What makes 1970 a memorable year?

Year 1970:

- The Beatles broken up

- 1st floppy disk was invented

- World Trade Centre completed

- Peru Earthquake that killed 72k people

- Introduction of bar codes system

Each of them is equally remarkable.

Some of them embedded as people's turning point in life.

Some of them already vanished from today's society.

In wine industry, 1970 also marked as an advancement. 

Today, we are honored to taste two from our uncle:

Cos d'estournel 1970

Blossom after 2 hrs decanting

Colour: brick red, slight tears

Smell: Scented with acid, blackberries truffle, coffee bean, soggy wet wood.

Taste: gamey, flat, short aftertaste, med complexity, mushroom, truffle, black fruit, pepper

Conclusion: Not recommend. Even if so, drink quick as the peak passed in 30 mins after.

Grand vin deLeoville du marquis de las cases 1970

Colour: More garnet than the estournel.

Nose: Less acidic in nose. Violet, red berries, cacao, coffee bean.

Palate: well- balanced, soft tannin, good complexity.Red currant fruity longer length, Smoky taste

Conclusion: More structures and full body than d'estournel. However it also passed its peak, should drink 10 years earlier. Depreciate in 1.5 hours. 

We don't know whether these 2 wines have changed people's view on wine in the last decade, we know these 2 brands are still famous and their quality is still improving. Enjoy~

Spanish blind tasting night

After 8 months, I finally was able to join my Sommelier classmates and teacher's blind tasting gathering at a Central private club with Cantonese cuisine. Sorry for being ingenuous, not knowing the menu in advance made the scope too vast to have any food pairing. Nevertheless, I was so impressed with their raptness over each gathering.

Game rule in a nutshell. Each of us brought our wrapped bottle. The rest had to guess to our closest knowledge on grapes, terroir, vintage and location of the producing region.

Presentor then had to depict the stories behind this wine, the vineyard, style and the reason they selected the wine. At the end of dinner, all of us voted their favorite bottle excl. their own. One with most votes would be rewarded with a free meal of the night. Fair enough, just don't put too much cost to the bottle *grin*

Here are the selections of the night

1. Tondonia 1998 Gran Reserva

Rioja macabeo
Look: Golden yellow, slight tears. Clean

Nose: Chrysanthemum, buttery,elderflower, high acidity

Palate: vanilla, honey, oaky, long finish, waxy, end with acidity

Reserva: 24 maturation + 6 cask maturation

Price: $278 from Watson's Wine

2. Amma Albariño rais baixas 2012

Look: Lemon, clear, tears

Nose: Guava, pomergranate, peach, pear,mineral, aromatic

Palate: acidity med+; med dry.
Grape : Albariño from Rais Baixas

New version: late harvest
Price: ??

3. Tondonia 1999 Gran Reserva

Look: golden yellow , golden than 1st

Nose: buttery, sulphur, acid, chemicals,eucalyptus, 

Palate: oaky, plum, tingling poppy on tongue
Price: $298 

4.Corullon Mancia

Look:Garnet red, sentiment

Nose: Leather, peppery, red berries, 

Palate: black peppery, spicy, Thai spice, 

Grape: Grenache, Temperanillo from a village close to Priorat

Price: $468

5. Carmelo Rodero 2011 Crianza

Look: purple red, tears, clear

Nose: Oak, eucalyptus, red current, big body, pungent, jammy, chocolate

Palate: Mocha, tannin, chocolate, new oak, lengthy, vanilla,
(12mths maturation +24 barrel)
Grape: 95% temperanillo 5% Cabernet Sauvignon from Ribera du duero
Price: $480 

6. La Cima

Look: ruby, clear

Nose: celery, cherry, spice

Palate: tannin, candy, spicy, french oak 18mths, new, leathery, licorice

Grape: Mancia from Ribera sarca
The dog on the label is named Merlot
Price: from Vineyard for free

7. Tossals 

Look: Ruby, clear

Nose: fruity, cherry, sweet, red fruit

Palate: new world, Pinot noir, sweet, strawberry, mid length
Grape: Samso from Montsant

Price: ??

8. Psi 2010

2009 better Peter sisseck, 

Temperanillo 100%

Look: ruby, clear

Nose: chestnut, black fruit, leather, violet

Palate: Complex, med length, full body, asian spice
Grape: Temperanilla from Ribera del Duero
Price: 289 from Regis Wine

9. Enate 2013

Look: Lemon, clear

Nose: Light citrus, fruit driven

Palate: Med+ acidity new version Albariño
Grape: Sumatano Chardonnay 14% alc.; Single vineyard High altitude

House wine of 3 star Michelin restaurant in France

Price: $260

Best wine of the night was #4, case the votes were divided amongst 2 Tondonia. All are value for money. I will attempt grabbing some bottles as a decent weekend chillout wine.

Looking forward to next gathering...