Aramasa, Kikuhime and more

Dinner at UZA by Nikushou.

2010 Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoch Rosé - good acidity and maturity.

Kokuryu Hiirazu Junmai Daiginjo Nama (黒龍 ⽕いら寿 純⽶⼤吟醸 ⽣), 2022 - seimaibuai of 35%. Nose of banana, really fragrant and floral, very refreshing and clean. A little bit of fermented flavors on the palate, which was surprising.

Aramasa New Year's Day Special Brew (新政 新年純米しぼりたて -isopokamuy- ) 2023 - very clean, very precise, fragrant but not as fruity, with more fermented rice lees.

Aramasa 170th Anniversary Commemorative Brew (新政  創業170周年記念酒), R3BY - similar nose to the New Year's Day Special Brew, but leaner on the palate. More woodsy notes here, almost like Japanese cypress, thanks to fermentation in wooden barrels. Very fragrant with a lot more depth of flavors.

Hakurakusei Zankyo "Super 7" (伯楽星 残響 "Super 7"), 2017 - much more fermented rice lees, starchy, sweet. Very rounded and viscous on the palate. So smooth and beautiful.

Kikuhime Tokugin (菊姫 特吟), H8BY (released 2019), from isshobin - nose was a little on the dry side, with a slight hint of fermentation due to extended aging. Definitely more dry and spicy on the finish, with much more depth on the palate. With more aeration over time, as well as warming up, this became more dry and sharp on the palate.

Full post on dinner is here.

Brochet and Faiveley

Dinner at Jean May.

Emmanuel Brochet Rosé de Saignée - nose of red fruits, plenty of raspberries. Flinty. Very lively and fizzy. So easy to drink.

2005 Faiveley Mazis-Chambertin - started drinking 45 minutes after double-decanting. Still tannic on the palate. Nose of cassis, definitely lots of forest pine. Second pour 1½ hours after decanting and the nose was more open and fragrant, with nice woodsy notes along with leather. After two hours the nose opened up even more and got more alluring, but the palate was still relatively tight.

Full post on dinner is here.

89 Trimbach FE VT

Drinking at home, with electronic candles.

1989 Trimbach Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile Vendages Tardives - floral with white flowers, lychee, a little honey and marmalade. Nice and fragrant nose. Off-dry with a light sweetness upfront, and acidity comes out mid-palate. Mild level of bitterness on the finish. So elegant and beautiful.

2020 Te Koko

Drinking at home.

2020 Cloudy Bay Te Koko - lots of flint and muscat grape, green apple. Very big on the palate. Later on plenty of vanilla oak on the nose.

2010 Arioso

Dinner at Rosita.

2010 Rotem and Mounir Saouma Châteauneuf-du-Pape Arioso Rouge - smoky with notes of leather and some vanilla, lovely fragrance of cedar. Definitely sweet, black fruits here.

Full post on dinner is here.

03 Pax Terraces

Dinner at Nikushou.

2003 Pax Syrah Alder Springs Vineyard The Terraces - showed lots of jammy fruit when decanting. Good acidity on the palate, and first sips showed more plum and some leather. Cassis showed up some 20 minutes later, with a little woodsy notes. This remained the case for the rest of the evening, where the wine showed its maturity without being the fruit bomb that it was in its youth.

Full post on dinner is here.

03 Pax Castelli-Knight

Drinking at home while suffering from Covid.

2003 Pax Syrah Castelli-Knight Ranch - nose of sweet, ripe fruit, and lovely woodsy notes.

69 Clos des Papes

Dinner at Tutto Bello in Taipei.

2020 Trimbach Riesling - nose of stone fruit with some flint. Relatively dry on the palate.

1969 Clos des Papes Rouge - started serving around 20 minutes after opening, without decanting. Very cloudy. Pretty fragrant with red fruits like red cherries and some leather. Fifteen minutes later showed some toasty notes, and developed a lovely nose with rose petals. Second pour about 1 hour after opening and the wine was already more muted, showing some mint and eucalyptus. Pretty happy with this.

Full post on dinner is here.