[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] Château Lascombes 2008

Last week, I just tasted Château Lascombes 2008, half bottle size. It may be too early to open this wine, but I am an impatient person, hard to wait 10 to 20 years to open a half bottle of wine. Chateau Lascombes is from Bordeaux Margaux, 2ème Crus Classés. Nowadays, Bordeaux Grand Crus Classés red wines are quite expensive. But compared to the other 2ème Crus, Château Lascombes is pretty worth to buy because the price is little cheaper than other 2eme Crus wine and it provides stable quality.

Château Lascombes established 17^th century, by the first owner Chevalier Antoine Lascombes, at 1855 it classified as 2ème Grand Crus Classes. Lascombes went through numerous sales and inheritance issues, owned by countless owners. Until 2001 USA Colony Capital purchased Lascombes for $67 Million (USD) and invested around $47 Million (USD) for estate renovation, improved and upgraded winery facilities. They hired 3 famous winemakers Yves Vatelot (Chateau Reignac), Alain Raynaud (Chateau Quinault L'Enclos) and Michel Rolland as consulting. With all kind of improvement, I found, after 2001Lascombes wine will have better guarantee. In 2011 Lascombes sold to a French insurance group MACSF.

Lascombes has118 hectare vineyards, planted 50% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot, the vines average age are 35 years old. The terroirs included limestone, clay, sand and gravel. Margaux is gravelly soil and low clay content, it is suitable for Cabernet Sauvignon.  Wine from here is elegant, fragrant aroma and fine tannin structure. “Feminine” is often to describe Margaux wine. Vintage 2008 blends with 50% Merlot, 47% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petit Verdot. Before, I had tasted the 2nd label of Lascombes, the name is Chevalier de Lascombes. 

My Taste Note: I decanted for 3-4 hours, deep purple color. The aromas have blackcurrant, violet, spices, licorice, vanilla and cedar. In the mouth, it is quite earthy mixed with blackcurrant, medium body with light acid and silky tannins. After taste can feel little sweet from tannins. Overall, this wine has opulent body and complex aromas, it is smooth and little tannins bite on the tongue. Age for few years later, it must develop more interesting flavors.  

上星期我品嚐了Château Lascombes 2008(半枝裝), 可能會太早開這枝酒. 因為我是一個比較心急的人,等不到10至20年才開一枝半枝裝的紅酒.  Château Lascombes是波爾多瑪歌區(Margaux)的二級酒莊.現今波爾多列級酒莊的紅酒都相當昂貴,不過以其他二級酒莊來計,Lascombes會比較低飲因為他的價錢是比其他二級酒莊低和酒質都很有保證和穩定.

Château Lascombes建立於17世紀,由第一位莊主Chevalier Antoine Lascombes創辦,1855年它被評選為二級酒莊.這個酒莊經歷過數多次的易手和繼承的問題,由多個業主擁有過.直到2001年一間美國退休基金集團(Colony Capital)以6千7百萬美元購買入和投資了大約4千7百萬美元來返新酒莊和更換釀酒的設備.他們聘請三位出名的釀酒師Yves Vatelot (Chateau Reignac), Alain Raynaud (Chateau Quinault L'Enclos) and Michel Rolland為顧問. 從以上提及的改善,我覺得從2001年之後的Lascombes會比較有保證.在2011年Lascombes再賣給一間法國保險集團MACSF.

Lascombes葡萄園占有118公頃,種了50% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot 葡萄樹平均年齡是35歲,泥土含有石灰石,粘土,沙和礫石.瑪歌的泥土是有較多礫石,而泥土比較小,是Cabernet Sauvignon的理想種植地.釀出來的酒是优雅,芬芳香氣和細緻單寧.通常會以女性化來形容瑪歌的紅酒.這枝2008年有50% Merlot, 47% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petit Verdot. 之前得都試過 Lascombes的副牌, 它叫做 Chevalier de Lascombes. 

我的品酒筆記 : 多數波爾多紅酒我都會醒酒大約1至2小時,這枝我用了2至3小時來醒酒. 顏色比較年輕帶有深紫色, 香氣方面有黑加倫子,紫羅蘭,香料,甘草,香草(雲尼拿)和雪松. 口感是Earthy帶有黑加倫子味道,中等酒身,輕輕的酸和柔滑的單寧. After taste可以感覺到單寧的小小甜.整體這款酒有豐厚(opulent)的酒身和香氣比較複雜,不停找到不同的香氣,酒是平滑和感覺到單寧輕輕地在舌頭走動.可以放在酒櫃裡繼續陳年, 遲多幾年一定會演變更多的風味.