2010 Simple Wine Dinner Series No 4 :: My Birthday Dinner (Part 1/4)

Venue :: Victoria Peak @ The Central, Orchard
Theme :: 1996 or below

Our tradition of wine dinner went back to 2009 when my wine group had some SBSS dinners. We carried this tradition to 2010 and named it “2010 Simple Wine Dinner Series”. As per title, we tried to keep it as simple as possible. One dinner was held each month to celebrate the birthday boy from the wine group. May, is my turn!

1984, always wanted to try this vintage as this is my birth year, but sadly, the weather in France or others old world countries was terrible, a disaster vintage for wine industry. By chance, by luck, I came across with one old world (thanks to YLB) and one new world both from 1984.

Dinner was held in Victoria Peak, a well known Chinese Restaurant, allow for Free BYO (applause!). Food was good as well as the service, though the stemware is not really standard but for corkage waived, is really fair.

Must try:
- Ginger/ Salted Baked Chicken,
- Double Mushrooms with handmade noodle,
- Pan Fried Angus Beef
- Mushroom stir fried with Fish Maw.
- Suckling Pig

I must say the line up is very complete, from Riesling as aperitif, to rose fizz, white, red and dessert. Region wise too, Bordeaux, white and red Burgundy, Southern and Northern Rhone, Champagne, Sauternes, German and California. Thanks to the generosity of everyone. I have a fantastic night.

Here we go ::

Aperitif:
1998 Fritz Haag BJS Riesling Auslese, Mosel, Germany
The nose show a little bit age with hint of petroleum. The palate is still young. Good mid palate weight and complexity. The balance between the ripe tropical fruits flavor, acidity and round minerality is great. Just kind of disjointed between the mid palate and finishing. Need aged.

1st Flight :: The champagne worked well with the fish maw

六小碟 6 Kinds Assortment

如意野菌炒花胶条 Stir-fried Shredded Fish Maw w/ Vegetable and Wild Mushroom

NV Egly Ouriet Brut Rose Grand Cru, Champagne, France
Salmon pink. A really good Rose from Egly Ouriet, fresh cut flower of violet, honey raspberry, and hint of brioche. Full body. Very very young but promising with its depth and stuffing. Not completely dry, with lots of red cherry fruits, floral, and good sweetness with its acidity giving good support for all its stuffing. One of the best Rose I have had. This paired pretty well with Fish Maw too.

2nd Flight :: Both wines pair quite well with the chicken, especially Krug. As TM said, very versatile.

Baked Salted Chicken with Ginger

1996 Verget Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, Cote de Beaune, Burgundy, France
At first I don't really enjoy this as this is still very reserve and full of arrogant power on the palate. This only show himself after sitting in the glass for 3hours. Finely focus intense nose of herbs, spices, pears, green apple and white & yellow flowers. The palate is precise, deep intense powerful with its acidity coming out at the back and carry the spices and ripe white fruits flavors to the very long finished. Another Corton Charlie that I love after the Martray. This is a close fight with Krug. I voted my white of the night to Krug for its additional layer and transparency.

1989 Krug , Champagne, France
Hey, this is a real serious champagne! Fabulous and highly exotic complex nose of honey, honeysuckle with spices and white fruits leads to a very fresh, complex, certainly great depth palate along with bright high tones acidity with underneath sweetness of red cherry, pear, green apple, citrus fruits, fresh fig and even a touch of earth. Vigor, layer and layer, immense balance and power leads all the way through to the finish which goes on and on with spices and mineral undertones. Wow! This is still so fresh and young, not at its peak yet. The palate became rounder and more elegant after 3hours in the glass. Krug, impressive an stylish. my WWOTN.