To commemorate this momentous event in 1997 that has shaped Hong Kong for the past 20 years, we pulled the corks of a few bottles from the said vintage to mark this historic date. We are pleased to report that while we would agree that there seemed no clear benefit in holding onto the 1997 bottles for extended cellaring, these bottles held up extremely well at our dinner!
The NV Krug Rosé and the delicious 1998 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne were not part of the 1997 line-up but helped get things started, and certainly with these gougères.
1997 Meursault-Perrières, Lafon: Shrouded in a golden robe, this gorgeously mature white Bourgogne delivered layers of ripe pear, marzipan and honeyed complexity with well-defined structure, and lingering finish. A remarkable wine with 20 years of age, with such elegance and class. 18/20
1997 Chambertin Clos de Bèze, Rousseau (magnum): This has also beautifully aged, with charming tertiary characters of sous-bois, truffle and prunes. The ripe fruitiness from the vintage was evident from the palate and finish. It was a charming wine with soft acidity, velvety texture and an almost sweet note on the finish, but compared to the next wine, it did not quite have the same precision or personality. 17/20
1997 Ruchottes-Chambertin, Christophe Roumier: There was a savoury and sauvage note in the character of this wine, together with better perceived acidity, giving this wine more personality than the previous wine. The structure was still well-defined, with an elegant litheness and a savoury long finish. 17.5/20
1997 Château d'Yquem: A gorgeous amber-gold colour. A perfect Sauternes, with measured balance of acidity, sweetness, with layers of complexity that kept inviting you to take the next sip. Apricot, tangerine, spicy caramel, honey, savoury rye characters with clear botrytis characters. A divine end to a delicious supper! 18.5/20
I am not sure some of these red Bourgogne wines would survive the next decade but I would be tempted to stage another 1997 tasting soon while memories of these are still fresh.
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