Celebrity Life
The Top 10 Most Expensive Wines in the World
Wine has been made in China since 7000BC, though the modern world’s most renowned wine making regions are in France, Spain and Italy. Many other [...]
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James Suckling on The Decade’s Best Wines, Winery and Winemaker
This year I’m celebrating 10 years as an independent wine critic – and nearly 40 years evaluating wine professionally. In the last decade, I’ve tasted more than 100,000 wines with my team at JamesSuckling.com, and visited hundreds of wineries and winemakers across the world.
Given the improvements in viticulture, technology and winemaking knowledge across so many wine regions, identifying those individuals that represent the best of wine during that time is inevitably difficult. However, it’s not an impossible task. In my view, since 2010 there’s one wine, one winery and one winemaker that stand apart from all others and represent pinnacle achievements in the wine industry.
Wine of The Decade: Almaviva Puente Alto 2017
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Vintage after vintage over the last 10 years, Almaviva has been quietly and consistently establishing a track record as one of the greatest wine producers in Chile if not the world.
The estate, a joint venture between Château Mouton Rothschild and Concha y Toro, has been striving for perfection since its launch in 1998. And, with the Almaviva Puente Alto 2017, it’s achieved it.
With such supreme quality and an astronomic growth in reputation, this Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend scored a rare 100 points – Almaviva’s second perfect score, following the 2015 vintage – and I described it as “full-bodied, tight and chewy” with “wild and exotic” aromas of blackberry leaves, iodine, mussel shells and earth. “It’s structured and powerful. Dense and very, very deep.”
The wine has been a labour of love by chief winemaker Michel Friou, a Chilean-industry veteran and native Frenchman who joined the single-wine estate in 2007.
The intensity and structure of Almaviva 2017 come as a particularly pleasant surprise given the hot and dry conditions during the growing season. Yet the winemakers overcame the dramatically lower yields and an early harvest that took place three weeks ahead of schedule. Even with the odds against them, Friou and his team produced yet another superb vintage that embodies the estate’s first-growth expertise from Bordeaux and exceptional New World terroir – the best of both worlds.
“We have the luxury of wonderful terroir in Puente Alto [the wine region in which Maipo Valley is located]. It’s very close to the Andes, which means we’re always a few degrees cooler than the rest of the valley,” says Friou. “This makes a difference in terms of the ripening process – we can get ripeness and freshness as well as very elegant, fine-quality tannins.”
Winery of The Decade: Masseto
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If there’s one winery in Tuscany that contends with the chateaux in Bordeaux and Burgundy, it has to be Masseto. It even sells a large proportion of its production through Bordeaux wine merchants. Set in the sunny Bolgheri region, Masseto’s vineyard stretches across a gently sloping valley, where greyish-blue clay lies underfoot and the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west ricochets light across the vines.
It wasn’t until last year that Masseto – owned by the Frescobaldi Group since 2005 – finally opened its own winery. Before that, the wine was produced from its vineyards in the cellars of Bolgheri’s famous estate of Ornellaia, which also shares the same owners.
Opening prices for new vintages reach as much as US$800 a bottle, which sell out within weeks. This unbelievable demand and superb quality make it one of the cult wines of a generation.
The winery produces superb, pure Merlot vintages that consistently taste fresh, structured, soft yet powerful. I was one of the first American wine critics to recognise the winery’s magical Merlot, having awarded three Masseto vintages – 2001, 2011, and 2016 – perfect 100-point scores. When I tasted a vat of pure Merlot in the 1980s with then owner Lodovico Antinori, I told him the wine could be “the Petrus of Tuscany” if he bottled it separately.
The best vintage is the monumental 2001, a perfect 100-point wine and arguably one of the greatest wines ever made in Tuscany. It’s balanced with fascinating rosemary and dark-fruit character that turns to plums and light chocolate. The undertones on the nose remind me of walking through the Masseto vineyard during a cool summer’s morning.
“Nothing is missing, and there’s no more than necessary,” says Axel Heinz, winemaker and estate director of Masseto. “Our winemaking is about reducing the process, reducing intervention, with a ‘less is more’ philosophy.”
Winemaker of The Decade: Philippe Dhalluin
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Winemaker Philippe Dhalluin has probably made more perfect wines than any other person of his generation, from the 2010 Château Mouton Rothschild in Bordeaux and 2013 Opus in Napa Valley to Almaviva 2015 and 2017 in Chile.
When asked about these incredible wines, the 62-year-old simply shrugs his shoulders and says, “I make the best wines possible as a winemaker.”
Born in 1957 in Valenciennes, in northern France, Dhalluin moved with his family to Bordeaux at the age of 16. A bottle of Châteauneuf du Pape 1970, given to his parents from a family friend, was the pivot in his career.
“At the time, I was most familiar with Bordeaux wines, along with a few Burgundies,” Dhalluin says. “When I drank Châteauneuf du Pape, I had a revelation, an epiphany. It was an exceptional wine, so different from anything I’d tasted until then and, above all, so extraordinarily explosive that even now it seems like I can remember each mouthful!”
With this talent for precision, passion and dynamism, he was recruited in 2003 by the late Baroness Philippine de Rothschild as managing director across the Rothschilds’ various chateaux, where he introduced ever more precise vinification techniques. The result in 2006 was what many critics called the “wine of the vintage” from Château Mouton Rothschild.
From there he took his precise style to Napa Valley in California, working as wine director at Opus One, and later to Chile, where he regularly works with head winemaker Michel Friou at Almaviva (and helped create our Wine of the Decade, above).
“My work is a constant quest for balance between richness, freshness, density and charm,” Dhalluin says.
The post James Suckling on The Decade’s Best Wines, Winery and Winemaker appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.
These Online Liquor Stores Will Deliver Alcohol Right to Your Door
Whether you’re looking for a fine bottle of wine to pair with your dinner, or just looking to stock up your home bar with sakes, and spirits, there are plenty of alcohol delivery services in Hong Kong that will deliver right to your door. So we’ve put together a list of some of our favourites.
Tell Camelia
Tell Camellia just unveiled their new bottled cocktail and delivery program. You will now be able to order their Darjeeling Negroni, Matcha Martini, and others right to your door for HK$250 each. Order now through their Facebook, Instagram, email, or from Deliveroo.
Sake Central
For all things sake, Sake Central is the place to order. Founded and curated by Elliot Faber, Sake Central has an impressively wide selection of sake for you to choose from. Not only do they have sake, they also have shochu and whiskies at the ready.
Chillers
Chillers is an online liquor retailer where you can order a wide selection of happy juice, from beer, wine, spirits to mixers and cocktail essentials. The offerings are all available through Foodpanda and Deliveroo, or for pick-up at any Cali-Mex location.
Sotheby's Wine
You can now shop from Sotheby’s specially curated selection of wines handpicked by their top specialists. Select bottles from their Instant Cellar recommendations and receive a 10% discount.
Wine Moments
No matter the occasion, whether if it’s game night, birthdays, or date night, or just time to yourself, Wine Moments has a suggestion bar for the team to find you the perfect option based on your needs and preferences. And if you’re unsure of which bottle of wine to get, Wine Moments has the WM-Stater Pack which includes three of its best-selling and most drinkable wines.
Cellar Masters Wines
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Kung Hei Fat Choy! Your Bordeaux pre-order wines will be arriving soon! Cheers! 🍷🎉
Cellar Masters offers a solid selection of red, whites, Champagne, sparkling, spirits, beer and cider. For a bargain, check out their ‘Bin Ends’ section where you’ll be able to get bottles of wine for excellent value.
Bidvino
Bidvino curates a unique selection of wines from across a variety of regions. Not only can you purchase wines, you can also check out their weekly auction to see what some of Asia’s largest wine collectors and experts are sipping.
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In locked down New York, alcohol sales are skyrocketing
While the city has been shut down due to the coronavirus, New Yorkers are hitting the bottle.
The post In locked down New York, alcohol sales are skyrocketing appeared first on The Peak Magazine.
In locked down New York, alcohol sales are skyrocketing
While the city has been shut down due to the coronavirus, New Yorkers are hitting the bottle.
For more stories like this, visit www.thepeakmagazine.com.sg.
Non alcoholic spirits: Australia’s Lyre’s to enter the Singapore market
Mix up no- or low-ABV versions of your favourite drinks with their comprehensive range of products.
The post Non alcoholic spirits: Australia’s Lyre’s to enter the Singapore market appeared first on The Peak Magazine.
Non alcoholic spirits: Australia’s Lyre’s to enter the Singapore market
Mix up no- or low-ABV versions of your favourite drinks with their comprehensive range of products.
For more stories like this, visit www.thepeakmagazine.com.sg.
Sunquick SELECT Dining Experience at RuMa Hotel & Residence Kuala Lumpur
Startup Life: Dimple Yuen and Ivan Chang of Premium Gin Two Moons Distillery
When it comes to one of the most consumed spirits in Hong Kong, it's safe to say that we're all familiar with gin. But no matter how enthusiastic you are about it, you will probably not be as dedicated as Dimple Yuen and Ivan Chang, the co-founders of local micro distillery, Two Moons Distillery. The first of its kind in Hong Kong, the duo craft their own artisanal spirit right here, quickly earning a name for itself as one of the most creative premium gins there are. Think crisp and citrusy aromas from dried tangerine peels, fresh lemon peel and pink peppercorn, along with a sweet, and nutty flavour on the palate from Madagascan vanilla pods and tonka beans. Taking top quality botanicals from around the world to pay homage to the cultural melting pot of this city, Dimple and Ivan have mastered the true spirit of Hong Kong. We speak to the gin connoisseurs to learn more about their craft and how they got to where they are today.
Name: Dimple Yuen and Ivan Chang
Profession: Co-founders of Two Moons Distillery
Industry: Gin Distillery
Start up since: 2019
Company size: 4
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Dimple Yuen, Co-founder of Two Moons Distillery[/caption]
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Ivan Chang, Co-founder of Two Moons Distillery[/caption]
Tell us about your business.
DY: Two Moons is the first licensed microdistillery producing premium craft gin in Hong Kong. As we are both born and bred here and are avid gin lovers, we wanted to create a classic dry gin that proudly boasts an Asian flair to represent our roots.
IC: By establishing a distillery in the city that can accommodate [both] customers and visitors, we hope to inspire and share the beautiful craft of distilling with the people of Hong Kong.
Tell us about your best and worst day at work?
DY: My best days are the days I get to distill. It’s a chance for me to tune out from the outside world and it’s just me and our copper still, Luna. I get to be completely immersed in the distillation process without any distractions and I really love that. The worst days would be the ones when accidents inevitably happen and our gin ends up on the floor!
IC: My best day was when I saw the first drop of gin produced from our still, Luna, for the very first time. As it took us two years to get there, it was an incredibly touching and unforgettable moment.
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Copper still, Luna[/caption]
What do you do when you’re not at work?
IC: I love to hike and connect with nature to refresh my body and soul.
Looking back now, what would you have done differently?
DY: I wish I learnt distilling much earlier. I had no idea it was such a fascinating craft until I started to learn and appreciate gin.
What is a normal work day like for you?
DY: My mornings start with some admin and prep work before I start distilling around noon. From there, I perform regular quality control checks and monitor the entire distilling process from start to finish.
What advice would you give to someone looking to start up?
IC: Stay curious, be open to constructive criticism and don’t be afraid to share the knowledge.
What would you be doing if you weren’t doing what you do now?
DY: I’d probably be a digital nomad or a scuba instructor.
IC: I’d be continuing my passion in the hospitality industry.
As a child, what did you aspire to be?
DY: I had no idea to be honest!
IC: I wanted to be the best gamer in the world.
What has been your biggest hurdle?
DY: I’m an introvert, so I’m not always comfortable being in front of the camera.
How did you overcome it?
DY: I’m not sure if I have yet, but I try my best. As a female entrepreneur in a traditionally male-dominated industry, I feel it’s important to represent Asian women and that is what drives me to be more out there.
Why is Hong Kong an important market for you?
IC: As we are both born and raised in Hong Kong, we feel it’s important to represent our hometown. Though gin is traditionally perceived as an English spirit, we wanted to show people that we too can make a premium gin by including Asian botanicals.
If you were to invest in another start up, what would it be?
DY: As I used to be a programmer before becoming a distiller, I’d invest in something tech-related for sure.
What are your goals for 2020?
IC: We’ve got a lot of creative ideas brewing for 2020! Since we are constantly experimenting at the distillery, you can expect some new flavours and distillery workshops in the coming year from us.
How hands-on are you?
IC: Distilling, bottling, labelling and sealing – everything’s all done by hand at the distillery so we are about as hands-on as it gets!
How do you define success? And do you consider yourself being successful?
DY: I’d define success as happiness and constantly achieving new personal goals, whatever they may be.
IC: I’d consider myself successful if I am able to be a positive influence to the people around me and spread a bit of joy and happiness.
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