Pinots and sweets

Dinner at Forum.

2020 Domaine Takahiko Soga Nana-Tsu-Mori - really fragrant, definitely floral nose. I could smell the acidity in the wine, like Chinese preserved sour plums. Not exactly ripe and jammy but there was definitely some sweetness on the nose. After sitting in the glass for an hour the wine turned a little soapy, and there was perhaps some aged tangerine peel. More than 2 hours after opening this became more savory, with some exotic spices which was not quite Chinese five spice. Very happy with this wine.

1989 Maximin Grünhauser Abtsberg Eiswein - really fragrant notes of aged marmalade, honey, with lots of petrol on the nose. There is enough acidity here to balance out the sugar, which was why the sommelier suggested we start with this before the others.

2008 Joseph Douhin Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Petits Monts - more lean rather than voluptuous, a little meaty, and definitely toasty on the nose. Quite nice and drinking well.

2005 Weinbach Gewurztraminer Furstentum Vendages Tardives - really floral with lots of white flowers, lots of classic lychee, and later plenty of honeysuckle. Very sweet on the palate but texture was not really viscous. Very alluring right now.

1959 Reichsgraf von Plettenberg Kreuznacher Brückes Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese Cabinet - served about 2 hours after opening. Very nutty, lots of medjool dates, a little bit Chinese sour plum juice. A lot more complex than the other two sweet wines.

Frederic Savart Les Pinots V15.16, dégorgée juillet 2021 - drank more than 2 hours after opening. Slight ripeness on the nose with a little bit of minerals. Dry on the palate with a little bitterness on the finish.

Full post on dinner is here.

Champagne and mixed bag

Dinner at a private dining facility.

Krug Grande Cuvée, 170ème Édition, ID 121028 and 221035 - nice and yeasty mousse. Very fresh and lively.

2013 Schäfer-Fröhlich Bockenauer Felseneck Riesling Großes Gëwachs, from magnum - definitely more rounded and viscous than expected, and a little more ripe on the palate than a dry GG.

2007 Pieve Santa Restituta Brunello di Montalcino Sugarille, from magnum - pretty smoky, earthy, and minty.

2018 Lucien Le Moine Meursault 1er Cru Charmes - toasty with a little sweet vanilla, which was unexpected. Some ripeness and sweetness here. Pretty nice.

2016 Benoit Ente Bourgogne Blanc Golden Jubilee - good acidity balance, with some toast on the nose.

Full post on dinner is here.

1999 trio and more

Dinner at Caprice.

1999 Coche-Dury Meursault - decanted 30 minutes after opening. Lovely toasty nose but not too heavy. Some 30 minutes after decanting this was already fucking beautiful, and it really opened up with more time. Soooo toasty, really beautiful, but not overpowering. About 3 hours after opening this just got really powerful, and finally we got a load of the classic popcorn nose.

1999 Maison Leroy Meursault - opened just under an hour before serving, not decanted. Color was deeper compared with the Coche, more oxidized and mature, showing marmalade and a little flint. Softer and sweeter on the palate but still got some acidity here, and the finish was reasonably long. The nose got more sugary with Chinese licorice with time. About 3 hours after opening the nose turned kinda savory and it went downhill on the palate.

1999 Sine Qua Non Tarantella - 39% roussanne, 33% chardonnay, 28% viognier. About 30 minutes after opening and decanting this was sooo sweet on the nose, with obvious notes of straw and very much showing the roussanne in the blend. Hot on the palate, which wasn't surprising considering it's 14.9% alcohol. About 2 hours after decanting this was just really beautiful, and toasty notes came out 2½ hours after decanting.

2010 Sine Qua Non Stockholm Syndrome Grenache - 75% grenache, 22% syrah, 2% roussanne, 1% viognier. Decanting 2½ hours after opening. A little smoky but still muted after an hour in the decanter. Fragrant, minty, and elegant. Still a little young, with sweet fruit but not too overboard, and very soft. After 1½ hours in the decanter - and 4 hours after opening - this was showing more dried herbs and more complexity.

2011 Diel Dorsheimer Burgberg Riesling Beerenauslese, from half-bottle - really floral, plenty of petrol and polyurethane, and of course honey.

Full post on dinner is here.

Diel and Barton

Dinner at the Lobster Bar.

2001 Diel Cuvée Victor - an interesting blend of pinot gris and pinot blanc.  Nose was very floral, toasty, and a little honey.  Very lovely with a nice age on it, but not too oxidized.  A little flint, nice and buttery, and later on some stone fruit.  Good acidity on the palate.  Drinking beautifully.

2000 Léoville Barton - decanted one hour prior to serving.  Still tons of smoke and pencil lead.  Classic claret, with a decent amount of fruit.  Drinking very well.

Full post on dinner is here.

Old rieslings and more

Dinner at The 8 in Macau.

2002 Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons - nose kinda ripe, buttery, sweet and tropical, flinty, later obvious notes of frangipani.  Good acidity, with some ripeness but overall still kinda lean.

1969 Schloss Eltz Eltviller Sonnenberg Riesling Feine Spätlese - spiced quince, almost nutmeg, honey, marmalade, orange peel, and savory mineral notes.  The second pour delivered a little more sweetness on the palate.

1959 Anheuser Kreuznacher Narrenkappe Riesling Feinste Auslese - actually more dry than the '69 spätlese.  Oxidized and mineral nose, with polyurethane.  A little hint of bitterness on the palate.  The second and third pours came flat and short on the palate, while the bitterness became more pronounced.  Not as pleasant as the '69.

2000 Chave Hermitage Rouge - served more than 1½ hours after opening, without decanting.  Lots of fruit with eucalyptus, along with a bit of iron rust and metallic notes.  Exotic spices, pretty jammy underneath the oak, along with leather, smoke, a bit of graphite and some barnyard.  Drinking absolutely beautifully.

Full post on dinner is here.

1959 and 1976 riesling

Lunch at The Eight in Macau.

1976 Joh.Jos. Christoffel Wehelener Sonnenuhr Auslese***** - orange marmalade, finish a little short at first.  Needed chilling and opening up.  Good depth later on the palate, round and viscous, with a bit of honey and polyurethane.  Beautiful after opening up.

1959 Anheuser Schloßböckelheimer Felsenberg Riesling Feine Auslese - really complex, with a little exotic spices like nutmeg.  Nice bit of acidity on the back, with a bit more raisin and black grapes, and a hint of savory notes at the end.  After proper aeration the palate grew stronger and the finish got longer.

Full post on lunch is here.

Sweet German rieslings

Tasting of sweet German Rieslings at Watson's Wine Cellar, hosted by Katharina Staab - the current German Wine Queen.

1992 Wegeler Oestricher Doosberg Riesling Auslese - grassy, sugar cane, ripe pineapple, and marzipan.  Lots of sweetness but also plenty of acidity on the palate.

1993 Diel Riesling Eiswein - very intense nose of pollen, plastic, honey, marmalade.  Viscous on the palate.

2012 Max Ferd. Richter Mülheimer Helenenkloster Riesling Eiswein - very elegant and floral, with white flowers, young dried tangerine peel, a little polyurethane, and still a little pungent on the nose.  Lots of sugar and more concentrated on the palate, with mandarin notes.

2011 Keller Cuvee Trockenbeerenauslese - polyurethane, marmalade, honey, dried apricot notes.  Sweet but has enough acidity here.

2008 Gunderloch Nackenheimer Rothenberg Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese - intense nose of honey, honeydew melon, a little floral, with plastic glue notes.  Very thick and viscous on the palate, almost chewy.  Really sweet and totally up my alley.

2007 Max Ferd. Richter Graacher Dompropst Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese - a little pungent plastic, a little more floral, with orange blossom.  Really ripe with lots of botrytis.

1937 and 1976 German riesling

Lunch at The 8 in Macau.

1937 Anheuser Schloßböckelheimer Muhlberg Riesling Feinste Auslese - soooo beautiful!  This was nectar-like on the nose, with honey, a little polyurethane, medjool dates, raisins, and wonderful marmalade notes.  So smooth on the palate, with a good acidity balance. What a privilege to have tasted this wine!

1976 von Schubert Maximin Grünhäuser Abtsberg Riesling Beerenauslese - at first a little bitterness on the palate, and the nose initially had some metallic notes.  Polyurethane notes were pretty prominent.  Good acidity on the palate here, with marmalade made from bitter orange.  In fact that bitterness continued to be very prominent on the finish.  Nice, but I had hoped for a little more.  Surprised that this BA was not as sweet as the feinste auslese.

Full post on lunch is here.

Hodgepodge with Gaudichots

Dinner at On Lot 10.

2012 Shäfer-Fröhlich Bockenauer Felseneck Riesling Spätlese - very floral, peachy, tropical, with minerals and a little sulfur.  A little fizzy on the tongue.

2004 Nicolas Potel Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Gaudichots - lovely fruit here, black cherries.  Fragrant and a little floral.  Initially body was a little light but built up over time.

1991 Jaboulet Le Chevalier de Sterimberg en magnum - big nose of heavy toast, with polyurethane.  Ripe on palate.  A pretty big wine.

2002 Saltram Shiraz The Eighth Maker - a total Aussie Shiraz.  Minty, sweet and exotic, like tropical coconut.

2000 Tyrell's Pinot Chardonnay Vat 47 - lots of toasty oak, lemon.  Ripe on the palate but still got nice acidity here.

1970 Penfolds Dalwood Hermitage - a little stinky, like manure, or "barnyard".  A little dusty.  Very soft on the palate.

1997 Chapoutier Hermitage Vin de Paille en demi-bouteille - color has turned dark brown, which was unexpected.  Very nutty, lots of marmalade, a little botrytis.  Very unctuous and viscous.