Burgundy legend Jayer dies

布根地的神話人物 Henri Jayer 逝世
又少了一位可被尊稱"papa"的釀酒師...

The legend of Burgundy died, losing a "papa" again...

(Please see Decanter's website for details: http://www.decanter.com/news/95544.html)

Villa Loosen, Riesling 2004, Germany

這瓶應是德國的QbA。
我說應是因為瓶上並沒有清楚列明，只有寫上Qualitatswein，產地則寫上了Mosel-Saar-Ruwer。憑我有限的知識，這瓶應是德國的QbA。

酒比想像及預期甜，青蘋果及西柚的香氣中，隱隱出現了點點的酵母及辛辣，奇！

入口帶點柑橘，更有橙的甜和酸，多喝有點涸喉。

個人覺得配上不太甜的甜點應會不俗！

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This should be a QbA from Germany.
I say "should" because the wine label did not clearly shown that, but just written Qualitatswein, with geographical listed from Mosel-Saar-Ruwer. According to my limited knowledge, this should be a QbA from Germany.

She is sweeter than I expected. Green apple and grapefruit aroma with hint of yeast and spice, stange! On palate, citrus fruit also appeared, especially the sweet and sour of orange. But a bit too sweet after drinking glasses.

Personally, I would take her with dessert that is not so sweet!

Ruffino Orvieto Classico DOC 2000, Italy

自從最近參與了一次意大利葡萄酒晚宴後，對她們的酒興趣大增。
這瓶Orvieto，是由意大利的其中一所大型酒廠Ruffino所釀製，質素平平但勝在易入口。
淡淡的檸檬黃色，香氣以青蘋果、蜜瓜及少許香料的辛辣，入口酸度挺高，而且多了一點點的柑橘味道，如用來配巴馬火腿將十分怡人啊！

Orvieto位於意大利中部，以往主要只有甜酒，近年則出產不少乾身的白酒。由於土壤跟法國羅亞爾河谷中上游十分相似，所以Orvieto的酒很多時也帶有清爽的酸度。

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After attending an Italian wine dinner, I am interested in wine from her.
This Orvieto was produced by Ruffino, one of the largest winery in Italy. The wine is just acceptable, but very easy to be drunk.
Pale lemon in color, with green apple, melon and spicy aroma. Quite acidic on palate, with additional citrus taste. She should be a nice pal with Parma ham!

Oriveto is in the middle of Italy, maily produce sweet wine in the past. This kind of dry wine were not in production until recent years. As the soil is rather similar to the Loire Valley in France, the wines from Oriveto also possess refreshing acidity.

Austrian Night @ Kee Club

最近認識的朋友中，有一位女士跟她的丈夫是Kee Club的會員，恰巧另一位朋友可聯絡一奧地利酒商提供贊助，於是促成了這頓晚飯。



Leo Hillinger Chardonnay 2005
十分年輕及清新的一瓶酒。
強烈的柑橘及杏仁香味，加上少許植物氣息，極「大路」的作品。
像水一般的酒身，配合挺高的酸度，一支很不錯的餐前酒。在口中出現了檸檬皮和香料味，餘韻卻帶點點的微苦。
大約一小時後整支酒已不行，是快開快喝型。

R&A Pfaffl – Wien 2, 2005 (Cuvee of Blauer Zweigelt & Pinot Noir)
淡淡的紫紅色，看上去頗吸引。
十分新鮮的紅果(紅莓及草莓)和少許植物氣息，有點像新世界的黑皮諾。
入口單寧很低，而且有頗甜的感覺，可是卻不像是葡萄的果糖，有可能是經加糖處理，不大吸引的一瓶酒。

R&A Pfaffl – Goldjoch Gruner Veltliner 2004
大概是冰得太冷的關係，此酒初時十分緊閉。大約十五分鐘後，開始出現點點的香蕉香氣，十分有趣。
在口中的第一感覺是香料的辛辣,，之後再陸續出現蘋果，柑橘以及熱帶生果的味道，十分豐富，好酒！！！

Leo Hillinger – Hill 1, 2004 (Cuvee of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot & Zweigelt)
很強勁兼肌肉型的酒！
充滿黑加侖子、黑莓及巧克力香氣，入口雖然單寧有點點的粗糙，橡木味有點兒搶出來的感覺，但整體仍十分順滑，一瓶不俗的酒。



Muensenrieder – Samling TBA 1999
酒身已呈琥珀色，配合蜂蜜、乾葡萄及杏脯等乾果味，酸度挺足，餘韻長。
可是再之後又好像少了一份清爽的果酸，反而多了一份罐頭糖水的味道，多喝有點兒膩的感覺。

說回晚餐的Kee Club，是一會員制的會所，入會費挺高昂，未去前我以為會十分幽靜。可是當晚去到卻人頭湧湧，可能是因為星期五晚上舉行的舞會以致現場環境十分擠湧，男男女女都打扮得花枝招展，絕對是「to see and to be seen」的場合，難為我卻穿得極不濟，晚餐一完即離去，以免顯得格格不入。

晚餐食物質素不俗，十分喜歡他們的甜品「巧克力梳乎里」，有巧克力的甜和苦，配起雪芭來真是有趣。要批評的大概是他們的酒侍水準實有待改善，連最起碼的待人客把杯中酒喝完才再倒這基本應有知識也不曉得，卻要收取三百元一瓶酒的開瓶費，真是有點說不過去。

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A couple I recent met were members of Kee Club, and another new friend obtained sponsorship from Austrian wine merchant, and the result was an wonderful night in the venue.

Leo Hillinger Chardonnay 2005
A young and refreshing wine with strong citrus and almond aroma with a hint of vegetal note, quite commercial.
The watery body and medium high acidity made her to be a nice pre-dinner drink. Lemon peels with spice were detected in mouth, with slightly bitter aftertaste.
However, she ended her life in about an hour, fast drinking wine.

R&A Pfaffl – Wien 2, 2005 (Cuvee of Blauer Zweigelt & Pinot Noir)
The pale purple-ruby color made her look sexy and attractive.
Fresh red fruit (raspberry and strawberry) with vegetal nose, a bit like Pinot Noir from New World vineyard.
Tannin is very low in mouth, and actually she was rather sweet on palate, but seemed not sweetness from the grape itself, I suspect the wine has undergone chaptalisation.
Not too attractive to me.

R&A Pfaffl – Goldjoch Gruner Veltliner 2004
Maybe she was chilled too cool and thus the wine was close at first. After about 15 minutes in glass, a hint of banana appeared, very interesting.
Spice came in my mouth first, followed by apple, citrus and tropical fruit taste, a rich and lovable wine, superb!!!

Leo Hillinger – Hill 1, 2004 (Cuvee of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot & Zweigelt)
Very powerful and muscular wine!
She was full of blackcurrant, blackberry and chocolate aroma. Although the tannin in mouth was a bit rough and the oak was a over emphasized, she was still a smooth and adorable wine.

Muensenrieder – Samling TBA 1999
The gold-amber color of wine was beautiful, supported by honey and dried fruit like raisin and apricot, adequate acidity, long finish.
After several mouth, she seemed lacking of the refreshing acidity of TBA from Germany, instead a taste of canned syrup appeared later, a bit too much for me.

Let’s go back to Kee Club, it is a private members only club requesting expensive joining fees, I original thought it would be very quiet in the venue. But when I arrived the place on that night, it was fully packed with exciting music as background. Perhaps it was due to the Friday party night there, everyone going in were fully dressed up, an absolute “to see and to be seen” occasion. But I was wearing so “incomparable” that I left once the dinner was finished to avoid unnecessary embarrassment.

Quality of food was nice, I like the Chocolate Souffl? with Sorbet very much, the sweetness and bitterness of chocolate just create sparks with the sorbet, interesting. If I have to criticize the Club, I would say the quality of waiters / sommeliers has to be improved through various training. They even did not know that refill should be made when and only when the glass of wine is finished. Such service requesting $300 per bottle of corkage fee is definitely unacceptable.