26th May 2010:
Woke up quite late after the Soirée de la Commanderie du Bontemps, barely making the breakfast buffet that came with our hotel package. I had some Eggs Benedict (with smoked salmon - not ham or bacon), grapefruit juice and a cup of coffee, then headed across the harbor back by ferry to Vinexpo Asia-Pacific 2010. Before I even got to the venue proper, Sandra Chan of the Spanish consulate in HK called for a 1:00pm lunch with Carmel Yip and Dennis Ho (the latter two respectively Editor and Publishing Manager of The Corporate Grocer & Caterer of HK).
That left me with only 45 minutes to go around, so I went looking for Judy Leissner’s Grace Vineyard (China) booth. During my search, I happened across the L.D. Vins booth and spied Frédéric de Luze busy entertaining several customers (nb: L.D. Vins is a negociant house owned by Frédéric aside from Château Paveil de Luze). I hadn’t seen Fréderic for 2 years, the last time was at the previous HK Vinexpo in May 2008 since I didn’t get to see him in Bordeaux last March.
Frédéric de Luze
Frédéric, whom I met in Bordeaux through the Vigneron several years ago, actually holds the hereditary title of baron, but I’ve never seen or heard him use it. Baron Alfred de Luze purchased the estate which was to be known as Paveil de Luze back in 1862 and the estate, as well as the title, passed down to Frédéric.
I buy old Bordeaux from KL Wines in California mainly because I know a lot of their aged wines come from L.D. Vins, which, in turn, gets them ex-château - so I am confident with the provenance. We chatted briefly and I let him get back to his meetings, he assigned a nice young lady to attend to me in tasting some of his wines. I had to be quick as I didn’t have much time before lunch.
2007 Château Paveil de Luze - This is one of the riper and more concentrated/extracted 2007s I’ve tried. Full, moderately dense, minerally dark fruit, cassis, some dark plum, cherry, licorice, violets, bit of dried herbs, leather, underlying warm gravel/asphalt, bit of slight chocolate and cedar. The new oak is apparent, but nicely enough folded in; there is a marked modernity to this wine’s character. Comparatively full-bodied, lush, its bold tannins quite well-rounded. Already approachable now, but will smoothen out and come together more in, probably, 3-5 more years.
2006 Château Croix Figeac - Sweetish, soft, ripe dark plum, cherry, dark minerals, bit of raspberry, slight anise, underlying vanilla/oak, chocolate. Lush mouthfeel, decent curves, readily apparent but relatively soft, rounded tannins. Very user friendly style. Straightforward, easy to drink, nice push. Pleasantly precocious.
1999 Château Cadet-Piola - Nicely concentrated and ripe (somewhat atypical of the vintage), moderately dense, charmingly rustic and notably fresh and even juicy 10½ years from vintage. Ripe plum, black cherry, kirsch, raspberry over a bit of cassis, blackberry, cedar, slight dark minerality and tobacco leaf. Nicely mouth-filling, good heft. Notably good considering the vintage. It has a nice, honest, fun-loving character to it.
That was all I had time for, really. I thanked and said goodbye to Frédéric, who reminded me to “make sure to send me your report” (I surely will). I met up with Sandra, Carmel and Dennis at the Spanish/ICEX Information Center and we proceeded to the Golden Bauhinia Cantonese Restaurant within the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (near the Expo Galleria Entrance; has a nice view of the harbor) - we couldn’t wander far as it was a very busy time for everyone (but me), Carmel and Dennis actually had an important interview at the Dynasty’s (China) showroom at 2:30pm. They did all the ordering.
I didn’t get to take photos of all the dishes as I was too busy enjoying the company and the food (very clean tasting, not oily, more refined than many other dim sum restaurants). I recall there was another dish of Chinese cabbage (similar to our local “pechay”) in a creamy sauce that I didn’t get to photograph. Good dim sum here with genteel surroundings and clientele.
Me with (L-R) Carmel, Dennis & Sandra
Unfortunately, Sandra got called away before lunch ended but Carmel and Dennis kept me well entertained. By around 2pm, Carmel and Dennis also had to go prepare for the interview. They wouldn’t let me pay a cent for lunch, my objections going unheeded - Carmel commanded that I put away my wallet as the waitstaff wouldn’t indulge me anyway. I was quite embarrassed, but most appreciative. I only hope they make good their promises to visit Manila one day soon so I may reciprocate their graciousness.
I then proceeded to the 2006/2007 St-Emilion Tasting and was, fortunately, a bit early and, so, near the head of what quickly transformed into a long waiting line to get in. I made a mental note to, next time (assuming I attend another Vinexpo in HK), go to the by-invitation tastings instead of the free-entrance ones (Anabelle Bardinet had given me an invitation for the St-Emilion tasting the day before but I woke up late and screwed up my entire schedule that day).
2006 Château Corbin - I understand that this estate is one of the oldest in St-Emilion, the foundations of the château going back to the 15th century, rumored to be an important point in Sir Edward of Woodstock, a.k.a., “The Black Prince”. Anabelle’s great-grandparents purchased the estate in 1924, and she, an oenologist with a degree from the University of Bordeaux, has been running it since 1999 (noted by some reports as “the turning point” of Château Corbin).
Anabelle & Sebastien Bardinet present Corbin’s 2006 and 2007 vintages.
Nicely medium-bodied, svelte, gracefully supple, ripe dark plum, black cherry, raspberry, cedar, touch of mint, underlying blackcurrant, mocha, vanilla bean and oak spice. Comes off with a casually nonchalant femininity, with precise and neat lines. Notable harmony and fine balance. Good finesse. Nicely done (nb: consistent with my notes of a few days before at the Vigneron’s place).
2006 Château Canon-la-Gaffelière - The ever dapper Count Stephan von Neipperg was very busy pouring for those crowding his table, but not too busy to indulge me with a quick pose with his 2006. I tasted this at Vinexpo 2007 (Bordeaux) and noted it as one of my 2 standout St-Emilions together with Figeac. It was, thus, a nice opportunity to re-taste this after almost 3 years.
Another confirmation of the good showing of 2006 right banks for me. Nicely ripe and concentrated with a stylishly modern flourish. There is creamy new oak to the plush, soft, dark fruit (black cherry, kirsch, raspberry, crème de cassis), violets, loam, slight cedar, as well as a dose of related vanilla, spice, underlying espresso and a bit of dark chocolate. Should be a crowd-pleaser of a wine.
2006 Château La Tour Figeac - This came off as one of the more masculine St-Emilions of the tasting with sturdy structure, more push on the palate yet notably a bit backward in the fruit department. Ferrous notes and dark minerality mark its plum, red currant, cherry, blackberries, together with minor licorice, bit of violets and a slight minty topnote. Underneath lurk some black coffee and and oak spice. A notch or two under full-body, unapologetic and firmly muscled. Good show.
La Tour Figeac’s Otto M. Rettenmaier expertly opens more of his bottles.
2006 Château Destieux - Another masculinely cut, minerally St-Emilion, its black cherry, dark, somewhat stewed plum and blackberry laced with anise, iron, cedar, charcoal and loam notes. Firm in structure. Wood juts out a little bit, but this should easily be resolved in time. Good wine. Less stylish in character than the Canon-la-Gaffelière and, marginally, even La Tour Figeac, this is an honest, sturdy, unapologetic, take-me-as-I-am kind of wine.