Château Margaux Tasting

30 Jan 2011:  Just got back from a Château Margaux tasting at the Enoteca (HK) shop in Tsim Sha Tsui.  Paul Pontallier, the General Manager of the Château, Thibault, his son, their brand ambassador in Asia and Aurélien, the Commercial Director, were all there to represent the Château.  Paul, eloquent and diplomatic as ever, highlighted the pursuit of excellence of the Château, making it possible for great wines to be made over the years, and softly marketed the brand by thanking the audience for their support to make this perennial pursuit of excellence possible.  It was a class-act speech and Paul Pontallier's was one of the best I'd heard!

We tasted mostly the wines from the 2007 vintage, which Paul described as much better for white than for red.  Summer was cool, followed by a warm and dry September.  This made it possible for the Sauvignon Blanc grapes to reach its optimal ripeness before harvest.  The only slight issue I had with this wine was the higher level of alcohol, which at 15%, could easily rival that of some Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley and certainly some New World wines.  There was no shortage of acidity for the full-bodied Pavillon Blanc, which exhibited a rich bouquet of pineapple, melon, fig, honey, nuts and a hint of smoke.  A powerful white offering and it would be interesting to see how this would evolve over the years.  I would score it 17.5/20.

The reds, by comparison, were relatively lighter in body, especially the Pavillon Rouge, and more delicate in style, easily approachable and would not require so many years of waiting before enjoying it.  In fact, Paul said if we were to visit the Château now, we would most definitely get the 2007 vintage to taste.  About a third of the crop would go into the grand vin and around 45% into the Pavillon Rouge, the remainder into the third wine or for selling off as bulk wine.  This proves the point about high degree of selection and the quality that results.  I thought the more delicate Pavillon Rouge showed a very pretty bouquet of red fruit, blackcurrant, blueberry, and mineral.   The grand vin, with some time in the glass, exuded beautiful aromas of violet, blackberry, blackcurrant, cigar box and mineral, and showed much more concentration and depth than the Pavillon Rouge. However, it was by no means in its shell.  It's a wine that can most certainly be enjoyed now, with sufficient aeration.   I scored the 2007 Pavillon Rouge 15.5/20 and the 2007 Château Margaux 17/20.

We also tasted the 1989 Pavillon Rouge and the 2001 Château Margaux.  The 1989 Pavillon Rouge definitely has shadows of the grand vin from the same vintage but it tasted less refined than the grand vin, and to be truthful, a little tired perhaps.   I think this is a wine that should be drunk within the next 1 - 2 years to be able to still enjoy it with some fruit character, especially if it's a bottle that left the château a long time ago.  14/20

I found the 2001 Château Margaux a little less substantial than the 2007, less generous in its body and concentration.  It had a bouquet more underscored with violet, blueberry and lead pencil.  It would be a great food wine if you were to enjoy it now.  Drinking perfectly well now and will continue to evolve for the next 10 - 12 years.  16.5/20

I thought Enoteca did a great job with the tasting.   I had a small chat with Paul earlier and he said nothing quite compared with Japanese style organisation.  Well-said.  Everyone who paid to be part of the tasting, received 5 tickets that would match the 5 wines being shown and you could only redeem a glass of carefully measured 60 ml wine with each ticket.  How precise and how well-organised!   Quite a nice way to spend the afternoon!   Paul admired the people of HK for the dedication to turn up for a tasting on a Sunday afternoon - he probably had no idea how much time HK people spend in shopping malls - loitering in shopping malls is almost as firmly entrenched in our culture and way of life as eating and sleeping!

Single Varietal Italian Wine: Syrah and Merlot

28 Jan 2011: We had a casual supper at home for Richard and his colleagues - a great opportunity for us to tuck into one of the two legs of Iberico ham that were very generous gifts from two different friends.  So I prepared some simple fare - bbq pork sausages and steak, along with chicken wings, Vietnamese vermicelli salad, tomato salad and some much needed carbs to get us through the chilly weather!  We started with the Tunisian traditional method sparkling wine that I wrote about earlier - le "M" and we had so much fun guessing its country of origin.  Bert said he just couldn't get over the fact that Tunisia could produce such sparkling wine of such reasonable quality.  Then we had a couple of wines from Spain to make it more authentic with the ham: a rather delicious and characterful cava and the Ossian 2007, just a really delicious wine based on Verdejo! 

Unfortunately for Richard and me, we didn't quite make it to the first bottle of 1997 Tua Rita Giusto di Notri (60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, aged in French oak) and the second bottle was corked.  (And I couldn't be bothered to fetch another one as I had lined up so many other wines for the evening!). 

So I can only comment on the two subsequent Italian varietal wines that I had prepared for the evening.  The first one was a 1997 Podere Il Bosco from Luigi d'Alessandro, in magnum.  This was a bottle kindly given to us by James Suckling to try - thank you, James!  I had it decanted for about an hour. 100% Syrah from Manzano.  A very engaging and approachable wine, with a fine structure, ripe fruit richness and a smooth texture.  Black cherry jam, plm, chocolate, coffee, lifted by Mediterranean herbs, liquorice and peppery character.  Quite savoury.  Well-made but lacking a little expressiveness and depth.  I believe this estate is now under new ownership and is turning out wines of great potential.  Drinking at peak now and for the next 4 - 5 years.  16/20

The next varietal wine was the 100% Merlot Montiano from Falesco, my all time favourite for reasonably priced great varietal Merlot from Italy.  Falesco is based in Lazio - not too far from Tuscany.  I thought this was probably the wine showing best this evening, showing more concentration, ripe fruit extract, depth and a lingering finish.  Beneath the coat of blackberry, black cherry preserve, liquorice, dark chocolate and vanilla flavours, lies a savoury, almost animal-like character. Rich and velvety texture. A wine of profundity and substance. Drinking well now and should drink well for another 6 - 8 years, without showing any sign of deterioration. 17 - 17.5/20

I paused a little to reflect on the two wines we enjoyed over dinner.  There is just one question at the back of my mind: "Are these varietal wines truly expressive of the grape variety and of the land - that powerful word that summarises all in one expression - "terroir"?  Is it enough for a wine to be well-made and exhibit complexity and quality or does it need to deliver something else that aligns more with its identity and country of origin?  While I am in awe of a number of super Tuscan and super IGT wines made with international varieties from Italy, I remain a bigger supporter of indigenous varieties from Italy and I have endless pleasure in discovering and learning about these varieties and appreciating those wines, in my humble view, that truly express the land, the tradition, the culture, and the people!

Bruno Giacosa Wine Dinner at Otto e Mezzo, HK

Our "senior" wine lover Maria
posing with Chef Bombana as
he shaved truffle over the chicken dish 

21 Jan 2011:  Armit Wines hosted a Bruno Giacosa wine dinner at Otto e Mezzo Ristorante, recently promoted to 2-Michelin star status in foodie Hong Kong.  It was an ideal venue where the chef and the winemaker shared the same pursuit for excellence and high quality.  Chef Bombana and his kitchen staff  did a brilliant job matching each course with the wine selection. 3 tables full of eager wine lovers, amongst whom Maria, who so much enjoyed the wines that she even took a selection of the empty bottles home and who would be proud to admit to be the oldest wine lover in the room!  (Here's a picture of Maria posing with Chef Bombana as he was vigorously shaving black truffle over the Challand chicken dish!)  Service was extremely professional and  impeccable: well-timed, efficient, and attentive.  We had a couple of last minute dietary requests which were taken care of without much of a grumble from the restaurant.  Well done, Bombana and Danilo!   Thank you so much for looking after us!

The menu read like this:

Array of Giacosa wines

Welcome Drink - Spumante Extra Brut 2005

Roast Langoustine in Shell, wiht aromatic herbs and bread crumbs, roast artichoke and pecorino cheese
2009 Roero Arneis: mineral, floral, nutty, pungent and spicy, firm acidity and full body, with a bitter almond aftertaste.  Very good match with the artichoke and scampi.  16/20

Burrata Cheese Ravioli, with black olive and eggplant sauce, "Datterino" cherry tomato
2003 Barbaresco Asili: burnt sugar, chocolate, tar, coves, liquorice, rich but a little funky. Velvety textured, very approachable despite its age, firm structure, good acidity, a wine with an untamed edge to it, but a perfect accompaniment to our food, probably even better with the risotto course (see below). Drinking now and the next 6 - 8 years.  16.5/20

Pumpkin Risotto, with braised beef cheek and Italian aromatic cheese
2003 Barolo Le Rocche del Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba: floral, truffle, herbal, earthy, mineral, spicy, with just a hint of tar and burnt sugar.  Much more elegant, still very fresh and very youthful. Chewy tannin and firm acidity. Drinking now and for next 10 - 15 years.  17.5/20

Truffled Roast Challand Chicken, with truffle jus and truffle mashed potato
2004 Barbaresco Rabajà: roses, tar, chocolate, winter spices (cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon).  Very firm acidity and robust tannin.  Youthful and unyielding.  Not ready to drink yet.  Will benefit from another 4 - 5 years in bottle to integrate the various elements.  18/20

Colorado Rack of Lamb, with confit vegetable black olive and lamb jus
2001 Barbaresco Rabajà Riserva: the pinnacle of the evening, a wine just at the point of revealing its greatness, encompassing harmony, power, concentration, depth and plenty of character.   A very perfumed and powerful wine, with a complex bouquet of roses, tar, mushroom, red fruit, figs and warm spices, and an opulent texture that coats your palate with those warm spicy, floral and earthy flavours.  A wine that remains long in your memory.  This is a rare wine as the cru name of Rabjà is no longer used as of 2007 vintage and this was the last Rabajà Riserva made by the estate.  So a real treat!  19.5/20

Wild Strawberry, with moscato jelly, mascarpone cream and crispy meringue
2008 Spumante Extra Brut Rosé: the dessert was just a fantastic match with this wine! 

I also sneaked a taste of 2004 Barolo Le Rocche del Falletto di Serralunga d'Alba Riserva brought by one of the guests and while it just about began to show its potential to develop into a glorious wine, it was definitely not ready yet and would benefit from at least another 10 - 12 years in bottle! 

All in all, a marvellous evening was had by all!  Some guests even lingered at the restaurant's bar to finish a bottle of 1971 Bas-Armagnac to keep the restaurant staff company while they were diligently clearing away the empty glasses! 

1952 and 1953 Talbot in magnums

18 Jan 2011: We're celebrating Richard's birthday a day earlier at Amuse-Bouche on 22nd Floor of The Hennessy in Wanchai.  Kent and his team as usual looked after us extremely well.  We almost all had the truffle soup as the first course, followed by the black truffle pasta, where perfection expressed itself in the most delectable and simple presentation.  For main course, I had the lobster and penne, which was tasty but perhaps not as good a match with the wine as the duck confit or the rib-eye.  For this evening, we started with my favourite 1996 Pol Roger Cuvée Winston Churchill, rich, aromatic, full of mature charm and a beautiful rounded character.  I just adore the layers of acacia, honeysuckle, pineapple, toast and marzipan, and the firm acidity, all wrapped up with a beautiful robe of creamy mousse.  18.5/20

Then we had side by side two magnums of Talbot, from the vintages of 1952 and 1953.  The 1952 was by comparison the more modest of the two, equally attractive in its bouquet, showing blueberry, violet, cedar and tobacco.  It tasted less fulfilling in the mid palate and it was lighter in style, though still holding very well together.  16.5/20

The 1953 Talbot however was much more complex, concentrated, sumptuous and generally had more character.  Almost sweet caramel on entry, followed by violet and tobacco.  Richer in style, fuller in body, with a firm structure.  Finishes extremely long.  18.5/20

What a revelation!  The 53 Talbot definitely performed well beyond our expectations!  

Slow-Cooked Lamb Shoulder and 2002 Domaine de L'Hortus Grande Cuvee

16 Jan 2010: A quiet day in HK.  Just perfect to catch up on some reading and some cooking.  Richard cooked a 3-hour slow cooked lamb shoulder.  The evening started with a bottle of 2000 Corton Charlemagne, Bruno Clair.  Bright golden colour.  Evolved palate with layers of lemon curd, pineapple, figs, spice, toast, smoke and grilled almonds.  Full-bodied with a creamy texture, bolstered by sufficient acidity, lengthy spicy finish.  Drink now - 2014.  It  demonstrates well that 2000 white burgundies for the most part need drinking now/soon! 16/20

Our red wine of the evening is a 2002 Domaine de L'Hortus Grande Cuvée, a blend of 60% Mourvèdre, 40% Syrah and 10% Grenache.  I was a little nervous serving it as I did not know what to expect - I had brought it back from Carcassonne to HK about 18 months ago, the first time I visited the region!  Ruby core.  A very attractive nose underlined by fresh cherry and blackberry fruit, layered with chocolate, black pepper , liquorice, wild herbs and an animal savoury character.  A wine speaking of elegance, harmony, delicacy, perfume, finesse and character.  Still vivacious with good level of energy and a refined but firm struture.  Another interesting aspect was the more palatable level of alcohol at 13.5%, and it's a wine from the Languedoc region!  17/20 

 By the way, Richard's slow-cooked lamb shoulder was so good that I had seconds! The leftovers would make a great lamb sandwich tomorrow!

1990 Richebourg Meo-Camuzet

15 Jan 2010:  This bottle of 1990 Richebourg Meo-Camuzet was a little disappointing, kind of echoing with Burghound's mention of bottle variation in his website.  It did not quite deliver the subtle power, persistence, perfume and energy that we expected.  Although the wine presented a complex character of leather saddle, earth, wet leaves and violet, it also carried with it a whiff of volatility which blew off after a while in the glass.  The mid-palate was a little weaker than expected, leaving us with less than memorable impression.  Wonder it was just an odd bottle or we should have drunk this bottle 3 - 4 years ago? 16/20

A few half bottles!

15 Jan 2010: Just a few half bottles we tried recently:

2003 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc: Bright lemon-yellow.  Smoky, lanolin, waxy, citrus, gooseberry, honeysuckle and nutty.  Richness balanced with freshness.  Drinking perfectly well now. It matched beautifully with our home-made gravadlax salmon.  Yummy!  17/20

1992 Echézeaux, Robert Arnoux: Definitely drinking at peak (or just past), and perhaps for next 2 - 3 years. Not a generous wine, rather lean middle palate, elegant but somehow lacking in character. 16/20

2001 Château d'Yquem: A glorious wine.  Bright golden colour.  Opulent and luscious, an extremely memorable wine.  Dried apricot, orange peel, marmalade, hazelnut, honey, honeysuckle, potpourri.  Rich and full-bodied, so beautifully balanced, totally harmonious, with a tremendous length.  I probably prefer Yquem in its more youthful state.....with a bit more freshness.  20/20

1996 Deutz and 2000 Sassicaia

15 Jan 2010: A few of  us thought we would try another one of the new restaurants at LKF Tower.  This time we decided to try Casa Lisboa (8/F).   We briefly stopped by to say hello to a few friends who were having dinner at Gold by Harlan (2/F), and we were rewarded with a tasting of 1983 and 1985 Laville Haut Brion.  The 1983 Laville Haut Brion, with its deeper golden colour, seemed much more mature and evolved than the 2 years between the two vintages.  It had the textbook nose of lanolin, honey and toasted nuts, even with a bit of toffee-like character.  Still enough acidity to give the wine a firm structure.  The 1985 however was much fresher, with more vivacious acidity and still evident fruit character, underneath the honey and lanolin. Rich but well-balanced.  Nowhere near decline yet.  Parker last tasted this wine in 1993 and scored it 93 with drinking window till 2008....from this sample, this wine could probably drink well for another 4 - 5 years, whereas the 1983 definitely needed drinking, and might not do so well beyond 1 - 2 years.  We even walked off with a bottle of 1996 Deutz which we opened at Casa Lisboa!
Casa Lisboa, as the name suggests, serves Portuguese cuisine.  So we went for the classic dishes - bacalhau, grilled sardines and suckling pig.  Sadly, the delicious-looking grilled chicken (that would arrive in style on a spit) was already sold out by 8:30!  And there was no African chicken on the menu!  So we settled for the house special chicken, which was served in a watered-down curry sauce.....not very appetisingly looking and the chicken tasted like frozen chicken, even underneath the spicy veneer!
1996 Deutz: Bright golden colour.  Creamy mousse and fine bubbles. A mature and complex nose of toast, brioche, lemon meringue pie, acacia, honeysuckle, ripe pear, marzipan, macadamia and white balsamic. Rounded and creamy character well balanced with firm acidity, medium-full body. A fine example of mature champagne for those who love their champagne with bottle age - I might have preferred this wine 2 or 3 years ago, just a little bit more freshness.  This wine could go very well with a rich Chinese seafood dish, such as prawns with egg yolk or crabs cooked in Chinese wine.  It didn't particularly go with any of our dishes, unfortunately, but I enjoyed the wine very much.  Would be interesting to see how the prestige cuvées from this great champagne vintage are evolving!  16/20
2000 Sassicaia: Decanted for about an hour.  Bright ruby core.  Black cherry, blackberry, tobacco, chocolate. Velvet texture, soft tannin and acidity. Mid palate could do with a bit more stuffing and finish a little on the short side.  However, it was a well made wine, balanced and well-structured, if a little lacking in character.  It did its job perfectly well for the evening.  I thought it had just enough structure and fruit character to match the spicy chicken dish.  A good value wine from a top estate to enjoy with a few friends over a hearty and lightly spicy meal?  16/20

2004 Chassagne Montrachet Caillerets, Blain-Gagnard and 1989 Ausone

8 Jan 2011: Richard cooked a delicious chicken in pernod, thyme and garlic sauce!  We enjoyed this over a bottle of 2004 Chassagne Montrachet Caillerets Blain-Gagnard.  Pale golden colour.  Mineral and citrus-laden bouquet, showing reserved floral, toasty and nutty character.  Taut acidity, linear structure and elegance.  Beautiful finish.  Drinking well now in its youthful state and will continue to drink well and evolve in the following 8 - 10 years. 17/20

About an hour before dinner started, we had decanted a bottle of 1989 Ausone. Garnet ruby core.  A classic nose of violet, blueberry, tobacco, leather and cedar.  However, on the palate, the wine tasted a little mean, and did not quite have enough fruit to wrap around the still untamed tannin.  Not quite sure how this wine would develop.  Just a hint of bitterness on the finish.  Recommend drinking now and for following 4 - 5 years, when the lean fruit character would still be evident.  14.5/20

1993 Clos de La Roche, Hubert Lignier

1 Jan 2011: We went on an outing to explore a bit of Cheung Chau, one of the outlying islands in Hong Kong.  Of course, we made sure we did not miss out on a visit to Cheung Po Tsai's Cave, probably the most famous pirate in Hong Kong waters (technically, he was an officer to the famous pirate Cheng I). Luckily we both managed to worm our way through the dark and terribly narrow"passages" through the cave, even after our lunch at one of the seafood stalls on the island. Near the promontory where the cave was situated, with its strangely shaped rocks, were cacti and agaves, tropical plants that looked a little out of place here. It is odd that Cheung Chau reminded me of Capri in Italy, especially during our walk along Peak Road that gave us views of either sides of the island.  I was just thinking how much more we could do with the islands of Hong Kong.  It looked like the government made an effort in the mid 1990s but had kind of left the rest of the island development to commercial interests.....

With our supper, we had a delicious bottle of 2000 Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet, Domaine d'Auvenay.  The wine displayed the rounded character and signs of the premature oxidation characteristic of white wine from the vintage.  Distinct minerality, poise and elegance, with citrus, nutty and toasty character. Would recommend drinking now till 2014.  17.5/20

The 1993 Clos de La Roche, Hubert Lignier was a truly remarkable wine.  Very closed still.  It was only after almost 3 hours of decanting that the wine started to reveal itself to us.  A rather subdued wine with a defined elegance and linear structure, still tasting very youthful. As the intensity of soft ripe red fruit, mineral and spicy character started to  emerge, we could see the potential of this wine for the years to come.  This wine will continue to evolve over the next 10 - 12 years.  18.5/20 

And so we started 2011..........

1947 Petrus - could it have been a fake?

31 Dec 2010: New Year's Eve - time to sum up the year.  As luck would have it, we started the evening by being disappointed by a half bottle of Krug Rosé.  Lovely salmon pink, creamy mousse and persistent and fine bubbles.  Refreshing, with red cherry and redcurrant nose.  Yet the finish was incredibly short - the taste just disappeared almost as soon as it left the mouth.  14.5/20

The half bottle of 2006 Le Clos Blanc de Vougeot, Domaine de la Vougeraie, delivered more pleasure.  Pale gold in colour.  An attractive nose of lemon curd, acacia, honeysuckle, marzipan, macadamia nuts, honey and a hint of toast.  Rich in body, with a viscous texture.  Balanced, robust in structure.  A sweet finish.  Bolstered by the small component of Pinot Gris, the wine reminded us very much of its New World counterparts.  16.5/20 (It was not the perfect accompaniment to prawns in marie rose sauce!  Champagne or a racy Chablis would have been a better match!)