Wine evening in Tobe, Yokohama

A fantastic evening with guests bringing interesting wine of different sorts. Only wine to be served blind: a fantastic Swedish Icewine from apples. (infanticide).
One flight, non-blind and food served as the evening went by.

Tasting, eating, enjoying friendly conversation over the tables. The Maescot StExupery was the first bottle to be empty. The ice wine was not emptied as the restaurant closed, but the restaurateur was super happy to receive it as a gift.

• 2000 Bouchard Père et Fils Meursault 1er Cru Les Genevrières 86 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru

  Non-blind. Had immediately, enjoyed over an evening.
  Impression: Very good with an extra star.
  Golden yellow.
  Nose starts out oxidized with some small hints of fruit. "Sherry-nasty". But transforms to a performer over some hours!
  It enters the mouth with the acidic and fresh feeling of good Chard fruit, leaves a rather lacking mid-palate and picks up speed towards a rich finish with various aromas and buttery Chard.
  This is a geriatric Meursault singing its final hymns. Started out as 83p, but grew tremendously over the dinner/tasting.

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• 1989 Reinh Oster Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese halbtrocken 85 Points

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Non-blind. Decanted for 2 hrs.
  Impression: very good, 85p.
  Golden yellow. Decanting let some of the wet oil-paint go away. Grew nicely over the evening to include also Riesling typicity of mango and some flowery components. On the palate it is almost dry and fading. A remarkably elegant wine that sits well balanced in the mouth and requires you to listen carefully. Geriatric but still impressive.

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• 2011 Brännland Iscider 93 Points

  Sweden, Västerbotten

  I served it blind. Had immediately.
  Impression: Outstanding with distinction.
  Majestic golden color. The very rich nose has elements of dried apricot, UMESHU (Japanese plum wine/liqueur), Indian spice and roses. There's also a fabulous note of old style American chewing gum (nostalgic) quality to be found.
  The high acids are strikingly zesty and this very sweet wine need also be tempered by very cold serving. Very, very long and distinct finish covering dried apricots, clove, raspberry, strawberry and a general garam masala note that is a knock-out gorgeous exclamation mark.
  Infanticide. Tonight showing off much much better than previous bottle: (bottle shocked). Among the very experienced tasters, upon learning that this was not made from grapes, guessed: plums, apricots and several other fruits. Yamada san finally received applause for his first suggestion: apples. So, anyone that says this wine has apply characteristics is definitely tasting the label instead of the wine :-)
  A fantastic wine that was highly liked even by those who dis-like sweet wines.
  Has the stuffing to reach stardom!

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• 2001 Simon Bize Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Aux Vergelesses 84 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru

  Non-blind. Had immediately and over the evening.
  Impression: Almost a very good wine.
  Pale red.
  Small Smurf-nose (raspberry cordial).
  Raspberry juice, fine acids, small tannin, watery, watered, no flaws, non-interesting.
  However, it went well with the boeuf bourguignon (upgraded from 75p) and in time started to display fine tertiary notes of tar (upgraded from 80p) and other fine complexities.
  (Wife had no mercy with this wine, only a frown.)

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• 2006 Domaine Michel Gros Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru 87 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru

  Non-blind. Had immediately and over the evening.
  Impression: Very good with bonus star.
  Light red wine with small smurf-nose of raspberries and small brett to create interest.
  Fruit driven style with good acidic counteraction and brett to ad spice. Taste is interesting and elegant, however, over on the weak side.
  A fairly interesting red Burg. Wouldn't buy it though...
  (Wife 80p)

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• 2008 Château Sociando-Mallet La Demoiselle de Sociando-Mallet 82 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc

  Non-blind. Had immediately and over the evening.
  Impression: Very good with a star.
  Started out as a dull 80p "good" wine with a piercing young fruity nose with something dark and tiny brett. Taste started out bland but developed over the course of the evening. Though, will not become more than an everyday drinker. Edgy and imbalanced with aggressive acids and bitter, stemmy, tannins. Not for long keeping. The last bottle to be finished.
  Wife and I preferred this to the red burgs.

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• 2003 Château Bournac 84 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc

  Non-blind. Had immediately and over the evening.
  Impression: Very good!
  Dark red.
  Petite nose with hints of beginning maturity.
  A strong tannic grip but slightly drying fruit. Fine acids and a tremendously fine taste.
  Would pass as a very fine everyday drinker. May not evolve much more.

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• 1998 Château Malescot St. Exupéry 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux

  Non-blind. Had immediately and over the evening.
  Impression: Outstanding with extra *wow*.
  Dark red.
  Murky wood, undergrowth, brett, Grandma's toilet, screaming of "Bordeaux" with high quality.
  Fantastic balance between fruit (+), tannin (+++) and acids (++). Entering the mouth with granny's den, builds up fantastic aromas and acids for the mid-palate that becomes its crescendo, letting go with a subdued and little weak, but looong finish of tobacco, leather, cow's behind, cedar and some oak. Yummy!
  Wish we had some more bottles for up to 5 more years of terrific pleasure... (Wife: 93p.)

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We all decided this was a fantastic evening and all vowed to bring more interesting wines the next time in late December. Winner of the night's blind tasting competition was Yamada san, previous chairman of Yokohama Wine Club, whose long years' of expertise in wine is just amazing. He has had EVERYTHING interesting from Bordeaux that was produced since the 40'ies. All guests were gentle and the feeling of the evening just amazingly friendly.
(Japanese people really don't like sweet wine, more than a small serving.)