Saturday 26 December 2015

Christmas Indulgence

25 December 2015: Our two bottles of Christmas indulgence:

Christmas Eve: 1990 Grands Echezeaux, DRC
Medium garnet hue. An immediately alluring bouquet of coffee and mushroom, infused with warm sweet spices. Almost sweet at entry, a rich concentration fills the palate, seamlessly integrated and impeccably balanced, leading to a wonderfully long finish, with just a hint of dryness towards the end. A magnificent drop for Christmas Eve! For me, perfect now...but will stay magnificent in a nice cellar for at least another 8 - 10 years.  19.5/20 



Christmas Day: 1970 Petrus
Intense bouquet of burnt caramel, fruitcake, chocolate, blackberry, kirsch, tobacco, herbs (sage and roasted thyme), entirely consistent with the Christmas theme. Layered and mouthcoating flavours, beautifully integrated tannins in an elegant structure. Drinking at peak now but should continue to age reliably for next 10+ years.  19/20


Not a great looking label! But into neck level.

A pre-Christmas feast with 1955 Veuve Clicquot and 1970 Vega Sicilia Unico


15 December 2015: A feast that served to celebrate a few milestones....a good friend joining the prestigious ranks of Masters of Wine, another good friend passing his 60th year (a bit earlier in the year), and a little pre-Christmas celebration for the rest of us.

We began with 1996 Krug Clos du Mesnil. It effused a rich and intense bouquet of ripe pear, Brazil nut, caramel, shortbread and buttered toast, laced with bright vibrant acidity, and a long rich finish. It seemed quite a bit more evolved than the 1998 we had recently. 18/20


The man and wine from same vintage!
1955 Veuve Clicquot: We were all a bit concerned when the cork came out with hardly a 'pop'! Gentle bubbles of such creamy texture slowly meandered their way through the glasses, carrying a most refined bouquet filled with hazelnut, smoke, toast, liquorice and ginger, that belied its age. Remarkable freshness filled the palate and left with a long complex finish. A perfect harmony, faultless with its notes. An almost ageless example of Champagne, like its same vintage personality who gave us the excuse to open such a great bottle. 19/20











2002 Chevalier-Montrachet La Cabotte, Bouchard (magnum): Apple, almond and citrus notes initially made up the bouquet, but it wasn't quite followed by the crisp, taut tension on the palate that we would expect for this wine. Saline finish, though lacking in length and vibrancy, evidence of premature oxidation? A little bit disappointing. 16.5/20




1970 Latour (magnum): Decanted for 1.5 hour before we tried it (there was no need to decant, except to facilitate the service, without getting sediments into our guests' glasses!) A garnet hue. Glorious bouquet of tobacco, cigar box, cedar, earth, still flaunting some fruity notes of blueberry. A classic claret that has reached the pinnacle of its enjoyment window, and possibly on the verge of its gradual decline (in magnum or larger formats). Drying sensation at finish. Drink now and over next 5 - 8 years (large formats). 17.5/20


1970 Vega Sicilia Unico (magnum): Decanted for 1.5 hour. Ruby hue, just showing some garnet at the rim. Plum, dark cherry, tobacco, fig leaf with chocolate notes, complemented with a remarkable freshness that kept up its youthful state. Perfectly retained structure, with a rich and luscious texture, leading to a finish that went on and on. A superb effort. Drink now and over next 12 - 15 years. 19/20



1954 Rivesaltes, Cazes: a rich enticing Christmassy bouquet of date, prune, walnut....with smooth silky texture....just seemed lacking in concentration and character when compared to the next wine!  But a beautifully aged Vin Doux Naturel from a tricky vintage, and perfect with the chocolate rum-raisin cake that I made, courtesy of Susan Jung's recipe posted in the SCMP. 16.5/20  



1945 Sandeman's Vintage Port: the spirity finish didn't detract from its slightly superior quality compared to the previous wine. Characterful, with dried fruit, nutty and caramel notes. Probably more enjoyable 10 years ago....now seemed rather lacking in fruit, the experience overcome by the alcoholic finish! 17/20

And just a few more days to Christmas!  

Monday 30 November 2015

Nice Birthday Trio: Lafite, Mouton and Petrus, all from 1990 vintage

29 November 2015:




To celebrate a dear friend's birthday, we prepared 3 bottles of 1990 Bordeaux for our meal at Nur Restaurant (the restaurant normally only permits 2 bottles brought in from outside, but we were granted an extra bottle on this special occasion - thank you!).  We weren't sure if we were going to need 3 bottles, as two of our group were still a little under the weather (plus we had ordered a bottle of 2005 Thienot Cuvée Stanislas and a 2011 Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet Clavoillon from the wine list!).  So we first had the 1990 Lafite and Mouton which had been decanted for about 30 minutes plus the additional aeration in the glass!  The Mouton was much more subdued and showed more savoury tertiary character (much more evolved), and seemed more delicate. One of the dishes was a mushroom broth with Maitake mushroom.....it paired perfectly with the Mouton!  

Maitake mushroom, goji berries and mushroom broth

There was a very attractive fruit character that's still present in the Lafite, which showed a firmer structure than the Mouton. With silky tannins and a remarkable freshness, the wine showed a very harmonious presentation and a gorgeous bouquet of graphite, cedar and tobacco. There was a very admirable level of energy.   I loved it with the barbecued goose course.

Barbecued goose, Tokyo turnip and myoga

With still 2 more savoury courses to go, we had almost reached the end of those 2 bottles. So we decided to open the Petrus as well.  The Petrus was a bit muted at the beginning, and with aeration, it revealed a powerful character, with rich nuances and a voluptuous frame of ripe firm tannins just beginning to become integrated, befitting of a great vintage....with almost a burnt-cream, stewed fruit like character, with notes of coffee, Black Forest cherry and sweet tobacco.  Much more youthful in its evolution than the other two wines, I feel that with 5 or more years, it would start flaunting its seductive powers to become a truly compelling wine.  So powerful that not even the chocolate dessert could diminish its lingering superior qualities!

But for this evening, I loved the Lafite...it was the wine of the evening for me.  It showed harmony and balance, and an exalted elegance that belied its powerful structure.  So hard to score....I would give both the Lafite and Petrus 19/20 with a 'plus' sign for the Petrus. For the Mouton, I would score it 17/20.  The Mouton would be the wine of the trio that would not win the long distance race - best enjoyed over next 8 - 10 years in 750 ml format, while the Petrus would have at least 25 - 30 years ahead and the Lafite somewhere in the middle!

And the food, we're once again convinced that it's one of our top 3 restaurants in HK!  Each course was so thoughtfully created and artistically executed, with the contrasts and pairings of flavours and textures perfectly calculated.  We were as excited about the last course as we were about the first!

An irresistible platter of delightful amuse-bouches

An interesting tasting of 3 Cabernets

7 Nov 2015: We compared 3 Cabernet-Sauvignon dominated wines from 3 different countries. They were 1995 Leeuwin Estate Cabernet Sauvignon (Export Lot 98), 1993 Maya, Dalla Valle, 1990 Gruaud Larose.



1995 Leeuwin Estate, Margaret River: 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, with the balance made up of Merlot and Malbec. 14% abv.  
Intense blackberry, black cherry notes, with sweet tobacco (cigar) and bacon notes.  Gradually some minty character emerged, with aeration.  Balanced acidity, mellow but still firm tannin, vibrant palate, a very elegant long finish.  Still plenty of energy. 

1993 Maya, Dalla Valle, Napa Valley: 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Cabernet Franc.  13.5% abv.
Initial bouquet was spicy with notes of cinnamon and cardamom, dark cherry and blueberry notes, with sweet plum and kirsch, hot pebbles, almost port-like.  Soft chewy tannin.  With aeration, medicinal, herbaceous notes emerged. Slight disharmonious burning alcohol finish.

1990 Gruaud Larose, Saint Julien, Bordeaux: 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot. 12.5% abv. 20 months maturation in oak.
Quintessential aged claret nose of cedar, smokey cigar box, sweet spice, vanilla.  Almost sweet on entry, with mellow tannin, balanced and complex finish, just lacking in energy.

All were tasted blind and it was interesting that most of us voted for the 1995 Leeuwin Estate! 

A Veritable Maestro

26 November 2015: Over 30 representatives of the local trade attended a tasting of newly released Gaja wines with Angelo Gaja hosted by Altaya Wines at the Kee Club in Hong Kong. Now 75 years of age with a long and distinguished career behind him, Angelo Gaja shows no sign of slowing down, and emphatically assures the audience, “I don't like to retire”. The pater familias of the Gaja family is delighted to share with us that his youngest, 22-year-old Giovanni, has shown an interest in the family business and is learning the ropes from his older siblings, Rossana who is responsible for the domestic business and Gaia who is responsible for the international business. 


For Angelo, the most important influence on the quality of the wine is the annual weather pattern under the effects of climate change. Soil and grape varieties are the constants. Quality has come with a better understanding of the soil and the vineyard. Since 1995, he has been applying cow manure to the soil to create humus, facilitating the growth of a healthy population of earth worms that keep working the soil. Biodiversity is important and the cypress trees are perfect habitats. Straw mulch cover helps drainage and prevents soil erosion. He has also engaged 7 vineyard consultants to help build this knowledge. 

Renowned for his radical ways of introducing temperature control and French barriques for maturation to traditional Piemonte, Angelo referred to himself as an artisan, and passion is the gene of the artisan.  He told us said that prior to 1966, there was no restriction on grape varieties for Barolo….so a number of the Barolos had Nebbiolo as well as other grape varieties in the blend. The reason he blended a bit of Barbera with Nebbiolo in Conteisa and Sperss was so that he could follow this artisanal origin, and he could fall back on the Langhe DOC. Speaking with a Maestro-esque theatrical flamboyance, Angelo confided in us an interesting allegory: that Cabernet Sauvignon was like John Wayne, predictable in the way he would dominate the room, and that Nebbiolo was like Marcello Mastroianni in Fellini’s 8 1/2, winning over the ladies in his quiet, sultry and mysterious ways.

 
The perfect charmer - Nebbiolo-based Conteisa and Sperss

Angelo certainly wowed the fans in the trade with his newly released wines. The range of newly released Gaja wines presented to the trade included wines from both Piemonte and Tuscany: 2013 Alteni di Brassica (Sauvignon Blanc), 2013 Gaia & Rey (Chardonnay), 2012 Barbaresco, 2011 Conteisa (92% Nebbiolo and 8% Barbera), 2013 Ca’Marcanda Magari (50% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc) and 2011 Ca’Marcanda Camarcanda (50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc). The 2013 Gaia & Rey saw a tighter frame, trading the traditional lush structure for heightened minerality with a long crisp finish, and the 2011 Conteisa was a clear winner with the local trade, with such freshness, supple tannins and an open velvety texture, bearing the hallmarks of Cerequio (situated between Barolo and La Morra), and the 2013 Magari showed a well-balanced Bordeaux blend from the maritime climate of Maremma, with promise of soft ripe fruit and spicy nuances, very ready to please!

Delicious Magari, so ready to please!

Opening Eyes to Chinese Baijiu

24 Nov 2015: Outside of China, it’s hard to find many fans of the notorious Chinese alcoholic beverage, but The Drinks Business HK braved the odds and hosted a Baijiu Masterclass and Dinner, with the sponsorship of Googut Wine & Spirits, specialist in aged and rare Chinese Baijius, with participants from on-trade, local media and consumers. 

Baijiu, also known as “Shao Jiu” and literally known as the White or Transparent Spirit, is a distilled alcoholic beverage based on fermented grains, with the sugars having been released by amylase and glucoamylase enzymes from micro-organisms such as filamentous moulds (Aspergillus oryzae and Rhizopus oryzae) and amylolytic yeast Saccharomycopsis fibuligera. Plant starch is made up of amylose and amylopectin, both polysaccharides, or long chains of glucose units joined by glycosidic bonds. The enzymes break up these bonds to release glucose. Some protease also helps breakdown of proteins into amino acids.

The earliest record of fermentation could be traced to the Neolithic period but references to the Chinese spirit became official in the Qin Dynasty when it was a beverage reserved for the Imperial Court. The appearance of an Official Manual to Spirit-making 北山酒经 in the Song Dynasty (around 1000 CE) testified to the level of technical sophistication achieved, confirmed by the presence of a number of high quality spirits much appreciated by the literati such as Li Bai 李白and Su Dong Bo 苏东波.  The spirit was no longer a beverage reserved for the upper class, but its popularity spread wide to the general population. Increased trade with the West would have brought about awareness of distillation technique, which seemed to have Greek alchemy origins. The archaeological remains of an ancient distillation still dated 12th Century were discovered in Hebei province. This period (1000 – 1840 CE) became a turning point of Baijiu making and a number of today’s famous brands were established in the Qing Dynasty. In 1998, the archaeological remains of fermentation pits dated to the Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties were discovered at the current site of Shui Jing Fang 水井坊(formerly Quanxing Daqu Distillery), now 100% owned by Diageo. Shui Jing Fang was able to receive permission from the government to revive production in these ancient fermentation pits, giving the spirits a unique character with the activity of millions of still active microbes. Googut started a collaboration with Shui Jing Fang to bottle these spirits, undiluted with any new-make spirits, at “cask” strength of 66%, in imitation porcelain designed by a famous living porcelain artist Huang Yunpeng 黄云鹏 that reflects the styles of the respective periods. These spirits were tasted during the dinner.

 
In order of Yuan, Qing, Ming 

Unlike the production of whisky, which relies on the natural enzymes from malted barley to perform the action of saccharification or amylolysis, the production of Baijiu uses a starter called Jiuqu 酒曲/酒粬/酒麴.  Jiuqu is made by the cultivation of micro-organisms (typically moulds and yeast), whether naturally or cultured, on steam-cooked grains. With the correct mix of humidity and temperature, these micro-organisms are able to multiply and grow rapidly in the substrate. There are different types of Jiuqu and innovations over the millennia have resulted in refinement of production technique, time and efficacy of the Jiuqu. The main categories we concerned ourselves with during the Masterclass were Xiaoqu 小曲(Xiao meaning Small) and Daqu 大曲 (Da meaning Large). Another type of Fuqu 麸曲, though responsible for a significant production volume of Baijiu, is more associated with lower quality Baijiu.   

Jiuqu varies in the type of substrate, for example Xiaoqu is typically based on rice or glutinous rice and Daqu based on mixtures of wheat, barley and/or peas (though more likely to be 100% wheat these days). While Xiaoqu is more popular in Southern China, Daqu has more applications in Northern China, around the Yellow River and Yangtze River production zones. Because of the dominance of one genus of mould (Rhizopus), Xiaoqu seems to have less aromatic complexity. There are different types of Daqu classified by the temperature of their production: Low Temperature Daqu, Moderate Temperature Daqu and High Temperature Daqu. An example of Baijiu made with High Temperature Daqu is Moutai. Low Temperature Daqu is exemplified by Fenjiu and Moderate Temperature Daqu, by Luzhou Laojiao. The production time for Xioqu is typically 7 days, with a shelf life of 3 months. The making of Daqu for Moutai for example takes more than 6 months, with a lengthy ageing period of 6 months before it can be used. Xiaoqu is smaller in shape, either balls or cubes (10-100g), whereas Daqu is in a brick form (1-5 kg) and needs to be broken up before it can be used. The production of Baijiu using Daqu is a much more costly process as the requirement for Daqu is about 10% of the base material, to almost 100% in the case of Moutai. The requirement for Xiaoqu is roughly 0.04% of the base material.


Rather than straightforward fermentation and distillation, a number of techniques have evolved to improve the quality of the spirit, for example to enhance the character of the grain by adding fresh base material to the distillation still; to recycle the solid leftovers from distillation to reduce the amount of base material required; to enable multiple fermentations to happen such as in the case of Moutai; or to intensify the aromatic complexity such as in the case of Dongjiu production. The Moutai production is the most complicated as it involves 9 times of cooking, 8 fermentations and 7 distillations, during the year-long production.


Unlike the French AOC system, which is based on clearly delineated geographical areas as well as other regulations on yield, permitted grape varieties and production methods, there is no government-regulated rule book for Baijiu production. Although some geographical segmentation has resulted from demographical and cultural developments along key rivers and lakes, Baijiu is now better classified through its aromatic profile. A number of styles were demonstrated during the Masterclass, including the Ester-Rich style 酱香of Moutai (or more commonly known as “Sauce” or “Fermented” Style), the Light Aromatic style 清香of Fenjiu, the Intense Aromatic style 浓香 of Luzhou Laojiao and Wuliangye, the fruity Xifeng style 凤香of Xifengjiu, and the enigmatic aromas of Dongjiu (Dong style 董香). 


Source: china-mike.com

Some key geographic segments:

Geographic Segment
Provinces
Examples of Key Baijiu Producers
Characteristics
Chuan-Qian Segment
川黔板块
Sichuan
Wuliangye (五粮液), Luzhou Laojiao (泸州老窖), Shuijingfang (水井坊)
Traditional heartland of high quality baijiu. Sichuan accounts for 30% of national production.
Guizhou
Kweichow Moutai (贵州茅台), Dongjiu (董酒)
Su-Wan Segment
苏皖板块
Jiangsu
Yanghe Daqu (洋河大曲)
Rising quality targeted at mid to high level; strong sales growth/marketing
Anhui
Gujinggongjiu (古井贡酒)
Lu-Yu Segment
鲁豫板块
Henan
Taishan Tequ (泰山特曲), Kongfujia (孔府家)
Many local brands from the 2 provinces, competitive market for second-tier labels from other provinces
Shandong
Songheliangye (宋河粮液), Baofeng (宝丰)


Below is a brief description of their characteristics: 

Moutai 茅台: From Guizhou. Base material is organic red Sorghum grown in specific villages of Guizhou. High temperature Daqu (substrate wheat). Embodies the Ester-rich style, unctuous in texture, high in acidity, with pungent aromas reminiscent of fermented bean paste, liquorice, menthol and blue cheese. Long production time of 5 years before release.


Fenjiu 汾酒: From Shanxi. Base material sorghum. Low temperature Daqu (substrate barley and peas). Dry and light, clean finish, nose dominated by ethyl acetate and ethyl lactate, almost plastic-like.


Wuliangye 五粮液: From Sichuan. Made with 5 grains: rice, glutinous rice, wheat, maize and sorghum. Intense esters, earthy with a defined grainy/cereal character, long aftertaste.


Luzhou Laojiao 泸州老窖: From Sichuan. Base material sorghum and rice. Moderate temperature Daqu (barley and peas or wheat as substrate). Earthy character, with strong character from ethyl butyrate and ethyl caproate, almost sweet tasting at the initial attack, unctuous texture, very long finish.

Xifengjiu 西凤酒: From Shaanxi. Base material sorghum. Low temperature Daqu (barley ad peas substrate). Distinctly fruity aromas (pineapple, pear, banana), and more approachable.


Dongjiu 董酒: From Guizhou. Base material sorghum. A mix of Xiaoqu and Daqu. Lower in alcohol, the only one during the Masterclass that was below 50%, at 45% abv. Distinct aromas, high in acidity (acetic acid, butyric acid, caproic acid and lactic acid), with high ethyl butyrate (blue cheese and fruity, pineapple).


During the consumer Masterclass, we also tried a number of aged Baijius, including a 2007 and 1999 Moutai (these are years of release, given that Moutai takes 5 years to produce), as well as a 1981 Dongjiu, original cask. Aged Baijiu, like cognac and whisky, takes on a more mellow and harmonized caramelized note and also a yellow tint to the colour.


Ian Wo, the Googut Director for Hong Kong and Macau, said that it was also a first time for him to be able to compare all these different styles in one sitting. At the height of Baijiu auctions in China, total sales of Moutai in auctions reached RMB 1 billion, almost 93% of total Baijiu auction sales. Kweichow Moutai is the official name of Moutai, having consolidated 3 family-owned distilleries (Hua, Wang and Lai) in 1951. For various reasons (hygiene, quality control, political and anti-counterfeit measures), the packaging of Moutai has undergone changes according to the periods, for example, the adoption of white porcelain to replace the brown ceramic bottle in 1958, the adoption of plastic tops in 1966, the change of domestic sales bottling size from 540 ml to 500 ml in 1986, that there existed 3 trademarks, the Five Star trademark for domestic sales, the Flying Fairies for export sales, and the brief introduction of the Sunflower trademark (1969 – 1983) during the Cultural Revolution, replacing the Flying Fairies, as the latter was deemed to represent traditional values, known as ‘Four Olds”, the change of closure to metal cap (1987 – 1990) and some modern measures for batch identification such as the laser-printing of batch numbers on plastic strips over plastic closure. The production of Kweichow Moutai has gone from around 600 tonnes in 1958 to over 4,000 tonnes in 1997 and to 32,000 tonnes in 2011, further demonstrating that authentic aged Moutai with proof of original packaging, has the qualities of an investment class beverage.

 
Kweichow Moutai: 1999, 2007, 2014 (furthest right)


Kweichow Moutai is one of 8 Famous Spirits from China, rated in the 1963 National Tasting of Chinese Spirits. The other 7 are Fenjiu, Luzhou Laojiao, Wuliangye, Xifengjiu, Dongjiu, Gujinggongjiu and Quanxing Daqu. The latter is the former self of today’s Shui Jing Fang. National production of Baijiu is 10 million tonnes….and the production of the famous 8 spirits is about 100,000 tonnes (just 1%!!!).

 
A set of Eight Famous Spirits from Early 90s

The last element of the Masterclass was tasting with different glassware by Spiegelau, sponsored by Inhesion Asia, Spiegelau’s local distributor. During the Masterclass, all the Baijius were served in tiny 15 ml Spiegelau Baijiu glasses. For this part, each participant was given a brandy glass with the same measure of Moutai as in the small Spiegelau Baijiu glass, a digestive glass and a distillate glass. It was interesting to note that of the on-trade participants, there was a strong preference for the digestive glass, giving a better balance of alcohol and aromas. The consumers mostly preferred the Baijiu glass!

 

Baijiu Glasses by Spiegelau


The Baijius that were tasted during the consumer Masterclass (year of release) included, with their retail prices for a 500 ml:

Kweichow Moutai 贵州茅台 (2014)

Kweichow Moutai 贵州茅台(2007) (HK$ 5,200)

Kweichow Moutai 贵州茅台 (1999) (HK$ 19,000)

Fenjiu 汾酒(2007) (HK$ 380)

Wuliangye 五粮液 (2015) (HK$ 1,480)

Luzhou Laojiao 泸州老窖 (2007) (HK$ 3,500)

Xifengjiu 西凤酒(2004) (HK$ 380)

Dongjiu 董酒 (2001) (HK$ 780)



And during the dinner, these were tasted:

Zhuyeqing 竹叶青 (2000) (HK$ 900)

Shui Jing Fang Yuan, Ming, Qing 水井坊元明清原浆(2014) (HK$ 5,430 (Yuan), HK$ 4,710 (Ming), HK$ 3,800 (Qing))

Dongjiu Vintage Release: Artistic Edition 艺术董酒原浆 (1981) (HK$ 6,000)



The prices for 500 ml have been included to demonstrate that not only there exists a range of styles, the prices vary significantly too!


 
The Masterclass line-up, with some 5-litre Shui Jing Fang Yuan, Ming, Qing in the background



For the food pairings, there were some winners…such as braised pork belly with preserved vegetable 梅菜扣肉, deep fried fish balls served with fermented clam sauce蜆介炸鯪魚, lettuce with preserved bean curd腐乳炒唐生菜and the traditional lamb stew古法雙冬炆羊腩煲. Shame we were not able to try Dong Bo Rou 东波肉!


We only touched the surface of a very interesting drink category, as testified by one of the participants. I cannot agree more. Most consumers who attended confessed to only associating the “white spirits” with the practice of “Gan Bei” (Bottoms Up) at business banquets in Mainland China, a practice of the years of unrestrained extravagance. Most said they found these experiences off-putting, with some even dreading them. Being able to learn about Baijiu as a drink category in a relaxed organised setting, complemented with educational materials on its history, art and science, was a unique and refreshing experience. It was encouraging to hear Devender Sehgal, Mixologist at Otto e Mezzo, to express an interest to explore creating a cocktail based on Baijiu, as a number of bars in New York have started to feature. Yvonne Cheung of the Swire Hotels, renowned for her interest in diversifying the drinks list, thought if she were to include one style, it would be the Moutai, as it represents a benchmark style for the category. While a Masterclass like this is unlikely to convert more people to embrace the high alcoholic strength and pungent beverage as their new favourite, I believe it did help us push the boundary, break down some initial barriers of “fear” bred by ignorance. With education comes better understanding and eventually, hopefully, better appreciation. As the saying goes, Rome wasn’t built in one day!

Saturday 21 November 2015

A Brilliant Food-Wine Pairing

9 Nov 2015: I discovered this quite by accident but it was for me one of the most memorable pairings: Graham's 20 Years Tawny Port with pork belly braised with dried wild mushroom (Imbricated hydnum) and mild chili (虎掌菌扣王花腩).



This happened during a dinner at Kin's Kitchen, Hong Kong.  The slow cooking of the pork belly added a caramel note to the rich meat-jus enhanced sauce and concentrated the umami flavours from the mushroom, lifted with the mild chili. The Graham's 20-year Tawny offered a richness of complexities: sultana, toasted vanilla, honey and pecan nuts, with some light spicy notes, and above all an abundance of umami flavours from the long ageing, which helped intensify the unique flavours of the dish, and offered the right sweetness level to pair perfectly with the mild chili. The velvety and mouthfilling texture of the Tawny port coated each bite of the pork belly, and the combination was simply sensational! I highly recommend!

Another pairing which I rather liked was 1989 Cos d'Estournel with pigeon cooked sous-vide.  The sweet tobacco and cedar tertiary notes of the Cos d'Estournel complemented the savoury flavours of the pigeon. And the 2007 Monthélie-Les-Duresses, Comtes Lafon was a perfect match with the steamed rice with abalone and chicken dices, wrapped in lotus leaf!

Food and wine pairings are rather subjective, in my view, just that some tend to be more inspirational than others, eliciting a bit more excitement!

Thursday 15 October 2015

Mercurey: A Hidden Jewel of Bourgogne!!

Credit: Freddie Wong
14 October 2015: The fifth instalment of the live satellite-broadcast training on Bourgogne wines hosted by BIVB (Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vins de Bourgogne) or the Bourgogne Wine Board put the spotlight on the appellation of Mercurey and its climats. The English broadcast reached trade audience over 20 locations around the world including the UK, USA, Canada, Norway, Belgium, Germany, Taiwan and multiple cities in China (including Hong Kong). (The live broadcast was also available in French at different times.)

Mercurey, named after the God Mercury, is one of the most celebrated appellations of the Côte Chalonnaise that stretches 25 kilometres south of Chagny, a town perhaps better known for its 3-Michelin-starred restaurant Lameloise. Covering 635 hectares, with production of 3.5 million bottles, Mercurey is one of the largest appellations of Bourgogne, after Chablis and Pouilly Fuissé. Traditionally known for reds, now accounting for 85% of the total production volume, Mercurey’s whites have been gaining recognition for their flinty and fruity character and remarkable freshness. 27% of the production comes from the 32 Premier Cru climats. The historic rustic character of the reds has given way to charming wines today, full of cherry pit character, overlaid with spiciness, with a roundness and smooth texture, that could fit every palate, affirmed Amaury Devillard, President of the Mercurey Producers Union, also co-proprietor of Château de Chamirey and Domaine des Perdrix. And the whites cannot be overlooked, he hastened to add. He said that there was not just one Mercurey wine style, but that it resembled a patchwork of colours, with diverse expressions across the beautiful Village wines and the distinctive Premiers Crus, and more importantly a remarkable price-quality ratio. He shared with the audience his two favourite Premier Cru climats: limestone-based south/southwest-oriented Clos des Barraults for flinty, pure and elegant Chardonnay and clay-based Clos du Roi for fresh, juicy Pinot Noir with a smooth finish.




The diversity of the wines is in part due to geological upheavals caused by the rising of the Alps 50 millions of years ago, smashing to pieces the sediments formed during the Jurassic period (around 137 – 195 million years) of the Mesozoic Era. This geological disruption resulted in a number of terrains consisting of 5 different types of marl and 10 different types of limestone. For simplicity, they are largely grouped into 5 different families of soil and subsoil, explained Jean-Pierre Renard, Instructor of the Ecole des Vins de Bourgogne, part of BIVB. The first family consists of 270 hectares formed on hard compact limestone less than 1.2 metres deep and found mainly in the north, represented by climats such as Les Montelons, La Frambroisière, La Perrière, La Mission (monopole of Château de Chamirey) and En Sazenay. The second family of 190 hectares is based on a subsoil of marl, covered by shallow limestone pebbles, represented by climats such as Creu de Montelons, La Cailloute, Les Croichots, Le Clos des Barraults, Les Vasées and Les Montaigus. The third family is also based on marl, with pebble and red/brown soil, ranging from 40 cm to 2 metres deep, characterised by climats such as Les Combins, Le Closeau, Les Crêts, Le Clos L’Evêque, Le Clos du Roi, La Chassière and Le Clos de Paradis. The fourth family is clay-based, with no limestone, and soil 1.5 metre or deeper, stretching across 70 hectares, with examples such as Le Bois Cassien, La Corvée and Le Clos Rond. Erosion of slopes on both sides of the small valleys that fuse with the central valley Val d’Or gave rise to the final family, which contains no limestone in the deep soils. But it could be much simpler than this, Devillard shared with us the wisdom of his grandfather, Marquis de Jouennes, who was the first to bottle wines at domaine in Mercurey in 1934. His grandfather taught him to watch how quickly the snow melted to understand the quality of the terroirs. The quicker the soil melts, the more quickly the bunches ripen, and the higher potential for quality of the wine.


Naturally, the human hand has played an important role in shaping the modern landscape of Mercurey, and the diversity of styles. Improvements in viticulture and the winery effected by a new generation of dynamic winemakers have given the wines a modern allure and market potential.


6 wines were tasted during this one-hour seminar, including one village white, one village red and 4 Premier Cru reds. In Hong Kong, the seminar elicited a wave of interest and lively discussions amongst the trade professionals who attended. The Hong Kong group gave a resounding nod to the flinty and refreshing white with balancing fruitiness. Although opinions were divided amongst the reds, there was no question that the two red Premiers Crus from the 2012 vintage showed a firm structure and potential for ageing that would reward years of cellaring. Renard recalled his memorable experience of tasting Mercurey wines with 10, 20 years of age.


 


The 6 wines that BIVB selected for the tasting were:

Mercurey Les Rochelles 2013, Domaine Louis Max

Mercurey Les Closeaux 2013, Domaine de l’Europe

Mercurey 1er Cru Champs Martin 2013, Domaine Theulot-Juillot

Mercurey 1er Cru Les Vasées 2013, Domaine François Raquillet

Mercurey 1er Cru Clos du Roi 2012, Château de Chamirey

Mercurey 1er Cru En Sazenay 2012, Domaine de Suremain



Quoting Devillard’s conclusion, Mercurey is [indeed] one of the hidden jewels of Bourgogne. It is now turning out excellent wines that offer an attractive price-quality ratio….and the new generation of winemakers are relentlessly making this a lasting impression. During the live Q&A session, Renard was asked whether the premier cru wines of Mercurey were under-priced. With his characteristic sense of humour, he turned the question round and asked if the wines from the Côte d’Or were over-priced??!!

Monday 28 September 2015

Birthday Wines

27 September 2015: This month, we were invited to a couple of important birthday celebrations.....and here are the wines our hosts served - I made a note against the ones I particularly enjoyed:

40th birthday party at Dine Art:
1996 Salon ***
2004 Meursault-Perrieres, Roulot ****
2001 Batard-Montrachet, Ramonet
2002 Griotte-Chambertin, Fourrier *****
1999 Romanee-Saint-Vivant, Sylvain Cathiard
1999 Grands-Echezeaux, Rene Engel


60th birthday party at Nicholini's:
2000 Krug Clos du Mesnil *****
2007 Bienvenues-Batard-Montrachet, Henri Boillot
2004 Bienvenues-Batard-Montrachet, Leflaive ****
2008 Meursault-Caillerets, Coche-Dury *****
2001 Clos de Vougeot, Leroy ****
1988 Lafite-Rothschild ****
1989 Lafite-Rothschild

What treats we had!

1999 Echezeaux: Emmanuel Rouget versus Jayer-Gilles

27 September 2015: Mid-Autumn Festival dinner. To go with my homemade lime and chili flavoured guacamole, we started with a 2013 Chablis Mont de Milieu, Domaine Pinson Frères. Harvest started early for the Pinsons for this vintage...with the Mont de Milieu grapes from 30-year-old vines being brought in on 16th September. The domaine started using 100% indigenous yeasts as of 2013 vintage, which would lead to slower fermentation process and more complex flavour development, but also could explain the trace of residual sugar in the Mont de Milieu. It was rich and opulent,with an intense stone fruit, citrus lime, slightly honey, smokey and mineral expression. Acidity was noticeably softer than a classic Chablis vintage but the wine was nicely balanced overall, with a long saline finish. 16/20


Over Richard's roast lamb loin, scented with rosemary and garlic, with caramelised shallots, we compared 2 bottles of 1999 Echézeaux, one by Emmanuel Rouget and the other by Jayer-Gilles. 



The Rouget showed bright, rich and pure red fruit of raspberry and cherry, laced with savoury bacon, smokey, sweet vanilla nuances, in a rich and luscious expression of old vines (around 65 years then) from the climats of Les Cruots, Les Treux and Clos Saint-Denis. Beautiful concentration, presented by the seamless integration, firm structure, velvety texture and balance and energy. Drink now and over the next 10 -12+ years. 18.5/20 (According to Winesearcher.com, a bottle currently retails at  around GBP 420/USD 635.)

The Echézeaux du Dessus by Jayer-Gilles revealed a more subdued and yet refined character, and an impressive balance that led to a persistent finish. More evolved than the Rouget, showing more game, sous-bois, spicy, and mushroom notes. Elegantly balanced, with lovely lift of freshness. Drink now and over 8 - 10+ years. (The Echézeaux du Dessus is a much favoured climat of Echézeaux, about 3.55 ha in size, and lying just above Grands Echézeaux, and neighbouring Les Loachausses and Les Cruots.) 18/20 (According to Winesearcher.com, a bottle of this wine currently retails at around GBP 225/USD 345.)



To pair with the festive mooncake, we had a 2002 Pinot Gris Altenbourg, Clos des Capucins, Sélection des Grains Nobles, Domaine Weinbach. Golden hue, an intense nose and palate of white chocolate, ripe pear, macadamia, ginger, honey and caramel notes. Vibrant acidity giving this opulent wine perfect balance and the wonderfully persistent finish kept taking us back for more until the last drop. Loved the 10.5% abv! It worked beautifully with the salted egg yolk and the creamy lotus seed paste!  18/20








Thursday 24 September 2015

2008 Coche-Dury Corton-Charlemagne

23 Sep 2015: 2008 Corton-Charlemagne, Coche-Dury. Richard picked this very special bottle to celebrate my very low-key birthday.  Pale lemon hue.  Intense bouquet of buttered toast, hazelnut, smoke and lemon peel. A powerfully structured and delineated wine, with pronounced acidity to give the wine an incredible lift, balancing the sumptuous richness, layers of complexity, volumes of energy and tension filling the minerality-laden palate. Immaculately balanced, seamlessly integrated, with the most persistent finish, that brings out such purity and lineage.   A distinguished wine that has yet to fulfill its full potential, but why wait?  It's already so delicious!  20/20

Tuesday 22 September 2015

A passion for wine, art and architecture - Chateau La Coste

22 Sep 2015: About a month ago, we were very fortunate to be invited to a very special winery visit and lunch.......as part of a birthday celebration for a dear friend.

With winemaking evidence dating to Roman times, enriched by a bastide built in 1682 by the Bishop of Aix, current owner, Irish entrepreneur Paddy McKillen has developed Château La Coste into a 3,000-acre community of wine, art and architecture based in Le-Puy-Sainte-Réparade, near Aix-en-Provence. La Coste in another time was La Côte (or hillside). Inspired by the wild nature, Provençal light and size of the property, Paddy’s vision was to build a sustainable wine estate in the Provence, esthetically and functionally in harmony with the wild landscape and peaceful surroundings, and producing world class wines using the best technology and talent possible, while respecting the soil, vines and biodiversity for sustainable growth. In 2006, he appointed Matthieu Cosse, who came with reputation established in Cahors at Domaine Cosse Maisonneuve, as the Oenology Engineer to transform the vineyards and upgrade the winemaking skills. A detailed soil analysis was performed to ensure best matching of variety to soil type. Château La Coste has been organically certified (French AB) since 2009 and having followed biodynamic principles for a while, the team is now set to engage in the biodynamic conversion process. With ‘carte blanche’ to do whatever he felt necessary to achieve the high standards set by Paddy, Matthieu has made significant improvements to the quality of the wines, especially at the high end cuvées: Bellugue, Les Pentes Douces, Grand Vin and Grande Cuvée. Average yields are kept low, with 35 hl/ha for reds, 40hl/ha for whites and 50 hl/ha for rosés. 


 
Grande Cuvee
The Grande Cuvée red is luscious wine made from 50% old vine Syrah and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, produced at very low yields, seeing 18 months in a mixture of new, one and two year oak barrels. This is a relatively new cuvée by Matthieu, limited to about 1,000 bottle production at the moment.  The 2012 vintage still has some chewy ripe tannin, wrapped in the velvety texture to resolve, but the ageing potential is evident.  The Grand Vin white is an IGP wine, as it has incorporated 10% Chardonnay and 30% Sauvignon Blanc, to lend aromatic familiarity and fleshy body to crisp Vermentino (60%), still retaining sound minerality and remarkable freshness from a land that basks in glorious Provencal sun. While excessive dryness is not an issue today, the challenge to nurture young vines to reach their potential remains.


Inaugurated in 2008, the state-of-the-art gravity-fed cuverie, designed by Jean Nouvel, allows the winemaking process to follow the estate’s philosophy of nurturing this natural expression of terroirs. The two giant cuverie buildings, made of corrugated aluminium with insulation, measure 10 metres high and 17 metres deep below ground to house the vats. Although renewable energy is not a reality yet at La Coste, Paddy and the team have already installed a water purification plant and are studying waste recycling to further reduce carbon footprint.




Visiting the Château any day, one will see visitors and families enjoying a day out at the estate, which boasts a collection of modern artworks and creations of architecture by artists and architects from around the world, dotted over the premises. One needs to take a tour to visit all of them – 2 hours are recommended for this walk. The Tadao Ando Centre, laid out on a V-shaped plan, conceived by the eponymous architect is the art centre of the estate, housing the reception area, bookshop and cafe. The Japanese master’s signature elements, especially the interplay of exterior and interior spaces, are incorporated into this structure to create an experience of light and space in nature. The centre overlooks an infinity pool that hides the underground carpark. I was particularly impressed by the Oak Room by Andy Goldsworthy: a hemisphere-shaped cavern dug inside the sides of the hill, with the walls lined with continuous oak tree branches. One needed to adjust the eyes with help from the natural light coming in through the narrow opening, to be able to admire this artistic wonder in stunned silence. One could not miss the giant Crouching Spider by Louise Bourgeois in the infinity pool, Frank O. Gehry’s Pavilion de Musique across the field, the hilltop small chapel by Tadao Ando, or Sean Scully’s Wall of Light Cubed, and many more. The art and architecture project at La Coste has developed in an organic way over the last 10 years. Each artist or architect was invited to La Coste by Paddy to experience the beauty of the landscape and was encouraged to find his/her own unique spot on the premises, and to design a piece of work that would best express the location and the experience. One can say the landscape of La Coste is an evolving one, every visiting artist or architect adding a distinct and unique feature to the estate.

 
Crouching Spider by Louise Bourgeois


Local organic and seasonal fresh produce is integral to the design of the Provencal and Mediterranean-themed menus at both dining outlets at La Coste (the more casual outdoor La Terrasse and the more urbane Tadao Ando Café). I was delighted to see La Tarte Tropézienne on the menu too, for that extra Mediterranean touch!


 
The V-shaped Tadao Ando Centre and Jean Nouvel's Cuverie, view from an altitude


Paddy has already embarked on the next project which will see his hospitality expertise applied to La Coste, through the development of Villa La Coste consisting of 28 individual villas, with a gourmet restaurant, club house and spa, on a hillside site overseeing the vineyards. We were told La Coste should welcome its first resident visitors as early as Easter 2016! To arrange a visit or reservation, http://chateau-la-coste.com/en/

Sunday 20 September 2015

Musigny and Bonnes Mares.....and the wine of the evening is?

17 September 2015: For Part 3 of the Musigny dinner (Richard and I had missed Part 2), we decided to vary the theme slightly by including Bonnes Mares for some interesting comparative tasting. After a tough selection (thanks to everyone's generosity), we reluctantly narrowed down to 9 bottles, with the oldest vintage being 1978 and the youngest 1995.




Musigny has a total area of just under 11 ha, between 260 and 300 ha and is situated at the southern end of the Chambolle village, overlooking Clos de Vougeot and Les Amoureuses. There are 3 distinct parcels to Musigny, in order from north to south - Les Grands Musigny (5.9 ha), Les Petits Musigny (just under 4.2 ha) and La Combe d'Orveau (around 0.7 ha). Comte Georges de Vogüé has the entire holding in Les Petits Musigny with about 40% of Les Grands Musigny. Except Jacques Prieur which has its holding in La Combe d'Orveau, all the other domaines (I counted 8) have their Musigny holdings in Les Grands Musigny. The soil in general is clay-rich clay-limestone, with small stones to help drainage. The lower slopes are based on hard Comblanchien marble/limestone, making it tough work for the vine roots. Upper slopes are more porous. The domaines would typically have vines planted along the slopes for a complete expression. Musigny is noted for its distinct perfume and a velvety texture that belies a robust character and persistent strength.

Bonnes Mares on the other hand is at the northern end of Chambolle and has a total area of 15 ha, with about 13.5 ha in Chambolle, and 1.5 ha in Morey. There are many more producers of Bonnes Mares - I counted 23. Bonnes Mares typically has a more sauvage and earthy character than Musigny, and a stewed fruit/plum character, rather than pure red fruit.

Here are my tasting notes - we tasted from old to young - none decanted, all opened between 7:30 and 8 pm:



1978 Musigny, Comte Georges de Vogüé (US strip label): Such enthralling aromatics of mushroom, truffle, cinnamon, spice and earthy. Sensuous texture, but a little weak structurally, with a slightly hollow mid-palate and short of the lingering finish that one would expect of such great wine. Drink now (within 3 - 5 years); no positive upside can be expected from further cellaring. (17/20)


1978 Bonnes Mares, Comte Georges de Vogüé: A more earthy and sous-bois dominated bouquet. All aspects seamless integrated into a classically delineated structure that delivers restrained opulence balanced by freshness, mouthcoating flavours, robust structure and lingering finish. A wine at its peak of development. Drink now and over the next 8 - 10 years! (18/20)




1989 Musigny, Comte Georges de Vogüé (US strip label): The underlying good quality material disappointingly marred by brettanomyces, some volatile acidity, lacking in generosity on the palate and finishes dry.



1990 Musigny, Jacques Prieur: A classy bouquet of spice, dark cherry, savoury and animal notes, displaying rich ripe fruit and an understated elegance befitting of the vintage and its Grand Cru status. Great poise and perfectly balanced, with a very long finish. A wine that promises further ageing potential, of 10 - 15+ years! This was agreed by all as the wine that delivered the most upside surprise on the evening! (18.5/20)


1990 Musigny, JF Mugnier: This was much less evolved than the Prieur. Rich powerful nose and palate, with meaty and dark cherry notes, and still very primary. I detected a whiff of volatile acidity and a metallic undertone...but not sufficient to deflect our appreciation of its class, power and style. A wine to revisit in 5 years time? (17.5+/20)




1993 Bonnes Mares, d'Auvenay: unfortunately, this bottle had distinct bovril notes and signs of volatile acidity.


1993 Bonnes Mares, Robert Groffier (the owner of the bottle told us that it was a recent release by the domaine, hence the unusual wax capsule): for me, this was the wine of the evening. I scored it the highest. Alluring bouquet of coffee, spice, earth, mushroom and sous-bois notes. A wine that exudes freshness, energy, voluptuous ripe fruit, balance and a sense of harmony. Finishes very long. Drink now and over the next 10 -15 years. (19/20)




1995 Bonnes Mares, Georges Roumier: Classy bouquet and structure, with elegant poise and balance. Pure sweet fruit lines the palate, complemented by well-built freshness. The Groffier had just much more persistence, well-delineated structure and elegance at this evening's tasting. (18/20)


1995 Musigny, Georges Roumier: sadly another bottle with issues of volatile acidity and microbial spoilage.


The top 3 wines for the group were:

1978 Bonnes Mares, Comte Georges de Vogüé
1993 Bonnes Mares, Robert Groffier
1990 Musigny, Jacques Prieur


Quite a shame that 3 bottles out of 9 suffered from spoilage, one form or another.......and the sad thing is we could not have foretold their fates by judging from the condition of the cork, the level of the wine and sometimes the condition of storage (too much dampness?). Ultimately patience is rewarded in many a case of great wines.....let's just call the spoilage along the way part of the overall cost of investment?!


P.S. During a recent stay at Gerard Basset's Hotel Terravina in the New Forest in the UK, we tried a bottle of 2006 Bonnes Mares, Hudelot-Baillet.  We had never heard of this domaine before.  The domaine was established in 1981 by Joel Hudelot, together with his wife Chantal Baillet. Now run by Joel's son-in-law Dominique Le Guen since the former's retirement in 2004, the domaine has taken great steps to improve the quality of wine from 8.5 hectares of vineyards, including much lower yields, and sustainable viticulture. Dominique practices cool pre-maceration before punching down in the early stages.  He then moves to more gentle pump over and also delestage for avoid extraction of harsh tannins from the pips. 50% new oak and 50% 1-year barrels for the Premier and Grand Cru wines.  Elevage in oak between 12 and 18 months.  Since 2002, the wines have been bottled unfiltered.  

The 2006 Bonnes Mares showed a deep colour, rich ripe and pure fruit, starting to display some tertiary development, a well-integrated structure with intrinsic minerality and balance, but perhaps lacked the aromatic and flavour complexity, depth and lingering finish of the better examples of Bonnes Mares. It was nonetheless a beautiful expression and a reasonable value for this Grand Cru!  Gerard told us it was his last bottle!  Hopefully, he will have replenished his wine list with another interesting wine on our next visit.

And I should mention that we also tried a 2012 Rully Premier Cru Grésigny by Paul et Marie Jacqueson.  I last tried wines by this domaine during my visit to Bourgogne in June.  It really was a great example of Rully!  Mineral, almost flinty, with fine citrus and almond notes, well-judged acidity, well-balanced and a nice long crisp finish!  We loved it!

(To read more, please refer to: http://vinumetvita.blogspot.hk/2015/06/climats-de-la-cote-chalonnaise.html)

Saturday 5 September 2015

The best wine to go with fried calamari!


25 August 2015: It was a great experience to be tasting 2013 Grecante by Arnaldo Caprai with Marco Caprai in Hong Kong! 100% Grechetto, with its Greek origin, showed vibrant acidity, pronounced minerality and elegant structural balance, proved to be a perfect pair with fried calamari, and absolutely approved by Marco! 




We went to Fishteria on Queen’s Road East, the new seafood-focused dining concept by Chef Gianni Caprioli. The ambiance is bistro-like, with focus on seafood. Friendly, casual and nicely spacious. We started with some oysters and a glass of Champagne downstairs, before heading upstairs for dinner. The salt-baked seabass was a highlight, as was the scrumptious burrata with heirloom tomatoes. Look out for Chef Gianni’s upcoming opening on Star Street (same site as The Principal).

Deep-fried calamari
Really delicious burrata and tomato salad

Salt-baked seabass