1970 trio

Dinner at Ta Vie.

2015 Silver Heights Family Reserve Chardonnay - tropical nose like pineapple and coconut butter, definitely heavy on the oak.  Soft and definitely sweeter on the palate.

1970 Gaja Barbaresco Sorì Tildìn - nose of soy sauce and stewed prunes.  Still alive, but definitely in decline.

1970 Mouton-Rothschild - minty, smoky, earthy, fragrant cedar notes.  Classic Pauillac.

1970 Beaulieu Vineyard Georges de Latour Private Reserve - still very much alive.  Eucalyptus, coconut, a little marmalade, and smoke.  Pretty fragrant.  Acidity showed with time in glass.

1988 de Fargues - honey, desiccated coconut, toasty, honeydew melon.  Definitely very sweet with marmalade notes, and a bit of bitterness.

Full account of dinner is here.

Ostertag and more

Dinner at Frantzén's Kitchen.

2016 Ostertag Riesling Muenchberg - a little petrol, flinty, a little tropical stone fruit.  Leaner with higher acidity with a little bitterness mid-palate.  Later on the ripeness came out, and this was almost overripe and alcoholic when warmed up.

2015 Royal Tokaji Tokaji Late Harvest - honey, orange blossom, with a little residual sugar.

2016 Ridge Geyserville - initial whiff smelled like paint thinner with banana notes.  Then lots of coconut butter, very oaky, very sweet, with leather notes.

Full post on dinner is here.

2008 JJ Prüm

Dinner at Dynasty.

2008 Joh.Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese - lots of polyurethane, flinty, white flowers.

Full post on dinner is here.

Vermentino and Matriarch

Dinner at Cipriani Hong Kong.

2017 Guado al Tasso Vermentino - mineral, flinty, a little pungent, and pretty oaky.

2003 BOND Matriarch - decanted 30 minutes prior to serving.  Nice sweet fruit, sweet on the palate, some metallic iron rust, smoky, plenty of oak, and minty.  Drinking very well.

Full post on dinner is here.

Palladius and Blanc d'Argile

Dinner at Petrus.

Vouette et Sorbée Blanc d'Argile, dégorgée le 20 Octobre 2016 - good acidity on the palate.

2009 Sadie Family Palladius - pretty ripe and not overripe, with only a hint of bitterness at the end.  A little beeswax on the nose.

Full post on dinner is here.

Nishiki

Dinner at Nishiki in Kyoto.

Arashiyama Nishiki Draft (嵐山錦 生貯蔵酒) - sweet on the attack but dry on the palate.  With some spiciness, a hint of fermentation, and a bit rounded on the palate.  Made by Kinshi Masamune (キンシ正宗).

Full post on dinner is here.

From sweet to dry

Dinner at Kiyama in Kyoto.

Reisen Junmai Daiginjo Haneshibori (醴泉  純米大吟醸 . 撥ね搾り), 30BY, from isshobin - seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 35%.  Nose was more fermented than expected.

Jikon Tokubetsu Junmai (而今 特別純米), 30BY, from isshobin - seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 60%.  Nice depth of flavors on the palate.

Shichihonyari Junmai Tamasakae (七本槍  純米  玉栄), 30BY, from isshobin - seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 60%.  Very well-balanced, good with a little acidity on the palate, and actually sweeter on the finish than expected.

Full post on dinner is here.

Karhu

Dinner at the Sueyoshicho branch of Yagenbori in Kyoto.

Karhu Tokubetsu Junmai (佳風カーフ  特別純米) - definitely sweet on the attack, but drier on the finish.

Full post on dinner is here.