My Birthday Lunch

A small group of usual suspects that we temporarily lured away from the Hong Kong Sevens rugby to enjoy a really relaxed lunch in the conservatory at Crown Wine Cellars on a perfect day for weather before the hot, wet season arrives in Hong Kong.

• 2010 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay Napa Valley 91 Points

  USA, California, Napa Valley

  Light green-gold colour....has darkened just slightly since last drank a year ago. Nose is all light lemon zest, slight oak....very light, refined and elegant. Palate is similar: really elegant, lemony, lemon basil, lemon verbena, very fresh mouthwatering and more-ish acidity, light toned but with a tannic backbone that lends it structure. Some lemon-infused unsalted butter emerges with time in the glass. Medium length but quite resonant. This wine stays firm in the glass for hours, which suggests it has a long life ahead of it. As always, a great crowd-pleaser especially with those who have never experienced subtle Napa Chardonnay. One of my perennial favourite Chardonnays and consistent year in and year out. 91+

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• 1985 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 94 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Julien

  Second of a case bought recently ex-Chateau where it had been re-corked in 2011. This bottle was really singing..... Lovely almost-transparent jewelled bright ruby colour. Beautiful nose of cedar dust in the sunlight, chalk, lots of other stuff going on too but the greatest sensation is how it is so elegant and feminine. Palate is bright, fresh, jewelled, high-toned light and elegant gorgeous slightly tart black and red berry fruit that mellows with time into the cedar and damp bracken elements that define St.Julien. Gorgeously open, rounded, fully mature but no hint of decline. Light but very persistent resonance and reverberance on the finish. Dilute compared to some vintages but hardly the right descriptor when you balance it against its elegance. A perfect Sunday lunch wine. 94+.

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• 1998 Chateau Musar 93 Points

  Lebanon, Bekaa Valley

  Decanted for only an hour.......which is normally anathema to me with Ch. Musar but it didn't seem to affect this bottle too much except that it closed up after a couple of hours and went back to sleep.....but what a great couple of hours! Plummy and slightly dusky translucent red in colour but broadly transparent at the edges of the glass. Nose is immediately beguiling freshly laundered clean but still slightly sweaty socks (thanks, Daniel), Chinese plums, 'Gai Tsi' Chinese baby red dates, red and white Turkish Delight with the icing sugar dust still on it. Palate is super....rounded, heady, alluring, perfectly ripe red cherry and its stones.....so fresh. Amazing resonance and reverberance. Thrilling.....a fantastic Ch. Musar! The only sadness was that it closed down after a couple of hours in the glass, which reflects its still relative youth and our minimal decant. Thanks, Daniel! 93+

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• 1998 Wynns Coonawarra Estate Cabernet Sauvignon John Riddoch 93 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra

  Decanted for an hour or so.....which was less than I would advise. Dense purple-red in colour and totally opaque. Nose is surprisingly fruit-driven for a John Riddoch but wow - all blackcurrant in a perfectly linear expression then undertones of damp bracken, red earth and a touch of signature eucalyptus....very refined. Palate is but really linear and precise - perfect blackcurrant and blackberry. Very pure.....really fruit-driven for a John Riddoch and a wine that is really starting to come into its drinking window, although the palate is significantly less evolved than the nose. Quite heady, very long and reverberant. Gorgeous with Italian cheeses. It hardened and closed down with extended time in the glass....which is a sign that top Aussie 1998s require a lot of patience and are evolving very slowly. A real treat.....thanks, Runny!

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A lovely cigar and robust Aussie wine as we sat on the terrace in beautiful warm and un-humid afternoon weather.

• 2004 Tatiarra Shiraz Pressings Caravan of Dreams 90 Points

  Australia, Victoria, Central Victoria, Heathcote

  Hurriedly decanted at the end of a great lunch and drank to accompany a Partagas D4 cigar. No detailed notes: jammy, young but a very satisfying work in progress that perfectly complimented the strong cigar. Somewhat out-punched by the other wines today but great to look forward to for the future......thanks, Runny!

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A fantastic chilled get-together....thanks guys!