Dinner at Fook Lam Moon (福臨門).
2006 Dr. Loosen Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese - from the great 2006 vintage and still pretty young, a sweet, honey and caramel nose with hint of orange blossom. Sweet on the palate, this was somewhat surprising to people who don't drink German Rieslings.
1997 Beringer Merlot Bancroft Ranch Private Reserve - hint of coffee, vanilla, toasty oak, red fruits with a bit of smoke. Still drinking pretty well.
2006 Mollydooker Merlot the Scooter - this was my first bottle of Mollydooker, even though I've bought a bunch of them. This was a stereotypical Aussie wine... Very sweet nose, with toasty oak, vanilla, coffee notes. Really sweet on the palate and a spicy finish, and very "hot" from the high alcohol. It is not difficult to see why Parker gives high scores to these wines but for my taste... let's just say that even I prefer something with a little more finesse...
Full post on dinner is here.
March 9, 2009
March 6, 2009
Kakunko Junmai Daiginjyo
Dinner at Irori (いろり).
Kakunko Junmai Daiginjyo (花薫香純米大吟醸) from Sudohonke (須藤本家) - this unfiltered brew has always been one of my favorite sakes, having ground the rice grains down to 27% seimaibuai (精米步合). I was excited to drink this again, and I decided not to ice the bottle since it came from the wine fridge.
This turned out to be a mistake. The warmer temperature of the sake meant that the nose was much more pronounced, and as it turned out I didn't like it so much. While there were lots of tropical fruits such as banana, pineapple and orange in the nose, it also distinctively smelled like the Chinese white wines (白酒) that I dislike so much. Just smelled so "artificial". I started to wonder whether I had aged the sake for a bit too long. It's been 3 1/2 years since this was bottled... Definitely cloudy, and smelling like Chinese fermented rice (酒釀). I decide to ice the bottle, and the experience improved dramatically, as the lower temperature restrained the nose. I guess I'll stick to icing my sakes from now on...
Full post on dinner is here.
Kakunko Junmai Daiginjyo (花薫香純米大吟醸) from Sudohonke (須藤本家) - this unfiltered brew has always been one of my favorite sakes, having ground the rice grains down to 27% seimaibuai (精米步合). I was excited to drink this again, and I decided not to ice the bottle since it came from the wine fridge.
This turned out to be a mistake. The warmer temperature of the sake meant that the nose was much more pronounced, and as it turned out I didn't like it so much. While there were lots of tropical fruits such as banana, pineapple and orange in the nose, it also distinctively smelled like the Chinese white wines (白酒) that I dislike so much. Just smelled so "artificial". I started to wonder whether I had aged the sake for a bit too long. It's been 3 1/2 years since this was bottled... Definitely cloudy, and smelling like Chinese fermented rice (酒釀). I decide to ice the bottle, and the experience improved dramatically, as the lower temperature restrained the nose. I guess I'll stick to icing my sakes from now on...
Full post on dinner is here.
March 5, 2009
Chassagne and Chambertin
Lunch at Caprice.
2005 Vincent Girardin Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot Vieilles Vignes - nose of flint, toasty oak, hint of chalk. Ripe and sweet on the nose, and buttery. Nice acidity balance and not too sweet on the palate, although it was a bit hot and spicy on the finish. Nice to drink now.
1995 Armand Rousseau Chambertin - initially the nose was grassy and gamey with lots of sweet fruit, and it was nice and elegant. The wine was smooth on the palate but felt a little short. With time I detected some forest in the nose. With the second pour, you could now feel the concentration of the wine, which was still a little tannic on the finish. This was much, much better than the last bottle I had 3 1/2 years ago, and a perfect match with the gamey dishes that followed.
Full post on lunch is here.
2005 Vincent Girardin Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Morgeot Vieilles Vignes - nose of flint, toasty oak, hint of chalk. Ripe and sweet on the nose, and buttery. Nice acidity balance and not too sweet on the palate, although it was a bit hot and spicy on the finish. Nice to drink now.
1995 Armand Rousseau Chambertin - initially the nose was grassy and gamey with lots of sweet fruit, and it was nice and elegant. The wine was smooth on the palate but felt a little short. With time I detected some forest in the nose. With the second pour, you could now feel the concentration of the wine, which was still a little tannic on the finish. This was much, much better than the last bottle I had 3 1/2 years ago, and a perfect match with the gamey dishes that followed.
Full post on lunch is here.
March 3, 2009
A pair of whites for Chinese food
Dinner at Shanghai Fraternity Association (上海總會).
2002 Kongsgaard VioRus - at first this wasn't exactly what I expected. A hint of petrol, with minerals, oxidation, toasty oak and floral notes. Ripe and sweet on the nose as well as on the palate, the alcohol level was perceptibly high.
1999 Selbach-Oster Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese - huge nose of plastic, acetone and petrol masking any fruity notes. Reasonably sweet on the palate but with good balance of acidity and a hint of carbonation dancing on the tongue.
Full post on dinner is here.
2002 Kongsgaard VioRus - at first this wasn't exactly what I expected. A hint of petrol, with minerals, oxidation, toasty oak and floral notes. Ripe and sweet on the nose as well as on the palate, the alcohol level was perceptibly high.
1999 Selbach-Oster Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese - huge nose of plastic, acetone and petrol masking any fruity notes. Reasonably sweet on the palate but with good balance of acidity and a hint of carbonation dancing on the tongue.
Full post on dinner is here.
February 22, 2009
Amazing cheese and wine pairing
Cheese dinner at Caprice. Jeremy and Sebastien put together a wonderful pairing of specific wines with individual cheeses.
NV De Sousa Cuvée des Caudalies - this blanc de blancs was made from grand cru grapes from vines which are more than 50 years old, and disgorged in February 2005. Wonderful nose of caramel, toffee, vanilla and minerals. Very smooth and a bit sweet on the palate, with pretty low acidity. It's pretty amazing to find a non vintage Champagne which drinks like it's been aged for years, as the caramel and toffee nose would seem to indicate. I am reminded of the Champagnes from Jacques Selosse.
2005 Pierre-Bise Savennières Roche aux Moines - the very first vintage of this cru made by proprietor Claude Papin. Nose of plastic and minerals, with toasty notes emerging later. The wine was very ripe and sweet on the palate, which worked well with the cheese.
NV De Sousa Brut Réserve - this blanc de blancs from grand cru grapes had nose of toasty oak, marmalade and lemon citrus.
2006 Michel Bouzereau Meursault Les Tessons - ripe and sweet nose with floral, mineral and toasty oak notes. After palate was sweet when tasted with the cheese.
2005 François Feuillet Nuits-Saint-Georges La Charmotte Cuvée Marcel Gerbeaut - a very forward wine, with a fruity nose of sweet raspberries.
2004 Jamet Côte-Rôtie - lovely nose of pine forest, mint and a little smoky and floral. After additional aeration we got oriental spices, cloves and patchouli. Beautiful wine.
Hoegaarden - the pairing with Mimolette was an amazing combination, as the strong, salty taste of the cheese was completely neutralized by the cold, sweet taste of the beer. Everyone at the table was impressed with this pairing.
2006 Albert Mann Gewurztraminer - floral and mineral notes, with a slight hint of lychee that is typical of this varietal. A classic pairing with the cheese.
1996 Michel Pichet Château-Chalon - there is no better combination for this cheese than this oxidized wine from the same region of Jura.
2005 Mas Amiel - this is a fortified wine made from Grenache Noir. I was first introduced to it at Vinexpo last year, and I really liked it. Quite appropriate to have a sweet, fortified wine paired with a strong and salty cheese like Roquefort.
Full post on dinner is here.
NV De Sousa Cuvée des Caudalies - this blanc de blancs was made from grand cru grapes from vines which are more than 50 years old, and disgorged in February 2005. Wonderful nose of caramel, toffee, vanilla and minerals. Very smooth and a bit sweet on the palate, with pretty low acidity. It's pretty amazing to find a non vintage Champagne which drinks like it's been aged for years, as the caramel and toffee nose would seem to indicate. I am reminded of the Champagnes from Jacques Selosse.
2005 Pierre-Bise Savennières Roche aux Moines - the very first vintage of this cru made by proprietor Claude Papin. Nose of plastic and minerals, with toasty notes emerging later. The wine was very ripe and sweet on the palate, which worked well with the cheese.
NV De Sousa Brut Réserve - this blanc de blancs from grand cru grapes had nose of toasty oak, marmalade and lemon citrus.
2006 Michel Bouzereau Meursault Les Tessons - ripe and sweet nose with floral, mineral and toasty oak notes. After palate was sweet when tasted with the cheese.
2005 François Feuillet Nuits-Saint-Georges La Charmotte Cuvée Marcel Gerbeaut - a very forward wine, with a fruity nose of sweet raspberries.
2004 Jamet Côte-Rôtie - lovely nose of pine forest, mint and a little smoky and floral. After additional aeration we got oriental spices, cloves and patchouli. Beautiful wine.
Hoegaarden - the pairing with Mimolette was an amazing combination, as the strong, salty taste of the cheese was completely neutralized by the cold, sweet taste of the beer. Everyone at the table was impressed with this pairing.
2006 Albert Mann Gewurztraminer - floral and mineral notes, with a slight hint of lychee that is typical of this varietal. A classic pairing with the cheese.
1996 Michel Pichet Château-Chalon - there is no better combination for this cheese than this oxidized wine from the same region of Jura.
2005 Mas Amiel - this is a fortified wine made from Grenache Noir. I was first introduced to it at Vinexpo last year, and I really liked it. Quite appropriate to have a sweet, fortified wine paired with a strong and salty cheese like Roquefort.
Full post on dinner is here.
February 20, 2009
Michel Gaunoux's wines
1993 Michel Gaunoux Bourgogne - still fruity with nose of grilled meats, prunes and a bit of gravel. Very acidic and grippy on the palate.
2005 Michel Gaunoux Beaune - much sweeter on the nose, almost bubblegum-like, but a bit smoky at the end. Medium acidity on the palate.
1996 Michel Gaunoux Beaune - my first reaction to this wine was "WTF?!" Very farmy nose, almost like wet dirt, stewed prunes, moss and rotten wood. The wine was clearly off. Medium-high acidity.
1998 Michel Gaunoux Pommard 1er Cru - pretty nice and fragrant, with sweet fruit and leather on the nose. Medium acidity with quite a strong alcoholic kick at the end. Probably my favorite wine of the lot.
1999 Michel Gaunoux Pommard 1er Cru Grands Epenots - some sweet fruit in the nose, with smoked meats and a hint of acetone.
2002 Michel Gaunoux Pommard 1er Cru Grands Epenots - sweet nose that fades to an acidic one, which was a bit strange. Grilled meats and leather notes. Slightly high in acidity.
2006 Clos Salomon Givry 1er Cru - this monopole had more concentration, still smoky on the nose with an acidic finish and some grippy tannins are the same time.
2005 René Cacheux Chambolle-Musigny - color was very dark, concentrated nose which was fragrant and pleasant, with sweet fruit and a bit of gravel on the nose. This became much more chalky and gravelly later with further aeration, and basically fell apart. Hard tannins with a slightly acidic finish.
2006 Kerlann Chablis - I would never had guessed that this was a Chablis...would have said it was either a Cali or Aussie Chardonnay. Very heavily oaked, with a ripe nose of pear, vanilla and gravel. Slightly acidic on the palate. Not enjoyable at all.
2005 Michel Gaunoux Beaune - much sweeter on the nose, almost bubblegum-like, but a bit smoky at the end. Medium acidity on the palate.
1996 Michel Gaunoux Beaune - my first reaction to this wine was "WTF?!" Very farmy nose, almost like wet dirt, stewed prunes, moss and rotten wood. The wine was clearly off. Medium-high acidity.
1998 Michel Gaunoux Pommard 1er Cru - pretty nice and fragrant, with sweet fruit and leather on the nose. Medium acidity with quite a strong alcoholic kick at the end. Probably my favorite wine of the lot.
1999 Michel Gaunoux Pommard 1er Cru Grands Epenots - some sweet fruit in the nose, with smoked meats and a hint of acetone.
2002 Michel Gaunoux Pommard 1er Cru Grands Epenots - sweet nose that fades to an acidic one, which was a bit strange. Grilled meats and leather notes. Slightly high in acidity.
2006 Clos Salomon Givry 1er Cru - this monopole had more concentration, still smoky on the nose with an acidic finish and some grippy tannins are the same time.
2005 René Cacheux Chambolle-Musigny - color was very dark, concentrated nose which was fragrant and pleasant, with sweet fruit and a bit of gravel on the nose. This became much more chalky and gravelly later with further aeration, and basically fell apart. Hard tannins with a slightly acidic finish.
2006 Kerlann Chablis - I would never had guessed that this was a Chablis...would have said it was either a Cali or Aussie Chardonnay. Very heavily oaked, with a ripe nose of pear, vanilla and gravel. Slightly acidic on the palate. Not enjoyable at all.
February 18, 2009
1988 Hugel Riesling VT
1988 Hugel Riesling Vendage Tardive - drank at Yung Kee VIP Floor (蘭亭閣). Being a late-harvest wine, naturally it is a little on the sweet side. Classic nose of petrol, flint, acetone, marmalade and muscat grapes. Due to the age of the wine, there were lots of tartaric acid crystals that have formed as sediment at the bottom of the bottle. I had actually never seen so much crystal in one bottle, and visually it's a bit weird to see them in your glass.
Full post on dinner is here.
Full post on dinner is here.
February 13, 2009
The wines of Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier
Dinner at China Club. Tasting of Domaine Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier, with Frédéric Mugnier in attendance.
1999 Pol Roger Brut - a bit sharper and more acidic than I'd like.
2006 Chambolle-Musigny - nose was acidic at first and the wine smelled like vinegar. Some fruit emerged with a bit of smoke, and he nose was delicate and fragrant. It almost smelled like soy-marinated meats...
2006 Nuits-St.-Georges Clos de Fourches - made from grapes grown in Clos d la Marechale, this is the "declassified" wine made in vintages where not all the grapes were top-notch - hence it was not made in 2005. The name Clos de Fourches was the old name for the plot before it was changed into the current name. The bottle was definitely off, as the chalky nose dominated. The wine was still pretty tannic.
2006 Nuits-St.-Georges 1er Cru Clos de la Marechale - the name Marechale means "marshall's wife", although Frédéric claims that he could find no historical connection of the vineyard with any marshall. Nose was muted at first, with sweet fruit and then crème brûlée. The wine was fairly concentrated, a little alcoholic with a spicy finish.
2005 Nuits-St.-Georges 1er Cru Clos de la Marechale - wow! What a wine! Lots of power and intensity here. Nose of strawberries, animals, sweet fruits and caramel. Finishes with a heavy kick. Clearly a wine that still needs years of aging to reach its peak. I guess I'm not going to open the bottles in my cellar for a long time to come.
2004 Nuits-St.-Georges 1er Cru Clos de la Marechale - the nose was much more elegant here. Sweet, open and fruity. I actually thought that this wine was drinking better than the 2005. A bit acidic on the palate at the end.
2006 Bonnes Mares - I thought this bottle was a little "off", but others did not share my opinion. The nose was dominated by chalky, wet moss and earthy notes. There was a fruit core here but it was well-masked. You needed to do some serious swirling to get rid of the chalk and get to the fruit. It was simply too tight.
2006 Musigny - this is so different from the Bonnes Mares. A beautiful, open wine with nose of sweet caramel, floral, red fruits and coffee. Still somewhat tannic. The production is so small - and so was Altaya's allocation - that this wine was sold out before this dinner started.
Full post on dinner is here.
1999 Pol Roger Brut - a bit sharper and more acidic than I'd like.
2006 Chambolle-Musigny - nose was acidic at first and the wine smelled like vinegar. Some fruit emerged with a bit of smoke, and he nose was delicate and fragrant. It almost smelled like soy-marinated meats...
2006 Nuits-St.-Georges Clos de Fourches - made from grapes grown in Clos d la Marechale, this is the "declassified" wine made in vintages where not all the grapes were top-notch - hence it was not made in 2005. The name Clos de Fourches was the old name for the plot before it was changed into the current name. The bottle was definitely off, as the chalky nose dominated. The wine was still pretty tannic.
2006 Nuits-St.-Georges 1er Cru Clos de la Marechale - the name Marechale means "marshall's wife", although Frédéric claims that he could find no historical connection of the vineyard with any marshall. Nose was muted at first, with sweet fruit and then crème brûlée. The wine was fairly concentrated, a little alcoholic with a spicy finish.
2005 Nuits-St.-Georges 1er Cru Clos de la Marechale - wow! What a wine! Lots of power and intensity here. Nose of strawberries, animals, sweet fruits and caramel. Finishes with a heavy kick. Clearly a wine that still needs years of aging to reach its peak. I guess I'm not going to open the bottles in my cellar for a long time to come.
2004 Nuits-St.-Georges 1er Cru Clos de la Marechale - the nose was much more elegant here. Sweet, open and fruity. I actually thought that this wine was drinking better than the 2005. A bit acidic on the palate at the end.
2006 Bonnes Mares - I thought this bottle was a little "off", but others did not share my opinion. The nose was dominated by chalky, wet moss and earthy notes. There was a fruit core here but it was well-masked. You needed to do some serious swirling to get rid of the chalk and get to the fruit. It was simply too tight.
2006 Musigny - this is so different from the Bonnes Mares. A beautiful, open wine with nose of sweet caramel, floral, red fruits and coffee. Still somewhat tannic. The production is so small - and so was Altaya's allocation - that this wine was sold out before this dinner started.
Full post on dinner is here.
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