Pisa Moorings Pinot Noir

2006 Pisa Moorings Pinot Noir (New Zealand, South Island, Otago, Central Otago)

Everyone is always banging on about Pinot Noir - personally I run hot and cold. But with the 'rents visiting soon (who prefer lighter wines) I splurged on a few from New Zealand. A brace of 2006s, 2007s , 2009s and 2010s ... I couldn't resist a sneak preview. And jolly nice it was too.

Tasting note: Cherry and strawberry jam on the nose with a little cinnamon spice, which carried through to the palate with vanilla and some bitter, but not unpleasant, herbal notes on the finish.

Arbitrary points score: 87

Price: HK$169 from mywineman.com

Strength: 14%

Repurchase: maybe

Ch. Barde-Haut

2004 Château Barde-Haut (France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru)

It's just registered that I have quite a heavy skew in my cellar towards St. Émilion ... almost half.  Anyway, I've been sitting on a couple of these 04 Barde-Hauts for a while and having read that 2004 Bordeaux in general is drinking quite nicely I thought I'd give it a whirl. 85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 18 months in French oak. Check out my new fancy decanter - upgraded my HK$20 water jug for a HK$65 carafe.

Tasting note: Still a baby – this is tighter than a duck’s bum. Even after a four hour decant the tannin is super grippy. Aromas of pencils shavings and cassis with some violet notes. Sour cherry attacks on the palate with red liquorice, cedar and charred meat.  Developed quite nicely over the evening but I reckon this was opened at least five years too early.

Arbitrary points score: 89

Price: HK$400 from Watson's Wine

Strength: 14%

Repurchase: maybe

Wine pairing at Ming Court

Wine pairing at Ming Court

This isn’t a restaurant review but I did want to write a few words about the wine I had recently at two-Michelin-starred Ming Court. For the record, its ‘two-star’ status is a bit ridiculous. It was alright but not amazing – nowhere near the standard of other two-star restos I’ve been to.

Three of the seven degustation courses came with a generous serving (read: overfilled glass) of wine at an additional cost of HK$388. Breaks my heart that I could buy a whole bottle of very nice wine for that price but that’s the subject of a different post.

First up a non-vintage Laurent-Perrier Brut (France, Champagne) paired with chilled silk bean curd, black truffle and gold leaf. Very crisp indeed, with green apple notes, toast, some stone. Ok finish. 83pts. It didn’t really compliment the food, in my opinion, with the meager earthy truffle completely washed away by the high acidity from the champers. And I want to go on record stating that gold leaf really is the most pointless pompous ingredient.

Next pairing was a Chinese wine – a 2009 Grace Vineyard Chardonnay Tasya's Reserve (China, Shanxi) alongside sea cucumber, abalone sauce, and a deboned chicken wing. This was ok, well much better than the Great Wall Cab Sauv. A little white peach on the nose, some honey. Apple on the palate, some sweetness, a little oak. Sadly, lacking in structure. 83pts. It was an ok match with the sea cucumber, which was fresh and clean tasting. Funnily enough, I’d say the deboned chicken wing was a perfect representation of this wine. A bit flabby, pale, soft, floppy, insipid. Boiled chicken just doesn’t excite me.

Last pairing was the best by far. A 2008 Domaine Roger Belland Bourgogne (France, Burgundy, Bourgogne) paired with duck ravioli and duck consommé. Powerful bouquet of cherry, fig, some vanilla. Silky smooth, rich mouthfill, some sweetness in the fruit. Quite a long finish with some subtle oak. I could get into Burgundy if it’s consistently as good as this. 89+pts. Perfect match with the rich gamey duck.

Ch. Monbousquet

2005 Château Monbousquet (France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru)

I like Monbousquet, which is lucky as I have a bunch of it. I opened a 2009 recently which was delicious - if a little on the young side. Would the 2005 be closer to its drinking window? In a word, no. Still super tight on opening, like the 2009, this took a day to open up but, boy, when it did ...

Tasting note: again, hugely expressive nose of blackcurrant, spice, cedar. Beautifully complex palate with plenty of dark fruit, some coffee, vanilla - but not overpowering. Maybe a tobacco component. The tannin is strong with this one. Softened on day two leaving a superbly well-rounded bdx. This is a wicked wine from 40 year old vines with easily 20 or more years of life left in it.

Arbitrary points score: 94

Price: HK$600 from

Strength: 14%

Repurchase: yes

Ch. Le Pin

2010 Château Le Pin (appellation bordeaux controlee)

This is a bottle of Château Le Pin. It costs around HK$14,000 ($2000 US) and probably tastes very good indeed. I say 'probably' as I will almost certainly never taste it. If I had a spare 2000 bucks to splash on some wine I wouldn't spend it on Château Le Pin - I would buy a case of really nice Bordeaux and put the rest in the bank. Because that's how I roll.

Anyway ...

This is also a bottle of Château Le Pin. It costs HK$50 ($6.5 US) from ParknShop and it is definitely not very good indeed. If I had a spare 6.5 bucks to splash on some wine I wouldn't spend it on this Château Le Pin - I'd go to the pub and buy a beer. Because that's how I roll.


Tasting note: inviting fruity raspberry and blackcurrant aromas with some earthy notes. On the palate, thin, fruitless, some white pepper, heavy oak, bitter after-taste. This also rapidly deteriorated - utterly undrinkable after 30 minutes in the glass.

Arbitrary points score: 78

Price: HK$50 from ParknShop

Strength: 14%

Repurchase: non

d'Arenberg Tasting

d'Arenberg Tasting at Watson's

Sure, I’m an ardent d'Arenberg fanboy, but last night was a major contrast to the previous – somewhat dull – Burg tasting at Watson's, largely due to Chester Osborn’s larger than life personality. A nice chap with obvious passion for what he does and terrible dress sense.

First wine of the night was a cheeky sample of their new sparkling white (52% Chard, 40% Pinot Noir, 8% Pinot Meunier), which is only sold in Oz apparently. I’m not particularly turned on by bubbles but this was pretty good. Some peach and toasty notes on the nose, buttery citrus/sherbet on the palate with nice fresh acidity. I can’t decide whether the name (DADD) is tacky or clever.

2011 d'Arenberg Sauvignon Blanc The Broken Fishplate (HK$118). Same as recent tasting – grass, melon, some lime on the palate. Tasted a little brighter this time – more crisp. 85pts

2009 d'Arenberg Shiraz The Fruit Bat (HK$498). Huge nose, cassis, anise, spice. On the palate some black cherry, mocha. Very complex, rich tannins, long finish. Stunningly good wine and surprisingly approachable despite its youth. My WOTN. 93pts



2009 d'Arenberg Shiraz The Little Venice (HK$498). This was my least favourite of the three single vineyard offerings. Lighter in style, more red fruit than black, earthy, a more obvious oak note on the finish (without being too intrusive). 89pts

2009 d'Arenberg Shiraz The Eight Iron (HK$498). Another colossal nose of blackcurrant, anise, some sweet tobacco. Plum and black cherry notes also on the palate with some smokiness and spice. Chewy tannins, excellent acidity. 91pts

2008 d'Arenberg Shiraz-Viognier The Laughing Magpie (HK$178). Tasted before and my old note still stands. Concentrated nose of blackcurrant and vanilla. Fruit is quite subtle on the palate. Licorice comes in at the end for a decent long finish. Outstanding QPR. 90pts

2008 d'Arenberg The Ironstone Pressings (HK$358). Red berries on the nose. I find the palate a bit oaky and lacking fruit. Finished short with a chalky component. Probably my least favourite on the night. 85pts

2008 d'Arenberg Cabernet Sauvignon The Coppermine Road (HK$358). Big surprise for me as I’ve had this before and wasn’t that impressed. Aromas of plum, blackcurrant, olives, which come through on the palate with some sweetness. Long finish. Powerful stuff. 92pts

2008 d'Arenberg Shiraz The Dead Arm (HK$468). Black pepper, clove, cassis are all there on the nose. Evolves on the palate with anise, tar, some vegetal notes. Very well structured, smooth, meaty. Medium to long finish. 90pts

Is the whole greater than the sum of the parts

I recently read Joe Robert’s article debating the merits of arguably Australia’s two most celebrated Syrahs – Penfold’s Grange and Henschke’s Hill of Grace – and it got me thinking tonight’s d’Arenberg tasting should highlight some parallels.

On the one hand you have the Deadarm. Solid, reliable, year in and year out, d’Arenberg’s flagship (like Grange) is made from the best fruit collected from the best vineyards and blended to produce a high-quality product. I picture a great big solid shire horse – majestic, noble, hard-working, steadfast.

And then you have the single vineyard Shiraz range (to be sampled tonight: Eight Iron, Fruit Bat & Little Venice), which, like the Hill of Grace, perhaps offers a somewhat ‘purer’ (but probably less consistent) representation of the grape and the terroir from which it came. Picture a hot-blooded racehorse – spirited and excitable, a little temperamental and difficult to handle, but when the conditions are right …