2002 Pio Cesare Barolo

Always have been a fan of Pio Cesare but usually have their barbarescos as it takes too long to air a Barolo. 2002 was a weak year for the region and found this wine at Ingrediants near Star Street in Wanchai at a reasonable price.

Red fruit flavour but not a powerful wine. Well structured and reasonable finish. I am glad I had it, but the other years should be much better for a Pio Cesare.

Wine Class 27/5/2008 - Italy, Spain and Portugal

2004 7 Lunas Malbec (14.5%) Argentinian Malbec from Mendoza region. Rich, chocolate with medium tannin. HKD118



2005 Kanonkop Estate Pinotage (14.5%)
Pinotage - the mix of Pinot Noir and Cinsaut which could represent S. Africa's most characteristic wine. Kanonkop, from the Stellenbosch region next to Cape town, represents the region well.
The wine has elegence, spice, fruit and scent of oak. Would definately want to try more from the estate. HKD198


2005 Bodegas Beronia Tempranillo Rioja(14%)
The grape Tempranillo from the Rioja represents low in acidity and sugar. This wine has red fruit characteristics and oak flavours. HKD180




1997 Fontanafredda Barolo Riserva (13.5%)

Opened 2 bottles of these. However, both were little flat with one of the bottles which had no fruit flavour at all. Unusual for a Barolo to say it is a Riserva. The other one opened up pretty well upon dinner 2 hours later with high in acidity and already rounded off tannins. There are much better Barolos around. At over HKD648.00, could find something better although all Barolos are pretty expensive nowadays.


2006 Livon - Pinot Grigio (12.8%)

Green fruit flavour. Nice and fresh from the summer. HKD 118

2003 Castello D' Albola Chianti Classico Reserva (13%)

Pictures of Castello D'Albola

Typical Chianti with ruby color and earthy tones. 2003 is supposed to be a good year. But only reasonable bouquet and nothing memorable here. HKD240.00


2006 Farnese Montepulciano d'Abruzzo (13%)

HKD98 However, respectable for wine for the price.


2005 Prats and Symington Douro Post Scriptum de Chryseia (13%)

In french oak for 9 months. Vanilla flavour, red fruit, plums and cherries. Quite a decent finish. Typical Douro, but could argue that it is one of the more serious wines from the region. HKD300

1994 Moss Wood Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon

Was introduced to Moss Wood through Carmen almost 8 years ago and have loved it ever since. At that time, hard to buy it at duty free or in Australia as it was not widely available in HK.

It was a treat that Karl bought the 1994 Cab for us to try during on of the wine tastings.

Dark black fruit, concentrated flavors, mineral, cassis flavours. Great nose, well balanced. A good cabernet, and looking forward to more Moss Woods.

2003 Chateau Marquis de Terme

2003 Chateau de Terme

Wonder who left this wine at my place? A Chateau next to Chateau Lascombes. Dark red, typical Margaux, Tobacco smell, leather. Acidity, long finish.

Looked at photos of the beginning of life today - where sperms meets eggs in a test tube. With the earthquake in China, there is so much death, but the world is also bursting with life, in friends around, in wine, in art, in innovation.

2000 Chateau Kirwan, 2002 Moulin Saint Georges, 2003 Chateau Haut Brisson, Cat Amongst the Pigeons, Hetszolo Tokaji

Farewell dinner for our apartment with friends. Great times and great wine in the two years we stayed at our place. Thank you everybody for bringing and tasting so many different wines.

2000 Chateau Kirwan - Bought half a case several years ago. Although this was almost the last wine for a long night, everyone enjoyed it. Complex, dark color, strong black fruit, tannins and long finish. Looking forward to drinking it in a few years time again.

1999 Hetszolo Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos - Great value for money at around HKD400.00, Great Tokaji, sweet, honey put well balanced. Remember visiting Hungray during September and going to the wine / Tokaji festival at the castle up the hill. Tried over 20 Tokajis at really reasonable prices. Fireworks, coldcuts, the castle, great people and Tokaji, Europeans sure now how to enjoy life!

2002 Chateau Moulin Saint Georges - Friend brought this. At price of around HKD300, very good St. Emilion. Smooth, cherries, little tannin, ready to drink.

2006 Cat Amongst the Pigeons Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Shiraz Grenache - Superb value for money. Bursting with fruit yet well balanced. Around HKD140 for each bottle but feels like a HKD300+ wine. My favorite is the Shiraz Grenache, also called the Alley Cat. Can buy the wine in Kowloon City. Excellent!

2003 Chateau Haut Brisson - You find this at many restaurants. Requires some time befores open up. Reasonably good St. Emilion Grand Cru.

2001 Domaine Denis Mortet- Gevrey-Chambertin En Champs Vieille Vigne

Dinner at 鴛鴦飯店 Yin Yang in Wanchai. Did not bring wine so went to a wine store nearby. It is always both with joy and a touch of sadness when one drinks a Denis Mortet as he took his life in 2006. As the owner of the wine shop said, "with each one sold, there is one less in the world". This was his last one from this terroir and En Champs is an easy to drink with blackberry and cherry fruit. Coffee, chocolate, reasonable tannin and excellent finish. Looking forward to trying more wine from Denis Mortet.

Gevrey Chambertin, Antonin Guyon, 2003 Domaine de la Guyonnière

Gevrey Chambertin, Antonin Guyon, 2003 Domaine de la Guyonnière





Dinner last week with parents at Chez Patrick in Sun Street, Wanchai. First time there and went through their web page going through their wine list before ordering. Was going to order the 1/2 bottle Ch Giscours 1999, but as they were out of stock, end up with this wine.

Delightful, fresh, flowers, well structured and great from start to finish. Went well with food, and right time to drink.

Wine Class 20/5/08 on Riesling and Shiraz

1999 Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle

Disappointment as probably the wine was over its peak. Deep color but light on taste and tannin. This was the final wine and was for the blind tasting in our glass. Unfortunately, it did not make the impact that it was supposed to make even as it was decanted for over 1 hour.




2004 E. Guigal, Crozes-Hermitage

Great value for money for this Syrah from North Rhone. Tobacco, red fruit and oak. At HKD 178, a bargain, and a easy and enjoyable drink.



2002 Peter Lehmann 8 Song Shiraz

Great shiraz. I never thought Peter Lehmann had anything particularly special, but this was an eye / taste opener. Barossa Valley, dark color, with chocolate and oak flavour. Large amount of sediment in bottle. At HKD 358, very attractively priced.



2006 Fritz Haag, Brauneberger Juffer, Riesling Kabinett

Vanilla, pineapple, kiwi. Not too sweet for a German Riesling. Low alcohol at 8%. HKD 168

1999 La Dame de Montrose

Bought a 2 of these recently and decided to try it out tonight. Typical deep dark color Montrose. Strong nose, dark fruits. However, light for a Montrose, even though it is still lighter than expected for a 2nd wine.

http://www.chateau-montrose.com/