Around the world in 10 sips

Opening the cellar: Errazuriz Gruaud Larose; Llyod; Monbuesquet, Krug...

Namely a series of fantastic collections.

Reluctance to drink, coming from within: Can't finish -> Leave it till tomorrow -> Declining -> $ wasted...

Strong withdrawal, cellar door closed by demons.

Have been thinking of several options to avoid the forementioned:

1. Get everyday wine (throw same $ to sea)

2. Half bottle: better option, yet my thirst level hasn't reached that yet

Shop around lately in IFC, Amo Eno is a digital menu ordering bar selling wine bottles and accessories for wine geeks like me. 

Place with good deal in Languiole chic glassware, corkscrew and Wine Samples!!! 

Current offers are limited to California wines. Guess old world may not like it as they are all screwcap, yet for taster like me, I would buy a set home.

For a snail home the sample set is good pick as miniature display, authentic consumable collectables. Perhaps worth more than the stamps later (US is using stickers instead of
stamp now. Hinting the loss of value in old stamps?)

Well, who told you product design doesn't matter for wine? Though you can't tell what it tastes like from the design of the bottle, the product outlook matters.

Recalling my last trip to Mornington Peninsula where I went to a vineyard called "10 minutes by tractor" for wine dinner. The appetizer pairs with tasting sample of latest wine issue, in TESTTUBE form! Impressive that I actually brought it home.

This is such a good way of showing customers every bit of the vineyard, especially for those in Australia where buying various land planting different vines are common practice. The presentation of test tube depicts the meaning of "testtube" the best combo of the vines.

Dining experience at 10 minutes by Tractor

If there is a sample set created, I would like to order a set called "Around the world in 10 sips".

Wine of the day #8: Matanzas Creek Merlot 2008

Nostalgia. The lavendar, the bees, the cheese platter, the wine tasting room.
Same group of people, gather to revitalize our memory of Napa / Sonoma Valley trip.

2008 Merlot - Thick licorice driven wine. Not so much tannin and length in the wine. This is quite a straight forward easy-drinking wine. Very juicy and simple. Whoever prefers licorice will like this wine. Merlot character was not clear, perhaps to the later stage when vanilla and nutmeg are getting obvious. This goes well with sweet-sour pork and classic Canton dishes.

In fact 2007 was of a totally different flavour and texture, with only 1 vintage difference. Blending 14% of Cabernet Sauvignon from Knights Valley, the rich structure of wine is more sage and herbal than that of year 2008. This wine best matches with cow's milk cheese (Mt. Tam and Dry Jack) recommended during the wine & cheese pairing during the visit.

Should I be surprised by the flip of character between 2 vintages? Recently browsing through Les Gouttes de Lieu #37 where it says 'to summarize one word for each wine world's expression': "Terroir" / Soil is the word for France; Complexity of Sunshine and Sea represents Italy; Australia demonstrates the challenge to nature, whereas USA depicts Man's industriousness and talent.

When given the virtue from Sonoma County, Matanzas Creek vineyard owner tried hard transferring lavendar from Loire Valley; grow bees and sell honey, and test more than 12 grapes varieties to see which one goes well. I can see the great effort in trying things out, however if someone has not been there, can they tell the difference between the quick win of getting simple juicy wine to obtain market share versus talent to produce varieties of wine to sell?


Just 2 cents of thoughts: Concentrate on 1-2 variety of grape when complete with experiemental trials and work hard to give depth and aftertaste. This makes a long-lasting win to the brand.
 

$35 - Directly brought back from Matanza Creek Winery (2008)
$35 - Available Online (2007)

Other recommendations: 2010 Chardonnay, 2008 Journey Red.

Wine for a rainy summer

Often seen in the poster in summer wine magazine: breeze of Sauvignon Blanc with a background of sunshine and pasture for picnic.

In places like UK or Hong Kong where rainy summer is common, the gloomy weather doesn't trigger anyone to that sunshine image. Again, this is one of the advertising 101, what to map when you think of rain? Drops of rain on window like tears on glass - the sticky ones.

Here I will recommend sweet whites - you can pick Sticky Chardonnay or Weingut Fritz Windisch Dornfelder. A tiny dazzle of sweetness across palate that dilute the dark side of the rain.

Stick Chardonnay from D'arenberg -
One of D'arenbergs' simplest style wine, picking late harvest chardonnay. The kumquat and marmalade character gives a citric stimulation to our taste buds, just like rain is an incitement to a heat wave in summer. Its golden yellow color often gives a glimpse to your grey mood. It did energizes me when I bought it at HKD$10!!! Also, if rain didn't last that long, you can often keep that in fridge until another rainy day. Such an amenity of late-harvest wines.


Weingut Fritz Windisch Heimersheimer Rotenfels Dornfelder QbA -
When you say, how come rain often goes with summer when summer supposes to be sunshine and sea, this is such a cynical thing. Then that's exactly what Dornfelder is - a red sweet still wine. Do not judge the mismatch. Without rain, you can't live in drought. Its floral cherry and plummy red wine softens the sadness of rain. This should be the most effective wine in Germany as this is the second most common red wine vines planted in Germany.


When it's raining next time, pour the glass, sat next to the window enjoy the raindrop hitting your window. We call this moment - Romance.