Vinfolio Blog

In Hong Kong, summers get extremely hot and humid. Personally, I find sipping a nice cool Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio helps me chill out after a long hot day. But I find most people here still prefer to drink red wine; unfortunately, the wines are usually served at room temperature and are always too warm and flat.

Room temperature, of course, greatly depends on the season and where you are. During the summer, I always prefer to have my red wine chilled for 20 to 30 minutes before serving. I think a slightly chilled red is definitely refreshing and it complements most food.

In Parker's Wine Buyer's Guide 7th Edition, he explains that ”The temperature of red wine is very important, and in America’s generously heated dining rooms, temperatures are often 75˚ to 80˚ F, higher than is good for fine red wine. A red wine served at such a temperature will taste flat and flabby, with its bouquet diffuse and unfocused. The alcohol content will also seem higher than it should be. The ideal temperature for most red wine is 62˚ to 67˚ F, light red wine such a Beaujolais should be chilled to 55˚ F.”

I think when people spend so much time trying to find a perfect wine but then serve it at the wrong temperature, they are often disappointed. Many times the problem is not with the wine but the wine temperature.

Speaking at a seminar in London, Marchese Piero Antinori has asserted that "one third of Italian wines should be grubbed up," prompting more than a few reactions to the effect of "the pot calling the kettle black." Decanter reports that Antinori suggests that central Italy, in particular, suffers from overproduction, low quality and "not very interesting" varieties such as Trebbiano. He suggests replanting or pulling out the "30% of vines [that are] making wines unacceptable to today's markets."

                  

Sound a little odd? It seems to me there nothing much new about overcropped "vin ordinaire," whether it be from Italy or California's Central Valley. I'm not sure if there's a value judgement to be made about its production. Growers respond to changes in the market as they must; why the need for Antinori to call them out, especially when Antinori's own product line contains mass-produced examples?

What's your take on Italian quality in general? Had a good Trebbiano lately?

 

I read a recent article on an interview with the winemaker and the Director of Domaines Barons de Rothschild, Mr. Charles Chevallier on why he thinks Lafite is so popular in China. He said that there are mainly two reasons; the first being that "Lafite makes the best wine in Bordeaux" and the second reason which could be equally important is "Lafite is a name that is pronounceable in Mandarin, and there's also something special about the word "la feet" (拉菲) in the world's biggest, fastest growing economic force."

Come to think of it, most of the popular wine brands in China do have names that are quite easy to memorize and pronounce like Mouton, Latour, Petrus, Le Pin and Grange etc. This has also become one of my favorite topics whenever I talk to my Chinese clients who would only go for Lafite, but strangely enough no one seems to have an answer. So, whether it is really as simple as just the name or Chinese really think Lafite makes the best wine in Bordeaux, I wondered. All I know is for some reason in China, any wine with the "five arrows" symbol and the name Rothchild has to be one of the "best."

As a follow up to my initial blog post, Enoteca Pinchiorri: The World's Greatest Restaurant for Wine Part One, I wanted to share our visit to the restaurant’s infamous wine cellar. After an evening filled with wonderful wines and exquisite cuisine, only a visit to the cellar would be able to top the aftertaste of 1988 Yquem.

Saying Enoteca Pinchiorri's cellar is amazing is too much of an understatement. With 150,000 bottles of the world’s top producers and vintages housed in one restaurant’s cellar, it is no wonder oenophiles worldwide flock to this mecca of wine, to experience firsthand the astonishing collection put together by owner/sommelier Giorgio Pinchiorri and his team.

To get to the cellar, you have to pass several doors with electronic access gates. Appropriate security measures are in place to protect the wines, comparable to a bank vault which contained the world’s most precious jewels; in this case, the jewels are wine. All the wines at EP come direct from the producer and, of course, special yearly allocations of new release vintages and library wines are reserved exclusively for the restaurant. No need to worry about provenance here.

                     

 

In the cellar, you will find a floor-to-ceiling wall of 2000 Petrus next to a wall of Le Pin, the same for Sassicaia and Ornellaia of the best vintages, all housed in their original wood cases. Imperials of Petrus, Mouton, and Yquem, and Methuselahs of Domaine Romanee Conti, 1985 vintage, in both La Romanee Conti and La Tache(!), priced appropriately to deter attempts by collectors (you know who you are!) to purchase these bottles and take them home for their private collections. There are also 15 Liters and 20 Liters, bottles large enough to dress one in a tux and take it as your companion to your next black tie event.

 

 

 

 

I was particularly impressed by the wall of Le Montrachet featuring the holy grail of Burgundy’s BEST producers and vintages: 1989 DRC, 1990 Lafon, 1992 Ramonet and Leflaive; and the gated cellar of Yquem housing vintages dating back to the 1800s and early 1900s. I failed to mention the brick caves containing verticals of First Growth Bordeaux and Screaming Eagle. Okay, I think you've got the gist of it. Enotecca Pinchiorri’s cellar is more than impressive, it's a collection worthy of all their accolades and countless awards.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The world has plenty of outstanding restaurants bearing stars, diamonds, medals and awards from the top institutions. All offer exquisite food, impeccable service, and amazing wine lists. However, if I had to choose one that would impress the most discerning collectors who own amazing cellars themselves, Enoteca Pinchiori would be my recommendation. Go to drink the bottles you cannot obtain elsewhere to be paired with an impressive menu, and for a peek into their extraordinary cellar, as it is truly a unique and rare experience.  

I was delighted to learn today that The World of Fine Wine journal has launched a blog.  You can find it here.

It’s about time. At last I can send links to favourite writers and encourage friends and customers to read the real thing, which is always a welcome reminder of why I got into this business in the first place. To be reminded of the complexity and charm of wine every quarter is worth the price of admission.

Andrew Jeffords kicks off, with a characteristically humane riff on money and wine and 2009 Bordeaux. With first growths going for $20,000 a case, en primeur(!), I can only shake my head in wonder and in worry. But wine has proven itself a solid investment over decades, and the entry of new investors from China and elsewhere only reinforces that. Take a deep breath, read lots, and keep buying wines that you love.

Issue 190 hit the Wine Advocate web site yesterday afternoon and wine enthusiasts finally saw results from hitting "Refresh" all day long. This issue was anticipated for its major reports on California's Rhone Rangers and Washington, among other smaller regional and retrospective reports.

Big winners in the points game were Sine Qua Non, Saxum, Tensley and Alban in California, and Quilceda Creek (the only 100-pointer from Washington), Cayuse, Charles Smith, and K Vintners from Washington.

The Vinfolio Marketplace is the perfect place to buy and sell these newly-rated stars. Several wines have Buy Now options; if they don't, place a bid to alert a potential seller that you're interested. If you're selling, set a reasonable Buy Now price for quicker results. Ride the wave of excitement over new scores and reviews by buying or selling with Vinfolio in the Marketplace, your ultimate source for fine wine.