[Hong Kong] 鬼佬涼茶!!

I had heard about this HK Gweilo Beer for long time, just didn't have any chance to try. Today, I saw Gweilo IPA at Parknshop for $24.90 (HKD). As a Hongkonges, I definitely will try this made in HK beer. Gwei Lo (鬼佬) which is a Cantonese slang for white man or foreigners. Perhaps the brand name Gweilo is related to a Cantonese old term. In the old time some Chinese call 鬼佬涼茶 (Gwei Lo Leung Cha) as beer which mean Gwei Lo herbal tea. In general, the original taste of beer has little bitter and Chinese herbal tea taste bitter too. Maybe, it is one of the reason to call the beer as "鬼佬" 啤酒. 

This IPA brewed with European malt and American hops. The color is amber clear color, little white head on top. It tastes light sweet, citrus and strong of hops flavor. The aromas have malt and little fruits. Overall, this IPA is very fresh and smooth, it has only 4.8% ABV not too heavy and aftertaste has mild bitter keep in mouth for finishing.  

之前我都已經聽過,香港有個啤酒牌子叫做’鬼佬’啤酒,不過一路都無機會試到.今日竟然在百佳超市見到有得賣”鬼佬”IPA,每枝$24.90(HKD).作為香港人的我,一定要試一試呢枝香港製造的啤酒.廣東話”鬼佬”解: 白種人或外國人.個牌子叫做”鬼佬”,可能跟中國人以前一個廣東話說法有關.以前有些中國人叫啤酒為”鬼佬涼茶”,普遍啤酒本身味道都會帶少少苦而中國涼茶都是苦的,所以稱為”鬼佬”啤酒.

這款IPA用了駭歐洲麥芽和美國啤酒花,.啤酒顏色是清晰琥珀色,少少白色泡泡.味道上帶有微甜,柑橘和強烈啤酒花風味.芳香方面有麥芽香和輕微果香.整體這枝IPA非常清新,口感順滑,最後Aftertaste有溫和啤酒苦味.酒精度只有4.8%,不算很高,可以方心暢飲!!

[France] Château Laribotte 2012 (Sauternes)

During Lunar Chinese New Year holidays, I bought a very bargain price of Sauternes sweet white wine from HK 759 Store. 759 Store always has different type of discount, for example original price item has 30% off. Occasionally, I will visit 759 to check out their new arrival wine because it may find some inexpensive and good value wine. Few months before, I had a post about a Spanish red wine Viña Eguia Reseva 2010, which is also bought from 759. This time, I found a Sauternes sweet white wine Château Laribotte 2012 (750ml), the discounted price is only $120 HKD. On Wine-Searcher website, the average price is $240 - $300 for different vintages. Now, it cost less than $200, so why don’t give it a try.

More information on the official website, Château Laribotte is a family owned winery since 1855, until now is the sixth generation. Winery is located in Preignac of Sauternes estate. Sauternes has 5 sub-regions that are Sauternes, Barsac, Preignac, Fargues and Bommes, but on the wine labels are permitted to show AOC Sauternes and AOC Barsac only. Preignac wine style has lighter weight, less rich than other Sauternes wine, but similar style to Barsac. The Vineyard soils are mainly clay and gravel, and plant 90% Sémillon, 8% Sauvignon Blanc and 2% Muscadelle. After fermentation, the wine aged 24 months in cement tank and 12 months in barrels.

Sauternes sweet wine are made with Botrytis Grapes (Noble Rot), it contain less moisture to increase its sugar level, acidity, flavors, aromas, etc. Usually, it has a strong aging potential, can age minimum 5 to 25 years. Although 2012 is not an outstanding vintage but this wine is still very young, age for few more years will be much better. Does any one have taste different vintage of Château Laribotte? If, Yes! Please feel free to share the taste note with me!!

農曆新年假期間,我在759買了一枝感覺非常便宜的Sauternes(索甸)貴腐甜白酒.通常759都會有不同的折扣,例如正價貨品會有7折.不久我會去759,看看他們有沒有新返葡萄酒.因為間中在759都可以找到一些便宜和物有所值的葡萄酒.幾個月前我提過一枝西班牙紅酒Viña Eguia Reseva 2010,都是在759買的.今次這枝Sauterne貴腐甜白酒Château Laribotte 2012 (750ml),折扣後只是$120.之後我在wine-searcher看到,它的其他年份平均價錢都需要 $240-$300.這樣看,現在折後的價錢都不過於$200,是否值得一試呢?

酒莊官方網站可以找到更多資料, 在1855年到現在都是由家Château Laribotte族擁有和經營,目前已是第六代.酒莊位於Sauternes村里其中一個酒區叫做Preignac. Sauternes內有分為5個酒區,分別Sauternes, Barsac, Preignac, Fargues 和 Bommes, 但是在酒標上只可以印有AOC Sauternes 和 AOC Barsac.Preignac酒的風格是比Sauternes期他酒區較輕型,雅淡,等等,跟Barsac酒有點相似.葡萄園主要都係粘土和礫石,品種種植比例是 90% Sémillon, 8% Sauvignon Blanc和2% Muscadelle.發酵完的酒會在水泥造的酒桶陳年24個月,之後再方在木桶12個月.

Sauternes貴腐甜白酒是用含有貴腐菌葡萄來釀製,是水份含量低來提升糖份,酸度,風味,芳香,等等.普遍都有非常強的陳年能力,最少可以陳年5至25年.雖然2012年不是一個出色的年份,但是這枝酒還是非常新,最好擺放幾年後先飲用.大家之前有沒有品嚐過Château Laribotte的其他年份?如果有,可否分享一下Taste Note!!

[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.

[South Australia] Yalumba Patchwork Shiraz Barossa 2013

Shiraz is one of my favorite grapes, the origin of Shiraz is from France Southeastern Rhône Valley, and in French it calls Syrah. It is one of the main varieties of Rhône Valley wine, but most of the wine would blend with other types of grapes. In the old time, Syrah had brought in to South Australia (New World), and then it became Shiraz in the New World region. The characteristic of this grape are dark skin, shows a robust berry flavor, black pepper, licorice, etc. aromas, it taste berry style and little spicy. This time, I tried a good value of Shiraz wine from South Australia Barossa Valley, which is Yalumba Patchwork 2013.

Yalumba established in 1849 by Samuel Smith. Until today, this winery is still own by his family and run by hid grandson Robert Hill Smith. Due the winery has excellent performance, Australian wine critic James Halliday gave a highly recommend on Yalumba winery. Moreover, It worth to mention, Yalumba has their own barrel factory, each year production has around 600 barrels. But the self-made barrels are only enough for the high end wine series, such as The Octavius. It made with 100% Shiraz from the oldest vine in Barossa and then aged in small barrel (90-100L), famous wine critic Robert Parker gave a high rated on this wine. From some reviews, people called Patchwork as Baby Octavius. Patchwork made with 100% Shiraz, from Barossa region, average age of vines is 20 – 30 years old. After nature fermentation, the wine aged 14 months in American, Hungarian and French oak.    

My Taste Note: I didn’t decant for this wine, just opened the screwcap and breathe for around 20 mins. The color is deep purple, it shows full warm fruits aromas like black cherry and blackcurrant, licorice and little of floral aromas. The taste is dry, full body, juicy with fresh acid and structure tannins, after taste find plenty of berry flavors and little bit tannins. Overall, this wine gives ripeness of fruit flavor and dense body, which shows a bold style of Shiraz.  

Shiraz (西拉) 入係我最愛的葡萄品種之一,它有一種非常吸引的野果芳香,但飲落又會有少辣, Shiraz 的來源係來先法國東南部 Rhône Valley (隆河),而法文稱為 Syrah. 它是 Rhône Valley 區主要品種之一,通常都會溝另外幾款葡萄來釀製.在很久以前有人將Syrah移植到南澳,之後所有新世界地區都改稱為 Shiraz . 它的特色帶有深色果皮,強烈野果風味,帶有黑椒,甘草,等等芳香,味道都是野果為主和有少少辣.今次我就試了一枝非常低飲的 Shiraz, 來看南澳 Barossa Valley (巴羅莎山谷) Yalumba Patchwork 2013.

Yalumba 酒莊係由英國人 Samel Smith 在1849年建立,直到現在大約160年之後酒莊依然由他的家庭擁有和孫兒  Robert Hill Smith 運作.由於酒莊一直表現優良,澳洲評酒家James Halliday都讚好.更值得一提的是,酒莊內設有自家製木桶廠,每年產量大約600個.不過自家製酒桶只係足夠提供給它們的高級酒用,比如The Octavius.這款酒用100% Shiraz 釀造,葡萄來自

Barossa 的老藤,之後在自家製小型木桶內陳年(90-100L),著名評酒家Robert Parker都給予高評.不過今次我唔係飲The Octavius,而係另一款有Baby Octavius之稱的 Patchwork. Patchwork 都係用100% Shiraz 釀酒, 葡萄都係來自 Barossa, 葡萄榭年齡大約20-30年.當天然發酵後,葡萄酒會在美國,匈牙利和法國木桶內陳年14個月.

我的品酒筆記: 這次我沒有醒酒,只係擰開樽蓋,讓酒透了大約20分鐘氣.顏色是有深紫色,它充滿野果的芳香,有車厘子和黑加侖子,再帶多一些甘草和小小花香.口感方面Dry,厚身,清爽的酸味,帶有結構的單寧.After Taste可以找到豐富的野果味道,和小小單寧.整體這款酒提供到成熟果味和濃厚Body,可以表現到Shiraz強勁的一面.

   

[France] Château de Corcelles 2014

Every year in November is the right time to taste some fresh Beaujolais Nouveau wine. In long time ago, Beaujolais made these wines to celebrate the end of the harvest. The grapes were harvest in September, and spent 6 to 8 weeks for wine making. Then, it will on sale on the third Thursday in November. Beaujolais red wine is made with 100% Gamay, this grape is big, juice, thin skin and low tannins, very suitable to use Carbonic Maceration technique for vinification, which is vinify with whole bunches of grapes without crushing and place in a big closed container, the grapes in bottom will be crushed under the weight of gravity from the top. Then, grapes pulp, skin and juice will provide yeast to begin the fermentation. After fermentation, it will stay in the container to macerate for few days, for example Beaujolais Nouveau macerate for 4 days only. These wine provide fresh, fruity and low tannins simple wine, come with cherry, strawberry, banana, pear and candy aromas, the color is pink to light purple. Beaujolais Nouveau wine should enjoy as soon as after purchased because it doesn’t have any age potential. Some Beaujolais Villages or Cru wine will keep the wine in stainless steel vats or barrels for maturing for a while, after bottled these wines will have 3 to 5 years aging potential.

This year, I didn’t drink Beaujolais Nouveau wine yet, I tried a Cru Beaujolais wine Château de Corcelles 2014 from Brouilly. Beaujolais has 10 Crus Appellations, Brouilly is one of the Cru. Most of these 10 Cru are located in the northern side and come with granitic soils, which is suitable to plan Gamay variety. The wine from Brouilly is much more full body and earthy, not like the fresh Beaujolais Nouveau wine. Cru Beaujolais wine macerates for a minimum 10 days, Château de Corcelles has macerated for 15 days, and then kept in stainless steel vats until summer.

My Taste Note: The wine shows bright light purple color. It has cherry, spices and little earthy aromas. In the mouth can find fresh fruity flavors, medium dry sweet with light tannins and aftertaste has some cherry like acidity. Cru Beaujolais wine had a longer macerate time during fermentation, the body and taste are more complex than Beaujolais Nouveau. Overall, this wine is fresh and fruity, is like drinking sweet Roselle Tea (Hibiscus Tea).  

每年的11月都係最適合飲一些新鮮 Beaujolais Nouveau 紅酒(薄酒萊新葡萄酒),以前 Beaujolais (薄酒萊) 的村民會釀這些葡萄酒用來慶祝他們的每年的收成.在每年9月收成後再花6至8個星期來釀製,之後在11月的第3個星期4就開始售賣. Beaujolais 紅酒都是用100% Gamay (加美)來釀製,這款葡萄的特色就是皮薄,多汁,果實大粒和單寧含量低,所以適合用二氧化碳浸泡法來釀製.這個方法是用整串葡萄來釀製,首先所有葡萄不需壓碎,倒入一個密封的酒缸內,由上層葡萄的重力來壓破下層的葡萄.之後葡萄果肉,果皮和果汁開始流出和產生一些天然酵母進行發酵.當發酵後,酒會放在酒缸裡和果皮一起浸泡幾天,例如 Beaujolais Nouveau 就浸4天.這些酒的風味道都帶有新鮮果香,低單寧和帶有車厘子,士多啤利,香蕉,啤利和糖果的芳香,顏色都是在粉紅色和淺紫色之間.所以 Beaujolais Nouveau 紅酒最好就係即買即享受,因為它沒有陳年的能力,還一些 Beaujolais Villages (薄酒萊村莊酒) 和 Cru Beaujolais(薄酒萊特級酒),釀好之後會方在不銹鋼酒桶或木桶裡陳年一段時間,這些酒就會有2至3年的陳年能力.

今年我還未飲 Beaujolais Nouveau 紅酒,我就試了一枝 Cru Beaujolais 紅酒 Château de Corcelles 2014,來自 Brouilly 酒區. Beaujolais有10個特級產區, Brouilly 就係其中一個. 這10個特級產區都是位於北邊,大多數的土壤都是以花崗岩為主,非常適合種植 Gamay 的品種. Brouilly 的紅酒是比較厚身和帶有一些泥土風味,跟 Beaujolais Nouveau 有些不同. Cru Beaujolais 的紅酒在釀好後,會進行浸皮最少10天,Château de Corcelles 就用了15天來浸皮, 然後將酒放在不銹鋼酒桶裡直到夏天.

我的品酒筆記: 紅酒帶有透亮的淺紫色,有車厘子,香料和輕輕的泥土芳香.我覺得口感都是比較單薄,充滿新鮮水果味道,Medium Dry少少甜和輕微的單寧, Aftertaste 有一些好似車厘子的酸.在釀製過產中 Cru Beaujolais 的紅酒有較長的浸皮時間,所以酒身和味道方面會比Beaujolais Nouveau複雜. 整體這款酒感覺清新同Fruity,其實飲落有些似洛神花茶,少少甜酸的感覺.