The Asian Winehunter

Chinese New Year get together

2012-01-25T23:18:00.003+08:00

It has been a while since my last post but this extended break over Chinese New Year gave me some time and energy to post a few notes.

First up (not pictured) - Ulysses Colin Blanc de Blanc extra Brut. This was certainly bone dry and acidic - more like mineral and steel rather than fruit. Good but maybe not quite the wow factor as Selosse.

Next - 2009 Chateau De la Tour Clos Vougeot Vielles Vignes. These old vines are nearly a 100 years old ( turned 100 in 2010). Extremely primal with fruit and cherry compote being the overriding aroma. The minerality is there but is dominated by the fruit today. Almost like something from the barrel. Very good acidity which is surprising given the reputation of '09s as "big and ripe". Very long finish. Extremely concentrated tight and coiled even after double decanting and 6+ hours. Extremely fine tannins but the structure is there - this is a 15+ year wine and wouldn't be surprised if it shuts down soon. This is going to be something very very good in 15-20 years but I don't know if most people will have the patience. 94points now. More later if it keeps this up.

Next - 1993 Domaine D'Auvenay Bonnes Mares. Very nice presentation of plums, cherries, dash of pu er tea, mineral/stones. High density mid-palate, great acidity to balance the density and very long finish. Think this is entering it's drinking window but should have no problem staying there for many more years. 95-96 points.

Finale - 1963 Quinta do Noval. Opened 3 days ago. Having not had too much experience with port - we gave this a bit more time to open up in the bottle. Double decanted initially it seemed to be much more open in the first 24 hours and started to close down beyond that. Thereafter, it only opened up after pouring in a glass for ~1-2 hours. Notes of figs, plums and tea with a very long lingering finish. Not giving this any points as I'm still not sure how to place this... It's good but how good is the question.

Some tasting notes from a while back

2010-11-23T20:08:00.002+08:00

Hi folks,

The Winehunter has been quite busy as of late.

First order of business is to mention that the Winehunter has gone into the business and therefore disclaimers please.

Take what is said with a grain of salt but then again - this should be done in any case. At least for now anyway - this is specialized into the Single Malt whiskey business so.. my tasting notes on wine still count? ;-)

Here are some tasting notes from dinner couple of months back:

2002 Coche-Dury Puligny Montrachet "les ensigneurs". Amazing vitality, minerality and precision but still has enough depth to make this "robust". Needs another 5 years. 92 points

1988 Meo Camuzet Cros Parantoux. Tea,violets, vanilla. Velvety but with energy, multi-faceted. This is Henri Jayer folks - no doubt. 94 points

1943 Latour a Pomerol. Complete but a bit on the acidic side. V Good. 94 points

1937 Clos de Lambrays. Minerals, red fruits, sweet, plums, dried flowers, violets. 94 points.

2005 Barolo tasting in La Morra

2010-01-24T19:09:00.006+08:00

This is a bit late but better than never. Tasted in Mid-October in the La Morra Cantina during thier 2005 Barolo tastings. This is incredibly taxing on the palate to do in one sitting. I'm not sure if my palate was as sharp especially towards the end after being constantly pounded by one Barolo after another...

2005 Barolo Broccoli Viole - M Marengo
Tight, monolithic, tannic, black peppers - 88 points

2004 Brunate - M Marengo
Complex, little thiner at the mid palate. Surprisingly drinkable at this age. Yields at 45 hl/ha - 92 points

2005 The Ciabot - Cascina Ballarin
Acidic, spicy, rough tannins, peppers? - 88 points

2003 Cascina Monastero Bricco Lucioni
Sweet core, concentrated, tannic, good finish - 90 points

2005 Cascina Monastero Bricco Lucioni
More Tannic, less concentrated = less pleasureable - 89 points

2003 Cascina Monastero Bricco Priund
Sweet core - 91 points

2005 Barolo Enzio Boglietti
New style, sweet concentrated core, hard to guess evolution - 90+? points

2005 Annunziata la Morra Elio Altaire
Simple, tannic core, spicy, acidic - 89 points

2005 Silvio Grasso Bricco luciani
Tannic, maybe too much? - 88 points

2005 Silvio Grasso Barolo Turne
Acidic & tannic - 88 points

2005 Oderro Barolo - 87 points ( no notes )

2005 Oderro Barolo Rocche di Castiglione - 89 points ( no notes )

2005 Erbaluna Barolo
Sweet core but massive tannins - 88 points

2005 Erbaluna Barolo vinga rocche - 89 points

2005 Renato Corino Barolo
Sweet core, high acidity - 88 points

2005 Renato Corino Barolo arborina
Sweet softer tannis - 90 points

2005 Renato Corino Vecchia Vigne
Sweet core, more powerful more tannins but better balance - 90 points

2004 Renato Corino Vecchia Vigne - 92 points

Old Leroy's and a DRC

2010-01-24T19:01:00.005+08:00

Notes from a very recent dinner.

1969 Leroy Grand Echezeaux.
Opened in bottle for ~ 1 hour. Plums, bright fruits, wonderful bouquet. Resolved tannins. The nose is better than what showed up on the palate. 94 points

1969 Leroy Musigny.
Opened in bottle ~ 1 hour. More reserved but oozing with power, plums and cherries but with more vanilla/cream hints as well (more oak?). On the palate nose matches what went in. Very long finish. Silky tannins. Strangely here Terroir came to the forefront versus Domaine style - it was less typical "Leroy" and more typical "Musigny" (i.e. Power in a velvet glove). On the other hand the GE was "Leroy" with no doubt. Very consistent from start to finish. Really quite good. 96 points

1982 La Tache
Fantastically exuberant nose. Red fruit, plums, minerality - this turned heads. On the palate not as good - leaning on the acidic side but wouldn't say thin but perhaps not a "robust" La Tache given the vintage. On equal footing with the GE but perhaps a little better. 94+ points.

A night with the legend of Burgundy

2009-11-28T07:32:00.011+08:00

Henri Jayer who died in 2006 left behind a legacy and a future path for Burgundians to follow. He epitomized the phrase "do as little in the winery as possible". This non-interventionist attitude did not mean "do nothing" however, just not in the tanks but in the vineyard. Unfortunately, it is not clear whether he has any equal or successors ( in the form of Rouget or Meo-Camuzet ) to this legacy. There is something about these wines which is unmistakable. Just as Domaine Leroy wines have an unmistakable "fingerprint" so does Henri Jayer.

1990 Echezeaux. George et Henri Jayer.

Vinified, produced, elevated and bottled by Henri Jayer. I think we should put the myth to rest that this wine is not qualitatively as good as Henri's own - it is. Coming from a section of Echezeaux located right below Grand Echezeaux it was multi faceted and complex. Needs about an hour of air with smells of plum, cherry, tea, vanilla & cream, herbs and minerals. I have never had an Echezeaux with such a complex and ever changing bouquet. On tasting again multi faceted and layered with a long finish. The most appropriate words for this was "symphony". Stylistically speaking there is nothing quite like Henri Jayer, not Leroy not DRC. Everything in the right amounts, balanced nothing out of proportion or wasted. 96+ points

1993 Echezeaux. Henri Jayer

This was made from Henri's own plot. This was starting to come into it's own after the 1990 started to fade ( roughly 2.5 hours after opening). Again that Jayer fingerprint of supreme competance of balance, focus proportion and nothing out of place or wasted. This was less complex in the aroma section compared to the 1990 there were plums, tea, minerality incredible balance in the mouth as well as a more impressive tannin structure and very very long. The tannins had a little bitterness to it which started to fade/back down later (~2hours). This may need a few more years to hit it's stride. While it had a less complex and chameleon like aromatic structure whatever it had was more focused and more pure. So it comes down to preferences - and these could change even in the same person day to day. While the 1990 was a symphony, the 1993 was a "soloist". The best analogy I can think of is music. Sometimes you want to hear Fritz Reiner or George Solti conducting the CSO. Sometimes you want to hear David Oistrakh doing a violin solo. Both are equally valid and equally good. 95+ points.

1997 Fontaine Gagnard "Le Montrachet"

This is because it required lots of time to open up. The color was medium gold and my first concern was oxidation but this wasn't the case. Notes of caramel, toast, oak and minerals. Came alive about 2 hours after opening - powerful. If you can imagine Batard Montrachet then this would be it's big brother. I was hoping for a little bit more complexity - not an epiphany. This is where one can understand why some experienced Burgundy drinkers consider Chevalier Montrachet qualitatively equal to Montrachet. 92 points.

2006 Dog Point. Section 94
Brought to keep people occupied while the other Burgs had a chance to air out as well as provide a counterfoil. This should be the benchmark for New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Lemon, citrus, cut grass, gooseberries and aromatic vegetables ( i.e. celery, endives ), touch of oak very good concentration and not watery at all like many other SB's.

The reds of Piedmont

2009-10-18T18:44:00.014+08:00

Brunello di Montalcino, Barolo & Barberesco - typical Italian names for red wines. Why do they all have to start with a "B" - confused already? It doesn't need to be painful.

First of all the Brunello doesn't belong in this group because:
a) It comes from a completely different region which is Tuscany
b) Is a totally different grape varietal from the other two (i.e. Sangiovese).

First off, Barolo & Barbaresco are names of actual towns. Both are in the Langhe region in Piedmont. If you can imagine the capital of Piedmont being Alba (yes think white truffles). Barberesco would be Northeast of Alba while Barolo would be Southwest of Alba. To be considered Barolo or Barbaresco they would need reside in the appropriate regions AND be made from the Nebbiolo grape.

Let's take a look at the Barolo region first.

The Barolo region essentially comprises of a hilly area comprising of 2 valleys interspersed with old towns which are homes to the many wine producers. Traditionally, these are the towns of Barolo, La Morra, Castiglione Falleto, Serralunga d'Alba and parts of Monforte d'Alba. Additional locales were given Barolo designation in the later half of the 20th century and these were parts of Cheresco, Diano d'Alba and Roddi. By regulation Barolo needs to be in wood for a minimum of 2 years and 1 year in bottle. Typically, producers release their Barolo 4 years after the vintage. A reserva designation can be given with the additional stipulation of 5 years total ageing with 3 minimum in wood.

The region comprises of over 1,700 hectares of vines producing over 10 million bottles of Barolo annually. Can we say over production? Over the past years there have been efforts to categorized various terroirs in Barolo but nothing has come about even closely approaching the Bordeaux classed growth or Burgundy cru designations. Supposedly the terroir and soil composition are different between the different sides of the 2 valleys comprising Barolo ( roughly bisected by the road designated SP3/SP3bis). The western portion is considered to have softer and more supple tannins but may be less age-worthy. The eastern having harder tannins but with more complexity and age-worthiness.

Unofficially though, there seems to be widespread recognition of the following terroirs to be above the rest. This is not a definitive list so if I've probably missed a whole bunch

La Morra: Rocche dell'Annunziata, Brunate & Cerequio
Barolo: Cannubi
Castglione Falleto: Monprivato, Villero
Serralunga: Cerretta

More to come...

Decent everyday drinking wine

2009-08-10T20:18:00.009+08:00

While it's getting easier to find good wine - it's not so easy to find decent everyday drinking wines which won't burn a hole in your budget.

Having sampled these wines very recently, I can say that they are indeed very decent everyday drinking wines. In fact - they will last for quite some time if you can keep the corks on them.

Both are suited for mediterranian type food from Spain, Italy, Southern France etc..

2006 Artadi El Seque - Alicante
A newly acquired vineyard in Alicante, Spain. 40 acres in brown/limestone soil. The blend is 80% Monastrell (also known as Mataro or Mourvedre), 10% Syrah and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Full bodied wine. Extremely rich and packed. Best to give it a couple hours of air but drinks well right out of the gate. Very nice tannins. The price should be under US$30 - 91pts

2007 Le Macchiole - Bolgheri Rosso
This time from Tuscany, Italy. IGT table wine. Combination of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Sangiovese. True to Le Macchiole, the purity of the fruit comes through here - each and every varietal. Initially one has the feeling the blend has not fully integrated and the tannins can be a bit roughish (but not bad). After time in the decanter this begins to come together. Under US$25 - 89+pts.

Just in case people get the wrong idea - these wines are the most economical ones in the range from Artadi or Le Macchiole. Their high end wines can fetch prices similar to Bordeaux first growth prices. These are some very high quality producers.

In memory of Michael Jackson.

2009-06-27T07:25:00.007+08:00

I wasn't a great fan of Michael Jackson in the later years but there is no denying he redefined the genre over the decades again and again. My favorites still come from the Jackson 5 era and here are some of them:

Some more music

2009-05-21T23:08:00.013+08:00

This time it's not a golden oldie but the complete opposite.

Amazing especially given the circumstances. Zee Avi is a jazz/folk vocalist & songwriter. The 23 year old Malaysian from Borneo was posting youtube videos until being "discovered" and was offered contracts by several US record companies.

More songs on the link below - enjoy!!

http://www.myspace.com/zeeavi

2008 Bordeaux - Selling one's soul

2009-05-21T22:59:00.004+08:00

Most of you won't believe this but the winehunter bought 2008 Bordeaux En-Primuer. Alright, accuse me of selling out, turncoat whatever - I admit it!! Anway, let's see if this works out.

Given the pricing and the vintage there were some relatively good values to be had especially in the early days. Duhart-Milon @ $400/case was to me a complete no brainer. Owned by Lafite, quality has been improving steadily. Pontet-Canet; too hard to resist. The 2003 were yummy, 2008 costs less and should be even better.

On the other hand, some of the top rated wines have shot up tremendously especially after Robert Parker gave higher marks than were expected. 1st growths like Lafite have doubled since initial offering... Greed is back. Either way, this should be fun to watch and try when it finally gets delivered.

An adventure down history.

2009-05-09T06:25:00.013+08:00

For many, collecting antiques can be a fanatical pastime. For wine lovers, this road is fraught with uncertainty but also wonderful surprises. Last night, we had disappointments but we had some wonderful surprises as well - such is life. We had 2 vintages which bookended the beginning and the worst parts of the previous large financial disaster - the great depression of the early 20th century. Is this where we are in the latest equivalent of the 21st century? - who knows.

1929 Beaune - Doctor Barolet selection ( H. Villamont)

A great many significant events occured in 1929 which would reshape the later parts of the 20th century - a monumental year by any measure.

The beginning of the great depression ushered in by the stock market crash in the United States
The first public telephone booth call was made
The Vatican was established as an independent jurisdiction by the Lateran treaty
The first Academy awards were given out
The EEG was invented

What a surprise on opening this 80-year old wine - it was still alive & kicking! The color was light but healthy. Immediately on opening, smells of plums, hints of tea and a touch of figs. Balanced and consistent on the palate, fine tannins but not the quite the kind you expect from a GC on the Nuit side. Over the course of 10-15 minutes of air contact the tannins started to reassert themselves and had a bit of an edge - this then softened over the next 15-20 minutes. Surprisingly, the nose reminds me of Armand Rosseau's Chambertin. In the mouth, it's a slightly different story - again definitely not GC finesse. It had the energy, balance, acidity, complexity. A wonderful experience trying, experiencing and partaking in history.

1933- Beaune Premier Bouchard Pere

As the US started bottoming out here were the highlights of historical events of 1933

Construction of the Golden Gate bridge begins
Newsweek magazines is published
Franklin D Roosevelt becomes US president and begins the "New Deal"
Nissan Motors begins operation
Adolph Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany and the Nazi party comes into power

Holy cow! This thing does not resemble a 76 year old wine. It must have been suspended animation. Color is extremely deep and young ( given the age) - you would have confused this for at most a 20 year old Burgundy. Nose is a bit more reserved not as seductive and complex as the the 1929; bit more monolithic as well on the palate. Compared to the previous bottle this was more of a "bulldog" - tough and wound up. Tannic structure was more heavy and to me not as fine as the previous bottle ( again these are both Beaunes! ). Nit-picking aside, given that is Bouchard is 76 years old - completely amazing condition. Hope I'm in that good shape when or if I get there.

1949 - Moet & Chandon Rose

Some landmark geopolitical events shaped this year and for years to come.

The People's Republic of China is officially proclaimed
Chiang Kai Shek's army retreats to Taiwan
The Federal Republic of Germany is officialy founded.

I had high hopes for this one but it was not to be. DOA. Oxydised, no go. Blech.

And another Golden oldie....

2009-04-13T23:36:00.006+08:00

What has all this got to do with wine?? Not much I guess. Just in a nostalgic mood this evening (where's that Burgundy from the 60's I've got stashed away?).
Anyway - since I'm on a roll here's another one. Sorry - just couldn't get it out of my head after the movie.

T-Rex - "20th Century Boy"

Have you ever seen the rain - nostalgia & melancholy

2009-04-13T22:36:00.016+08:00

When John Fogerty wrote the lyrics to the song "Have you ever seen the Rain", he was referring to the eventual breakup of his brother Tim from the band Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR). This song was released in 1970 and whenever I hear this song it rings nostalgia all over. For people of my generation (you know who you are) this will probably be true as well - for other generations perhaps not. Either way, it also seems like appropriate lyrics for the economic downturn and the credit crisis. By now everyone has seen the rain (or flood or Tsunami).
Hopefully the sunny days will come back soon...

Creedence Clearwater Revival - Have you ever seen the rain?

Someone told me long ago, there's a calm before the storm,
I know; It's been coming for some time.
When it's over, so they say, It'll rain a sunny day,
I know; Shining down like water.

CHORUS:
I want to know, Have you ever seen the rain?
I want to know, Have you ever seen the rain
Coming down on a sunny day?

Yesterday, and days before, Sun is cold and rain is hard,
I know; Been that way for all my time.
'Til forever, on it goes Through the circle, fast and slow,
I know; It can't stop, I wonder.
CHORUS
Yeah!
CHORUS

© JONDORA MUSIC, A DIV OF FANTASY INC;

Sense of smell and the wine palette (or don't take it too seriously)

2009-04-13T19:49:00.006+08:00

Some thoughts on wine descriptions and your sense of smell.

Years ago, I would read all the literature out there. Tasting notes, buy the wine, try it and then read the notes again. We get phrases like "...smells of Lychee, organge zest, pineapple, banana, buttery...." blah blah blah. For every 10 descriptions I would be lucky recognizing and picking up one of them. Perhaps my sense of smell wasn't as acute, taste buds dead, sensory memory lacking?? Maybe there is something wrong with me? Stop right there.

Years later and many bottles down the road - I have yet to meet too many people who were truly missing these god-given abilities to taste. People may not know how to surgically dissect and analyze the wine but they surely know if it's good or not very quickly - there is no fooling that. The exceptions were usually people with a flu, Chain smokers, some other overriding impediment or cranial damage. If you enjoy food and can smell and recognize it; you should be able to do this. This is not to exclude the supertasters - there are those among us with an extraordinary level of ths gift. Even here, there seems to be quite a bit of confusion or disinformation on this end.

On one side, the media and experts tell us that there are "supertasters" among us which have biologically more tastebuds than normal people. Great - no denying this is real.

On the other hand, the experts also tell us that much of the perception of wine comes from the olofactory organs rather than the tongue and mouth - our sense of smell. The tastebuds can only account for the very primitive tastes of sweet, sour, bitter, salty. I would say add a 5th one which is "mouth feel" or "tactile senes" - somethig which tells us the difference between round and coarse tannins. That's it.

My simpleton conclusion is then that most people are barking up the wrong tree in putting too much importance on tastebuds and not enough on the nose...??

Getting back to not recognizing or registering the smells.....

It may sound like heresy but perhaps it was the book that got it wrong??!! Maybe the author thought it smelled or tasted like which may not correspond to your experience?

Here is my favorite example:

Buttery - Perhaps thick, creamy and viscious but "buttery"??

To me there are too many loose ends:

Does it mean cold or melted butter? In which case it looks, feels and tastes totally different.
Is this salted or unsalted butter? Again completely different - not many wines are salty
Is this clarified buter? Is it cooked and to what degree?
Is this Normandy, Danish, Japanese, New Zealand butter?

Don't Give up
Long story short - don't give up if you don't seem to be able to pick up all these nuances that other people or the wine literature seem to have. It may not be your fault. The simple fact is the aromas and nuances in a wine cannot be adequately described in words - words only go so far. Wine more than anything seems to give people and the general public so many assumptions, myths, preconceived notions and BS. You have to take everything with a grain of salt and use your own judgment.

The only caveat is if you find someone who can consistently find good wines and recognize them blind or zoom in just on smell and taste without looking at the label - latch on to that person!!! You can probably throw everything all other rules out the window and follow their advise.

God's Joke ( or why TV series can't be serious)

2009-04-04T23:35:00.005+08:00

For many who follow the comic book God's Drop or "Kami no Shizuku" - some will know that a limited 8 episode TV series began earlier this year in Japan. The final wine or "Kami no Shizuku" literally meaning "God's drop" was no other than the 2003 Chateau La Puy. Yours truly bumped into this wine by chance recently so here are the tasting notes.

2003 Chateau La Puy.

Well, for something which was the wine of God - this is a bit disappointing. On the nose, this had the smell of a Burgundy with a bit of age (15+ years?). Earth, plums, tea - surprising and getting my hopes up as this is totally unexpected for an '03 Bordeaux. On the palate with....Disaster!!! Thin, astringent, slightly coarse tannins; can't believe this is an '03. Mid-palate and finish is nothing to write home about. Don't see how this could be construed with something close to perfection and showing "eternal qualities" - anything but. Wine of God - hmmm don't think so Joke - maybe. 83 points

2006 Peter Michael "La Crarrie"

Smells of minerality starting to integrate with the oak. Very aromatic oak. Some people smell "pineapple" - I think it's the combination of the minerality and the oak - not quite pineapple perhaps a Pina Colada. High viscosity almost oily quality in the wine. Nice aftertaste but maybe a bit short and thought it thinned out at the very end. May improve with time as wood integrates with rest of the wine. 90+ points.

Feb 25, 2009. A few tasting notes from a previous dinner

2009-02-25T20:48:00.005+08:00

2005 Francois Raveneau Butteaux.
Minerality more covered up by fruit than usual. Try not to overchill this - nice acidity - very nice balance - good finish. Still prefer the 2002 though. 92+pts.

2006 Fontaine Gagnard - Chassange Montrachet 1er Cru Clos St. Jean
Opened for ~30minuts. Denser, brasher, minerality backed up by power. Kept unwinding throughout the night - give this time. 90 pts.

2005 George Roumier Chambolle Musigny
Opened in bottle for ~3.5 hours - needs it. Red fruits laced with a bit of earth and game. Structured, fine tannins - amazing village wine. 90 pts.

2005 Duhart Milon Rothschild
Opened for ~2 hours. Young, full bodied, expansive, cassis, touch of pencil, traces of Lafite but not quite as this is more brawny without the complex aromas. Hey but given the price - no complaints! Serve at room temperature or a bit above ~19-21 C, no problems and may make it a bit less rough on the edges. 92 points.

1999 Chateau Palmer
Opened for ~1.5 hours. Ahhh the 2nd disciple. An amazing achievement in an otherwise lackluster year. Soft, beautiful on the nose, depth without being overly brutish. Silky tannins and decent finish. 94-95 points.

2004 Oremus 4 putt Tokaji ( forgot the vineyard).
Good acidity great with thick creamy deserts - cuts through and gives balance.

Dinner with Lodovico Antinori & Tenuta di Biserno

2009-02-04T07:09:00.011+08:00

A few years back, I mentioned about a wine that stood out on a trip to Tuscany. That wine was called Isoglio del Cinghiale. After some fact checking, the people behind this winery were none other than Lodovico & Piero Antinori - the previous owner(s) of Tenuta Ornellia. Fast forward almost 2.5 years later and we had a very special treat - dinner with Lodovico in person.

Insoglio is basically their everyday drinking product. Up until 2005, it was a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petite Verdot and Cab. Franc. Starting in 2006, Syrah was added to the blend and by 2007 I believe Cabernet Sauvignon was completely eliminated. Going forward from the 2007 the blend of varietals have pretty much "settled" in. Given the price point of this wine which is ~ EUR15, no complaints. More than acceptable as an everyday quaffer.

Next up is the Il Pino di Biserno which is a more Bordeaux-like blend and does not contain any Syrah unlike the Insoglio. This is a much more complex wine and also takes things up another level. Starting in 2007 however, there might be a qualitative change as some of the best vine blocks will be going into their next level wine called Biserno.

Biserno - will start with the 2007 vintage and will be their "flagship wine". First shipments will start in 2010. This will be fun to watch as it is probably aimed squarely at Ornellia.

If Biserno is to Ornelia then my guess is that sometime down the road there may be something ultra-rare to match off with Masseto...

2007 Insoglio - More Syrah dominant and even more fleshy.
2006 Insoglio - Syrah introduced a bit more fleshy
2005 Insoglio - Cabernet Sauvignon driven. A Bordeaux ringer.

2005 Il Pino di Biserno
Extremely young. Is it a Puillac or St.Emillion?? It seemed to me however that it was just a bit closed and tight. This will take time.

2006 Il Pino di Biserno
To be released very soon and seems like it is still settling in but looks promising. The balance is there and just a bit more hi-keyed than the 2005 to prop things up here ( though not the sharp acidity in any sense ). Shades of Ornellia here?? This is going to be interesting in a couple of years.

January 9, 2009. A couple more tastings

2009-01-11T20:07:00.003+08:00

A couple more tried over the week.

2006 Leroy Bourgone Aligote
Good acidity, minerality present but had hints of wet cardboard. Suspect this one was "slightly" corked.

2006 Craggy Range "Le Sol" Gimblett Gravels
Extremely ripe primary syrah notes; you know the type where there is a note of "roach spray". I don't know how else to describe it but the fruit has a hint of something coming out of a can of Baygon. Very one-dimensional at this stage - perhaps evaluate in another 7-10 years; it's going to be a while.

1998 Haut Brion.
Doing well now; this looks to be an early drinker by Haut Brion standards. A little air (45minutes) is all it needs. This vintage is underlined by the aromas of the earth - you can smell the soil. Tannins are quite fine and the mid-palate is full but will thin out over a span of 2 hours.... Not a vintage to go into the history books but good now - why wait?

Happy New Year!!

2009-01-01T21:31:00.007+08:00

Another year has gone by - time certainly flies.

Been getting lazy posting tasting notes so new year's resolution is to be more deligent. Here goes....

1998 Billecart Salmon Cuvee Nicholas
Brilliant Pinot Noir smell gushing out just on the pour. On the palate, it was Chardonnay dominating. Quite good but the Chardonnay and Pinot could be a bit more integrated which will take time. 92+ points.

2004 Michel Niellon Chassange Montrachet 1er Cru Clos St. Jean
On the nose, bright flecks of minerality and acidity. The palate could not follow through what was promised on the nose - bit diluted/thin on the core though it had nice acidity and a finish. 90 points.

2006 Domaine Leroy Aligote
Minerals, acidity on the nose and on the palate. Nervosity and a bit of sharpness on the mouth. Needs a little bit of air (30minutes)to balance out. Chablis-like. Had 2 bottles in as many months - the latest one was defective. Flat, no fruit or minerals and a bit oxidised. Previous bottle was much better. 89 points.

1966 Leroy Echezeaux
Primarily plums a touch of figs, earthiness and hint of minerality. Very nice indeed but palate doesn't quite deliver though initially it did for a short period of time ( I dived in while others wanted to wait - their lost) My suggestion - don't wait too long. This was not to say the wine died after that it didn't it had density, structure the finish could be longer but it didn't seem to have the fruitiness and viscosity as in the beginning... 94+ points

2005 Raveneau Valmur
Good balance of acidity, fruit and minerals. Long gentle finish. Needs more time in the bottle and was a bit reticient at first. Don't serve too cold or it will be tight as a clam. 93+ points possibly 95 later.

Oops left one out

2006 Comte Liger-Belaire - Vosne Romanee Clos du Chateau
Limpid and lively light ruby color. Amazing aromas and nose - high notes of red fruits with strong mineral overtones and a bit of earth. On the palate --- ugh.. disappointing - what a let down. Missing a bit of concentration and what was hinted on the nose didn't deliver -- accept tannins and a slight bitterness. I'd like to think this like a Pommard but there you hope the tannins drop to reveal something more balanced... Here I don't think there's anything left when the tannins drop... 87+ points.

Cool Videos from Wilson & Daniels

2008-12-30T22:21:00.006+08:00

Found this surfing one day - thought it was kind of cool.
Brought to you by Wilson & Daniels (US importer for the Domains). You might have to click the play/pause button a few times to get it going.

Domaine Leflaive: A Path to Follow from Wilson Daniels on Vimeo.

Domaine Pierre Morey: Generations in Harmony from Wilson Daniels on Vimeo.

House of Champagne Salon: A Century of Singularity from Wilson Daniels on Vimeo.

Henri Jayer, Meo Camuzet & Emmanuel Rouget - what's the connection

2008-12-18T22:12:00.014+08:00

These 3 producers often seem intertwined together and spoken in the same breath. What is the relationship here? Well, another walk down history is in order.

Henri Jayer was born in Vosne Romanee in 1922. In the late 1930's Henri helped his father Eugene tend the vineyards and in 1942 married Marcelle Rouget. Right at the end of WWII, Henri Jayer made a deal with the Camuzet family to tend their Premier Cru and Grand Cru parcels and produce wine for them. The catch was that Henri would keep 50% under his own labels. Among these vineyards were Echezeaux, Richebourg and the famed Cros Parantoux 1er Cru.

Cros Parantoux was born in 1978 solely due to the efforts of Henri Jayer and alot of dynamite!! Location-wise it is sandwiched in between "Le Barreaux" on top, Richebourg below and "Le Petite Mons" to the left of it. Stylistically it has more than a passing resemblance to Richebourg.

Starting in the late '80s Jean-Nicolas Meo started working the Meo-Camuzet plots under Henri Jayer's tutelage. In the mid '90s due to the absurd French Pension laws, Henri Jayer ended up renting out most of his vineyards to his nephew - Emmanuel Rouget. While Henri Jayer is said to have retired by the late '90s - he did produce bottles with his own label a little bit longer after that ( up until 2001). At the same time, it is rumored that he occasionally lent a helping hand to his newphew - uncle Henri just couldn't really retire. Having tried several of Rouget's wines over various vintages and vineyards. I am convinced there are some "special" Rouget bottles.... often in unexpected/challenging vintages.

So there you go - Jayer, Meo-Camuzet and Rouget - that's the connection.

Oh yeah and one last thing - The winehunter is back!!!

神の雫 - The 12 disciples so far

2008-09-26T21:25:00.007+08:00

『神の雫』

For those who have been following the ongoing Japanese Manga Series you know what I'm talking about. Well, I was a bit frustrated trying to find a convenient place to keep track of the "12 disciples" appearing in the series ( 5 have shown themselves so far) - s0 hear it is. Will update this as they appear. In the meantime here you go!

1. 2001 - George Roumier Chambolle Musigny Amoureuses

2. 1999 - Chateau Palmer

3. 2000 - Domaine Pegau Cuvee de Capo

4. 1994 - Chateau Lafleur

5. 2000 - Michell Colin Deleger - Chevalier Montrachet

June 2, 2008. Burgundy tasting of the year (probably)

2008-06-02T20:45:00.013+08:00

Sometimes, we just don't know how good we have it. May 28th was such a day. An incredible lineup of wines. If that wasn't enough Alan Meadows aka the Burghound was present to talk us through these wines. I will not bore you with individual tasting notes but just suffice to say that there were some great wines - it's just that side by side you begin to split hairs.

Chambertin and Musigny are definitely a cut above Grand Echezeaux. Just more complex. This statement is probably heresy to some and completely obvious to others. Can't win.

Comte de Vogue Musigny is variable and I'm not sure it's quite all there. Something to mull over given the high prices.

On the other hand the 1990 Musigny is a butterfly finally coming out of it's 18 year cocoon. This will need another 7-10 years? - but it's a knockout.

Armand Rosseau Chambertin. Amazing wine, year after year.

Best white of the night '99 CM. Some people liked the '90 but to me that shouldn't be what a CM is about - a little too much flabbiness not enough acidity and minerality. The '96 was a close second - perhaps an off bottle but tonight at least the '99 won on the nose.

Best red of the night was '90 Rosseau Chambertin. On the other hand I think in due time the '90 Musigny will be incredible and possibly better.

Here is the list:

March 30, 2008. Small New Zealand Wineries Part 5. Himmelsfeld Vineyard

2008-03-30T17:06:00.018+08:00

In this final part of this series, I would like to introduce readers to an extremely small winery which pays serious attention to their vines. Himmelsfeld vineyard began in 1991 when owner Elizabeth(Beth) Eggars decided to try something else besides nursing. Nestled on a gentle hill in Upper Moutere, the 10.5ha property has about 1.5ha dedicated to growing Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc (roughly equal split). The rest of the land is still home to an apple orchard and many sheep!

Total production for all wines is roughly about 600+ cases so odds are you will not see this too often overseas. In fact, don't think we saw it in shops while in New Zealand either.

Of the many wineries visited - Beth struck me as one who puts emphasis on the Vineyard first and wine making second. She is adamant that "great wines are made in the vineyard", something which I hear echoed in the most zealous ( and coincidentally top notch) Burgundy producers. Her vineyard is the first one I have seen in New Zealand which does not "irrigate" - yes you heard it right - no irrigation. It was deemed that a deeper vine root system was preferable over "immediate results" and irrigation did not encourage this.

2002 Himmelsfeld Moutere Chardonnay
Hints of citrus fruits and what is the beginning of some secondary aromas coming from the oak. Defintely French oak and probably not new oak either. Not as tight in terms of acidity which I suspect means it should be consumed within 3-5 years. 90 points.

2002 Himmelsfeld Moutere Cabernet
Already achieving some secondary aromas, black and red fruits, not an inky black monster by any measures & soft smooth tannins. The core of the mid palate however shows some lightness in density indicating perhaps rain - grape bloat? Other than that a very nice wine but do not expect this to get much better and should be consumed within 3 perhaps 5 years. 90 points.

2003 Himmelsfeld Mouter Noble Chardonnay
Of the wines offered for tasting this is probably the got me excited the most. I am thinking this is comparable to top level Alsace SGN's but it also has that acidity which lifts the whole thing up. Defintely something I would be very curious to try again in 10-15 years - think this will be a knockout. 96+ points

March 25, 2008. Small NZ Wineries Part 4. Ruby Bay Vineyard

2008-03-25T20:51:00.011+08:00

Established in 2002 by Sam and Audrey Watt from what was an apple orchard, this small vineyard makes microscopic amounts of wine. We found this place mainly due to the attractive accommodations but the wines are something of a surprise bonus. The vineyard currently spans over 5 hectares with vine densities of 2600 vines per hectare. The soil here is predominantly clay from the Moutere area. What I would really like to highlight here is their 2007 SV Sauvignon Blanc which is one of the best expressions of New Zealand SB I have had this trip and perhaps the top handful I have had from New Zealand. Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm not going to mince words here - if what you want is a light, tart and aromatic quaffing wine then this is not it. Sometimes, I am convinced that the British wine trade wants to box in New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc as aromatic, tart thin thirst quenchers to serve before the serious wines- bullocks. If that's what people think will sell then it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

This starts with an explosion of intense aromatic fruity & zesty fireworks. It is then followed in the mouth by intensity, density & concentrated nectar with a lingering finish. This has character, guts and strength. The fruit were late picked (by hand) and yielded 2.5 ton/acre (quite amazingly low yields for this grape and the region). 92+ Points

In a tasting of her wines, Audrey Watt put the Sauvignon Blanc last as she was afraid it would dominate if it was first. In most other shops the SB is invariably first to taste. She also told me that the wine judges didn't know what to make of her Sauvignon Blanc - I can see why it's totally out of their comfort zone and hit the ball way outside the park.

Production levels for 2007:
Chardonnay (168 cases).
Pinot Gris (44 cases)
Pinot Noir (100 cases)
Sauvignon Blanc ( 150 cases)
Riesling ( 150 cases)

March 24, 2008. New Zealand Wineries Part 3 - Woollaston

2008-03-24T15:53:00.006+08:00

This one is not exactly a small winery and definitely a bit more flashy than many others. Woollaston Estates was formed in 2000 - with some creative passion. You can see that in the design of the winery building itself as well as the myriad pieces of art and sculptures around. This one is worth going to just to check out the architecture. While I cannot say that I was impressed with most of their offerings - one did stand out to me and that was their Pinot Noir. Vines are still young but there is a balance here which I find lacking in many others. This is one of the better Pinot if not the best I tried on this trip.

Looking at a design of their winery it seems to be designed around letting gravity lead the flow through the winemaking process . This can only mean it was designed around the careful handling of Pinot Noir. To me, you can taste a big difference in quality between the Pinot and their other wines. It was as if the other wines were intended for bulk sale in order to finance the winery and perfecting the Pinot.

2007 Nelson Pinot Noir. Black cherries, some depth might be due to clay soil with "good/smooth" tannins and a decent finish. 89 points

Winery schematic : http://www.woollaston.co.nz/winery/interactive-map

Small New Zealand Wineries Part 2

2008-03-22T22:53:00.007+08:00

Clos Henri is a relatively new entrant to the Wairau valley of the Marlborough wine growing region. This property is also located close to Renwick and is actually opened by the Bourgeois family from the Sancerre region in France. The first vines were planted in 2001 with emphasis on bringing out the terroir. There are a multitudes of soils here but they essentially are either clay based or rocky riverbed. Their "Bel Echo" offerings of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir show definite minerality and bely the rocky riverbed soil which it was planted on. The "Clos Henri" series on the other hand definitely is more earthy, rich and deep being planted on predominantly clay. Of all the wines tasted in this region - these wines strike me as the most "terroir transparent" I have tried so far.

Their vine planting densities are some of the highest around here of around 5000 vines per hectare. I have high hopes for this property in the future as their vines begin to acquire age and more experience is gained each year on the boundaries of each specific "terroir".

There is definite potential here for these wines - give the vines some age, more experience with the soil and LOWER YIELDS. If there is one sticking point it's the yields which tend to be on the higher end. At ~50 Hl/Ha, this is just too high to produce anythng worthy of the "ultra-premium" status and certainly world class. To get there, we are going to have to drop fruit yields by 30% or more so let's watch this space - it's a great start.

Small New Zealand Wineries Part 1

2008-03-21T10:59:00.009+08:00

Te Whare Ra ( "Tee Faree Ra" is supposed to mean house in the Sun in Maori) is based in Marlborough New Zealand. This is on the south Island in the town of Renwick which is host to quite a few wineries including Cloudy Bay, Montana etc...

Established in 1979, this small boutique winery probably has some of the oldest vines in the area. In 2003, the husband and wife team of Jason & Anna Flowerday took the helm and have significantly upgraded various aspects of the winery. Although offering a Pinot Noir, IMHO they are a white wine producer with offerings mainly from Sauvignon Blanc, Reisling, Gerwurztraminer and Chardonnay. It's their aromatic wines which to me show their stuff here. Current size of the vineyards ~9 hectares with many coming from the older vines planted in 1979 ( almost 30 years ago) - I was told the Gerwurztraminer. Fruit is basically hand sorted and picked - now we are talking.

Cutting to the chase, my favorite wines from their lineup would be the "Toru" bottling and their Gerwurztraminer.

The "Toru" is a blend of several aromatic grape varietals consiting of Riesling, Gerwurztraminer and Pinot Gris. While tasting this wine, images of a picnic & grilled seafood keep popping up - probably my mind telling me that's where I should be with this. 89 points

The 2007 Gerwurztraminer to me is a standout here. The concentration and flavor in here just screams of old vines and low yields. The typical Lychee notes were present although not overpowering, minerals, hints of sweetness from the fruit with 22g/l of residual sugar - nice finish ( the wine was still going strong after being opened more than 24 hours). The best thing to compare this to would be an Alsatian Gewurtz VT. 92+ points

These guys deserve some room in your cellar.

March 17, 2008. Chateauneuf Du Pape followup.

2008-03-18T07:32:00.005+08:00

A bit more than 1/2 year ago, we were in Chateauneuf du Pape. Anyway long story short. The sommelier at Beaucastel came up with a short video clip to explain the varietals and the philosophy going into CdP and Beaucastel in particular. Enjoy

http://www.dailymotion.com/register/ccbc48fdeb59759ac171c670f/7478619

P.S. Just got back from the South Island of NZ so expect something here on wines from Malborough and Nelson areas.

December 22, 2007. Christmas time is here

2007-12-23T09:21:00.000+08:00

It's hard to believe that a year has almost gone by and Christmas Time is here. In getting into the holiday rhythm, I went looking for some music only to find most of it unsatisfying (surprise, surprise). There are exceptions, and here I think is one of them.

December 1965, "A Charlie Brown Christmas" was aired and became an instant standard. Most people will remember the Charles Schultz cartoon along with the catchy tunes. Upon listening to the recent 2006 re-master of this album by Fantasy records, I was amazed. This is so much better than coming out of a 14 inch mono TV. Arranged & composed by Vince Guaraldi, there is an underlying quality of happiness and cheer to the music. Perhaps it brings back happy memories of my childhood but I think it is intrinsic to the music. Guaraldi to me, has the lyrical qualities of Bill Evans together with the rhythm and swing of a Dave Brubeck - it is a shame he died of a heart attack at an age of 47 between sets at a jazz club. Thought I would share this one with you, the album code is FCD-30066-2 in case some of you are interested.

Merry Christmas, good health, peace on earth and may joy come over the world.

October 13, 2007 - Pouilly Fuisse

2007-10-13T23:17:00.000+08:00

Pouilly Fuisse should not really be mixed up with Pouilly Fume although it happens. While both are white wines Pouilly Fuisse is rightfully Chardonnay and Burgundian. The other Pouilly is from the Loire Valley and is made from Sauvignon Blanc ( to be covered someday!).
While Pouilly-Fuisse is an appelation on to itself it would be a shame not to give the individual terroirs recognition also. There are 4 villages in the appelation: Vergisson, Solutre-Pouilly, Fuisse and Chaintre and arguably 5 terroirs as Solutre and Pouilly are distinctive.

From a distance the twin rocks of Vergisson and Solutre are a clear giveaway that you have arrived. The certain soil zones around these rocks are limestone and give the wines that mineral taste which is lacking or more subdued in the other communes outside of Vergisson, Solutre and Pouilly.

The 5 terroirs within Pouilly-Fuisse are :

Vergisson - mineral driven, punchy with acidic backbone.
Solutre - mineral driven but softer with pronounced acidity.
Pouilly - Good harmony of mineral and fruit - most balanced.
Fuisse - More fruity, does not have the minerality of previous 3.
Chaintre - Fruit dominant.

The next time you try a Pouilly-Fuisse take a closer look at the label and see where it comes from - there should be a difference. Personally my favorite is Pouilly proper. It seems to have the right balance of fruit, minerality and lively acidity. The other all have their unique characteristics but not in the harmonious balance I get in a benchmark Pouilly.

Not a comprehensive list by any measure but the wines I liked were made by:

Domaine Carrette
Domaine Nadine Ferrand

October 1, 2007. Some Burgundies and a Pinot

2007-10-01T18:22:00.000+08:00

2005. Vincent Girardin Santenay 1er Cru Les Gravieres.
Fruit, minerals, acidity, fine tannins - feels as if one could feel the sun shining down. I don't think you can really ask for more in a Santenay - I think this is an amazing value. True balance here, if this is a good representation of the '05 vintage then I would say that it takes the best attributes of '02 and '03 together. 91pts.

2004 J.F Mugnier Nuit St. George 1er Cru. Clos de la Marechale.
Good depth of fruit, acidity, mid palate. Very good showing for a 2004. Unfortunately, the 2005 Santenay came before it. 90 pts.

2005 Felton Road. Block 5 Pinot Noir.
Very Generous fruit and good tannins, aromatically less complicated than the previous 2 Burgundies. Given the price of this, I'm not sure it's really worth the money. It's just not as complex as the previous wines. 89pts.

September 29 - Beaucastel Part.2

2007-09-29T08:01:00.000+08:00

A visit to Beaucastel isn't complete without trying some so off to the tasting room....

2006 - Beaucastel Blanc.
The Roussane grape is dominant with 80% (small percentage of 60 year old vines) and another 20% comprised of Grenache Blanc (10-40 year old vines). Honey, flowers, good acidity and a minerality. Good to serve on the cool side i.e. 10-12 centrigrade.

2006 - Beaucastal Blanc Vielle Vignes
Again made of Roussane but this time 100% pure and straight up. The vines are old (I'm told 78 years). Production is absolutely miniscule at 6000 bottles per annum ( sorry now 5999 for '06). With the Roussane variety I am told you either drink it within 5 years of the vintage of 10 years later. The 5-10 year period is supposed to be a funky phase where the wine shouts down and appears oxidised. Strangely enough I have not it during this phase but have had ones over 10 years - you will be nicely surprised. The RVV belies it's age in comparison to Beaucastel Blanc - you can tell the age of the vines in the wine! If the regular version is a child then the RVV is a middle-age adult - more complex, more depth, more layers, more of everything. If you do have both and then go back to the regular version - you will find it lacking and "shallow". I would not be afraid to serve this warmer than the regular Beaucastel Blanc say 13-15 degrees.

2005 Beaucastel
Comprised of 13 grape varieties. The various grapes bring their unique characteristics to the table and balance one another out. Mourvedre for it's tannic structure and ageing potential, Grenache for the warmth and texture as well as others. The CdP true to its roots. Given the various varieties and their maturation profiles that each variety would come forward at different times during the ageing process. You can try one young (i.e. within 5 years) but it won't reach a sense of harmony without 10 years of age - this is my own personal view of course. Right now too young but good raw materials should be fantastic.

1998 Beaucastel
Here we are starting to get serious. IMHO still not quite there in terms of harmony but getting there and should do it within 5 years? Depth, breadth, fantastic stuff.

1986 Beaucastel
IMHO has reached the stage of harmony. Leather, animal, dried fruits it's all there. Not a stellar vintage but drinking well and probably at it's peak.

* Note with food - Try something hearty almost rustic. The typical cuisine is Provencal - so olive oils, thyme, basil, tomatoes. Perhaps even Tuscan food may work ....?

September 24, 2007. Beaujolais

2007-09-24T20:08:00.000+08:00

The fresh, bubble gum like wine known as Beaujolais Nouveau released on 3rd week of November is what most people think of when this appelation is mentioned. Beaujolais rouge is made with the Gamay grape and actually encompases 3 categories.

1. Regular Beaujolais - Beaujolais Nouveau is a part of this.
2. Beaujolais Village - 38 communes claim this category. Again Nouveau can come from this.
3. Beujolais Cru - These consists of 10 vineyards :

Brouilly
The largest Vineyard with 1300 hectares at the foot of Mount Brouilly. Annual production : 10million bottles. Really massive production not really that interesting.

Chenas
The smallest vineyard with 280 hectares. Annual production : 2.1 million bottles. One of the better Crus.

Chiroubles
Situated at 400 meters is the highest of the vinyards. 370 hectares. Annual production 2.7 million bottles

Cote de Brouilly
On the slopes of mount Brouilly. 320 hectares. Annual production : 2.4 million bottles

Fleurie
870 hectares. Annual production : 6.5 million bottles

Julienas
600 hectares. Annual production: 4.5 miilion bottles

Morgon
Full bodied wines. 1100 hectares. Annual production: 8.7 million bottles

Moulin a Vent
'King of Beaujolais' from the ancient windmill in a nearby town. 670 hectares. Annual production: 5 million bottles. That's alot of bottles for supposed the king - buyer beware.

Regnie Designated relatively recently (1988). 550 hectares. Annual production : 4 million bottles

Saint-Armour
Northern Beaujolais. 310 hectares. Annual production: 2.4 million bottles

September 20th, 2007, A visit to Chateau de Beaucastel - Part 1

2007-09-18T21:22:00.000+08:00

A visit to Chateau de Beaucastel

Chateauneuf-du-Pape. What does this word usually mean to you?
Strong, robust, rustic, wild, wooly, complex, monolithic all the above?

Several hundred years ago it was none of the above. In the 1300's, the papal court moved to the city of Avignon along with the papacy of Pope Clement V due to political reasons. So ensued several generation of French Popes called the "Avignon papacy". South from Avignon in the village of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, the papacy made their summer homes and encouraged the growing of vines in the surrounding areas of Bedarrides, Sourgues and Corthezon. It was at this time that the wines became known as "Vin du Pape". It was not until 1923 when the first Appellation controlee rules were drafted under the leadership of Baron Le Roy thatPublish Post Chateauneuf-Du-Pape AOC was born. In fact, this probably was the first AOC and the precursor of the various regulations to come later on. Returning to Corthezon, we that we come to one of of the most famous Rhone estates in the world, that of Chateau de Beaucastel.

Front gates of Chateau de Beaucastel

On of the characteristics of the terroir of CdP is a layer of stones throughout the vineyards called "galets" which were torn from the alps and placed on the plains by the action of the rhone river in prehistoric times. The layer of stones is supposedly 1.5meters deep and lay flat and hereby constructing a matrix of stone pebbles in which vine roots alternately intertwine their way outwards and downwards towards sources of water - thus creating a robust root system.

Vines are typically grown in gobelets (bushvine). Given the scarcity of moisture and the strong drying action of the mistral winds in this area, this method actually preserves moisture where in other areas would cause the plant to retain too much and encourage rot. In the case of Beaucastel it utilizes the traditional 13 (or more) grape varieties ( Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, Counoise, Terret Noir, Muscardin, Vaccarese, Clairette, Roussane, Picpoul, Picardan, Bourboulenc. The philosophy being one of symphony and harmony where each variety is not able to go at it solo.

To be continued......

Apologies again

2007-08-13T21:58:00.000+08:00

It's been a while since any postings and apologies are due. A combination of a busy workload, lack of thematic tastings and too many things on my plate. Believe me when I say, would rather deal with wine topics than sub-prime and market turmoil - but such is life. Promise to have some articles lined up in the not too distant future. Hopefully late summer/early fall.

If it smells like a dog it probably is - Grand cru Burgundy don't sell for the price of of a Vin de Pays. Likewise, high yields and high credit ratings (i.e. AAA/AA rated CDO tranches) don't go together-that would be a contradiction. It's taken the market this long to realize it. Which reminds me of a passage from one of Warren Buffets annual reports "You can't tell who's swimming naked until the tide goes out". In the meantime be careful out there.

June 14, 2007. A smorgasboard

2007-06-16T07:12:00.000+08:00

August Clape - 1995 Cornas.

Initially a bit closed and astringent. With time and about 1.5 hours it unfolded, figs, earthy, good finish. However, as it breathed more it also became a bit more sour and thin. Mid palate just didn't seem to have sufficient density - for a Cornas. The finish was quite decent. Perhaps this needs another 5 years to even out. Hopefully then all components would be "synchronized" at least for that 1.5 hours. 90 points. Maybe 2 more in 5 years.

Pierre Morey - 2001 Mersault Perriers

Right out of the bottle oozing with minerals and flint. Not a super hot year so this came through very pronounced. Do not serve this too cold as this would make it too Chablis-like. Give it ~45min to warm up and the overall aromatic profile should be even better. Again a bit light bodied for a Mersault so don't overchill. A bit short on the finish and not exactly my idea of a typical Perriers - a bit on the lean side but nevertheless a very good wine. 92 points.

Billecart Salmon - Brut Reserve - Champagne

Bright and light are my initial impressions. Subtle yeast. Abundant mousse and then a slow but consistent trail of small bubbles. Think of this and Krug as being in the opposite ends of the spectrum in style. In all honesty a little bit short on flavor. Value for money - Jacquesson would probably be my choice.

Henri Bonneau - VdP NV

Last bottle I have. Rustic wine not in a bad sense but one with guts, heart and full of flavor. Suspect Syrah, Grenache and quite a few other ones in here. Decent finish. CHEAP for what you get but I don't find this often - didn't even know Henri Bonneau does this. This would trounce a few appelation wines with names. Have to have this with some good old Provencial fare. Some cassoulet, game or sausages.

May 3, 2007 - Poking around in New Zealand

2007-05-04T21:56:00.000+08:00

I'll just admit it right now - I don't really know much about New Zealand - save for the Cloudy Bay, Oyster Bay, Kemeu River, Montana and a handful of others. Definitely good, competent wines but not really stuff that gets your's truly excited... Until I ended up going through Central Otago on vacation. Central Otago is situated on the "South Island" - for those who don't know, New Zealand is actually divided into North and South Islands.

Central Otago - is dry and cool.... perfect for Pinot Noir Burgheads, at least that is what is mostly planted here (>80%). I'll cut to the chase, the promise was Pinot and most producers here make small amounts and the price is not exactly cheap. Many are good competent renditions of Pinot Noir (other's not quite so) but not something that makes my heart skip a beat. I have been told to give some of the special reserve bottlings a try. That will be done but frankly they are not easy to get a hold of and definitely not cheap (~ 2-3 times price of regular stuff). This has alot to do with the strong New Zealand currency lately. Will get back on the results of those later...... No, what had got me excited was not the Pinot Noir but Riesling! Frankly, I was just about to give up on New World Riesling until now.

It's really got potential and the key is - acidity. A couple of them caught my attention such as wines from Felton Road and Mount Difficulty. I would say they are stacking up quite well in the Trocken all the way up to Auslesse territory ( though wines are not classified in this manner). Unfortunately, due to the dry climate it might be a bit difficult to get BA / TBA type wines here. Eiswein has been tried but the yields were frighteningly low and probably not commercially viable. I also get the impression that the domestic markets don't seem to care for higher residual sugars.... a shame because it sure seems the acidity is there to balance this out ( can't pull it off otherwise). Most impressed with the Mount Difficulty Riesling portfolio - I think it may give the Germans a good run. Felton road was another good example although I preferred their drier offerings here. I didn't quite like the '06 Block 1 Riesling which has higher residual sugar but a smatter of bitterness. To me this character is distracting in an Auslesse type wine. Having said that there is still a perceivable gap between this and the Egon Muller's, Donhoffs and Kellers ..... Well to be fair everyone else is in the same boat. Hmmm what else... I really liked the Pinot Gris made by Amisfield - more than alot of the Italian Versions. The Pinot Gris has potential as well I would say. Given that the region here is relatively new (15-20 years at most?) - the vines really have some potential and even more so for the above mentioned grape varieties.

The problem as I see it now is the strong currency. Wines from this region and especially Pinot Noir are going to face a quandry because they are no longer "cheap". At those price levels we begin to expect a little something extra - and in most cases it falls short. So at this point it may seem there are 2 roads to choose from. (1) Try to minimize costs and perhaps quality in some areas to compete (2) Go for the high end markets and no-compromise wines. This is risky in itself and is partly dependent on vine age (compared to France's with 30-70 year old vines). Perhaps in a way it's a good thing the Euro has strengthened as well - if not this problem would be even more pronounced.

March 25, 2007. Wine lovers of the world unite to cure diseases!

2007-03-25T09:30:00.000+08:00

Have you ever wanted to help out in understanding and perhaps even finding the cure to diseases such as Alzheimer's, Cancer, Parkinson's and others?

Well now you can.

The Idea

folding@home is a distributed computing effort organized by a nonprofit institution affiliated with Standford University's Chemistry department. Protein folding is involved in very basic biological processes. If we understand these processes and mechanisms better then a cure could be possible. In order to do this, computer simulations are required. On the other hand, the se simulation requirements are beyond even most supercomputers. The trick is to pool together hundreds of thousands or perhaps millions of Desktop, Laptop, and now even the Playstation3 to cut the problem down to size. Currently, the combined computer power of this network could very well be the most powerful floating point computing unit globally.

The results are will not be owned or sold but will be submitted to scientific journals and available to everyone.

How to contribute
You can read all about it at their webpage: http://folding.standford.edu/

What is required is your own machine and a piece of software download from their website. This software works on a piece of the problem whenever the computer has "spare time". When computations are completed - the results are uploaded back to the server at Stanford. On a fast PC each work unit will most probably take a couple of days. On the new Playstation 3 system this takes ~8-9 hours!!!. In the last couple of weeks, an add-in has been included to enable PS3 machines to help in on this. The PS3 can complete a job in a fraction of the required time of a PC. At this stage, roughly ~20k PS3 units have signed up and the combined computing power has already matched all the available PC units in the network - globally. If you have one of these unites - why not put it to good use when idle?

Join Team "Bacchus"
Computation of these problems can also be organized into "Teams" for identification purposes (combined computation time, work units etc...) If anybody cares, I have set up team "Bacchus" (Team #59314) on the server. Let's show people that wine lovers care too!

March 24, 2007. Smorgasbord Tasting

2007-03-25T08:33:00.000+08:00

1996 Jacquesson Signature Champagne.
Friends tried to pull a fast one and claimed it was a Salon. Certainly did not taste like something from Mesnil. Hints of green apple, toast/bread, good acidity. This will needs more time to settle down even now - A higher class version of the non vintage version. The grapes from Avize ( Chardonnay) seem to be quite prominent. 91 points now and should get better ( ~94pts) in 5-7 years.

2003 Coche Dury Bourgogne Pinot Noir
Very different from the last tasting. Aromas of minerals and pinot now in much better balance and more forthcoming. Caveat are the hints of slightly burnt pepper & grape smell that seems to be common many 2003's - not sure if this is a good thing. Certainly not typical of Burgundy character. Nevertheless, it has a medium body whereas it seemed thin and withered when it first arrived - fruit is abundant and the tannins are quite refined. Still it lacks the multi-layered dimensionality and finish that is required of a great wine. But hey it's just a Bourgogne. 89points.

2001 La Fluer Mongiron
Nose seems to be evolving and developing more complexity. However, the body seems to have hollowed out - didn't seems to have the "stuffing" like before. Not sure if it's starting to go downhill or entering a "shut down phase". If it was the later, it should have done this a while ago in previous tastings. 87-88 points.

2005 Joh.Jos (JJ) Prum. Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spatslese.
Bright vibrant rich, good acidity and sugars. Like most 2005 arguably could be classified as Auslese in less gifted years. It has a good balance of sugars, acidity and concentration. Like most other 2005, mineral and petrol hints seem sublimated and hard to pick out because of the dominance of other characters - I'm sure they will surface with time. Definitely can benefit from a few more years in the seller but is seductively easy and good drinking now. 92 points.

March 21, 2007. Champagne demystified

2007-03-21T19:07:00.000+08:00

Much myth and disinformation exists around the wine and history. Perhaps it's better to start from the beginning. With annual production >300 million bottles a year - make double sure you are getting the real deal.

Champagne Trivia
#1 - Originally Champagne was not fizzy
Originally, Champagne at least up until the 17th century was probably more along the lines of a rose than the sparkling we know today.

#2 - Dom Perignon did not invent Champagne
That was more marketing blitz byMoet & Chandon in the early 20th century. Actually, it was the English who added sugar to still wine from Champagne before our famous Benedictine monk.

#3 - Napoleon's favorite Champagne house was Moet & Chandon.
Jacquesson came in 2nd - the medal awarded to the house was for the grandiosity of the cellars.

History
In 1728, the law forbidding shipment of wines in bottles was revoked. Soon after, many Champagne houses began to appear. Among them Ruinart, Moet, Cliquot, Heidsick and Jacquesson to name a few. It was only in the early 20th century that the practice of disgorgment arrived (i.e. removing the sediment by freezing the wine at the neck). Prior to this, Champagne always had sediment due to the lees. Over the years different Champagne houses "targeted" different markets. The houses of Cliquot and Roderer looked at Russia while the houses of Bollinger and Krug looked to Britain.

The Grape & Wine
Three types of grapes are used in the making of Champagne (Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier & Chardonnay). Two of these varietals are what Burgundy is famous for. In Champagne however, the northerly location and hence cooler climate gives these varietals a higher acidity - a key component to longevity in a great Champagne. Very often Champagne is a blend of these grapes. Non vintage Champagne (NV) would be this and a blend of various vintages to maintain a "house style". This requires the wine maker to have an expert knowledge of blending. The NV tends to get the 2nd rate juice is frankly less interesting than vintage Champagne. The Pinot Noir in the blend is supposed to give the wine structure while Chardonnay is supposed to add acidity and bouquet - both have good aging potential. Pinot Meunier is a very hardy grape and was probably prized for that rather than any inherent qualities over the other two varietals. Blends with this grape are purported to be shorter lived - perhaps unbalancing the other components over time.

When to Drink
IMHO Vintage Champagne is usually opened too early. If you like the fizz open an NV - Vintage Champagne needs age especially the good ones. Now comes subjectivity and personal preference - I like mine (especially Blanc de Blancs) north of 10 years. The balancing point between youth, complexity & maturity (without going over the hill) is where I like it - in other words guesswork. For Vintage Champagne from good producers in good years 10 years is way too young... The 1990 Vintage is only coming into adolescence.

Types of Champagne

NV or Non-Vintage Champagne. A blend of many vintages to form a consistent style.
Demi-Sec/Sec. Sweet or semi Sweet Champagne (usually the worst juice goes here).
Vintage Champagne. Usually offered only in good vintages but not adhered by many.
Blanc De Blancs. "White from white". Wine from Chardonnay grapes only (usually). Best examples need age
Blanc De Noirs. "White from Black". From Pinot Noir or Pinot Meunier. Probably needs more aging than Blanc De Blanc. Aromas can have vegetal and animal nuances - bit like a mature red Burgundy. Not to everyone's liking.
Special bottlings. Usually the best and most expensive juice the house has to offer. Examples are Dom Perignon, Roederer Cristal, Taittinger Comtes de Champagne, Bollinger R.D. , Pol Roger Winston Churchill, Salon "S", Krug Clos De Mesnil etc...

Notable Champagne Villages

Ambonnay - Pinot Noir 80%, Chardonnay 20%
Avize - Chardonnay 100%
Ay - Pinot Noir 86%, 4% Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay 10%
Dizy - Pinot Noir 29%, Pinot Meuinier 41%, Chardonnay 30%
Epernay - Mainly because most Champagne houses are represented
Mareuil-sur-Ay - Pinot Noir 82%, Pinot Meunier 9%, Chardonnay 9%
Le Mesnil-sur-Oger - Chardonnay 100%
Reims - Pinot Noir 31%, Pinot Meunier 38%, Chardonnay 31%
Verzenay - Pinot Noir 90%, Chardonnay 10%
Verzy - Pinot Noir 80%, Chardonnay 20%

Favorite Champagne Houses (Value, Quality or both)

Billecart-Salmon
Bollinger
Charles Heidsck
Jacquesson
Krug
Piper-Heidsik
Pol Roger
Salon

* Reference material from Richard Juhlin's excellent book "4000 Champagnes"

January 11, 2007. A Happy (belated) New Year.

2007-01-13T11:48:00.000+08:00

First off, a Happy New Year and good health to all. It has been a busy past year and unfortunately this has led to a slowdown in new posts lately. This year we start of with a new look and hopefully try to write more about wine and also it's natural partner - food. Besides, would you trust the advice of someone in wine if they couldn't tell chicken from pork?!! Stay tuned.

Food and wine marriages. November 11, 2006

2006-11-12T09:19:00.000+08:00

Marriages - What works

When was the last time a bunch of wine geeks got together with fabulous wine and the food just didn't quite go well. Sometimes we have fabulous food and it's just missing that wine to "complete" the evening. Food and wine pairing is an art - a marriage. When it works the sum is greater than the parts - that's a promise. Without some knowledge and experience both in wine and food - it's hard to pull this off. The other day we bumped into some very nice combinations with friends and thought it might be worth mentioning here.

Shanghai hairy crab & Old vintage Champagne

Every autumn between October and November, hairy crabs from Hangzhou are the rage among Chinese with it's sweet meat and abundant crab "miso". In it's purest form the crab is poached/boiled as is and accompanied by a special vinegar with ginger pulp in it. Well if that vinegar and ginger sauce goes well with the crab why not...... a mature vintage champagne?? It worked.. 1983 Charles Heidsick Brut in Magnum. Frankly, this marriage was dominated by the '83 Heidsick which was too good ( nutty, toast, smoothness, abundant mousse) while this year's crabs were a bit off.

Two '04 Burgs and two pairings.

2004 Vincent Dauvissat Chablis 1er Cru "Vaillons" & Oysters from Tasmania

The '04 Dauvissat Vaillons has a beautiful nose that is hard to say no to. It was "very Chablis" with sharpness, acidity and a sea salt/mineral finish. We decided to have some oysters on the half shell straight up with it. Whoever told you that Chablis and oysters are a natural match didn't mention the fine print. It has to have a) Sufficient sharp acidity (ever wonder why people squeeze lemons and/or have zesty tangy sauces with it?) AND 2) That mineral sea/salt undertone. In this case, the Dauvissat has it in spades. IMHO, on it's own '04 Vaillons is infaticide ( another ~5-7 years) but with oysters it was heaven. Next time we'll need to try this with other oysters to see if it can get any better.

2004 Roumier Morey St. Denis 1er Cru "Clos de la Bussiere" & French Epoisse Cheese

Epoisse Cheese from Burgundy. This is a hand washed cheese and is slightly soft with lovely earthy, spicy and PUNGENT aromas ( like dried Chinese salty fish - some of you will know what I mean). We heated it up a little ( ~20/30 secs in a Microwave..... ) and had it with some bread.

Urban myth #2 - Cheese and red wine is an automatic match. How many times have you attended a "wine and cheese" party and come away thinking if you had an impaired palate or just didn't get it? Wine and Cheese pairings are some of the trickiest to manage well. Bad wine/cheese pairings are like a marriage between 2 sumo wrestlers - ugly. A safer way would be to try cheese and wines from the same commune. It does make sense though, people living in those villages had to put up with it for centuries so it can't be that bad. Anyways, we aren't going to talk about ugly marriages here - this one works.

Don't just think any red Burgundy can go with it. It has to have depth, concentration and structure - otherwise the Epoisse will wipe it out. Go with a 1er or Grand Cru of some quality. The '04 Roumier 'Clos de la Bussieries' has that extra depth even though it wasn't an outstanding year. Again this can age for a few (~5-7 years) more years. With the cheese - why wait? It was quite lovely at this point.

Adventures in Italy

2006-10-15T21:05:00.000+08:00

We only spent one night in Rome and that was the gastronomic low point of the trip. Thinking we couldn't go wrong by picking the most crowded joint in the vicinity.... oops bad luck. We just could not understand why there were so many people. Maybe they served the leftovers to the tourists? The fish was stale and the lamb was pretty sad as well. Sub-standard food, expensive and mediocre service ( restaurant pictured below).

One of the best places in terms of food was in the town of Lucca. Over lunch we went to this lovely little place called "Canuleia". The fresh vegetable salad with burrata cheese was lovely. Being quite creamy on the inside, the cheese liquids gets mixed up with the olive oil and vegetables outside resulting in a lovely dressing - I'm sure it was deliberate.

Last but not least, a lovely wine from Tenuta Campo di Sasso called Insiglio. You may not have heard of this outfit but this is where Lodovico Antinori went when his beloved Ornelia was sold. Seems that a few key staff went over with him. If Insiglio is their ordinary wine, I can't wait to see the premium offerings ( Supposedly it's out already and is called "Pino di Biserno"). The 2nd is '04 which was released in late '05 and the latest vintage '05 is supposed to be out ( I stand corrected). Give this about 45min of air - a decent wine for 20 euro ( at the restaurant) - 91 points and needs to go with hearty food ( roast lamb, beef stew etc...)

The next day we went on a tour of an estate called Valle de Sole which is an extremely small outfit, they make a lovely wine called Ebrius ( the 2 bottles to the left) which is their premium offering - 88 points. This was selling for 15 Euro. They also make a very good EVOO, by volume the price is the same as their top wine ( 10 Euro for 0.5L).

There was one other find which was not in Lucca but close to Montepulciano made by a small outfit called Palazzo Bandino. There they have a Nobile de Montepulciano called 'Il Morone' or old mill (I'm told). The latest offering is '03 and production is a small 5000 bottles. The price was 10 Euro which is a great value. Liked this a little better than the Ebrius. 89 points.

September 14, 2006. Burgundian myth & history.

2006-09-14T22:13:00.000+08:00

The wine hunter is back!!!

Instead of hitting the booze immediately, let's go back in time for some history lessons.....3 Stories and 3 wines.

In 1395, Philip the Bold, the duke of Burgundy decreed that the gamay vine was to be uprooted within 30 days or be slapped with a fine. It was decided that gamay was not well suited to the best qualities of wine, instead the Pinot Noir grape was recommended. 100+years later, Louix XI annexed Burgundy and the prior of Saint-Vivant had to file tax returns and declare his properties. 'Le Cloux de Saint Vivant' included 4 'clos' or walled parts. This included Le Cloux des Cinq Journaux. Around 1662, this Clos together with an adjacent plot of three ouvrees was renamed "La Romanee". In early 1700's the going rate for a good vineyard was 200 livre per ouvree.... Using some accounting sleight of hand this amounts to roughly US$13k per acre. On the faithful day of July 18, 1760, "La Romanee" was purchased for the unheard of sum of 2,310 live per ouvree or roughly 10x the going price. The purchaser was one Louis-Francois de Bourbon - the fifth prince de Conti; a cousin of King Louis XV. Thus was born "Romanee-Conti", always expensive and never was cheap even way back 246years ago.

On July 14, 1789 the Bastille was stormed and the french revolution was in full force. The Prince fled the country and his lands were seized by the new government along with other plots owned by the church. In 1790's the confiscated land was sold to the highest bidder at auctions. One of them offered on the auction block was "La Romanee de Saint-Vivant" owned previously by the Benedictine order. This was bought by Nicolas-Joseph Mary from Nuit and son-in-law of Gaspard Monge. The next picture should start to make things clearer....

Now fast forward into the 20th century. It was the 1930's and the economic depression was entrenched even in Europe. On August 31, 1933 the Liger-Belair family was forced by hard times and internal disputes and decided to sell of a parcel of their vineyards.

This plot of slightly over 1 hectare was purchased by one Edmond Gaudin de Villaine. Together with the existing land owned from inheritance through Jacques-Marie Duvault-Blochet and additional 4hectares of the adjoining Le Gaudichots was officially ruled by the courts under one appelation, a monople - the name was and still is "La Tache".

The times were difficult for the owners of Domaine de la Romanee-Conti. So much so that one of the partners Jacques Chambon wanted to sell his stake. Initially, Maison Joseph Drouhin was approached as they had been a close business partner. Maison Drouhin did not take up the offer and the opportunity fell on a wine merchant from Auxey-Duresses by the name of Henri Leroy....

The story continues but it's time for bed.....

*References taken from Gert Crum's excellent book on the Domaine.

July 21, 2006. Assorted wines

2006-07-22T23:24:00.000+08:00

2001 - Balthasar Ress. Hattenheimer Nussbrunner - Auslesse.

Center stage of primary fruit aromas starting to move back a little to reveal petrol and slight flinty. Viscous, with lively acidity, perhaps doesn't have the concentration in the back end and finish to put it up there with the best of the best. However, it's more than adequate as an enjoyable summer drink. Alright this may be a bit sacreligious but why not. Wish I had some langoustines and scallops on the grill. 92(+)pts. Perhaps in a few more years ( 5-10) it may deserve a slightly higher rating.

1997 Henri Gouge - Nuit st. George - "Le Saint George"
On the nose promising notes of red fruits and typical pinot noir aromas. That was the best part. In the mouth it was angular, sand-paperishly tannic and well "unrefined". Okay no problem you would say we can give it more airtime to smooth things out. Well that would be nice if it had some concentration and this being 1997. It was not to be. 84pts.

2003- Boyd Cantenac - Margaux

Upon opening promising and enticing aromas of black/stewed fruits. Had an aroma of toffee and slightly burnt butter ( that 2003 type aroma again). The nose was very promising. Bottle decanted for about 45mins. In the mouth, it was well - a little disappointing. The tannins were very noticeable and the wine didn't seem to have enough viscositiy and "fat" to smooth this out. In fact the wine seemed a bit thin in mid palate and at the back end - lacking a bit of concentration. Not so optimistic on this one... 86-87pts.

July 14, 2006. 2002 Corton Charlemagne

2006-07-16T15:28:00.000+08:00

2002 Bonneau du Martray - Corton Charlemagne.
Impenetrable upon opening. Keep cool and air for at least 3 hours. Massive, elegant acidity - citrus notes, power and concentration without the weight. This will need 10 years to show its stuff. 93 points

2002 Louis Jadot - Corton Charlemagne
Lively acidity upon opening - powerful. Like the BdM needs air time to open up ( ~4 hours in bottle). As mentioned before acidity is high keyed, nice "punch" and like the other CC should not be served freezing cold ( please folks this is not a Chablis - even some Chablis shouldn't be served that way). Probably one of the better vintages in recent times but.... just doesn't seem to have as much going as the BdM above (to me less concentrated) - just a guess but possibly harvested at higher yields? 91 points.

July 8, 2006. Heritiers Des Comte Lafon, value for money white Burgundies

2006-07-08T17:25:00.000+08:00

In this day and age we all lament at how expensive wines have become. The days where one can easily find "good and cheap" wines are gone. Back not too long ago, it was "show me what you've got and then I'll decide how much it's worth" - the consumer was boss. The tables have now turned Ladies and gentlemen. Nowadays its "pay first and then let's see...." Too often we pay up and don't see anything. As long as we can't turn back the clock - the only other way is to be better informed.

Comte Lafon of Mersault rightfully deserves its place in the highest ranks of white Burgundy makers. Some of their usual offerings have become frightfully expensive in the last few years. Well here's the scoop - there is a cheaper Lafon.

Since 1999 Lafon has conducted an operation in Macon delivering high quality and good value white wines called Heritiers Des Comte Lafon. Situated in the Macon , the property covers around 35 acres and produces 6 or 7 white wines. The viticulture has now gone organic and harvest is done by hand. The wines sees a combination of tank, wooden tuns and barrels. Light filtration is performed.

There is 1 generic and 2 village Macons :

Macon
Macon-Village
Macon-Milly-Lamartine

Then 4 "climat" wines :
Macon-Bussieres "Les Mansard"
Macon-Uchizy "Les Maranches"
Macon-Chardonnay "Clos de la Crochette"
Macon-Milly-Lamartine "Clos du Four"

The typical price of these wines are USD$20-$30 with the "climat" bottlings being a bit more. The last 2 cuvees are a bit of a step up from the village wines ( Clos de la Crochette and Clos du Four). I would challenge fellow readers to find a $20-30 bottle of similiar quality to "Clos du Four" or "Clos de la Crochette"- not impossible but not so easy I would wager. IMHO, there is too much swill in this price category.

From memory, the 2003 vintage was very good. The "La Maranches" was more immediately forward, pretty and soft. The "Clos de la Crochette" being superbly balanced with fruit and minerality and more wound up power waiting to be released - the wine needed about 30-45mins to open up. The most current vintage is 2004 (bottles have been secured tasting notes to follow soon) and is one area in Burgundy which supposedly faired better than it's neighbors on the Cote d'Or. If you ever get the chance to try it, you may be pleasently surprised. Bear in mind that Cloudy bay (Chardonnay) from New Zealand is about the same price or slightly more expensive ( to me this is quite funny or sad depending how you look at things). Bravo Dominique Lafon.

2004 Macon Milly Lamartine. Forward, flowers, hazelnuts, lively acidity and a bit of sweetness. Open it for 20 minutes. Went very well with raw fish and sea urchin. Great Summer drinking. 87-88 pts.

2004 Macon Chardonnay - Clos de la Crochette
Much tighter, nutter, more power and with slight bitter/nutty tinge. Needs 45-1 hour after opening up to get some "balance". Marginally better than the Milly Lamartine 88pts.

July 1, 2006. Burgundy Dinner (Mostly)

2006-07-02T00:32:00.000+08:00

We got to try the following wines on the weekend.

Missing at dinner was the '61 DRC Richebourg which was opened ahead of the weekend. In it's place was '94 Bouchard La Romanee

1994 La Romanee ( Bouchard). Yuch - corked!.
Bad bottle - just not pleasant.

First up :
1969 Leroy Mersault Charmes. For a 37 year old wine it had amazing livelyness and acidity. Charming however a bit short on the finish and aftertaste. 89 points

1996 Jacques Prieur Mersault Perrieres. For a 10 year old wine surprisingly advanced for its age - color was starting to come on golden, nuts and slight truffel & honied smells coming through. Fine condition with admirable acidity. It had just a few more elements than the Leroy Charmes, bit more power, longer aftertaste. Suspect it needs 1.5 hours to open and can age a few more years ( 3-5) but is drinking well now. 91 points

1999 Comte Lafon Mersault Charmes Just a baby. Very high and lively acidity belies the power and concentration underneath. This is nowhere near ready and probably needs a good 5-7 years more. A longer finish. 91 points.

1996 Leroy Corton Charlemagne. Minerals, acidity, truffled nuances and more. Not a blockbuster in terms of power but the aftertaste lingers on your palate and throat for a long time. The previous wines seems like watered down bottles in comparison. Could use 5-7 more years as complexity is just coming out ( it needs 6 hours of air time). 94-95 points.

1972 Clos de Tart. Truffles and red fruits on the nose. In the mouth the mid-palate just lacks stuffing. 88 points.

1969 Leroy Echezeaux. Red fruits, stewed plums on the nose. Wide and expansive on the palate with a decent finish. Opened for 6 hours and probably needs 1-2 more. 93 points.

2001 Emmanuel Rouget Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Cros Parantoux
Massive nose of rose petals, earth and violets(??). In the mouth hard and angular tannins (this needs more time. However, the wine seemed to go downhill quickly (to me)- suspect this was slightly heat dmaged. 91 points

June 28, 2006. Simply Undeniable

2006-06-28T22:06:00.000+08:00

STAY TUNED ..........

(Click on picture to enlarge)

June 24, 2006. Favorite Burgundies - Domaine Fontaine-Gagnard (Chassagne Montrachet)

2006-06-24T09:06:00.000+08:00

There is a domaine in Chassagne Montrachet which has really been on a roll in recent years (last 6-7). While the reds are fine it is the whites which deserve some attention. Prices are reasonable and relatively "good value" if this was possible in Burgundy. Fontaine-Gagnard was formed in 1985 after the breakup of the Gagnard-Delagrange properties. In size, it is approximately 20 acres. Traditional techniques and organic fertilizers are used. Partial new oak is applied up to and including Grand cru's such as the Criots Batard Monrachet. Not sure about the Batard or Le Monrachet but given the style it would probably exceptional to see 100% new oak ( this isn't Napa or Hunter Valley anyway).

Richard Fontaine's portfolio consists of the following ( list of white wines).

Chassagne Montrachet
Chassagne Montrachet "Clos St.Jean"
Chassagne Montrachet "Clos St.Jean - Clos de Murees" ( Monopole)
Chassagne Montrachet "Bouriotte"
Chassagne Montrachet "Morgeot"
Chassagne Montrachet "Chenevottes"
Chassagne Montrachet "Vergers"
Chassagne Montrachet "Maltroie"
Chassagne Montrachet "Grande Montagne"
Chassagne Montrachet "La Romanee"
Chassagne Montrachet "Cailerets"
Criots Batard Montrachet (0.33ha)
Batard Montrachet (0.33 ha)
Montrachet (0.075 ha)

June 17, 2006. More Burgundies Part 2.

2006-06-19T22:13:00.000+08:00

Completely unrelated to wine but what the heck it was begging to be photographed!

1954-57. Mercedes Benz. 300SL Gullwing. Nuff said . 100 pts

An now on to wine........

1999 Ramonet Batard Montrachet
Minerality & acidity with a little punch. However to this mouth, this bottle seemed to lack a little of the vibrancy, power and edge compared to previous bottles. Not showing its best here. 91pts.

1983 Chambolle Musigny - Henri Felettig
Hints of dried figs and plums, tea colored, bricking occuring. Would say, it went very well with one of the hard cheeses. 87pts.

1983 Nuit Saint George - Clos De Forrets St. Georges / Cuvee Hors Ligne - Jules Belin
More closed on the nose, spicy, anise seeds. In the mouth coarser tannins than the previous Chambolle but a better finish (to me). Didn't not go well with the cheese but surprisingly well with salami.86pts.

1999 Michel Magnien Morey St. Denis 1er Le Chaffots
Not much on opening. Upon tasting in fact it seemed like it was about to go downhill. I was wrong and it gained weight and structure over 30-45minutes. Nose still reticent but the impression was one of very good balance and fine tannins. This should fare better with a couple more years 90pts.

2002 Frederick Magnien - Chambolle Musigny
Still closed, extreovert - Black fruits/red fruits, stones and stems. Tannins were more noticeble hopefully will ease out with age but a bit coarse. Nowhere near ready. 89ts.

June 14, 2006. Some Recent Burgs

2006-06-14T22:47:00.000+08:00

We try some more Burgundies to drown out those expensive '05 Bordeaux en primuer blues!!

1999 Marc Colin Chassagne Monrachet 1er Cru "Les Caillerets"
Upon opening, strong burst of sweet oak from the bottle. After 15-20 minutes this seem to balance out and one could smell the acidity coming through. Some bottle age evident - not so primary, well balanced, fresh, good acidity, nice finish - perhaps not enough minerality. 90pts.

2002 Dominique Laurent Gevrey-Chambertin. 1er Cru Petite Chapelle
Charming nose, but frankly very disappointed at the concentration on the palate. Almost as if it was diluted - bad bottle, high yields ?? Who knows - This is atypically pathetic showing for an '02 especially a 1er cru. Will blame it on a bad bottle. 87pts.

2002 Denis Mortet Gevrey Chambertin. Combe du Dessus
Completely opposite from the Laurent. On the nose much more concentration and power. Red fruits, earthy, good acidity. On the palate multi-layered, fine tannins and just so much more here. Decent finish though not ultra long. 92pts. 1er Cru material.

2003 Meo-Camuzet. Bourgogne
Concentrated and powerful but somehow did not have the richness and persistent of flavor compared to the Mortet du Dessus... This however is an unfair comparison. Harsher tannins, defintely from a hot year. 89pts.

May 24, 2006 - Valandraud Wine Dinner

2006-05-27T10:07:00.000+08:00

We had a chance to try some of the wines from this famous St. Emillion Garagiste during a dinner. Here are some notes from that night.

2001 Ch. La Dominique - St. Emillion
This property is just next to Cheval Blanc so it should be capable of better things in the future. Right now it is just in the drifting in the middle - not bad but not really a standout. Starting in 2005, Thunevin is going to have his hands in this so it would be interesting to taste the results. The '01 has a medium body, fruit forward although not in abundance, tanins which are okay but not really that refined - I didn't like the slight green/vegetal tinge ( just my personal prefs.) 88 points.

2004 Valandraud Blanc #2
The first vintage was in 2003 and is now overseen by his wife which used to be with Domain Leflaive; this is a typical 50/50 blend of Sauvignon Blanc & Semillion blend. In reality, this is the 2nd wine of Valandraud blanc. Aromas are sharp, acidic, greenish. In the mouth pretty much the same, sharp acidic, thin side. Profound would not be the right word. 87-88 points.

2004 Valandraud Blanc #1
The best grapes, treatment, oak goes into this. The seconds go into #2 and you can tell the difference! From the nose it is more concentrated and there are aromas of sweet Vanilla indicative of a more generous oak treatment. The color hue is slightly deeper than #1, in the mouth it is more viscous and concentrated with a much better finish. You find it hard to go back to #2 after this. Much better. 92 points.

2001 Virginie de Valandraud
Though this is supposed to be the 2nd wine of Valandraud it really comes from another plot of land. Much more concentrated than the La Dominique and seems to have more of everything. Still some traces of green stems- you know the smell you get from tree sap when you break a branch. 89 points

1999 Valandraud
The aromas and complexity on the nose are just on another level compared to the previous wines. Ripe fruits/cassis, chocolate/cocoa, perhaps hints of coconut. In the mouth it actually had a bit less impact than on the nose. Ripe round tannins. Surprisingly forward at this point though it may benefit from a few more years of cellaring. 93 points.

2000 Le Interdite
This wine is actually a special experimental version of 2000 Valandraud but because of the interventionist methods - St. Emillion AOC appelation was rejected and it was classified as a Vin de Table!! This is probably the most expensive VdT I have seen. The interventionist measures included things like a canopy cover to shield it from rain and water bloat. A total of 10 barrels ( 250 cases ) were made in 2000. On the nose this thing was tight as a clam. Constant swirling brings no satisfaction - the trick that worked for me was to lay it done for 10 minutes and then give it a quick swirl and inhale. What I got was a super concentrated version of the '99 only so much more. Ripe berries/cassis, chocolate, leather etc... In the mouth this one did not disappoint what was hinted from the smells - the tannins are more refined and rounder than the '99. This wine is nowhere near ready and probably needs 10+ years. Right now it probably needs a good 4-5 hours of air ( maybe in a decanter ). 96+ points.

2004 Calvet-Thunevin 'Hugo'
From the Roussillon area known more for fortified wines than table wine. This is primarily a wine made from grenache. On the nose super ripe, fruit bomb, sweet and... alcoholic. For the first 30 minutes this is a bit of a "hairy" and animalistic wine. With a bit more time it tames a little - but just a bit. Impressed with the purity of the fruit and concentration though I don't know how much I can drink of this - I recall it being close or at 16%... Might be even more interesting with some bottle age. 90 points.

Oh yeah... and we had a guest at dinner too.

May 13,2006. Weekend wines and more corkscrews

2006-05-14T15:01:00.000+08:00

Some weekend tasting notes and notes on more corkscrews.

1997- Tenuta Ornellia. IGT
When this was first released years ago, I was perplexed about the incredibly high ratings bestowed upon it. Deferred judgement and finally tried it again. Is it very good? - yes! Is it oh my god amazingly good? - well that would be overdoing it. Hints of cassis, fruits, gaining complexity with age, some hints of tobacco, fine, smooth tannins and long finish with a slight minty touch. Right now, I would say it takes perhaps 1-1.5 hours opened and aired in bottle ( with a little air gap). Decantage may cut this time in half. One caveat ( to this mouth ) was it tasted better in more modest wine glasses. When switched to the more massive Bordeaux glasses, it seemed to get gnarled up a little. Perhaps it was the extra air or maybe it was later in the night?? Either way - good and ready now, might get slightly better in a couple of years but suspect the peak/plateau is inside of 5 years and should stay there for more. 95 points.

1999 - Alois Kracher #7 Nouvell Vague. Chardonnay TBA
Honey, apricots and figs. Massively thick and viscous, could use a bit higher acidity and finishes with a little bitter touch. 94 points.

2003 - Ch. Calon Segur - Bordeaux, St. Estephe
Impenetrable in the first 2 hours , stewed plums, dark fruits, fine tannins. Suspect it's already shutting down. 93points

1994 - Dominus - Napa Valley
No need for a decanter. 30-45 minutes aeration in bottle should be good. Tobacco, hints of leather as well dark fruits, great aftertaste. Perhaps the only criticism (and this is splitting hairs), is that the finish could be longer. This is the best showing I've seen yet. 96+ points

More Corkscrews

This time, we look at Chateau Laguiolle. In a previous blog entry, we dealt with Forge de Laguiolle corkscrews. Lets just put this in the front now, Forge de Laguiolle is better in terms of fit and finish. The fitting, polishing and opening/closing especially of the foil blade is sure and precise - less so in the Ch. Laguiolle screws. Unfortunately, Forge de. Laguiolle foil blade just makes a gnarly mess of the foil when cutting.

On the other hand, in my hands the Chateau Laguiolle feels better and is a real users' corkscrew. The size to my hands feels more "correct" - a littler shorter and less bulky, better balance. Finally, the foil blade actually cuts clean and sure.

Ch. Laguiolle - Sommelier Grand Cru Series.
The Grand Cru series has reinforcements making a sturdier corkscrew and costs 10 Euro more than the regular version - worth it IMHO.

World's Best Sommelier Series - Olivier Poussier Model
Each year they make a special model to commemerate the winner of the World Sommelier contest. The year 2000 model commemerates Olivier Poussier. The handle is cut from a fallen Yew tree inside the Versailles Castle grounds. Some of the proceeds goes to the Versailles Garden. This is my FAVORITE corkscrew right now ( yeah yeah I know I changed my mind but it's going to hard to beat this one - really!!).

May 6, 2006. Some 2003 Bordeaux Tasting notes

2006-05-06T22:34:00.000+08:00

2003 Pichon Baron - Pauillac.
Green peppers & Cassis,but to a certain extent possibly overcooked?Slightly alcoholic whiffs which blow off later - overall pleasing nose with some impact. On the palate however, it just doesn't come across as well even slightly light/thin in relation to the first impression from the nose. To me, the wine seemed a little disjointed and could have been due to the fact that we opened it a just few days after it arrived (~US$75-85). 92+? pts

2003 Lynch Bages - Pauillac.
Again that slightly overcooked Cassis & green pepperish smell. This one doesn't blow off with time and seems to be quite present - to the overall detriment of other elements. Huge lashing of tannins - folks this is not close to the 2000 by a mile(~US$48-50). 88points.

2003 Leoville Barton - St. Julien.
Black fruits, green peppers(slight) - at first has a little hint of the smells from the previous 2 bottles but a) goes away with time b) is not an overpowering factor and adds to the complexity of the bouquet. Very balanced with very nice tannins, multi-layered. Long, gentle and smooth finish with great aftertaste. About 1 hour opened in bottle and another hour in decanter. This one kept getting better (~US$85-105). 95 points

2003 Le Forts de Latour - Pauillac.
Deep dark cassis smells, again that aroma of burnt cassis/green bell peppers. This bottle already has sediment on the shoulder and in decanter. Decanted for 1 hour. The tannins are very present, deep brooding but a bit monolithic - this is no Latour. Surprisingly faded a bit quicker than expected and did not have the stuffing in mid-palate (~US$65-95). 91 points.

2003 Pontet Canet - Pauillac.
Pontet Canet is one a roll - this is probably their best vintage in a long long time. From the few '03s I have had - this one is atypical becaus it didn't smell of overcooked berries and burnt bell peppers. In fact it smells "normal". In the bottle this takes about 2 hours of airtime to unfold. Huge aromas of black fruits/cassis, balance of acidity, tannins, alcohol very good. Nice finish with long aftertaste. To me it tasted more like a St. Julien than a Pauillac but what the heck. Truth be told it is a bit monolithic and one dimensional right now, lacking the layered sensations of the Leoville Barton. Hopefully it will gain some with bottle age. Undoubtedly, this will shut down in a few months. Quality for price this takes the prize for the 2003's so far (~USD$45-$55). Why bother with New World wine at this price point? 94+ points.

May 1, 2006. 2003 Bordeaux - Overhyped and overheated??!!

2006-05-01T22:25:00.000+08:00

Stocks of 2003 Bordeaux are now rolling into cellars and shops at full swing. So far this wine geek has only tasted a handful. Initial tastings have been from Pauillac and St. Julien so far. The results have not been encouraging - I am pretty sure this vintage overall is nowhere close to 2000 - Caveat Emptor!!!

While not a comprehensive sample, the wines tasted so far have a disctintive aroma. It's hard to use words but this aromas is a mixture of overstewed/burnt cassis, a hint of tar and blackened capsicum/green pepper - like when you take your eyes of the saute pan for too long. In the better wines, this blows off or becomes very faint enhancing the overall experience. In other instances, it dominates and is a little annoying. In my limited tastings of Pauillacs so far ( no 1st growths yet), I get more worried as it seems, the core of the wine seems a bit diluted/thin especially in mid-palate (Pichon Baron and Lynch Bages) - this fills out a little with time as the tannins make their presence known. With regard to the tannins, I would have to say the 2000 vintage ( again in general) is rounder and "finer grit" and more elegant. Hopefully I can try a few more bottles before this vintage begins to shut down and go to sleep; still have a few months hopefully.

April 23, 2006. Corkscrews that work.

2006-04-23T16:48:00.000+08:00

Over the years, by trial and error one usually goes through quite a few corkscrews. Some are just horrible but others have worked quite well. If this saves you time, agony and undue trouble then it would have been worth it. This is what works for me and continues do to so.

Screwpulls

This brand from france is probably the easiest corkscrew to use and works very well in 95% of the situations. The nice part is it requires very little training or "skill" to successfully open a bottle. Here are my two favorite versions.

The "deluxe" version. Guaranteed to wow your friends with the plunge action. Its also one which I find being used less and less because its just too darn big - overkill most of the time.

This particular portable version is my favorite portable screwpull - its a 2-piece with a "finger" lever. This provides more leverage than the usual single piece versions which have a smaller handle and effective leverage. The blade in this foil cutter is not exactly razor sharp but it works.

Ah-so

A must have whenever you have old crumbling corks. Priceless at salvaging corks which break halfway - corkscrews a pretty much useless at this point as further pressure with the corkscrew will just force the remaning cork into the bottle.

Laguiole - Sommelier series

The truth be told I don't use screwpulls much nowadays mainly because of this corkscrew. Its just a joy opening a bottle with one of these. This is not your normal corkscrew, the quality is very good and should last a lifetime. The downside is the serrated foil cutter - I would prefer a normal sharp blade as opposed to a serrated one. The cut is just not as clean. The current series of corkscrews come in various handle materials - my favorites is bullhorn tip as each corkscrew handle is just unique - like people.

Laguiole (pronounced "Layoll" ) is a village in south-central France. It was widely recognized for its knives beginning in the 19th century. Unfortunately by the late 20th century was in the doldrums. The name was resurrected in the late 80's and is currently seeing a revival throughout the world.

Bullhorn - Pale

Bullhorn - Dark

* In the center you will notice 6 metal rivets around a larger center rivet. The tradition was for shepards who were unable to attend Sunday service while tending sheep in the fields. The shepards would plant their Laguiole knives in the ground - cross upwards and pray in the fields.

Bone

Favorite Burgundies Part 2 - Domaine JF Coche-Dury

2006-04-16T08:53:00.000+08:00

Domaine Jean Francois Coche Dury is a very small vigneron located in Mersault. While production levels are extremely limited, his reputation is anything but that.

The property holdings are about 26 acres. The yields are low with generally high vine age and plot density. The methods are about as traditional and "old-fashioned" as one can get. Careful selection of "Organic" fertilizers (i.e. manure) and avoidance of chemicals are practiced. First and foremost Coche-Dury pays attention in the vineyards whether its plowing, fertilizers, pruning, de-budding etc... The current portfolio includes Corton Charlemagne, Mersault Perrieres, Caillerets, Narvaux, Rougeots, Vireuilts, Chevalieres. There are some reds in Auxey-Duresse, Monthelie and even a 1er Cru Volnay ( ??!!) - the majority is Mersault however.

The Coche-Dury Portfolio (not necessarily comprehensive):

Corton Charlemagne - Grand Cru
Coche-Dury's plot sits in the center of Corton Charlemagne. The soild consists of limestone and clay. The production levels for this legendary bottling is under 2000 bottles annuallly; this stuff is supposed to be amazing. However this yours truly has not personally tasted it - partly due to the extraordinary prices paid for this one (>USD$1k per bottle). Having had some spectacular Corton Charlemagne from Leroy at 1/3 the price (not cheap already) - its hard to imagine this offers 3x as much stuffing - however, people are eager and willing to pay the price.

Mersault Perrieres - 1er Cru
Again miniscule production levels ( 3000 bottles annually). If there was a plot which deserves Grand Cru status in Mersault (there are none), it would be Perrieres and certainly Coche-Dury's bottlings. From 45 year old vines.

Mersault "Genvrieres" - 1er Cru
Started with the 2003 vintage. Thats about all the info on it - have not had it. Readers are welcome to send in their donations!!

Mersault "Chevalieres" - AOC
( No label image)

Mersault Le Rougeots- AOC

Puligny-Montrachet "Les Enseigneres"
Supposedly, this parcel is just below Batard-Montrachet. In some shops it defintely sells like a Batard Montrachet and perhaps even more!!

Bourgogne - Rouge

April 9, 2006. Favorite Burgundies Part 1 - Domaine Bernard Dugat-Py

2006-04-09T21:23:00.000+08:00

Whenever a bunch of Burg nuts get together. The inescapable question is "who are your favorite producers, domaines and negociants". Well here is my short list. It's a bit long but hope it helps.

Bernard Dugat-Py is a ‘small’ family operation located in Gevrey Chambertin. This operation’s first vintage was 1989 and produces outstanding examples of what Gevrey Chambertin is capable of. Prior to this, their wines were purchased by negociants for bottling under their own names. Total vineyards cover 8.06 hectares or ~20 acres. Much of these are old vines and therefore produce lower yielding smaller sized fruit berries. This reduces the need for a ‘green harvest’ – a common practice in Burgundy to restrain yields. The domaine essentially adheres to organic farming methods and eschews fertilizers and weed killers. All grapes are manually harvested with complete de-stemming. Wild yeasts are used and wines are neither fined nor filtered. The suggested bottle age by the Domaine are given below but frankly seems on the low end. Given these relatively new wines – only time will tell!

GRAND CRU

Chambertin
Harvested since 1997, the vineyard encompasses 0.06 hectares (0.15 acres). Vines were first planted around 1930 with extremely high vine density plantings. 200 liters of wine is made or roughly the equivalent of 260 normal sized bottles. 100% new oak barrels are used. 10-15 years bottle age is suggested.

Mazis-Chambertin
Three plots in Mazis-bas amount to 0.22 hectares (0.54 acres). Average vine age is around 50 years old and the first vintage was in 1995. 100% new oak barrels are used. 8-10 years suggested.

Charmes-Chambertin
Two plots of vineyards combine for 0.47 hectares (1.16 acres). One plot of 0.17 hectares is actually in Mazoyeres-Chambertin (French AOC law may allow this to be sold under its own climat name or Charmes-Chambertin). The two plots are combined to make one bottling of Charmes-Chambertin. Average vine age is around 30 years old. 100% new oak barrels are used. 8-10 years suggested.

PREMIER CRU

Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru - Lavaux St. Jacques
Two parcels adding to 0.15 hectares (0.37 acres), one parcel averages vine age is 35 years old (can’t find information on the other). 100% new oak barrels are used. 8-10 years suggested.

Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru - Petite Chappelle
‘The small Chappelle’ is for its namesake situated right next to its Grand cru neighbor. Total vineyard size is 0.24 (thats about 1000 750ml bottles) hectares and was planted with extremely high density of vines. Supposedly this parcel was purchased in 1998 but I have seen bottlings from 1996 - perhaps it was leased at the time? 100% new oak barrels are used. 5-10 years suggested.

Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru
A mixture of several parcels. Fonteny (0.09 hectares), Corbeaux (0.17hectares) and Perrieres (0.09 hectares). Sometimes under special circumstances, these may be bottled individually. Most of the time, they are combined into a single wine. Average vine age is 50 years. 100% new oak barrels are used.

AOC ‘CLIMAT’ WINES

Gevrey-Chambertin - "Le Evocelles"
Plot amounts to 0.54 hectares. Some vines are over 70 years old with extremely low yields. 100% new oak barrels are used. The Domaine states that it can keep 8-10 years in cellar but drinkable after 2-3.

Gevrey-Chambertin - "Coeur De Roy"
A selection of best vineyards and oldest vines in G-C are used. Vine age is 50-90 years old. 60% new oak barrels are used. The wine needs 8-10 years of bottle age due to its tannic structure.

Pommard - "La Levriere"

A new addition to the portfolio, the first vintage was 2003 ( I think ). From a leased 0.8 ha parcel of 70+ year old vines.

“GENERIC” AOC WINES

Gevrey-Chambertin - Vielle Vignes
Selected from old vines in the appellation (vine age 30-50 years). 35% new oak. Needs 8-10 years.

Vosne Romanee - Vielle Vignes
Two parcels from Quartier de Nuits (0.22 hectares) and En Violette (0.11 hectares). First vintage was in 1999. 100% new oak.

Bourgogne - "Cuvee Halinard"
First vintage was 2000. From a parcel in Gevrey-Chambertin (0.4 hectares). 20% new oak. 3-6 years suggested.

Bourgogne
From 1.13 hectares with average vine age of 25 years. 20% new oak.

April 3, 2006 - Recent Wine Books worth a read

2006-04-03T22:34:00.000+08:00

Since this is a blog on wine, I thought it might be worth sharing a few good reads as of late.

The Emperor of Wine - The rise of Robert M. Parker, JR.
Whichever camp ( pro or anti Parker ) you belong in, this biography of RMP is a must read. While I am told some of the facts in this book are not quite correct - it still a thoroughly enjoying read. The reader gets sucked into the wine world with its myriad of colorful characters. 94pts

The Accidental Connoissuer - An Irreverant Journey through the wine world.
The title is exactly how it reads, an almost random romp through wine world. Charming & witty at times however be prepared for more than a few "boring patches". 88pts

Inspiring Thirst
The winehunter's favorite in this lot. Kermit is the GRANDADDY of all Winehunters. Names like Chave, Jayer, Clape, DRC... The man has been through them all except he did it 30 years ago! This book is a collection of 30 years worth of Kermit Lynch's newletters highlighting wines in his unmistakable style. Reading through the newsletters is like going through a time machine.
In one of them he talks about bottle shock and how things got much better after he started shipping wines by refrigeterated containers (aka reefers) this was years ago. What a pioneer - wine merchants take heed - you know who you are. Check out the price of some Henri Jayer's wines back then!! 96pts.

April 1, 2006 - April Fools Dinner

2006-04-02T17:29:00.000+08:00

The winehunter was lucky enough to tag along with a friend to a dinner with many wines. All the wines were served blind. Except for the people bringing their own, no one had any clue what was on the table - a complete "free for all".

For starters.

'95 Jacquesson Signature Rose - Champagne
Nice nose initially but shut down very soon after this only to come back about an hour later with apple and honeyed overtones. Nice mousse, nuts, tannins though the pinot character was a bit less than expected. Suspect this needs another 5 years. 93pts.

'99 Emmanuel Rouget Vosne Romanee
This took a while to open up ( ~1.5 hours). Considerable tannins though everything was well balanced. More than one would expect from this level of Burgundy. In need of another 5 years of bottle time. 90+ pts

'02 Joseph Phelps Insignia. Napa
Massive nose of sweet black fruits with buttery/avacado overtones. Good amount of tannins though kept in check by the fruit concentration. Nowhere near ready and suspect it is shutting down. 95-96 pts.

'02 Santa Rita Casa Real - Maipo Valley, Chile.
Nose initially reminds one of a Bordeaux perhaps some qualitites of a Puillac though not as complex multi-faceted. On the pallate again similiarities to a Bordeaux although it tended to taste a bit too "sweet", a bit shrill and tart as well as the tannin texture not being quite the same. 93pts.

'98 Chianti Classico ( Couldn't remember the winery)
On the nose I was confused for the longest time and thought the aromas were coming from the pinot I had in the same glass. Interesting nose and decent in the mouth. The acidity and roughness of the tannins had me thinking Spain.. perhaps Italy - oh well live and learn. 89pts.

'94 Domaine Leroy - Clos de Vougeot
I had a white wine glass to put this in initially and the nose picked out something which I would not assign automatically to a burg. Chinese would call it "ja choy" or pickled vegetables. After transferring it into a burgundy glass, characteristics of a mature burg. became more evident though the "ja choy" smell was still there but no longer the highlight. Nose again - I would say was "atypical", tannins were considerable given the vintage, a tremendous job. 91pts

'94 Domaine Leroy - Romanee St. Vivant
There is a set of aromas which are unmistakable "Burgundy"and this is one. Trying to nail this blind is difficult but finally settled on guessing on it being a burg from Vosne Romanee with 10+ years of age. Very nice nose (cherries/red fruits, faint floral, earthy/cocoa), palate and finish - tannins huge present but never a distraction. 93pts. This wine along with the Clos de Vougeot were decanted for around 3 hours before we started into it.

'03 Ferdinand Pieroth. Weisenheimer am berg. Beerenauslese AP#0704
On to the stickies. Looked at this light amber/gold liquid in the decanter and suspected a high possibility of a Sauterne among Frankophiles. On the nose and in the mouth it became immediately apparent it was not from France given the high acidity. We guessed Germany/Alsace with high probability being German and defintely Auslesse or higher due to the sugars. I did not detect very much in terms of the distinctive Reisling petrol nose but that usually comes with some bottle age. I really liked the sugar & acid balance on this wine. This wine has good upside and would probably outlast most of us. 95+ pts.

'85 Sandeman. Portugal.
At this point my mental facilities were quickly fading. I would say that this might have needed a bit more "air" time. There was a bit of fine grit/sediment in my glass leading to what I believe was a tiny bit of bitter aftertaste in the finish. Good port. 93 pts.

March 10-11, 2006. Bunch of wines - none spectacular

2006-03-12T00:52:00.000+08:00

Think it's been a while since the winehunter has tasted so many mediocre wines in a row. So lets start with the best.

Jacquesson. No.729 Champage.
Nice aromas, nice mousse, great bubbles, great on the palate. We have a QPR winner here. The only thing that sets it apart from greatness is that it goes downhill rather quickly (~45min). 91+pts.

1997 M.Chapoutier Terra Vinya. Banyuls.
Sweet red wine... hey its close to a sherry @ 17.5 alcohol. Some taste in this wine just doesn't sit right with me.. a bit like cough medicine. One-dimensional. 85pts.

2001 Ramey - Russian River Chardonnay
Bright, citrus nose with some hints of flint/minerality in it - promising. In the mouth it become more californian. Fruity , buttery/oily/viscous, decent finish. It had all the elements but just can't seem to get the proportions right. Good raw materials - mediocre execution and conception. 89 points

2003 Champy Gevrey Chambertin "VV"
Cooked, bubble gum nose I usually fine in Australia and NZ pinot. At to that hints of green/vegetal aromas and I just did not like it though it was drinkable. This seems to me liked they picked the grapes to avoid death by heat but was too early for stems to "ripen"... and they did not de-stem. ...83pts

2003 Guy Amiot Chassagne Monrachet - Rouge
Bleh... rough tannins, uninteresting nose... nothing good comes to my memory 78pts.

2002 Frederick Esmonin Charmes Chambertin
Nice nose of cherries, perhaps a little "stewed" cherries, nice fruit aromas however. There was more than a hint of greenish/vegetal aromas which indicates that this was propably picked a bit early for its own good. Good acidity and fine tannins, decent finish. 89points

March 8, 2006 - Dinner at Tribute

2006-03-09T21:25:00.000+08:00

Bunch of friends had dinner at Tribute the other night. The group was large enough as to get the "Library room" upstairs. The food was decent and competent, no complaints from the crowd which is usually quite picky. Very nice ambience. With that a few comments on the wines.

Les Heritiers du Comte Lafon Macon Uchizy
2002 La Marenchess. Very nice upfront. minerality, acidity, softness bright. Lovely meal starter. 89-90 pts

2002 Clos de la Crochette. Much more brooding, more powerful serious wine. Needs time to unwind and has that tinge of bitterness I usually attribute to a white Chassagne-Monrachet. 90+pts

1993 Penfolds Bin 707
IMHO much better than '94. Full bodied, nose was... monolithic and no-surprises. In the mouth tannins were obvious, finish... can't even recall. 91pts

1996 Pichon Lalande
Cork was soaked halfway up indicating not exactly a pristine bottle. Nose was compelling and that green pepper Puillac smell was evident. In the mouth body was lighter than the 707 - while futile attempt comparing and Australian wine's body to a French, I thought the '96 should have had a bit more body... more indication the bottle wasn't 100%. Nice, nice tannins and good finish. This bottle gets 93pts but you get the feeling this thing should have been a 95+ pointer if in good shape.

March 7, 2006. A white and a red

2006-03-07T22:22:00.000+08:00

Simple notes this time.

1993 Pape Clement Blanc. Nose of honey, parafin and dried appricot? Dry with a somewhat bitter finish. 89-90pts

1997 Joseph Phelps Insignia. Nose slightly reticient, slightly alcoholic. In the mouth much better balance. Tannins smooth and very nice finish, hints of tobacco and mint aftertaste. Needs perhaps 2 hours of air in bottle or 1 hour decant? 95+pts.

February 24, 2006. A Burgundy "Terroir" tasting

2006-02-24T23:55:00.000+08:00

This was a tasting of 2002 Burgundies ( both red and white). The idea was to assemble wines from the same vintage, winemaker, area and just different "terroir".

On the whites we had the following:

2002 Etienne Sauzet Chassagne Monrachet - Village wine
Nice mineral and granite overtones. Good acidity and citrus flavors. Good finish. Slightly thin and watery but not much more can be expected at this level. ~87pts

2002 Fontaine Gagnard Chassagne Monrachet - 1er Cru Clos St. Jean
The beginning nice soft, elegant, fruity/citrus nose with slight hint of mineral/rocks. Much more in the wine than the Sauzet Village wine. In the mouth rounded and elegant. With time, the minerality came forward and acidity (higher than le grand Montaigne) seem to come forward as well as everything else. This wine did not show itself of compared to Le Grand Montagne initially but closed the gap within 1-1.5 hours and was more "complete" at the end. ~91pts

2002 Fontaine Gagnard Chassagne Monrachet - 1er Cru Le Grand Montaigne
Faboulous explosive nose of granite/rocks. Citrus, lemony and punchy. With time this tamed down while the Clos St. Jean kept getting better. I would give the Clos St. Jean marginally better points on it being "rounder" at this point. However, we ran out of time and its possible this wine still had a 2nd wind ( it was immobile which is a good indication that it can last). ~91+pts

On the reds:

2002 J.F. Mugnier Chambolle Musigny
Nice nose immediately on opening. Soft, elegant and easily the better drinking of the pair at this point. Decent palate .. cherrys, strawberries ~ 87 pts.

2002 J.F. Mugnier Chambolle Musigny - 1er Cru Le Fuees
On the nose no contest Le Fuees wins in terms of complexity and depth. In the mouth a bit more tannic, closed and astringent at this point in time but defintely a superior wine ( just takes more time). After 1 hour, it unfolded while the village Chambolle collapsed. At this point the village Chambolle tasted watery and insipid alongside the 1er cru. ~90pts.

Very interesting to taste these wines. It defintely shows that simple village wines do not necessarily taste inferior... at least initially. There is wisdom in drinking the lower class wines earlier and saving the 1er and Grand crus for later. At the same time, the taste of "terroir" really becomes evident as the number of variables ( vintage, winemaker, area) were all controlled as much as possible. People relatively unfamiliar with Burgundy were able to discern the difference after a few tries. Well done !!

February 21, 2006 Vega Sicilia Tasting

2006-02-24T23:41:00.000+08:00

Bodegas Vega Sicilia was back in town and the winehunter was lucky enough to try some of their new offerings.

Pintia 2003. Cherry's, very young and astringent. Good acidity, rough tannins however. Suspect a 2 hour decant would even things out. Probably needs 3-5 years to be "drinkable". ~88pts

Alion 2002. Very pure aromas of Tempranillo Tinto Fino. Very concentrated more so than the '03 Pintia. Cherry & black fruits. Good length with finer tannins. ~91-92 pts

Valbuena 2001. On the nose more refined and a step up from the Alion - on the nose that is. Seems to be high keyed and brighter than usual for a young and just opened Valbuena ( high acidity?). Short finish There was however, some hint of greenish/herbaceousness indicating possibly sub-par phenolic ripeness in grapes or stems. There was no '01 Unico as the Winemaker indicated that frost was a problem and did not live up to Unico standards. Reading between the lines... this may have also effected Valbuenas ripeness ultimately too. ( vs. Alion). ~89+ points

Vega Sicilia Unico 1995. Elegant, fine tannins, excellent finish and aftertaste. A bit of infanticide for my taste at this moment. Needs more time to develop more complex aromas (10-15yrs?). This the opposite of the '94 Unico which was a blockbuster fruit bomb. The '95 is elegant, refined and perhaps more delicate. ~93+pts possibly 95 later.

My favorite at the tasting was the Alion '02 despite the Valbuena being a more "expensive" wine. The Pintia was a little to "hairy" for me while the Unico is without doubt the best wine there (also most expensive). However, the elegant Unico needs more time to gain complexity as its not a fruit bomb like the '94 - too early for drinking at this point (imho). With food, this might be a bit different story.

January 30 2006, More Chinese New Year Tastings

2006-01-31T17:04:00.000+08:00

Our motly crew gathered at a house for some wines during Chinese New Year. Unable to wait up, the tasting group had already downed 3 bottles by the time I got there ( 2 champagnes and a Comte Lafon Mersault Charmes).

Up next - a white :

'02 Ramonet - Chassagne Monrachet 1er Cru- Les Chaumees
Nuts & minerals, hints of fruits, well balanced and good acidity. Extremely aromatic with that slightly raw and slight bitter finish of a Chassagne. 92pts.

After that the gloves were off and out came the reds :

'82 Chateau Margaux - Bordeaux
Green peppers, faint leather, a bit thin to my palate. Cork was soaked which tells me this was not showing its best though perfectly drinkable. Great finesse, delicacy, smooth tannins. 94 pts but suspect a good bottle should rate much higher.

'86 Talbot - Bordeaux/Saint Julien
Very nice. Leather hide & cassis, good body, nice tannins ( though seemed a tad harsher than the Margaux) showing very well although the cork was again soaked, excellent finish. This was showing better than the Margaux overall. 95+points ( Think this still can improve a little more).

'86 Leoville Las-Cases - Bordeaux/Saint Julien
Very closed, slight hints of chees, not ready at all and a bit disappointing. Did not really open up with time and air and started get a bit more sour instead. 93+(?)pts.

After this... the boys still didn't have enough and raided the host's cellar... and found this beauty ( it was all Chef Chau's doing - we had no part in this Steve.....honest).

'95 Chateau Latour - Bordeaux
One of my favorite 1st growths in the '95 vintage so I am biased. Puillac nose of green peppers, Cassis, faint leather ( coming on nicely - not present when 1st released ), although I could not really coax the lead pencil aromas out too much, excellent mid palate and great finish. 96 pts

And now a complete change of pace......

'03 H.Dohoff Norsheimer Delchen AP#1804 - Germany/Nahe
Nuts, slight petrol, remarkable balance of sweetness and acidity ( we take this for granted from Donhoff but is just so hard to get this right ). Great finish. This was just infanticide.... 95+pts.

And if that wasn't enough..... One final red...

'97 Dominus - California

Ripe fruits, hints of leather hide, very "bordeaux" nose. In the mouth it was a slightly different story but very nice tannins. Suspect it needs another 5-7 years to really come together and smooth itself out. 95 pts.

Happy Chinese New Year to everyone.

January 26, 2006. Two New world Pinots

2006-01-27T22:24:00.000+08:00

No more !@)*# Merlot I hear you say?

Alright lets try Pinot Noir then but can one fine really good new world Pinot Noir? The answer is yes but a rarity. Most people are going to be disappointed or frustrated if they think a new world Pinot is going to have a nose like a "Burgundian" Pinot - It usually is not the case.

'01 Kooyang - Pinot Noir / Haven Vineyard - Australia
Red fruits, "Australian" pinot noir nose ( don't ask me you can recognize it after a while), tart and showing less fruit than 18months ago. This is telling me the wines are not going to keep for too long drink up within 2-3years of release is my guess. 87pts.

'01 Walter Hansel - Pinot Noir - Alyce - Russian River
Deep, dark, brooding, good acidity & depth. An "almost Burgundian" nose but then not exactly ( but still very nice). Briefly after airing, there were hints of animal aromas which didn't stay around as the nose shifted again to fruits.... I'm smiling at this point. The complexities in the nose will be lost without a decent glass. We used the Riedel Extreme Pinot Noir and it showed nuance that lessor glasses couldn't. With 10-15min air, the mid-palate got more harsh and tannins become more prominent - acidity also. I think this one is a keeper and would be interesting to see what some bottle age would bring (7-10years?). 93(+)pts.

January 25, 2006. Chinese New Year Wines. Part.1

2006-01-27T21:55:00.000+08:00

Thursday night we banged out quite a few wines. Most of them German.

'03 Rothenberg Nackenheim AP#1104
Flowers & nuts ( hazelnuts?), hint of lychee may fool you into thinking its sweet but couldn't be (13.5% alcohol). I am wondering if this thing is pure Reisling as it seems to have a hint of Gerwurtztraminer. 87pts

'04 Rheinhesen Kabinet AP#1205.
High acidity, closed and tight, little bit of petrol smell - more like a Reisling. 87pts

'03 Provenance Pinot Noir
Pinot noir from Australia, unmistakable Australian Pinot Noir nose. Bubblegum, vanilla, tannic! Someone else brought a Riedel Extreme and revealed the more pleasant pinot noir aromas but still unmistakbly new world. 85pts

'04 Tarra Warra Pinot Noir
Not your typical nose. Can't quite classify this one. To me a better mid palate and tannins than the provenance . 86pts.

'98 Chateneuf Du Pape - Pierre Usseglio /Cuvee De Mon Aeiul
Cndp in spades and then some. For those who like game aromas in their wine this one had it in spades. Smelled like a guinea fowl died in the bottle. Not for everyone but I thought this was real fun - probably better matched with partridge, quail or even lamb stew or some pungent cheeses. Tannins were fine but overall still seemed way too young for a 6 year wine. Probably needs another 7-10 years. 91?(+)pts.

'02 Louis Jadot - Clos Vougoet
Wrapped in foil initially - blind tasters beware. I thought this was a new world pinot initially because of the nose. Incredibly tight and tannic - I would never have guess this to be a Burg. not to say a Clos Vougeot. Way too tight and suspect its shut down and closed for business. 91?(+)pts.

'04 Gunderloch Auslesse AP#1505
Hazelnut & Almonds, really really high acidity, detected perhaps some carbonation also? Does not seem to have the "weight" or visocity of an Auslesse... I'm thinking it taste more like a Kabinett. High alcohol level as well. 84 pts. If they labelled this a Kabinet I might have scored it higher!

'04 Gunderloch Nackenheim Rothenberg Auslesse AP#1303
This is more like an Auslesse. Excellent acidity, sugars with some weight and defintely much higher viscocity. 92+pts

'02 Gunderloch Nackenheim Rothenberg TBA #2203
Much deeper in color and much heavier and thicker. Getting into syrup territory. Apricots, honey, good acidity and balance. My only criticism for wines at this level is this one was a bit too one-dimensional and monolithic - good but not inspiring. 92pts.

January 3, 2006 - Happy New Year

2006-01-04T00:26:00.000+08:00

As this is the first entry in 2006. A happy new year to everyone reading this blog.

Some tasting notes from last year.

1993 Tenuta Ornellaia - Masseto
Getting along in age here. Leather, iron, figs. A bit light and not much on the finish. This being only 12-13 years old I'm getting a bit concerned about the ageing length of this cult wine - not a good showing at least for the '93 vintage. Storage conditions were very good as evidenced by a low level of seepage in the cork itself. 89-90 pts.

1993 Grant Burg - Messach
Black fruits, figs. Initially dense & oily, hint of sweetnees in the fine tannins. 30minutes later becoming a bit more "gritty" with aeration - nice mid palate. The finish is somewhat short or clipped. 91+ pts.

2000 JM Boillot Pommard - Burgundy
I forgot to note down which Pommard it was ??!! Very nice - what else can be said "pinot noir" nose of fruits, animal and cheese aromas all rolled up together. Nice acidity and not too tart. Integrated nicely with time although nose was best in first 30minutes. 90 pts.

2002 JM Boillot Puligny Monrachet - Burgundy
Beautiful nose propped up by a wonderful minerality on the nose and in the mouth. Flavors of citrus/lime coupled with minerals persisted in the mouth for a good minute. Wine gracefully faded over time and did not become unbalanced ( this is the best way to go IMHO ). This is further evidence (to me anyway) that 2002 white Burgs is just a spectacular vintage especially in the hands of capable winemakers. More than ever I think this is the best white vintage in a decade or more. This wine will be even better with 5-7 more years of good storage. 90pts.

Both of the Boillot wines had a very pleasing nose raised expectations in other aspects as well. In the end of the day these were village wines and should not be expected to be "transcendental experiences". Back to Earth anyway.

Dec 23, 2005 - Holiday Drinking.

2005-12-23T21:58:00.000+08:00

1994 - Vega Sicilia Valbuena No.5
Interesting fruit aromas on opening but acidic & sour notes coming through. With air grew progressively more acidic. Wine did not seem corked - storage conditions seemed decent. Might have been an off bottle but this is a poor showing especially compared to its big brother - Unico... 85pts??

1995 - Pichon Comtesse de Lalande - Puillac

Opened with very promising notes of black fruit - somewhat muted, short on the palate and length - served straight out of the cellar. Over time ( approx. 1hour ) with air and higher temperatures it opened up and showed more of the classic Puillac character and with a "feminine" soft character. Green peppers, faint hint of pencil shavings and tobacco. Mid Palate filled out and finish was better though still a bit on the short sight. Probably can do with 3-5 more years in the cellar. 94+ pts.

1989 - Chateau La Fluer Petrus- Pomerol.

Drink up. Its probably hit the maturity plateau and going downhill at this point. Fine , sweet tannins, liqourice and a bit of herbaceous. finish a bit on the short side. 88pts.

2002 - Alois Kracher #12 - Austria.

This was very promising on the nose and the viscosity of the liquid was like some honeys. This was almost painful tasting - hints of citrus/lemon/apricots but the sugar level and viscocity just overwhelmed and annoyed me a bit too much. There is very high acidity here but still not good enough to counter the sweetness and viscocity. 4% alcohol residual sugars through the roof. Ouch! - If there is something as too much of a good thing - this is it. Verdict => Unbalanced. No idea how this will evolve or improve in the future - probably will take 50 years. Right now its no fun drinking - 88pts. Probably deserves more from the point of technical achievement. Revisit in 20 years??!!

Dec 14, 2005. Misc. Tasting notes

2005-12-14T19:55:00.000+08:00

December 14, 2005. Various tasting notes.

Its been a while since the last entry - sorry folks - the wine hunter has been bogged down a bit. Not very productive last few weeks as far as wine tastings are concerned. Here are a few assorted notes - no theme.

2000 - L'Interdit de Bandon

A VTD by law. It looks like the owner of Ch. Valandraud broke a few too many rules to produce this and was deemed "unworthy" of AOC designation ( same story for the L'interdit de Valandraud). This opened up early and was accesible early black fruits, dense and concentrated considerable tannin but tame and quite fine. Would have to say the after bouqet in the glass and aftertaste/finish was actually better than time in the mouth. Could use a few more years ( 3-5? ) 89pts.

1999 - Chateau Quinault - L'enclos

Lighter than L'Interdit but more complex. This had finese and better all round. Good now and requiring little air time 30-45mins. 91pts.

1997 - Rene Renou, Bonnezeaux Le Mellereses

Sweet wine with very good acidity. Not syrupy but lively and light. Had it with chinese hot pot and various seafood goodies. Went very well with the seafood - especially conch shell and fish. SAY NO TO GURWERTZTRAMINER for Chinese food. Whoever made that up is an idiot. I have found a Bonnezeaux or German Spatlese very nice matches. 90+ pts.

1985 - Chateau De Feslese , Bonnezeaux.

Had this a while ago but didn't seem to make it into the blog. "TRUFFLES".. Yes wonderful aroma of truffles, good acidity, apricots, honey, peaches and TRUFFLES. Had it with a Schezuan "saliva chicken" ( sorry folks no alternative tranlations here). I have to say I was very impressed with the combination of 1000 year old eggs with a Bonnezeaux. 92 + 4 ( truffles!) pts.

2000 - Ridge. Montebello Chardonnay.

This is getting better than first tasted 2 years ago. Californian Chardonnay but with a bit of Burgundian minerality and depth. Opened tight and took some time to "unwind". Rumors of this wine's death are greatly exagerrated and actually needs a few more years (3-5?). Hints of 2ndary flavors starting to appear. 92+ pts

Nov 21, 2005. Dom Perignon Dinner

2005-11-22T21:47:00.000+08:00

Monday night. We had a nice dinner at Petrus - the restaurant at the top of the Hong Kong Island Shangri-La hotel. The food was decent. The canapes were quite nice. The Jabugo ham was a bit of a disappointment. Anyone having had the real thing (i.e. 36month aged Jambon Iberico Pata Negra ) will feel the Jabugo came up a bit short as far as flavor depth goes. Next was the Lobster in the shell with spaghettini and oscietra caviar. Lobster was decent but I really enjoyed the spaghettini with caviar in tomato confit. The challand duck breast was quite good here - well executed. Good depth of flavor in the duck as well as a nice "fatty" layer right under the caramelized skin. hmm hmm.

Anyway on to the wines.

1998 Dom Perignon : Really forward wine, acidity perceivably lower than the '96. Nutty hazelnut/almond nose. Drink up fast - don't think this is one for the long haul. 92pts.

1990 Dom Perignon Enotheque : Much better. Nutty hazelnut, almond and toasty nose. Still very lively with numerous bubble trails. A champagne in adolescence starting to pick up maturity and 2ndary notes but not losing its youth. Probably needs another 5 years before it hits its maturity plateau. Good depth of flavor and smooth. 94pts.

1995 Dom Perignon Rose: Very different, nice pink hues. Nose throws off surprise surprise ... Pinot Noir aromas. Think the tannins a bit too dominating over the other elements. Not quite the complexity and depth to take this to the next level. I kept going back to the 1990 Enotheque. The '98 was by now almost flat at this point (~2hours). 91+pts.

Of the three the 1990 Enotheque was the winner. The '98 while less complex is drinking well now - hard to say if it will remain pleasurable later in life. Rose was not bad but maybe given my expectations and its price - got rated slightly lower than the rest ( the Rose costs more than even the Enotheque - figure that one out).

Nov 16, 2005 - Champange & bubbles

2005-11-17T22:23:00.000+08:00

It’s getting towards year end and one can almost imagine the sounds of popping corks and fizzy effervescent wine just around the corner. Champagne is synonymous with celebration, elegance and abundance or at least that’s what the marketing wizards have many of us thinking. Spin city aside lets take a look at what Champagne is about.

Here is a short video ==> http://www.champagne.fr/videos/en/localisation-choix.html

Not all sparkling wines can be called Champagne. In fact, only sparkling wines conforming and grown in certain areas in the Champagne-Ardenne region are deserving of the AOC ( appleation d’origine Controlee) designation. Does that mean that all Champagne AOC are good? Not quite. In other parts of the world they resort to other names such as sparkling wine, Asti Spumanti, Sek and Cava - Champagne however is off-limits.

The essential grape varieties going into Champagne are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot meunier – usually as a blend. Some people would say – hang on that’s the same stuff that goes into other wines!! Well yes same grapes - different process. The key behind Champagne bubbles is Secondary fermentation brought on by adding sugars and a special yeast ( the initial fermentation should already have exhausted the initial sugar content). Until more scientific methods were invented in the early 1800’s, the control and measurement of the sugar level was a bit haphazard. Before then, producing Champagne was a bit risky as well as occasionally explosive. The by-products of fermentation is sediment and its removal requires special effort, time and expense. Traditional methods or “method Champenoise” require a gradual rotation of the bottle over time until the sediment settles directly above the cap with the bottle now orientated cap facing down. It is kept in this position until the wines are ready to ship. At this point a final process called “disgorgement” occurs. The wine in the neck portion of the bottle is frozen along with the sediment into an "ice plug". Expansion due to freezing causes the plug, frozen wine and sediment to fly out - voila clean Champagne. The wine is then topped up, adjusted for sugar level ( in certain cases) and corked.

Champagne comes in several varieties differing by the amount of residual sugar: Brut Nature (0-0.5% - very dry), Brut (0.5%-1.5%-dry), Extra Dry (1.2%-2%), Sec (1.7-3.5%), Demi-Sec(3.3-5%-very sweet), Doux ( >5%).

It is said that the Benedictine Monk Dom Perignon invented Champagne but that is debatable. Some historians believe he tried to get rid of the bubbles in his wine to no avail. Champagne houses of note: Moet-Chandon (Dom Perignon), Bollinger, Krug, Salon to name a few.

Fear not : Champagne review to follow soon.

Nov. 7, Winehunter in Tokyo again - More '02 Burgundies

2005-11-09T22:24:00.000+08:00

Dinner notes from a dinner in Tokyo with some friends.

'02 Corton Charlemagne - Betrand Ambroise.
Some oak, hint of citrus, fat & buttery, some power. 89 points.

'02 Corton Charlemagne - Bonneau Du Matray
Very closed at outset. High acidity and structure yet not overly shrill. Made the Betrand Ambroise looked downright flabby. Around 2.5 hours later, very distinct minearal/flint/rocks aromas as well as hints of citrus & honey?. This thing wasn't even hitting its stride yet ( probably 3-4 hours) while the Betrand Ambroise was sliding downhill. This one probably needs 7-10 years to really show itself. One of the best from this domaine I have had ( back to 1992). 93+points.

'02 Charmes Chambertin - Charlopin Parizot.
Immediately upon uponing - wonderful distinct pinot nose of cherries and red fruits. Supple, soft, light. Find myself feeling guilty - not supposed to be enjoying young grand crus like this are we? This wine did not clam up with time and air as sometimes is the case - didn't have enough left to test this - all gone. Perhaps the finish is a tad short but we are splitting hairs here. 92pts.

October 29, 2005 : Tasting Notes : Walter Hansel & A.Kracher

2005-10-29T21:38:00.000+08:00

2002 - Alois Kracher #9 - Chardonnay Trokenbeeren Auslese (TBA)
Huge bouquet of honey, apricots, figs, oranges. On entering the mouth, thick viscous although retaining a good amount of acidity - nice finish. Liquid golden nectar. 94pts

2001 - Walter Hansel - Russian River - Chardonnay Cahill Lane.
On opening - not much of anything on the nose except a slight hint of toast/paine grille. After an hour a bit more hints of toast and a little bit more citrus notes - just barely. At 2 hours the wine start to fill itself out but was still closed. At 3 hours, the wine start to expand and fill out - again not by much. The dinner was almost over and people were having dessert wine. At this point it was recorked, put in the fridge until tommorrow....

....18 hours later. The nose was much more impressive, distinct aromas of toast, almonds, lemon and white flowers - more of the same on the palate. The finish did come off a little hot but might sort itself out in a few years. At this point, this was looking alot like something from Burgundy. In fact, Chassagne-Monrachet but minus the distinctive mineral/flint aromas not sure if it was covered up by other more dominant features. Heck, if someone said this was a Batard-Monrachet I would have believed it.

I would just like to point out that a white wine lasting 18 hours and still going strong (without gas injections or vacuum pumps ) is just amazing. Many red wines wouldn't make it lets not mention whites. My guess is this wine was probably peaking somewhere around 10-12 hours.

Grand Cru level without the Grand cru price. Believe this needs another 5-10 years. It should get really interesting at that point. Great value for money. Originally priced at ~USD$35 on release ( A quick glance at winesearcher shows it at $69 currently ). Total production ~700 cases. This is the real deal ladies and gentlemen - impressive potential! 94+ pts

October 26, 2005. Vintage Whiskey in Tokyo

2005-10-27T21:24:00.000+08:00

This is the Winehound's first report from a foreign country. I might just come out and state it right now I am a Whiskey novice. Having said that there have been a few revelations over the years and last night was one of them.

A good friend and I ventured to a non-descript street near Akasaka-Mitsuke in Tokyo ( Close to the Otani Hotel ). In the basement of a non-descript building was a bar which went by the simple name of Grace. At first glance this looked like any bar with an extremely long counter. Then we noticed the whiskey bottles. Macallan vintages going back 1/2 century and perhaps more. We didn't realize until much later that it had a similiarly impressive wine selection. You name it they would probably have it.

To start :

1972 Springbank. Frankly I was not very impressed. Good but not special.

1953 Springbank 8 yr. Whoa - they don't make 8yr like this anymore. Extremely smooth and almost caramel nose. In the mouth, very rounded, smooth as silk and incredible long finish. Wow!

Macallan 1985. Sherry cask. A bit harsh compared to the 1950's Springbank.

Macallan 1970. Caramel, peet, almost sweet on the mouth, viscous. Very nice.

Macallan 1963. Oh my gosh. Much better proportioned amazing nose. In the mouth has a lighter less viscous feel than the 1970 but much more complex and SMOOOTHHHH... filling out the palate and a finish that lasts and lasts.. Going back to taste the 1970 Macallan - it was much less inviting or attractive - just no going back. This is one of the best Macallan's I have had so far this would probably be my #2 best Whiskey. The best would still be the 1947 I had several years ago which was just .... Unique, nothing quite like that one.

And to finish....

Taylor 1960 opened in October 2005. Figs, more figs, plums and raisins. Very nice on the Palate although just a little hot on the finish.

Taylor 1960 opened in July 2005. The fig nose is much less prevalent. Looks like the extended air time has taken this away to some degree. Still pleasant however. Finish better and smoother without that little hot streak at the end. However, I miss the fruitines of the October bottle.

October 19, A Sauterne that is not - "Y" the dry Y'quem

2005-10-20T22:29:00.000+08:00

A particular region in Bordeaux, Sauterne - produces some of the best sweet wines in the world. The grapes which tend to go into a Sauterne are both Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. The difference is "noble rot" or Botrytis Ceneria - a mold. This mold tends to dry out and shrivel the grape - intensifying flavors and sugar content to get a Sauterne.

Perhaps the most famous or first among equals is Chateau Y'quem. What many people do not realize is that Chateau Y'quem also makes a dry white wine from the very same grapes - without the Bottrytis. This isn't made every year and when it is, total production is several hundred cases ( saw somewhere that it was around 700-900 cases but do not remember the source ). The result is "Y" or Ee-'grec. "Y" was first produced in 1959 and so far has had 21 vintages.

As it is a dry wine - it technically cannot be considered a "Sauterne" and therefore labelled as "Bordeaux Superior". Rest assured this particular bottling of "Bordeaux Superior" will live up to the labelling - can't say that for most. It also costs a fraction of the price of Y'quem and worth it. It is unlike any white Bordeaux that you will ever have from the Graves or Pessac-Leognan area of Bordeaux.

Drunk young it probably can be best described as a dry-Y'quem with just a hint of sweetness at the tip of your tongue - and it is POWERFUL. With time it produces additional nuances personally this is one which can be enjoyed young or mature - you will get to appreciate different aspects.

October 15, Tasting notes from Dinner at Red Tavern

2005-10-15T22:30:00.000+08:00

First time here and it is quite cozy. The food is quite good - standouts were the apetizers being escargots, baked crab shells and lobster bisque. At $380/pp its not too bad.

Anyway on to the wine.

2003 Les Heritiers Du Comte Lafon, Machon Uchizy - Les Maranchess
Very strong initially, suggest colder serving temperature, minor hints of flint - needs some air time of approx. 30min then hits its right balance of acidity, hints of white flowers and honey. Fades gracefully over time. At ~ $20 this is VALUE!~ 88+pts.

p.s. Okay okay so this bottle is not the Macon-Uchizy but its basically the same label and bottle save for the wording.

1994 Penfold - Bin 707
Upon opening, still has primary fruit flavor and odors but not like when it was young, starting to develop some 2ndary traits but not much. Don't give this too much air time - it started to become less balanced as the night went on becoming increasingly acidic & sour. I don't want to generalize but I have just had many similiar experiences with Australian Cabernet with a little bottle age. Not sure if it is the vinification process, my choice of wines, this bottle, the region or what. This one just doesn't hold it together like a good Bordeaux, and I have had similiar experiences with other Cabernet based wines as well . At what ~ $100/bottle for this vintage - I just cannot recommend it to people - there are better values to be had. Could imagine this to have been 93-94pts. on release now?... ~87pts.

October 11, 2005 : Tasting Notes

2005-10-12T07:28:00.000+08:00

1995 La Mondotte, St.Emillion Grand Cru
Stay away! With the '95 vintage I cannot belive this is the same wine or pedigree of the later La Mondotte. The wine looked prematurely aged for a '95, cork condition was very good however indicating that it wasn't storage. Insipid, thin, no complexity, aromas or anything good I can ascribe to it. This cannot be La Mondotte - either the label was incorrect or the wine was. Oh 83 pts.

2002 Pierre Gelin Chambertin Clos De Beze
Very closed on the nose though having hints of fruits and (flowers?). Decanted for 15 minutes. Body is relatively light, a bit of tannin, certain amount of acidity. Long finish and good aftertaste. Probably missed the "drinking window" upon realease and closing up. Whether it will evolve/resolve well later is the question - it may but do not think this is a long keep. Revisit in 5 years? 89+ pts.

October 8. Magical white wines from a magical place

2005-10-08T07:09:00.000+08:00

Lets talk about white wine.
Everyone and their grandmother is talking about red wine and somehow white wine gets left behind or is treated as the "less serious wine" - rubbish.

Lets look at Burgundy - the home of the most famous "Chardonnays" in the world. Probably the most famous and most expensive in the world is - Montrachet from the Burgundy region in France. What is Montrachet? - merely a plot of land. However, in the wine world that particular plot might as well be the center of the white wine universe. Consequently the hierarchy and pricing of a white Burgundy is a function of its proximity to the "center". Grossly simplified admitedly - but basically true.

Something has to be said of the quantities of some of these grand crus. Some of the most famous estates will perhaps produce 1-2 barrels of Montrachet or Chevalier Montrachet in a given year. This is roughly 25-50 cases per producer. Or basically 300-600 bottles of this mythical white wine in existence. Compare that with the annual Bordeaux First growth producer of approx 100,000 to 200,000 bottles per annum and you begin to understand how little of it exists in the world.

Map of Puligny :

http://www.kobrandwine.com/maps/flash/089_puligny_montrachet.html

The center of the universe is Montrachet which bisects both Chassagne-Monrachet and Puligny-Monrachet (kind of). Following that the Grand cru are :

Chevalier Montrachet : (18.1 acres): Often thought to be pretty darn close to Montrachet itself and depending on the Domaine could even be better. Refinement, delineation/acidity and minerals are its hallmark.
Batard Monrachet : Tends to be less refined and precise but does have some power to it (split between Puligny and Chassagne).
Bievenue-Batard Monrachet : Batard’s brother but sometimes wonder whether its even worth bothering with.
Criotte-Batard Montrachet : An extremely small plot of land and rather rare ( on the Chassagne side)
Montrachet (19.7 acres): Will have the best attributes of all the above and sits in both Puligny and Chassagne. Amazing and expensive stuff – nuff said.

In Puligny-Monrachet. We have the premier Cru starting with Le Pucelles which is a stones throw away from BBM and BM itself. Often the slowest maturing 1er Cru and usually carries a premium over the others (first among premier Crus). The others are Le Cailleret, Clavaillon, Le Combettes, Le Referts in order of increasing distance to Montrachet.

Now lets not forget the other side : Chassagne-Monrachet.

Map of Chassagne:

http://www.kobrandwine.com/maps/flash/090_chassagne_montrachet.html

This tends to be the "forgotten" zone and hopefully it stays that way. Perhaps it doesn't have the refinement of a Le Pucelle but it can give it a run for the money. Of particular note are the Premier Cru vineyards of : Blanchot, Les Vergers, Clos-Saint Jean, La Maltroie, La Grande Montagne.

Favorite producers and vintage observations

My favorite Domains from this side of the fence are Domaine Leflaive (http://www.leflaive.fr/) , JM Boillot, Henri Boillot, Domaine Leroy/D’Auvenay and of course Domaine de la Romanee Conti which only makes one white – Montrachet (ouch!). On the Chassagne side Ramonet, Marc Colin and Fontaine Gagnard (dramatic upswing in quality recently).

The 2002 vintage is one where I have been rarely disappointed. From village cru to Premier Cru and Grand cru. This is one uniformly excellent vintage and has got to be better than 1996. 2003 on the other is much less uniform. Prices are high and perhaps even higher than 2002 but nowhere as profound. Stick to the village wine and perhaps occasionally a premier cru - value would be found there.

October 4, Wine Geek Test

2005-10-05T07:48:00.000+08:00

How many wines can you recognize by looking at the labels? ( Producer, cuvee, country etc...) If you click the picture and start reading the labels - that doesn't count. Its label recognition on sight here.

Instant 10 points for recognition of right 2 bottles on 3rd shelf. If you say "Romanee Conti" on 2nd bottle on 2nd shelf - congratulations - you instantly achieve rank of "Wine Name Dropper" and the quiz is over and .... wrongo dongo.

Score & Ranking
<3 : Wine Enthusiast
3-6: Wine Name Dropper
7-10:Wine Afficionado
11-15: Wine Trade Proffesional
16-20: Wine Geek
21-24: Wine Geek with serious problems.

Tasting Notes from a recent Dinner at Chez Moi

2005-10-01T09:16:00.000+08:00

Tasting notes from dinner Saturday night with a few friends.

1992 Domaine Leflaive Batard-Monrachet. Nice initial burst of minerals. This wine now has secondary notes and starting its life downwards. Still some kick to the finish serve less than cold. Focus improves with colder temperature but not otherwise. Towards the end of dinner, final drops had a hint of flowers and honey which didn't appear before - lovely but the wine was flat by then. Don't think we will ever see all these components together. 90pts

2002 E.Rouget Nuit St. George. Closed unlike the Savigny tasted 2months ago. Needed some time to open up. Not a bad showing but the Savigny is probably better drinking at this point. Shutting down? 88 pts

2000 Claude Dugat. Gevrey Chambertain. The anticipation didn't match reality. Nose was extremely closed and times improved it marginally. On the palate and body extremely lean and angular initially after opening but improved with air time. Not exactly a refined Burg. - nice but had a lot of "sharp edges". 88 pts

1998 Emmanuel Rouget Eschzeaux. A bit more open than the Duga. On the palate defintely 1-2 notches up from the Dugat and improved with time. Best was 30-45 minutes after opening. It seemed to hit a peak during that window after which it thined out and became much more sour without other elements to balance it. 89+(?) pts

1999 George Brueir. Rudesheim Auslesse. Nice acidity to balance the sweetness. Worked great with desserts. Honey suckle and apricots - although missing that petrol smell to some degree. More time needed but a good drink otherwise. 93ptsUntil next time.

Tasting Notes - Vega Sicilia Dinner

2005-10-01T06:38:00.000+08:00

This was a dinner event held at the Jockey Club Darby Room in May, 2005. The owner and winemake of Bodegas Vega Scilia ( Spain ) were here to introduce some of their wines. Frankly, the food at the Darby was so so. Conception and execution was not quite there so I won't bother... on to the wines!!

Pintia '01 : Nose somewhat closed good balance of fruit & oak with moderate tannins, high acidity, 88pts Pintia '02 : Another story - nose black&stewed fruits, hints of sweetness, coarse tannins, good balance, somewhat abbreviated/clipped finish. Probably needs ~5 years to tame some of those tannins. Drinking now - would require a couple hours of air : 91pts

Alion '00 : red fruits, good acidity, firm tanins:89 pts Alion '01 : Now we are getting somewhere. Slightly reticent nose of black fruits, occasional hints/wafts of alcohol, fine tannins, high acidity, finish is good though not remarkable. : 93pts

Valbuena '00 : Red fruits, nose somewhat closed, acidity showing through, firm tannins similiar to the Alion. To me seems more of a "classic" vintage than a fruit driven one. 92pts

Valbuena '99: Nose somewhat hessitant but defintely fruit driven concentration and contrast to '00 - this is much bigger so acidity not so noticeable. Took good part of the night to really start showing its stuff. 94pts.

Unico '94: Uhm wow, what can be said. This is an amazing one even among other vintages. Red/black/stewed fruits all in one. Expansive wine in mid palate, complexity mind boggling. Precocious even now with extremely fine tannins and great acidity, superb length and lingering finish. 97+pts

Unico '91: Still Precocious young and vibrant , fruit driven wine. Very balanced and proportioned wine. Would benefit from further aging to gain complexity and secondary notes. 94pts

Unico Reserva Especial ( blend of 85,90,91) : This wine is a chameleon and kept changing over time. At first not very impressive especially next to the '91 it felt a bit pale in comparison. Over time, it gained weight and the mid palate filled out. This one just kept playing tricks. 94 pts.

Unico '81: Well , well this is da stuff. 2ndary notes of leather, leaves, earthy notes along with the fruit ( not so dominant now). very fine tannins and great finish. Between the '91 and '81 is a choice between fruit and maturity/complex however - with food there is no question the '81 is the one I would pick. 95 pts.

Unico '53: Amazing Grace!! You could never belive this was a 52 year old wine if you looked at the color. Sheer mystical balance of fruit and 2ndary notes ( leather, leaves , earth , dried figs) , elegance, finesse, expansive and complex without being thick and syrupy.. Finish that goes on an on... 98+ pts