Biden Aijo

Lunch at Sushi Kimura in Tokyo.

Biden Aijo Yamahai Junmai Ginjo (美田 愛醸 山廃純米吟醸) - seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 60%.  Very smooth on the palate, very elegant, but not at all bland.  Nose had a deeper, fermented note.  Sweet on the attack but gets spicy on the back.

Full post on lunch is here.

2003 Monte Bello

Dinner at Shima in Tokyo.

2003 Ridge Monte Bello - decanted after opening.  Nose was very Cali but the palate was more acidic than I expected.  There was clearly plenty of sweetness and vanilla oak in the nose, while smokiness emerged half an hour after opening.  Also black fruits like plums.  Sweeter on the palate a little later, but the tannins were still here.

Full post on dinner is here.

Sake sake sake

Drinks at Tamanegiya in Tokyo.

Hatsukame Daiginjo Yuzuki (初亀 大吟醸 遊月), 28BY - seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 35%, limited to 100 bottles.  A bit sweet on the attack, but more spicy than expected.  Still very clean.

Hatsukame Ashinaya Organic (初亀 足名屋 オーガニック), 29BY - sweet and starchy nose with a little bit of floral notes.  Very subtle and elegant on the palate, with a long and dry finish.

Gikyo Junmai Daiginjo Tae (義侠  純米大吟醸  妙), 29BY - seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 30%. Nose was kinda muted, but the palate was much more complex, with a spicy attack and good intensity mid-palate.

Apparently the brewery's owner passed away last month, so I drank a glass in his honor.

Juyondai Junmai Ginjo Dewasansan Unpasteurized (十四代 出羽燦々 角新 純米吟醸 生酒), 30BY - seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 50%.  Nose of banana.  Very soft.

Bijofu Yuzu Liqueur (美丈夫ゆずリキュール) - it's been a while since I last had this.  Gotta be done.  Over crushed ice as always.  Still love that amazing citrus.

Isojiman Junmai Daiginjo 40% Tojo Akitsu Saito (磯自慢 純米大吟醸40 東条秋津西戶),  29BY - fermented, starchy, pretty rich and intense, kinda spicy.

Isojiman Junmai Daiginjo 40% Tojo Akitsu Tsuneda (磯自慢 純米大吟醸40 東条秋津常田),  29BY - less starchy rice, more fermented, not so spicy, a little more elegant on the nose.  My favorite of the three.

Isojiman Junmai Daiginjo 40% Tojo Akitsu Furuke (磯自慢 純米大吟醸40 東条秋津古家),  29BY - a bit more starchy, smooth and soft on the palate.

Full post on drinks is here.

Nanbubijin and Azumarikishi

Dinner at Ritei Sanbun in Tokyo.

Nanbubijin Tokubetsujunmai Unfiltered Unpasteurized (南部美人  特別純米  無濾過生原酒), from isshobin - with a seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 55%.  Sweet mid-palate with some acidity on the finish.

Azumarikishi Kiwamishizuku Junmai Ginjo Unfiltered Unpasteurized Uraraka (東力士  極雫  純米吟醸  無濾過生原酒  うららか), 30BY, from isshobin - with a seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 60%.  Very rich with good depth of flavor.  Dry and spicy.

Full post on dinner is here.

Selosse V.O.

Lunch at Sushi Saito in Tokyo.

Jacques Selosse V.O., dégorgé le 15 Octobre 2009 - lemon, a bit of toast, with a hint of straw on the nose.  Very mild and smooth on the palate, slightly bitter in the middle with a long finish.  Much softer due to the fact that it was disgorged nearly 10 years ago.  Very elegant.

Full post on lunch is here.

1943 Mouton

Dinner at Tutto Bello in Taipei.

1943 Mouton-Rothschild - initially the acidity was a little higher than expected.  Showed nose of plums, a hint of savory black olives, a little smoky, a little woodsy.  Second pour 30 minutes later, and still acidic.  First whiff nose was more muted but got better after a minute.  After a while the wine gained weight and the body improved.

Full post on dinner is here.

Duhart Milon and Certan

Drinking at a friend's home.

1990 Duhart-Milon - preserved with Coravin for more than a week.  Really smoky, probably a little too much at first, perhaps because of sediment getting into the glass.  Still some sweet fruit left, and sweeter on the palate than expected.

2000 Certan de May - preserved with Coravin for more than 2 weeks.  A little bit of smoke and some black fruits.  Not as nice as the Duhart Milon.

Bongwater pairing

Dinner at HAKU.

Junmaiginjo Shikomi Hakuroubai (純米吟醸仕込 白老梅) - an umeshu (梅酒) made with junmai ginjo koshu (純米吟醸  古酒).  This was pretty nice and fragrant.  Savory with minerality on the palate in part due to the oxidation from aging, there was good depth on the palate.

Garage Project Demus Favorem Amori - nose was very fruity, but fucking bitter on the palate.  Blegh!

2015 Recrue des Sens Love and Pif - a little pungent, with some minerals.  More acidity and lean on the palate.  OK not to bad lah...

Lost Distillery Lossit - unmistakably Islay, with a peaty nose full of hospital disinfectant.

2017 Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt Josephshöfer Riesling Kabinett Feinherb - nose was a little pungent, with classic petrol notes.

2016 Eric Bordelet Poiré Granit - soooo steely and mineral.  Floral, and totally smelled like a bucketful of European pears.  Beautiful.

Hanatomoe Mizumoto ✕ Mizumoto Unfiltered Unpasteurized (花巴 水酛 ✕水酛 無濾過生原酒), 30BY - seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 70%.  Nose was a little fermented, along with the lovely fragrance of banana and honey.  Nice acidity along with some sweetness, and definitely a little savory.  Such a complex little gem.

2017 Gut Oggau Winifred - a little pungent as expected, but OK.  Big and toasty nose.

2012 Heitlinger Odenheimer Königsbecher Spätburgunder Großes Gewächs - initially nose was very muted, although one could taste that it's clearly a pinot noir.  Some black fruits, and later on showed some forest notes.

2004 Silvio Carta Vernaccia di Oristano Riserva - nice and oxidative nose, a little savory.

Vincent Charlot Ratafia Cuvée N° 14 - a little herbal and almost minty.  Sweet on the palate, of course.

Campbells Rutherglen Muscat - very sweet with some herbs.

Full post on dinner is here.