Joe Fong
Assistant General Manager
joe@ginsbergchan.com
+852 2504-2221

For today’s offer, I would like to share some of the bottles that I personally love to drink and are especially great for some at-home drinking whilst we are under lockdown once again.

I often drink Bordeaux, especially right-bank Merlot based styles, so Vieux Chateau Certain is always one of my favorites. Young or old, it never disappoints with its very attractive aromas. This 2017 is a blockbuster vintage by VCC with tremendous ripeness that means with some careful decanting it is ready to drink, perhaps with a nice sous-vide steak!

Pinot Noir is another firm favorite of mine, and Drouhin Laroze is a domaine that I feel that has really stepped up their game in the last couple of years. This 2016 vintage is a great value and inexpensive Grand Cru from Latricieres Chambertin. Concentrated, elegant and so approachable, this is certainly a producer to watch.

For a nice white Burgundy, Ponsot’s Corton Charlemagne 2015 comes from what was a warmer and earlier drinking vintage. A firm powerful structure typical of this domaine, there is plenty of richness and fruit-forwardness in this vintage, making this a powerful Corton Charlie that is drinking extremely well already. Pair this with some rich creamy dishes to liven up your dinners at home.

I can never escape a mid-week Fizz, and with a return to some warmer weather finally, Egly Ouriet’s Brut NV is a really beautiful grower champagne that never disappoints. Creamy brioche aromas are balanced with refreshing acidity and a really lovely biscuit-laden finish.

To mix things up a little, Clos Rougeard’s Saumur Le Clos from the Loire Valley makes an excellent alternative to Bordeaux. This 100% Cabernet Franc will certainly hold its own against many right bank chateau. Amazing power, concentration and ripeness, drink this with a nice Sunday roast for a simple pairing. Decant one hour ahead of time. And finally, Domaine Pegau’s Chateauneuf du Pape is a real classic. Intense and powerful sweet spices warm up the palate with firm ripe tannins and complex berry-fruit. Try this with a roast rack of lamb along with some mint sauce and you’ll be in for a real treat!

Joe's Picks

A veteran at Ginsberg+Chan, she has been with us since our early beginnings in Happy Valley, having previously worked many years in the Macau wine industry. She's been an F&B wine trainer, written newspaper articles, expertly arranged wine dinners and tastings and hosted wine ambassadors. A confident wine specialist she exudes an honest charm.

Vieux Chateau Certan OWC 2017
Vieux Chateau Certan OWC 2017

Vieux Chateau Certan OWC 2017

HKD $1,850.00

2017 Vieux Château Certan sports a deep garnet-purple color. No mincing about, the bouquet absolutely prances out of the glass with stunning scents of candied violets, chocolate-covered cherries, roses and eucalyptus over a core of black plum preserves, mulberries, black raspberries and blueberry pie plus wafts of licorice, iron ore and truffles. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has fantastic balance and expression, with very fine-grained, silt-like tannins and well-knit freshness, finishing with epic length and perfume.

Drink Date: 2023-2063

Drouhin Laroze Latricieres Chambertin Grand Cru 2016
Drouhin Laroze Latricieres Chambertin Grand Cru 2016

Drouhin Laroze Latricieres Chambertin Grand Cru 2016

HKD $1,800.00
HKD $1,900.00

The 2016 Latricieres Chambertin Grand Cru, like the Chapelle-Chambertin, includes around 40% whole bunch fruit. This is incredibly pure on the nose, very focused, brimming full of energy. It foregoes the conservatism and reserve one usually discerns on wines from this vineyard. The palate is medium-bodied, with layers of raspberry coulis and crushed strawberry laced with tobacco and a touch of spice, fanning out gloriously but with style on the finish. Again, it is a step up from the 2015.

Drink Date: 2022-2045

Ponsot Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru 2015
Ponsot Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru 2015
Ponsot Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru 2015
Ponsot Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru 2015

Ponsot Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru 2015

HKD $2,600.00

The 2015 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru is excellent, opening in the glass with notes of golden orchard fruit, spring flowers, orange zest and hazelnut cream, gently framed by new oak. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied with a glossy attack, superb concentration and an almost chewy sense of extract, its taut structural elements asserting themselves on the grippy finish. While this is marked by the warmth of the vintage it has the necessary energy and freshness to retain its balance.

Drink Date: 2019-2030

Egly Ouriet Brut Grand Cru NV
Egly Ouriet Brut Grand Cru NV
Egly Ouriet Brut Grand Cru NV
Egly Ouriet Brut Grand Cru NV

Egly Ouriet Brut Grand Cru NV

HKD $650.00

Outer quote mark The NV Brut Tradition Grand Cru is a blend of 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay from Ambonnay that is disgorged after four years on the lees. The recent release is based on the 2010 vintage and was disgorged in 2015 with three or four grams of dosage. It is a very clear and finesse-full, but also complex and firmly structured cuvée with grip, tension and a long finish. (SR) Inner quote mark (6/2016)

Domaine du Pegau Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reservee 2014
Domaine du Pegau Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reservee 2014
Domaine du Pegau Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reservee 2014
Domaine du Pegau Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reservee 2014

Domaine du Pegau Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reservee 2014

HKD $460.00

According to Laurence Féraud, the 2014 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reservee was bottled in November 2016. It's already drinking well, with charming aromas of potpourri leading the way. It's medium to full-bodied, rounded out by just enough cherry fruit, then drawing to a spicy, leather-and-silk finish. Féraud calls it her little Burgundy.

Drink Date: 2017-2030

Clos Rougeard Saumur Champigny Le Clos 2015
Clos Rougeard Saumur Champigny Le Clos 2015
Clos Rougeard Saumur Champigny Le Clos 2015
Clos Rougeard Saumur Champigny Le Clos 2015

Clos Rougeard Saumur Champigny Le Clos 2015

HKD $1,800.00

Clos Rougeard is an esteemed wine estate in Saumur-Champigny near the village of Chacé in the Loire Valley. The estate was taken over by Bernard and Charly Foucault in 1969, but had been in their family since 1894. Clos Rougeard has become famous as a cult producer because of the high quality and extremely limited release of its wines – around 2500 cases annually. All of its wine is sold by allocation only, mostly to restaurants, and very little outside of France. Clos Rougeard produces only four wines: a single white wine from 100-percent Chenin Blanc called Saumur Blanc Breze, and three 100-percent Cabernet Franc reds – Saumur Champigny Le Clos, Les Poyeux, and Le Bourg. Terroir and history are especially important to Clos Rougeard. Les Poyeux comes from a parcel of land that was first cultivated in 1664. The Foucault brothers' approach to their wine is fundamentally one of minimum intervention, extremely low yields, no chemicals or pesticides, hand-harvested fruit, natural yeasts, no filtering, no fining, and gravity bottling after up to 24 months in oak.