2003 Kistler

Dinner at Neighborhood.

2003 Kistler Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast - fruity and sweet, almost jammy.  A little forest pine, animal, black cherries, and caramel.  Very fragrant nose.

Full post on dinner is here.

2004 Biondi-Santi

Dinner at Gradini.

2004 Biondi-Santi Brunello di Montalcino - this wasn't the Riserva, so it was accessible immediately after decanting.  Very sweet on the nose, and slightly sharp and alcoholic at first.  Nice and fragrant nose of forest and black fruits.

Full post on dinner is here.

De Montille with de Montille

Lunch Seventh Son with Etienne de Montille.

Paul Déthune Blanc de Noirs - pretty fragrant nose, caramelized, and nutty.  Kinda round on the palate, with a slightly acidic finish.

2008 de Montille Corton-Charlemagne - very buttery, with marmalade notes and a little flinty.  Very ripe and round on the palate, but with a dry finish.  Very enjoyable.

1993 Domaine Leroy Nuits-Saint-Georges Aux Boudots - nose of sweet grass, with a little leather and floral notes.  Dry on the palate.  The second pour delivered a nose that was so open and beautiful, which was ripe and sweet and almost jammy.

1990 Montrose - I was certainly not expecting to drink this wine again so soon.  Nose of animal and leather.  Almost a little stinky and savory, with some coffee notes.  Very lovely, but probably needed a little more decanting time.

Full post on lunch is here.

Mix bag for Cantonese

Dinner at a private dining facility.

2011 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese - a little sweetner than I expected, with a little white pepper and flint in the nose.

2002 L'Evangile en magnum - nice and fragrant, with cedar notes.  Sweet on the nose as well as ripe and sweet on the palate.  A little more forest notes on the nose later.

2012 Castello della Sala Cervaro della Sala - very ripe on the nose, very buttery and nutty.  Overripe and a little bitter on the palate.

2007 Olivier Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Referts - a little ripe and oaky, with lemon citrus notes.  A little bitter on the palate.

2009 Le Puy - pretty young, ripe and sweet, with oaky and cedar notes.

Full post on dinner is here.

MNSC dinner - The Pawn

MNSC dinner at The Pawn, hosted by The Ox.

1990 Moët et Chandon Cuvée Dom Pérignon - rich and complex.  Delicious.

First flight:  opened 1 hour and 15 minutes before serving.

1985 Faiveley Chambertin Clos de Beze - really sweet and fruity, almost jammy, fragrant and floral, with a little leather.  Very clean.  96 points.

1985 Faiveley Corton Clos des Cortons Faiveley - nose a little more muted, with a little more toast, slightly more dirty.  Also fruity but just not as clean.  91 points.

Second flight: decanted 2 hours and 45 minutes before serving.

1990 La Dame de Montrose - smoky, a little savory, minty, almost medicinal.  95 points.

1990 Montrose - a little savory, slightly medicinal, smoky, a little hint of grass, earthy, and a little ripe.  Leaner on the palate.  Much sweeter with the second pour.  95 points.

1990 Beauséjour Duffau - a little peppery, somewhat muted, a little grassy.  Opened up later to show more sweetness.  92 points.

Third flight: decanted 3 hours and 40 minutes before serving.

1985 Guigal La Turque - a little exotic, coconut, a hint of leather, sweet and a bit caramelized.  97 points.

1985 Guigal La Mouline - a little ripe and sweet, some leather, bacon fat, rich, with coffee notes.  96 points.

1985 Guigal La Landonne - kind of ripe and sweet at first, then a little muted later.  94 points.

Full post on dinner is here.

1999 Coche-Dury Meursault

Dinner at Neighborhood.

1999 Coche-Dury Meursault - served warm at the request of my friend, which opened up the nose but also meant the palate was less crisp, resulting in a slight bitter finish.  Nose-wise this was classic Coche-Dury, with plenty of toasty oak, roasted corn, and buttery corn.  Always a beautiful wine.

Full post on dinner is here.

Koshinosetsu Getsuka

Dinner at Ebi-no-Hige in Hong Kong.

Koshinosetsu Getsuka Ginjo Namachozoshu (越乃雪月花 吟醸 生貯蔵酒) - slightly sweet upfront but medium dry on the palate.  Clean and easy to drink.

Full post on dinner is here.

Dewazakura Aiyama

Dinner at Imamura.

Dewazakura Junmai Daiginjo Aiyama (出羽桜 純米大吟醸 愛山), released Jan 2011 - aged for four years and now showing a light, yellowish color.  Nose was a little oxidized, and showing similarity to Chinese yellow wine or a French vin jaune.  Slightly mineral and savory on the nose.  Medium palate with a slightly dry finish, with complexity and depth of flavors.  Seemed a little more viscous than expected.  Seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 45%.  Made from Aiyama (愛山), a very special strain of rice which is a cross between Yamada Nishiki (山田錦) and Omachi (雄町).

Full post on dinner is here.