And so on to the wines which François and Alison presented. 2010 is the first vintage of this Domaine and all the pre-dinner wines were from this vintage; the first two were Bourgogne Blanc & Saint Aubin 1er Cru Les Charmois – the Bourgogne Blanc was quite closed on the nose, almost Chabliesque and in many ways the least expressive of the range, which may be due to the fact it is nearest to bottling.  It was fresh and with great texture – in 18 months I have no fear that this will be singing. The Saint Aubin was stunning, I love this appellation.  It has richness but also a spine  and sees a tiny (12%) of new oak. There is very little produced, so little in fact that it is sold out, and I didn’t buy any and regret it. Next we moved to Puligny-Montrachet having the Villages first and then the Champs Gains. Villages was a step up, it sees 1 year in barrel (15% new) with lees and is from a plot at an elevation of 230 metres.  The Champ Gains was very impressive.  The first of the 1er Crus, it was very pretty, fine honed and with real complexity.

Having moved into 1er Cru territory, we now had a trio – Folatières, Les Perrières & Les Combettes – this was fascinating, all having their champions amongst the team, so rather than describe the wines using my dodgy adjectives, I will give my views on their personalities. Folatières is more of a military man, bold with broader shoulders.  The Perrières were more steely, almost stern but not quite, aristocrat. The Combettes is the extravagant man about town who you know, under a slightly brash exterior, is the kind of guy you want on your side…think I better stop this now, as I’m getting carried away. If I had to have just one, it would be Combettes but I feel guilty (a good sign) saying that. Our resident Burgoholic, Tom Bird, I know would champion the Perrières to his last word…

The last pair was two Chassagne-Montrachet  1er Cru’s Les Clos Saint-Jean & Les Macherelles – I have far less experience of Chassagne than Puligny so found this an excellent opportunity. The Clos St.Jean is from a vineyard only planted in 2003 and has exquisite balance when you take the recent planting into consideration – this is a wine to watch. The Macherelles was to me a step up, very expressive, crying out for food (Lobster). The whole tasting had been brilliant with the differences from one wine to another pronounced.  The overall style? It is one of minerality and finesse – these are wines for the medium to long term and the lack of oak is great to see.

After a glass of Delamotte Champagne, we then moved on to dinner,  with which we had wines from Domaine Louis Carillon as there is no “François” pre 2010. The first course of Seared scallops, fennel tatin, baby spinach and citrus dressing we had with Puligny-Montrachet Villages 2008 & 2009, the 2008 opened up in the glass with a leesy richness developing nicely.   The 2009 was to my mind less complex, more straight forward and delicious but I tend to find 2009 a less exciting vintage for whites than the 2008 and this showed here.  2009 will be delicious from the off but 2008 I feel has the edge on potential and complexity. The next course – Roasted Veal Filet, dulce glazed salsify, carrot pulp and bok choi was served with 1er Cru Champs Gains 2008 & 2009.  I look back at my notes and notice I gave 2008 18 points and 2009 17-18 points; this seems correct on reflection, the 2008, as with the Villages before, just shaded it over the 2009.

The final two wines with Mini tour de France cheeses were Combettes 2007 and Les Perrières 2007.  My notes had by this stage become brief but I gave Combettes 19 which is high for me; the note says “rich but fresh, great”.  For the Perrières I commented “as with 2010 more taut again” – given that 2007 is a taut vintage, this is not a surprise. The overall feeling was that the dinner wines were delicious but the 2010 was where the excitement lies, this may be convenient for me to say but I feel it is the truth…exciting times ahead.

Visit our website for more information about Domaine François Carillon.

Click here to read the full release for the 2010 vintage.

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First up was Macon Verze 2009, Domaines Leflaive from magnum which we took along, it is starting to drink really well, a nice combination or richness and a racy acidity, it will open out more but is delicious now, I love white burgundy in magnum. Next on the agenda was a pick of mine, aimed slightly at catching one of the team out, Egon, as he’s always going on about this type of wine it was Soave Classico 2010 Tiama. Most people thought it was a little older, it had good soft, mellow Sauvignon like fruit on the nose and a decently complex palate which might have been why people felt it was older, it went down well and quickly. Next was the choice of Mr H and was our last white, it was Kistler Chardonnay 2008. I really liked it and felt it might have been something like Kumeu River from New Zealand it was not hot. It had good complexity, was a touch short possibly but then I m not sure how good a vintage the 2008 is? I enjoyed it, rich and broad but not OTT.

And so with the platter done and steak on its way we moved to the reds starting with a real favourite of mine Cascina Francia Barbera 2008, Giacomo Conterno from magnum, I just love the fact it is packed full of fruit but also has a savoury, almost salty, edge to it, I could drink a lot of it, it’ll age too. Next was another “blind” choice of mine – Barolo 2006, Aldo Conterno – this was picked as being a lot older by most of the team, I chose it because not many of them have seen the oaked side of Nebbiolo. I thought this was well done but for me oak and Nebbiolo should be kept well apart, you get a mint, iodine like nose that is not as elegant as the grape itself, a good wine but not a good barolo in my opinion. Mossy and Egon then chose the next wine which turned out to be Beaucastel CNDP 2001, I have been enjoying more and more Rhônes of late. This was decent but I picked it as more northern rhone than southern, Guido got it right. There was an almost gravy-ish texture, I have a feeling that this is somewhere between a primary and secondary phase, it was ok but there was not enough fruit for my liking. I would love to taste again in 2-3 years, an interesting wine to try blind.

It was then decided we needed something sweet and plumbed for two halves of Filhot 2001, Egon will claim he got this but given that he mentioned every Château and vintage in Sauternes I think his scattered gun approach can not be rewarded. It was decent as a sauternes but I would expect more from a 2001, it was true to Filhot’s style though with a lightness of touch. Huge and myself then decided we needed one more red to see the night out, we went for Ridge Monte Bello 2005. It was a very interesting one, there was no way anyone thought it was old world there was an exotic richness and fruitiness that meant you had to be new world, western Australia was also dismissed as this was bigger in fruit that those. The good thing was that there was no heat and no over high alcohol here. I thought it had very clear red fruits with a little creamy black currant in reserve, it was very good but I wonder how it will develop.

It was a cracking night and good to spend time with our colleagues from the HK office…we were very well looked after by the guys at Planet of the Grapes too, if you like simple proper food and interesting bottles you should go…

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Delamotte NV Champagne and English Sparkling

Obviously you’ll need more than one bottle, so take the opportunity to try a few different things. And then if your presents are rubbish, you can console yourself with a little comparative tasting. The fact that Delamotte NV practically flows from the taps at C&B HQ hasn’t jaded my view of it – it is plainly still a top-drawer champagne that will embarrass the Grande Marques. But not all that sparkles is Champagne. Unfortunately we don’t stock any English sparkling, but I will allow you to buy this elsewhere (only this). ‘Rule Britannia’ is hardly the tagline for 2011, but a bottle of Chapel Down or Ridgeview will have you fairly bursting with pride.

Tardieu Laurent 2009 Châteuneuf du Pape Blanc, Vielles Vignes

Turkey may be white meat, but who has ever reclined late on Christmas Day and suggested that it makes for a light meal, particularly when all the accoutrements are considered? Pinot noir is a traditional match, but I think a suitably full bodied white is perfect. A Meursault or a new world Chardonnay such as that from Hyde de Villaine would suit, but I’ll be going for this, a 50/50 blend of Roussanne and Grenache Blanc from a region better known for reds. Dominated by intense orchard fruit with a floral lift and an oily and sleek finish, it will weigh-in for the heavyweight class, but this is no bull in a china shop.

Giacomo Conterno 2008 Barbera d’Alba Cascina Francia

Red is just what you feel like whilst hunkered down at Christmas, but there are no hard and fast rules as to exactly which. With any kind of feathered feast there are a couple of options provided you stick to some guidelines. It needs some heft in order to not get lost on a table heaving with food, but it also needs delicacy and structure enough to cut through all the butter and fat (these are good things, remember). Pinot Noir is a fine choice, but I’m going for a Barbera d’Alba from Piedmont traditionalist, Giacomo Conterno (now run by his grandson Roberto).  At the richer end of the spectrum but quite Burgundian with its autumnal undertones, urgent minerality and attractive acidity. That it is borne of the same lovely vineyard – Cascina Francia – as his 100 point Barolo Monfortino can only help.

Chateau Guiraud 1996 Sauternes

Not cheap, but if you prefer to do things properly this should be your choice too. And you’ll only need a bottle – this is when ‘too much of a good thing’ potentially does apply. Fully mature, it is reminiscent of orange marmalade, with a touch of tropical fruit and quince too. Slight ginger spice and lifting floral notes. A long honeyed finish, steadied by the cutting acidity of a higher than usual amount of Sauvignon Blanc in the blend. After hearing the King’s College Choir sing ‘Silent Night’ last night at The Royal Albert Hall, I see similarities with this wine – something familiar, but done very well by people who know what they’re doing.

Corney & Barrow 10 year old Tawny Port

Sometimes vintage Port seems like just a bit too much at this point, so I’ll offer tawny Port, lightly chilled. The French serve it this way, and they know a thing or two about good taste.

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Our last big dinner of 2011 was a cracker, no older vintages here as this is a new project but one set for great things I think. The actual launch was last year at Mossiman’s so this year was a lower key and focussed dinner here at C&B’s HQ. We began as we always do, with good reason, by having Delamotte NV, delicious.

After a warm welcome from Adam, Lodovico Antinori, a legend of the wine world, then started proceedings with a little background to this estate – Tenuta di Biserno in Bibbona just up the road from Bolgheri. The estate had at one time been earmarked for possible inclusion in Ornellaia but as sometimes happens this never occurred and instead Lodovico has decided that this will be his “last great” project. The estate is planted with a predominance of Cabernet Franc but also Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot (in more than it’s token Bordeaux amounts). The wines we were to taste and drink are from the first two released vintages- there were bits of 2006 made but essentially this is a story that starts from the 2007 vintage.

Over the first course of Oriental Duck Salad we had the three wines from 2008. Il Pino di Biserno which is the 2nd wine of the estate and was wonderfully easy to appreciate even now but with more to come in the medium term. Biserno which is the main wine of the estate and showed brilliantly (for me the wine of the night if I had to pick one); it has excellent balance and harmony that means the abundant fruit is kept in check with a framing structure that is a very complete scenario. Finally Lodovico which is from a specific plot within the estate and will not be made every year – there will be no 2009 and a minute 2010 for instance. This is a brooding wine of great depth and in need of time though impressive even now, it will be very interesting to see the development of Biserno vs Lodovico in each vintage when they are both made. These 2008’s were very impressive as there is the Tuscan warmth and ripe richness but you get a feeling of a cool structure too, classical is an overused word in wine these days but there is a good “dollop” of this here.

With the rest of the menu we had the 2007’s of the same three wines in larger formats, something I love and which add to any occasion. The generalisation of the 2007 vintage is that the wines are softer, more lush at the moment and very expressive. The density of 2008 is replaced with a more opulent feeling. So first up was Il Pino in Magnum, this is ready to go now, I will keep some but this would be a “restaurant cracker” of a wine with the Mossiman’s signature Risotto ai Funghi it was brilliant. What followed with the Roast Venison and then Welsh Rarebit was the Biserno and Lodovico both from Jeroboam. The Biserno was a little more closed than the other two 2007’s but with the food the texture was very classy. The Lodovico with the food was a star, the richness and almost flamboyance matching brilliantly for a hedonistic finale. It is great to be in on an estate from the off whether you are a buyer or a seller and this feels the case here. Meeting and listening to Lodovico speak about the wines adds a lot as there is a sense of fun and humour (and a twinkle in the eye) that means you just know you are in safe but exciting hands.

There will be more dinners in 2012, of that I am sure!

To view latest available wines from Tenuta di Biserno, please click here

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From there, the 14 of us were seated and started on Veal Carpaccio, rocket, parmesan and black truffle with this we had the two wines from the new, well new to Roberto from this vintage (2008), vineyard of Cerretta – the wines were the Barbera and the Langhe Nebbiolo. First up Barbera Cerretta 2008, this was several peoples surprise wine of the night, such fruit but also a savoury edge and real substance, a seriously under-rated wine, this is on clay and shows richness…if only people took Barbera a little more seriously. The second wine was the almost unique Langhe Nebbiolo Cerretta 2008, I say almost unique as there is likely (90%) to be a Langhe Nebbiolo in 2009 too. Although, the 2009 will be released next year after 3 years in barrel rather than the 2008′s 2 years. Both wines could be Barolo, technically and in quality, but this being Roberto, only the very best will do. The Langhe Nebbiolo Cerretta 2008 is stunning, I love it, a Volnay of a Barolo that isn’t actually a Barolo if that makes sense, this is no novelty. Next up was the obligatory Mushroom risotto with a pair I have had many times and was to have both nights but I will never ever tire of them. Barolo Cascina Francia 2005 & 2006 the former has amazing accessible balance, the latter is so classically correct, structured with lifted fruit, a must for Barolo lovers, I’ve bought a lot of 06′s so also always a relief too! I will repeat something here that Roberto said and that is that 2005 is a good and consistent (across the region) year as it was pretty easy;  2006 whilst technically better is less consistent as there was great ripeness, great tannin and more excess so the balance was harder to strike…there are people out there who have produced better 2005′s than 2006′s.

The final two wines accompanied two courses Braised Lamb Shank with Potato Puree and then Cheese, the wines were both first timers to me Barolo Cascina Francia 1996 & Monfortino 1996. Both wines had been decanted out of the bottle and back about 2 hours before serving, the others were checked but then just poured from the bottle. This vintage has a lot of classical similarities to 2006 – taut structure, dense tannin and fruit. The Cascina Francia was stunning, young with a proper tightness wonderful balance and a way to go, no rough edges, ripe tannins, open enough to be no waste now. The Monfortino 1996 will outlive me but actually came out to play quite flirtatiously – it is a profound wine and chewy in a “see you in 10yrs” sort of way; there is fruit in abundance but presently subdued, the texture tells you everything – it took may be 15 minutes in glass to sing but it showed all its class.

We were well looked after by Franco’s…a memorable evening and a great atmosphere that lead on nicely to the following day…

The next evening we were at Mossiman’s, this time 50 people in the top room, a wonderful layout and stunning wines led to superb night. First up was the Delamotte Blanc de Blancs NV, always a wonderful aperitif Champagne, elegant and almost too drinkable. Once seated we got the evening going. There were many interludes during the evening with Roberto, Alison (Buchanan) and myself speaking. Roberto was asked to talk about the philosophy of the estate…he quite quickly pointed out that the estate was about people not philosophy, a point that struck home later with a poignant toast Roberto led to his father. The first food and wines were Barbera Cerretta 2008 & Barbera Cascina Francia 2008 with a delicious Warm Oriental Duck and Vegetable Salad. It was a great pairing that showed the difference between the two sites so very well, the clay of Cerretta give more flamboyance and fruit whilst the Cascina Francia was more savoury, serious, masculine and structured. They developed wonderfully in the glasses though the evening.

From here we had the same pairing as previously Barolo Cascina Francia 2005 & 2006 with the trademark Mossiman’s Risotto ai Funghi. Roberto spoke of the differences between the vintages and about Cascina Francia as a whole.

As we had done the previous night the last two wines were served with the last two courses, people having plenty of wines to re-visit, those two courses were Roasted Highland Venison, Juniper Berry Sauce, Market vegetables & English Farmhouse Cheese, Walnut and Raisin Bread. Far more importantly the wines were Monfortino 1997 (magnums) & 2002. Here Roberto spoke passionately of the 1997 being a good year and the year his son was born and of his decision to make a 2002 Monfortino but no Cascina Francia. 2002 was seen by many as a bad vintage…there was a lot of hail and bad weather, amazingly none of which hit Cascina Francia. After a severe Green harvest and with a small crop on the vines there was then a magical three weeks up to the harvest. Roberto then spoke with his father, who was by this time unable to join him amongst the vines, about the fact he had a small but immaculate harvest. The decision was then made to make only a Monfortino, tasting the wine shows this was clearly the correct decision. The amazingly thing about the 1997 and 2002 that we finished on was how brilliant they were whilst so different. The 2002 is a richer more dense and primary fruited wine that showed a loit of class but actually closed down a little in glass, this is a great but it may be about to go to sleep. The 1997 started as archetypal maturing Nebbiolo nose and just got better and better and more and more multi-faceted and complex. A Joy that I can still all but taste.

The atmosphere though the whole evening was magical with Roberto speaking passionately but concisely, customers getting bottles signed and everyone just loving the wines…

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Shortly afterwards Adam and I dashed Katharina off for a, supposedly quick, lunch at the excellent Gauthier in Soho with two customers. We were very well looked after and after a bottle of Champagne we had two wines to have with the food. We almost all had the same food as Katharina – Risotto followed by salmon – as we all wanted to see how the wines and food worked.

First up was the Bernkasteler Badstube Spätlese 2009 which was delicious, precise, full fruited, primary of course but in great form, it worked well with the rich Risotto. During lunch we covered all sorts of issues, two I was keen to ask about were, decanting and ripeness levels. Decanting it has appeared to me does the wines a lot of good and Katharina agreed that when possible it does and that at the estate they will decant if there is time, the wines Katharina also likes to serve very cool so they can evolve in glass. On the ripeness levels I asked why it might be that in general I find my taste in Riesling is towards the Kabinett and Spätlese end of things? Katharina said that in younger wines that made perfect sense but that as I try older Auslese I would realise that there is so much intensity to the Auslese and a little less sweetness as they get older…I must try more older Auslese then (can`t wait…finding them is the problem!)  As the dinner later showed the vintage has a lot to do with it too.

Next wine was the estates very top “normal” production wine (there are auction wines but that is another topic) and this was another 2009, the Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese Goldcapsule. The Goldcapsule refers to a tiny production of grapes selected in the vineyard for their sublime quality. The intensity of the fruit, soft white and tropical is staggering given the low alcohol (7% ish). These are amongst the world’s let alone Germanys most attractive, long-lived and extraordinary wines. The amount of ripe fruit means that the “sweetness” is so natural that it goes brilliantly with the food, the Salmon, was delicious but all the better still for the wine. With dinner to follow (see below) we didn’t extend lunch much further.

And to dinner, at the world renowned Nobu (Old park Lane), Katharina despite being incredibly well travelled had not been before and we were all very excited. The room of 60 people were in for treat.
 
As an aperitif we had 2010 Kabinett, there was only one Kabinett in 2010 as the year was more biased towards the richer styles. This worked really well, it is clean, fresh and primary but very mouth-watering. The meal itself started, after an introduction from Oliver Hartley and an overview of the wines from Katharina, with assorted Sushi and Sea bass Tiradito with these two we had two contrasting Kabinetts  – 2009 Bernkasteler Badstube and 2008 Wehlener Sonnenuhr – these two vineyards are about 3 km apart and have differing styes. The vintages two are very different, 2009 more rich, rounded and extravert, the 2008 more classical and taut, this showed in the wines with the Bernkasteler after being a little closed opening up to more rounded fullness. The Wehlener by contrast was racier and had extreme poise.   The combinations were great with clean flavours in the sushi and a little spice from the Tiradito going especially well with the 2008.

Katharina next spoke about the 3 upcoming Spätlese – Bernkasteler Badstube 2007, Wehlener Sonnenuhr 2007 then Wehlener Sonnenuhr 2003 which we had with Lobster Salad with spicy lemon dressing, Rock shrimp tempura with creamy Spice sauce, Black Cod with Miso. 2007 is a very classical vintage with poise elegance grace and balance, similar in many way to the most recent release 2010. 2003 by contrast but in keeping with the rest of Europe was a freak year of low rainfall and very high temperatures. The 2003′s Katharina feels will age very well (as the 1976′s have for a similar reason) as there is structure and acidity it is just not apparent because of the opulent fruit. This trio were brilliant. To my mind the Badstube had rich texture on the palate was a touch closed and reductive on the nose, no bad thing, may be not perfect yet, the Wehlener was one of my wines of the night, rich yet mellow, highly strung but inviting, very classy and delicious especially with the tempura, a match made in heaven. The 2003 I think surprised everyone with its balance- it was an extrovert but not an outlandish one and great with the Miso Black Cod.

Katharina was back on her feet again, no rest here, for the final three wines.  The first two – 2004 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese & 1998 Bernkasteler Lay Riesling Auslese were served with Beef Kushiyaki then the 2003 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese Goldcapsule was served with Exotic Fruits. The 2004 vintage was more akin to 2007 and 2010 in the way it was poised, balanced and delicate. I thought the 2004 was a true star, light colour and just opening out, really beautiful. The 1998 was richer and fuller with a bit of development as you’d expect. The match was a tricky one and whilst they went well, I preferred both wines after the food more than with – just one of those things. The Goldcapsule 2003 was some finish though, very expressive but you could see there are years and years of development and intrigue to come, not one to drink too early despite how wonderful it is now.

Adam made a closing speech and thanked Katharina for her insights and for the wines…this is a young relationship for C&B – we first bought in 2008, but one that everyone left delighted about! A thank you to Nobu too who looked after us very well.

The day of 11 Rieslings was over for me…a real shame, as such great memories. I loved Prüm wines before the visit but do so even more now.

Visit our website to view all available wines from Joh Jos Prum

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The evening commenced at 6pm when we congregated outside the main post office opposite Jardine’s House; there our chariot awaited, a twenty-eight seater bus to escort us to the hugely popular restaurant in Sai Kung, namely One Thirty-One. Now with a fair journey ahead we thought it appropriate to serve champagne on board just to oil the cogs in preparation for a great evening ahead and what better champagne than that of Delamotte 2002. So after a couple of three point turns in the bus stop and a layby we finally reached the turning, which led us down off the beaten track and to One Thirty-One. Nestled in the bay of Three Fathoms Cove, One Thirty-One will take your breath away. The restaurant is located in a 3 storey Mediterranean style house situated in one of the most beautiful parts of Sai Kung and a stone throw away from the sea shore. There was word around the table that the dinner setting was reminiscent of something one may find in Barbados, others mentioned it was like dining out in the South of France, it really was idyllic.

Awaiting us was a vertical tasting of Phélan Ségur from 2003 through 2009, to which all wines were showing exceptionally well but if I had to pick a top three it would be 2003, 2005 and 2009 (we still have a few cases of the 2009 remaining, this really is a must buy wine for your cellar). Then onto dinner, where we had one long grand table seating twenty four people, this is where the real superstars of the evening awaited, with five quite superb wines. Opening the dinner up we had the 1996 (from magnums), which was absolutely delicious then to accompany the Foie Gras the 2001 was served. Following a few words from Véronique we were soon welcoming a very rare vintage, the 1975 (to which amazingly there are only 18 bottles remaining in the Château, so a real treat) which was simply gorgeous. Next course to follow was a succulent pigeon breast which was swiftly accompanied by the outstanding 1989, which was very similar to the 1975 but with more weight and flesh to it. And then to the finale, the pièce de résistance, the 1982 complemented by the 72 hour, slow cooked Wagyu Rib. The 1982 was quite sublime, absolutely stunning.

And so the evening was drawing to a close, all that needed to be done was to usher all guests onto the bus for the return leg to Central. The journey back was a touch more mellow, with many no doubt reflecting on a quite superb evening.

Here’s a snap shot into the wines tasted vertically from 2003 to 2009:

2003: Beautiful nose of dark forest fruits and earth, well balanced palate with soft tannins.  A lovely wine.

2004: A gorgeous nose of dark cherries and scorched earth, not as forward as the 2003. Good firm tannins and well balanced palate.

2005: A little closed on the nose (but to be expected being a 2005 and also served straight from the bottle). From the glass jumps, blackcurrants, cherries and earth. A huge mouth feel with firm tannins and good acidity. Give it two years of further bottle age and this will be (well already is) fantastic.

2006: This is a real crowd pleaser. A gorgeous nose of sweet blackcurrants, tobacco and earth. Very accessible now  with rounded, ripe tannins. This will bring much pleasure.

2007: What a pleasant surprise was the 2007, a vintage that has been mistakenly overlooked. Not quite as forward as the 2006, yet still has that wonderful nose of tabacco, and blackcurrant brambles.

2008: Showing a little closed although the lovely earthy, blackcurrant characteristics did still peak through.

2009: Masses of jammy dark forest fruits, well integrated supple tannins and a huge mouth feel, this will be a knockout wine.

Click here to view available wines from Ch. Phélan Ségur.

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(English Translation Below)

有650多年歷史的Schloss Schönborn是由一個家族私人擁有的德國葡萄酒莊園。現在雖有多間傳統酒莊都是由各大百貨經營，但Schloss Schönborn經過18代守業至今，實在難得。

我們於10月17日在一星Michelin餐廳 – 桃花源舉辦Schloss Schönborn酒宴，並邀請了Herr Marcel Von den Benken到香港參與是次晚宴。餐廳雖沒華麗的裝飾，但客人可於舒適的環境享受佳餚美酒。

Rheingau Riesling QbA, Schloss Schönborn 2009作為第一隻佳釀展開了晚宴的序幕。 清新、有活力、非常充足的白色的果性。

以Hattenheimer Pfaffenberg Riesling Kabinett, Schloss Schönborn 2003 和 Erbacher Marcobrunn Riesling Spatlese，Schloss Schönborn 2007配上三小碟的手拍青瓜、醬油滷豆腐和脆皮燒腩仔。前者幹身、清爽、很多礦物氣息及少許辛辣香料。後者是單一果園Marcobrunn，果性非常，而有足夠的酸來平衡酒質，甜美悠揚。

主菜方面，以玻璃明蝦球、椒鹽炸原隻鮮蟹鉗及西芹炒海青斑球等海鮮為主，遂以4種Riesling配襯。Hattenheimer Pfaffenberg Riesling Spatlese, Schloss Schönborn 2008 – medium intensity、不太重身、少甜、還有點dry-finish；Hattenheimer Pfaffenberg Riesling Spatlese Lothar Franz Schloss Schonborn 2001 – 非常complex、黃梅、濃，還有汽油礦物的味道，以致由基本至陳年複雜變化的味道；Rudesheimer Berg Schlossberg Riesling Auslese Schloss Schonborn 2006 – 濃郁圓潤、淡黃色、少許礦物和乾果；Hattenheimer Pfaffenberg Riesling Auslese, Schloss Schönborn 1989 – 金黃色、成熟、乾果、咸檸檬、淡焦糖及以蜜糖作完結。

最後不可缺少的當然是甜品芒果布甸，以甜度較濃的Erbacher Marcobrunn Riesling Beerenauslese Schloss Schönborn 1995 花香，開放，有點辛辣，礦物和幹杏，活潑，充滿活力和Hattenheimer Pfaffenberg Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese Schloss Schönborn 2003 豐富的熱帶水果 (芒果和菠蘿) 、焦糖，清爽的口感，令人驚嘆的平衡。

Herr Marcel Von den Benken讓我們知道2010年份是多麼難得和困難，2010的TBA僅釀約400瓶。好的葡萄酒，好的食物，我們享受著一個美好的夜晚。

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English Translation:

Schloss Schönborn is a privately-owned German wine estate with 650 years of history. Nowadays, many traditional wineries are operated by major companies. It is rare to have a winery running the business for 18 generations like Schloss Schönborn.

The Schloss Schönborn tasting dinner was held on October 17th in a One Michelin Star restaurant – Tim’s Kitchen. We were both honoured and excited to have Mr. Marcel von den Benken in Hong Kong to host this exclusive dinner. Even though the event was in a restaurant with simple decoration, the guests enjoyed delicious food and wine in a fun and comfortable environment.  The first wine of the evening was Rheingau Riesling QbA, Schloss Schönborn 2009. It’s fresh, dynamic, and abundant in stone fruits.

Hattenheimer Pfaffenberg Riesling Kabinett, Schloss Schönborn 2003 and Erbacher Marcobrunn Riesling Spatlese, Schloss Schönborn 2007 were tasted next with the starters: Chilled Tossed Cucumber, Chiu Chow Soya Bean Curd, Frog’s legs and Roasted Crispy Baby Pork Belly.  The Kabinett is dry, crisp, and minerally with a hint of spice.  The Spatlese is from a single vineyard Marcobrunn, with lots of fruit character, good acid balance, sweet and long finish.

We then chose 4 Riesling wines to be served with the seafood main courses (Crystal King Prawn, Deep-fried Whole Fresh Crab Claw with Peppercorn Salt and Sautéed Fresh Sliced Garoupa Fillet with Celery).  Hattenheimer Pfaffenberg Riesling Spatlese, Schloss Schönborn 2008 has a medium intensity, it’s not too heavy, less sweetness and with a dry finish; Hattenheimer Pfaffenberg Riesling Spatlese Lothar Franz Schloss Schönborn 2001 gives a very complex, concentrated taste, like apricot with mineral tones, resulting in a combination of primary and tertiary character; Rudesheimer Berg Schlossberg Riesling Auslese Schloss Schönborn 2006 has a light golden yellow outlook, rich mellow, slightly mineral with a touch of dried fruits; Hattenheimer Pfaffenberg Riesling Auslese, Schloss Schönborn 1989 is golden yellow, and tastes like ripe pineapple, light caramel and honey. Delicious!

The choice for dessert was mango pudding, accompanied with Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese. Erbacher Marcobrunn Riesling Beerenauslese Schloss Schönborn 1995 gives floral, open, lively energetic, mineral and dried apricot flavour with a hint of spice. Hattenheimer Pfaffenberg Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese Schloss Schönborn 2003 provides a fresh amazing balance of rich tropical fruits (mango and pineapple) with a hint of caramel.

Mr. Marcel Von den Benken told us how difficult and rare it is to obtain 2010 vintage, with only about 400 bottles of TBA produced, so we were counting ourselves very lucky.  The combination of great wine and food made for a fabulous evening.

Browse available Schloss Schönborn wines on our website.

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What’s with the yellow’ was the first thing coming to my mind thinking of Lafon Rochet’s bright yellow and red labels when I met the Château’s proprietor Basile Tesseron, who answered with the usual emphatic French shrug and a cheeky smile: ‘Just bad taste…!’ Given the intellectual flexibility of his winemaking, this must be just smart marketing as even Robert Parker made comments about the ‘Las Vegas Cat House’ labels.

Basile represents the third generation to run the property since Guy Tesseron, diversifying out of Cognac, he bought Lafon Rochet, his first Bordeaux property in 1959 and subsequently Pontet Canet in 1975.  As is well documented, the Tesseron’s have a flair for buying dilapidated properties and bringing them back to their former glory and even beyond. They are also steadfastly, with other luminaries such as Xavier Planty at Chateau Guiraud, one of the big believers in biodynamic or even organic wines. Basile was very keen to push forward the fact that block by block, Lafon Rochet is turning its vines to biodynamic and, in some cases, organic culture. Quite a feat, especially if you have wet years such as 2011 and need to deal with botrytis without falling foul of the regulations.

Having survived the UGC 2009 tastings at the Royal Opera House, the ever enthusiastic Basile took the opportunity to present several vintages of Lafon Rochet with a surprise première of the Roset de Lafon Rochet in a packed top floor at the Michelin starred Gauthier Soho organised by Corney & Barrow.

We kicked off our dinner with a Grilled Scottish Scallops with a raw radish Salad which went down well with a magnum of Roset de Lafon Rochet (Rosé with a T for Tesseron?) which are made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, very lightly pressed and left only one month to ferment producing an elegant salmon pink wine that went stupendously well with the Scallops. The wine is well balanced and you can taste the freshness of the Cabernet Sauvignon – you could nearly feel the close parenthood to Sauvignon Blanc. Basile proposed to make Roset as they drink so much rosé as an aperitif at Lafon Rochet, they might as well produce a better one themselves! 10,000 bottles are made and according to Basile, 3% of production is consumed at the Château, mostly by his father…

We followed on with the reds: Château Lafon Rochet 2001 was served with a Brown Butter Risotto with Morellos and Parmesan. This was pure gluttony on my side as I love risotto and wild mushrooms and also adore the 2001 vintage. The Lafon Rochet did not come short. Basile described the 2001 as a ‘stunning vintage’ that had to compete with the 2000. In order to achieve that, 50% Merlot was used vs 60% Cabernet Sauvignon in 2000. I found it very easy to drink, nearly like a right bank, with a nose of spicy liquorice and star anise, ending in cherry and cocoa nuances with some tarry hints at the end.

The piece de résistance was the twin serving of the 1995 and 2000 paired with Roasted Veal, Gnocchi with a cream of Ceps and a Kohlrabi Salad. The 2000 was a mastodon of fruit, treacle cinnamon and mint with cocoa, still trying to find its feet – it will need some more time to develop. This wasn’t the case for the 1995, served from a magnum bottle, as in the 2001 vintage has a large amount of Merlot, around 57%. Its nose was a powdered combination of cassis and graphite with crushed cardamom which transformed in to rose petals – again not St-Estèphe but more Pomerol like.

We finished off the evening with the 2003 – which was surprisingly good. The vintage was saved by the clay soil keeping the vine roots from wilting during the hot summer and, although yields dropped to 36Hl/Ha, is mainly constituted of Cabernet Sauvignon. It had a lovely creamy, blueberry jam nose and although still a bit closed, was unlike the ’03’s of its neighbours.  Basile intimated that this was one of their best vintages and compared them to 1947 and 1961. It is no surprise only 1000 bottles of this vintage are left in the cellars of Lafon Rochet!

At the end of the evening I asked Basile which vintage made him most proud and he mentioned the 2007. He was thrown into swim at the deep end in his first year in charge, when his father went off on summer holiday and the Château’s technical director was laid off sick, too. I will have to try a bottle soon, as it is in the difficult vintages that you can really judge the quality of the winemaker. In fact, I can’t wait to taste his 2011 too, which like its neighbours was hit by a freak hail storm in early September.

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Some wine evenings seem to fit the wines like a glove. To me the wines of Marlborough family producer Eradus are about relentless quality but practiced in an effortless, unpretentious way, with charm and a lightness of touch. Certainly the dozen Corney & Barrow customers and staff who sat down to dinner with Michiel Eradus last week at Devonshire Terrace in the City enjoyed a fabulously light-hearted yet knowledgeable evening in the company of some of the most accomplished Kiwi wines I have tasted.

Eradus is the creation of Michiel’s parents Har and Sophie, Dutch emigrants in the early 1980s. They have twelve hectares under vine, the top sites of which are stony terraces along the Awatere river valley. The proximity of the Awatere to the ocean makes for markedly more interesting wines than the swathes of generic Marlborough produced further inland. In a word, minerality is the key to these wines.

We started with a glass of Merlot Rosé, produced from vines in Gisborne in the north island – the only wine in the line-up from outside Marlborough. The flagship Eradus Sauvignon Blanc (lean and savoury) and the Ana Sauvignon Blanc (fuller and more succulent) accompanied smoked trout and both stood up well to the lightly spiced dressing. Next up corn-fed chicken breast and, for me, the wine of the night – the Eradus Pinot Noir, which is proudly new world in fruit concentration and body, yet has a texture and earthy minerality of which Burgundians would approve (and all for £13.99!)

A late harvest Sauvignon Blanc arrived in the nick of time to accompany cheese and biscuits and to round off a thoroughly enjoyable evening. Michiel is without a doubt at the cutting edge in Marlborough and the wonderful news for drinkers is that his wines have that rare combination of real quality at weekday prices.

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