[Belgium] Besides wine, I also enjoy drinking ……

Besides wine, I also enjoy drinking ……

From the left to Right :
Chimay Red : Dubble Style, Brown Red Color, Hazy, fruity (raisin), soft bitterness
Chimay White : Triple style, Golden color, Hazy, sour, the finish quite bitter
Chimay Blue : Amber Color, Hazy, plum and malty sweet,  spices, smooth bitterness
Duvel Golden Ale : Golden Color, huge bubbles, herbs and citrus, sweet, the finish quite bitter                                                

Besides wine, I also enjoy drinking beer. I like to sip my beer at night by myself in living room, and enjoy the relaxing moment after whole day of work.

There are different types of beer such as Lager, Ale, IPA, Stout, Porter, Abbey, Saison, Witbier, Hefeweizen, Pilsener, etc. And, different countries made different types of beer in their own style. Up till now I like all those beers I have tired. All of them have their unique flavors.
                                                       
Recently, I tried different Belgian beers such as Chimay, Duvel, Houblon Chouffe and Saison Dupont.

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La Chouffe : Golden Color, citrus and herbs, little sweet, the finish quite bitter
La Chouffe : 金色, 草藥和柑橘, 少少甜,  飲到最後比較苦

Saison Dupont : Golden Color, Hazy, fruit and citrus, taste apricot, strong bitterness
Saison Dupont : 朦朧金色, 果香和柑橘, 飲落有少少杏脯味, 強烈苦味, 我覺得這款幾清爽

除了葡萄酒之外, 我都好享受飲啤酒. 我喜歡晚上自己一個人在客廳裡飲啤酒. 這樣我可以慢慢飲和享受輕鬆時光.

啤酒是有很多不同種類, 例如 Lager, Ale, IPA, Stout, Porter, Abbey, Saison, Witbier, Hefeweizen, Pilsener, 等等. 每個不同的國家都有他們的不同釀製風格, 目前我所試過的啤酒， 我都很喜歡 因為每一款啤酒都希它們的獨特味道.

最近我試了幾款比利時啤酒, 例如 Chimay, Duvel, Houblon Chouffe and Saison Dupont.

第一幅圖片, 從左至右 :
Chimay Red(紅) : Dubble Style, 朦朧棕紅色, 果香(提子乾), 柔軟苦味
Chimay White (白) : Triple style, 朦朧金色, 有酸味, 飲到最後比較苦 
Chimay Blue (藍) :朦朧琥珀色, 梅子和麥芽的甜, 香料, 順滑苦味
Duvel Golden Ale : 金色, 不是太朦朧, 泡沫比較大, 草藥和柑橘, 有甜, 飲到最後比較苦

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                                     The Best !!! It can age age around 5 years.
          

[France] Exaggerated Rosé Wine

Exaggerated Rosé Wine

Chateau Miraval 2013 (Côtes de Provence)

The bottle of Chateau Miraval Rosé is quite exaggerated, it has a long neck and a round body. Before drinking, the bottle is transparent, with pink and orange wine inside. It is so elegantly designed that it can be an ornament in living room. Chateau Miraval is owned by Perrin Family and Hollywood celebrities couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, which makes it even more extravagant. The wine name is Jolie-Pitt & Perrin!! They have released their first vintage in 2012.

This Rosé wine is a blend of red grapes Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah and white grape Rolle (aka Vermentino). After harvest, it will be passed to destemming. Syrah is vinified by saignée method and the other grapes are directly pressed. Then, 95% of the wine vinified in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats and around 5% was fermented in oak barrels to give the wine richness and complexity.

My taste note: In the glass the wine has light pink and orange color. For aromas, it shows floral, strong red fruit such as cherry and straw

berry. The body is light to medium body and dry with crisp acidity. The palate is focused on fruits and the finish shows Syrah's richness, complex. It is structured and elegant.

The wine magazines have high scores for this Rosé Wine and high opinion, such as: Decanter: 91/100 (Highly recommended), Wine Spectator 89/100, Wine Advocate 

90/100, etc. 

  

                                                        Beautiful Label  

太浮誇 Rosé!!!

Chateau Miraval Rosé的酒瓶就好像陳奕迅在廣告上說 : 太浮誇. 這個瓶是由長長的瓶頸和圓圓的瓶身形成. 透明的酒瓶盛著粉紅色的酒. 開瓶之前, 它可以成為客廳內的一件裝飾品. Chateau Miraval是由Perrin家族和著名荷里活情侶Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie共同擁有. 整件事感覺更浮誇!! 這款酒的名稱是Jolie-Pitt & Perrin. 2012年是他們第一年推出這款酒.

這款粉紅酒由三款紅葡萄Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah 和一款白葡萄Rolle (又名Vermentino)製成. 採摘之後, 葡萄經過去除梗後。所有葡萄都會直接壓榨,  只有希拉(Syrah)會經過出血(saignée)方式來壓榨. 之後有95%酒是用有溫度控制的不銹鋼桶來釀做. 剩餘的5%會用木桶來發酵, 這樣可讓葡萄酒豐富和複雜一點.

我的品酒筆記：在酒杯內顯示淺粉紅色和橙色。香氣有花香, 強烈紅色水果, 例如車厘子和草莓. 酒身是薄至中等, 乾口味, 清爽的酸. 口感是集中在水果上，最後有一些希拉(Syrah)的回味, 比較複雜. 我感覺這款酒有好的結構和優雅.

這款粉紅酒在一些紅酒雜誌上都有好評和高分數, 例如: Decanter: 91/100, Wine Spectator 89/100, Wine Advocate 90/100, 等等.

[South Australia] Good Value and Worthy South Australia Wine

    
                                                               Label  

Wynns Coonawarra Estate 'The Siding' Green Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2011

In supermarket or wine shop South Australian wines are always have many choice, such as winery, region, grape variety and different price. It seems have many of chooses but, it is not difficult to find a worthy wine. We can select from the grapes variety, the region and then the winery, because each wine state in South Australia has their signature grape. For example, Mc Laren Vale and Barossa Valley has Shiraz, Clare Valley has Riesling, Adelaide Hills has Sauvignon Blanc, Coonawarra has Cabernet Sauvignon, etc. For the winery, we can pick the famous one, more stable. From this way, we won’t buy low quality or not worthy wine. This time, I tried Wynns Coonawarra Estate 'The Siding' Green Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2011. Wynns Estate is an outstanding and well-known winery.

Coonawarra is located in South Australia and near the ocean. It has gentle maritime climate and this region is classified as cool, with a long ripening period. The soil is dazzling red-brick hue, this soil call Terra Rossa. The topsoil is rich red / brown color soil and beneath has layer of limestone. It let the vines to reach underground water reserves and this give Cabernet Sauvignon a firm tannic and excellent for aging. The Cabernet Sauvignon of Coonawarra shows the most Bordeaux style compare to the other of South Australia wine state.           

My taste note: This wine made with 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from Coonarawarra. It provides the region features. The wine was matured for 10 months in new and old French and American oak barrels. Decant for 30 mins, in the glass the wine has deep purple color. The aromas show blackcurrant, green pepper, mint, cinnamon and spices. The medium body with firm tanning, dry and medium acid. The palate comes with red fruit and spices feel, at the end shows little mint and chewy tannic. Now, it is prefect time to enjoy or store for few years to smooth the tannic.       

                                Coonawarra Terra Rossa (Photo from website)  

有時行超巿和紅酒鋪的時候, 都會見到南澳葡萄酒有好多不同的選擇, 例如酒莊, 產區, 葡萄品種和價錢. 看起來好像很難找到好酒, 其實都不是太難找到. 我們可以從葡萄品種, 產區和酒莊開始找起. 每一個澳洲產區都有它們的一款代表葡萄品種. 例如Mc Laren Vale 和 Barossa Valley 有希拉 (Shiraz), Clare Valley 有麗絲玲 (Riesling), Adelaide Hills 有白蘇維濃 (Sauvignon Blanc), Coonawarra 有卡本內蘇維翁(Cabernet Sauvignon), 等等. 酒莊可以選擇一些出名的, 質量比較穩定. 從這個方法, 我們不會買到不直得飲的酒. 這次我試了Wynns Coonawarra Estate 'The Siding' Green Label Cabernet Sauvignon 2011.

Coonnawarra 是位於南澳, 近海. 這裡有溫和的海洋氣候和這個產被分為涼爽, 有長時間給葡萄成熟. 這裡的泥土有一種令人眼花繚亂的紅磚色調, 這些紅色泥土叫做Terra Rossa. 表土是一層肥沃紅色/咖啡色土壤和低下是石灰石, 可以裹葡萄樹接觸到地下水儲量. 這樣可以給卡本內蘇維翁(Cabernet Sauvignon)有結實的單寧和可有優良的長時間成熟. 全澳洲只有這裡的卡本內蘇維翁(Cabernet Sauvignon)跟法國波爾多口味差不多.

我的品酒筆記: 這款酒是用上100%的Coonnawarra卡本內蘇維翁(Cabernet Sauvignon)釀製, 可提供這裡的風土特色. 當釀成紅酒時, 酒會放在法國和美國新和舊木桶裡成熟. 用了30分鐘醒酒, 在酒杯內顯示深紫色. Aromas 包括有黑加倫子, 青椒, 薄荷, 肉桂和一些香料.中等酒身和酸度. 口感是乾紅酒, 有紅色果實和香料的感覺. 到最後有薄荷和一些單寧在舌上跳躍. 現在可以飲用, 當然可以放多一 段時間, 可裹單寧平滑一點.

[Italy] Fair price to taste Amarone !

                                       
                                    Sartori Amarone Della Valpolicella DOCG 2010

                                                              Unfiltered!!  

Sartori Amarone Della Valpolicella DOCG 2010 

Last month, I found an excellent bottle of Amarone in a local supermarket. This is 2010 Sartori Amarone Della Valpolicella DOCG Veneto, Italy (North-Eastern). Compare to other Amarone, the price of this is not too high. Amarone is dry red wine made from dried grapes (passito). The production stipulated a blend of Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara and other local or international varieties authorized by Valpolicella. Corvina has light color, light tannins and thick skin, used to go appassimento (drying process). After the grapes are harvested, the unripe and broken grapes will be abandoned. Then, the grapes will be laid on a wooden trays and left to dry in natural temperatures for at least 3 months. The dried grapes give intensely flavored, increase body, high sugar, complexity, and show more dry fruit. Dried grapes containing high sugar will make a strong wine with 15% or 16% alcohol. After fermentation, the wine will be aged in barrels for at least 2 years.

This wine blended 50% Corvina, 40% Corvinone and 10% Rondinella. After being harvested carefully, the grapes were put in a small plastic crates and left to dry in ventilated room for about 3 months. The vinification includes, pressing, fermenting in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks, malolactic fermentation in concrete tanks and transferring to large oak aged for 3 years.

My Taste Note: Purple and Ruby Red Color, aromas with raisins, dried fruit like plum and little green pepper at the end. It has opulent medium body, dry, the style is fleshy with fruit palate, light tannins and delicate acid. This wine is very plummy, like drinking dry plum juicy and it shows Amarone wine typical flavor. Considering the price, this wine is excellent

Before Sartori, I had tasted Tommasi Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2007 and Masi Costasera Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2007. 

Masi Costasera Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2007

上個月我在本地的超巿買了一枝出色的Amarone紅酒. 這就是2010 Sartori Amarone Della Valpolicella DOCG威尼托, 意大利 (東北部). 相比於其他Amarone, 這枝酒的價錢不算太高. Amarone 是用風乾葡萄(passito)釀製的乾紅酒. 生產規定混合上Corvina, Rondinella, Molinara三款葡萄和其他Valpolicella授權的一些意大利本地或國際葡萄. Corvina是一款比較淺色, 低單寧, 厚皮的葡萄,通常都會用來appassimento (風乾過程). 當葡萄收成後, 他們不一些要不夠熟或破爛的葡萄. 然後放在木盤上和放在一間有天然溫度的房間內進行風乾過程, 過程最少需要3個月. 風乾葡萄可以帶出濃郁口味, 提高酒身, 高糖份, 複雜和很多乾果風味. 風乾葡萄含有高糖份, 可以釀製高酒精度的紅酒 (酒精度 : 15% & 16%). 發酵完都會放進大木桶內成熟最小3年.

這款酒用上 50% Corvina, 40% Corvinone and 10% Rondinella. 他們小心地採摘之後, 葡萄會放在一些小型的膠箱. 然後放進一間通風房間內進行風乾過程大約三個月. 釀酒過程包括壓榨葡萄, 溫度控制發酵, 混凝土水箱內浸皮, 最後轉移到大木桶內成熟三年.  

我的品酒筆記 : 紫紅寶石色, 香氣有葡萄乾, 乾果好像一些西梅乾(李子), 最後有小小青椒. 它有華麗中等的酒身, 乾紅酒, 豐滿的風格, 帶有果香口感, 低單寧, 精緻的酸度. 這款酒好像有好多西梅乾(李子), 好像正在飲一些不甜的西梅汁(李子)和它有明顯的典型Amarone的風格. 相比於價格, 這款酒是很出色的一枝Amarone.

Sartori之前, 我有品嚐過Tommasi Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2007 and Masi Costasera Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2007.

                        Tommasi Amarone della Valpolicella Classico DOCG 2007