So it had been a year in the making and finally the day had come, for C&B to host, what can only described as Hong Kong’s “dinner of the year”; Thursday 3rd November saw the long awaited Ch. Phélan-Ségur dinner. We had the honour and pleasure of not only that of Véronique Dausse (CEO of Phélan-Ségur) who would guide our guests through the evening to which many fabulous vintages were to be tasted, but also that of Jeannie Cho Lee (MW) who had joined us for this fantastic event.
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.