Notes from last night's dinner at the Shangri-La's Red.
To start we had complimentary glasses of Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial NV. I've found this champagne to be inconsistent - sometimes very good but sometimes weak and oddly sweet. Tonight, however, it seems we had a good bottle. Medium-bodied, firm and very clean. A good wine to whet the appetite.
For the lobster cocktail, soup and fish courses we had:
Bott-Geyl Pinot Gris Sonnenglanz Grand Cru 2005 - Very light gold. Nose is muted. Medium-sweet with flavors of peach and bitter orange marmalade. Rounded, graceful wine that sits rather lightly on the tongue. Grape skins texture. Impressive length. Excellent wine for current drinking.
For the braised beef with foie gras ravioli we had a half-bottle of:
Domaine Faiveley Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru 2001 - Rather odd, Bordeaux-ish nose of cedar and graphite. Very dry and savory. This certainly leaves your mouth very clean. After 30 minutes in the glass, the nose develops ripe fruit - cherry and plum - that's carried over onto the palate. Acidic finish. Foursquare and still chunky at this time. This needs a bit more patience before it starts strutting its stuff. Very good but with potential for further development. Probably best to leave alone for 3 more years.