sweet on the nose with starchy rice and banana. The alcohol seemed more obvious, but was it because I'm drinking this in the air? Or is this naturally more dry mid-palate all the way to the finish?

Full post on the day is here.

1998 Kay Brothers

Drinking at home.

1998 Kay Brothers Shiraz Block 6 Amery Vineyards - drank 20 minutes after decanting. Initially this was lean, without much fruit other than some black plums. Acidic both on the nose and on the palate, which was surprising. About 40 minutes in there was more vanilla and oak showing on the nose, while being sweeter on the palate, too. More than 1 hour and 40 minutes in, the tannins were still showing here and continued to accumulate on the tongue with additional sips.

2003 Mitolo Savitar

Drinking at home.

2003 Mitolo Shiraz Savitar - drank right after decanting. Pretty smoky nose and pretty sweet on the palate. Lots of vanilla and cassis. More open 30 minutes later, more hot and alcoholic on the palate, with bigger nose of vanilla oak. More than 2 hours after opening this became a lot softer on the palate, with more eucalyptus and lavender notes.

Aussie shiraz and chard

Lunner at Écriture.

Between Five Bells Yellow - very toasty, very fragrant, sweet on the nose but the acidity on the palate from the savagnin makes one do a double-take. Buttery from the chardonnay in the blend. Two hours after opening this was fucking awesome, with flinty and mineral notes.

2005 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay - nice and buttery as expected, oaky, very flinty and mineral. Drinking beautifully.

2004 Kilikanoon Shiraz M Reserve - served a little more than 1 hour after decanting. Earthy, leathery, minty, sweet on the palate, with a little ripe prunes. More classic shiraz from McLaren Vale.

2004 Kilikanoon Shiraz Attunga 1865 - served a little more than 1 hour after decanting. An amazing shiraz from vines planted in 1865. A much more elegant and fragrant offering from the cooler Clare Valley, and the cooler fruit was very obvious. Not your typical Aussie shiraz for sure. A slight hint of plastic on the palate later.

1990 Penfolds Magill Estate Shiraz - very ripe and sweet, more smoky. More classic Aussie shiraz.

Full post on lunch is here.

Champagne and syrah

Dinner at Ren Ren Heping.

Pascal Agrapart Complantée, dégorgée octobre 2017 - medium body, very balanced with slightly more ripeness than acidity. A little mineral.

Sharaku Tokubetsu Junmai Daiginjo (写楽  特別純米大吟醸) - seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 50%. Pretty sweet, very banana with lots of rich, rice flavors.

1998 Kay Brothers Shiraz Block 6 Amery Vineyards - unfortunately corked.

1996 Guigal Château d'Ampuis - really floral and violet nose, along with leather notes. Just beautiful.

1996 R et L Legras Saint-Vincent - this was really nice. A little desiccated coconut and sugar cane on the nose. Great depth on the palate, with some sharp acidity balancing the ripeness.

Full post on dinner is here.

Mollydooker Blue Eyed Boy

Drinking at home.

2006 Mollydooker Blue Eyed Boy - very ripe, still alcoholic and hot, but smoother.  Woodsy and cedar notes.

The Dead Arm and friends

Dinner at Neighborhood.

2004 Inflorescence Côte de Béchalin, dégorgée en Avril 2011 - nice dose of acidity at first. Very easy to drink.

There was a bottle of Meursault from a friend, but I don't remember what it was... Initially served very cold so it was too mild and didn't smell like a Meursault.  Later on it warmed up to show flinty and mineral notes, and also a bit floral with tropical stone fruit.

2004 d'Arenberg The Dead Arm, from magnum - decanted for more than an hour.  Really fragrant, ripe, sweet, with mint and cedar notes.

Full post on dinner is here.

Kistler and Yangarra

Drinking at home.

2003 Kistler Pinot Noir Kistler Vineyard - initially very alcoholic, lighter-bodied than expected, and acidity was higher than expected.  Tasted like hawthorn on the palate.  Disappointing.

2012 Yangarra Grenache High Sands - the vines were planted in 1946.  Smoky, animal, woodsy, very fragrant.

Drinks at Ham and Sherry.

González Byass Alfonso Oloroso Seco - savory minerals in the nose, savory on the palate.  Dry, lovely finish with nutty flavors.