Sinzero and Cirillo

Lunch at Eatanic Garden in Seoul.

Eatanig Garden Sunny (맑음) - OK lah...

Eatanic Garden Cloudy (흐림) - nice balance with the acidity, and not too sweet.

2021 Sinzero Cabernet Sauvignon - couldn't get too much out of the nose, but there was some fruit... Acidity on the high side and not much tannins.

2017 Cirillo Grenache 1850 Ancestor Vine - plenty of sweet fruit on the nose. Light and delicate on the palate, but not too complex.

Full post on lunch is here.

Korean wine pairing

Lunch at Onjium in Seoul.

Omynara Mungyeong Baram Oak 40% (오미나라 문경바람 오크 40%)

Wink Sour Mead

These two were mixed together. I could definitely taste the alcohol but also the apple flavors were distinctive.

Ellyeop Pyunjoo Cheongju (一葉平舟 / 일엽편주 청주) - good acidity, nice fruitiness, too, but not really sweet on the palate. A hint of bitterness on the palate but only just a little. I guess this is a yakju (약주) after all.

Gyeongju Beopju Choteuksun 21% (慶州法酒 超特選 21%) - equivalent of a 21% seimaibuai. This was kinda like sake, but not quite. A little sweeter on the palate.

Housemade mulberry rice wine - nice fruity notes.

Pungjeon Sagye Autumn (풍정사계 秋) - very enjoyable with light sweetness but not fizziness.

Chusa 40 degree Apple Brandy (추사 40도 사과브랜디) - we had a small taste with our meat dish. Didn't bother to dilute it with ice...

Full post on lunch is here.

Champagne and more

Lunch at Onjium for the collaboration with The Chairman and Seroja.

Krug Grande Cuvée, 171ème Édition, ID 322035 - crisp acidity on the palate, with lots of lemon and a small dose of brioche on the nose.

This was meant to be some tom yum drink traditionally paired with the noodles at Seroja, with a tomato base, and cucumber, coriander, lemongrass, green chili, and root vegetables. Definitely smelled something green there, but not quite like green capsicum.

2019 Alheit Cartology Bushvines - ripe on the nose, very aromatic. This was ripe on the palate, too, but still got the acidity and slightly grippy on the palate.

2022 Moulin de Rameau Chardonneret - toasty nose with good acidity. Bongwater.

Onjium's homemade soju - this was really strong and burns in the mouth when drank after the beef.

1993 Fleury Symphonie d'Europe, dégorgée Janvier 2020, en jeroboam - very nice, a little caramelized but still fresh and lively with plenty of bubbles. Got the acidity as well as a grippy texture on the palate.

The next juice was probably made with radish or turnip, with some savory profiles. Funnily, though, it also was a little like sugar cane juice.

2020 Harmand-Geoffroy Gevrey-Chambertin - nose of blueberries and black fruits. Later on we've got some strawberries and also forest notes.

Full post on dinner is here.

Korean wine pairing

Dinner at KwonSookSoo in Seoul.

Midam Seoktanju (미담 석탄주) - some acidity and fruity flavors, with a slight hint of nuttiness and bitterness. Would have been a good match with the pine nut porridge.

BeWater Brew Inner Peace Calm - sweet on the palate, as expected, but very nice with much more character than your usual makgeolli. I can see how this would match well with kimchi.

Ellyeop Pyunjoo Cheongju (一葉平舟 / 일엽편주 청주) - definitely more layered when it comes to flavors, and fruity.

Horang Horang (호랑호랑) - OK lah... A bit more savory on the palate, still got some fruity notes. It was a bit more viscous on the palate, and I could definitely feel the alcohol.

Seokroju (석로주) - this was very interesting as it was fermented with mushrooms, and I could certainly taste a little mushroom flavor in the liquor. Paired well with the black truffle in the noodles.

Kooksoondang Sashitonggeumju (국순당 사시통음주) - high acidity, high alcohol.

Isibo Makgeolli (이시보 막걸리) - light-bodied with lower sweetness and lower acidity.

Full post on dinner is here.

Korean liquor pairing

Dinner at La Yeon in Seoul.

OmyNara OmyRose (오미로제) - a sparkling wine made with omija (오미자), or magnolia berries.  Definitely very fruity with lots of deep, berry flavors.  The nose was a little strong and slightly pungent.

맑은바당 - nose was a little sweet, a little grassy, similar to oxidized yellow wines like Shaoxing.

Baedokga Ugok-ju (裴都家 又麴酒 우곡주) - this was unlike any of the cheap makgeolli (막걸리) I've ever had.  The wine tasted more fermented, much more savory, with fermented bean flavors - even though the only ingredients were rice, water, and yeast.  Thick texture and definitely like drinking yogurt.

Seonunsan Bokbunjaju (선운산 覆盆子酒) - very sweet on the nose. Very nice to drink.

Geumsan Insamju Susam23 (금산인삼주 수삼23) - this is the 23% version of the ginseng soju, made with a 5-year-old susam (수삼) ginseng.  The flavors were definitely strong here but clean.  Kinda dry on the palate, but pretty smooth.

OmyNara Full Moon Omija Brandy (고운달) - this came in at 52% which was pretty damn strong.  Tasted a little berry.

Full post on dinner is here.