Christmas drinking
Hong Kong
Tasted Wednesday, December 24, 2008 - Sunday, December 28, 2008 by Wrighty with 742 views
Introduction
A mix of wines over Christmas
Flight 1 - Christmas Day and Boxing Day (2 Notes)
Had a glass of Champagne for breakfast but the cold killed it. Had an Oyster Bay SB, Yarra Ridge PN and D'Arenberg Late Harvest Riesling with lunch. All good and I could taste but no notes of vintage except the D'Ary was near US$20 for half a glass!
Finished off the Champagne during the day on Boxing Day and then managed to sink the d'Arenberg in the evening.
Flight 2 - 27th Dec - Dinner up the wine cellars (6 Notes)
Dinner with Mark & Keiko, Mark & Ali, Graham and his father and Charmaine and myself. Pretty casual and bring a bottle. Had a glass of the Port when I got home.
Flight 3 - Bernie and Chas's annual food fest (14 Notes)
The usual Christmas dinner but this year, as there's a recession we had to try and bring each course and the wine in under HK$200 a course/bottle. We were all allowed one bottle 'from the cellar' to break the bank and had to provide a sparkler, red and sweet wine.
The dom was served blind and was picked by a lot as the favourite wine.
The Glen Carlou and Barbera where served in black glasses but everyone guessed the colour and we had a couple of correct guesses for grape or location.
The reds and sweet wines were consumed a little more casually.
Notes are think as I didn't make any formal at the time so more from memory. It was a good night but next time think a little more order would be good.
Food - Chestnut and fennel soup; scallops, prawns and ousters, roasted salted salmon, 30 hour slow roasted shoulder of pork; warm centred chocolate cake; berry pavlova
Closing
Started with a cold and a fairly low key holiday meant no great wine nights but a few old bottles.
2002 Oudinot Champagne Brut Millésimé 91 Points
France, Champagne
(12/26/2008)
Opened on Christmas day and was a little 'flat' and dull but put this down to a cold. Second day was better and it opened up throughout the day. Minerally with lemon and some lime notes. Bready yeast came to the nose later. Last glass was the best so think, as per the Decanter and WFW Champagne reviews said, it needs a little bit of time.
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1998 d'Arenberg The Ironstone Pressings 89 Points
Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale
(12/26/2008)
This still had a lot of primary blackcurrant, almost Ribena. Alcohol came through later. Tannins have gone and there is an old world acidity but I was hoping, actually expecting, secondary notes after 10 years. OK but was hoping for more.
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