Hong Kong Book Fair (Chinese Only)

在書展中發現「城邦」的攤位中竟有林裕森老師的新作「葡萄酒全書」以八折出售，折實港幣320大元，可以接受。此外亦有他去年出版的「酒瓶裡的風景」，折實260元，有興趣的朋友們可以去看看。

Aile d’Argent 1994, AC Bordeaux

友人從法國遊樂歸來，帶來此瓶住釀，完全出乎我意料之外。

說實的，除了Cadet blanc外我從未喝過「武當(Mouton)」的白酒，所以當接觸此酒時我實在有點招架不住。酒色金黃，酒腳流動速度十分緩慢。香氣濃郁，當中竟滿是乾果(葡萄乾、杏脯乾等)，另有明顯的橡木及煙燻，有酒友形她簡直像「波特酒(port)」。入口果味強橫，當中以菠蘿、李子及桃子為主，酒體豐厚，可是酸度稍稍不足，多喝相信會有點膩的感覺，而且有點已經步入黃昏的感覺。

酒友們，大家有喝過較新年份的嗎？
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My friend came back from France with this nice wine, which was totally out of my expectation.

Actually, I have never tasted this wine before, and I almost lost under this lady’s first attack. Golden yellow colour when slow clawing legs. Very intense aroma with dried fruits (such as raisin, dried apricot, etc.), also with notable oak barrel and smokiness. Some wine-mates said the nose of her was just like Port. On palate, the powerful fruit favour of pineapple, peach and pear was first noted. Totally full body but acidity was a bit too low, which may create a sense of full. Also, it seems that she was passing through her peak and started downhill, should drink her if you have one now.

Dear friends, any comments on newer vintages?

Enjoyable Dinner @ Yung Kee

真沒想過這晚的食物跟葡萄酒都是那麼的令人喜出望外啊！

Jacquesson Avize Grand Cru 1996
輕輕的土司、酵母及蜂蜜香氣，加上清雅的杏脯和桃子，入口又帶怡人的酸度，跟當晚吃的「雲霧肉」非常匹配。

Wendowree Shiraz 2000
酒友專程由澳洲帶回香港給我試的美酒。濃濃的橡木、雲尼拿及黑莓之中，入口卻不見太膩，胡椒及香料味亦不太突兀，算得上是恰到好處。雖然酒精稍強，但仍是令人喜歡的酒。

Chapoutier Les Varonniers AC Crozes-Hermitage 1994
見到瓶口有點點滲漏，還擔心她會有問題，但結果是令人意外的可口。梅子，紅果再帶點點橡木，入口滑溜之餘亦有些熟酒中的野味及肉類味道，喝得舒服。

Cos d’Estounel 1995
一如想像的仍未熟透。初時較緊閉，香氣帶黑加侖子、橡木、青草、青椒等。入口單寧仍強橫，相信仍要陳年，令人充滿期望。酒友說他仍有5、6瓶存貨，我們便相約在2010年再嚐她。

美酒跟朋友，一個愉快的晚上，人生何求。
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A wonderful night in Yung Kee with friends, great wine and nice food, totally out of my expectation!

Jacquesson Avize Grand Cru 1996
Little toast, yeast and honey, together with peach and apricot, very nice fragrance. Refreshing acidity matched with the pork nicely.

Wendowree Shiraz 2000
A bottle of wine that the friend brought from Australia for me, so touching. Very intense oak, blackberry and vanilla, but it was not “too” full in mouth. Pepper and spice were also very delicate, really nice wine. Albeit alcohol is a bit strong, still she was a charming lady.

Chapoutier Les Varonniers AC Crozes-Hermitage 1994
Little leakage was noted and I worry she was damaged. But she was so delicious that was totally out of my expectation. Plum, red fruit, and slightly oaky. Very smooth in mouth and showed game and meaty, which were signs of mature. So pleasing wine.

Cos d’Estounel 1995
Still young. She was a bit close at first, then showed some typical blackcurrant, oak barrels, grassy and green pepper. Tannin was still hard on palate, and I guess she need more bottle ageing before next tasting. The friend said that he still has 5 or 6 bottles in his cellar, and we booked him for the next bottle in 2010.

What a wonder night!

Life Expectance of Wine

跟酒友們吃晚飯，本沒甚麼特別，但倒有一瓶酒引起了我想談談一個題目：葡萄酒的壽命。

是次晚飯大部分酒友都是帶來波爾多左、右岸的葡萄酒。其中一位朋友(剛巧是我同事)的酒是Sarget de Gruaud-Larose 2000。由於他之前曾被委派往外地工作，調回香港時他刻意運回大批葡萄酒，可惜運送途中似乎因運輸公司的失誤而熱壞了不了他的收藏品，這瓶酒是其中之一。

可能先入為主，因聽過他的事故，加上開瓶時發覺有點滲漏，所以對該酒可說沒期望。原瓶呼吸了約一小時後倒進杯中，木桶、咖啡及枝梗比較明顯，果味十分隱晦。入口單寧仍然實在，輕至中等酸度卻叫人摸不著果實的味道，心裡不禁跳到結論：壞掉了。

但及後「白襯衣」酒友提出這瓶酒其實仍是給人青青綠綠的感覺，其實是仍有發展及成熟的空間。於是我再倒酒到杯中，細心留意她之後的演變，的確她漸漸浮現出青椒、蘑菇香氣，入口紅果類的酸度亦漸見明顯，但之後便停了下來，再沒甚麼變化。

「白襯衣」酒友指有質素的葡萄酒在受傷過後，其實可通過慢慢的療養回復表現。對於此觀點，我想要留待時間及我的品酒經驗才可印證到，但這瓶「受過傷」的葡萄酒提醒了我一個重點：酒海無涯，任何事也有可能發生，所以千萬不要太快對葡萄酒下結論。

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Tasted a bottle of Sarget de Gruaud-Larose 2000 recently which was originally certified to be dead due to extreme heat during transportation. She expressed oak barrel, coffee and branches after a hour of breathing in the original bottle, but later she showed green pepper, mushroom and red fruit, which was indeed improvement in overall performance.

Tata suggested that quality wine can be “recovered” even after man-made damage. I think I will focus on this to prove whether this theory is correct or not. But this experience clearly gave me a lesson – never jump to conclusion on wine.