82 Bordeaux

Dinner at Écriture.

Francis Boulard Les Murgiers, dégorgée le 7 decembre 2020 - some ripeness on the palate with a little mineral.

1982 Latour à Pomerol - decanted 2 hours after opening and served 15 minutes later. Very fragrant and floral, smoky, grilled meats, woodsy notes. Medium-bodied, a little soapy on the palate. Slightly too warm now but drinking pretty well.

1982 Margaux - decanted 2½ hours earlier, back in bottle 1½ hours later, and into a second decanter just prior to serving. Nose was very floral, fragrant, sweet on the nose but dry on the palate. Tannins are still kinda here. Bigger, more smoky nose with plenty of tobacco.

1982 Haut-Brion - decanted 3½ hours earlier, back in bottle 1 hour later. Lovely and fragrant nose with smoke and woodsy notes. A little sweet on the palate. Almost 5 hours after opening the wine has peaked and gone downhill.

1982 La Mission Haut-Brion - decanted 3½ hours earlier, back in bottle 1 hour later, and into a second decanter 1 hour prior to serving. Unfortunately this bottle was corked so the grassy, wet cardboard nose was dominating everything else.

Full post on dinner is here.

2015 La Rose du Clos

Drinking at home.

2015 des Lambrays La Rose du Clos - good acidity, not artificially sweet or floral. A little plummy, mineral on the nose. Smooth on the palate but a little astringent. Later on turned a little metallic and almost a little pear-like.

Chards and Châteauneuf

Dinner at Mian.

2015 Penfolds Yattarna - toasty, coffee, beautiful nose with flinty notes. Good depth on the palate.

2013 Roche de Bellene Meursault Vieilles Vignes - acidity was pretty high and definitely astringent on the palate.

1998 du Pegau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Da Capo - decanted for 1½ hours prior to serving. Very ripe and a little jammy. Still tannic thanks to the sediment.

Full post on dinner is here.

Wines for Chindian

Dinner at Le Chefeteria.

2012 Parés Baltà Blanca Cuisiné Brut Nature Gran Reserva - nice and toasty nose, with nutty notes that was pretty nice. Not as full on the palate and a little bitter with a short finish. More about the nose than the palate here.

2020 Kanonkop Pinotage Kadette Rosé - a little strawberry with some flint.

2017 Millton 'Crazy by Nature' Cosmo Red - tons of sweet vanilla with forest pine, very fragrant potpourri. Kinda like Côte-Rôtie but somewhat different. Surprising that it wasn't too sweet on the palate in spite of the nose. A nice surprise.

2018 Santa Maria di Gaetano Bertani Pràgal - definitely got that sweet, raisiny nose reminiscent of Amarone. Smoky, and actually smelled of acidity in the nose.

2018 Hans Herzog Marlborough Viognier - couldn't smell the wine much... thanks to it being initially served too cold, then the smell of garlic in the air...

2019 Xanadu Cane Cut Viognier - nice and sweet but still got that fruity acidity, along with pollen and botrytis.

Full post on dinner is here.

2020 Grosset Riesling Polish Hill

Drinking at home.

2020 Grosset Riesling Polish Hill - got acidity but also some ripeness, a little astringent on the palate. Pretty tropical fruit nose with some flint. A little young so this was a little too sharp and disjointed.

Bijofu Yuzu Schwa

Drinking at home.

Bijofu Yuzu Schwa!! (美丈夫ゆずしゅわっ!!) - same wonderful yuzu fragrance, but now with bubbles!

Fevre Le Clos and Morey Truffière

Dinner at Sushi Saito.

2014 William Fevre Chablis Grand Cru Le Clos - good acidity, with just a touch of ripeness when paired with food. Flinty notes, still relatively lean on the palate, but not overpowering.

2016 Vincent and Sophie Morey Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru La Truffière - much more toasty on the nose, really nice, a little nutty, and almost some coffee. Really fragrant and lovely.

Full post on dinner is here.

Cold and warm sake pairing

Dinner at Godenya.

Iseno Shiroki Junmai Nama Sparkling (伊勢の白酒  純米生活性), 2020-21 - served at 10°C. Seimaibuai (精米歩合) of 65%. Lovely sweetness, so fruity. A little lactic acid at the start along with the effervescence. So refreshing to start the meal with this.

Kozaemon Junmai Daiginjo (小左衛門  純米大吟醸  赤磐雄町), 2020-21 - served at 12°C. Seimaibuai of 47%. Also on the sweet and fruity side, but a little dry on the finish.

Yuho Junmai Ginjo Nama (遊穂  純米吟醸  生原酒), 2020-21 - served at 17°C. Seimaibuai of 55%. A little more dry on the palate with some acidity.

Hoken Junmai Daijinjo (宝剣  純米大吟醸  中汲み), 2020-21 - served at 12°C.　Seimaibuai of 40%. Rich and viscous on the palate. Sweet on the attack with turned drier.

Mukyutenon Kimoto Junmai Ginjo Sake (無窮天穏  生酛  純米吟醸  斎香), 2019-20 - served at 42°C.  Seimaibuai of 60%. Good balance between sweetness and acidity, with nice fermented flavors.

Shiragiku Junmai Nigori (白菊  純米にごり), 2020-21 - served at 11°C.　Seimaibuai of 55%. Good acidity and fruity notes.

Hikomago Junmai Ginjo (ひこ孫 純米吟醸), 2006-07 - served at 47°C. Seimaibuai of 50%. Pretty fermented notes, definitely a little savory, and a little dry on the finish.

Yamagata Masamune Torotoro Umeshu (山形正宗  とろとろ梅酒) - very thick with the pulp purée.

Full post on dinner is here.