THAI DINNER AT HOME WITH BASIC RIESLINGS - Home in Tokyo (9/3/2006)

Richard and Naoko and the kids came over and we prepared Thai -- som
tam, bo bia sod, gai yang, pak bung fai daeng, khao niao mamuang.

While we were finishing the cooking, we drank the rosé. With the food,
we worked through the Germans, saving the Muller-Catoir to sip before
and with dessert.

*2005 Château Cambon Beaujolais Rosé - France, Burgundy, Beaujolais*

A fair bit darker and without the coppery hints of the 2004, this is a
solid deep pink even tending into a little red. The nose shows a
fundamental earthiness, along with strawberry and a bit of cherry
fruit. Palate is fairly substantial for a rosé, but with none of the
hints of sweetness that were in the '04. A bit of gravel, the
lightest hint of peach, but mostly just straightforward berry.
Enjoyable, but lacking a bit of liveliness. I'll buy more, but with a
bit less excitement than previously.

*2002 Egon Müller Riesling QbA Scharzhof - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer,
Saar*

A light yellow that is deepening a bit from the last bottle I had a
year or so ago, but still fresh looking. Nose is predominantly pear and
lime, but with a bit of stone and spice. The spice seems to have come
out considerably over the last year and the fruit on the nose seems a
bit less sweet but no less rich. On the palate, has the same great
raciness that makes this such a great accompaniment to Thai food. Good
streak of stony mineral, along with peach, pear, and a great lemony
acidity. On the finish, a bit of floral honey comes out, but only the
very lightest honey. Light, dancing, and cutting beautifully through
the spicy food - Saaring, not searing!

*2004 Dönnhoff Riesling Estate QbA - Germany, Nahe*

Very, very light in color and crystal clear like springwater. The
refreshing appearance carries through on the nose where a very primary
cherry fruit (that I find trademark for Dönnhoff) is joined by apple,
lemon, and a bit of a tropical hint. On the palate, fresh and tight,
but still with a great fullness of flavor and body without ever getting
heavy. Still primary, not a lot of complexity showing yet, but
terrifically balanced juice that leaves that haunting cherry taste long
after it is gone. I always seem to think of Dönnhoff QbA's and
Kab's as being water with weight and flavor and cut because they're
so damn easy to drink but still pack a great refreshing flavor punch. A
very enjoyable wine of which I'll be happy to drink more, but with a
flavor profile and fullness that does not work as well with Thai.

*2003 Müller-Catoir Gimmeldinger Mandelgarten Riesling Kabinett -
Germany, Pfalz*

A pretty greenish yellow that seems even to hint at the lightest peach,
but I must just be anticipating the nose here. On the nose, an
immediate impression of a bouquet of assorted white and yellow flowers
backed by peachy fruit with an undercurrent of lime. Initially seems a
bit too sweet on the palate, but then a zing of mineral comes traipsing
through, trailing fresh acidity that turns the sweetness to that of a
very young and still firm peach. On the finish, more of the floral goes
on forever, along with some greener fresh herb. Intermittent sips for
two following days in the fridge see the floral element settle down,
the sweetness become less pronounced, and much more gentle tropical
fruit and grapefruit emerge. Eaten with mango and sticky rice, it was
best to catch it on day one. With savory food or alone, it was been
better on the third day.


I love Thai food, I love simple German wines, and I love having family
close at hand even though I live in Tokyo.

Posted from CellarTracker


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Jim Jones
Tokyo, Japan