Ivory Flavour : Cantonese cuisine with South African whites

South African wine is as diverse as Chinese cuisine. A selection of Cantonese dishes: Siu-mai (pork dumpling), steamed chicken and fresh sliced abalone were paired with nine SA wines, including Cap Classique, Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay at the recent 'Celebrate South Africa' masterclass, with over 60 guests from the F&B and wine trade.

All these dishes and wines are in the Ivory Flavour Colours zone so they all matched well. Guests agreed and here are some of their comments: the bubbles in Cap Classique accentuate the fragrance of the fresh abalone; the richness of Chenin Blanc complements the texture of siu-mai; the lightly-flavoured chicken was perfect with the Chardonnay. Read more

Length is a sign of quality in wine. According to Paul Mason from Martinborough Vineyard, it is linked to vine age: the older the vines, the more concentrated the fruit, giving more fruit weight to the wine on palate. For this reason wine from a high yield crop will lack length because the fruit is not concentrated enough. Another factor impacting length is the extraction of fruit tannin in post fermentation maceration, which is important in giving wine the back palate it needs to carry the fruit weight through.

There have been a few judgment tastings in Hong Kong lately. The most recent was New Zealand Gimblett Gravels 2009 versus Bordeaux 2008, organised by the Gimblett Gravels Winegrowers Association. Mission Estate's Jewelstone Cabernet Merlot (available from Watson’s) was ranked third after Ch Mouton Rothschild and Ch Haut-Brion. The tasting was led by Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW and Rod Easthope of Craggy Range. The 30+ participants were experienced tasters including media from Asia (Hong Kong, China, Taiwan and Singapore), sommeliers, F&B directors and serious wine lovers. Their verdict: the Gimblett Gravels wines were of a comparable quality to the Bordeaux, and, in terms of value for money, Gimblett Gravels beat top growth Bordeaux hands down. Read more.

Cape Mentelle also held an International Cabernet Tasting in May that included Bordeaux classed growths, Super Tuscans, iconic Napa, Margaret River and of course Cape Mentelle (available from Moet Hennessy Diageo). While no rankings were requested, guests were impressed with the quality of the Margaret River Cabernets.

Passion for Pinot

Pinot can be in many shapes, from elegant Burgundy to the oaky California and with everything in between. Altaya provided a perfect opportunity for us to try different styles of Pinots in one setting at their recent ‘Passion for Pinot’ tasting. Churton (Marlborough) and Beaux Freres (Willimette Valley) are both biodynamic but the later displays more structure on palate; while Gladstone (Wairarapa) is concentrated and intense, reminded me of the Martinborough style but more accessible, and it is a steal at less than $200/bottle. Vincent Girardin (Burgundy) is a perfect demonstration of how diverse Burgundy can be from different appellations and villages. If I had to choose one grape variety for the next 10 years, Pinot is probably my choice. Available from Altaya.

IWC is delighted to introduce Hong Kong wine lovers to Neal Martin, an internationally acclaimed wine writer. We will feature Neal's humorous yet informative wine diary on our website. Here is an excerpt from the latest entry:

The Vines that stood their ground: Laville, Mission & Haut-Brion
In a somewhat solipsistic seaside town I enjoyed a blissful, parochial childhood, oblivious to anything much further than the A13. Like the toy-towns on TV, I grew up convinced that everything in Southend-on-Sea would remain the same, at least until the end of time. C&A at the entrance of the Victoria Shopping Centre, Tomassi’s ice-cream parlour at the bottom, Keddies the grand department store its centre of gravity, the magical toy shop opposite Dixons and Lavelle’s the stationers, where I would buy my weekly Beano with a packet of Pacers. I assumed that this conjugation of retail outlets had been in situ since time immemorial until one day, mum broke the news…“Lavelles is closing down,” she told me casually. “That is why some of the shelves are empty.”  .... read more

Get your friends and family together for a private tasting or wine course. IWC can tailor and personalise any tasting or course that suits your interest and schedule. Each session lasts for two hours and can accommodate a maximum of six people. Each tasting includes a minimum of eight wines. Some of our most popular themes are:

• Introduction to Wine: HK$12,000
• New World vs Old World Cabernet Sauvignon: HK$14,000
• Bordeaux Masterclass: HK$18,000
• Vintage Champagne Tasting: HK$15,000
• Red Burgundy Masterclass: HK$22,000
• Sweet wine of the World: HK$15,000

Call us to make a booking or discuss your favourite wine region.