Saku, shochu, and more

Dinner at a friend's home.

Hiroki Junmai Daiginjo (飛露喜 純米大吟醸), 29BY - seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 50%.  Kinda dry on the palate, but still some roundness and some sweetness.  Rather balanced.  Long finish.

Sookoo Junmai Daiginjo Yamadanishiki (蒼空 純米大吟醸 山田錦), 30BY - seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 40%. Stronger fermented flavors, dry on the palate, which got sweeter as it warmed up.

Homemade mei kuei lu (玫瑰露) - lovely and aged, smooth, almost a little stinky and fermented.  Very alcoholic but smooth, like a smooth firewater which burns/warms on the way down.  Definitely felt like I was drinking Cantonese duck liver sausage.

2005 Moriizo (森伊蔵) - pretty smooth.

Montrachet, shochu, and Vin Santo

Dinner at Spaghetti House.

1997 Remoissenet Montrachet - the second I poured the wine into glass I knew we were in trouble.  The color was simply too dark - hinting at advanced oxidation.  And indeed it was very flat on the palate at first, although it wasn't corked.  Chilling it down and further aeration improved the experience, but it was still over-ripe, with some sweetness and toasty oak on the nose.  Soooo disappointing.

Moriizou (森伊蔵) - sharp alcohol, kinda like paint thinner... I know lots of people love this shochu (焼酎), but I don't think it's my cup of tea...

2003 Felsina Vin Santo - nice and very raisiny nose, a little nutty, very fragrant with honeydew and marmalade notes.  Very sweet on the palate.

Full post on dinner is here.

Champagne, Sake, and Shochu

Dinner at home.

2003 Françoise Bedel L'Âme de la Terre, dégorgée Août 2012 - nice and caramelized nose, a little yeasty.

Soto Junmai Daiginjo - very one dimensional and flat.  Sweet mid-palate but actually somewhat dry and spicy on the finish.

Moriizou Kyokujo (森伊蔵 極上) - I don't drink much shochu (焼酎), and found this a little off.  There was clearly some acetone notes, but I couldn't figure out what the nose reminded me of.

Full post on dinner is here.