BBR Fine Burgundy master class and tasting with Jasper Morris MW @ Grand Hyatt Hotel

對我這打工仔而言，用上千多元去參與一次品酒活動是十分奢華的行為。但思前想後，最終還是乖乖的付款報名出席是次品酒會，主要是因為有機會聽聽葡萄酒大師主持的活動本身已值回票價，加上是次品酒會的布根地佳釀也不是甚麼便宜貨色，物值頗高，更重要的是我對布根地只有膚淺的認識，希望可透過此活動增加我對此迷人產區的知識。

活動在君悅酒店舉行，環境甚為理想，光線充足，而且房間未算太大，講者不用擴音設備也可以接受；器具方面全用上Riedel的酒杯，頗為講究，而伴酒小食亦甚佳；唯一缺點是會場中某些位置是冷氣系統的出風口，對品酒可能會構成一定影響。

說回講者Jasper Morris(下稱JM)，作為葡萄酒大師及專注布根地的他，相信對布根地的認識不會比任何一位酒評家少。當晚他先自我介紹如何跟葡萄酒及布根地結緣，之後便將八瓶葡萄酒逐一品嚐及講解，充滿資訊之餘亦不失風趣幽默，絕不沉悶，加上純正的英國口音，聽得輕鬆，單是他的講解已抵得上那一千元報名費了。

以下是當晚的試酒筆記，下面說的第一次記錄是隨著JM講解時做的，第二次記錄則是在品酒會講解完畢後(約9:30 – 10:00 pm)做的。

2004 Gevrey Chambertin, Clos Prieur, 1er Cru, Domaine Rossignol-Trapet
在陽光不足的年份下生產的酒，品嚐當日還未成形，只有散亂地出現點點咖啡及朱古力，初時入口較平淡。但隨著酒在杯中成熟，漸漸出現更多紅果香氣，第二次入口時更多了點玫瑰花香，在口中除了中高的酸度外，亦有漸增的紅莓味及點點焦糖，比較簡單但餘韻頗長。JM建議2009可開始嚐試她，我想兩年時間亦應可令她成熟。

2003 Pommard, 1er Cru, Comte Armand
一個極度炎熱的年份，令大部分歐洲的葡萄酒均罕有地成熟，甚至過熟。此酒的香氣帶些微黑果及葡萄乾，加上點點的煙燻，木桶味甚明顯，十分「非典型」的布根地。在口中她展現了香濃的紅果，甜味較想像的多，亦較預期的粗糙。之後再試時多了點植物氣息，士多啤梨及櫻桃味亦較易辨認，但依舊的強勁有力。

2002 Nuits St Georges, Les Porets St. Georges, 1er Cru, Domaine Faiveley
紅果、皮革及木桶香氣尚算明顯，同時亦有點泥土氣息，酒精和單寧較意料的為多，但在單寧之中隱隱的感覺到有點點新鮮紅梅及士多啤梨的味道，頗有層次感。JM指Faiveley的造酒風格是較重單寧，他的形容是「單寧包圍著鮮果」，是可陳年存放的跡像，建議2017年前不要打她的主意。

2002 Chambertin, Grand Cru, Nicolas Potel
香氣挺收歛，主要是肉類、土地、樹木及植物，亦有些微煙燻香味；入口時感覺十分出色，酸度及果味極之平衡，成熟的果味慢慢地滲透出來。之後再試時味道更濃郁，而且酒身越來越順滑，亦多了點香料在舌頭後面，絕對是一瓶使人不自覺地越喝越多的佳釀。我個人覺得此酒應淨喝而不用配上食物。

2000 Vosne-Romanée, Les Beaux Monts, 1er Cru, Domaine Bertagna
雨水比較多的年份，不過此酒的表現仍十分優雅。紅果、花香及植物等味道均在鼻子及口中出現，可說是互相呼應。再嚐時像熟椰菜的植物氣息消失了而果味及花香則增多了，很討人喜歡的酒。JM指Vosne-Romanée是布根地的最著名傳奇的地段，絕對要嚐試的。

2000 Corton, Clos des Cortons, Grand Cru, Domaine Faiveley
令人意外地在濃郁的紅果味之中帶有點點的黑果味，香甜程度直迫Pommard的酒。單寧十分重，亦正是Faiveley的風格。再試時果味仍舊的多，並一步一步的走出來，挺有層次感，但個人不太欣賞。

1990 Clos de Vougeot, Grand Cru, Domaine Camille Giroud
此酒釀成十多年後，在二零零六年才推出市場。磚紅色的酒身帶頗多沉澱物。香味十分濃烈，以肉類、土地、紅果及朱古力為主，極之豐富，果味更是越放越明顯，像是在誘惑人去快快喝掉她，完全是考驗耐性及定力。入口帶香甜的紅果味及礦物味，單寧仍頗重，但平衡感極佳。相信仍有繼續陳年的能力。JM表示此酒莊用的是十九世紀時流行的傳統釀酒技術，只用上舊木桶，因此酒身只有從葡萄帶來的味道。

1985 Clos de la Roche, Grand Cru, Domaine Louis Remy
最後一瓶，卻不是最佳的一瓶。石榴紅色的酒身，香氣有樹葉、咖啡、醬油，果味反而不明顯。入口非常順滑，酸度頗高，有紅果味(紅莓及酸櫻桃)及點點的香料，餘韻長，適合現在飲用。但感覺她已完全成熟，不會再有太大的進步空間。

BBR Grand Cru Champagne
同場加映的香檳，青蘋果及輕輕的柑橘味，入口較甜，個人不太欣賞的香檳，但用來宴客則相信會很受歡迎。

總括來說，該次活動給我感覺蠻不錯，雖然價錢不算特別吸引，但講者的號召力已比一切來得重要，若有相類似的品酒會，我想我仍是會報名參加的。

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To a salaryman like me, participating in this kind of tasting events is too luxurious. However, after thorough consideration, I finally registered to this because in Hong Kong, there are not too many events would be hosted by a Master of Wine. Also, tasting Burgundy high end wines was also something I longed for and I hoped I could have a deeper understanding to the area after the event.

The speaker, Jasper Morris (JM) is a Master of Wine who focused on Burgundy. After some self-introduction, JM shared his views on the wines of the night one by one in great details and full of humour.

The following tasting notes are combination of JM’s comments and my own views when I revisit the wines in the later stage of the night.

2004 Gevrey Chambertin, Clos Prieur, 1er Cru, Domaine Rossignol-Trapet
A year with inadequate sunshine and the wine was not formed when tasted. Only some coffee and chocolate were noted at first. She was a bit flat on palate. After some breathing and maturing in the glass, more apparent red fruit with some rose pedals were noted. Medium to high acidity with raspberry and minor taste of caramel, rather straight-forward wine. JM recommended that she could be tasted from 2009 and I agree that two years should make her more lovely.

2003 Pommard, 1er Cru, Comte Armand
An extremely hot year in Europe, making the vine somehow too mature. This lady showed some black fruit and raisin, minor tone of smoke was also found with notable oak barrel nose, rather “atypical” Burgundy style. On palates, the concentrate red fruit with sweet tone was unexpected, and a bit too rough. After some time, some vegetal note showed, strawberry and cherry were also more easily found, but the power was just as strong as when I first contact her.

2002 Nuits St Georges, Les Porets St. Georges, 1er Cru, Domaine Faiveley
Red fruit, leather and oak barrel nose were distinguished easily, with some earthy note. Alcohol and tannin were unexpectedly high, and some fresh raspberry and strawberry were hidden in them. JM said Faiveley’s style was full of tannin, and the wine showed “fresh fruit surrounded by tannin” which was a sign of ability for ageing. He suggested that no one should touch her until 2017.

2002 Chambertin, Grand Cru, Nicolas Potel
Rather inward and lazy at first. Meaty, earthy, forest and vegetal, with slight smoky character. Excellent on palate with balanced acidity and fruitiness, the ripen fruit diffuse into my palate slowly. She became even more concentrated and smooth in the second round, some spice was also noted, an absolutely attractive wine. Personally, I would enjoy her without food.

2000 Vosne-Romanée, Les Beaux Monts, 1er Cru, Domaine Bertagna
A rainy year but still with elegant performance. Red fruit, floral and vegetal smell and taste supplemented in nose and on palate. The cabbage note disappeared later while fruitiness and floral smell increased later in the night, very lovely. JM said Vosne-Romanée is the legend area of Burgundy and every wine lover should try wine from the place.

2000 Corton, Clos des Cortons, Grand Cru, Domaine Faiveley
Surprisingly black fruit was noted in the strong red fruit taste, and the wine’s power and intensity was almost the same as Pommard. Heavy tannin was the style of Domaine Faiveley. Her fruitiness kept strong all the night, with layers of expression, but, I didn’t her very much.

1990 Clos de Vougeot, Grand Cru, Domaine Camille Giroud
She was first introduced to the market in 2006, more than a decade after the wine was made. Brick red colour with quite a lot of sediments. High intensity in nose, comprised mainly meat, soil, red fruit and chocolate, and fruitiness was even more apparent when the wine matured in the glass. Such performance was like tempting you to drink her as fast as possible, what a challenge on your patience and stability. Sweet red fruit and minerals were noted on palate, balanced with strong tannin, and I trust she could be store for another decade. JM said the winemaker used 19th Century traditional wine making method, which only old barrels were used and thus only the taste from the grape could be found in the wine.

1985 Clos de la Roche, Grand Cru, Domaine Louis Remy
Last but not the best of the night. Medium garnet/guava red body with nose of leaves, coffee and soy sauce, fruitiness was not shown clearly. She was extremely smooth on palate, rather acidic. Red fruit (raspberry and sour cherry) with a note of spice. Long aftertaste and suitable for drinking now. I believe she was totally matured and not too much room was left for improvement/ageing.

BBR Grand Cru Champagne
Additional stuff of the night, green apple and citrus, rather sweet on palate which is not too attractive for me. But she should be a perfect PR for banquet.

Overall speaking, I think the event was very nice and successful. Although the price setting was not very appealing, but the value and charm from the speaker was much more important than any other things. If there is similar event again, I will definitely be a participant again.