Im a Bourbon Guy... but tried Japanese Whiskey lately

 

a local Lager to pair a tasty & classic hummus and chips..

 

Right now, tea. Harney and Sons "Paris". Manufacturer's photos:

 

Heineken

 

Turkey day line-up:

2015 Keller Limestone Qba (Riesling)
2013 Cabot Anderson Valley (Pinot Noir)
2007 Comte de Vogüé Chambolle-Musigny (Burgundy)
2003 JJ Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Auslese (Riesling)
2001 Arrowood Reserve Speciale (Cabernet Sauvignon)

A nice mix. The Comte de Vogüé didn't last one whole hour from our arrival.

 

Two of my favorite things

 

Hibiki..

 

Mead (fermented honey)

 

Oola Three Shores, A tasty dram for sure.

 

Went to a Filipino restaurant in Philly and man was it good and authentic. The food was piled on the table which was covered in palm leaves with rice. The sauces were ladled out between you & the food. Silverware? Pffft, who needs it? Dig in with your hands!

The wine line-up (wine-up?):
2007 JJ Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Spatlese
2013 Shafer-Frohlich Felseneck Spatlese Gold Kapsule
2009 EMH Black Cat
2014 Unity Cabernet blend

 

First person I've come across that drinks/knows of EMH Black Cat. Stellar wine.

 

Shhhhhh! Merrill only does small production. She's a rarity - owns the small vineyard, grows the grapes, and actually lives on the property.

I wish I had time to give it an hour decant, but it was really good on the pop 'n' pour.

 

It's been a while since I had one of this.


Sent from my iPhone

 

Sent from my iPhone

 

Nothing fancy.


Sent from my iPhone

 

A selection of Australian wine royalty, plus a grenche ring-in and a Susumaniello.

We actually starteed with Bouche millesime 2004, not pictured, which we import (shortlisted and met with 120 houses to settle on 3) ... Grand Cru fruit and 10 years on lees. An exceptional Champagne.

Next up, Australian white wine royalty in the form of Tyrrells Vat 1 Semillon 1999, will be tremendous when it starts to mature but still showing nerve jangling acidity and tightness of fruit yet to give way to the pendulous lanolin soaked straw to follow.

Then 98 Penfolds Grange, a great vintage of a wine just entering its pubescence. Decanted for 5 hours and boring (as almost always) as batshit. Stunningly overated. Not talking one dud bottle here, but 3 bottles, perfectly cellared, in their pomp. Possibly should have bought a 6 pack of craft beer and recited 'the Emporers New Clothes' instead.

Nest up Willunga 100 Tithing Grenache 2010 (After a masterclass for our customers winemaker very kindly allowed me access to 20 doz) Ironically this is a former maker of Penfolds Grange. A stunning McLaren Vale Grenache, streets ahead of the Penfolds Grange for drinkability, complexity and depth of fruit. One of the best Aussie Grenache I have had.

Next up Conte di Campiano Susumaniello, which again I have a commercial interest in (it is the only non Champagne I import) - Less than 100 hectares of Susumaniello (susu-man-yellow) are grown on the planet. The word itself comes from Susu meaning “Go” and Maniello, meaning “Donkey” perhaps because, in their youth, Susumaniello vines produce massive yields. So broken of back vineyard workers in the time prior to mechanised transport would exhort the vineyard owner to ‘go get the fuc@&$g Donkey’ to cart the fruit into the winery. As the vines age, the yield reduces dramatically, increasing the concentration and intensity of fruit. By 40-5 years the vines yield is so low it is no longer commercial. No wonder this varietal was on the verge of extinction. This is a big, black wine, bordering on massive. The nose offers a tremendously complex blend of blueberries, flowers, chocolate, spice, dried herbs, and cedar and wood smoke. These can also be tasted along with sour cherries, blackberries and other, darker stuff. It is voluptuously textured and deep. It struts the line beautifully between fresh zippy fruit and aching decadence... awesome.

Then onto Stonier Lyncroft Pinot 2012, an excellent Mornington Pen. pinot off mature vines

Lastly, Yarra Yering (more Aussie wine royalty and they do make some exceptional wines) Potsorts, a vintage fortified wine, good fruit but the spirit just too hot, drying out the fruit somewhat.

 

Well it all started nicely enough, you know a bunch of colleagues get together at the German Christmas market for some (many) Glühwein, followed by beer and er I'm not really sure anymore what came after... and then it all went sort of blurry and surreal, including the ride home that should have been on the cheap subway (S-Bahn) but ended up in an eye-wateringly expensive Taxi due to a terrorist bomb threat... probably some joker exploiting the foreign minister summit in Hamburg.



So WRUD? Probably too much

 

Had this last night...



It was great!

 

Appleton 21! Spectacular. I have yet to try it, liquor stores around here don't tend to stock too many premium rums. I do enjoy sipping the 12 year quite often though.