Dinner at Wild Ginger… it may be a tourist destination, but it remains a wonderful restaurant. We kept it simple: Malay chicken satay, the classic Fragrant Duck and the even more classic Sichuan green beans.
The by-the-glass wine list is more limited than I remember, but remains superb.
2024 Domaine Talmard Macon-Villages – Not as pale as expected, the aromas are also ripe, featuring seckel pear and a note of old roses. The palate is beautifully balanced, with crisp apple notes balancing the ripe pear, with a tiny saline hint in the background. Refreshing and perfect with the chicken skewers, rated 90, seems fully mature.
2018 Andrew Will Cabernet Sauvignon ‘Champoux Vineyard’ – very dark, already fragrant with red raspberry, black plum and a surprising note of red cherry. There is a small welcome herbal hint and some forest notes. The palate is fairly full-bodied and very vigorous, just starting to show secondary notes. The finish is moderately long and nicely balanced. Rated 92.5, up to three points of improvement likely over the next 5 – 10 years.
2006 Donnhoff Schlossbockelheimer Kupfergrube Auslese Riesling Gold Cap – OK, I’m completely exhausted just from typing the name… but
Great wine. Eileen doesn’t drink any sweet wine, she stuck her nose in the glass and said “This smells like an old closet”. She took a tiny sip and lit up. Sometimes you find a treasure in an old closet. The sweetness here is moderate and perfectly balanced by bracing acidity in the finish. The floral notes (cactus flower) are striking and still have a lot of freshness. The finish is long, with savory mineral intricacy and piquant spicy notes. Great wine. Rated 95, probably fully mature, drink now but no problem holding for a few more years.