1995 Antinori Chianti Classico

Dinner at brown.

1995 Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva - trying out Chianti Classico for the first time.  Very impressed.  Very nice and smooth, not tannic.  Good depth.  Good fruit level accompanied by balanced acidity level.  This is much nicer than a Cab from 1995!  Should drink this again.

93 Grand-Puy-Lacoste

Drinks at brown.

1993 Grand-Puy-Lacoste - this was again extremely smoky and overpowering.  The grilled meat and pain grillé was too much.  Should have checked the last tasting notes.

Bought for HKD 360 from Sinolink.

St Emilion and Sancerre

Dinner at brown.

Berry's Champagne (made by Deutz)

1997 Dezat Sancerre Les Celliers Saint-Romble - this was not chilled enough but could still get the floral aromas (less floral than Pouilly-Fumé).

1993 Couvent des Jacobins - hmmm... this was very nice indeed.  The soft, mature Merlot body had wonderful texture.  Everyone's favorite.  Everyone wanted refills.  Nice and sweet aftertaste from the Merlot.

1994 Terre Rouge - this has a higher acidity level and therefore it was OK with dessert.  Not a remarkable wine in its own right.

Laurus wine dinner

Dinner at the Mandarin Grill for the launch of Laurus Wines.

1998 Laurus Côtes du Rhône Blanc - 60% Roussanne and 40% Viognier.  This is amazingly floral and aromatic, refreshing, completely different from traditional CdR such as Guigal.  Very nice.

1997 Laurus Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc - this is very traditional with Grenache Blanc, and threfore less remarkable, but good wine nonetheless.

1996 Laurus Gigondas - wow!  What a wine!  This is sooo nice.  The power that comes from old Grenache is wonderful.  Very easy to drink and smooth.  Yum!  Should get some of this.

1997 Laurus Côte Rôtie - this is a little young.  It's a fuller-bodied, more powerful wine, but neds time to develop and for the Syrah to throw off the tannic coat.  Should be wonderful in a few years.

1998 Laurus Muscat de Beaumes de Venise - this is different from the others, in that it seems to be a lighter style and more "floral".  The lychee is present but not as overpowering.  Very nice end to the meal.

1995 Guigal Châteauneuf-du-Pape

1995 Guigal Châteauneuf-du-Pape - drank 2 bottles over dinner at China Club.  Very delicious and easy to drink, with the acidity from the Grenache showing through as well as the glycerin.

1992 Calon-Sègur

1992 Calon-Sègur - drank at home after dinner.  Still a good drinking wine with good body and classic Bordeaux tastes of berries.  Bought from Topsy for HKD 270.

1992 Lynch-Bages

1992 Lynch-Bages - drank over dinner at Blue.  This was a fine drinking wine, still has enough body and maturity.  It was a good complement to the lamb chops.  Bought from Ponti for HKD 450.

1994 Guigal Côte-Rôtie

1994 Guigal Côte-Rôtie Brune et Blonde - drank over dinner at friend's place.  Classical Rhône tastes with acidity, mint and medium body.  It was very diluted and light when opened but got better with breathing.  Bought from Eslite for TWD 1,295.  Money well spent.

1993 Ridge Santa Cruz

1993 Ridge Santa Cruz Cabernet - drank at home.  It wasn't as fruity as I remembered, but perhaps because it was just too warm.  But still nice with the body... not too tannic.  Enoyable.  Bought from Berry Bros for HKD 368.

1996 Inniskillin Oak Aged Icewine

1996 Inniskillin Oak Aged Icewine - drank at home after dinner.  First icewine.  Very, very sweet and concentrated.  Not quite the same as botrytis.  Tastes much more like concentrated grapes without the tannin.  Hmmm...  Pretty good.

1994 Lindemans Limestone Ridge

1994 Lindemans Limestone Ridge - opened over dinner at brown.  Surprisingly diluted and thin when fist opened.  Very acidic with little body.  As it breathed there was more fullness, along with the typical spiciness and some sweetness.  Pretty disappointing.