Concord wine tasting

28 Sunday Apr 2013

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I joined the ‘Concord wine tasting event’ at Langham Place Hotel on Sunday afternoon. Concord is a wine merchant in Hong Kong since 1997, with a wide selection of wines covering most major wine regions. A great opportunity for me to taste many old & new old wines.

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The session runs from 11am to 4pm.  The event costs HK$188, with a free gift of Dr. H Riesling 2011, a worth of HK$130. A selection of Cheese & bread were offered and the tasting room was not over-crowded.

Here are some good value wines l found today.

20130429-173449.jpgCasa Marin Pinot Noir Litoral 2007 $375 Chile

It is the wine that Robert Parker rated 93 point. There is no doubt about it. Very complex nose of red/black berries fruits, dusty, smoky oak, and delicious smoke ham. Quickly sip the wine to confirm the nose. The palate is even more complex with juicy/rich fruit, smoke ham, mineral and chocolate. HK$255, a 32% off the original price today. It was sold out as expected.

Comparing it with Burgundy Pinot Noir, Pommard 2010 (HK$405), Casa Marin Pinot Noir is more jammy and fruity. Burgundy Pinot Noir would never be jammy and savoury like this one from a warm climate. Pommard 2010 is more herbs, mineral and red cherry like aromas/flavours with less body & alcohol level. Definitely, more shy and feminine than Chilian version.

20130429-173441.jpgRosenvale Shiraz Reserve 2005 14.9%, $315 Barossa Valley, Australia

This is a wine for those who would like to taste typical new world style Shiraz. Barossa Valley is known for producing good Shiraz. Its warm climate aids in ripening the grapes fully, producing full-bodied wine with high alcohol level.

The nose tells me it is ‘Shiraz’, with deep colour, rich black fruit, sweet toasty oak, and distinct peppery note. On the palate, good acid & tannic structure with ripe tannin supports the intense flavours.

I bought it for HK$215, 32% off the price. It is always good to buy wine at this kind of tasting event after confirming what you like and at discounted price.

Bladen Winery Riesling 2009 $165, Marlborough, New Zealand

A good value Riesling. It has citrus lime, stone fruit with a hint of waxy note, refreshed by high level of acidity. Though not very complex, the wine is in good balance, showing its varietal characters and smooth texture.

This refreshing & approachable Riesling not only matches with many asian cuisines, but also can be an energy drink in the lethargic hot summer in Hong Kong.

20130501-182719.jpgOn the left, De Bortoli Winery Noble One 2009 (375ml) 10.5%, $238, Australia

100% Semillon base dessert wine, which has a distinct ‘botrytis’ mushroom, spices notes. De Bortoli Winery is known for producing ‘noble rot’ affected Semillon sweet wine.

A rich, full-bodied wine, with citrus, sweet spices, mushroom and honey characters with lively acidity. While retaining good acidity level, the wine has a long future to evolve further as it has enough extract of intense fruit, complex flavours and good sweet/acid structure.

Robert Parker gave it a 94 point. Semillon has a great ageing potential, developing into more complex, rich honey, roasted nut and toast. Promotional price is HK$170, 29% off, which l think is a good value wine to bring home.

Concord Wines   http://www.concordwines.com.hk

Chablis & Red Burgundy

26 Friday Apr 2013

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Wine tasting at my place with my classmates, Kaori & Sam. As the WSET Unit 3 exam is coming up, we decided to do more tasting on our own. It is better to team up to share opinion on wines and learn from each other. We focus on ‘comparing & contrasting’ the wines of three different quality, today.

In Chablis, the quality is divided into three levels : Chablis, Chablis Premier Cru,  Chablis Grand Cru. Below three Chablis are made from the same producer, Lupé-Cholet, representing 3 different quality levels.

2005 Chablis Grand Cru Blanchots  / 2007 Chablis 1er Cru Vaucopins /  2011Chablis – all from Chateau de Viviers, East of Chablis

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Tasting started with Chablis 2011, generic level, 12.5%, HK$190. Pale lemon colour, with citrus lemon, white peach and earthy mineral notes, with zesty acidity, which is harmonious with the flavours. Moderate finish. This is a good example of un-oaked Chardonnay (Chablis is 100% Chardonnay), with good minerality and high level of acidity. Good quality! Can pair well with seafood.

Moving onto Chablis 1er Cru 2007, 13%, HK$345. Medium lemon in colour, aromas of floral, sweet & exotic fruit like pineapple, a touch of toast from the oak, stony mineral and buttery & yeasty notes. The aromas slowly open up with time and become more complex – a sign of good quality! The palate has exotic pineapple, citrus undertone, with toasty, yeasty flavours and abundant mineral. Outstanding wine! Very complex & concentrated wine, with refreshing acidity. This well-crafted wine has a fairly long finish. Promising a long future ahead to evolve further (7-10 years). Can pair with meaty fish like grilled salmon, or white meat. √ Good value wine.

Lastly, Chablis Grand Cru 2005, 13%, HK$580. Medium lemon in colour, aromas & flavours of citrus fruit, toasty & smoky oak, earthy mineral and savoury note. Smooth texture and subtle yet very complex & concentrated flavours on the palate with a long finish. Very good quality! It lacks the primary fruit characters to be considered Outstanding. Perfectly enjoyable wine now and within 3-5 years. Can pair with chicken/sausage/veal and savoury ham/cheese.

Three Burgundy red wines are interestingly different in style & quality, as well.

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2010 Bouchard Père & Fils La Vignee Bourgogne, 12.5%, HK$210 Regional AC wine, where the label contains the word ‘Bourgogne’, meaning that it is the most basic and generic level wine. A fruit-driven style, medium-bodied red with marked sour acidity, simple, juicy red fruits such as red cherry, strawberry. Acceptable quality, lacking concentration, complexity with a fairly short finish.

2008 Domaine Bruno Clair Marsannay ‘Les Grasses Têtes’, Côte de Nuits, 13%, HK$280 Commune or Village AC wine, where the name of the village is shown on the label – ‘Marsannay’, the northern tip of Côte de Nuits. Commune AC is one level below Premier Cru AC. It is more intense & complex wine than the previous one, with floral, sweet red fruit, medicinal and meaty characters. However, the tannins are a bit green and tight. Good quality, with good complexity and moderate concentration & finish.

2009 Hospices de Beaune Volnay Premier Cru Cuvée General Muteau, Côte de Beaune, 13.5%, HK$480 Premier Cru AC is 2nd highest quality below Grand Cru AC. Compared to the previous 2 wines, it has deeper ruby colour. Aromas & flavours of red berries, earthy mineral and delicious coffee, toffee, mocha. Well-integrated, ripe tannins, complex nose & palate, and a long finish all suggest this wine is of outstanding quality.

Blind tasting by Wine.Luxe

15 Monday Apr 2013

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Today, it is a blind tasting of 15 wines of the Rhône Valley & Southern France. Interesting concept of tasting it blind, organized by WINE♦LUXE magazine.

Two hours wasn’t enough to taste 15 wines blind and socialize with like-minded people. I managed to taste 13 wines and below 3 wines are my choice, this evening.

20130416-013815.jpg Good Quality White Châteauneuf-Du-Pape

Pale Lemon. Floral, stone fruit like apricot, peach aromas on the nose, are confirmed on the palate with additional tropical fruit such as melon. Though the acidity is quite low for white wine, the wine isn’t flabby. Well crafted with good balance and reasonably good concentration and a fairly long finish.

20130416-013824.jpg Very good quality Châteauneuf-Du-Pape

Medium Garnet. Aromas of black fruit, pepper and roasted meat. The palate is more intense and complex with range of ripe blackberries, ginger, strong black pepper and roasted meat. Very masculine, expressive wine with firm tannin and high alcohol (14.5%). Would be perfect match with black pepper steak.

20130416-013833.jpg Outstanding Quality Châteauneuf-Du-Pape

Medium Garnet. This wine is very well made with great balance and complexity. Complex range of black berries, licorice, savoury, meaty and trace of chocolate, with well integrated tannin, backed by good level of acidity. Smooth, supple texture of the wine with fairly long finish are another indications of the quality.

At least, 10 wines are from the Southern Rhône, with 5 wines from Chateauneuf-Du-Pape AC alone. Châteauneuf-Du-Pape AC is located in the Southern Rhône. It is perhaps the most well-known AC in the Rhone Valley, where the first Appellation Contrôlée concept was created. Here, Grenache is the major variety with Syrah and mourvèdre (GSM- famous trio in Southern Rhône and Southern France), producing full-bodied wine, with distinct spicy and meaty character with age. For white, Clairette, Roussanne, Grenache Blanc and Bourboulenc are usually blended to produce full-bodied wine, with floral note, low in acidity and high in alcohol.

Unfortunately, there were no great northern Rhône Valley wines such as the fashionable ‘Syrah+Viognier’ blend of Côte Rôtie AC. But, it was definitely worth 180HK$ for tasting good Châteauneuf-Du-Pape both white and red!

‘WINE♦Luxe Challenge 2013′ monthly blind tasting events   

http://www.wine-luxe.com

Argentine Malbec tasting

14 Sunday Apr 2013

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Today, I went to Watson’s tasting of Argentine Malbec, thanks to my classmate, Sam who is a member of Watson’s, gave me an invitation for this event:)20130414-213932.jpg 90+ scored by Robert Parker(RP) / Wine Spectator(WS) Argentine Malbec

Due to the sunnier and drier weather condition in Argentina than its counterpart in Europe, the Argentine Malbec tends to be more juicy, round and ripe, compared to those of Bordeaux which tend to be more rustic and tannic.

Luca Malbec 2010 14%, HK$215, Uco Valley, Mendoza 93 (RP) Really? Deep purple coloured red with dense plum, blackberry and a slight oak. A fruit-driven style wine with good intensity but it lacks the complexity with a fairly short finish.

DiamAndes de Uco Gran Reserva 2008 14%, HK$328, Mendoza 92+ (RP) Yes! A very good wine. I like this one with complex nose of dark fruit, oak influence and a slight tertiary note. High tannins (ripe yet powdery) are absorbed by the good concentration on the palate with a fairly long finish.

Zuccardi Aluvional La Consulta Malbec 2008 15%, HK$598, Mendoza 91 (RP) This ruby coloured red is marked by dense tannins, and high alcohol level. Very smooth and creamy mouthfeel with sweet & rich black fruit (black cherry) and oak influence.

Vina Cobos Bramare Marchiori Vineyard Malbec 2007 14.9%, HK$538, Perdriel, Mendoza 93 (WS) A superb quality, my choice of the night! Deep ruby coloured red, with the great concentration and complex nose of baked red fruit, pungent spice of black pepper and meat showing its development. On the palate, the fruits are very rich and sweet, well-integrated oak and delicious meaty flavours. A delicate and elegant wine with good complexity and long finish.

Catena Zapata Nicasia Malbec 2008 14%, HK$760, La Consulta, Uco Valley 95 (RP) Another great, elegant Malbec with delicate complexity of rich, fleshy black cherry, plum with sweet spices. Fine-grained, ripe tannins are well integrated into the wine. Tertiary notes are not yet showing, which means the wine takes its time to reach its peak of maturity. Good quality substance of rich fruits, ripe tannins seem like a good promise for its bright future!

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To my surprise, Malbec is very elegant and complex on its own. Jammy, alcoholic and rustic Malbec I used to know were not here, today. Malbec falls between Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. It is like Cabernet Sauvignon, with more rich and round black fruits. It is also like Merlot, but with higher tannic structure.

Watson’s Wine Century Square   http://www.watsonswine.com

Carnevino lunch

13 Saturday Apr 2013

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After a couple of depressing clouds in Hong Kong, it is a beautiful clear day today.

I gathered with two Japanese ladies who passionately bring wines from all over the world. They work in the Cathay Pacific Airlines. Having a similar background (I used to work in the airlines, too), we are at ease to start a conversation.

20130413-183608.jpg NYETIMBER Classic Cuvee NV

On the nose, it is mainly bready and yeasty aromas – quite delicate like Blanc de Blanc Champagne. The first impression on the palate is a sour acidity with green apple – tight, not willing to give much…then slowly opens itself with bready, yeasty flavours and nutty characters. Delicate, smooth and refreshing sparking, nicely matched matched with the tomato prawn & polenta.

20130413-174948.jpgTroplong Mondot 2004 St Emilion Grand Cru

A very knowledgeable sommelier at the restaurant promptly decanted our wine at the start. By the time, the main course arrived, it was poured into the glasses and ready for our hungry nose. The nose shows smooth, rich black cherries, plum with toasty and savoury oak, and well-rounded tertiary meaty character. On the palate, the tannins are little green, and the flavour concentration is thinner than what I expect from the nose, with medium(+) body, not quite full. A perfectly good wine to drink now with the steak and any meat dishes, yet it can evolve further before it reaches its peak over the next 3-5 years.

Carnevino steakhouse   http://www.diningconcepts.com.hk (Free Corkage on Sat Lunch)

 

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