NEW YEARS DAY - Home in Tokyo (1/1/2006)

With slow-cooked pork shoulder, apple-onion-vinegar sauce, black-eyed
peas with fatty pork, cabbage and onions, and cornbread.

*2002 Dönnhoff Oberhäuser Brücke Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Nahe*

Light yellow and fresh looking. Nose is initially closed and just a
little reduced, but doesn't take long to open up to show lovely slate
sprinkled with fresh lemon juice. It only takes a few moments more for
the cherry to arrive. Once it does, it's always there, but bits of
mineral and flower and limey citrus come and go to keep things
interesting. On the second day the cherry is still there at the core,
but the other elements have picked up in intensity. On the palate, this
combines a luscious salty sweetness with lively enough acidity that
this is a pleasure to drink alone or with food. Berry, cherry, and the
lightest honeyed apple combine with more mineral to make up a
deliciously primary palate that does not sag a bit from entry through
the middle to a lovely long finish. Warning!!! Keep your hands off of
this. It's all primary now and needs loads of time, but it's just
so beautifully delicious that one will find it very hard to let the
rest of one's bottles sit.

I grew up in the deep southern US and I've lived in Asia for the last
six years. Every time I can't figure out what to drink, it seems like
something Alsatian, German or Austrian comes to the rescue. Also works
for southern-style New Year's dinner.

Posted from CellarTracker

Ah, now there's a Southern menu. I was afraid I'd miss my black-eyed
peas, but luckily a Texan brought some to one of my NewYearsDay
parties.

Donnhoff, it's pretty hard to go wrong.

Nice series of notes. Sorry about Jonathan and Samantha moving.
Leflaive rocks.

Best to Cathryn!

Glad you got your blackeyes. Happy New Year to you, Betsy, David, and
Lucy.

Donnhoff and Leflaive (premature oxydation aside) are two of those that
just seem to be perfectly safe buys across every vintage and vineyard.
Love them both.

We'll be seeing Jonathan, Samantha, and the kids next weeked. We're
lucky that HK isn't that far away and I've got an office and a lot of
business there.

Take care,

Jim