LeDomduVin: HAPPY NEW YEAR & BONNE ANNEE 2022

 

Happy New Year & Bonne Année 2022!

Happy New Year & Bonne Année 2022

I wish you all the best, to your family and your loved ones too.

And more importantly, I wish you a safe, healthy, meaningful, and more joyful New Year than 2020 and 2021 combined!

Full of love, hope, courage, kindness, and happiness. And filled with peace, dreams, ambitions, resolutions, goals, satisfaction, success, friendship, and lots of unforgettable moments.

2021 has been a terrible year for most of us. Probably even worst than 2020 for some of us. A year a lot of us need to forget and put to the past.  

Yet, for some others, not everything was necessarily negative and not everything has to be forgotten about this particular year. Some people have had a great year, with lots of good and positive things that happened to them. 

Personally, some of the moments and encounters I experienced this year were quite unique and beautiful, resulting in fond memories that will last forever. And I don't want to forget them, on the contrary, I want to keep them close to my heart and mind. I also changed my job in august this year, which is also a very positive thing.

This is a new year. A new beginning. And things need to change for the better. Let's make it happen and make this new year count for everyone. And let's continue to dream and have dreams. And also let's be a little crazy too 😉 ( 'cause we're never gonna survive unless we are a little crazy - Seal)

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” —Eleanor Roosevelt

Be safe and take good care of yourself and your loved ones. And give some love to each other, 'cause that's all we've got.

Thank you,

Dom

*********************************************************

Happy New Year & Bonne Année 2022 

Je vous souhaite tout le meilleur, à votre famille et à vos proches également.

Et, plus important encore, je vous souhaite une nouvelle année sûre, saine et sauve, significative et plus joyeuse que 2020 et 2021 réunis !

Pleine d'amour, d'espoir, de courage, de gentillesse et de bonheur. Et remplie de paix, de rêves, d'ambitions, de résolutions, d'objectifs, de satisfaction, de succès, d'amitié et de nombreux moments inoubliables.

2021 a été une année terrible pour la plupart d'entre nous. Probablement encore pire que 2020 pour certains d'entre nous. Une année que beaucoup d'entre nous ont besoin d'oublier et de mettre au passé.

Pourtant, pour d'autres, tout n'était pas forcément négatif et ceux-la ne veulent pas tout oublier de cette année qui vient de passer. Certaines personnes ont eu une excellente année, avec beaucoup de choses bonnes et positives qui leur sont arrivées.

Personnellement, certains des moments et des rencontres que j'ai vécus cette année étaient assez uniques et beaux, résultant en de bons souvenirs qui dureront pour toujours. Et je ne veux pas les oublier, au contraire, je veux les garder près de mon cœur et de mon esprit. J'ai aussi changé de travail en août de cette année, ce qui est aussi une chose très positive.

C'est une année nouvelle. Un nouveau départ. Et les choses doivent changer pour le mieux. Faisons en sorte que cela se produise et faisons en sorte que cette nouvelle année compte pour tout le monde. Et continuons à rêver et à avoir des rêves. Et soyons aussi un peu fous aussi 😉 (car nous ne survivrons jamais à moins d'être un peu fous - Seal)

"L'avenir appartient à ceux qui croient en la beauté de leurs rêves." -Eleanor Roosevelt

Soyez prudent et prenez bien soin de vous et de vos proches. Et donnez-vous un peu d'amour, parce que c'est tout ce que nous avons et c'est tout ce qu'il nous reste. 

Merci,

Dom

#happynewyear #newyear #wish #wishes #newyearwishes #resolutions #newyearresolutions #safe #safety #health #healthy #hope #dream #love #peace #happiness #kindness #joy #success #ledomduvin @ledomduvin ©LeDomduVin 2021

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Happy New Year and Best Wishes for 2022

Happy New Year 

and Best Wishes for 2022 

With the last sunset of the year comes hopes and resolutions for the new year. I wish you all a Happy New Year 2022, filled with joy, health, wealth, success, peace, and love. Take good care of yourselves and stay safe. And give each other love, 'cause that's all we got! - Dom

Avec le dernier coucher de soleil de l'année viennent les espoirs et les résolutions pour la nouvelle année. Je vous souhaite à toutes et tous une bonne et heureuse année 2022, remplie de joie, de santé, de richesse, de réussite, de paix et d'amour. Prenez bien soin de vous et restez prudents. Et donnez-vous de l'amour, car c'est tout ce que nous avons ! - Dom

I took this picture, about a month and a half ago, while trekking the Wilson Trail, top of the Black Hill, at Tiu Keng Leng (NT, Hong Kong). The view of Victoria harbor, from there, is breathtaking and offers some of the best sunsets over the city of Hong Kong from a distance.  

NB: For those of you who may wonder, Domelgabor is another one of my aliases, mostly used for my personal creations (other than the ones I do that are related to and/or for Ledomduvin): photos, drawings, illustrations, graphs, visuals, collages, montages, videos, writings, compositions, and experimental electronic music, and many other things that go through my mind and end up being creative projects.     

Once again, Happy New Year and best wishes for 2022. Take good care of yourselves and stay safe. And give each other love, 'cause that's all we got! 

- Dom

@domelgabor @ledomduvin #lesphotosadom #happynewyear #newyear #sunset #lastsunsetoftheyear #victoriaharbour #hongkong #light #hope #resolutions #joy #health #wealth #success #peace #love #takecare #staysafe #wishes

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Enrique Mendoza "Las Quebradas" Monastrell Alicante 2018

Enrique Mendoza "Las Quebradas" 

Monastrell Alicante 2018

This bottle was one of my Christmas presents. A gift from someone who knows me well, and thus, also knows that I love Spain and more especially Spanish wines. 

This is a 100% Monastrell crafted from 70-year-old vines, planted at 500 meters altitude, on rocky-calcareous soils, from "Las Quebradas" estate, located in Alicante DOP (Denominación de Origen Protegida), south-east of Spain, right below Valencia. Aged in French oak barrels for 16 months. 

And the result is really impressive, and I could have described it with my own words, (as I normally do), but after I read RP words and rating, I really had nothing to add. So here it is: 

Enrique Mendoza "Las Quebradas" Monastrell Alicante 2018

"The 2018 Las Quebradas is pure Monastrell from a dry-farmed and head-pruned vineyard with very poor soils covered in limestone boulders (caliche). It fermented with indigenous yeasts in square oak vats with manual punch-downs of the cap. It matured in Allier barrels for 16 months. It feels very young and still marked by the élevage. The palate is terribly stony and mineral with a chalky texture, serious and powerful with terrific balance. In general, these 2018s are a little more delicate and fresher than the 2017s, which were very Mediterranean." - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 94pts

Thank you for that bottle. It's a nice present. Highly recommended. 

Cheers! Santé! 

Dom

@ledomduvin #ledomduvin #lesphotosadom #lesvinsadom #monastrell #alicante #dop #spain #spanishwine #wine #vin #vino #wein @bodegasemendoza @bodegasenriquemendoza

#enriquemendoza #bodegasenriquemendoza #lasquebradas

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Vin du lendemain...

Château Fortia Châteauneuf-du-Pape "Cuvée du Baron"2017

I bought this bottle the other day, late, at a local supermarket, as I needed a bottle for a last-minute event, for my son. 

I must say the selection at the local supermarket near my residence is really unimpressive, really bad I should say. 

However, amongst every other uninspiring bottle, I found this bottle, which was really the only one that talked to me at the moment. So, I bought it. 

Of course, my son forgot to bring the bottle to the event... so, I found this poor bottle alone in my kitchen and I could not leave it like this. I had to open it to give it a purpose. Yes, I know, I'm nice like this, I never let a bottle down or on her own. 😉

And the verdict: it is way too young to drink now and will take time to fully develop and attain its full potential. So, after drinking a glass of it, I decided to wait until the next day (today), to check if it would be better. 

And, 24h later, Hallelujah !!! (alleluia), even if still too young and still presenting a firm tannic structure and texture, it tasted much smoother, tamed, and integrated than the previous day.

Boasting dark berries and fruits, pepper, earth, a touch of spice, and more earthy notes and minerality, with oaky, toasted, and mocha nuances. 

It paired really well with the saucisson, as the fat mellowed down some of the edges of this wine. 

My advice, (for what it is worth), if you buy some, let it seats in your cellar for a while, as it is still too young to be enjoyed now. Yet, if you cannot wait, double decant it or open it and wait for the next day, it will be so much nicer. 

Cheers! Santé! And Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones. 

Dom

@ledomduvin #ledomduvin #lesphotosadom #wine #vin #vino #wein @chateau.fortia #chateaufortia #rhonevalley #saucisson #chateauneufdupape #rhone #france

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Apero time with some FOK HING GIN & Tonic

Apero time with some 

FOK HING GIN

and some blessings

Fok Hing Gin "5 Blessings" Mandarin flavored

Nothing beats a good Gin and Tonic 😁👍😋😋😋😋

Fok Hing Gin is obviously a gimmick for "F**king Gin", a commercial and marketing stunt to attract consumers, which, like most controversial, tasteless, yet, smart and provocative things in life, seems to work wonders on people, as, although quite young, this brand is already quite successful.    

To expand their selection and offer a different Gin experience to their clients, Fok-Hing created a special edition gin to celebrate Chinese New Year 2021! It was the Year of the Ox, and the festivities inspired them to enhance their original classic London-style gin with mandarin orange flavors. 

Mandarins have always been a big part of the celebrations in Hong Kong (and China in general), with mandarin trees being put everywhere to complement the traditional ornaments of CNY. Mandarins symbolize good fortune, wealth, happiness, appreciation, prosperity, and all kinds of other positive words.    

The resulting Gin called Fok Hing Gin "5 blessings" is a premium Gin (about 5 times the price of their regular Gin) (around HKD588, USD75 or 66 Euros), which is both flavorful and delicious, with hints of mandarin orange (of course), and also floral and herbal scents mingling with hints of spice and white pepper nuances. 

I paired it with "Fever-Tree" Premium Indian Tonic, a company that creates some of the best-tasting mixers (I have tasted) to complement the world's finest spirits. Their Tonic is their benchmark, since 2005, but they also craft some excellent ginger beers, ginger ales, and other lightly flavored sodas as well. Highly recommended. It was delicious.  

Cheers! Santé! 

Dom

For more details, go to their website at 

Fok Hing Gin:  https://fokhinggin.com/hk/five-blessings

Fever-Tree Mixers:  https://fever-tree.com/en_GB

@ledomduvin #ledomduvin #apero #gin #ginandtonic #tonic #fokhinggin @fokhinggin #fevertree #indiantonic @fevertreefrance #spirits #lesphotosadom 

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Merry Christmas and Joyeux Noël 

to you and all your loved ones 

By @ledomduvin 2021

I wish you all a joyful, happy, and safe Christmas period and plenty of good things for this end of the year 2021. 

Take good care of yourself and your loved ones. 

Dom 

@ledomduvin #ledomduvin #lesmemesadom #lesillustrationsadom #lescollagesadom #lesdessinsadom #lescreationsadom #merrychristmas #joyeuxnoel #wine #vin #vino #wein #wishes

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LeDomduVin: Great line up again!

Great lineup again!

As a Sommelier with over 30 years of experience, food and wine pairing is a specialty of mine. I love it, and I'm pretty good at it.

You see, even if I don't know the menu or all the ingredients of the dishes to be served, I developed some kind of a method based on my instinct, knowledge, skills, and know-how ("savoir-faire") and gut's feelings, to pair the most ideal wine (I can buy or at my availability) with each dish, and I rarely miss.

Once again, last night was a great example of this. The wines I selected to accompany our guests' menu matched perfectly with the food and showed wonderfully, too. It was a blast. 

To be fair, how can food-pairing go wrong when you serve great wines with great food? 

I love these 3 wines!

Domaine Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru "Les Folatieres" 2017

@pierreyvescolinmorey

Light, crisp, racy, mineral, zesty, floral, elegant, refined, balanced, and sharp on the nose and the palate, yet packing a solid build, good strength, complexity, as well as structure and texture, like a ballerina seems delicate and fragile while being very strong, agile, flexible, coordinated and extremely precise. Love this wine. Really enjoyable and well crafted, a great match with the scallops and artichoke Risotto.

Domaine Serafin Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru 2017

@domaineserafin

Here again, on the light to medium side, yet layered, complex, and long-lasting, boasting fresh, bright, fragrant, focused, energetic, and racy aromas of red and black cherry and berries mingling with floral, herbal, and earthy minerals, terroir-driven notes. A brilliant wine, great with the langoustine and the turbot.

Vieux Château Certan Pomerol 2016

@vieuxchateaucertan

My love for VCC is undeniable and goes back to 25 years ago when I first had the chance and was privileged to visit the cellar and taste at the barrel with Alexandre Thienpont himself. I fell in love with the wine; to this day, it is still and remains my favorite Pomerol. There is shyness, yet character and personality, distinct elegance and intelligence in this wine. Like its maker, this is a bright and generous wine with so much to give and offer when you get to know it and listen to what it has to say. Stunning with the slow-cooked lamb and roasted pigeon.

Cheers! Santé!

Dom

@ledomduvin #ledomduvin #vin #wine #vino #wein @pierreyvescolinmorey #pierreyvescolinmorey #pulignymontrachet @domaineserafin #domaineserafin #charmeschambertin #burgundy @vieuxchateaucertan #vieuxchateaucertan #pomerol #bordeaux #tastingnotes #lesphotosadom #sommelier #sommelierlife #sommlife #wineyearly #ilovemyjob 

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The unknown wine...

The interesting and humbling thing about wine is that no matter how many books you've read and studied on the subject, or how many videos you've watched, or how much knowledge you have or think to have, or how many wines you've tasted and no matter how many years of experience you have, you still continue to discover, learn, comprehend, understand, appreciate and share new things, information, ideas, tastes, aromas, and flavors, as well as embracing moments and experiences with people on a daily basis.

That's why I love my job and still have the same passion, even after 30 years in the wine industry, tasting between 2500 and 5000 wines a year (up to nearly 10000, when I was working in retail, that's a staggering 192 wines per week..).. insane, but not uncommon, more especially for wine critics. 

And, yet, to be honest, despite some proudly naming themselves this way, no one is a real "wine expert", as there are so many countries and regions and people producing wines, even the best of us cannot claim to know everything. One more reason to remain humble and curious when it comes to wine (and most subjects for that matter).

The other day was a good example of it. One customer brought a bottle of Red Burgundy, an Aloxe-Corton 1999, from a producer I have never heard of before: Dubois Bernard et fils. Rings the bell to you? I must admit, it didn't for me.

Doing a little research, I learned that the winemaker, Jean-Luc Dubois, who passed away in 2009, (RIP), is now survived by his cousin, Jacques Dubois, who is the 5th generation, crafting quite a few wines from the high altitude parcels of his family's tiny 7 hectares Domaine (13 hectares depending on the source), located in Chorey-Les-Beaune, in existence since the mid-1850s.

Domaine Bernard Dubois Pere et Fils produces a few whites and mostly reds from various appellations including: 

• Bougogne Aligoté 
• Bourgogne Rouge
• Chorey Les Beaune "Clos Margot" 
• Aloxe-Corton 
• Aloxe-Corton "Les Brunettes" 
• Savigny-les-Beaune Blanc
• Savigny-les-Beaune "Les Ratausses"
• Savigny-les-Beaune Premier Cru "Clos des Guettes"
• Beaune Premier Cru "Les Bressandes"

Most of the red wines are aged for 12-15 months in oak barrels, of which 25% are renewed each year, coming from both the forests of Allier and Vosges. The vinification takes about three weeks, with cold pre-fermentation maceration, only using natural indigenous yeasts from their own estate. 

Depending on the vintage, the wines are usually very approachable and enjoyable within the first few years, yet, time will reward the most patient of us, as these wines will definitely benefit from a few years of cellaring, and this 1999 is undoubtedly a great example of it.    

Domaine Bernard Dubois et Fils Aloxe-Corton Burgundy France 1999

A really pleasant surprise as this wine showed beautifully, boasting clean, crisp, fresh, mineral, enticing dark, and red cherry, flowers and earthy aromas and flavors enhanced by great acidity and expanding gracefully in the harmonious, structured, textured, balanced, and focused, layered palate, offering both complexity and depth, as well as purity and terroir reminiscent notes. Highly recommended. Especially at this price, this is a steal!

To discover or re-discover. 

Cheers! Santé!

Dom

@domaine_dubois_chorey @ledomduvin #wine #vin #vino #wein #tastingnotes #ledomduvin #lesphotosadom #domainebernardduboisetfils

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Last night wines

Last night at the restaurant we had a big party and these were the wines the team and I opened, tasted, and served.  

@krugchampagne

Krug Champagne Vintage Brut 2006

A blend of 45% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay, and 20% Pinot Meunier, Krug 2006 exhibits a clear champagne robe with fast crystalline bubbles. Fine, elegant nose, boasting crisp, bight floral and mineral aromas mingling with yellow stone-fruit and toasted notes. The palate is refined and finely chiseled, focused, rich and layered, with sharp acidity and a long silky finish. Loved it, yet a bit young in my opinion, it will definitely benefit from a few more years of cellaring to fully express its full potential. Not as intense and expressive as 2004, now, but will definitely be a great contender in the years to come.

@domaine_francois_raveneau

Domaine François Raveneau Chablis Premier Cru "Foret" 2018

Beautifully crafted and elegant, light to medium-bodied, yet complex and structured, very fragrant and enticing right from the opening, offering attractive aromas of white flowers, citrus peel, agrumes, and stony minerality, enhanced by a razor-sharp acidity, bringing tension and precision along the expanding palate, till the end of the long-lasting finish. Highly recommended.

@louislatour1797

Maison Louis Latour Bâtard-Montrachet 2016

Interestingly, (and sorry if I offend anyone), my first reaction, at the opening, was: "It smells and tastes like popcorn in a bottle!". Rich, creamy, ample, well rounded, and layered with lots and lots of buttery aromas, yellow fruits, vanilla, brioche, and toasted notes. Maybe the results of the 8 to 10 months ageing in 100% new oak barrels. You've got to love butteriness to fully appreciate it. I will have love to see more minerality, acidity, and crispness to bring more elegance, refinement, and focus to this wine.

@chateaupalmer

Château Palmer Margaux 2009

I love Palmer, but too young to drink now. Made from 52% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Petit Verdot, it boasts very ripe, almost jammy, dark and red fruits aromas and flavors, mingling with woody, earthy and floral notes. Rich and layered, yet offering more upfront than in the finish. Where is the elegance referred to by many critics? Maybe just a phase. A few more years will tell.

Cheers! Santé!

Dom

@ledomduvin #wine #tastingnotes #vin #wein #vino #lesphotosadom #ledomduvin #krug #domainefrancoisraveneau #maisonlouislatour #chateaupalmer

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Tuesday Wines by ©LeDomduVin 2021

Tuesday wines... 😁👍🍷

Some of the wines I opened, tasted, and served last night. 

@champagne_bollinger

Bollinger PN VZ 16 (Blanc de Noirs)

This 100% Pinot Noir, crafted with 50% Vin de Reserve (reserve wine) and 50% from the 2016 vintage, from grapes harvested in vineyards located in Verzenay (abbreviated as VZ), is crisp, elegant, refined, rich, complex, and layered, with baked apple, yellow stone-fruit, fresh almond, viennoiserie, and mineral notes. Fresh and festive. 

@domaineleflaive

Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru "Clavoillon" 2018

Undoubtedly one of my favorite producers for the past 30 years, I can only praise this beautiful wine, elegant and refined, rather light and timid, and probably too young to drink, yet, still delivering finesse, precision, structure, and focus, with notes of white flowers, yellow stone-fruit, toast, and fresh almonds, mingling with minerality and zesty acidity. Lovely. (Decanted 10 minutes before serving to give a boost)

@domainedelavougeraie

Domaine de la Vougeraie Bâtard-Montrachet 2014

Wow! What a wine! There is something quite special and unique about this wine, where razor-sharp limey acidity collides with bright and mouth-watering minerality to enhance the precise and finely layered, structured, and textured expanding palate, boasting fresh lime, white flowers, stone's dew, yellow fruit, and toasted notes. Perfectly balanced, harmonious, and integrated. Looooved it. (Decanted 20 minutes before serving). 

@domaineannegros

Domaine Anne Gros Clos-Vougeot Grand Cru "Le Grand Maupertui" 2002

Fragile and feminine, slightly shy at the opening, it rapidly opened up, unveiling an elegantly floral nose with bright red cherry fruit, stony minerality, and earthy notes. The palate is rather light, yet, bright, chiseled, balanced, complex, satiny, tangy, and earthy at the same time. Beautifully bred and very attractive. 

@chateauchevalblanc_

Cheval Blanc Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2001

Like the last few times, it showed wonderfully. Extremely satisfying after 30 minutes of opening. Elegant, with a velvety texture, medium body, and beautiful fruit mingling with floral and herbal, earthy notes. Gorgeous savoriness. 

Cheers! Santé! 

Dom

@ledomduvin #lesphotosadom #wine #vin #vino #wein #tastingnotes #ledomduvin #bollinger #domaineleflaive #domainedelavougeraie #domaineannegros #chevalblanc 

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LeDomduVin: Bottle Sizes & Dimensions (part 2)

 

Bottle Dimensions by ©LeDomduVin 2021

Bottle Sizes & Dimensions (part 2)

I have created the above collage to complement a previous post on bottle sizes and dimensions that I wrote back in 2017. If interested, you can read it here  

This collage came to mind as I was revisiting the table I created for the previously mentioned post. I thought that creating such a collage could come quite handy as a simple yet informative visual to show the various bottle dimensions and variations in lengths and diameters at one glance.   

I had the idea to create it to show it during a Zoom meeting with my colleagues, as I'm part of a team participating in the opening of new restaurants in HK, for which I'm involved in the concept and design of the wine cellar and the creation and building of the wine lists (selections, prices, etc...). 

A visual is often better understood than a thousand words, as it speaks for itself. No explanation is needed. 

And, in case you're interested, here is the revisited and updated version of LeDomduVin Bottle Dimensions table (that I created back in 2017 for my previous post): 

Hope this post was as helpful to you as it was to me.  

Stay safe and take good care of yourselves. Best wishes to all of you for this end-of-the-year holiday.   

Cheers! Santé! 

Dom  

@ledomduvin, #bottledimensions, #bottles, #dimensions, #ledomduvin, #lescollagesadom, #lescreationsadom, #lesillustrationsadom, #vin, #vino, #wein, #wine

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Petit jeu du soir / Little game of the evening

Petit jeu du soir 

Soustrais ton âge à 121, 

et tu devrais tomber sur ton 

année de naissance.

Voilà, pour celles et ceux qui ne comprendraient pas comment ça marche, c'est tout bêtement mathématique, et je viens de faire un petit tableau excel, car un visuel vaut mieux qu'une longue explication. Pour faire court, quelqu'un né en 2000 à 21 ans et quelqu'un né en 1921 à 100 ans. Regardez, c'est simple, n'est-ce pas?

Little game of the evening 

Subtract your age from 121,

and you should fall on your

year of birth.

There you have it, for those who do not understand how it works, it is simply mathematical, and I have just made a small excel table, because a visual is better than a long explanation. Long story short, someone born in 2000 is 21, and someone born in 1921 is 100.  Look, it's simple, isn't it?

Enjoy the rest of your evening and be safe. And give some love to each other, 'cause that's all we got! 

Peace!

Dom

@domelgabor #domelgabor #lesmemesadom #meme #game #jeu @ledomduvin 

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Pichon Lalande 1989

Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande (Pichon Lalande)

Over the last 4 months that I started in this new job, as a Senior Manager - Wine Management / Sommelier, working at the office by day and 2-3 times a week at the restaurant at night, especially Fridays and Saturdays, I had the immense pleasure to taste some incredible wines, some from our own cellars, some brought by our customers. 

Although I cannot work full time as a Sommelier, due to a physical condition that has been bothering me on daily basis for decades (the reason I stopped working on the floor full time, 10 years ago), it is always a pleasure to occasionally put on my suit, proudly wearing the grape that was given to me in 1997, for my Sommelier certification, and help our restaurant team serving these amazing wines. 

The other day, I opened 2 bottles of Pichon Lalande 1989. I had not tried it for a while, and I was pleasantly surprised by how well it showed. 

Since it was acquired in 2007, by the Rouzaud family, owners of Louis Roederer, tremendous changes in terms of structure, blend, and taste have been made for the better. The wines gained in texture, complexity, taste, and quality. Yet, prior to this era, I must say that the wines of Pichon Lalande were more like a hit or miss, depending on the vintage. 

Personally, and although I have always appreciated it, to a certain extent, I have always found Pichon Lalande to be a tricky and capricious old Bordeaux style wine, often austere, tannic, and dry, and not revealing much in its youth. Marked by a certain feminine elegance and character, but rather like an old bitter lady, especially in the 80s and early 90s (I'm not going to make friends by writing this).

Fortunately, time has a taming effect on this old lady and this 1989 is a great example of it. It showed rather well after 2 hours of decanting, while restraint on the nose and somewhat on the palate too at the opening. Exhibiting timid earthy notes of dark cherry, currants, leather, tobacco, smoke, underbrush, pepper, and a few other tertiary aromas. Gentle, supple, elegant, yet, a bit dry, with a moderate finish, slightly fading (not many tannins or acidity left, at peak?). Good with lamb and/or pigeon. 

Cheers! Santé!

Dom

@ledomduvin #wine #vin #vino #wein #lesphotosadom #pichonlalande @pichon_comtesse #pauillac #bordeaux 

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Some of last night's wines 

@domaine_henri_boillot

Domaine Henri Boillot Bâtard-Montrachet 2014

Nice, racy, elegant, harmonious, and light on its feet, gracious like a ballerina, beautiful structure and texture, complex and rich without being too heavy. Beautifully crafted. Decanted 30 minutes before serving to give it a boost, as it is quite young and shy. Showed beautifully. Loved it. 

@chateauhautbrion_

Château Haut-Brion Pessac-Leognan 2000

Timid and slightly restraint at first, decanted about 2 hours prior to serving it. Haut-Brion is and has been my favorite wine for the past 30 years of my career in the wine industry. It is kind of sentimental between Haut-Brion and me. Undoubtedly amongst the very finest wine producers in Bordeaux, if not the world. A blend of 51% Merlot, 42% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Cabernet Franc, the 2000 vintage has been deemed close to perfection by various esteemed wine critics, including Neal Martin 99+ and Robert Parker 99. Beautifully balanced, structured and textured, complex, refined, the list of adjectives to describe it is endless. Loooooooooooved it. And it still shows potential to last for a few more decades. 

#chateaulafleur 

Chateau Lafleur Pomerol 2015

Château Lafleur is a moody wine to be drunk at the right time, which tends to open up in its youth, like this 2015, then close down for a decade or two before reopening again to show its full potential. Meaning that if you miss the window when it opens up, you might find it close and restrained, while this is an absolutely amazing wine when the timing is right. 

Although it is probably a sacrilege to open such wine this young, it showed wonderfully last night, delivering tons of aromas, right from the opening, like dark fruits, plums, ripe cherry, chocolate, purple flowers, hints of smoke and earth, mingling in a layered, rich, opulent and complex and long-lasting palate. Even better after 2 hours. As I did not open it in advance, I had to decant it twice to give it plenty of air, for it to fully express itself. What an amazing wine! If you have a case of it, drink a bottle now to appreciate its youthfulness and friendliness, but keep the rest of it, as this wine will surely last for the next 2/3 decades. 

Cheers! Santé!

Dom

@ledomduvin #ledomduvin #wine #vin #vino #wein #chateauhautbrion #domainehenriboillot #chateaulafleur #burgundy #bourgogne #bordeaux #pessacleognan #pomerol @domaine_henri_boillot @chateauhautbrion_

Unless stated otherwise, all right reserved ©LeDomduVin 2021 on all the contents above including, but not limited to, photos, pictures, maps, memes, posts, texts, writings, quotes, notes, tasting notes, descriptions, wine descriptions, definitions, recipes, drawings, illustrations, visuals, graphs, tables, and even music and video (when and where applicable).

Guigal’s “La Las” wines 2014

This trio represents the epitome of both Guigal's portfolio and undoubtedly the best of what Côte Rôtie has to offer. There are amongst some of the most sought-after wines in the world. 

Domaine Guigal La Mouline 2014

The most feminine of the 3, La Mouline should always be served first when the 3 are presented together. From a vineyard planted on the Côte Blonde, with 89% Syrah and 11% Viognier, and vines averaging 75 years old, La Mouline is like a spring-blooming flower, exhibiting delicate floral aromas and violet scent, with dark and red berries fruits flavors, mingling with earthy minerals notes. Delicate, elegant, and charming. Very seductive, despite a certain tightness and restraint due to its very young age, this wine deserves time to express its full potential. 

Domaine Guigal La Turque 2014

Halfway between La Mouline and La Landonne, in terms of structure, texture, and taste, La Turque is the youngest and most approachable in its youth of the 3. Fuller and denser than La Mouline, but not as complex and rich as La Landonne, La Turque is crafted from a vineyard in the Côte Blonde planted with 93% Syrah and 7% Viognier on vines averaging 25 years old. complexity and quality. The resulting wine is supple, generous, sensual, with a strong expression of its terroir. 

Domaine Guigal La Landonne 2014

Crafted from 100% Syrah, from vines averaging 35 years old, planted in iron-rich clay and limestone on the Côte Brune, La Landonne is a complex and rich, more masculine wine, bursting with dark fruit flavors mingling with earthy, smoky, gamey meats and minerality notes. Surely the most layered, textured, and structured of the 3, La Landonne is also the one that takes the most time to fully develop, gaining in flavors and complexity as it ages, rewarding those who have the patience to wait for it. 

Although they showed well after 2 hours of decanting, they were still too young to be fully enjoyed, in my opinion, showing restraint and shyness (brought by a customer, so, no choice). Yet, personally, I will have left them in the cellar to mature a few years longer, to reach their full expressions. 

Cheers! Santé!

Dom 

@ledomduvin #wine #vin #vino #wein #guigal #ledomduvin #lesphotosadom #rhonevalley #rhone @domaineguigal

Unless stated otherwise, all right reserved ©LeDomduVin 2021 on all the contents above including, but not limited to, photos, pictures, maps, memes, posts, texts, writings, quotes, notes, tasting notes, descriptions, wine descriptions, definitions, recipes, drawings, illustrations, visuals, graphs, tables, and even music and video (when and where applicable).

Do you Movember? I do 

Every year, I let my goatee grow for the last few days of October to be ready for Movember, and keep it for the whole month of November.

Movember (a "portmanteau" of the Australian-English diminutive word for "moustache", "mo", and "November") is an annual event involving the growing of mustaches, during the entire month of November, to raise awareness of men's health issues, such as prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and men's suicide.

Whether you Movember or not, you can still donate if you want at

https://hk.movember.com/

https://us.movember.com/about/foundation

This November is gonna get hairy again. 😁👍

Be safe, be cautious, and take good care of yourself and your loved ones.  

Dom

#moustache #noshavenovember #movember #Movember2021 @movember #goatee #stache #lesphotosadom #ledomduvin @ledomduvin #donation #donate #menscancer #menshealth #cancer #awareness @domelgabor #domelgabor #dominiquenoel




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THANK YOU ALL (once again)

THANK YOU ALL 
by ©LeDomduVin 2021

THANK YOU ALL 

THANK YOU all for your continuous support! Much appreciated 🙏👍🍷😁

I'm very happy to still see my blog on the list of Feedspot Top 100 Wine Blogs (*), nestled amongst some of the most influential and informative wine blogs in the world. What an honor! 

Not that I do anything to deserve it, as I don't write much and don't really advertise it either, (as I only do that as a hobby and only post on my blog when I have time), yet, it pleases me to see that I am still there at number 132. That's great!👌👍 🤘🍷😁

And this thanks to all of you, so THANK YOU. I raise my glass to you all. 

Cheers! Santé! 

Dom

(*) In fact, it should be Top 300, as their list contains 292 Blogs.

If interested, find the Feedspot Top 100 Wine Blogs list at 

https://blog.feedspot.com/wine_blogs/

#ledomduvin @ledomduvin #feedspot #toponehundred #wine #wineblog #vin #blog #toponehundredwineblogs #thankyou #thankyouall #number132 #numberonehundredthirtytwo

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HKB - Hong Kong Baijiu
by ©LeDomduVin 2021

HKB - Hong Kong Baijiu 

Trying a new gimmick Baijiu with the team to see if we can do something with it, to drink straight and/or in cocktails 🍸.  

The nose is pretty soft and almost sweet for a Baijiu, not as pungent or alcoholic as I thought it will be. Aromatics of lychee, pears, pineapple, and ripe exotic yellow fruits, mingle with notes of white flowers, chrysanthemum, and hints of fresh almond. The taste is awfully strong for my personal taste, yet, definitely ok for a Baijiu. Displaying similar notes as in the nose. 

HKB - Hong Kong Baijiu
by ©LeDomduVin 2021

Personally, I cannot and would not drink it on its own, the reason why I asked our mixologist if he could use his magic and imagination to ease the taste and make it more palatable (to my palate😁). 

He prepared a lovely cocktail made with pineapple juice, homemade camomile syrup, lemon juice, and HKB Baijiu. The result was light, crisp, fragrant, juicy, easy to drink, and delightful I must say. I'm not so much into pineapple usually, but it paired really well with it. The camomile also added a "je-ne-sais-quoi" making this cocktail very tasty. 

HKB - Hong Kong Baijiu
by ©LeDomduVin 2021

As for HKB Baijiu, I said that it is a "gimmick" as the story behind it started with a French guy (Charles Lanthier), who, while working in China and discovering the traditional Chinese spirits (also known as "Chinese White liquor") decided to create a "Baijiu" to help Westerners to get better acquainted with it, first intended for the American and European markets. 

Produced in small batches in the Sichuan province (China), HKB (Hong Kong Baijiu) is first distilled from a mash of five grains (sorghum, rice, sticky rice, corn, and wheat), prior being blended in Italy by a grappa producer after aging (in large, neutral terra cotta urns) for two years. 

Regarding the origins of its name, as it has nothing to do with the "Fragrant Harbour" (HK's nickname, known as "Port aux Parfums" in french), I guess the "Hong Kong" part was just to make it more appealing to Westerners. 😉😁👍 

Santé! Cheers! 

Dom 

#hkb #baijiu #hongkongbaijiu @ledomduvin #lesphotosadom #ledomduvin #spirits #cocktail

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Highlights of last night wines
by @LeDomduVin 2021

Highlights of last night wines 

Once again, last night, the restaurant was quite full, the energy was joyful and we opened some seriously good wines, here are some of the highlights of last night.  

La Clarté de Haut-Brion Graves 2011 (Magnum - 1.5L)
by @LeDomduVin 2021

La Clarté de Haut-Brion Graves 2011 (Magnum - 1.5L) (@chateauhautbrion_)

What a beautiful wine! The predominance of Sauvignon Blanc in the blend provides freshness, brightness, focus, incredible balance, and length. Aromas of honeysuckle mingle with citrus, yellow fruits, white and yellow flowers, as well as slightly herbal, vegetable notes. The palate is beautifully balanced, structured and textured, layered, generous and complex, yet light on its feet and elegant. Loooooove it. 

Domaine Lignier-Michelot Nuits-St-Georges 2012 (Magnum -1.5L)
by @LeDomduVin 2021

Domaine Lignier-Michelot Nuits-St-Georges 2012 (Magnum -1.5L) (@domaine_virgile_lignier )

Domaine Lignier-Michelot Nuits-St-Georges 2012 (Magnum -1.5L)
by @LeDomduVin 2021

This wine was amazingly good and still so youthful, I was very surprised and impressed. Lots of ripe dark and red cherry, mineral, generous and complex palate, great balance, full of life, and really smooth. Well integrated. Highly recommended.

Château Angélus Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 1978
by @LeDomduVin 2021

Château Angélus Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 1978 (@chateauangelus) 

I was a bit skeptical at first when seeing the condition of the label, and more especially the state of the cork, black and dirty on top, soft, soaked, and crumbling in the middle and at the base. Even the first smell inspired something rotten inside. The light brick/brownish color also revealed an advanced stage. However, the taste was ok, so, I served it, and to my surprise, it opened up after about 10 minutes and revealed some interesting aromatics: smoky earth, underbrush, dark fruits, leather, horse saddle, forest floor. The soft and light palate showed some fruits, good acidity, and structure. Fragile, but still very much alive. Surprising. Definitely, a must-taste. 

Château Lafite Rothschild Pauillac 1978
by @LeDomduVin 2021

Château Lafite Rothschild Pauillac 1978 (@chateaulafiterothschild)

Label in good condition. Light green bottle with thinner glass than I remembered and the punt also not as deep as I thought it would be, but still presenting some features from the 70s. I'm always careful when it comes to Lafite Rothschild, counterfeits are always a concern. The cork seemed correct, with expected dimensions and conditions. The nose presented some smokiness and earthiness the like of Haut-Brion, more than a Pauillac. Tasted very young too. Surprising here again. Fake? Maybe not... 

Most vintages of the 70s for Bordeaux wines being quite mediocre overall, I cannot help to think that, either 1978 is an extraordinary underrated vintage, which has somehow developed gracefully over the last decade, after being tight and closed all these years, and, thus, must be discovered at once, prior it reaches its peak, as these two wines above exhibited some really interesting and enjoyable features. 

Château Lafite Rothschild and Angelus 1978
by @LeDomduVin 2021

Or, these two wines are amongst some of the exceptions of this particular vintage, 1978, which, in Bordeaux, was nicknamed "the miracle vintage" due to a beautiful September, which saved the "Millésime", while most producers were expecting the worst, yet, it ended up not being so bad after all, even producing some rather fine wines for some Chateaux. Trying more Bordeaux 1978 should give us the answer.  

Cheers! Santé!

Dom 

LeDomduVin (aka Dominique Noel)     

@ledomduvin #lesphotosadom #wine #vin #vino #wein #tasting #winetasting #winedescriptions #winenotes #sommelier #sommelierlife #sommlife #ilovemyjob 🍷😋

Unless stated otherwise, all right reserved ©LeDomduVin 2021 on all the contents above including, but not limited to, photos, pictures, maps, memes, posts, texts, writings, quotes, notes, tasting notes, descriptions, wine descriptions, definitions, recipes, drawings, illustrations, visuals, graphs, tables, and even music and video (when and where applicable).