Bonheur - the long missing wine buddies are back!

Remhoogte Estate Wine 2004

Africa Stellenbosch
Produced by Michel Rolland and Auguste Natter
Blend: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinotage

Looking at winery like this (the view above),  african wineries are worth paying a visit, espeically when
famous Bordeaux oenologist - the influential Rolland effect is the producer!

Dry body, with strong hint of "corn" and cranberries. Fruity and easy drinking style. Stronger black current in palate. The acidic and tannin tangle on my tongue for a while and gone. Mimic bordeaux style however the aftertaste needs to catch up.
Not sure if 2004 is a matured vintage to drink for Stellenbosch.

Food Pairing: Goes so well with 36 months parma ham and melted Parmesan cheese. My choice of typical Foie Gras will be better for even stronger cab dominant wine. And the pan-fried scallop is quite a highlight as the inside is still very fresh and meaty. Even pan-fried seafood pairs quite well with this wine.

Eight Heritage 2007

The only 'winery' in Hong Kong - The 8th Estate Winery. Located in Aberdeen, blending grapes from all over the world trying to see if this works out in a non-grape growing city. This was bought during last visit organized by company event.
Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon from Washington USA

Spicy nose. Classic cab flavour, peppery. Fuller body 1 hour later. Stronger dark chocolate with certain bitterness as back bone. This pairs better with Foie Gras. Since we did not do the food pairing this time, majority of us picks the tomato fish soup, which is an innovative dish. The blended fish brings context and chewiness to the tomato soup that you can't imagine they are perfect match. 

Salad's vinegar actually spoils the acidity of the wine. Suggest not to have salad with vinegar as an option.

Mount Mary Quintet 2006
Yarra Valley Australia
Producer: Dr. John Middleton
Grape: Blend - Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, others...

Almost majority of the Australian wine producer are either retired lawyer or doctor, probably because during their work / life they have a lot more chance to get in touch with wine than anybody else.

This was bought 4 years ago at slightly below $400. As the highest grade "excellence" of Langton's ranking, my last impression was a very powerful shiraz that I would definitely revisit with no doubt.

This time, it feels like stranger to me. It tasted different from before, a much weaker wine. Due to the Cabernet Franc element, the cassis and cloves aroma is quite welcoming, with a garnet color. Once drink it through, the structure is fair, yet the body is medium and fruitiness makes it looks like a medium level wine instead of excellent one for investment. It suppose to last till 2024+ from Robert Parker. I have strong doubt to this, fingercross that is only a storage issue. Mild aftertaste and goes best with the black juicy pork tonight. The juicy thick and gigantic pork.

Pavie Macquin 2007
St. Emilion Bordeaux
Grape: Bordeaux blend - Merlot, little Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon
Producer: Nicolas Thienpont and Stéphane Derenoncourt.

Not only Pavie Macquin, Nicholas is also the producer of Larcis Ducasse, Les Chares Godard, Puygueraud and La Prade - all are representative and famous on its own.

From latest Decanter note, it says this wine is light and early drinking. Well, hang in there... as we had it breathed for 2 hours that it starts evolving. I love evolving wine, it's like drinking several wines. 1 price, 3 tastes, great!

Hint of malt and wheat. Clear red berries, plummy and licorice with silky end. Medium body. Flavor gets richer and intense only in mid way of palate. It comes to the peak when we came to the cheese platter part, that's... 4 hours. Long lengthy aftertaste 

Lovely marriage with pork as the mild juicy pork melt with macquin. This Grand Cru Classe B has earned its best rank among 5 wines of the night, also it's the most expensive wine of the night. ($720)

Lascomes 2008
Chateau Lascomes, Margaux, Bordeaux (Grand Cru Classe 2nd Growth, First wine of the chateau)
Grape: Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon with slightly others.
Owner: Marcel Kahn

This is the 1st wine I stole from Dad's wine cellar that brought me to the world of grand cru classe. (without knowing the price by then) I was hardly scolded and told not to touch any wine. That refrains me from wine for quite a while until... I buy the permit to drink (with a wine cert -- a real ticket).
Silky texture, full body, not much leather, and again this is peppery and black fruit with chocolate flavour at the end.

After years of drinking a wide range of wine, I would say this is a regular choice. It won't fail you, especially if you go for wine with steak and mash potato. Sometimes I would prefer you go for Chevalier de Lascome (2nd wine of Chateau Lascombe) at around $250 which makes a reasonable price and daily joy too.

Mango Napoleon itself is the signature dish of Bonheur. It stands well by itself, or with coffee. Hard to enjoy in good manner, with friends... we just love it!

Dornfelder 2009
Grape: Dornfelder Germany Red grapes for red wine

Easy drinking and surprisigly good match with anything mad eof vanilla, in the case with apple tart and soft center chocolate cake. The unique boysenberry sweetness makes the apple tart and chocolate cake like topped with berries , fill out the missing part of it.

We all use the remaining wine from previous mentioned to match the cheese and grapes~ That brings the lone dominant flavour and character of the wines. No doubt why cheese platter always served parallel with 'desserts' -- to revitalize , revisit and wrap up our impression to all our wines.

Welcome back my drinking buddies. Looking forward to more themes in our wine gatherings. Enjoy~

Restaurant: Bonheur

Address: 22-26 Bonham Strand, 6F, The Pemberton, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong

Phone: +852 2544 6333

Map:

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A retained gentle smile- Grand Pontet 2000 (RP92)

While my father is in favor of the powerful Cabernet Sauvignon, I have been persuading him over the last 2 years to try Burgundy Pinot Noir yet failed. Until one day I tasted right bank Bordeaux that I realize at some point, we can compromise - A bordeaux blend. (70% Merlot 30% Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon)

As one of the 64 St. Emilion Grand Cru Classé, though some are still of fairly must-buy price e.g. Chateau Barde-Haut, Chateau Faugeres at HKD$350, Chateau Grand Pontet was sold at $580. It (You’d better) has to reflect to a certain extent some distinction from those just-promoted stars to sustain its position through the 6 Classifications from year 1955 to year 2012.

Tasting

Disregard the occasion and environment when I drank this wine that day (coz it’s freaking HOT!) Grand Pontet didn’t taste as powerful as typical big Bordeaux. The impression does not match with the image of its chateau, nor like a big bridge as what the name states.

This wine is a soft, delicate and balanced wine compared to other St. Emilion I have tasted, should be coming from Merlot which I have missed drinking for long. That has hint of blackberry nose, followed by oaky vanilla flavor and slight mint is probably from the French oak barrel. Short tannin yet long length swelling in my mouth.

Do not expect a power bouquet blossom from the 2 hours opening right at you. The power comes at the tip of your tongue during the finishing.

The fleshy and complex structure is not attacking you like machine gun. It is more like spend an hour at a painting by appreciating artist’s effort of drawing the shyness of gentlemen’s smile – polite, warm and longlasting.

I guess this is also why year 2000 has 2^nd highest RP points (92 vs 93 in year 2005) in the last 13 years.

Recommendation

I recommend the wine to go with stewed or softer texture red meat such as beef cheek. Drink quickly as it does not stay the next day, even if it is a year 2000 wine. This year the wine is matured. Drink now.

Wine of the day #6 - Chateau Palmer 2nd wine Alter Ego 2006

Assessment of Quality 7.5/10

Developing, entry level wine due to many primary fruit character and light in body, simple structure. Lack of complexity given most of the intensity is below benchmark, suggesting this should be the entry market level. Could not believe this could be the second wine of a Grand Cru St. Emilion class. Perhaps the vintage was not on the year when the quality is restored to Grand Cru Class as yet that the winemakers tend to put more effort on Tertre Daugay than this.