Nackenheim, Germany, $149, stelvin seal
It's time for Wine Blogging Wednesday 45 and this month's theme is Old World Riesling. I really wanted to try and track down a noble Austrian example, but time run away and it looks like we're drinking this little number; the pretty picture and sweetness are a hint that it was obviously bought with Naomi in mind. Gunderloch 'Diva' Riesling 2006 comes from Rheinhessen, Germany's biggest wine region. It's a Spatlese style and is miraculously sealed with a screw-top, which makes it the first 'Old World' wine on EatingHK to be sensible topped with a stelvin rather than mouldy old tree bark; a win for Germany.
Gunderloch's Diva is straw golden in colour with a nose that has plenty of nice ripe fruit and citrus aromas. I smell peaches, lemons, limes and a hint of something unusual that's yeasty and buttery; strange, but attractive. This lady tastes delicious; there's good stone fruit flavours, especially peach and apricot, along with a smattering of racey spice. The sweetness is well balanced and there's just a little sparkling acid. Gunderloch 'Diva' Riesling 2006 has a lovely smooth and round mouthfeel with good balance and length. She's an appealing, pretty lady who's well worth meeting.
Visit winery website, Wine Blogging Wednesday 45 or the home of Wine Blogging Wednesday.
Thierry Germain Saumur Champigny 2005
Loire Valley, France, $133, cork seal
Though I've a whole pile of unfinished entries waiting to be polished and posted I though this better skip the que because of the effort it's caused me. Thierry Germain Saumur Champigny 2005 is my entry for Wine Blogging Wednesday 44 hosted by Gary Vaynerchuk from Wine Library TV. This month's theme was French Cabernet Franc and finding a bottle in Hong Kong proved quite a challenge. Searching the five local wine shops proved unsuccessful and a trip to Hong Kong Island to battle the weekend crowds was even more frustrating until finally I found this hidden in a corner of Watson's Wine Cellar at the IFC. It's 100% Cabernet Franc and comes from the Saumur Champigny in the beautiful Loire Valley.
When I poured the first glass of this dark cherry red coloured wine it was oozing a compost heap of earthy smells; mushrooms, game and manure, there was also a very distinct menthol whiff. A bit of time in the decanter made a huge difference and the barnyard blew off and a fragrance of dark forest fruits emerged along side the menthol. The decanter also helped the palate soften and cabbage, beetroot and green plum flavours emerge. Thierry Germain Saumur Champigny 2005 is dry with a hint of acidity and firm chalky tannins. It's got a nice mouth feel, good length and seems like it would age well for a few years. Big and bolder than I expected, I initially didn't find it that appealing, but it grew on me and is certainly well made, food friendly and offers something a little different.
Visit winery website (though the wine doesn't look like any listed?), Wine Blogging Wednesday 44 or the home of Wine Blogging Wednesday.
Villa Russiz Tocai Friulano Collio DOCG 2006
Capriva del Friuli, Italy, €16.50, cork seal
This is my entry for Wine Blogging Wednesday #41. Fork and Bottle who are running the event warned it can be difficult to find Friuli wines, but not if you've just visited Italy and were able to ask the lovely people at Enoteca Scali. The wine's made from 100% Tocai Friulano grapes and comes from Italy's northern most wine region; Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Classified as DOCG Collio, Villa Russiz Tocai Friulano 2006 is produced by the “A. Cerruti” Villa Russiz Institution; a charitable trust that does education and youth work along side its serious role as a winery.
Villa Russiz Tocai Friulano 2006 is a pretty straw gold colour. There was an initial whiff of grassy herbs, which was quickly replaced by an attractive nose oozing ripe pears, apple juice and almonds. The palate was a wealth of delightful flavours; cantaloupe, nectari
nes, grapefruit and pears with a slight bitter aftertaste. On the first sip there was a pinching slap of sharp acidity, but the wine settled down and became seductively full and lush, almost syrupy in its rich texture. At 15% alcohol it packs a punch and unfortunately alcohol dominates the finish. Villa Russiz Tocai Friulano 2006 impressed me with its complex, interesting palate and rich lushness; though the alcohol was off-putting.
Visit winery website or the home of WBW.
Real Bodega Reserva Tempranillo 2002
La Mancha, Spain, $113, cork seal
This is my entry for Wine Blogging Wednesday on the theme 'passionate Spanish wine'. The mission was "to taste at least one bottle of Spanish wine, red or white, preferably under $10". This was an adventure I liked the sound of and decided to limit myself to a search of the wine shops of the Yuen Long area where I live. US$10 is currently about HK$80 and wine prices are so high in Hong Kong I thought I'd probably be pushing this limit.
My search took my on a bit of an adventure around Yuen Long's three and a half wine shops. The first shop's only Spanish wine was piled high the doorway soaking up sun. The second shop was closed (it was Sunday), but on my third attempt I found something that fitted the criteria for only $113. Hailing from La Mancha, Real Bodega is 100% Tempranillo and aged in a mix of French and America oak.
Real Bodega started well being a fantastic rich, purple colour. The nose was a little subdued, but there were hints of pepper, tobacco, blackberries, a few herbs and liquorice. These flavours carried onto the palate and the liquorice element become more prominent. What I was most impressed by was the texture of Real Bodega; there were plenty of tannins present, but they were the big, soft, cuddly type (perhaps something like Hong Kong's new Giant Pandas). The wine filled out in the mouth offering plenty of depth and texture. Real Bodega Reserva Tempranillo 2002 was a pretty decent wine: it went well with food, was easy to drink and for Hong Kong was pretty reasonably priced. I did however find that it lacked a bit of interest and excitement and I suppose I was looking more for the "passion" in "passionate Spanish wine".
Visit winery website, Wine Blogging Wednesday #35 website or the home of WBW.
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