JC Viens is a wine educator and holder of the prestigious Diploma Level 4, WSET and a certified International Bordeaux Educator. He is an avid wine lover and selects the Ben Rye 2007 from Italy, origin of some of the most rewarding wines.

Ben Rye Passito Di Pantelleria 2007 literally means “Son of the Wind” in Arabic after the plentiful breezes that sweep across the island of Pantelleria off the coast of Sicily where this outstanding wine originates. Arabs brought the Zibibbo grapes to the island from North Africa hundreds of years ago.

Made with the “Appassimento” method so particular to Italy with grapes dried in the sun for 20-30 days to obtain extra concentrated sugars and flavours, this fascinating wine is lusciously sweet thanks to moscato’s telltale orange-blossom nose, with a diabolical intensity of apricot and peach, orange and grapefruit peels, dried figs, honey and sweet spices like cinnamon and cloves. The finish is extremely long, fresh and complex making it exceptional to pair with dark chocolate or cakes made with nuts and fruits.

Wine Stats:

• Name + year: Ben Rye 2007
• Appellation: Rye Passito Di Pantelleria 2007 Doc (Italy)
• Type of wine/ varietal: Zibibbo (Moscata D’Alessandria)
• Alcohol content: 14.5%

Wine rating:

• 5 stars

Where to buy?

• HKD$656 from ASC Fine Wines
• Tel: 3923 6723

Related posts:

1. LakeBreeze Moscato 2008 – Adelaide’s Award Winning Moscato Adelaide’s Award Winning Moscato. The Lake Breeze Moscato 2008 is...
2. Discovering Italian Sparkling Wine: Moscato D’Asti JC Viens introduces us to Romano Dogliotti la Galeisa this...
3. Expert Wine Picks: 2007 Etna Rosso by Tenuta delle Terre Nere The Chief Sommelier of the Mandarin Oriental picks this week’s...

JC Viens is a wine educator and holder of the prestigious Diploma Level 4, WSET and a certified International Bordeaux Educator. He is an avid wine lover and selects the Moscato D’Asti from Italy, origin of some of the most rewarding wines.

Moscato D’Asti is a delightful, intensely aromatic sparkling wine from the Piemonte region in the north-west of Italy. The  “La Galeisa” from Romano Dogliotti is crisp and light and, with only 5.5% alcoholic strength, it has a delicate mousse and is slightly sweet. Made from the moscato grape, it is extremely perfumed and gives aromas reminiscent of spring blossoms, peach and pears.

Food Pairing:

It is perfect as an aperitif but can very well match delicate and perfumed Asian dishes and desserts made with fruits.

Wine Stats:

• Name + year: Romano Dogliotti la Galeisa
• Appellation: Moscato D’Asti DOC
• Type of wine/ varietal: White sparkling
• Alcohol content: 5.4%

Wine rating:

• 5 stars

5 star= outstanding, 4 stars =worthy, 3 stars = satisfactory, 2 stars = drinkable, 1 star = avoid

Where to buy?

• HK$180 from First Wine.
• Tel: 2761 2779

Related posts:

1. LakeBreeze Moscato 2008 – Adelaide’s Award Winning Moscato Adelaide’s Award Winning Moscato. The Lake Breeze Moscato 2008 is...
2. Taste moscato’s telltale orange-blossom nose with Ben Rye 2007 A bright and airy fruity cocktail for this week’s Winebuzz...
3. Expert Wine Picks: Brut Franciacorta Cuvee Ca Del Bosco 2004 Our wine pick this week is one of Italy’s most...

Hong Kong’s very own Master Of Wine, Debra Meiburg, has just launched an online video series called “Meet the Winemaker” which is a charming “all-access” look at the wine industry and reveals the personal side of its movers and shakers.

Debra’s video offers an intimate look into the lives of the world’s most interesting and influential wine personalities including Ernst Loosen , Emmanuel Cruse from Chateau D’Issan, actor Sam Neil who has his own vineyard, and Cecile Bonnefond from Veuve Clicquot, among others.

Relaxed and easy-going, the interviews cover their struggles and triumphs, candid tasting notes, frank opinions on industry issues, and an all-important personal glimpse into what makes them tick.

Filmed in various locations throughout Hong Kong, episodes are produced on an ongoing basis and will be released weekly online.

To view more episodes of “Meet the Winemaker”, visit Debra’s website at www.debramasterofwine.com.

Related posts:

1. Debra Meiburg Wants to Introduce You to Your Tongue [ September 8, 2010; ] Let the Master of Wine...
2. Amber’s Epicurean Series in Hong Kong [ March 4, 2010; April 14, 2010; April 17, 2010;...
3. Veuve Clicquot Winemaker Demonstrates the Proper Way to Enjoy Champagne Francois Hautekeur flies in to show us his champagne etiquette....

Alan Tsui is the sommelier at Sheraton Hong Kong, where wine is an important part of their offering. Their SkyLounge wine room stocks an exclusive rare wine list from around the world and was one of the first in the city to install the Enomatic Wine Dispenser; allowing it to serve the widest range of wine by the glass anywhere in Hong Kong.

Back to the wine selected, the Vins de Vinenne “Sotanum” 2003 is a wine produced by the Vins de Vienne vineyard in the Rhone Valley, France. The vineyard’s historical significance dates back to the times of the Roman Empire and the vineyards of Seyssuel were already known for their quality.

The forgotten vineyard was revived in 1996 by four top winemakers from the right bank of the Rhône; Pierre Gaillard, Francois Villard, Yves Cuilleron, and later on Pierre-Jean Villa. They planted the first Syrah vines in 1996 and have been producing 3 crus: Sotanum, Taburnum and Heluicum on the now 19 hectares vineyard. The Sotanum stays in oak barrels for 20 months and is a concentrated wine with ripe, rich flavours and a full, long finish.

According to wine critics, this is a label that deserve serious attention.

Tasting note:

Lovely aromas of lavender, graphite and violets precede a racy palate of black cherry, blackberry, tar, mineral and sanguine flavors. Pure and lengthy through the finish, with hints of olive and sage.

Food Pairing:

Ideal with roasted red meat.

Wine Stats:

• Name + year: Sotanum Les Vins de Vienne, 2003
• Appellation: Rhone, France
• Type of wine/ varietal: 100% Syrah
• Alcohol content: 13.5 %

Wine rating:

• 5 stars

5 star= outstanding, 4 stars =worthy, 3 stars = satisfactory, 2 stars = drinkable, 1 star = avoid

Where to buy?

• The Champagne Company. Tel: 2304 8065

Related posts:

1. Expert Wine Picks: 2007 Etna Rosso by Tenuta delle Terre Nere The Chief Sommelier of the Mandarin Oriental picks this week’s...
2. Expert Wine Picks: Top of The Hill Pinotage 2002 Island Shangri-la’s Head Sommelier picks a South African wine. Nicolas...
3. Expert Wine Picks: Chateau de Saye Anthony Petit of Modus Ecellente Education Centre picks a good...

Paolo Gorreri is the Manager of Grissini at the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong. This week for Winebuzz.hk’s expert wine picks, he selects a Franciacorta Cuvee Ca Del Bosco 2004.

Franciacorta Spumante is one of the most appreciated sparkling wines from Italy and the best alternative to Champagne. Made from Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Bianco grapes, the sparkling wine is then fermented in the ‘traditional way’ for a period of time – quite long in this case of more than 25 months in the bottle.

The area of Franciacorta in Italy is situated in Lombardy, in the county of Brescia. The wine served in Grissini is specially labeled in the magnum bottle for the restaurant. The magnum bottle size is 1.5 liter, the equivalent of two standard bottles and you can get up to 10 full glasses from a bottle. We especially ordered the sparkling wine be bottled in magnum bottles because it ages better compared to regular bottles as there’s less oxygen to slow down the ageing process, thereby allowing for more nuance and complexity to develop in the evolution of the wine.

The bigger bottle also looks more dramatic and impressive, and is great for occasions in which it is being served – ie celebrations!

Tasting note:

It has a great golden color and fine, persistent perlage or bubble. On the palate, it has a mild aftertaste of vanilla. It is smooth and pleasantly distinctive.

Food Pairing:

Great as an aperitif or with pair with any kind of seafood.

Wine Stats:

• Name + year: Brut, Franciacorta Ca del Bosco
• Appellation: Franciacorta, Lombardia (DOCG)
• Type of wine/ varietal: White sparkling
• Alcohol content: 12.5 %

Wine rating:

• 5 stars

5 star= outstanding, 4 stars =worthy, 3 stars = satisfactory, 2 stars = drinkable, 1 star = avoid

Where to buy?

• At Grissini, it is HK$ 210 by the glass or HK$1950 per magnum bottle

Related posts:

1. Expert Wine Picks: Star Lane Sauvignon Blanc 2005 The Peninsula’s sommelier selects a Californian wine for this week’s...
2. Expert Wine Picks: Top of The Hill Pinotage 2002 Island Shangri-la’s Head Sommelier picks a South African wine. Nicolas...
3. Expert Wine Picks: Chateau de Saye Anthony Petit of Modus Ecellente Education Centre picks a good...

Nicolas Pierron is Island Shangri-La’s Head Sommelier. This week for WInebuzz.hk’s expert wine picks,  he selects a Pinotage from Top of the Hill, South Africa.

Top of the Hill is only produced in exceptional vintages and only when the current, ninth generation winemaker, Daniel de Waal deems it suitable for release.   The name, Top of the Hill is derived from the fact that the vines are planted on top of the hill and exposed to the sun.

The uniqueness of this wine comes from the vines which are more than 45 years old.  On your first glass, you will be surprised by the dark ink-ish colour and intense flavours of rich black plums, cigars, dark chocolate and spices.  It’s a full-bodied wine with a long lasting fruit taste on the palate and with smooth tannins. This wine is not the usual South African pinotage with lots of fruits and an absence of depth.   On the contrary, the wine has been aged well in French oak for 12 months and only released a few years later at its optimum drinking time.

Top of the Hill reflects a particular terroir and the winemaking tradition of the De Waal family.  At Restaurant Petrus, I usually use this wine in a blind tasting and most of the guests think that it originates from the Rhone Valley or is an old world wine.  The production of this Pinotage is limited to 200 cases of six bottles.

Food Pairing

With the game season starting, the Pinotage Top of the Hill is the perfect match for venison, partridge, hare or even with beef if you are a steak lover.

Wine Stats

• Name + year: Pinotage, Top of The Hill, DeWaal, Stellenbosch, South Africa 2002
• Appellation: wine of origin Stellenbosch
• Type of wine/ varietal: Pinotage
• Alcohol content: 13,5% Vol
• Price: HK$890 per bottle or HK$180 per glass

Wine Expert Rating

• 5 stars

5 star= outstanding, 4 stars =worthy, 3 stars = satisfactory, 2 stars = drinkable, 1 star = avoid

Where to buy?

• It is available at Restaurant Petrus at HK$890 per bottle or HK$180 per glass
• Sheffied Limited Tel:  (852) 2488 8517

Related posts:

1. Expert Wine Picks: Brut Franciacorta Cuvee Ca Del Bosco 2004 Our wine pick this week is one of Italy’s most...
2. Expert Wine Picks: Vins de Vienne “Sotanum” 2003 The Sommelier of Sheraton picks a Sotanum 2003 for Winebuzz.hk...
3. Expert Wine Picks: Star Lane Sauvignon Blanc 2005 The Peninsula’s sommelier selects a Californian wine for this week’s...

Jordi Chan is the sommelier at Peninsula Hotel. For our wine pick this week, he selects the Star Lane Sauvignon Blanc 2005 by Star Lane.

Star Lane is a vineyard located on the lower slopes of the San Rafael Mountains in Santa Ynez Valley, in sunny California. The terraine features a unique mix of weathered sand, gravel and alluvial cobbles over clay subsoil. With both excellent drainage and good water-holding capacity, these conditions mimic terrain found at the best vineyards in Bordeaux.

Their Sauvignon Blanc is bottled unfiltered after 10 months on fermentation lees (lees being the yeasty residue found in the cask); giving the wine a more rounded & creamy texture on the palate.

Tasting Notes

• White flowers, gooseberries and mandarin orange nose, with a taste of passionfruit and grapefruit. On the palate, refreshing acidity keeps the wine lively and well structured.

Food Pairing

• It is a delicious wine to pair with shellfish dishes, like mussel or clams with white wine sauce.

Wine Stats:

• Name + year: Star Lane Sauvignon Blanc 2005
• Appellation:  Santa Ynez Valley, California
• Type of wine/ varietals: Sauvignon Blanc
• Alcohol content: 13.5%
• Price: HK$650 per bottle

Wine Expert Rating

• 4 Stars

5 star= outstanding, 4 stars =worthy, 3 stars = satisfactory, 2 stars = drinkable, 1 star = avoid

Where to buy?

• Felix, The Peninsula Hong Kong. Tel: 2315 3188

Related posts:

1. Expert Wine Picks: Top of The Hill Pinotage 2002 Island Shangri-la’s Head Sommelier picks a South African wine. Nicolas...
2. Expert Wine Picks: Brut Franciacorta Cuvee Ca Del Bosco 2004 Our wine pick this week is one of Italy’s most...
3. Expert Wine Picks: Vins de Vienne “Sotanum” 2003 The Sommelier of Sheraton picks a Sotanum 2003 for Winebuzz.hk...

Pierre Legrandois‘ Wine Pick Of The Week is the 2007 Etna Rosso by Tenuta delle Terre Nere.

Pierre is the Chief Sommelier at the Mandarin Oriental Group, responsible for selecting all wine served at the hotel and restaurants.  The 2007 Etna Rosso is produced by Tenuta delle Terre Nere, a young estate owned by wine aficianado Marco de Grazia who produced their first vintage in 2002.

The vineyard produces only one vine variety on their estate in Nerello Mascalese, which is indigenous to Sicily. The old bush vines; the majority of which are pre-Phylloxera; are planted on the rocky and sandy volcanic soils on the north side of Mount Etna at 900 metres above sea level.  The Etna Rosso is a regal style wine aged in 20% new French oak barrels for 18 months. It demonstrates a purity and finesse of fruit reminiscent of good red Burgundy.

This wine shows what “terroir” is all about – the marriage between the soil, climate and grape variety all perfectly matched together and, as a result, Tenuta della Terre Nere expresses a rare personality that matches some of the best domains in Burgundy.

Tasting Notes

• The 2007 Etna Rosso is a wonderful discovery, lush and easy drinking with hints of dark cherry, tobacco and fine herbs. It has an earthiness and texture reminiscent of Burgundy.

Food Pairing

• Veal chops in breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese cooked with a tasty tomato and herb sauce.

Wine Stats:

• Name + year: Tenuta delle Terre Nere 2007
• Appellation: Etna Rosso
• Type of wine/ varietal: Nerello Mascalese
• Alcohol content: 13.5%
• Price: HK$288

Wine Expert Rating

• 4 Stars

5 star= outstanding, 4 stars =worthy, 3 stars = satisfactory, 2 stars = drinkable, 1 star = avoid

Where to buy?

• Call Suki at Wine Culture
• Address: 16th Floor Wyndham Place, 40-44 Wyndham Street, Central, Hong Kong
  Tel: 2810 1186

Related posts:

1. Expert Wine Picks: Vins de Vienne “Sotanum” 2003 The Sommelier of Sheraton picks a Sotanum 2003 for Winebuzz.hk...
2. Expert Wine Picks: Star Lane Sauvignon Blanc 2005 The Peninsula’s sommelier selects a Californian wine for this week’s...
3. Expert Wine Picks: Top of The Hill Pinotage 2002 Island Shangri-la’s Head Sommelier picks a South African wine. Nicolas...

Starting this month, we will feature Expert Wine Picks to help you, wine lovers discover great wines to enjoy in Hong Kong.

Anthony Petit, wine educator and Faculty Master picks a Bordeaux wine: Chateau de Saye.  This bottle of wine is made from carefully selected and hand-picked grapes by winemaker Alain Laubie in his 30 year old vineyard near St Ciers d’Abzac, 15 km north of Libourne on the Bordeaux right bank.

It is sometimes difficult to find good value Bordeaux wines in Hong Kong, Chateau de Saye provides balance and complexity at a reasonable price, says Mr.Petit. With its pale and bright ruby core and its dark pink rim, this wine is a blissful attack on the senses with its interesting aromas of cedarwood and roasted coffee beans. There are also fruity notes of plum and blackcurrant with just a hint of vanilla.

This medium bodied Chateau de Saye 2006 is well balanced and has a strong backbone and fearless intensity, although the finish is a bit short.  The ripe tannins need a few more years to soften and would benefit from being kept in a cellar for another two to three years.

This wine would perfectly pair with a good steak or any roasted meat and, although not outstanding, is great value for money for the enjoyment it brings thanks to the complexity of its notes and its balanced characteristics.

Wine Expert Rating: 4 stars

5 star= outstanding, 4 stars =worthy, 3 stars = satisfactory, 2 stars = drinkable, 1 star = avoid

Wine Stats:

• Name + year:  Chateau de  Saye 2006
• Appellation: Bordeaux Supérieur
• Type of wine/ varietal: 90% Merlot/ 10% Cabernet Franc
• Alcohol content: 13%
• Price: HK$128
• Where to buy: Marks & Spencers stores

Related posts:

1. Expert Wine Picks: Top of The Hill Pinotage 2002 Island Shangri-la’s Head Sommelier picks a South African wine. Nicolas...
2. Expert Wine Picks: Vins de Vienne “Sotanum” 2003 The Sommelier of Sheraton picks a Sotanum 2003 for Winebuzz.hk...
3. Expert Wine Picks: Star Lane Sauvignon Blanc 2005 The Peninsula’s sommelier selects a Californian wine for this week’s...