French and Aussie

Dinner at Sense in Hangzhou.

Augustin Feu - there was some sharp acidity on the nose, with Chinese sour plum. While the palate was on the acidic side it was somewhat tempered.

2023 Bessin-Tremblay Chablis Valmur - the nose was a bit green, and also a little reductive.

2022 Benoit Moreau Volnay 1er Cru Santenots - prominent coconut butter notes on the nose, but this also seemed a little dusty.

2022 Place of Changing Winds Heathcote Syrah - served nearly 2 hours after opening. There was lots of coconut butter and mint, very ripe and sweet, with a little smoky grilled meats and woodsy notes. Definitely too young and still got the tannins.

2009 Coutet - nose of honey, pineapple, apricot, and saffron.

Full post on dinner is here.

Avani and Yokel

Drinking at home.

2020 Dormilona Yokel Grenache - fruity nose with lots of berries and red fruits. This was lighter on the palate, with decent levels of acidity.

Bought from Oz Terroirs for HKD 150.

2019 Avani Syrah The Earth - started drinking after 1 hour in the decanter. The nose was very ripe and jammy, so sweet, with vanilla and also definitely coconut butter, and some blueberries. The palate was more acidic, though. Surprised that this tasted more Aussie compared to the 2017 I tasted a couple of years ago. The nose was also smoky, with bacon and game meats.

Bought from Oz Terroirs for HKD 398.

2021 Mayer Volcanic

Drinking at home.

2021 Mayer Syrah Volcanic - started drinking around 1 hour and 15 minutes after opening. Smoky, gamey, leathery, a little stinky, with black fruits. This was definitely more Rhone-like, pretty open and fragrant now, so floral with lots of lavender. Just really beautiful! Quelle surprise!

Bought from Oz Terroirs for HKD 348.

2022 Avani Amrit

Drinking at home.

2022 Avani Amrit Pinot Noir - started drinking 40 minutes after opening. Fruity nose with a little leather, almost a hint of sugary bubblegum. A little animal and smoke, and the nose became more open after 10 minutes in glass... showing more blueberries. The alcohol was still a bit sharp at this young age. After 3½ hours, the nose was still pretty fragrant, but this was more acidic on the palate now.

Bought from Oz Terroirs for HKD 225.

Tar and Roses

Dinner at Catch.

2024 Tar and Roses Pinot Grigio - acidity was OK, and this was not totally bland. There was lemon and some tropical fruit on the nose.

All Aussie

Dinner at Ming Court in Wanchai.

2021 Bellebonne Natalie Fryar Vintage Rose - nose was kinda muted, although some would call it 'pretty'... with a little flint but not too heavy, along with some red fruits.

2023 Silkman Semillon Blackberry Vineyard - nose was big and punchy, with big, powerful flint, more mineral. Lean and thin on the palate, but the acidity came out on the finish and this got grippy at the end.

Chardonnay flight:

2023 Mayer Chardonnay - really big and oaky nose, very punchy. Nutty with coffee and flint. On the palate, though, this was much more muted and mild than expected. Light and with a short finish. The acidity was not high at all, with some lemon.

2022 Place of Changing Winds Larderdark Chardonnay - the nose was big and fragrant, felt more opulent, toasty, nutty, and rich, with some white flowers.

2019 Sorrenberg Chardonnay - this was the most vanilla and buttery, and also flinty.

2020 Tony Bish Zen Chardonnay -this was the one with the most punchy nose, got the biggest toast, with some butter underneath. This was actually mostly lean on the nose, but on the palate it was softer than expected... starting out lean but also a little rounded.

Pinot noir flight:

2024 Dr Mayer Pinot Noir - definitely got that bubblegum nose, and a bit earthy. Lighter than expected.

2022 Place of Changing Winds Pinot Noir Between Two Mountains - this was more minty, with cooler fruit, along with a little farmy notes. Good concentration here and really nice.

2023 Aphelion Rapture - nose was like cherry-flavored cough syrup. Didn't like this. There was a bit of leather and dried herbs which reminded me of some Italian wines.

2023 Aphelion Brini - this had a bigger nose, very minty, and really smelled like cough syrup.

Shiraz flight:

2022 Piggs Peake House of Bricks Shiraz - this was such a classic Aussie shiraz with lots of vanilla, lots of oak, and was just really big and punchy.

2021 Place of Changing Winds Harcourt Syrah - this was more open and fragrant, with really woodsy and cedar notes, and also plenty of juicy fruit.

2012 Torbreck Run Rig - nose was showing plenty of vulcanized rubber and some eucalyptus.

2021 Standish Lamella - really sweet on the nose with dried herbs.

Full post on dinner is here.

Krug and Huadiao

Dinner at a friend's place.

Krug Grande Cuvée, 162ème Édition, ID 414082 - started drinking after the wine has been open for more than 1 hour. Really lovely nose of Chinese salted plum. Initially this was served a little too cold, and the nose also showed a little minerality like Anjou pear. The acidity on the palate went up after the wine warmed up.

Krug Grande Cuvée, 4th generation, en demi-bouteille - the nose was much more salty with lots of minerals. Good acidity on the palate, and so very complex. Drinking very well now.

Bought from Sotheby's for HKD 573.

2013 Guigal Condrieu La Doriane - still got the floral notes with some flint and a bit of almond. Sipping after a taste of caviar really brought out oxidative flavors, and this became sweet but slightly bitter.

Wing Lee Wai 30 Year Huadiao (永利威三十年花雕) - very fragrant on the nose with both sweet and savory notes, nice and complex, sweeter and richer on the palate, but the finish wasn't very long.

ManSong Special Edition Light Huangjiu (慢宋•珍藏 清爽型黃酒) - the nose was more oxidized and clearly more dry and savory, and more similar to a Fino Sherry. not much sweetness on the palate, but showing umami instead.

Between Five Bells Yellow - really big and beautiful toasty nose thanks to the chardonnay, with a hint of pineapple. Really high and crisp acidity thanks to the savagnin. Really powerful and beautiful.

Bought from Oz Terroirs for HKD 398.

2007 Bass Philip

Drinking at home with the new DR3 decanter.

2007 Bass Philip Pinot Noir Premium - drank 10 minutes after decanting. Nose showed very prominent leather notes, a little grilled meat, a little stinky and pungent. Sweet fruit on the palate. Pretty nice after 45 minutes in the decanter with no more funk, just showing dried herba and floral notes.

With the St. Hugo x Daniel Ricciardo DR3 decanter

Avani twin

Lunch at a friend's home.

2020 Avani Amrit Pinot Gris - reductive nose. Definitely a little flinty.

2018 Sylvain Pataille Marsannay Rosé Fleur de Pinot - flinty with minerals, with nice red fruits.

2017 Avani Syrah The Earth - really fragrant and floral, lots of violets and eucalyptus. Not your box standard Aussie shiraz and reminds me of Giaconda's syrah. Beautiful.

Full post on dinner is here.