Jancis Robinson’s Wine Course (2003) - Wine Book Review

Book Cover

Being a bookworm today crunching books in the library. Try to see if I can self-learn something more (though I have some un-touched books at home stacked up...) Here I come across Jancis Robinson's Wine Course. Let's do a book review.

Jancis is very witty and the book is amusing and full of humors. It has wide coverage of wine regions and what the style of those wine regions are like. This book is more for leisure and for wine lovers who have beginner’s wine knowledge, rather than an introductory course.

What I say so is because 1) each region only contains 1 page and half of it is more on geography and grape name. Not sure people may be able to associate the wine style and brands to these. This is more of terroir fundamental course; 2) the passage is really subjective e.g. on why Jancis thinks the Chablis quality is unstable.
For more educational or referencing purpose, readers should refer to her another book: “Oxford Companion in Wine”, which is more academic and wiki-like. This wine course book would be for beginner wine lovers and these are some side stories that made readers understand indirectly what contributes to the component of wine aromas and flavours.

I have long been admiring Jancis’ writing style, it is very journal-like and first person, therefore feel more narrative. Since having read her “How to taste wine”, you can tell in this Wine Course book, she has put together efforts from various books in more lament terms. That’s why this book can be so reader-friendly.

Before you decided to buy the wine course book, take a glimpse below on YOUTUBE for her first 8 minutes of 1st episode (in fact she posted 9 episodes for their first 8 mins on youtube). Very inspiring and eye-catching to watch. Don't miss your chance enjoying free browsing of vineyards with star anchor Jancis!

Keep Fit with Wine #1 – Sacchetto Prosecco with Sardine Sandwich

Sardine Sandwich (Total: $23.4)

- 2 pieces of Bread with light butter spread ($2.3)

- 1 tomato sliced ($2.4)

- Half cucumber sliced ($1.8)

- Half tin of Sardine fish in olive oil ($16.9)

Sacchetto Prosecco Spumante Extra Dry DOC ($68 Park’n Shop)

- Finer bubble than cava

- Limy nose

- Pear and peachy palate

- Sweeter than normal sparkling

Marriage: ***

-  Quite a good marriage, the savory fish and the hint of sweetness in prosecco cooperate well in palate.

-  The wine getting a bit acidic and bitter almond after 30 mins.

More about Sacchetto Prosecco:

This is from a region in Italy called Veneto. Sacchetto is a town where the Prosecco is most famous from. The most famous brand is Cantine Sacchetto. Prosecco could only be called Prosecco if they are produced in Veneto, same restriction as Champagne in France. They meant to be drink early and part of its fermentation process is done outside bottle, which makes the sparkling cost way lower.

Lunch time, cheers~

New Experiment - Keep Fit with Wine

Recently I kept having sumptuous wine dinners, either treats from friends or family gathering, which leads to gaining weight - 5 lbs at least... omg.
That triggers my thought to experiment to see whether wine lover can still be slim. This start my new section - Keep Fit with Wine.


In this experiment, I am going to have health-conscious meal every day and pair with different wine, see whether my pounds still gain from there and whether the wine & food pairing will sustain.
Hope through this experiment more slim and health-conscious ladies will join the world of wine together with me.


Keep it up, 1-pack --> 6-pack!

Wine Dinner with Online Seafood Delivery – Ocean Three

Such a vast growing trend on seafood online order & delivery service in Hong Kong in recent 2 years; people who have source on seafood wholesale will offer online delivery to cut cost and sustain freshness of seafood. As a wine-ie and foodie (do we have a funky name for wine luvers?) of course time to throw a party!

Wine of the day #4 – Tellurian Tranter Shiraz 2010 Heathcote Victoria Australia

Assessment of Quality

Used to be outstanding quality, when it was just opened. However after 7 days, the alcohol length is much shorter, and the flavor is not as strong and intense when it was first drunk.

It can still be identified that 7 days before it should be the star drunk. The gamy flavor is speculated in the nose, not in the flavor. The loss of peppery days later indicate the wine cannot mature for too long. 10 years would be max. This is the signature wine of Tellurian which was picked in Tranter Road Vineyard, illustrating through the blend of French oak and American oak barrique aging by wine maker Tobias Ansted to give both front and mid palate a smoother taste. 7/10

Dragon of Wine for 5 Descendants of the Dragon

Dragon – the symbol of dignity, auspicious power and respect. Chinese people are represented as “Descendants of the Dragon”. Not only is this the year of Dragon, it is also the 5^th Dragon cycle (every 12 years), which is why we had an opulent dinner, celebrating 5 dragons’ 60^th birthday.

So-called “no-budget” wine dinner ^^, I was responsible for wine selection and food pairing. Here’s the sumptuous Dragon Wine list:

1.      Billecart Salmon Extra Brut NV (France - Champagne)

2.      TaittingerPrelude Brut  NV(France - Champagne)
3.      Meursault 2006 (France – Burgundy)
4.      Caymus Special Selection 2003 (USA – Napa)
5.      Chateau Branaire-Ducru 2006 (France – Bordeaux)
6.      Errazuriz Kai 2009 (Chile – Aconcagua Valley)
7.      Niepoort Port 1952 (Portugal - Douro)
8.      Kay Brothers Amery Rare Muscat (Australia - McLaren Vale)


Level of difficulty : *** (5* is the hardest)
Before you click more, let's guess how the food matching was done?

Wine of the day #3 - Stefano Lubiana Pinot Noir Tasmania 2009

Assessment of quality

Excellent quality, especially after decanting. After 3 days, the velvet tannin is evolving and the flavour intensity is much stronger with a very long aftertaste. The leathery and gamy flavour stands out  with a sumptuous structure. The licorice taste swells in the mouth, however not sure it is popular among people on the mixing palate of licorice and leather. It can last for at least 20 - 25 years. Time to store some. The only question left in thought is whether young Australian wine would illustrate secondary note when decanted? Guess this is the beauty of Pinot Noir, similar to Burgundy's complex region.

Wine of the day # 2 - Coriole Lloyd Reserve Shiraz 2008

Assessment of quality

Outstanding quality, after 6 days or during the first opening the complexity and balance of body have not gone tired, the secondary note of smoke gamey and tar express more and more after days of opening. It has the quality of a french oaky old wine while only having 4 years of aging in the bottle. Amazingly good. Strong and lengthy aftertaste. The jammy liquid suggests strong concentration. Excellent quality and should worth a higher ranking than excellent in Langton's Classification.

當經典遇上經典 ﹣澳門私房菜

承蒙父親朋友之邀請，一家人樂也融融到澳門參加婚宴，隨後更誠邀大伙兒往勝哥私房菜大吃一頓。九大簋，認真是家庭式聚首一堂的經典，相對於西式一人一碟的靜觀賞吃法與品酒，中菜配酒來得熱鬧，至少每人必能品嚐每碟美味菜式與品酒之效果，不美味的也要一起承受啊。

餐前酒 ﹣ 葡萄牙: Quinta Da Alorna (2010) 外表極像平凡，一只透明玻璃樽，沒有花巧的標籤，所以沒有甚麼期望，但沒有期望總會令人有驚喜。清爽感覺帶有青草、檸檬的香甜作結的白酒，有著雷司令與的特色，這卻是100﹪葡萄牙葡萄ARINTO製造。

 

Wine of the day # 1 - Pierro L.T.C 2010

Assessment of quality
Very good quality, due to balanced body with high concentration and outstanding complexity of fruit, floral and mineral. Flavour is getting more and more intense from nose to palate to aftertaste.
An outstanding Australian wine , can identify because the character of semillon and sauvignon blanc 's typicity is clear in the note.

When Classic meets the “Classic” - Macau Private Kitchen

Thanks for the invite from an uncle, we paid a visit to Macau for a private kitchen dining as a post celebration of a wedding. A decent size of 9-dishes meal (a slang of huge cuisine), a classic Chinese  dinner is equivalent to a family gathering. Comparing to the fine dining of western culture, this seems to be a better way of doing wine tasting, at least making sure we all taste the same delicious food and wine; or nasty ones too.

Appetizer - Portugal wine: Quinta Da Alorna (2010) strikes as the appetizer drink. With a rough brand, simple transparent bottle in lack of labeling, it has always been good giving a lower standard and jump from there. Refreshing taste with sweet limy greenly finish it has been closer to the blend of sauvignon blanc and Riesling, in fact this is made 100% Arinto