Seven of our “Bordeaux” group and one fun substitute gathered at Wu’s Wonton King on a sweltering Monday. We started with some Champagne to go with the fried anchovies, jellyfish, and shrimp sashimi (followed by fried heads)
(additional disclaimer, while I never claim accuracy, this is likely worse than usual, as I didn’t take notes at the table. I let my phone get much lower than usual, and when I went to charge before going to train I got an emergency liquid detected alert. So I kept my phone off during dinner to save my meager charge for ride home. Apparently it’s a known glitch in the iPhone 16 that going in and out between hot/humid and AC can lead to this)
1995 Charles Heidsieck “Blanc de Millenaires”
Lovely showing, in a perfect place, with pear, pastry cream, and a chalky finish. Dosage is evident but balanced, with elegant mousse, nice acidic drive, and long finish. A-
2014 Vilmart Coeur de Cuvee
Bright, young, citrusy and chalky, lovely. B+
2002 Vilmart Grand Cellier d’Or
This is showing a bit of oxidation, but then it is 23 years old. Pear and hazelnut, a hint of rye bread, broad but not sloppy. It actually seemed to tighten/freshen up a bit when tried later. B+/B when first tasted, liked a bit more later, but not as good as last bottle
Then on to dry Riesling, red Burgs, and offdry Riesling to accompany lobster, Peking Duck, veal chops in black pepper, razor clams with black bean sauce, pea shoots, and green beans.
2002 Trimbach Cuvee Frederic Emile Riesling
I liked this more than most, though it showed a bit rounder than other recent bottles I have had. Dry peach, petrol, honied with peach blossoms and citrus zest. B+/B
1983 Trimbach Cuvee Frederic Emile Riesling
I liked this a lot more than others, to me a pretty classic showing, wet rocks and gingery spice, very good length. B+/A-
2021 Dr. Wehrheim Kastanienbusch Grosses Gewachs
New producer to me. Limeade and orange creamsicle with popping acids, tangy finish, I very much enjoyed. Too austere for some. B+
2006 Chandon de Briailles Iles de Vergelesses Pernand-Vergelesses 1er
Solid, red fruits and earthy notes, less open than I’d expect for a 2006. B
2006 Chevillon Les St. Georges Nuits St George 1er
This is all there but a bit tightly wrapped. Cassis and black cherry, earth, espresso flavors are all there, but a bit muted while the tannins and acids build a structural wall. B? With serious potential.
2005 Hudelot-Noellat Les Murgers Nuits St George 1er
Very Nuit-y, dark fruit with soil, grilled meat, coffee, there’s a good bit of tannin but it’s actually more open than the 2006s to my surprise. B+
I pivoted back to the off-dry Rieslings, but didn’t spend much time with them.
1983 Dr. Fischer Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Kabinett
OK this was weird. Amazingly pale color for 40+ year old Riesling. Barely any sweetness, light appley fruit. But there was something a little off- not classically corked, but something bacterial meets chemical (one person said moldy) that was odd. One person opined this is what happens when you dose a slightly dirty wine with a huge dose of sulphur. C+
2015 Donnhoff Niederhausen Hermannshohle Spatlese
I found this a little heavier than ideal, but it might have been a little warm (we were rotating whites in ice bucket). Ripe peach,Rainier cherry, honeysuckle, with long finish. I have one of these and will drink sooner than later. B+/B
2023 Donnhoff Niederhausen Hermannshohle Spatlese
While there’s plenty of richness here, there’s a good acid backbone. White nectarine, floral, very good length. B+
2012 Karthauserhof Eitelsbacher Karthäuserhofberg Spatlese
Another one I liked more than most. Not an Auslese posing as Spatlese, more floral than fruity, very nice profile, maybe not as long as its flightmates B
2013 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spatlese
I didn’t note AP#, I know there are often 2. More tropical and softer than expected, but long and complex finish banishes any complaints. B+
So a good wine night if not a lot of stunners. Food was very good, service was friendly although we had a few amusing miscommunications. The one issue with Wu’s (and this is similar to Pings, PDH , etc) is the dishes fly out without any discernible order, so a little harder to flight wines. But a fun night, Dana was picking me up so I didn’t have to do a lot of spitting, and my phone was working fine after dinner.
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.