Friday, January 23rd, 2009
22nd January 2009
Joining the cream of the British wine trade on our UK trip, we were delighted to taste our way through a sizeable range of the Richards Walford portfolio.
Here are our full notes, although, in truth, we only managed to taste a selection of what is a wide-ranging and extremely impressive body of wines (Királyudvar being especially good).
The notes are divided by country and region:
France, Champagne
NV Champagne Le Mesnil, U.P.R., Le Mesnil-sur-Oger
Champagne Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru 2000
France, Alsace
Rolly Gassmann Riesling Pflaenzerreben, Rorschwihr, Alsace 2000
Rolly Gassmann Gewurztraminer, Rorschwihr, Alsace 2004
Rolly Gassmann Tokay Pinot Gris Rotleibel Vendange Tardive 1996
France, Côtes Catalanes
Le Soula, Vin de Pays des Côtes Catalanes, Gérard Gauby (Rouge) 2007
Le Soula, Vin De Pays Des Côtes Catalanes, Gérard Gauby (rouge) 2006
Le Soula, Vin De Pays Des Côtes Catalanes, Gérard Gauby (rouge) 2005
Le Soula, Vin De Pays Des Côtes Catalanes, Gérard Gauby (rouge) 2004
France, Rhône
Côte-Rôtie ‘Cuvée du Plessy’, Gilles Barge 2006
Côte-Rôtie ‘Cordeloux’, Pierre Benetière 2006
Austria, Wachau
Grüner Veltliner Loibner Berg Smaragd, Wachau, F. X. Pichler 2007
Riesling Steinertal Smaragd, Wachau, F. X. Pichler 2007
Grüner Veltliner Ried Kreutles Federspiel, Wachau, Emmerich Knoll 2007
Hungary, Tokaji
Királyudvar Tokaji Sec, Tokaji 2005
Királyudvar Tokaji Sec, Tokaji 2006
Királyudvar Tokaji Becsek (demi-sec), Tokaji 2005
Királyudvar Hárslevlu Lapis 2006
Királyudvar Tokaji Cuvée Ilona, Tokaji 2003
Királyudvar Tokaji Aszù 6 Puttonyos, Tokaji 2002
Királyudvar Tokaji Aszù Lapis, Tokaji 2002
Italy, Tuscany
Lisini Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany 2003
Lisini Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany 1999
Lisini Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany 1998
Lisini Brunello Di Montalcino, Tuscany 1995
Italy, Piemonte
Barbera d’Alba ‘Maggiur’, Cascina Luisin 2007
Barbaresco Sorí Paolin, Cascina Luisin 2003
Barbaresco Rabajá, Cascina Luisin 2003
Italy, Veneto
Valpolicella Superiore ‘Marion’, Stefano Campedelli 2004
Teroldego IGT ‘Marion’, Veneto, Stefano Campedelli 2004
Amarone della Valpolicella ‘Marion’, Veneto, Stefano Campedelli 2004
Sunday, January 11th, 2009
11th January 2009
We are delighted to announce that Dragon Phoenix student Liu Chunke (popularly known as ‘Leo’) has been awarded a Wine Australia Travel Scholarship in association with the Wine & Spirit Education Trust.
Leo (seated below) attained Distinction in his Level 2 WSET Intermediate exam and, following an application essay and rigorous interview, was chosen as one of only two candidates from mainland China for this special award.
The Wine Australia Travel Scholarship is administered by the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation. Leo will now have the opportunity to enjoy a two-week trip to Australia, with the choice of visiting either South Australia (Clare Valley, Barossa Valley and Adelaide Hills), Victoria or Tasmania.
Tastings with a number of top producers are on the cards and Leo will also have the chance to study winemaking or overall technological innovations in the Australian wine industry.
Whilst studying with Dragon Phoenix (see below), Leo worked for Beijing wine importer Palette Wines. He is now employed full-time at Sureno, the lively Mediterranean restaurant at Beijing’s six-start hotel, The Opposite House.
Originally a native of Shandong Province, Leo previously studied in Ireland and holds degrees in international marketing and international tourism.
On the back of four and half years abroad Leo boasts impeccable English with a lilting Dublin accent and has put his natural affability to the test having worked in a range of Dublin pubs, a gastro-pub in Limerick and one of Dublin’s famed Ely wine bars.
However, Leo explains his real taste for wine developed on returning to China: ‘Moving back to China, I met Fongyee and Edward (my wine lecturers). Having taken a basic Dragon Phoenix course, Fongyee persuaded me to sign up for the WSET Intermediate Level 2. I’m glad I did so. After the course finished and I got more experience in the trade, I moved on to Sureno’.
The next round of Wine Australia Travel Scholarships in Association with WSET will be available on the Wine Australia China language website at: www.wineaustralia.com/china from February 2009.
We wish Leo every success in his continued wine studies and a great time in Australia!
