Time to sip wines,nibble chocolates
When Valentine’s Day is also the first day of the Year of the Tiger, how do we graciously combine the romance of Valentine’s Day with the necessary communal celebration of the Chinese New Year? One deliciously sweet solution is to enjoy chocolate and wine together. In the gourmet world, chocolate has long represented romance while wine is unquestionably the greatest celebratory beverage. The challenge is to pair the two together so they enhance the aromas, flavors and textures of each other. A good start is to follow some long-established wine and food matching truisms. For centuries wine connoisseurs have adhered to the idea that a dessert wine should be just slightly sweeter than the dessert. In general, this is a good rule that works most the time. A beautifully feminine approach is the sweet Italian sparkling wine Moscato d’Asti with white chocolate or milk chocolate. The delicate sweet flavors of the wine complement rather than overwhelm the subtle flavors of the chocolate. The perfume-like aromas of the Moscato wine and sweet chocolates will please the nose while the gentle bubbles and pleasant acidic finish of the wine offset the creaminess of the chocolates leaving your palate refreshed. Two lovely moscato wines from top Piedmont producers are the Michele Chiarlo, Moscato d’Asti and Pio Cesare, Moscato d’Asti. Read more
Margaret River’s old world elegance
Wine loves around the world constantly search for the elusive combination of premium wines at reasonable prices. One problem with wines today is that once a region or producer achieves recognition and fame from the wine press and international competitions the prices of their wines tend to grow exponentially. In my numerous wine presentations, I am fond of saying that it doesn’t really take a great deal of skill or knowledge to pick a great wine if cost is not a consideration; however, getting quality wines at reasonable prices takes considerably more effort and knowledge. One way to reduce the difficulty is to look to the wines of Margaret River in Western Australia. While no longer cheap, the wines from this region still offer a combination of elegance along and value. Read more
Beaujolais and dim sum good partners
Integrating western wines into Chinese dining culture is a challenging yet often rewarding experience. Dim Sum is more than just a meal; it’s a communal and social event. More varied and interesting than the traditional western brunch which first became popular in the late 1800s, Dim Sum is one of the best ways to spend a weekend late morning or afternoon. While Chinese purists may insist on only tea to accompany the numerous dishes, I’d like to suggest something different – wine! But what wines can be enjoyed with Dim Sum? There are several good answers to this question including Champagne or sparkling wine and even a nice rose, but another lovely solution is Beaujolais. A typical Dim Sum meal often consists of steamed, roasted, fried and deep-fried dishes that may be seafood, meats, vegetables and starches. This variety of cooking methods and ingredients poses a challenge to wines, a challenge that the attributes of Beaujolais satisfies very nicely. The generous fruit in high quality Beaujolais wines along with their good acidity make them very versatile in pairing with foods, something essential when enjoying the numerous different dishes in a typical Dim Sum meal. Furthermore, good Beaujolais wines will cleanse your mouth removing any greasiness while pleasingly accentuating the many varied textures of Dim Sum dishes. Some classic Dim Sum dishes that pair beautifully with Beaujolais are shrimp dumplings, turnip cakes, tofu skin rolls, “Shao Mai” (small meat dumplings), assorted roasted meats, steamed pork ribs, spring rolls, and beef meat balls. A personal favorite is chicken’s feet with Beaujolais. Read more
Wine drinking resolutions for the New Year
In the west we are fond of making, then often breaking, resolutions for the New Year. The goal of the resolutions is to improve your life. With this in mind, I’d like to share with you my three wine resolutions for 2010 that hopefully will not only improve my wine life, but also be helpful to our readers. I also encourage you to make your own wine resolutions for 2010. Just remember that wine resolutions are fun to make and even more fun to enjoy. Read more
來自羅密歐與茱麗葉故鄉的浪漫葡萄酒
與情人節最登對的葡萄酒當然是要最羅曼蒂克的酒，儘管許多產區皆出產好酒，也都擁有引以為傲的浪漫愛情故事，但還是無法與威尼托（Veneto）相提並論，因為全世界最有名的戀人──羅密歐與茱麗葉──的家鄉維羅納（Verona）就位於此區，在推薦一些包管會打動情人心的好酒之前，我們先來看看這對淒美的愛侶是否有史實佐證。
最廣為人知的故事版本莫過於威廉‧莎士比亞的偉大劇作《羅密歐與茱麗葉》，但是它並非原創，而是取材英國詩人亞瑟‧布魯克的敍事詩《羅密額斯與茱麗葉之悲歌》，這首詩是翻譯自馬提歐‧班德洛的中篇小說《茱麗葉塔與羅密歐》，而這本小說又是改編自路易吉・達波托的小說。 Read more
Affordable French wines from Languedoc
Far too often in China the words affordable and French wines have been mutually exclusive. It’s true that a visit to local hyper or super market will expose you to a plethora of inexpensive French wines from the famous regions of Bordeaux and Burgundy, but the brutal truth is that many of these wines are not good. The ability of Bordeaux and Burgundy to make good to great wines is undisputed, but because of their northern climates in many years it is difficult to get the overall grape ripeness without quite a lot of selectivity. Simply put, this means it’s hard for these regions to make good cheap wines. While some good inexpensive wines are made in these famous regions, the reality in many stores in Shanghai is far too often insipid, diluted Bordeaux wines with alcohol content under 12% or excessively sour, undistinguished Burgundies. Francophiles with smaller budgets need not lose hope; there is a region in France that makes affordable wines that will satisfy even the most demanding palates. Read more
松塞爾白酒 擄獲你的美味感官
盧瓦爾河流貫法國中心，而產自該區的葡萄酒也在世界各地葡萄酒愛好者心中佔有一席之地。尤其是松塞爾村周圍山坡上葡萄園生產的葡萄酒，更具有挑逗味蕾的魔力，讓人渴望白葡萄酒的純淨與高雅。松塞爾白葡萄酒也是世界上氣味最馥郁高雅的葡萄酒之一，不只要用嘴巴，還必須用鼻子，才能夠感受到它的美好。如果你是某些法國高級香水和古龍水的粉絲，那麼你一定會被這些葡萄酒細緻的水果、花朵與礦物香氣所吸引。更棒的是，我們歡慶兔年到來之際，松塞爾葡萄酒正是最適合搭配兔肉料理的選擇之一！
自西元一世紀，羅馬人即率先將葡萄種植在俯瞰雄偉盧瓦爾河的山坡地上，當時該區葡萄酒大多是由黑皮諾（Pinot Noir）和加美（Gamay）釀造的紅葡萄酒。由於與布根地大公國有歷史上的淵源，布根地的紅葡萄受到青睞並非偶然，只是松塞爾葡萄酒不若來自香檳區與布根地的葡萄酒那般受到高度重視。然而當根瘤蚜蟲在19世紀後期重創松塞爾以及法國境內多數葡萄園時，大部分種植者改種釀造白葡萄酒的品種白蘇維濃（Sauvignon Blanc），因為它嫁接美國葡萄藤根適應較為良好，可以對抗疫情。今日，白蘇維濃約占松塞爾葡萄酒使用品種的80％，而黑皮諾只有20％。正如同我們在歷史上常看到的例子，釀酒師或酒廠主人具有卓越的膽識，才能夠製造出世界上最棒的白葡萄酒，不然早就萎靡不振了。 Read more
Grenache produces great cold weather reds
The cold January days and nights in Shanghai remind me of the bone-chilling winter seasons in New York. They also stimulate thoughts of red wines that warm the body, spirits and go beautifully with the foods that we eat in the winter. While there are numerous big, rich red wines that are suitable for the cold weather, some of my personal favorites are made with the Mediterranean grape Grenache. This variety originated in Spain where it’s called Grenacha and is now cultivated throughout the wine world. Some of the best examples come from the Southern Rhone Valley, Spain and Australia. Grenache grapes are often blended with other varieties like Syrah, Mourvedre and other grapes and tend to make rustic fruity wines with intriguing peppery qualities. Here are some picks to warm you on a cold day and embellish your winter meals. Read more
自Lafite酒莊回歸
Lafite-Rothschild酒莊所生產的葡萄酒在中國是知名度最高的葡萄酒。然而基於價格上的考慮，除非是特殊場合，否則我不會購買它。我反而會不辭辛勞地尋找價格不會跟著品質水漲船高的優質葡萄酒。在本月專欄中，我將會介紹其中一款我最喜愛的超值法國酒，以及它精彩的故事。
有一個叫做Thomas Wolf的作家曾經寫過這樣的一段話：少壯離家背井，隨著家化作時光隧道的片段與內心世界的角落，就再也回不了家。這種說法對我而言還蠻貼切的，但對於Mourgues du Gres酒莊的François Collard而言可就不是這麼一回事了。他的旅程從蒙貝利耶的名校農業大學接受高級葡萄酒教育開始，接著一飛沖天擔任Lafite-Rothschild酒莊的農業技師與釀酒師，最後他回了家。 Read more
A little bubbly offers more than just great taste
With 2010 fast approaching I though it opportune to suggest the perfect drink to bring in the New Year. What else but Champagne! Made from one or more of three grapes, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay, Champagne is one of the world’s greatest wines and unquestionably the greatest sparkling wine. The region of Champagne has been making wines for over 2,000 years but it was only in the 17th century with the help of monks that bubbles first appeared in Champagne. Since then, the world has fallen in love with the alluring bubbly wines of Champagne. This New Year, whether you are a super successful career person or aspire to be, there are compelling reasons why you should drink Champagne. Here are some intriguing stories on the famous women and men who have made and loved Champagne to share with family and friends as you welcome the New Year.