Saturday Betsy joined me in city at Wu’s Wonton King with my 2020 pandemic Zoom group. One person sat apart for 20 minutes while doing a home test, but she was clear and the table has a great time. We had a whole suckling pig and a whole king crab. The pig skin was served Peking duck style, and the meat later. The crab legs were served 3 ways- steamed with ginger and scallion, then fried with a bit of spice- afterwards, the carapace was used for fried rice. We got 2 bonus smaller crabs (fried ) at end. Fried anchovies, asparagus, dumplings. , pea shoots and bok choy. The wines:
2015 Agrapart Venus Champagne
Crisp floral and long, beautiful Champagne, full bodied but lively. A-
2015 Savart Les Noues Champagne
Citrus, herbs, nice length. B+/B
2008 Dom Perignon Champagne
I don’t know how they do it considering production, but this is a stunning young Dom. Full, balanced, bread dough and almond over stunning fruit. A/A-
NV Doquet Grand Cru Champagne (bottling currently labeled Diapason)
This had like a decade in cellar, it came out late and I didn’t take any notes, but definitely liked
1989 Trimbach Cuvee Frederic Emile Riesling VT
Lovely, rich, honied though sugar is barely perceptible, long and fun. A-
1999 Selbach Oster zeltinger Sonnenuhr Auslese
IN a great place, Acid to match the sweetness, ripe apple with petrol and marzipan. A-/B+
1969 Graben Bernkasteler Doctor Spatlese Riesling
Quite volatile nose, but nice older Riesling underneath, more petrol than fruit. B/B-
1976 Schloss Johannisberg Riesling Grunlack Spatlese
Others liked more than I did, I thought off on nose and didn’t care for it. C+
2016 Domaine Bernard Baudry “La Croix Boissee” Chinon Blanc
Lovely young Chenin, wax and sheepswool over bright green apple and lemon. Great match with the scallion/ginger crab legs. B++
2010 Dönnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Spätlese
Shows the acidity of the vintage, this still needs time but stunning potential, all slatey mineral and crisp lime. B+/B for drinking now, A- for future
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1985 Philipe Leclerc “Combes aux Moines” Gevrey-Chambertin
Ripe, but with nice nervosity, dark fruit with a side of holiday fruitcake (in a nice way), A-
1993 Drouhin Clos des Mouches Beaune 1er
The acidity of the vintage stuck out a bit at lunch (I should have decanted before heading to city), by the evening it was lovely. Red and black cherry, baking spices, a touch of gamebird. B/B+ at lunch, A- that night.
2005 Camille Giroud Corton Rognet
Really young, but lots of potential. B+
1989 Chaintres Saumur-Champigny (magnum)
Delicious, light, bright, raspberry, herbs, and undergrowth. B++
Fun afternoon with great group.
Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C drinkable. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice.Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.