Birthday party for Mrs L

Wine Vault, Wong Chuk Hang, Hong Kong
Tasted Saturday, April 25, 2015 by ilee with 412 views

Introduction

Mrs L's birthday gave me the perfect excuse to book one of the comfortable rooms at HK Wine Vault for a small dinner party with a few usual suspects. Mrs L and I went early to pick out a few wines from our tiny rented cellar. She didn't think we could finish everything, but of course we did. Menu was Cantonese prepared by the very able Chef Yip, whose style is deliciously traditional. Altogether a terrific evening, and we staggered out into an empty street in the wee hours

Flight 1 - Bubbly start (1 Note)

Flight 2 - Some Bordeaux including a great impersonator from Italy (4 Notes)

  • 2004 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia 95 Points

    Italy, Tuscany, Bolgheri, Bolgheri Sassicaia

    Bright ruby, exactly like the gemstone. Absolutely stunning nose of floral, red fruit and earth notes, virtually streaming out of the glass. On the palate, ethereal layers of red berry fruit (cranberry?) mix playfully with velvety smooth tannins. The crisp acidity of the red berries gives the wine a bright lift into the plush and silky finish. Already a beauty that is fully enjoyable now, I expect this wine to evolve and improve for another 10 years easy.

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  • 2003 Château Mouton Rothschild 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Hmm, I can see why some people really like this, yet others are distinctly not fans. I am somewhere in the middle. The nose is certainly all beauty and class, what with the rich fumes of cassis, mint, earth and tobacco shooting magical pulses of pleasure into the brain. But the palate is not quite so compelling. The wood and the fruit, both quite dominant, rich characters, haven't quite figured out between them who is in charge so there is a bit of a tussle going on. As a long-time fruit voter, I found the wine a little creamy for my liking. But that is not to say it isn't a nice wine or that given time, it can't be even better. Certainly, all the components necessary for a great wine are all there. I shall hold my two remaining magnums for longer.

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  • 1996 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste 94 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

    Dark, rich and smoky nose of cassis, cedar, pencil shavings -- classic Pauillac. Open and rounded on the palate, the tannins are nicely integrated into the sweet and robust black fruit, giving the wine a friendly and approachable style that surprises me for a 1996 vintage. There is a juicy complexity in the finish, which is respectably long. Compared to my last encounter eight years ago, this wine seems to have blossomed. I look forward to enjoying my remaining bottles over the next several years.

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  • 1995 Château Cos d'Estournel 92 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Saint-Estèphe

    I've had bottles of this wine for ages yet have never drunk a single one. So the occasion this evening was a fine excuse to drag out a bottle to try. Tight and closed initially, the nose opened up after 30 minutes to reveal notes of ripe dark berries, cassis and cigar ash. For me there was also a mild green note; it wasn't exactly bothersome, but it was there all right. Which to me was strange. Here was an otherwise ripe, robust and full-bodied wine with a nice long finish. Indications point generally to a bright and sunny vintage, yet some unripe bits of plant matter managed to qualify for the final blend? Hmm. Now I'm really curious, and can't wait to open another one...

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Flight 3 - Sugary ending (1 Note)

  • 2001 Château Rieussec 95 Points

    France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes

    Wow it’s only been a year since I opened one of these, and it’s gone all brown on me! Dried figs, overripe honeydew, roasted pineapple, how different from what it used to be not too long ago. The crispy, zesty freshness of youth is gone; in its place is a rich, thick honeyed sweetness that would probably drive me nuts if I were a bear. But not being a big furry honey fan, I’m undecided as to whether I like where this is going, or if I prefer my sweet wines younger and fresher. But since I’m in no hurry to decide, I won’t.

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