Wednesday, September 30th, 2009
(Above: Andrew Caillard MW presents)
23rd September 2009
Andrew Caillard MW of Australian fine wine auctioneers Langton’s - creators of the Langton Classification (1991) - presented this year’s Landmark Tasting courtesy of Wine Australia at the Park Hyatt, Beijing.
The Landmark wines, as their title suggests, represent some of the most notable achievements in Australian winemaking taken from the general topography of Australia’s diverse regional offerings where another tier of Regional Heroes can be found (’regionality‘ being the critical and often apt buzz-word among Australian wine circles).
This was the second year in which a selection of Landmark wines were shown in Beijing to a select group of local media, F&B, wine educators and wine importer-distributors influential throughout the PRC; joined by AWBC representatives, the new Chairman of the AWBC James Dominguez and personnel from Austrade.
Caillard gave a fun and informative introduction to each of the below wines, providing some compelling anecdotal glimpses into their respective histories in a presentation carefully pitched to the assembled audience. Certainly, as elsewhere in the world, but especially so in China, it is a critical time to introduce or re-introduce the fine wine message with respect to Australia (which has come in for a fair amount of flack in the international wine press).
For my part, the tasting and dinner were an incredible experience, a privilege; as the below wines should amply indicate:
On tasting were (click on links for full tasting notes):
2002 House of Arras Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir, Tasmania
2009 Grosset Polish Hill Riesling, Clare Valley
1999 Tyrrell’s Vat 1 Semillon, Hunter Valley
2006 Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay, Margaret River
2006 Giaconda Chardonnay, Beechworth
2007 Bass Phillip Premium Pinot Noir, South Gippsland
2006 Mount Mary Quintet Cabernets, Yarra Valley
2004 Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon, Margaret River
2004 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra
2008 Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier, Canberra District
2004 Henschke Hill of Grace Shiraz, Eden Valley
2004 Penfolds Grange, South Australia
2007 De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon, Riverina
1909 Seppeltsfield 100-Year Old Vintage Tawny, Barossa Valley
(For anyone interested in a vertical tasting of Penfolds Grange, featuring the 1983, 1991, 1998, 1999 and 2003 vintages, please click here).
Guests then sat down to a sensibly chosen and innovative menu, enjoying the following dishes (with some of the Landmark wines re-tasted for good measure):
Oolong tea-smoked lobster, chrysanthemum cress in a seasame-soy vinaigrette with blue-fina tuna and scallop timtable
2009 Grosset Polish Hill Riesling, Clare Valley
Twice-cooked crispy duck “Mille Feuille” in sweet and sour kumquat sauce with foie gras and a taro-truffle fritter
2007 Bass Phillip Premium Pinot Noir, South Gippsland
Jasmine tea and lychee sorbet (served in ice - as pictured above)
Wok-fried Wagyu beef tenderloin in black pepper sauce with braised veal cheeks in abalone sauce accompanied by sauteed pea sprouts and pumpkin risotto
2008 Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier, Canberra District
2004 Wynns Coonawarra Estate John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra
Imperial bird’s nest, coconut pudding and sherry ice cream
1909 Seppeltsfield Para 100 Year-Old Vintage Tawny, Barossa Valley
All in all, this was a very wine-friendly menu and especially appropriate for the fruit-driven complexity of many Australian wines. The below picture of the 1909 Seppeltsfield Vintage Tawny almost captures its dark brown oxidized colour, an incredible wine to experience (all tasting notes above on Adegga).
Our thanks to Wine Australia, Austrade and Andrew Caillard MW.
Thursday, September 24th, 2009
Rounding off the end of September’s Beijing wine events in style, Torres China hosted its third annual Taste of the Nations portfolio tasting at the Chilean Embassy in Beijing.
(Read more about previous tastings here: 2008 Taste of the Nations, 2007 Taste of the Nations Part I, 2007 Taste of the Nations Part II).
Among dozens of wines, we tasted a snap-shot and took notes on the following:
Champagne Taittinger Brut Vintage 2002
Torres ‘Natureo’ Muscat, Catalunya 2007
Pintia, Toro 2005
Torres Mas La Plana, Penedes 2005
Symington Family Estates Altano Red, Douro 2006
Graham’s Late Bottled Vintage Port 2003
Domaine Bila-Haut ‘Occultum Lapidem’, M. Chapoutier 2006
Gigondas, M. Chapoutier 2006
Chateaneuf-du-Pape ‘La Bernardine’, M. Chapoutier 2005
Grosset Springvale Watervale Riesling, Clare Valley 2007
Bass Phillip Estate Pinot Noir, South Gippsland 2007
Henschke Keyneton Estate Euphonium, Eden Valley 2005
John Duval ‘Plexus’ SGM, Barossa Valley 2006
The Australian wines on offer were especially strong and the 2003 Graham’s LBV stunning.
Tuesday, September 15th, 2009
(Photo: The Wine Doctor)
Not so long ago we put our heads together to come up with a suitable Chinese name for legendary Haut-Medoc producer Chateau La Lagune.
If you want to read Fongyee’s rationale for the translation and discover the name itself, please click here (to download the La Lagune Newsletter).
This is now the official Chinese name for La Lagune and has since been adopted by The Singapore Wine Review and the Chinese Bordeaux Guide (which is working on a comprehensive list of names for all chateaux in the 1855 Classification).
For a full profile of La Lagune, click here. The Chateau’s wines are currently imported into China by Links.
Monday, September 14th, 2009
In association with importer Mercuris Fine Wines, Nick Yap of Aussie power-house Angove’s recently visited Beijing to host a media lunch at The Opposite House’s Sureno restaurant.
This tasting was something of an education because I hadn’t realized, among the many wines and brandies Angove’s produces, that there were some very good value wines in the Nine Vines and, especially, the Vineyard Select range.
Winemaker Tony Ingle and team are clearly doing great things. If you get a chance to sample the immensely refreshing Nine Vines Grenache Shiraz Rosé, do! (Ingle recently described this as his version of an eminently food-friendly Provence rosé).
Here’s what we tasted:
Angove’s Vineyard Select Clare Valley Riesling 2007
Angove’s Vineyard Select Limestone Coast Chardonnay 2007
Angove’s Nine Vines Shiraz-Viognier 2007
Angove’s Vineyard Select McLaren Vale Shiraz 2006
Angove’s Vineyard Select Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
Sunday, September 13th, 2009
As part of Montrose Fine Wines‘ newly revamped portfolio, producers Emilio Moro (Ribera del Duero) and Borsao (Campo de Borja) recently visited Beijing for a sumptuous dinner at Agua (Qianmen No. 23).
The wines from Borsao are dependable and the Tres Picos (a robust Garnacha) proved popular. Emilio Moro, meanwhile, produces some distinctive Ribera and the Finca Resalso (an early drinking example) is likely to be a hit with Chinese tasters.
My wine of the night was, however, the 2005 Emilio Moro Ribera del Duero (although, admittedly, this will benefit from further ageing, however approachable it is now).
On tasting were:
Borsao Rosado Seleccíon, Campo de Borja 2008
Borsao Blanco Seleccíon, Campo de Borja 2007
Emilio Moro ‘Finca Resalso’, Ribera del Duero 2006
Ribera del Duero, Emilio Moro 2005
Borsao ‘Tres Picos’, Campo de Borja 2007
Sunday, September 13th, 2009
(Pandolfini speaks with Wine in China editor Fiona Sun)
Jacopo Pandolfini, Antinori’s new man on the ground in Shanghai, is working closely with importer Summergate to further the cause of Italian wines - and the Antinori portfolio specifically - in China.
On a recent visit to Beijing, Pandolfini spoke with assembled local media over lunch at Sadler restaurant (part of the Qianmen 23 complex).
Mr Pandolfini, who spent three years with Antinori in the US, happily admitted to being on a learning curve in China and was looking forward to his move to Shanghai.
Over lunch we tasted the following food-friendly wines:
Santa Cristina ‘Cipresseto’ IGT Rosé, Tuscany 2006
Santa Cristina Chianti Superiore, Tuscany 2006
Sunday, September 13th, 2009
Daniel Brunier of famed Châteauneuf-du-Pape producer Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe recently visited Beijing to show a range of his wines with importer Mercuris Fine Wines (along with a number of other Rhone and Southern French wines) at the exuberantly designed Legendale Hotel in Wangfujing.
I list Brunier’s wines first, but would certainly recommend some of the other wines on show (click on links for full tasting notes).
On tasting were:
Le Pigeoulet des Brunier, Vin de Pays de Vaucluse 2007
Domaine Les Pallières, Gigondas 2006
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe ‘Télégramme’, Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2006
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe ‘La Crau’, Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2006
Other wines included:
Devois des Agneaux d’Aumelas (Blanc), Coteaux du Languedoc 2005
Devois des Agneaux d’Aumelas (Rouge), Coteaux du Languedoc 2005
Château Gassier Rosé, Côtes de Provence 2007
Château Gassier (Rouge), Côtes de Provence 2007
Côtes-du-Rhône Villages, Andéol Salavert 2007
Crozes-Hermitage (Rouge), Andéol Salavert 2006
La Grange d’Ain ‘Le Cedre’, Faugères 2005
La Grange d’Ain ‘Le Penchant du Cerisier’, Faugères 2003
Sunday, September 13th, 2009
Dean Hewitson of eponymous South Australian winery Hewitson recently presented a range of his wines with importer The Wine Republic at popular Sanlitun eatery Mosto.
Hewitson makes some of South Australia’s most restrained and elegant wines including some superb old vine Mourvèdre (these are genuinely ‘old vine’ emanating from a vineyard planted in 1853 - see below).
Unusual in this line-up was also the Private Cellar Shiraz Mourvèdre blend.
Here’s what we tasted:
Hewitson ‘Gun Metal’ Riesling, Eden Valley 2007
Hewitson ‘Lulu’ Viognier, Victoria 2006
Hewitson ‘Ned & Henry’ Shiraz, Barossa Valley 2006
Hewitson ‘Mad Hatter’ Shiraz, McLaren Vale 2006
Hewitson ‘Old Garden’ Mourvedre, Barossa Valley 2006
Hewitson ‘Private Cellar’ Shiraz Mourvedre 2006
Many of the reds will pay long-term cellaring, although the Ned & Henry will be approachable younger. The Lulu Viognier was varietally pure, racy and not too heavy (none of that overly extracted, glycerol mouthfeel); whilst the Gun Metal Riesling is as flinty, smoky and impressively ‘mineral’ as one could wish.
Saturday, September 12th, 2009
Informative, bilingual trade magazine Drink (based in Shanghai) has enlisted our services for a series of introductory wine articles.
Here’s our article from Issue 4 devoted to the art of tasting and how to arrange your own wine tasting. To read a copy, please click here.
Friday, September 11th, 2009
2007 Domaine Saint-Remy Gewurztraminer, Alsace, France RMB 260
Special offer for newsletter readers only (please mention the Dragon Phoenix newsletter when making your purchase). To sign up for our DP Newsletter, please click here.
Available from Cellar Le Pinot, contact Scarlett: 85151715 or jiali@lepinot.com
Alsace is the home of high quality Gewurztraminer. The wines can be dry or range in sweetness level (Vendange Tardive or late harvest wines are usually sweeter and the famous Sélection des Grains Nobles or SGN wines are very sweet!).
This wine is a lovely medium gold colour. The nose has perfumed lychee, mango and rose petal aromas.
The palate is low in acidity, quite dry with a rich mouthfeel and beautiful length. This highly aromatic wine is good with certain soft cheeses – especially the famous Munster cheese of Alsace. Try with sea-food filled dumplings (like crab xiaolongbao), fried wontons or even spicier dishes like Singaporean chilli crab.
2008 Yalumba ‘Y Series’ Viognier, South Australia RMB 199
Available from Summergate, contact Jim Yang Jim.yang@summergate.com
Telephone 86.10. 6562.1800 ext 16. www.summergate.com
Yalumba is one of Australia’s great producers, based in the Barossa Valley. The winery actually produces many types of Viognier from South Australia as well as very good reds.
A new arrival in Beijing but popular around the world, the ‘Y Series’ Viognier is a beautiful light gold in colour. It has delicate, perfumed peach and apricot fruit with a lovely palate of low to medium acidity, medium-high alcohol and good length. Try with lightly stir-fried seafood dishes, especially crystal prawns.
