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

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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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