12th March 2008: The Wine Republic at Café Europa

An inaugural tasting event celebrating the founding of Beijing’s newest wine company, The Wine Republic, hosted by Managing Director Campbell Thompson.

Guests assembled at Café Europa to sample the wines of Victorian estate Mount Langi Ghiran, part of what looks to be an inspiring range, set to include other Australian producers such as Yering Station, Yarrabank, a joint venture between Yering Station and Champagne Veuve A. Devaux, Parker Coonawarra Estate, Xanadu Wines and Hewitson.

Thompson explained how it was not just important for him to import genuinely good wines into China, but that the logistics-side was a pressing concern: how wine is shipped, how it is stored and transported within mainland China; and, of course, how it finally reaches the consumer.

Those of us who have had clearly heat-damaged bottles know only too well the problems with storage and transportation that routinely occur here.

We were certainly impressed by the quality of Mount Langi Ghiran’s wines (see full tasting notes below) and welcome the appearance of The Wine Republic on the Beijing and Shanghai scenes.

Despite recent shipping, the wines seemed to be in fine fettle. The Wine Republic joins a handful of companies including Globus Wines and Ruby Red Fine Wines (both in Shanghai) that takes issues of transportation and storage seriously.

Each wine was paired by a particular dish and the food-and-wine matching was generally very well-done. Here are our notes:

2004 Mount Langi Ghiran Riesling

Appearance: medium yellow green.

Nose: instantly appealing developed Riesling nose featuring lime and grapefruit aromas with marked kerosene notes. Savoury and subtle.

Palate: mellowed ripe lime fruit with lovely acidity and excellent concentration. Good length too.

Conclusion: impressive Australian Riesling from at least 20 year-old vines. South Australia’s Clare and Eden Valleys usually get the limelight for this grape, but it’s lovely to have such a good Victorian example. Very good and capable of some further ageing in bottle if you like your Rieslings a bit older (up to 2010). Went very well with a tuna carpaccio with mango salsa. Note: The Wine Republic will carry the 2007 vintage for those who like a younger expression. Retail approx. 220RMB.

Rating: 18.5/20

2003 Mount Langi Billi Billi Shiraz

Appearance: medium purple-red, orange rim.

Nose: attractive cool-climate Shiraz nose showing black cherry and blueberry fruit with distinctive peppery notes (that pepper is lost in hotter climates, even if Shiraz retains other spicy aromas). Non-intrusive oak, if any here.

Palate: lovely fruit, medium chewy tannins and good acidity here. Pleasant length too.

Conclusion: well put-together and drinking well now. 2003 was not the greatest vintage anywhere in Australia really and a number of reds are looking tired already (certainly in comparison with 2002 and 2005). But this wine is ready and a lovely expression of cool-climate Shiraz. Paired extremely well with a grilled duck breast and rocket and parmesan salad. Retail approx. 180RMB.

Rating: 17/20

2001 Mount Langi Cliff Edge Shiraz

Appearance: dark purple-red, orange rim.

Nose: crushed red and black fruits of various descriptions (everything from red and black cherry to Shiraz’s slight blueberry character), lovely oak (largely French oak here), mature, slightly leathery notes.

Palate: medium-high chewy tannins, although mellowed, backed up by lovely fruit and nice acidity. Alcohol is balanced as it was on the Billi Billi Shiraz above.

Conclusion: lovely cool-climate Shiraz already benefiting from modest ageing. A pretty good accompaniment to the pepper-crusted beef fillet, but I think the pepper in the dish was too much for the wine in this case. A quibble. Retail approx. 260RMB.

Rating: 18/20

2000 Mount Langi Cabernet-Merlot

Appearance: dark purple-red to black, orange rim.

Nose: dark blackcurrant fruit with some plummy notes, nice oak again here. Still quite young on the nose.

Palate: very good palate with integrated medium-high tannins, good fruit, good acidity and impressive length.

Conclusion: this wine still has some time to go really, although it’s clearly drinkable now. Very well-made; but the Cliff Edge Shiraz might be the best of the reds here in terms of quality-price ratio. A pretty good match with the gratinated field mushroom. Retail approx. 420RMB.

Rating: 17.5/20

Labels: 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, Australia, Cabernet Sauvignon, Featured Tastings, Merlot, Mount Langi Ghiran, red, Riesling, Shiraz, The Wine Republic, white

9th March 2008

Cellar Le Pinot, in conjunction with Ruby Red Fine Wines in Shanghai, hosted a dinner in Beijing showcasing the wines of Terrace Heights Estate (THE), Marlborough, New Zealand.

The dinner was held at private dining facility, Il & Elle, which specializes in Huaiyang cuisine with some French twists.

Director of Sales and Marketing, Steve Hammond, had come up from Shanghai on a general China-leg to present his wines. Terrace Heights Estate was born only as recently as 2002 – with the release of its first Sauvignon Blanc – although Hammond has been involved in growing vines in the region since 1993.

These are wines defined by purity of fruit expression and regionality. They are not over-blown in any sense, a far cry from the over-extracted wines that can crop up in Marlborough (that sherbet fruit bomb problem on over-ripe Sauvignon Blanc, for example, where acidity also tends to suffer and alcohol levels creep suspiciously high or otherwise give way to unseemly residual sugar).

Hammond mentioned that most of his wines are designed for early drinking, although the Pinot Noirs should certainly age well in the medium term, perhaps for longer. In fact, we have added some notes from our earlier experiences with Terrace Heights’ Pinots (vintages 2003 and 2004 - see below). These older vintages should still be in fine fettle.

Here are our notes:

2007 Terrace Heights Estate Sauvignon Blanc

Appearance: medium green.

Nose: slight gooseberry, light guava nose, very pure fruit, slight minerality.

Palate: lovely acidity here, great fruit whose concentration comes out gradually, very good length.

Conclusion: this is what Marlborough Sauvignon is really about: purity of Sauvignon Blanc fruit, lively but not too zesty acidity, some mineral notes and cool concentration of flavours. Excellent. Drink now. Retail RMB230.

Rating: 18.5/20

2007 Terrace Heights Estate Pinot Gris

Appearance: deepish yellow with green tints.

Nose: immediate pear fruit, slight spice (white pepper note), other savoury aromas.

Palate: lovely fruit, impressive acidity, well-balanced residual sugar here. Off-dry, integrated.

Conclusion: a good expression of the grape. Doesn’t quite have the finesse of the Sauvignon Blanc, but this is the first time Terrace Heights has released a Pinot Gris. At least the wine is well expressive of grape variety. Made in the traditional Alsace style really with not too high a level of residual sugar, but not as spicy on the nose as Alsatian examples. Good. Drink now. Retail RMB230.

Rating: 17/20

2006 Terrace Heights Estate Pinot Noir

Appearance: dark purple-red.

Nose: attractive, perfumed nose featuring red and black cherry fruit (more cherry here than raspberry or strawberry notes), backed by lovely oak and some spicy aromas (largely traceable to the oak).

Palate: excellent acidity, lovely intensity of fruit with soft, silky medium tannins and nice length.

Conclusion: very well put together Pinot Noir. New Zealand has, of course, shown its powers in managing this unyielding grape variety. Even if some will wonder whether Pinot in New Zealand can attain the heights of greatness occasionally possible in Burgundy, let’s not forget New Zealand has a better track record than France overall at producing reliable Pinot; and with innovations in many regions, including Central Otago, who knows what’s possible. This wine is very well-made. Drink now or up until 2011. Retail RMB430.

Rating: 18/20 [possible higher with time]

Two Older Vintages of the Terrace Heights Estate Pinot Noirs: 2004 & 2003

2004 Terrace Heights Estate Pinot Noir

Note: This wine was tasted on 6th July 2006. It should be even better now.

Appearance: deepish purple-red.

Nose: warm Pinot fruit nose, some floral notes though too. Good oak here.

Palate: high alcohol (actually 14.5% here). But what’s impressive is that the Pinot has not lost typicity: good fruit, nice acidity, medium slightly chewy tannins, good length.

Conclusion: it may be a higher alcohol Pinot than the below 2003, but it’s still well-made. Drink now until 2012.

Rating: 17.5/20

2003 Terrace Heights Estate Pinot Noir

Note: This wine was tasted on 10th July 2006. It should be even better now.

Appearance: medium purple-red.

Nose: showing less alcohol than the 2004 vintage (this wine 13%, the other 14.5%), this has integrated, lush Pinot fruit and shows good use of French oak.

Palate: good fruit, decent structure with low-medium silky tannins and a slight bitterness on the finish (which would probably settle down with further ageing).

Conclusion: very impressive. Should age very well, up to 2012. Would probably go further than the 2004.

Rating: 18.5/20

Labels: 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, Cellar Le Pinot, Marlborough, New Zealand, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, red, Ruby Red Fine Wines, Sauvignon Blanc, Terrace Heights Estate, white

4th March 2008

Jebsen Fine Wines had organized a special tasting held at the newly opened Ritz Carlton Hotel in Beijing’s Chaoyang District - the second Ritz Carlton in the city, in fact, the other being on Financial Street - of the wines of Tenuta dell’Ornellaia, the great Tuscan producer based in Bolgheri and responsible for the legendary Ornellaia.

On tasting were:

2005 Le Volte, Toscana IGT

Appearance: medium red-purple, slight orange rim.

Nose: bright red cherry fruit, possible unoaked (on first nose). Certainly no evidence of new oak treatment.

Palate: nice acidity here, soft red fruits, low-medium silky tannins. Nice length.

Conclusion: this wine is a blend of Sangiovese 50%, Merlot 30% and Cabernet Sauvignon 20%, vinified separately with the blended wine then being aged in 2-4 year old barrels for some 10 months. In other words, not much oak flavour is imparted, if any, as desired. We expected a bit more structure to come through from the Cabernet Sauvignon, but it’s clearly well-made. Drink now or over the next couple of years. Retail RMB255.

Rating: 16/20

2002 Le Serre Nuove Bolgheri DOC

Appearance: medium purple with red tints, slight orange rim.

Nose: bright red and black fruits, noticeable oak, savoury and relatively complex for the vintage.
Palate: nice acidity again here (as you’d expect), angular medium-high chewy tannins, but only medium-bodied throughout. Nice length too.

Conclusion: 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, this wine’s malolactic fermentation began in stainless steel but was finished in barrique (25% new oak, the remaining 75% in once-used barrels). It was then aged in barrique for some 18 months. It’s impressive they were able to produce such a nice wine in the rain-prone 2002 vintage, a bit of a wash-out in Tuscany. Strict selection would have had to be necessary. We preferred this to the Le Volte 2005, however. Jebsen currently offers other vintages of the Le Serre Nuove (2004 and 2005) for RMB616 and RMB633. We’d hope the 2002 is cheaper, if they still have it.

Rating: 17/20

2005 Ornellaia (1985-2005 anniversary bottle)

Appearance: dark purple-red.

Nose: very elegant nose of myriad red and black fruits, toasty oak prevalent at present as well.

Palate: medium-high chunky tannins, lovely acidity, complex fruits gradually revealing themselves. Long.

Conclusion: this must be a special blend for the occasion, as we couldn’t find anything on the Ornellaia website about the constituents or vinification of the 2005. This wine has some of the restraint and elegance of fine Pomerol or other Right Bank Bordeaux, but with more vibrant acidity. Will age for many years, but is approachable now. Retail RMB1915.

Rating: 18/20 [but should get better]

1995 Ornellaia

Appearance: medium red, marked orange rim.

Nose: fading red and black fruits, leaves, decaying oak and other complex savoury smells (mushrooms etc.).

Palate: complex palate which is more youthful than the nose suggests, lovely acidity and great length. Tannins have precipitated out and it’s very smooth and very appealing!

Conclusion: 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, this wine was aged for about 16 months in French oak barriques (39% new, 61% once-used), bottled without filtration and matured a further 14 months before release. It’s clearly fine wine and drinking well now. We cannot put a retail price on this wine for the Chinese market, however. The cheapest we’ve seen it on Wine Searcher is around £55 (UK pounds) or $100 (USD). It is likely to be much more expensive in China, if it is available at all.

Rating: 18.5/20

Labels: 1995, 2002, 2005, Bolgheri, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Featured Tastings, Italy, Jebsen, Le Serre Nuove, Le Volte, Merlot, Ornellaia, red, Sangiovese, Tenuta dell’Ornellaia, Tuscany

1977 is a fabled year for Port lovers, maybe not as great as 1963, but definitely up there along with 1970. Compared with many of the 1980s' vintages, 1977 still stands out (rumours that the 1985 will take more time or may not be what experts thought abound, whilst 1983 has a generally better press with some lovely wines that are already drinking now).

Many of the 1977s are still somewhat young, although, of the below four Ports, Graham's is clearly the most approachable. Port experts (like Richard Mayson) should be consulted for more detailed notes and information on past vintages as well as the various Port shippers (British and Portuguese). We would love to taste, for example, '77 Taylor's and '77 Fonseca, if we ever get the chance.

But we offer some recent notes on four classic wines, all from the Symington Family:

1977 Graham’s

Appearance: medium red-purple, orange rim.

Nose: developed nose of candied red fruits with appealing nutty aromas.

Palate: mellow fruits, integrated high acidity and softened highish residual sugar. Lovely length and tannins now fully integrated.

Conclusion: one of the more forward wines of the vintage, the Graham’s 1977 is drinking really well, although there is no need to hurry (depending on how you like your Port).

Rating: 18.5/20

1977 Dow

Appearance: dark purple-red, slight orange rim.

Nose: rich nose of dark black fruits with definite spicy and savoury notes: clove, cinnamon, white pepper.

Palate: more richness of fruit, slightly chewy but mellowing medium-high tannins, integrated high residual sugar and lovely acidity. Superbly balanced, great length.

Conclusion: this is a fantastic Vintage Port that still has quite a life ahead of it. More sophisticated than the Graham’s, although the Graham’s is very good too. Perhaps it would be better to say that they are stylistically different: the Dow being more heavy-weight (although Dow ’77 still seems leaner than 1977 Warre – see below).

Rating: 19/20

1977 Gould Campbell

Appearance: dark purple-red, slight orange rim.

Nose: attractive black fruits but with some red plum or red cherry thrown into the mix. Some spicy notes. Fruit is more open than on previous bottles of this ’77.

Palate: more appealing black and red fruits, chewy mellowing medium-high tannins, good acidity and generally well-integrated. Decent length.

Conclusion: clearly high quality and of a similar weight to the Dow, although the mouth-feel is slightly different. The Gould Campbell has ‘chunkier’ fruit and is not quite as smooth as the Dow. The fruit is only just starting to open on this Port and it has quite a life ahead of it yet.

Rating: 18.5/20

1977 Warre

Appearance: dark purple-red, only slight orange rim.

Nose: mainly dense black fruits with dark spices (clove, black pepper) and attractive oak (oak seems to be more prominent on this bottle than on some of the other Ports tasted).

Palate: rich black fruits, but not jammy; lovely balance of high acidity to marked residual sugar. Tannins are well-knit and coating rather than being overtly chewy. Great length.

Conclusion: along with the Dow, this is probably our favourite of the bunch, although the quality of the 1977 vintage means it’s pretty hard to go wrong with Vintage Port in this year. Only just beginning to drink really.

Rating: 19/20

Labels: 1977, Dow, fortified wine, Gould Campbell, Graham's, red, Touriga Nacional, Vintage Port, Warre

1998 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Château de Beaucastel, Rhone Valley

Appearance: deep purple-red, clear rim.

Nose: a little closed at first – in fact, the wine seemed to waft ‘in’ and ‘out’ of expression as it developed in the glass – but began to show lovely red and black fruits (mix of blackberry, red and black cherry, redcurrant etc.) with beautiful oak and some distinctive spicy notes (white pepper, black pepper, clove etc.).

Palate: angular fruit that is still young in expression, medium-high acidity, large alcohol but this is well-integrated with some tight ripe medium-high tannins. Very good length.

Conclusion: 1998 was a wonderful vintage in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Beaucastel will go on for some time and should age beautifully. Likely to be a classic.

Rating: 18/20 [will be higher with age]

Labels: 1998, Beaucastel, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, France, Grenache, red, Rhone

Globus Wines of Shanghai had winemaker extraordinaire Bertrand Sourdais up for a visit in Beijing on the back of a number of Shanghai events.

Sourdais, a former under-study at Château Mouton-Rothschild and Léoville-Las-Cases (who also gained hands-on experience with Chile’s Santa Rita and Priorat’s Álvaro Palacio), comes from a wine-making family in the Loire Valley and since 2003 has been responsible for the vintage at Domaine de Pallus, the family domaine in Chinon.

Sourdais sprung to fame, however, with his stunning Ribera del Duero wines, made at Dominio de Atauta in collaboration with Miguel Sanchez, a notable Madrid wine merchant and distributor who was instrumental in bringing the vineyards of the town of Atauta to public note.

Sanchez has 15 hectares of pre-phylloxera vines and sources fruit from some 600 further plots, many of which clearly contain the oldest vines in the region. Sourdais was explicit in insisting that the Tinto Fino is quite different in morphology and temperament from Tempranillo, at least as it is found in Rioja; and lamented the importation of Rioja Tempranillo into the Ribera region.

Accolades have justifiably followed the wines of Atauta. Nearly every major wine writer including not only Spanish critics but Robert Parker and Michel Bettane has hailed the quality here. But we found the Chinon to be among the best we have had too!

We’re very excited that these kind of wines are available in China and recommend checking out the Globus list. Along with Ruby Red Fine Wines in Shanghai, this is one of the more innovative and exciting companies; and it is no surprise that Globus recently teamed up with Bacchus Wines in Beijing to promote the wines of Alsatian producer Lorentz Klipfel (Bacchus is another supplier to watch).

2005 Les Pensées du Pallus, Chinon

Appearance: medium purple-red.

Nose: very bright red and black fruits (strawberry, blackberry, cherries) with distinctive green pepper and very slight oak.

Palate: excellent acidity here (what Loire Cabernet Franc should be like!), lovely structure with medium chewy tannins and very good length.

Conclusion: this is perhaps the best Chinon we’ve had, easily up there with the wines of Charles Joguet (perhaps even purer in expression). Certainly the best Cabernet Franc we’ve had to date and attractively priced at RMB188.

Rating: 18.5/20

2005 Atalayas de Golban, Ribera del Duero

Appearance: dark purple-red, pink rim.

Nose: very concentrated black fruits, with oak ‘just there’ (i.e. very well-integrated). The wine has a perfumed quality which is hard to describe – certainly not reminiscent of Nebbiolo or Pinot Noir. Complex.

Palate: marked acidity, very concentrated but elegant with superb fruit, ripe smooth medium tannins and lovely length.

Conclusion: an ‘atalaya’ is a watchtower and the Golban is a river in the Atauta valley. This is a separate project from the below Dominio de Atauta and the wine is intended for earlier drinking. Fermented in stainless steel with 80% of the wine then being aged in two to three year-old barrels (emanating from Château Haut-Brion), it is beautiful to drink now, but would also benefit from medium-term ageing if desired. Very, very good and quite a competitor to the below Dominio de Atauta, in fact. We prefer the Atalayas now, even although giving the Dominio de Atauta a higher overall rating. Retail RMB228.

Rating: 18.5/20

2005 Dominio de Atauta, Ribera del Duero

Appearance: very dark purple to black, pink rim.

Nose: beautiful dark fruits, even more concentrated than the Atalayas de Golban, more overt oak here too. Needs time to develop in the glass, but it is already fragrant.

Palate: marked acidity (the acidity on all of Sourdais’s wines is prominent but pure), integrated medium-high chewy tannins, lovely fruit and very good length.

Conclusion: a blend of Tinto Fino from significant plots with old vines such as La Mala, Punto Alta, Cuesta Moral, and La Solana, this is intense but sophisticated and really needs time right now. Usually aged in 100% new French oak, the fruit is certainly robust enough to warrant this treatment. Wait on this. It will be amazing to see how it ages. Retail RMB465.

Rating: 19/20

Labels: Bacchus Wines, Bertrand Sourdais, Cabernet Franc, Chinon, Domaine de Pallus, Dominio de Atauta, France, Globus Wines, red, Ribera del Duero, Ruby Red Fine Wines, Spain, Tempranillo, Tinto Fino

Featured Tasting: Jaboulet (including two vintages of La Chapelle)

Summergate hosted Christophe Brunet of famed producers Paul Jaboulet Aîné and Château La Lagune, now jointly owned and managed by the Frey family. Caroline Frey is winemaker at both properties (at La Lagune, Denis Dubourdieu, her former professor, is also a consultant). But this tasting focused solely on the Jaboulet wines – La Lagune having already been a presence at the Union des Grand Crus visit to Beijing in late November (see previous posts).

Christophe Brunet explained the current innovations the Frey family is instituting at Jaboulet. The main idea is to refine the quality of the Hermitage La Chapelle and limit its production. To put this in perspective, Brunet pointed out that in the 1990 vintage 100,000 bottles of red La Chapelle were made compared with some 30,000 bottles in 2005. A ‘second wine’, La Petite Chapelle, will shortly be released and may well represent good value, particularly as La Chapelle has now become a costly collectors’ item.

2006 also saw the re-launch of a white La Chapelle (Jaboulet had previously stopped making its top white Hermitage in 1961). This wine is a 100% Marsanne and, judging by how well the 2001 Chevalier de Sterimberg showed - see below - will be one to watch.

We tasted the following wines:

2004 Parallèle 45 Côtes du Rhône White, Jaboulet

Appearance: dark yellow green.

Nose: noticeable pear fruit with some waxy aromas.

Palate: strong pear fruit, more waxy flavours, nice acidity though too. Has kept quite well.

Conclusion: made from a blend of Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne and Bourboulenc, this is impressive at its level and a nice expression of white Côtes du Rhône.

Rating: 16.5/20

2001 Le Chevalier de Sterimberg Hermitage (Blanc), Jaboulet

Appearance: dark yellow green.

Nose: complex pear fruit with nutty aromas, wax and butterscotch. Developed nose but will still probably age happily enough.

Palate: rich mouth-feel with mellowed pear fruit, toffee and butterscotch flavours and considerable length.

Conclusion: a wonderful example of aged white Hermitage, something of a rarity and thankfully relatively undiscovered in the wine world (it’s certainly not popular in fine wine markets). Still has some life ahead but drinking beautifully now.

Rating: 18.5/20

2005 Parallèle 45 Côtes du Rhône (Rouge), Jaboulet

Appearance: medium purple-red.

Nose: light red berry fruits, slight white pepper from the Grenache and some darker fruit coming through from the Syrah here. Attractive.

Palate: light chewy tannins, nice fruit, lively acidity; well put together with quite good length.

Conclusion: a decent wine at its level. Dependable stuff.

Rating: 16.5/20

2005 Les Cedres Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Jaboulet

Appearance: medium purple-red, slight orange rim.

Nose: mix of red and black fruits with some characteristic Châteauneuf spice (Grenache-dominated). Oak is non-intrusive.

Palate: chewy medium tannins, medium-high acidity and with good length, the wine does not show much oak and is largely fruit-driven.

Conclusion: a blend of Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah and Mourvèdre, this is a reliable Châteauneuf-du-Pape. It’s not going to excite in the same way that wines from single domaines in the region can, but it’s a decent expression.

Rating: 17.5/20

1988 Hermitage La Chapelle, Jaboulet

Appearance: medium purple-red, with very marked orange rim.

Nose: decaying black and red fruits with a distinct meaty nose that later shows leaves, mushrooms and other secondary aromas. Very complex.

Palate: lovely mature palate with mellowed fruit, meaty and mushroomy flavours, softened medium grainy tannins, good acidity and superb length. Unfiltered, its throws a sediment that we recommend eating! The flavours are heavenly and show what aged Syrah at this level is all about.

Conclusion: clearly a very fine wine. Collectors will debate whether the 1988 vintage is the best La Chapelle, but here’s a wine to enjoy now that seems to be at its peak and in fine condition.

Rating: 19/20

2001 Hermitage La Chapelle, Jaboulet

Appearance: darkish purple-red, already showing orange rim.

Nose: a bit closed at first, then showing complex dark fruits, corned beef, liquorice and some characteristic black pepper (a signature of cool-climate Syrah).

Palate: ripe medium-high chewy tannins, excellent acidity, integrated dark fruits, but a bit tight right now.

Conclusion: this will clearly be an excellent vintage of La Chapelle, but should be left alone at present. Very good, but try again in 2011 and thereafter.

Rating: 18.5/20 [but may be higher]

Labels: 1988, 2001, 2004, 2005, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Cotes du Rhone, Featured Tastings, France, Hermitage, Jaboulet, La Chapelle, La Lagune, red, Rhone, sweet white

21st December 2007

Another look at the wonderful wines of Ridge hosted by Frank Siegel of the Sequoia Café (wines imported by Summergate).

We first tasted some of Ridge's exemplary wines, including the legendary Monte Bello (2004 vintage) in Hong Kong in November 2007 - see previous notes.

2005 Ridge Lytton Springs

Appearance: medium purple-red, pink rim.

Nose: crushed berry fruits, excellent oak. Complex.

Palate: grainy, slightly dusty tannins, strong fruit, considerable oak but this is well-integrated. Nice acidity and good length.

Conclusion: 77% Zinfandel, 17% Petite Syrah and 6% Carignan, this is very good and would benefit from mid-term ageing. Retail approx. 600RMB.

Rating: 18/20

2003 Ridge Geyersville

Appearance: medium purple-red, orange rim.

Nose: very fragrant clove, cinnamon and generally spicy nose with strong red and black fruits coming through.

Palate: chewy medium tannins, good acidity, dark savoury fruits (seems blacker on palate than nose at present). Integrated high alcohol.

Conclusion: 76% Zinfandel, 18% Carignan and 6% Petite Syrah, this is a complex wine that needs time, even although it is relatively approachable now. Drink now to 2013. Retail 576RMB.

Rating: 18/20

2004 Ridge Santa Cruz Mountains

Appearance: dark purple, clear rim.

Nose: sweet nose of blackcurrant and black plum, lovely fruit throughout, noticeable mix of American and French oak.

Palate: great fruit, lovely medium chewy tannins, excellent length.

Conclusion: a blend of 51% Cabernet Sauvignon, 47% Merlot and 1% each of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, this is a lovely wine whose fruit is sourced from the same vineyard as the legendary Monte Bello. Drink now or up to 2012. Retail 660RMB.

Rating: 18.5/20

Labels: 2003, 2004, 2005, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Featured Tastings, Petit Syrah, Petit Verdot, red, Ridge, Summergate, Zinfandel

Summergate arranged for a media tasting with Keith and Clare Mugford of Margaret River producer Moss Wood. Moss Wood is well known as one of the region’s top wineries, an obvious rival to the likes of Leeuwin Estate. The quality of the wines here (see tasting notes below) is very high and the wine making impeccable. Margaret River overall is known for a host of strong producers and some of Australia’s most elegant wines. But the purity of fruit achieved in the two different Moss Wood Cabernets we tasted was particularly impressive.

The Moss Wood vineyard in Wilyabrup is given over to various varieties including Cabernet Sauvignon (5.43 hectares), Semillon (1.83 hectares), Pinot Noir (1.55 hectares), Chardonnay (2.17 hectares), Cabernet Franc (0.29 hectares), Merlot (0.03 hectares) and Petit Verdot (0.48 hectares). But grapes are also sourced from the Ribbon Vale vineyard (acquired by Moss Wood in 2000) and the Glenmore, Montgomery, Lefroy Brook and Green Valley sites; which enable the Mugfords to acquire grapes from significantly different areas in the wider Margaret River region.

The Moss Wood vineyard itself provides the fruit for the range of the same name: which includes a Chardonnay, two Semillons (one unoaked, one oaked), two Cabernet Sauvignons (one of which is termed ‘Special Reserve’ and is only made in certain vintages), a Pinot Noir (which has quite a following – the Mugfords themselves being great lovers of this grape) and also a ‘Port style’ wine (labelled ‘Vintage Port’). This last wine cannot be released in the European Union because of the protection of the Portuguese Port; but China would be no problem! However, Keith Mugford is amusingly candid about not wanting to pursue life as a fortified winemaker.

The Glenmore and Montgomery sites provide the grapes for the Amy’s Cabernet Sauvignon (see below), whilst a different Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are made from Lefroy Brook fruit (Green Valley providing yet another terroir-driven Chardonnay). Other wines are also made from fruit sourced in Pemberton and Palandri.

On their first visit to Beijing (en route to Shanghai and Guangzhou), Keith and Clare Mugford spoke passionately about the Margaret River as well as the innovations they have overseen at Moss Wood. Keith Mugford was a fount of wisdom concerning the care and attention that goes into their work in both the vineyards and cellar. Both suggested that, although the Margaret River region may expand, quality should be maintained provided wineries keep up the hard work and dedication that began in the 1960s with pioneers like Dr Bill Pannell who identified Moss Wood’s location as being ideal for premium wine production.

We tasted:

2005 Moss Wood Amy’s Cabernet Sauvignon

Appearance: medium-purple red, clear rim.

Nose: very pure blackcurrant and slight blueberry fruit with some dark red fruits too. Delicate use of oak here.

Palate: lovely ripe fruit, but this is also restrained in style. Refreshing medium acidity, ripe slightly chewy medium tannins and impressive length. Alcohol is high, but fully integrated.

Conclusion: 85% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest 5% allocations of Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot, this is clearly a very good vintage. The wine experienced less skin-contact than the Moss Wood Cabernets (see below). The idea is to express fruit purity and display only moderate tannins. Spends 14 months in French oak, only 25% of which is new (which would explain why the oak is moderate here and a good savoury background to the strong fruit). Very good, even if it is intended as quasi-baby brother to the Moss Wood Cabernet.

Rating: 18/20

2004 Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon

Appearance: deepish purple-red, clear rim.

Nose: very pure dark fruits (blackcurrant, black plum), restrained integrated oak, some spicy notes. Youthful, but approachable.

Palate: excellent ripe fruit, medium-high chewy tannins, integrated medium acidity and balanced high alcohol. Very good length.

Conclusion: not precisely sure of the blend here, but the wine is kept for over a year in barrel. Actually, the 2004 was kept in three separate samples under oak and then blended after 12 months before spending slightly longer in barrel (this gave the Mugfords time to see the evolution of the different samples). Spent up to 14 days on the skins after fermentation. Although a year in which temperatures rose steeply right before harvest, this wine had no cooked or over-ripe aromas. Very, very good.

Rating: 18.5/20

During the tasting, we spoke about the ‘discount-image’ Australia has until recently had, particularly in the UK (Australia’s largest market) where supermarkets have commanded bulk supply at reduced rates to producer and consumer. The Mugfords felt that the recent drought in Australia will mean that both water prices and the prices of grapes will shoot up and that Australia may well benefit from not being able to provide international markets with a surplus of wine.

Increasingly, of course, top Australian winemakers are stressing the uniqueness of their individual vineyard sites and the uniqueness of the wines they produce, re-dressing the French concept of terroir in Australian clothes. The Mugfords are unashamedly no exception and spoke in detail about their different vineyards as well as the complex effects of sea-breezes on much of Western Australia.

Theirs is essentially a Burgundian approach, at least for their Pinot Noir; whilst their Cabernet-blends have the ripeness the Bordelais would die for, but in Australia achieving phenolic ripeness can occur only after your grapes risk having too much natural sugar (at least at too high sugar levels if you want to make wines of moderate alcohol). This doesn’t matter in the case of Moss Wood, however, because Keith Mugford (also a consultant winemaker to other properties) has found a way of producing 14.5% Cabernets that don’t knock your head off. These are fantastic wines.

Labels: 2004, 2005, Cabernet Sauvignon, Clare Mugford, Featured Tastings, Interviews, Keith Mugford, Malbec, Margaret River, Merlot, Moss Wood, Petit Verdot, red, Western Australia

Part IIId refers to St. Emilion and Pomerol. Here are our notes:

2004 Château Angélus, St. Emilion

Appearance: deep purple.

Nose: very ripe black and red fruits with complex savoury quality (oak, spice, pencil shavings etc.). Lovely oak in particular.

Palate: marked ripe fruit, excellent medium chewy tannins, fine medium acidity and impressive concentration for the 2004 vintage. Superb length.

Conclusion: 50% Merlot, 47% Cabernet Franc and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine spends somewhere between 18-22 months in new oak. It certainly has the fruit to withstand that kind of treatment. This was extremely good, although we’re not sure many would be willing to fork out for Angélus.

Rating: 18.5/20 [possible 19/20]

2004 Château Canon-la-Gaffelière, St. Emilion

Appearance: medium purple-red.

Nose: delicate nose with ripe red and black fruits. Not too extracted. Good oak.

Palate: well put together, featuring good fruit, nice closely-knit medium tannins, good acidity and encouraging length.

Conclusion: 55% merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, anything like 80-100% of the wine can see new oak for various periods depending on the vintage. Stephan von Neipperg was very informative, explaining that for this wine he has at his disposal particularly old Cabernet Franc (including vines that survived a significant frost in 1956).

Rating: 18/20

2004 Clos Fourtet, St. Emilion

Appearance: medium purple-red.

Nose: mineral, metallic first nose with ripe fruit coming in later. Non-intrusive oak.

Palate: nice acidity here, ripe medium tannins. Well-integrated.

Conclusion: 85% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc, the wine sees 80% new oak for an unspecified period. This was well-made.

Rating: 17.5/20

2004 Château Figeac, St. Emilion

Appearance: darkish purple-red.

Nose: lovely ripe dark fruits (blackcurrant, blackberry, black plum) with good oak.

Palate: more high-quality dark fruits, but angular and with bigger tannins than expected. Concentrated, with good length.

Conclusion: 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Cabernet Franc and 30% Merlot, this wine sees 100% new oak. It’s impressive and seemed to have good concentration.

Rating: 18/20

2004 Château Grand Mayne, St. Emilion

Appearance: medium purple.

Nose: delicate berry fruits, then greater red and black plum fruit coming through. Integrated oak.

Palate: good fruit, ripe tannins which are larger than expected and take a while to come through. Good length here too.

Conclusion: 75% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine spends between 14-18 months in 80% new oak. Good stuff.

Rating: 17.5/20

2004 Château Troplong Mondot, St. Emilion

Appearance: deep purple-red.

Nose: dark fruits, leather and tobacco (from the oak).

Palate: large chunky tannins with decent acidity and excellent fruit. Good length.

Conclusion: 80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine spends up to a year in 70% new oak and then a further year in old barrels. It is very young at present, but could be very impressive with significant ageing.

Rating: 18.5/20

2004 Château Clinet, Pomerol

Appearance: medium purple-red.

Nose: tight first nose, metallic. Seems closed right now.

Palate: again more tight fruit and seems too young to assess at the moment (perhaps this bottle is atypical).

Conclusion: 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine sees new oak for an unspecified period. But this bottle was too closed to give an initial response really.

Rating: tentative 17.5/20

Labels: 2004, Angelus, Canon-la-Gaffeliere, Clinet, Clos Fourtet, Featured Tastings, Figeac, Grand Mayne, Pomerol, red, St. Emilion, Troplong Mondot, Union des Grand Crus de Bordeaux

The Union des Grand Crus de Bordeaux held their annual grand tasting in Beijing, the last in a leg of an Asia-wide tour also comprising Tokyo (22nd Nov), Osaka (24th Nov), Seoul (26th Nov), Shanghai (28th Nov) and Guangzhou (29th Nov).

We have already posted our notes on the dry and sweeter whites (see Featured Tasting: Union des Grand Crus de Bordeaux in Beijing, Parts I and II). Here is the beginning of Part III which is devoted to the reds in all their different appellations. In fact, we have had to subdivide our posts into Part IIIa-d to cover everything we tasted (see below).

Tasting multiple samples of young red Bordeaux effectively takes stamina and experience. High-end red Bordeaux made in a traditional style should keep for decades; along with Vintage Port and some German Rieslings, these are wines that can have considerable longevity and often have to be left for some time to show their complexity and subtlety.

The only thing harder than assessing extremely young wines destined for a long life is barrel-tasting of unfinished wines (i.e. those still undergoing fermentation). This is something we’ve done in Burgundy, but not in Bordeaux; although we did once get to taste barrel samples of the 2003 Ports (the fermentation may have been stopped with brandy, but it was precisely the brandy and powerful young fruit that made for hard work!).

But what about the 2004 reds? Generally speaking, the 2004 vintage is not as concentrated as years like 2005, 2000 and 1990, although it will obviously have ageing-potential (much more of a ‘classic’ year than the atypical 2003). To cope with the number of wines, our notes are necessarily condensed. They should also be seen as provisional. Although we have tasted significant numbers of wines at various competitions and wine challenges before, it is always best to re-taste wines that promise significant evolution (there's also the bottle variation that will naturally occur, even with top wines). Despite these provisos, 2004 can we seen as a reliable vintage for the medium term, although some wines will go for much longer.

We have arranged our notes around each Bordeaux appellation and grouped them into a series of posts:

Part IIIa: Pessac-Léognan and Margaux

Part IIIb: St. Julien

Part IIIc: Pauillac, St. Estèphe, Haut-Médoc and Moulis-en-Médoc

Part IIId: St. Emilion and Pomerol

Sadly, there was not much of a presence for St. Estèphe at the Beijing tasting and we didn’t get to taste as many Pauillacs or Pomerols as we wanted (despite what was on offer). In some cases, we made a point of not revisiting old favourites that have been established as good value (e.g. Châteaux Batailley, Angludet, Talbot), but couldn’t resist sampling Léoville and Langoa Barton.

Part IIIa: Pessac-Léognan and Margaux

2004 Domaine de Chevalier, Pessac-Léognan

Appearance: deepish purple-red.

Nose: lovely fruit, good oak, very attractive nose.

Palate: excellent concentration for the vintage, lovely tannins, strong fruit and impressive length.

Conclusion: 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine spent some 21 months in oak (50% of which was new). It has the fruit and structure to age gracefully. Lovely Pessac.

Rating: 18.5/20

2004 Château Pape Clément, Pessac-Léognan

Appearance: medium-dark purple-red.

Nose: pleasant fruit, good use of oak here and good concentration.

Palate: big, chewy tannins, good acidity and decent length. The fruit has decent concentration too.

Conclusion: 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot, this wine usually spends around 18-22 months in barrel (100% new oak). Another impressive Pessac. Has a different tannic structure from the Domaine de Chevalier; but both have their charms and should age well.

Rating: 18/20

2004 Château Giscours, Margaux

Appearance: medium purple-red.

Nose: beautiful savoury nose with red and black fruits and even some mineral notes. Non-intrusive oak.

Palate: lovely semi-chewy medium tannins, vibrant acidity and more ‘minerality’. Good fruit and impressive length.

Conclusion: 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and the remaining 5% a mixture of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, this wine spends some 15-18 months in oak (50% new). This is very stylish Margaux with a considerable future ahead of it.

Rating: 18.5/20

2004 Château du Terte, Margaux

Appearance: medium purple-red.

Nose: very attractive black fruits with some spice and green pepper notes (there’s more Cabernet Franc and marginally more Petit Verdot than on the Ch. Giscours). Good use of oak.

Palate: decent structure, good acidity, pleasant fruit and good length with chunkier tannins than the Giscours.

Conclusion: 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot, this wine spends similar time in oak to the Ch. Giscours (they come from the same stable under General Manager, Alexander Van Beek). This is clearly very good, but the Giscours is better in this vintage.

Rating: 18/20

2004 Château Dufort-Vivens, Margaux

Appearance: deep purple-red.

Nose: stalky first nose, but this gives way to dark fruits and subtle oak.

Palate: nice acidity, ripe chunky tannins, good fruit and promising length.

Conclusion: 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc, this wine sees some 16-20 months in oak (ranging from 35-45% new, depending on vintage). There’s more Cabernet Sauvignon here than on most Margaux – in fact Dufort-Vivens actually decided to graft some Cabernet Sauvignon on to some of their old Merlot vines. This gives a bigger Margaux.

Rating: 18/20

2004 Château Kirwan, Margaux

Appearance: medium purple-red.

Nose: toasty first nose, mineral notes, but also lovely fruit coming through. Complex.

Palate: gripping, ripe medium tannins, excellent fruit, good acidity and more harmonious on palate than on nose at present.

Conclusion: 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 10% Petit Verdot, this wine saw about 35% new oak, but we’re not sure for how long. What is clear is that Kirwan is in very good shape with the 2004 vintage. Very good Margaux.

Rating: 18.5/20

2004 Château Lascombes, Margaux

Appearance: medium purple-red.

Nose: plenty of oak, but there is more than ample fruit coming through here as well. Some spice and has a lot to give yet.

Palate: big chunky tannins, large structure, good fruit, pleasant acidity and decent length.

Conclusion: 50% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot, this wine varies in treatment but does get to see a lot of new oak (usually 80-100%). However, there is more than enough fruit to match. This Margaux is in the larger style also favoured by Dufort-Vivens. Needs time.

Rating: 18/20

Of this group, Domaine de Chevalier, Giscours and Kirwan particularly stood out. But there were some good all round 2004s here.

Labels: 2004, Bordeaux, Domaine de Chevalier, du Terte, Dufort-Vivens, Featured Tastings, France, Giscours, Kirwan, Lascombes, Margaux, Pape Clement, Pessac-Leognan, red, Union des Grand Crus de Bordeaux

Part IIIc of our tasting notes to the Union des Grand Crus de Bordeaux grand tasting refers to the appellations of Pauillac, St. Estèphe, Haut-Médoc and Moulis-en-Médoc. We were not able to taste all the wines on show, but hope the below will prove useful for those interested in this underrated vintage.

2004 Château Pontet-Canet, Pauillac

Appearance: deep purple colour.

Nose: very attractive black fruits (blackcurrant, blackberry, some black plum) matched by non-intrusive oak. Concentrated and fragrant.

Palate: strong on fruit, large chewy tannins, excellent acidity, good concentration and good length.

Conclusion: 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, this wine spends 12 months in 60% new oak. It is robust and very well-made Pauillac. Should age very well.

Rating: 18.5/20

2004 Château Lynch-Bages, Pauillac

Appearance: medium purple-red.

Nose: ‘sweet and savoury’ first nose showing lovely blackcurrant fruit with moderately toasty oak.

Palate: lovely concentration and ripe, chewy tannins. More attractive fruit and oak here with good length.

Conclusion: 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 15% merlot and 2% Petit Verdot, this wine spends some 15 months in barrel (not sure what percentage is new oak). Whatever the case, this is an attractive and well-made Pauillac.

Rating: 18.5/20

2004 Château Cos Labory, St. Estèphe

Appearance: dark purple.

Nose: very blackcurrant with strong intense fruit, non-intrusive oak and savoury notes.

Palate: concentrated, nice tannins, strong fruit and quite good length.

Conclusion: 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc, this has some of the intensity of St. Estèphe without being ‘rustic’. The wine is exposed to 45% new oak, although we’re not sure for how long. Good.

Rating: 17.5/20

2004 Château La Lagune, Haut-Médoc

Appearance: medium purple-red.

Nose: attractive red and black fruits (blackcurrant, blackberry, red plum) with distinct spicy notes (from oak and Petit Verdot). Good oak.

Palate: well-balanced palate with good fruit, fine acidity, medium slightly chewy tannins and impressive length. Not intense, but delicate.

Conclusion: 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot, this wine spends 18 months in oak (50% new) and is clearly of high quality. The percentage of Petit Verdot adds some complexity to the fine fruit. Should age very well.

Rating: 18.5/20

2004 Château Cantemerle, Haut-Médoc

Appearance: medium purple.

Nose: immediately appealing savoury, fruity and slightly ‘animal’ nose. Good oak.

Palate: nice concentration, ripe chunky tannins with good balance and good length.

Conclusion: 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc, this is a reliable and well-made Haut-Médoc. Cantemerle is good value.

Rating: 17.5/20 [could be higher with time]

2004 Château Chasse-Spleen, Moulis-en-Médoc

Appearance: medium purple.

Nose: savoury and slight green first nose, but the fruit comes through as ripe and attractive. Nice oak.

Palate: good concentration – there’s certainly no hole in the middle here – with nice tannins, decent acidity and pleasant fruit. Good.

Conclusion: 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 35% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot, this wine will have spent something like 14-18 months in barrel (40% new oak). Reliable and well-made.

Rating: 17.5/20

Labels: 2004, Cantemerle, Chasse-Spleen, Cos Labory, Featured Tastings, France, Haut-Medoc, La Lagune, Lynch-Bages, Moulis-en-Medoc, Pauillac, Pontet-Canet, red, St. Estephe, Union des Grand Crus de Bordeaux

Here are our tasting notes for the 30th November 2007 Union des Grand Crus de Bordeaux tasting in Beijing Part IIIb which comprises the appellation of St. Julien.

Please see other posts for other appellations/communes and an overview of the 2004 vintage for dry whites (Part I), sweet whites (Part II) and reds (Part IIIa-d).

2004 Château Langoa Barton, St. Julien

Appearance: medium purple-red.

Nose: very fragrant first nose with lovely blackcurrant fruit and excellent oak.

Palate: ripe medium-high chewy tannins (these seem larger on this wine than on the Léoville Barton at present – see below); excellent fruit, good acidity and well-balanced throughout.

Conclusion: 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, this wine spends 20 months in barrel (in 50% new oak). It’s very stylish and has some of the robustness of St. Julien showing through.

Rating: 18.5/20

2004 Château Léoville Barton, St. Julien

Appearance: medium purple-red.

Nose: classic blackcurrant nose with ‘pencil-shaving’ oak and some mineral or metallic notes. Complex.

Palate: lovely ripe medium tannins (structure is unexpectedly lighter than the Langoa, at least on this bottle) with good fruit, pleasant acidity and impressive length.

Conclusion: 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc, this undergoes very similar treatment to Langoa Barton. Although this vintage is lighter than the likes of more concentrated years (e.g. 1990, 2000, 2005), it has great finesse. The Langoa Barton just had the edge in quality, at least in these bottles.

Rating: 18/20

2004 Château Léoville Poyferré, St. Julien

Appearance: medium purple.

Nose: intense blackcurrant and black plum nose, good oak.

Palate: chunky and spiky medium-high tannins, nice acidity and good fruit. Pretty good length.

Conclusion: 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot and 2% Cabernet Franc, this wines is exposed to 75% new oak (although we’re not sure for how long). Good quality St. Julien and increasingly less in the shadow of Léoville and Langoa Barton.

Rating: 17.5/20

2004 Château Beychevelle, St. Julien

Appearance: medium purple-red.

Nose: has the overt blackcurrant fruitiness of St. Julien balanced by nice oak here.

Palate: rich palate, good fruit, ripe and chewy tannins, good length.

Conclusion: 62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot, this wine spends some 18 months in 50% new oak. This seemed a reliable expression, up to Beychevelle’s quality certainly.

Rating: 17.5/20

2004 Château Branaire-Ducru, St. Julien

Appearance: medium purple-red.

Nose: very savoury first nose in which oak is more dominant than fruit at present. But the fruit is there.

Palate: toasty oak, nice acidity, rounded and very savoury.

Conclusion: 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot, this is a savoury and well-made expression of St. Julien. Good.

Rating: 17.5/20

2004 Château Gruaud Larose, St. Julien

Appearance: dark purple.

Nose: lovely black fruits, leather and floral notes including some spiciness (clove, cinnamon) mostly derived from the oak here (but the Petit Verdot probably also makes a difference).

Palate: gripping large tannins (chewy in texture), good acidity, strong fruit and impressive length.

Conclusion: 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot and 2% Malbec, this wine spends 18 months in barrel (40% new oak) and was generally very impressive. Well worth keeping.

Rating: 18/20

2004 Château Lagrange, St. Julien

Appearance: medium purple.

Nose: very fragrant nose featuring toasty oak with some green notes to the black fruit (not unripe, merely aromatic).

Palate: light fruits, nice medium chewy tannins, toasty oak and delicate. Quite good length.

Conclusion: 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot and 7% Petit Verdot, this is a delicate St. Julien.

Rating: 17.5/20

Clearly, the stand-out wines here were Léoville and Langoa Barton as well as Gruaud Larose. But it will be interesting to see how the others develop.

Labels: 2004, Beychevelle, Branaire-Ducru, Featured Tastings, France, Gruaud Larose, Lagrange, Langoa Barton, Leoville Barton, Leoville Poyferre, red, St. Julien, Union des Grand Crus de Bordeaux

A grand tasting of the various properties owned by the Antinori family organized by Summergate and hosted by the Italian Ambassador, Mrs Riccardo Sessa and Alessia Antinori. Wines were available from Umbria and Tuscany (the original Antinori home) as well as Piemonte (Prunotto) and Puglia (Tormaresca), both also under Antinori control.

The tasting itself was held in the Italian Embassy and drew a good crowd of invited guests from the diplomatic, journalistic, F&B and wine trade worlds. The majority of the wines were red with only three whites on show. We offer our notes here of those three whites together with the rest of the selections from Umbria and Tuscany. A further post will contain the wines from Piemonte and the Puglian reds.

2005 Castello della Sala ‘Campogrande’ Orvieto Classico, Umbria

Appearance: pale green with yellow tints.

Nose: largely light apple fruit.

Palate: apple fruit, pleasant acidity, light-bodied, not bad length.

Conclusion: made from 40% Procanico, 40% Grechetto, 15% Verdello, 5% Drupeggio and Malvasia, this is a crisp, food-friendly white for everyday drinking and affordable at 135RMB.

Rating: 15.5/20

2005 Castello della Sala ‘Bramito del Cervo’ Chardonnay, Umbria IGT

Appearance: medium gold.

Nose: peach and melon fruit, pleasant oak.

Palate: good fruit, some acidity here; good oak and quite good length.

Conclusion: after maceration, the must for this wine is exposed to French Allier and Troncais barriques to undergo alcoholic fermentation; but only a proportion of the wine receives malolactic fermentation in wood. This may account for the lifting acidity here. Quite well put together. Price 299RMB.

Rating: 16/20

2004 Tormaresca ‘Pietra Bianca’ Castel del Monte Chardonnay, Puglia

Appearance: medium yellow-gold.

Nose: appealing citrus and peach fruit, good oak.

Palate: pleasant acidity, strong fruit, deft use of oak and well-balanced.

Conclusion: this was probably the best white of the three on show. Well-made Chardonnay with an impressive balance of ripe fruit – no trouble ripening Chardonnay in Puglia – and good acidity (probably the element that is harder to achieve). This wine retails at 347RMB.

Rating: 16.5/20

2004 La Braccesca ‘Sabazio’ Rosso di Montepulciano DOC, Tuscany

Appearance: light to medium red-purple, clear rim.

Nose: appealing light red fruits (red cherry, redcurrant).

Palate: more pleasant red fruits, medium-bodied, good acidity, light on tannin.

Conclusion: this wine is a blend of 80% Prugnolo Gentile, 15% Merlot and 5% Canaiolo (NB Montepulciano grapes are not used to make this wine, nor are they used for Vino Nobile di Montelpulciano – if you want to drink Montepulciano, try Montepulciano d’Abruzzo from the Marches region). It only spends about 4 months in oak which might account for why we didn’t notice any oak here at first. Priced at 191RMB, this is an easy-drinking, food-friendly Italian red for more or less immediate consumption.

Rating: 16/20

2001 La Braccesca Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG, Tuscany

Appearance: deep purple colour with slightly orange rim.

Nose: dark black and red cherry fruit, ‘tart’ nose, discernible oak but this is well-integrated.

Palate: lovely tannins here (moderate and spiky in nature), fine acidity, pleasant dark cherry fruit and good length.

Conclusion: this wine is aged in different sizes of oak barrel for 12 months (with a proportion in barriques). It’s lovely stuff. 347RMB from Summergate.

Rating: 17.5/20

2001 ‘Marchese Antinori’ Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG, Tuscany

Appearance: dark purple, slightly orange rim.

Nose: marked black cherry fruit, savoury oak, slight spice, complex.

Palate: medium-high chewy tannins, lovely acidity, strong fruit, good oak and very good length.

Conclusion: a blend of 90% Sangiovese and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, the latter adding some richness and slightly darker fruit whilst the former dominates with its strong cherry quality. The oak in question is new, one-year and two-year old Alliers and Troncais French oak and the wine spends some 14 months in oak after blending. 450RMB and clearly very good.

Rating: 18/20 [but could be higher with time]

2001 ‘Pian delle Vigne’ Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany

Appearance: medium purple-red, slight orange rim.

Nose: complex red and black cherry fruit, some oak, savoury but with sweet fruits, complex.

Palate: very elegant with lovely closely knit but ripe medium-high tannins and beautiful Sangiovese fruit. Very balanced. Great length.

Conclusion: entirely Sangiovese, the wine spends some two years in a range of different sized oak vats and is also aged for a further year in bottle before release. This is clearly a very high quality Sangiovese (744RMB).

Rating: 18.5/20

Notes on the wines of Prunotto and the other Tormaresca reds to follow.

Labels: 2001, 2004, 2005, Antinori, Brunello di Montalcino, Chardonnay, Chianti, Featured Tastings, Italy, Montepulciano, Orvieto, Piemonte, Puglia, red, Sangiovese, Summergate, Tuscany, Umbria, white

2004 Elderton ‘Tantalus’ Shiraz Cabernet Malbec, Barossa

Appearance: dark purple red, clear rim.

Nose: sweet-smelling, ripe crushed red and black cherry, prune and blackberry, oak, vanilla and lots of cinnamon (American oak here). Gets more complex with aeration.

Palate: attractive ripe red and black fruits, medium silky tannins (very smooth), high alcohol, medium acidity, but all elements pretty well-balanced here. Pleasant length.

Conclusion: an intriguing blend – you don’t see much Malbec in Australian wines, apart from perhaps the odd Bordeaux-style blend, if then. Well-made and thoroughly drinkable (not for long ageing, but will improve in the next year or so). Well-priced at 155RMB from Summergate.

Rating: 17/20

Labels: 2004, Barossa, Cabernet Sauvignon, Elderton, Malbec, red, Shiraz, South Australia, Summergate

Gaia Gaja of famed Piemonte producer Angelo Gaja came to Beijing for a book-signing (at the Hilton Food & Wine Experience) and a special dinner arranged with importer ASC. She kindly consented to an email interview arranged around her busy schedule. Dragon Phoenix (hereafter DP) is very grateful to Gaia Gaja (hereafter GG) for her time and effort. With luck, she will be back in China in 2008.

DP: You recently visited Beijing to show-case your wines. What is your perception of the market for fine wines in China?

GG: The Chinese market is certainly one of the future, as China is a factor in all things: because of its growth and the increasing acquisition of wealth. Fine wine will undoubtedly be part of this expansion.

DP: How would you say Piemonte wines specifically are appreciated in China? Or is it too early for the market to understand the complexity of the Piemonte region?

GG: I believe our wines are accepted equally in China; just as all other fine wines in the world are. Their complexity is an added value which, with time, will be more and more appreciated.

DP: Your company has a number of business interests: including Gaja distribution, the Castello di Barbaresco as well as wine estates not just in Piemonte but also in Tuscany. How would you say your business experience has helped in establishing new markets for your wines in China and Asia as a whole?

GG: My mother has a little distribution company importing foreign wines to Italy (this is a business that concerns Italy alone). As to the Castello di Barbaresco, you are talking about the castle of Barbaresco which we bought in 1995 and restored. We were thinking of transforming it into a hotel but, in the end, we decided to keep it for the winery – so now there are offices and tasting rooms. So, we just make wine really. This is the only thing we know how to do and we will continue doing it just so.

We produce wine in Piemonte, in Montacino and in Bolgheri, as you know. The three wineries are working with different varieties: Nebbiolo, Sangiovese (in Montalcino), Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot (in Bolgheri). The three regions – what we call the ‘3 Bs’ of Italy, Barbaresco (and Barolo), Brunello and Bolgheri – are, in my opinion, the most prestigious in Italy. They provide the opportunity and real possibility of making long-ageing and complex wines. So, we have the same goal for the three wineries and the same style, but different expressions. The Chinese market can see the distinctive differences between these three wine regions with the distinctive Gaja flare in each case.

DP: Your family’s wine-making roots in Barbaresco date back to 1859 and Giovanni Gaja’s establishment of the winery. You have embraced both tradition and modern technology in your wine-making. How would you describe your company’s philosophy and outlook?

GG: My wines are easy recognizable in blind-tastings because they have a defined style that is obviously the style of our Barbaresco winery. The goal is to produce wines loyal to the area, and loyal to the history of the winery itself. To preserve their identity and dignity, we release them only in vintages when the weather conditions have allowed them to express all their beauties and to illustrate what Nebbiolo in Barbaresco can do.

The wines are, therefore, not produced every year. For example, our Piemonte winery did not produce any wine in 2002,1992,1984,1980 and 1972. The single vineyard wines (Costa Russi, Sori San Lorenzo, Sori Tildin, Sperss, Conteisa) were not even produced in 1994,1992 and in many other older vintages. Pieve Santa Restituta did not produce any wine in 2002 and in 2003; and Camarcanda was not produced in 2002 either.

To work like artisans, following every detail from the beginning to the end: this is our philosophy. We do not buy in grapes but only use what we produce from our estate vineyards which have been selected over several generations. We also personally select the wood for part of the barriques we use, and we are working on several other details in the winery too.

DP: Piemonte wines are very food-friendly. Do you believe your wines will pair well with different Chinese cuisines?

GG: I don’t know enough about Chinese food, but I had the pleasure to pair several of our wines with different Shanghai-ese dishes (which were more oily and generally sweeter to the taste than some of the other Chinese regional cuisines I’ve heard of). They paired extremely well.

DP: Angelo Gaja was the first wine-maker to use French barriques and introduce international grape varieties to the Langhe. How would you describe the difference between your ‘international’ wines and your Barbaresco DOCG or is there no difference in your wine-making philosophy for these wines?

GG: Even the international varieties that my father introduced and started to produce in Barbaresco (Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay) are producing wines (Darmagi, Alteni di Brassica and Gaia & Rey) that are very Piedmontese in their personality. The grape varieties are a vehicle to express the flavours of the place where they are grown. Piemonte wines reflect minerality, earthiness, and can have fabulous ageing potential where the aromas develop exquisitely. All of these characteristics are expressed in the Darmagi, Gaia & Rey and Alteni di Brassica wines.

DP: Some of your top Barbaresco wines – Sori Tildin, San Lorenzo, Costa Russi – and the Barolos, Sperss and Conteisa, are ‘de-classified’ to Langhe Nebbiolo DOC because this allows you to add up to 15% of other grapes. Do you find that blending helps tame some of the more difficult aspects of Nebbiolo, e.g. its sometimes harsh tannins? Or is there another reason for blending?

GG: My winery has produced Barbaresco since 1859. And this is why Barbaresco is the most representative wine from our winery. The single vineyard concept was introduced in the late 1960s (in 1967 we produced the first single vineyard Barbaresco: Sori San Lorenzo). Clearly, Gaja became well-known through this Barbaresco, the only wine of the winery for generations; and the reason behind the re-classification of the single vineyards was to go back to Barbaresco as the only Barbaresco of the winery.

When we changed the denomination for the single vineyards, we discovered the advantage of being able to add, if we wanted, other varieties. The variety we are most interested in adding (and from 1997 did so) is Barbera: a local variety with very good acidity, excellent fruit and not too much tannin. In warm vintages Barbera is useful because it gives the wine a certain drinkability whilst also aiding ageing-potential. It works very well with Nebbiolo.

DP: Do you think it is easier for consumers to understand international grapes – for example, you make straight a straight Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and a Sauvignon Blanc – than the complexities of Italy’s DOC and DOCG system? Or is the Piemonte region itself of more importance to you and your customers?

GG: I think that one important reason why the international varieties are more understandable is that they are more well-known than the DOCs or DOCGs. So people are more used to drinking them and knowing what to expect from them. These varieties are like an international language that everyone can, on some level, speak and understand.

In Italy we have such a large selection of local varieties, all produced in such tiny quantities and areas, that it becomes very difficult to know them well. They are very much niche products. The international varieties give the chance to wine lovers to compare the results of certain grapes coming from different wineries and from different parts of the world.

DP: Nicholas Belfrage MW has written about your pricing policy, observing that this ‘seems to be paying off handsomely, with international buyers willing to spend any sum for a top name’ (Barolo to Valpolicella: The Wines of Northern Italy, p. 86). Belfrage does not dispute the very high quality of your wines, but wonders about global prices in the fine wine market. Do you think that buyers will continue to pay ‘any sum’ for top wines?

GG: The markets are undeniably growing and the new increasing demand cannot be absorbed by the offer of certain wines alone (as some wines cannot be produced in sufficient quantities to meet the demand). At the same time the production of wine is growing all over the world as well as the quality level (more countries are producing wines of better quality). So, for sure, in the case of certain top wines the prices will inevitably continue to grow. Fortunately, though, there will also be a good offer of wines at more moderate prices.

DP: In China, wine education should improve the market for fine wines as consumers become more confident in purchasing. How do you hope to support the appreciation of your wines in the Chinese market(s)?

GG: I like to explain my wines personally (and be there to explain them in person). I like to meet the people that drink and talk about my wines; and to hear their questions. This is one of the pleasures of my work. I will continue to come to China, maybe more often than I have in the past, and continue to explain what my wines mean to me to the people I will have the pleasure to meet. This is central to my life and work.

Labels: Angelo Gaja, ASC, Barolo, Bolgheri, Brunello di Montalcino, Cabernet Sauvignon, China, Gaia Gaja, Interviews, Italy, Langhe, Merlot, Nebbiolo, Nicholas Belfrage, Piemonte, red, white

2005 Il Nero di Casanova, La Spinetta, Italy

Appearance: medium red-purple, clear rim.

Nose: largely red and black cherry with some almond notes and slight clove.

Palate: medium-bodied, pleasant cherry fruit, refreshing medium-high acidity and medium chunky tannins. Quite good length.

Conclusion: La Spinetta is well-known as a producer of top Piemonte wines (having two properties in the region). However, the company also owns a property in Tuscany in the village of Terricciola. This Tuscan IGT was first made in 2004 and is predominantly Sangiovese with some Colorino thrown in (a grape indigenous to Tuscany that, as its name suggests, apparently does add colour). Easy-drinking, well-made and a very food-friendly Tuscan red.

Rating: 17/20

Labels: 2005, Colorino, Il Nero di Casanova, Italy, La Spinetta, Piemonte, red, Sangiovese, Tuscany

2005 Kilikanoon ‘Killerman’s Run’ Shiraz, South Australia

Appearance: almost black (very, very dark purple)

Nose: a mixture of concentrated black fruits (black cherry is predominant); ‘sweet and savoury’ on the nose, but ‘Porty’ too with high alcohol wafting off. Should be decanted really.

Palate: intense fruit, but this doesn’t linger as long as expected. Medium chewy tannins, very high alcohol (15% alc.) which doesn’t entirely integrate with the wine. But the fruit character is pleasant and at least there’s not too much oak here (a deft balance of French and American oak). However, it’s a massive wine, some of which I’ve left to see how it develops over a few days.

Conclusion: a very robust style of South Australian Shiraz (although Kilikanoon is based in Clare Valley, the fruit for this wine is sourced from a number of different South Australian vineyards). A lot of people will like the power of this wine, but I felt the fruit fell off a bit and there wasn’t the length that could be achieved. However, it’s still a good bottle that’s worth trying (retail: 227RMB from Summergate). Interestingly, there were no eucalyptus notes and the fruit was very pure.

Rating: 17/20

Labels: 2005, Australia, Kilikanoon, red, Shiraz, South Australia, Summergate