2009 Pithon-Paillé and Alain Graillot

Lunch at Caprice.

2009 Pithon-Paillé Anjou Coteau des Treilles - finish was a little metallic at first.  Very ripe on the palate, and I definitely felt the alcohol burning as the wine went down the back of my throat…  A hint of honey, a little pungent, then sweet nose with white flowers.

2009 Alain Graillot Crozes-Hermitage - what a lovely wine!  Lots of mint, herbs, potpourri… sweet fruit with floral notes.  Full-bodied.

Full post on lunch is here.

MNSC Dinner: The Principal

MNSC dinner at the Principal, hosted by Lord Rayas.

2005 Roulot Meursault 1er Cru Les Charmes - a little dusty, oaky and lemon.  Medium acidity.

First flight:

1988 Hubert Lignier Clos de la Roche - sweet grass, a little green and vegetal.  Smoky with some coffee. This bottle was deemed a little faulty and corked, so was taken out of scoring.

1988 Rayas - of course Lord Rayas had to bring out a namesake bottle…  Really sweet and tropical, with pineapple and mango (but no lychee).  Kinda alcoholic.

Second flight:

1996 Dujac Charmes-Chambertin - leather, smoky, minty, dried herbs, potpourri, plum and animal.  Really lovely, and my favorite wine of the flight.

1996 Dugat-Py Charmes-Chambertin - nose was a bit muted.  Grassy, dusty, corked.  Also taken out from scoring.

1996 Joseph Roty Charmes-Chambertin Cuvée de «très vieilles vignes» - nose was a little muted.  A hint of medicinal notes, dusty, smoky.  Pretty disappointing at first.  Later on strawberries and tropical fruit notes revealed themselves.

Third flight:

1990 Clos du Mont-Olivet La Cuvee du Papet - soy sauce, mineral, salty plum.  Later on a little exotic fruit.  Slightly alcoholic and sharp.

1990 Beauséjour-Duffau - very mineral, grass, smoky, salty, minty and medicinal.  A very lovely wine.

1990 Montrose - funky, manure, smoke, medicinal, farmy, mineral, toasty and inky.  Also a very good wine.

Full post on dinner is here.

2008 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc

Drinks at Max Bordeaux Wine Bar in Taipei.

2008 Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc - unmistakable pipi de chat, flint, lemon and minerals.  Pretty acidic on the palate.

6 for bistro

Dinner at Le Mieux Bistro in Hong Kong.

1990 André Beaufort Grand Cru Brut - A bit of wood on the nose.  Ripe and sweet mid-palate with an acidic finish.  Caramelized and a little metallic.

1996 Vilmart Cuvée Création - nose was caramelized, grassy with notes of flint.

2002 Vincent Girardin Bonnes Mares - fragrant and fruity with strawberry notes.  A little sharp and alcoholic on the nose.  Animal, leather, potpourri.  Pretty full-bodied.  Very nice and sweet.  A little feminine.

2006 Clos Rougeard Saumur-Champigny Le Bourg - a little sharp, with smoke, exotic spices, pine needle and a little floral.

1996 Guigal Château d'Ampuis - classic Côte-Rôtie, with a lovely, beautiful nose of dried herbs, flowers, sweet fruit and a little leather.  This bottle drank very nicely, and I'm glad I brought it.

1998 Henri Bonneau Cuvée Marie Beurrier - fruity with lychees, rose, a little medicinal and smoked meats.

Full post on dinner is here.

1985 Joseph Drouhin Chambertin

Dinner at Man Wah in Hong Kong.

1985 Joseph Drouhin Chambertin - the nose was a little sweet and fruity, a little smoky, with tea leaves like Pu Er (普洱). Relatively light-bodied, which isn't surprising given my limited but less-than-impressed experiences of Drouhin's wines.

Full post on dinner is here.

96 Chapoutier Le Pavillon

Dinner at Cépage in Hong Kong.

1996 Chapoutier Ermitage Le Pavillon - smoky, forest, oaky, potpourri, pretty open and fragrant nose.  Nice intensity and full-bodied.  Drinking pretty well, still not blown away by it.

Full post on dinner is here.

2004 Roty Marsannay

Dinner at Le Palais in Taipei.

2004 Joseph Roty Marsannay Cuvée de "Boivin" - very ripe black fruits on the nose, forest, pine needle, potpourri.  A little tart on the palate, and slightly more tannic than I expected.

Full post on dinner is here.

2002 Cakebread Merlot

Dinner at STAY in Taipei.

2002 Cakebread Merlot - ripe and sweet, both on the nose and on the palate.  Minty, smoky with grilled meats.  Very classic Californian from a great vintage.  Pretty full-bodied.

Full post on dinner is here.