[HK] Watson’s Wine Lucky Bag

[HK] Watson’s Wine Lucky Bag

From now on to 21 Aug, HK Watson’s Wine has a Lucky Bag (福袋) for $668. Lucky Bag is kind of lucky draw, you pick your own bag and inside the bag has 3 bottles of red wine that total is value from $1000 - $2000. The range includes French wine, Italian wine, Spanish wine and Australian wine. This deal has nothing to lose, why not give it a try, only $668 for 3 bottles of red wine that is around $222 for each and I have a chance to pick the expensive one.

Let ‘see which wine I got:

• Chateau Canon La Gaffeliere 2010
• Chateau de Lamarque 2012
• Penfolds Cellar Reserve McLaren Vale Tempranillo 2012

Wow…Chateau Canon La Gaffeliere!! In HK it cost minimum $800 to $1000. The Staff told me that I picked the most expensive one lucky bag, it values around $2000. Only Chateau Canon La Gaffeliere is already over $668 and it is quite amusing and exciting. If, you intend to buy one, please hurry up, because those bags have limited number for each shop.   

從現開始到8月21日香港Watson’s Wine有一批福袋 (Lucky Bag)售價＄668, 大家對福袋應該唔會好陌生. 福袋內里有3枝紅酒總供價值到＄1000～＄2000, 款式包括有法國,意大利,西班牙和澳洲紅酒. 個福袋＄688有3枝紅酒每枝酒大約＄222, 其實我覺得係好低玩, 仲有機會抽到一D貴價酒.

大家睇下我抽到咩酒：

• Chateau Canon La Gaffeliere 2010
• Chateau de Lamarque 2012 
• Penfolds Cellar Reserve McLaren Vale Tempranillo 2012

嘩!! Chateau Canon La Gaffeliere, 香港正價最少都要賣＄800﹣＄1000. 個STAFF同我講, 話我抽到呢一袋係價值最高既一袋, 價值大約＄2000. 其實單單一枝Chateau Canon La Gaffeliere 已經超過＄668, 抽到靚酒, 又有得玩, 真係咩都低哂. 如果有興趣就要趁快, 因為佢同我講數量有限！賣完即止！

[Australia] Yarra Yering Agincourt 2011

Chinese Lunar New Year is coming soon, and due to New Year I’ll have around a week holidays. During New Year, we will attend on different family gatherings or dinners with friends. But besides that, I also like to spend time in home for wine tasting, which is quite relax. Few months before, I bought 2 different bottles of Yarra Yering (YY) at Watson Wine, YY Dry Red No.1 2008 and YY Agincourt 2011. Dry No. 1 is a Bordeaux Blend wine includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot, Agincourt mainly blend with Cabernet Sauvignon and little bit of Malbec. Both wines are interested to try, I just randomly pick Agincourt to taste first. Before tasting, I tried to search more information, on YY official website shows Agincourt 2011 which is the first vintage and the vines was plant in 90’s. Therefore, Agincourt seems like is 2^nd wine of YY and famous wine critic James Halliday gives a high score for this wine.

My Taste Note: Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec are dark skin grapes and give black fruit, rich, medium to full body and high tannic wine. So, I decanted it about1.5 hrs. First, the wine shows purple color. The aromas include plum, leather, green pepper and herbs. I thought, this wine would be full body with strong tannic but it wasn’t that powerful. In the mouth, it is dry, medium body, balance acid and smooth tannic. After taste has rich fruit characters, little sweet and mellow tannic. Overall, this wine is excellent, with dense body, rich flavor and silky tannic.

還有幾天就是農曆新年, 今年農曆新年我就有大約一星期的假期. 不過在農曆新期間需要出席不同的家庭聚會和朋友的飯局. 除此之外,我最愛就是在家裏品酒,感覺好輕鬆. 幾個月之前我在Watson Wine買了兩瓶YarraYering (YY) 紅酒,YY Dry Red No.1 2008 and YY Agincourt 2011. Dry No. 1是一枝以Bordeaux Blend為主的葡萄酒,包括有 Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot,而Agincourt主要品種有Cabernet Sauvignon和少少Malbec. 兩枝酒我都好想試,但是我選擇先飲Agincourt. 我在網上找過一些關於這枝酒的資料,在YY的官方網站看到2011年是Agincourt第一個年份和釀這款酒的葡萄樹是在90代開始種,所以感覺上Agincourt好像YY的副牌酒,還有著名評酒家James Halliday都給好評. 

我的品酒筆記: Cabernet Sauvignon和Malbec這兩款葡萄都帶有深色果皮，味道是有漿果風格,豐富和飽滿,Medium to Full Body,單寧會比較高的葡萄酒.所以我Decant了1個半小時.酒的顏色是紫色,剛開始的時候芳香都包括有西梅,皮革,青椒和草藥.之前我以為這款酒會比較重口味和有強勁的單寧.不過飲落原來是很平滑,味道是Dry, Medium Body,平穩酸度和非常柔順的單寧. After taste有豐富果味帶有輕微的甜和成熟單寧.整體我覺得這款酒是非常出色,有濃厚Body,豐富和飽滿味道和絲一般的單寧.

[France / New Zealand / Australia] A Little Shopping from August!!

From Left to Right:

1)     Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc 2014 Marlborough New Zealand

2)     Domaine Montirius Confidentiel 2010 Gigondas

3)     Yarra Yering Dry Red Wine No. 1 2008 Yarra Valley Australia

4)     Fleur De Clinet 2011 Pomerol 

Looking forward to taste them!!

 

[South Australia] Get Ready for Christmas Party!!

The Laughing Magpie

The last wine I would like to recommend for Christmas party from Watson’s Wine Christmas promotion is a Red wine from McLaren Vale South Australia, D'Arenberg The Laughing Magpie. D'Arenberg winery was established in 1912. All the wine is made from old and low yielding vines using traditional techniques to obtain a rich fruity flavor. Their wine labels are full of creativeness, each wine has different design and drawing. Dead Arm is one of the masterpieces with 100% of Shiraz, it is worth to try but, the price is not cheap, and not suit for party use. The Laughing Magpie is made with 94% Shiraz and 6% Viognier of white grape, a traditional blend from Northern Rhône. The price is less than HK $200, suit for party use. 

“The Laughing Magpie” is an Australian native bird, which has a special laughing sound. The original name is Kookaburra, this Magpie has black and white stripe feather. We could see their footprints surrounding the D’Arenderg winery. Then, it inspired the winemaker that Laughing Magpie will be good to name a blend of black (Shiraz) and white (Viognier) grapes wine. There is a winemaking procedure I need to mention, D’Arenderg is the only winery in Australia who uses old-fashion Basket Pressing for all the wines. This pressing style yields cleaner wine or juice. By spending less time to filter, it can achieve minimal interference. Then, the wine will be transferred to French and American oak barrel for aging.         

My Taste Note: The one I tasted is vintage 2008, famous Australian wine critic James Halliday rated 94 scores and wine critics Robert Parker rated 91 scores. It shows dark purple color. On the nose it has ripe fruit such as blackberry, nutmeg, mint, spices and oak. The palate has supple tannins, pleasant acid, full body and dry but Jammy. Overall, this wine is fruity, balance acid with powerful Shiraz flavors. Although, this is an easy drinking and fruity wine, but it has plenty of depth for aftertaste.    

                                                              Dead Arm

最後一枝酒我想推薦給大家在聖誕節Party享用的, 是來自南澳洲的McLaren Vale (麥克拉倫谷) D'Arenberg The Laughing Magpie. 這款酒都是在葡萄酒店Watson’s Wine的聖誕推廣內. D'Arenberg 酒莊在1912年建立. 釀造它們的酒全部都是來自老和低產量的葡萄樹和用傳統工藝來得到最濃厚的果香或味道. 它們的酒標充滿創意和想像力,每一款酒都有不同設計和圖案. Dead Arm是其中一枝代表做, 用了100% Shiraz(西拉)釀製,是很值得一試,但是價錢比較貴,不宜在Party飲用. The Laughing Magpie用了94% Shiraz(西拉) and 6% Viognier (維歐尼耶)白葡萄,這是法國北隆河(Rhône)的傳統調配. 價錢是低於HK$200,從價錢上這款酒會適宜在Party上飲用.

“The Laughing Magpie”是一種澳洲本土鳥帶有一種特殊的笑聲. 它的原名是叫Kookaburra,外形是黑色和帶有白色條紋的羽毛. 圍繞著D’Arenderg酒莊都可以見到它們的足跡. 之後它就啟發了釀酒師Laughing Magpie很適合改給這款黑(Shiraz)白(Viognier)葡萄調配酒的酒名. 在釀酒過程中,其中一項是很值得一提, D’Arenderg是澳洲唯一的酒莊會用傳統Basket Pressing(在木籃內壓渣),這種壓渣方法可以釀造出更清晰的果汁或酒,用比較少時間來過濾,可以做到跟葡萄酒最少的接觸,但是需要更多的人力. 之後就會轉到法國和美國橡木桶內成熟.

我的品酒筆記: 我是品嚐2008年,出名的澳洲評酒家James Halliday 給了94分, 評酒家Robert Parker給了91分. 這款酒帶有深紫色. 在香氣上有成熟果香例如黑莓, Nutmeg(肉荳蔻),薄荷,香料和橡木. 口感帶有柔軟單寧,宜人的酸,厚身和乾型紅酒不過它帶有Jammy的感覺. 整體這款酒是Fruity,平衡的酸度有強勁的Shiraz味道. 雖然這款酒比較容易入口和Fruity,但是After Taste有的一層一層果味慢慢顯示出來.

[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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