Kooyong Haven Pinot Noir 2011

Kooyong Haven Pinot Noir

2011 Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia 

My birthday present from love ones! Kept for a month now and I only have chance to taste it this week.  This whole cluster fermented Pinot is a bomb.  Clear bright ruby color with medium concentration on the center. The nose is youthful and packed with fresh strawberries, crushed red cherries and watermelon. Hint of spice and rose petals on the nose too. The wine was dry in the palate, medium body with medium high acidity. Medium minus tannins with lots of fresh red fruits like cranberry, strawberry flavors and little touch of rhubarb and gravel like minerality in the finishing. It’s by far the best Pinot noir I’ve tasted coming from New World with burgundian style.

 

I was stucked with my job for almost 2 months now without a proper rest. There was a plan to visit Mornington Peninsula in early November but it falls off after a sudden lay off from my colleague who now enjoy working in Europe. Sacrificed many including good times with my love ones, I was suppose to get to Kooyong by myself to try this wines but who knows shit does happen. She has been kind and patient to me all this while with my hectic schedule at work. Forgive me please. Wish to spend more quality time with her next year, I'm fighting for a better opportunity and strive myself to another high.

Trying my luck again next year July in Sydney pursuing my level 3 Advanced sommelier exam by Courts of Master Sommelier. Finger cross!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2015

HAN

December2014

Twitter @yewkongHan

Past came haunting

Past haunting….

Just recently I had a weird dream. I kept dreaming of the day when I failed my Advanced sommelier exam (CMS Level 3). It was so real that every single word told by the Master sommelier were the exact sentence they told me that day, the things I should improve on, classic cocktails knowledge and single malt producer to his Italy’s trip and pickpocket adventure.  Conversation last for a few minutes before I was awake. There is an absolute sore on my right arm; perhaps recently I am too exhausted out of work. Maybe this is a sign or something? Or just the past haunting me again? I was in dilemma and little disappointed that day when I knew that I didn’t make it for my theory test. I should have done better. ( I passed my practical and tasting test.)

Talking about work, it has been 120 over days I’m working without a Wine Director. As soon as Lauri decided to leave for a better prospect in Finland, the replacement was sought but none of the other came to a good respond. Moreover, Lucas (Bar manager) left Mozza family and joined the hotel side (Sands), which means more work for me. I could have taken a holiday right now but I couldn’t. Buried with 3 tasks and my regular on floor physical torture, I have no idea when I will tumble and fall. Pray the best out of me. Staying on floor making a good wine recommendation and seeing my guests leaving the restaurant happy still make me a little proud of what have been done.

Anyway below are the wines being sold recently…

 Bruno Giacosa  Santo Stefano di Neive Barbaresco 1997

Wines leading to a tawny color, besides aging beautifully it does remind me of some old burgundy like Clos St Jacques '85. Deep concentrate of fruits, still refreshing surprisingly, dried cherries notes, some huckleberry and on the palate silk tannins with some lengthy finish and medium range acidity. This is a white label which is a non reserva, red labels are his flagship wines which is a reserva. I wonder if it taste better.

Scarpa I Bricchi Barbera d'Asti 2001

one might wonder how does aged Barbera grape taste like. This one was awesome. Despite losing its color into tawny hue and brick core, its was packed with fresh red berries and element of spices. Soft acid in finish make it balance with a smooth tannins now. Good barbera with pork.

H

Altesino Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli 1995

Altesino Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli 1995


Slow Sunday night so we decided to finish off our balance wine from the Coravin program available in Osteria Mozza. It has been a little aged for the Brunello and the sediments was rightfully present.

The color was almost brick red with cloudy brown rim.

On the nose it shows a matured ready developed red wine consists of dried red prunes and raisins character. Secondary nose was prominent with spices and chinese herbs, black dates and licorice. A little stalky smell maybe because of the sediments was not properly filter earlier on.

Palate was dry, coated with medium rounded tannins with baking spices flavor lingering. Little coffee flavors as well. Acidity was on the medium side but i found that maybe it was on the downhill where it makes my mouth starts to be watery. Not too bad for the price range and the food that we served in the restaurant matched really well with it. Unfortunately I need to remove it from the list as it was the last bottle in our cellar.

Tasted 15/06/2014 - Han

Sommelier Spring Class- Germany~

Sommelier Spring Class 25^th – 29^th April 2014

                First of all I would like to express my big thanks to the Sommelier Association of Malaysia (SOMLAY) and German Wine Institute (DWI) in organizing this beautiful trip for me. It was a real eye opener to German wines and a great vineyard exploration. The whole trip was well organized in terms of lodging, time management as well as detail programmed. I would say without any of the efforts and good communication between the winery and German Wine Institute (DWI) this trip will not be that sound and successful. What impressed me the most is the amount of winery we get to visit and the friendliness of the wine producers. We were showed to their house, winery and even get to know their friends and vineyard dogs. I have great exposure to the land and soils types, where each of them can bring so much different to the vines thus affecting the outcome.  The best day was the walk in Nahe region, we were walking through the wine trail on few vineyards, Niederhausen in particular were so steep with different soils types, from porphyr to schist and were planted with different grape varieties. This shows that how much love and research being done before any planting on the respective terroir.

There were 34 of us in this spring class. On the third day 27^th April we were divided into 3 groups to visit different regions. I was in the Rheinhessen group, travelling to Rheingau and Nahe in the next day. It was a good experience besides getting into the vineyards and touching the grapevine, I do make some friends from all around the world. These sommeliers from the European country are willing to share their experience and wine culture in their country making this trip more worthwhile.

Before it ends, I bought a couple of German Riesling and Spatburgunder from respective winery before flying back. If time permits, I will definitely be back to Germany in future with hope visiting other winery and wine regions.

Timeline of the trip

25^th April 2014

1500 hrs – 1600 hrs

Touchdown Frankfurt airport. Waiting for delegates from China, organizing driver from DWI drove to IBIS Hotel, Mainz

1800hrs

Departure to Bodenheim for “ Welcome Evening” in Weingut Kuhling-Gillot – Rheinhessen

Dinner with winery owner- Caroline Spanier-Gillot with the wines from Kuhling-Gillot and her husband wines, Battlefield-Spanier

26^th April 2014

0900 hrs

Departure to Geisenheim University (famous eonology university)

1000hrs

Wine Growing & Terroir seminar by Prof. Schultz, President of Geisenheim University

1130hrs

Wurzelwerk & Winzers Beitrag comparative tasting of three vitners by Johannes Hasselbach & Max von Kunow

1300hrs

Open tasting of Riesling & Pinot Noir of various regions & terroir in Germany

1500-1700 hrs

Vineyard walk with explanation and tasting in vineyard with winery Balthasar Ress, Hattenheim by Stefan Ress. Stefan is outgoing, funny and generous enough to let us taste its 1999 Rudesheim Berg Rottland Riesling Auslese

1800hrs

Back to hotel

1930 hrs

Culinary experience, German food with VDP wines in Kupferbergtassen hosted by Hilke Nagel VDP and her team

Went down secretly to 7 level underground sparkling wine  (Sekt) cellar in Kupferbergtasse, winery since 1850

27^th April 2014

1100hrs

Seminar at Mainzer Weinbrose

Ageing Potential of German Wines.  Tried the oldest Reisling ever, 1959 Heissche Stattsweinguter Kloster Eberbach Steinberger  Riesling Beerenauslese

1200-1600hrs

Visit VDP fair Weinborse Mainz 2014. VDP fair tasting of recent release of 2013 vintage. All tasted fresh from 2 weeks of bottling.

1700hrs

Visit and tasting at Weingut Johanniger in Biebelsheim. Hosted by winemaker aand owner, Markus Hass. Markus explained us his biodynamic approach and philosophy behind his winemaking.  He also showed us on manual disgorgement process in his underground cellar.

1900hrs

Dinner at Johanniger estate, NICKL’s Speisekammer. Fresh white asparagus as main course. White asparagus season now. End the dinner with more Riesling and Riesling marc/grappa.

28^th April 2014

1000hrs

Nahe wine tour with Laura Dreher

1100hrs

Winetasting at Weingut Sinss , Nahe

1400hrs

After traditional German’s sausages lunch, we walk from Sinss winery via wine trail to Niederhausen.

Great exposure to the terroirs, beautiful sceneries, steep vineyard and we were told all different soils are planted with different grape varieties. It’s amazing to know  that 2km walk in wine trail we were exposed to 6-8 different soils types.

1530hrs

Winetasting at Weingut Jakob Schneider hosted by Jakob Schneider. One of the oldest winery and the first winery to bottle their own wine in Nahe.

 Jakob is friendly enough when we request to try some old Riesling from his cellar. He ran down to the cellar and pick up few old ones. 1989 Rosenberg Riesling Auslese is one of the marmalade, juicy stuff he pulled the cork for us.

1630hrs

Departure to Guldental

1700hrs

Cooking class and winetasting of various Nahe wine at Der Kaiserhof.

Sommeliers have to cook their own dinner under the guidance of the chef owner of Der Kaiserhof. Great experience for all where we gel in like a team in kitchen, everyone has their own apron and station to prepare the foods. More Riesling and Pinot noir for dinner.

29^TH April 2014

0800hrs

Check out at IBIS hotel

0830hrs

Departure to Siefersheim.

Winetasting and lunch at Weingut Wagner Stempel, Rheinhessen.

We were shown the difference of Riesling from Hollberg and Heeerkertz vineyard.

1200hrs

Departure to Frankfurt airport. Return flight at 1700hrs.

Goodbye by now Germany, I will see you again soon!

Biodynamic continues to reign~ Emidio Pepe

Emidio Pepe ~Abruzzo

Really late posting!

Such a privilege and honor to host Emidio Pepe masterclass in Osteria Mozza Singpore with Senor Emidio Pepe himself present for the tasting. I was such an amateur when come to Abruzzi- Montepulciano wines, as always I make an assumption that these wines are big and non-interesting. Till last week, my eyes are open to these remarkable “terroir” driven Montepulciano d’Abruzzo

Emidio Pepe winery located in northern part of Abruzzo nearby Torano hills, producing only 8.5 hectares of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo and 3.5 hectares of Trebbiano. Practicing biodynamic viticulture in his wines, he uses no chemical but only sulphur and copper water into his lands.

All Montepulciano are de-stemmed by hands, hand crushed and let ferment in tub with natural yeast - explained Chiara, granddaughter of Emidio Pepe (Mr.Pepe speaks no Americano). The wines are non filtered in cellaring. These bottles then decanted and hand labeled by he rgrandmatoher Rosa Pepe.

We tasted a variety of vintages that afternoon, some old vintages as early as 1974.  I now could recalled I’ve sold his vintages 2000 before in Mozza. I must say the wines shows elegant, warm characters and throughout consistency.

Va Bene!

We were served with Trebbiano to start followed by variety of vintages of Montepulciano.

Trebbiano 2010

His trebbiano was cloudy yellow in color with little CO2 present in the glass. Pretty complex nose with pineapple, nectarine, cider aromas, chalky and some candy flavors. Medium body with ripe acidity and Mr.Pepe said it will be good to serve it with brodo( soups in italian).

"serve Trebbiano straight into ice for 5 mins and not to chill in fridge, you only put dead thigns in fridge"- Emidio Pepe

Even if the Trebbiano was kept straight, the cork is always wet because of the CO2 present in the wines and malolactic fermentation happens in the bottle. Many producers uses oak in Italy to make their wines ready to be drink but we don't, after 10 years the wines will be ready not the same style as of COS or Foradori.

Montepulciano 2005

Straight from the bottle with no decanting! 

Garnet red, pretty barnyard smell, slightly tight at the moment. Black and blue fruits, dried herbs of rosemary, burnt leather and sweet baking spices. very complex palates, ripe red fruits, long finishing, high acid and high tannins. alcohol is medium + with lots of spices.

Montepulciano 2003 -  great warm vintage

Complex nose, mixed of black and red ripe fruits, black plums. Silky tannins, sweeet spices,cinnamon, bellpepper,licorice with medium + tannins and acidity.

Montepulciano 2001 - more powerful more wild

Barnyard and rustic, red currant and red peppers. Some coffee beans touch too. Elegant finish with smooth tannins, rounder and ready to drink!

Montepuulciano 2000 - more feminine vintage, classic vintage

Nose of cured meats, old leather, gamey red cherrries, capsicum and cedar wood. Long finishing on plaate with medium+ acid and tannins. Need ageing. Keep

Montepulciano1994

Sour berries notes, sour red frutis, raspberries, red plums. Touch of mushroom and cloves. On the palate has high volatile acidity but with silky finishing.

Montepulciano 1984

Black tea, elegant ripe juicy red berries. Lively body, good strcture, tannins is integrated. Beautiful stuff.

Montepulciano 1975 - one of the best vintage in Abruzzo

Black tea like character (like chinese pu-erh) dried red fruits. Longevity on finish with volatile acidity.

P/S - they do magnum bottles too but wines are from 2 normal aging bottles poured into it.

wine tasted in Osteria Mozza Singapore 11 Dec 2013

 Lauri Vainio- Wine Director Osteria&Pizzeria Mozza chatting with Mr. Emidio Pepe

Edmund Liew, Emidio and Me :)

Route to grower champagne

FEW RANDOM GROWER CHAMPAGNE TASTED

Just about a month ago, I have a chance to taste some of the finest small grower champagne in 1 of the prestigious local merchant here in Singapore. Each of the producer has their own vineyards, has their own stories to tell, some family business, some grower even never leave their winery/vineyards before. The good things about this few RM (Recoltant-Manipulant) is they maintain the quality of their own grapes, grow their own and make their own champagne in small quantities but good qualities. This is a movement towards quality champagne (like burgundy) slowly denying what the big houses can do all this while.

Champagne Marie-Courtin, the producer named the champagne house after his grandmother. 1 of the small grower in Aube, alongside with Jacques Lassaigne and to name a few, produced great blanc de noirs, blanc de blancs and their house cuvee. Many centuries ago, Aube is the town where grapes are harvested and sold to Reims for blending in big champagne houses.  Marie Courtin Resonance made of 100% pinot noir from 2008 vintage(left in pics) crafted another level of elegancy and eccentric acid champagne to start as aperitif or drink all day. Blanc de blancs (not in pics) are in depth and longer finishing, beat many big commercial champagne houses. Say goodbye to NM!

Pretty proud to say that the wine list in the restaurant that I'm working for right now, we featured mainly small grower champagne at an affordable price.


Can't say no to bubbles.
Han

Domaine de la Pinte Chateau Chalon 2004, Jura

Domaine de la Pinte Chateau Chalon AOC 2004

100% Savagnin

Deep orange color, oxidative, almond like yet citrusy aromas. Deep intensity, high concentration.

On the palate, soft texture, medium plus body, soft tannins and medium plus acidity. Long finishing, a salty tang on the mid palate,a very dry white like manzanilla sherry style.

Region- Jura

Appellation- Chateau Chalon

Also known as yellow wine (vin jaune), made of 100% Savagnin and aged for 6 years and 3 months before release. It is also bottle in special bottle size 62cl or 620ml called clavelin. Legend said it is the amount of wine left in casks after 6 years and 3 months ageing. This wine is not fortified, the casks is not filled up, encouraging a film of yeast (voile) to develop on the surface. Those yeast are like flor' which present in sherry. Thus explain the wine is oxidative style.

p/s chateau chalon is good with asian curry, it has a certain similiarlity in the wine and curry, some scientific term which I cant recall...:) 

tasted on 30 May

H