Old School Riojas

12 Jul 2013: We've often heard about the allure of old Riojas and we finally found the proof in the drinking! A few wine lovers got together for an old Rioja evening - the definition of old was 1982 or older. Naturally they all came from the old school bodegas, including CVNE, López de Heredia, Marques de Murrieta and Marques de Riscal - the only one missing was La Rioja Alta. Everyone very generously contributed some prized old Rioja bottles.... Despite the minimal coordination amongst ourselves, we were able to organise the wines of the evening into 4 flights.

We started with a 1981 Viña Tondonia Blanco Gran Reserva. Golden amber in colour. There were notes of honey, toasted almonds, liquorice and orange peel on the nose, with a lanolin note on the waxy mouthfeel. Finishes long. This made a wonderful accompaniment to the iberico ham!

First flight of reds was a CVNE Viña Real flight. CVNE was founded in Haro in 1879 and the family-owned company consists of 3 wineries: Cune, Viña Real and Viñedos del Contino. The Viña Real winery is located on top of the Cerro de la Mesa, in Rioja Alavesa. The vineyards are located near the old Camino Real, hence the name Vina Real. We tasted 1954 Reserva Especial, 1962 Reserva Especial, 1970 Gran Reserva and 1973 Gran Reserva. The Gran Reserva is largely Tempranillo, with a small percentage of Graciano. 

1973 Viña Real Gran Reserva: A complex bouquet of caramel, nutty, with mushroom and savoury notes. Silky texture. Still retaining good level of acidity. There's an almost sweet sensation on the finish. This wine grew on me, with time in the glass.

1970 Viña Real Gran Reserva: Earthy, tobacco and some violet notes. More linear in style, a little firmness in the structure, with a dry finish.

1962 Viña Real Reserva Especial: Tertiary notes of leather, animal, coffee and savoury notes dominated the nose, with just a hint of soya sauce. Quite restrained on the palate. Would it benefit from more time?

1954 Viña Real Reserva Especial: This was the best wine in this flight, I thought. A medium ruby colour, turning garnet at the rim. Lovely notes of violet, plum with some earthy notes. Still showing vibrant acidity, a harmonious structure, vigour and freshness. Finishes long. A wine with such old world charm, timeless elegance and harmony.

Next flight was 3 wines from López de Heredia Viña Tondonia. Don Rafael López de Heredia y Landeta, inspired by the French love for wine, and the wonderful terroir of Rioja Alta, began construction of the bodega in 1877 in Haro. The Tondonia vineyard enjoys a remarkable mesoclimate, by its proximity to the River Ebro and covers 170 hectares. The soil is alluvial clay, with a high proportion of limestone. We had 3 examples of the Gran Reservas: 1973, 1976 and 1981. Viña Tondonia is about 3/4 Tempranillo, with the balance made up of Garnacha, Graciano and Mazuelo, all from own vineyards.

1981 Viña Tondonia: Quite bretty....I didn't make much of this...

1976 Viña Tondonia: hot vintage. Notes of caramel, plum and leather on the nose. Lovely richness and concentration on the lush palate and finishes long and complex. Still tasting quite fresh, with an intact structure. I liked this best of this flight.

1973 Viña Tondonia: A little volatile....perhaps we thought that contributed to the elegance and freshness. Seemed to lack concentration. Collapsed rather quickly in the glass.

The third flight was 2 wines from Marqués de Murrieta...both Castill Ygays. The Marqués de Murrieta projected started in 1852 when Luciano Murrieta y García-Lemoine presented the first fine Rioja wine and exported it overseas for the first time in the region's history. The success encouraged him to purchase the Ygay Estate and build the Castillo Ygay. The estate is a single vineyard covering 300 hectares, located in the southern part of Rioja Alta, with a climate moderated by the Cantabrian Mountains. Castill Ygays are Gran Reserva wins, matured for 2.5 years in American oak barrels and 3 years in bottle. We tasted the 1942 and 1978 vintages.

1978 Castillo Ygay: A rancio and oloroso-like nose of liquorice, walnut, coffee and gamey notes. Medium body.....firm acidity. Not as elegant as the 1942, quite meaty.

1942 Castillo Ygay: More palo cortado like on the nose, with notes of coffee, chocolate and burnt match.....slowly revealing an elegant but lively palate.....and amazing depth. Very impressive. I was told this was bottled in 2005.

The last flight was not really a flight as such, but a single bottle of Marqués de Riscal Reserva. Marqués de Riscal was founded in Elciego, Rioja Alavesa in 1858 by Guillermo Hurtado de Amezaga. The Reserva wines are made from Tempranillo grapes grown in clay-limestone soils of Rioja Alavesa, with some addition of Graciano and Mazuelo grapes, usually not more than 10%. We tasted the 1954 Reserva. Sadly it was completely maderised!


We then finished with an unctuous and lusciously rich Alvear Pedro Ximenez de Solera 1927, Montilla-Moriles, packed with 400 grams of sugar in every litre. Like a pruney nectar with a tangy balance, it glided slowly down the throat.....delivering amazing complexity and balance. Long long finish. This was a stunning PX....that deserved a lot of attention!

Our dinner took place at Quemo, where the chef produced an excellent array of dishes...particular recommendations were smoked eggplant, egg with prawn and chorizo, paella (we had both - squid ink and quail's leg) and roast whole baby lamb and iberico pork! While the ambiance was great, the glassware and wine service could do with some improvement.....but perhaps it's not a venue meant for complicated wine dinners. I would like to go back to Quemo for a more casual dinner, so that I can relax and just enjoy the food!

1989 Clos des Ruchottes, Rousseau and 2002 Le Charlemagne, de La Vougeraie

7 Jul 2013:
1989 Ruchottes Chambertin Clos des Ruchottes, Rousseau
Prune, underbrush, coffee, earthy, stoney, savoury with spicy notes of cinnamon and nutmeg. Remnants of ripe cherry. Quite delicate.. shortish finish with dryness. A lithe and refined mature Burgundy drinking at peak now... drink over next 3-4 years. 16.5/20


2002 de la Vougeraie Le Charlemagne
Medium lemon. Pear, lemon peel, acacia, verbena, toasted almond and mineral notes. Medium bodied. Vibrant acidity. A long savoury finish with chalky aftertaste. Drink now and over next 6-8 years. 17.5/20

2000 Domaine de la Grange des Peres

1 July 2013: To go with Richard's 'poulet à la basquaise', we opened a bottle of 2000 Domaine de la Grange des Pères to try......An 11-hectare estate that started in 1992, that focuses on high quality, very low yields (approx.  20 - 25 hl/ha) and a blend of 40% Syrah, 40% Mourvèdre and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, all separately vinified and aged for 24 months in barriques.  The reputation of the estate now justifies the direct allocation of its wines in strict rations.   So we were very lucky to be able to try a bottle of this!  Deep garnet hue.  An intensely aromatic bouquet with layers and layers of aromas, counting black cherry, cassis, lavender, garrigue herb, balsamic, cracked pepper and liquorice spice, with nuances of vanilla, tobacco and toast.  A medium weight body, with a velvety lush texture, seamless lifted by lively acidity.  This is an elegant expression from the Languedoc.  Finishes long.  Drinking at peak now, and over the next 4 - 6+ years.  So moreish.  18/20

2001 Leroy NSG Aux Lavieres

1 July 2013: 2001 Leroy, Nuits Saint Georges Aux Lavières:  Medium ruby core.  A very Burgundian nose of tertiary notes: prune, fig, autumn leaves, with animal and savoury notes.  Medium bodied, with a delicate structure of silky tannin and a lively freshness that belies its age.  A very refined village wine, drinking at peak.  Simply delicious!  A little dryness on the finish.  16.5/20

A Tribute to 1973

15 June 2013:  A thoughtfully created 7-course menu was designed by Chef Daniel Negreira to accompany 14 bottles of fine examples from the 1973 vintage (plus a 1937 bottle). As we marvelled at the culinary creations, we were even more overwhelmed by how well the wines from this lesser vintage performed on this evening.




The 73 line-up of champagnes.  I need to get better at photography!

 Our host greeted us with a glass of 1973 Philipponnat Royale Reserve. A champagne made mainly with Pinot Noir and Meunier grapes. A pale salmon-orange colour. A very enticing bouquet of broom and forest berry preserve with subtle notes of nutmeg and toasted brioche. Delicate mousse, gently delivering the layered detail, with a fleshy mouthfeel. Good acidity. A touch of savoury on the lingering finish. Very fine. 18/20



73 DP Oenotheque on left.

 It was quite hard to decide which of the 1973 Dom Perignon and 1973 DP Oenothèque I preferred. Each delivered a very individual performance. The 73 Dom Perignon was a bright amber hue with golden highlights. An opulent bouquet reminiscent of toasted hazelnuts, ripe pear, honey, marmalade layered with caramel, toasty and smokey notes. Well kept structure with creamy mousse and fine bubbles. Nice freshness giving a nice lift to the rich mouthfeel. Long finish. 18/20 (Chef Daniel paired this with a zesty tangerine jellied foie gras ball, on a bed of whole grain toast! Great job with the pairing!)

1973 Dom Perignon Oenothèque. We didn't have the exact disgorgement date. Colour was a medium lemon. Apple, pear, citrus with tropical notes of pineapple and some candied fruit and almond aromas. Plenty of youthful vigour here. Long long finish. Still much to come in its evolution. 18.5+/20


73 Krug Collection on left.



1973 Krug. Deep amber gold robe. Quite evolved but not at all past its best. I quite liked the mature bouquet of coffee, hazelnuts, dried fruit and burnt sugar aromas. Delicate mousse. Medium finish. A fine marriage with sliced abalone in porcini consomme. 17/20

1973 Krug Collection. This came directly from the Krug Cellars. Disgorged at the same time as the Krug vintage but kept in the cool damp cellars until recently. Medium golden robe. Citrus, dried fruit, ripe pear and apple. Creamy mousse. Elegant and stylish if a little short on finish. 17.5/20

1993 Le Montrachet, Leflaive (This bottle had come from a recent auction in HK.) A medium golden hue. Intense and rich nose. Much more evolved than expected. Torrefaction notes on the nose and palate: ripe pear tart, grilled almonds, coffee and honey. Full bodied and unctuous, still showing a firm acidity bolstering the rich concentrated flavours. Perhaps a little too rich for me. Drink now. 17/20

By contrast the 1985 Le Montrachet, Ramonet showed much more minerality, youthful vigour, energy and a lilthe frame that belied that power and depth. A pale medium lemon colour. Citrus and mineral notes dominate the palate. Vibrant acidity. Finishes long with a chalky and saline note, not too dissimilar to a Chablis Grand Cru. A glorious example yet to reach its prime. Drink now and over next 10-15 years. 19/20

The Spanish selection made a very fine pair and the chef prepared a classic dish to go with them - confit of suckling pork rib, with a Marsala sauce and candied tomato, complete with crispy piggy tail, pig's ear and goose liver. I can only say that the pork rib was really delicious!) The 1973 Vega Sicilia Unico showed a deep ruby colour with just a little bricking at the rim. Red cherry with leather, tobacco and earthy notes. A little meaty on the palate. Good concentration. Medium finish. A robust well structured 1973 that does not quite have the finesse of the La Rioja Alta. Drinking very well now and over next 8-10 years. 17.5/20

The 1973 Centenario Gran Reserva, La Rioja Alta was sublime. A medium garnet hue. Notes of floral, red fruit and leather. The palate is refined, showing silky texture , elegant freshness, subtlety and depth at the same time. Finishes very long. What a beauty! Drink now and over next 8-10 years. 19/20


The 1973 Hospices de Beaune Corton Cuvée Docteur Peste (bought by Augustus Barnett of London and raised by (élevé par) Robert Sarrau) initially showed a bit of volatility and later revealed a bouquet of red fruit, spice and nutty/coffee notes with some caramel. Still holding out but didnt quite have the elegance, complexity and length of the next wine! 16.5/20



Duck tiramisu

 1973 Chambertin Clos de Bèze, Rousseau stunned us with its timeless elegance, complexity of dried rose petals, dried fruit, tea leaves, nutmeg, earthy and coffee notes, together with freshness and an unmistakable Burgundian character and silky allure within a mid weight frame. Not the most powerful and structured Clos de Bèze but certainly very elegant. Finishes long. While there is no hurry to drink this up at all, I probably would not recommend holding on for too long either. Drink over next 6-8 years... 18.5/20 (Gorgeous with the duck tiramisu!)



The fine examples from Bourgogne in 1973 and 1937!

 The 1973 La Tâche, DRC is a credible effort but falls short on complexity, concentration and length. A light weight La Tâche. Deep garnet. Floral, spicy and earthy notes adorn the bouquet but the palate lacks depth. Not very exciting. 16.5/20

The 1937 Chambertin, Bouchard shows a deep garnet colour. It is monstrous in its concentration still. Blackberry and black cherry with liquorice and earthy nuances. Quite intense and muscular if a little marred by volatile acidity. The power and intensity here belie its age. Missing some elegance. 16.5/20 (72 hour slow-cooked lamb with cumin flavoured chick peas was the dish to go with this.......nice!)

1973 Romanée Saint Vivant, Savin Fils, was a goner. Pale tawny colour. Heavy nail varnish.

Finally the 1973 Château d'Yquem. A deep golden robe. Aromas of marmalade, honey and dried apricot. Nicely balanced. Doesnt have the exhilarating complexity or deep concentration of a great Yquem. 16.5/20


Thank you so much to our generous hosts for sharing these 1973 bottles with us! And what a privilege to have so many fine surprises!

An Authentic Expression: Timorasso

11 Jun 2013: I was very excited to try this bottle of 2010 Derthona Costa del Vento, by Walter Massa. I didn't know anything about this grape variety nor winemaker. Timorasso is the grape variety, native to Colli Tortonesi, in the province of Alessandria, Piemonte, bordering with Lombardia.  It grows well on calcareous-clay soils, to quite low yields.  Situated next door to Gavi, Timorasso had long been overlooked in the frenzy about refreshing, candied fruit flavoured Cortese, until one man championed its revival with a very singular passion, on initially a 1.5-hectare vineyard - Walter Massa of Vigneti Massa, based in Monleale, a town atop the Colli Tortonesi.  The answer to his conviction was in the bottle.  What a discovery! A medium gold hue.  With an hour of decanting, we were already in awe of the irresistible bouquet of honeysuckle, apricot, quince, candied fruit, layered with smoke, honey, toasted almonds and a light gingery spice.  And it kept evolving.... Creamy texture, laced with intense minerality underlying those rich flavours, giving an unctuous and vinous feel to the palate. A good acidity level gave vibrant lift to the lingering complex finish. This is not your typical quaffing wine but a serious wine that has yet to reach its apogee, at around 4 - 5 years after bottling. At 14.5% abv, I would probably have it later in the year, in the autumn/winter months - white truffle season! This will drink well for another 6 - 8+ years. Surprisingly no wood had been used here....made with indigenous yeast, with maceration of around 48 - 60 hours before pressing, fermentation temperature at about 18 - 22 degrees, vinification and ageing in stainless steel tanks, with regular batonnage.  It made a very nice pairing with the pasta with chicken gravy and truffle at Amuse Bouche!  This is the entry level of Massa's Timorasso range (I will be very happy to give it a rating of 17.5+/20.)....the cru called Strepi is apparently even more ethereal.   I would love to try it! (I thought it was DOC Colli Tortonesi, but I cannot find it anywhere on the label....)

The same evening, we also had 2 Barolos by Aldo Conterno, both decanted for about an hour and a half before we tried them.  2001 Gran Bussia Riserva and 2004 Romirasco. The 2004 Romirasco (from vineyard in Bussia, Monforte) was clearly the red wine of the night. A headturning intense and complex bouquet of tar, roses, mint, liquorice, plum and dark red cherry preserve notes, with some meaty and earthy nuances.  There is no question of its opulence and power, even before tasting.  On the palate, it was velvety and lush, full bodied, well balanced with vibrant acidity and firm tannin. There was a classy sophistication and elegance underneath the superficial big-ness and muscular structure. Drink now and over next 10 - 15 years.  18.5/20 The last time the Romirasco was bottled was in 1993.  This vineyard would normally go straight into the Gran Bussia Riserva blend.  There was no Riserva in 2004, as the Cicala vineyard was severely damaged by hail in 2004.  Fermentation of the Romirasco would take place in stainless steel tanks and the vines are roughly around 50 - 55 years old.  Skin contact would be around 30 days.  Ageing in large Slavonian casks for about 30 months.

The 2001 Gran Bussia Riserva delivered lovely aromatics, notes of dried rose petals, red fruit, tar, liquorice and herbal.  This seemed still quite youthful, with no sign of tertiary character.  Quite subdued on the palate, the finesse was apparent in the medium-bodied frame, but the flavours seemed a little short-lived leading to the finish.  Perhaps we're encountering this wine in the closed-up phase?  Drink now and over next 10+ years.  17/20  I had higher expectations for this wine which is a blend of the 3 vineyards, Romarisco, Cicala and Colonnello, in the proportion of 70%, 15% and 15% respectively, made in limited quantities and only in the best years.  Only the oldest vines would make it into the blend.  Fermentation and skin contact during 60 days in large Slavonian casks before ageing for 32 months. Only released after 7 years in cellar.

The 1971 Giacomo Conterno Barolo turned out to be a dud (expectedly)......and the 1997 Sandrone Barolo Cannubi Boschis was a little too super-ripe for our liking.  Notes of kirsch, black cherry, liquorice, tar, herbal, sun-dried fruit and even a hint of caramel on the bouquet.  Nicely balanced, with ripe tannin and a good dose of acidity, but the concentration on the palate was almost brutish.  Drink now and over next 5 - 6+ years. (Perhaps we should also revisit in a couple of years time to see if the dried fruit character will have evolved into something much more interesting.)  16.5/20

The real eye-opener tonight was the Timorasso.....simply brilliant!  Patrick, thank you so much for introducing this wine to us!

A Taste of Swiss Wine

9 Jun 2013: Last month, I attended a Swiss wine and cheese pairing evening organised by The Swiss Wine Store in Hong Kong (www.theswisswinestore.com) - a wine merchant dedicated to the promotion of high quality Swiss wines.  My earlier scepticism about Swiss wine (based on limited earlier experience) was completely dispelled at the end of this tasting and an interest to explore further was definitely inspired, thanks to HK-based Swiss wine champion, Damien Fleury.  Damien is the founder of The Swiss Wine Store which currently imports the wines of 2 wineries: Jean-René Germanier and Provins Valais (together the Collection Chandra Kurt, making it 3 lines of products altogether).  

Although bordered by the French, Italians and Germans, Switzerland also boasts quite a few indigenous grape varieties, such as the following, all found in the Valais, Humagne Blanche (white), Petite Arvine (white), Amigne (white), Heida (white), Cornalin (red) and Humagne Rouge (red). Majority (80%) of the Swiss wine production takes place in the French-speaking part, 15% in the German-speaking part and the remaining 5% in the Italian part. Total area under vinews is around 15,000 hectares (1/8 size of Bordeaux), producing 1.1 million hl (0.4% total world production), but there is no shortage of ambitious winemakers trying to make a difference and showing the world their talent through the 2% of production that gets exported every year. 

Based in Balavaud within the Vétroz commune where the vines ripen nicely in the warm and dry microclimate along the valley hillsides that flank the Rhone river, Jean-René Germanier is widely regarded as one of Swiss top producers (www.jrgermanier.ch).  Now into its 3rd generation, since establishment in 1896, this boutique winery produces award-winning wines such as Cayas (Syrah), Mitis (botrytised Amigne) and Champmarais (Cornalin) - all very much worth exploring.   The Collection Chandra Kurt by cooperative Provins Valais (www.provins.ch) (roughly producing a quarter of Valais's production) is also worth exploring as it is the creation of wine writer Chandra Kurt and winemaker Madeleine Gay to focus on rare and ancient lesser known varietals.  

At this tasting, I was rather impressed by the following indigenous grape varieties:

2011 Petite Arvine du Valais, Collection Chandra Kurt, Provins (AOC Valais).  I liked the aromatic notes of floral, honey, citrus, with some ginger spice, and there was a very nice balance between remarkable freshness and richness.  Nice complex savoury finish. Alcohol a little on the high side for me at 14%.  How about tapas and dim sum (the modern version of barbecued pork bun - the kind topped with a sugary crust!), or the Japanese miso-marinated cod? (As for cheese pairing, I liked this with Emmental which turned out to be quite a hard one to pair!)

2010 Amigne du Valais, Collection Chandra Kurt, Provins (AOC Valais). Here, there was a richer texture and more powerful structure.  Notes of peach, apricot, floral and some marmalade.  A little high in alcohol for me. 14% abv. I could imagine a pairing with unagi sushi (the grilled, almost sweet version with the caramelised soya sauce), a delicate or floral-flavoured Chinese dish, such as the Shanghainese ham sandwich, with osmanthus honey sauce, or Vietnamese dishes. (For the cheese pairing part, I liked it with Tilsiter.)

2011 Fendant Balavaud Grand Cru from Jean-René Germanier was savoury, with notes of citrus, grapefruit, herbal, flint and smokey, very expressive, but probably would show better slightly more chilled. A nice alcohol level at 12.5%.  Fendant is the name for Chasselas in Valais.  I could have this with sushi or steamed fish?  This made a good pairing with Tête-de-Moine.

2011 Humagne Rouge, Jean-René Germanier (AOC Valais).  I liked the sour cherry, berries, spicy and slightly leather note here.  A little rustic, but well-balanced and nicely harmonious.  Some resemblance with a nice Beaujolais Cru - a Brouilly?  (For the cheese pairing, I liked it with Appenzeller and Gruyère.)

What this tasting proved to me was that you could find other occasions to enjoy these high quality wines from Switzerland......and it doesn't have to be at the winter fondue party!