Bongwater night

Dinner at Neighborhood.

2005 Inflorescence La Parcelle Côte de Béchalin, dégorgée en avril 2012 - the nose was really nice and toasty, very fragrant with nice notes of marmalade, toasty corn, and amazingly very nice and perfumed with floral notes.

2020 Nicolas Joly Clos de la Coulée de Serrant - still flinty on the nose but more ripe on the palate thanks to the grapes being harvested late.

Bought from Pillariwine for HKD 748.

2008 Jean-François Ganevat Cuvée Prestige - the nose was really oxidative, very savory on the nose, very much like the vin jaune from Jura.

Bought from Andromeda for HKD 680.

2020 Frédéric Cossard Skin-Contact "Rafling" - the color was orange and cloudy. Very ripe on the palate, more like a cider than wine with the tannins and the mouthfeel. Good depth on the palate and plenty of acidity.

2009 Hospices de Beaune Corton-Clos du Roi Cuvée Baronne du Bay, elevé et mis en bouteille par Lucien Le Moine pour El Bulli, en magnum - started drinking about 2 hours after decanting. Drinking really nicely now with some vanilla oak, so, sooo sweet that I could have taken it for a Californian pinot, with lots of coconut butter, too. Also blueberries. Tannins were still here on the palate. A lovely wine.

Bought from Sotheby's for HKD 1,838.

2013 Jean-Michel Stephan Côte-Rôtie Côteaux de Tupin, en magnum - started drinking about 2½ hours after decanting. Meaty and leather notes on the nose. The wine then really opened up some 3 hours after decanting, and became soooo floral with lots of violet. Beautiful!

Bought from Midfield for HKD 2,300.

Full post on dinner is here.

2006 trio

Dinner at Sportful Garden Restaurant celebrating the life of a beloved dog friend.

2006 Joh. Jos. Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese - nose of white flowers, getting honey and petrol on the nose. Definitely on the sweet side with some honey on the palate. Very rounded and getting viscous, but slightly bitter on the finish.

2006 Bodegas Chacra Pinot Noir Cincuenta y Cinco - pretty gamey and meaty, with a little barnyard feel.

2006 Jean-Michel Stephan Côte-Rôtie Côteaux de Tupin - definitely some floral and violet notes on the nose, a little soapy, actually... but also showing gamey notes and grilled meats. Of course, black fruits are always present for this wine. Still could feel some tannins on the palate.

Rhône for Le French Gourmay

Dinner at Ta Vie.

1999 Pol Roger Blanc de Blancs - very lovely and fragrant nose, ripe and caramelized, very soft and alluring like a beautiful woman looking at you with a mischievous smile on her face, beckoning you to come closer. Sipping it with the taste of crab and corn still on the palate drew out lots of minerals. Almost like crème caramel some 1½ hours after opening.

2009 Chave Hermitage Blanc - started drinking 30 minutes after decanting, with a huge nose of toast and flint, along with some sweet vanilla underneath. Beautiful, buttery and silky smooth. Absolutely stunning starting from 10 minutes in and remained so for the rest of the evening.

2007 Clos des Papes Rouge - served from bottle 1 hour and 15 minutes after opening. Pretty nice minty nose with a hint of sweetness, some leather, and a little farmy with ripe fruit on the palate. Very fragrant with almost a hint of floral notes, but also a hint of pungent notes. Some 30 minutes in the nose turned big and toasty. Drinking very, very nicely tonight.

2006 Jean-Michel Stephan Côte-Rôtie Côteaux de Tupin - served 1½ hours after decanting. This was soooo fucking beautiful! So floral with lavender, plenty of red fruits. Still a little grippy on the palate. Still beautiful 15 minutes in with cool fruit and eucalyptus, then we got smoke and grilled meats about 1 hour in. I would give this 96 points, but only because the higher than expected acidity detracted from how beautiful this wine was.

Full post on dinner is here.

Maison Stephan x4

Dinner at Écriture.

Francis Boulard Les Murgiers, dégorgée le 7 decembre 2020 - good acidity, a bit metallic on palate like Anjou pear, honey and marmalade on the nose.

2008 Jean-Michel Stephan Côte-Rôtie - 90% syrah and 10% viognier. Served starting 45 minutes after decanting. Nose was so beautiful, fragrant and floral, with sweet strawberries, like a Rayas and maybe a Prieure-Roch. Palate showing leather and gamey notes. 1½ hours in, there was more forest pine but maybe this was a result of the smoked rosemary from a dish. Tannins more evident now. About 3 hours after decanting, the wine was kinda dying on the palate.

2007 Jean-Michel Stephan Côte-Rôtie Côteaux de Bassenon - 40% syrah, 40% serine, and 20% viognier. Served starting 1 hour after decanting. Nose was more farmy, leather, more pungent, almost a little manure. More concentrated and savory on the palate. More than 3 hours after decanting this was lean and savory.

2006 Jean-Michel Stephan Côte-Rôtie Côteaux de Tupin - 100% serine. Served starting 1 hour and 15 minutes after decanting. Really fragrant, almost eucalyptus with leather notes. Lighter-bodied, more elegant, with lavender and floral nose. Very clean and beautiful. Almost 3 hours after decanting this showed some coffee notes and was still beautiful. My favorite wine tonight.

2006 Jean-Michel Stephan Côte-Rôtie Vieille Vigne en Coteaux - 80% old-vine serine planted in 1896 and 1902, 20% viognier. Served starting 2 hours after decanting. Very sharp and alcoholic on the nose, more intense, smoky, leather, savory with black olive notes.

Full post on dinner is here.