[Facebook] Winecent HK

I just opened a Facebook fans page, Welcome to visit! In this page I will share some simple wine or beer taste note and dine or food photos, it will share more than wine. Facebook could help me to get closer with all wine lovers.

Last week, I had Penfolds Cellar Reserve Pinot Noir Adelaide Hills 2012. The wine show purple color with strong red fruit aroma, full body and dry. The palate is full of jammy fruit, concentrated body and fresh acid with soft tannins. Despite after taste is short, the wine still has a good depth fruit flavor. 

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我剛剛開了一個Facebook Fans Page, 歡迎來參觀 在這個專頁內, 我會分享一些比較簡易的葡萄酒或啤酒的品酒筆記和一些美食圖 片, 專頁內會分享比葡萄酒更多信息. Facebook可以讓我與多一些葡萄酒爱好者接觸.

上星期我試了一枝來自南澳州阿得萊德山(Adelaide Hills) Penfolds Cellar Reserve Pinot Noir 2012. 在酒杯內葡萄酒是紫色帶有強烈的紅色水果香氣, 酒體是厚身, 乾型紅酒. 口感充滿豐富和成熟的水果香, 有concentrated body和清新的酸帶有柔軟的單寧. 儘管這款酒回味比較短, 但是它仍然有良好水果味道.

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[France] “Petrus of Bandol” Château de Pibarnon

Bandol is an Appellation of Provence. Here it produced some of the Provence’s greatest red wine. The vineyards form a terraced facing the Mediterranean, elevation is up to 1,300 ft. (400m). The climate is hot and sunny in summer and not too cold in winter, and sometimes sea breezes cool down the heat. Bandol is famous for its red wines, which made with high proportion of Mourvèdre, with a minimum of 50% in the blend, and the rest is Grenache. It also produced Rose and White Wine with Cinsault, Syrah, Clairette, Ugni Blanc, Bourboulenc, Marsanne, etc.

One day, I was shopping in a wine shop and I bought this Château de Pibarnon 2004. When I searched some more information from the internet, I found people call Ch de Pibarnon as “Petrus of Bandol”. Probably since the red wine of “Ch de Pibarnon” is made will 90% of Mourvèdre and 10% of Grenache; and Château Petrus is made with a high proportion of Merlot and little Cabernet Franc, so people find the two wine similar. For the main winemaking step, the wine is macerated in a small stainless steel tanks for a minimum of 20 days and aged in oak for 19 months. It will be bottled without filtered and all the grapes are harvested by hands.

My taste note: The wine shows dark purple red color with blackcurrant, cherry, herbs and leather aromas. It is dry and medium bod. The palates have cherry like acid and fine tannins. Overall, this wine has powerful aromas and elegant palate. This is the 1^st time, I tried Bandol wine. I found, it has exotic flavor with strong fruit and herbs aromas.  

Bandol是在Provence(普羅旺斯)內的一個法定產區. 這裡釀造出Provence的最好的紅酒.  在這裡的葡萄園是以梯田型式, 面對地中海, 海拔1,300尺(400m)高. Bandol的氣侯是夏季炎熱和陽光充足, 冬季不是很冷, 比較溫和, 有時會有一些海風來降溫. 這裡出名的紅酒, 是用高比例的Mourvèdre葡萄來釀製,最少會有50%, 其餘的是用Grenache. 除了紅酒, 這裡也有釀造粉紅酒和白酒, 是用以下的葡萄品種Cinsault, Syrah, Clairette, Ugni Blanc, Bourboulenc, Marsanne, 等等.   

有一日我在行街的時候, 在某間紅酒鋪買了Château de Pibarnon 2004. 之後我在網上找了一些有關這枝酒的資料, 有人稱呼Château de Pibarnon為 “Petrus of Bandol”. 大概因為Château de Pibarnon的紅酒是用了90% Mourvèdre 和10% Grenache而Château Petrus用了高比例的Merlot和少少Cabernet Franc, 所以有人這樣稱呼它. 主要的釀酒程序, 葡萄酒會在小型的不銹鋼桶浸皮大約20天和在木桶內19個月來成熟. 當酒釀好和在裝瓶時, 酒是不會過濾. 所有葡萄都是人手採摘.

我的品酒筆記: 這款酒的顏色是紫紅色, 有黑加倫子, 車厘子, 草藥和皮革的香氣. 乾紅酒類型, 中等酒身. 口感有一種好像車厘子的酸和細緻的單寧. 總結這款酒是強勁香氣, 口感優雅. 這是我第一次飲Bandol的紅酒, 我覺得它有異國風味加上強勁的果香和一些草藥香氣.  

[Hong Kong] Taste from Hong Kong

It is rare to find craft beer made in HK. Last week in Yata Supermarket, I found a beer called “Hong Kong Beer Co”, it has IPA, Stout, Pale Ale, Golden Ale and Amber Lager available. Each type of beer has their own name, for example Golden Ale named “Gambler’s Gold”, Stout named “Seven”. Each label has different design and the design is quite vintage. The beer names and labels reflect Hong Kong culture, for example, IPA is named Big Wave Bay, Gambler’s Gold label shows horse racing gamble.

From their website, the ingredients such as malts, hops and yeast are from around the World. The water is from local, it is carbon-filtered and mineral-adjusted according to the style being made.

Overall, all 5 type of beer are mild and light. I like the most is IPA and then Stout and Pale Ale. The most enjoyable is I can taste craft beer made in Hong Kong.

“Gambler’s Gold” Golden Ale: ABV4.8% / Gold Color / Medium Body / Malt Sweet and Light Bitter / Mild

“Hong Kong Beer” Amber Lager: ABV5.1% Clear Amber /Light Bitter / Refreshing

“Dragon’s Black” Pale Ale: ABV5.3% / Clear Amber / Honey and Caramel / Malt Sweet and Light Bitter / Mild

“Big Wave Bay” IPA: ABV 7.0% / Brown Hazy / Typical IPA flavors but light version / sharp bitter / This one is the best!!!

“Seven” Stout: ABV 6.0% Black / Light Coffee / Malt sweet and light bitter / Mild Stout version.

 在香港比較難遇到香港製造的手工啤酒. 上星期我在一田超級市場見到一款啤酒叫做“Hong Kong Beer Co”(香港品牌), 在一田它有 IPA, Stout, Pale Ale, Golden Ale 和 Amber Lager. 每款啤酒都有它們自己的一個名字, 例如, Golden Ale 叫做Gambler’s Gold”, Stout 叫做 “Seven”. 每一款啤酒label都不一樣, 它的設計是有少少懷舊。每一款啤酒名稱和label都反映一些香港文化, 例如 IPA叫Big Wave Bay大浪灣, 和Gambler’s Gold”的label是有關跑馬.

從他們網站看到, 他們釀啤酒的材料,比如麥芽,啤酒花和酵母都是在世界各地採購. 水就是用本地水, 釀造啤酒的水都是經過碳過濾和礦物調整.

整體來說，我覺得5款啤酒都是比一般啤酒溫和和淡口. 我最喜歡是IPA, 之後 Stout and Pale Ale這兩款都不錯. 最享受是可以品嚐到香港製造的手工啤酒.

“Gambler’s Gold” Golden Ale: ABV4.8% /金色/中等酒身/麥芽甜和輕微的苦/溫和型.

“Hong Kong Beer” Amber Lager: ABV5.1% 清晰琥珀色/輕微的苦/清新型

“Dragon’s Black” Pale Ale: ABV5.3% /清晰琥珀色/蜂蜜和焦糖/麥芽甜和輕微的苦/溫和型

“Big Wave Bay” IPA: ABV 7.0% /朦朧咖啡色/典型IPA味道不過是輕型一點/比較苦/這一枝是最好飲!!!

“Seven” Stout: ABV 6.0% 黑色/少少咖啡味道/麥芽甜和輕微的苦/溫和型的Stout.

[France] Bordeaux Second Wine "La Chapelle de la Mission Haut-Brion"

At the beginning of my wine tasting, I started with Bordeaux wine because in general, Bordeaux wine is quite popular in H.K and it is very easy to find in wine shop. In 1855 Bordeaux Médoc had a Grand Cru classification for red wine, classification is in 5 grades 1^st to 5^th Growths and those selected Château would be called as Grand Cru Classés in French (For example, 1^st Growths is Premiers Crus 

Classé

). Later, they also have a classification for  Saint-Émilion, Graves, etc. Base on the Grand Cru classification, the pricing of 1^st to 5^th Growths First Label (Grand Vin) wine are extremely high. However, Bordeaux winemaker made second wine (Second Vin) for market need. Depend the Château, 3^rd label and even 4^th label is available. The pricing of the 2^nd wine are 50-70% cheaper than the first label. The production of 2^nd wine is nearly similar to 1^st label, but it aged in lower percentage of new barrels. The grapes are from younger vines of the same vineyard compared to 1^st label and some of the Château has an independent vineyard for 2^nd wine. There are many reasons of making 2^nd wine, some books said it is to keep the Grand Vin quality so that youngest vines are used for 2^nd wine. For me, it can drink while the Grand Vin is aging or at a cheaper price to taste the Grand Cru Classé wine. Sometime, the 2^nd wine may have little hints or characteristic of the Château wine but generally it is less complex, less structured and less powerful than Château wine. 

La Chapelle de la Mission Haut-Brion 2007 is the 2^nd wine of Château La Mission Haut-Brion from  Pessac-Léognan, classified as Grand Cru in Graves classification of 1953. It made from younger vines of same vineyards of Grand Vin. From vintage 2006, “La Chapelle...”add the grapes of Château La Tour Haut Brion vineyards to the blend. (Before Château La Tour Haut Brion is one of the Grand Cru in  Pessac-Léognan) The varieties are 64% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Cabernet Franc and maturing in oak 18-22 months in 20-25% of new barrels.

My taste note: Deep purple with red on the rim and strong of cedar, blackcurrant and wood aromas. The palate is medium to full body, dry and obvious tanning. After taste has blackcurrant, plum come up and tannins become smooth. I found this wine is quite structure and it is ready to drink (Tasted at April 2013). A professional sommelier mentioned that this wine seem walk in into forest, I absolutely agree with this point.   

當我開品嚐紅酒的時候, 我是從法國波爾多開始飲起. 因為波爾多的紅酒在香港比較有名氣,一般的葡萄酒商店都很容易買得到. 在1855年波爾多梅多克(Médoc)有一個列级酒庄的分類. 他們分為5個級別, 由1級到5級酒庄. 有份入選的酒庄到稱為列级酒庄, 法文會稱呼為 Grand Cru    Classés (For example, 1級酒庄是Premiers Crus 

Classé). 

後來其他波爾多地區 Saint-Émilion, Graves, 等等都有類似的列级酒庄分類. 基於這個列级酒庄分類, 所有1至5級酒庄 的正酒(Grand Vin)定價都相當高. 但是波爾多的製造商生產了副牌酒(Second Vin)提供給巿場需要. 有一些酒庄會有3牌酒甚至4牌酒提供. 定價方面, 副牌酒是比正牌酒便宜大約50-70%. 副牌酒的製作過程是跟正牌酒幾乎相似, 不過它用新橡木桶成熟比例就會比較少. 釀酒的葡萄都是用正牌酒同一個園內的相對年輕的葡萄樹．有一些酒庄會有一個獨立葡萄園供給副牌酒用. 從書本上知道釀造副牌酒有很多原因, 例如有些酒庄想提升他們的正牌酒的質素, 所以年輕的葡萄樹用來釀造副牌酒.我認為就是, 當正牌酒需要長時間熟成時,這段期間我可以一路飲副牌酒一路等或以相比便宜的價錢來賞試列级酒庄,有時副牌酒會有一些正牌酒的影子或特色.不過一般都會比正牌酒較少結構,較樸實和低勁力.

La Chapelle de la Mission Haut-Brion 2007是 the 2^nd wine of Château La Mission Haut-Brion 副牌酒,來自 Pessac-Léognan,從1953年Graves classification入選為列级酒庄. 釀造副牌酒的葡萄是來自正牌酒一樣的葡萄園, 不過是來自年輕的葡萄樹.從2006開始, “La Chapelle...”加入Château La Tour Haut Brion 葡萄園的葡萄一起調配(Château La Tour Haut Brion之前是  Pessac-Léognan的一個列级酒庄). 葡萄品種包括64% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Cabernet Franc. 在木桶成熟18-22個月, 用新木桶比例是20-25%.

我的品酒筆記: 顏色是深紫色加酒邊有紅色. 有強烈雪松,木,黑加倫子的香氣.口感是中等至厚身,乾紅酒型和有明顯的單寧. 回味有黑加倫子和梅的果味和單寧變得平滑了. 我覺得這款酒都有結構和現在可以飲用. (在2013年4月品嚐).在某個專業品酒師的品酒筆記有提過,飲這款酒好像走進森林里,這一點我絕對認同.