Hundred mountains and Glaciers

Dinner at Yong Fu.

DEVO MV04 Brut Nature - the nose was flinty and mineral. The palate was fairly well-balanced, although it was rather flat mid-palate, with some orange marmalade notes.

2023 JiangYu Grechetto - this was very oxidized. Ripe and sweet.

Bai Yue Cheng Qu Long Jian Fu Xi (百越承曲 龙见伏兮) - made with a solera system, with wines up to 30 years being used. Long finish here. Nice.

2023 Domaine des Glaciers Cabernet Sauvignon - started serving almost 3½ hours after opening. Initially the nose was rather muted and only so-so, with a hint of spices and some green capsicum. Then it got more open and fragrant, with smoky notes and some graphite. Some 4½ hours after opening this got to be pretty nice.

2017 Franco-Chinois Petit Manseng - very sweet on the nose, with lots of intense honeydew melon.

Full post on dinner is here.

Ganevat and Muxin

Dinner at Man Ho.

2018 Domaine Ganevat Les Varrons Vieilles Vignes - it took time for the wine to open up, with more ripeness on the nose than expected, together with flint. Lean on the palate with high acidity. More than an hour later the nose began to show toasty notes. Drinking decently.

Bought from Ginsberg + Chan for HKD 1,000.

2020 Jean-Marc Vincent Santenay 1er Cru Le Beaurepaire - this was pretty forward. Nice and fruity on the nose, with a little leather and also a little meaty. Very pleasant and easy to drink.

Bought from Ginsberg + Chan for HKD 800.

1982 Giscours - started to drink more than an hour after opening. Clearly a little tired, as the sweet fruit was gone. Got some sweet grass on the nose, musty, definitely bretty. Not great.

2021 Muxin Rouge - started drinking about 1 hour and 15 minutes after decanting. The nose was pretty open, and this was definitely predominantly cab. Smoky, earthy, mineral. Young and lively. This was much better than the one I tasted last year.

Bought from Ginsberg + Chan for HKD 1,250.

Full post on dinner is here.

Chinese wines with Sichuanese food

Dinner at Chef 1996 Restaurant in Beijing.

2022 Petit Mont Baima Snow Mountain Yanjing (寸山白马雪山盐井) - OK la... this opened up after a while, showing some nice fruit, some forest notes, and maybe even a hint of coffee later.

2024 The Four Girls Mountain Chardonnay Selection (四姑娘山霞多丽臻選) - lots of vanilla and oak on the nose, along with flint and stone fruits. A little sharp and alcoholic on the nose. Got decent acidity on the palate.

1996 Wuliangye (五粮液) - very smooth on the palate. Still got that classic baijiu profile on the nose.

89 Lang Jiu (郎酒) - there was more umami on the palate, more like Shaoxing, with plummy and fermented flavors.

2023 Clos Mao Shuó Lin (说林) - definitely more rustic on the nose, reflecting the cabernet franc. Still very tannic on the palate.

2018 Célèbre Red (寶莊) - tons of vanilla oak on the nose, ripe and jammy.

2020 Lapu Valley Vidal Golden Ice Wine (藏云谷威代尔冰酒) - very floral with lots of honey.

Full post on dinner is here.

Chinese bistro wines

Supper at Bistro Strong in Beijing.

Henri Giraud MV20, dégorgée le 17 Fevrier 2025 - pretty nice and yeasty nose. Can't go wrong with this.

2023 Yunling Strong White (2023 云翎壮壮干白) - there was some fragrance here, but overall it was pretty muted on the nose.

2023 Canaan Chapter and Verse Master Riesling Sweet (2023迦南诗百篇特选甜型雷司令) - the nose was kinda interesting, floral with lychee notes, but also a bit sharp on the nose like acetone. Maybe this was just too young. Has shades of Trimbach but nowhere near as lovely.

Full post on supper is here.

Chinese wine night

Dinner at Avant in Shenzhen for the collaboration with Restaurant Marcon and Opus 388.

Le Caractère de Margaine, dégorgée 1 Juillet 2020 - the nose was perhaps a little muted, and most definitely did not resemble Krug... the way it was introduced to us. On the palate there was acidity but also a little grippy tannins on the finish.

2023 Nine Peaks Qi Chardonnay - nose was flinty with some tropical fruits. Tasted hot and alcoholic on the palate.

2020 Muxin Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot - so not impressed with this wine that I didn't even take down any notes...

Hitachigiku 35% Junmai Daiginjo (常陸菊 35％精米歩合 純米大吟醸) - made in Jilin and not Japan. Nose of banana and starchy rice. Not too sweet on the palate as there was some acidity. Lean and kinda dry on the finish.

Full post on dinner is here.