Bye, Bye New York! Hello Hong Kong!

This is a post that I just retrieved in my draft folder, written back in 2011 when we just arrived in Hong Kong including some of my first impressions and comparisons between Hong Kong and New York, not sure why I did not publish it at the time, but here it is.... 

Hong Kong (Central) with the Harbor and the IFC Building
under the quasi permanent grey clouds hovering above the city for most of year
(at least 8 months out of 12, HK is in the grey of either clouds or pollution or both...)
rare are the days with blue sky... (sigh) 

Bye, Bye New York! Hello Hong Kong!

It has been about a month and a half since I wrote my last post, and you wouldn't believe how things have changed for my little family and me. Let me explain.

By the end of July, I resigned from Heights Chateau and therefore left my position as Store Manager, Wine Buyer and in-house Sommelier.

The first week of August, realizing an old teenage dream, I rented a car and embarked my family in a journey across the United States following the Old Route 66 from New York to Las Vegas. 7 days later and a lot of driving and sightseeing mainly from the car, we safely arrived to Las Vegas. It was a nice farewell to New York after nine years living in the Big Apple.

We then set our sails toward new horizons. In fact we didn’t sail away, but we took a plane and flew on the other side of the planet, yes, in Asia. We landed in Hong Kong about 3 weeks ago as visitors, and after…, well, who knows what the future holds!    

So, for those of you who wondered where I went, that’s what it is, Hong Kong! The new financial hub of the world. The place where all China wants to be, and the rest of the world with it. After the city in London and Wall Street in New York, here rises the IFC building, icon of the Hong Kong financial district and market.  

Hong Kong is another world, a world on his own with its own rules and ways. It is a booming island with a lot happening and where everyone from Mainland China, Asia, Europe and the Americas meet, share and collide in many ways.

Hong Kong is made by the people and for the people, more especially pedestrian. No town or city is really perfect, yet when it comes to public transport (bus, taxi, ferry, metro, tram, etc..), Hong Kong is surely in the top 5 of the best city in the world.

Taxis are rather cheap compared to Paris, London and New York. A fare from Central to Wan Chai correspond to about HK$30, which is about US$4 (with no traffic, a bit more if traffic), just ask the driver not to take the harbor road, because it is a mess at the moment as they are completely revamping and enhancing the water front and piers.

Hong Kong underground train or subway or tube (locally called metro MTR) is the fastest and safest I ever took in my entire life. In Paris, only the line 1 and 14 can compare. In London, the tube is pretty good I must say, but Hong Kong is way better with bigger continuous wagon and safety measures that exceeded my expectations as a regular passenger. And above all, the Metro is immaculate compare to the other 3 city cited above.

New York should be ashamed of its metro system. In Hong Kong, everything is pristine and clean, well maintained, well indicated, users friendly, well guarded with surveillance camera everywhere and ultra safe day and night. On the platform, you even have glass walls and sliding doors to protect the rails and consequently avoid stupid accidents and other mayhems. They even have electronic billboards everywhere to give you some info like let you know when the next train will arrive.

In Paris, these electronic billboards on the platform existed already 15 years ago and more than 10-12 years ago in London. In New York, they’ve just started installing them last year and not in every station. It is a beginning, granted, and MTA is moving in the right direction, I hope for them and the New Yorkers, but they could have get inspired a long time ago. It is almost like if the city of New York just realized that people where living there and that it is time to do something nice for them… (by the way, they even tease you by posting some advertisement bill saying: “Wouldn’t it be nice to know when your next train will arrive?”, which is pretty bold when you think that it happened elsewhere more than a decade ago).

More over, in the Hong Kong main metro line, the trains come every 3 minutes, not like on the “A” line in New York where you can wait in average 10-15 minutes (or way more if something happened) between each train. And don’t get me wrong but New York City counts about 8.3 millions people, therefore, don’t you think that they could have done something earlier than within the last 2-3 years. Sorry to say, New York is a great city in many ways, but in the mean time New York stinks in many ways too and it is not as people friendly as it seems (although it is a bit better than it was). Honk Kong island, Kowloon and the southern part of the new territories count about 7 millions people, and everything is there to help pedestrians: metro, bus, trams and taxis, in quantity and at low rate. So New York, what are you waiting for.

Anyway, so here I’m in Hong Kong, and life goes on with new adventures and plenty more wines and food tasting waiting to be shared and described. New country, new people, new culture, new behaviors, a lot to take in and embrace and a lot to discover and enjoy too!

Soon I will continue to write more posts, but for now, I have been a bit busy and didn’t really take the time to sit down to write (but it will come). I will also share more views about Honk Kong.

Among the few things that I will miss from New York, the first that come to mind are: bigger apartments, bigger side walks, people with a certain notion of space and surrounding, and the fact that when the sky is blue and the sun is shining, the sky is blue not grey and polluted like in Hong Kong.

But hey, so far, we had quite a few great sunny days where we could see a bit of blue in the sky and the sun has been here too, pretty much everyday, even if it was mostly overcast. Also the temperatures are slightly going down and it feels much better to be outside than a few weeks ago, yet it is steel very humid and hot and sweaty, but after-all it is a subtropical climate on an island.

To be continued…

Enjoy!

LeDom du Vin now from Hong Kong.            

BOE: Wine and Art combined to be appreciated, admired and tasted & 2007 BOE (Brooklyn Oenology) Viognier North Fork of Long Island New York USA

2007 BOE (Brooklyn Oenology) Viognier North Fork of Long Island New York USA

BOE introduction to their website says it all:

“Brooklyn Oenology. Wine made in New York, Art made in Brooklyn.”

I first discovered “BOE” Brooklyn Oenology a few years ago, when Alie Shaper, BOE’s owner and winemaker extraordinaire, came to the store to introduce her wines. It was the beginning of a beautiful adventure for her, but at that time, when she barely started the operation, she was working on her own: doing tastings, making and promoting wines and delivering them on her own. But she was passionate and convinced, and wanted to show her wines to the world.

Alie established the company in 2006 and started selling her wines in 2007. Within the last 5 years, she went from being a one person operation to a 7 persons operation. She stumbled into winemaking like someone suddenly realizing that he or she has a purpose or a mission to accomplish, with a simple light bulb idea.

But don’t get me wrong, she didn’t develop her passion for wine and winemaking just like that, from one day to the next. No. Well acquainted with wine, she was already working in the wine business for a few years and had already an internship at Premium Wine Group, a winemaking facility on Long Island; but it took a move and the influence of a few new surrounding factors, to really initiate the idea.

In 2005, she decided to move to Brooklyn, partly for practical reasons, but mainly because of the significant artistic community and attractive lifestyle of this vibrant and ever-active borough. Once in Brooklyn and already establishing contacts and friendships with the local artists, the brilliant idea of incorporating Wine and Art to celebrate local wine culture and local creativity came to her mind.

In 2006, she started to produce wine at her internship facility in the North Fork of Long Island, Premium Wine Group, and established her office in Green Point, the northern neighborhood of Brooklyn, near the young-and-hype Williamsburg.

The heights of Kings county throne like an old, yet wise and serene sovereign, overlooking his young and somewhat undisciplined sibling that Manhattan is. And despite its bad and rough reputation, Brooklyn has become a hub for great inventive minds, energetic young entrepreneurs and daring artists. It is a borough of mixed traditions and culture, which combined old established family traditions and respect with outgoing attitude and desire to achieve better.

Today, with its many quaint places, lanes, terraces and quiet cul-de-sac, the western neighborhoods of Brooklyn combined some of the most exclusive family-oriented and hype neighborhoods in the city. And atop of being filed with inviting bars, mixologists clubs, small craftsman boutiques, eclectic food markets, modest factories and gourmet restaurants and eclectic art and culture, and much more; Brooklyn also encompasses wineries and breweries and distilleries lead by ingenious and creative people, which have for the past few years helped revived and reestablished Brooklyn needs to shine and demonstrate.

As for BOE, nowadays, 5 years later, Alie is still making wine at the same facility (Premium wine Group), and even continues, from time to time when not too busy or in case of urgent measure, to deliver her wines to certain accounts.

From the first few wines of the beginning, she tremendously expanded her portfolio to 14 different labels, most made by local Artists and, for some, conveniently detachable from the bottle. Everything in her concept revolve around Wine and Art, which are blended together into the bottle of course, but also reflected on each label, which somehow, by the colors and forms, auto-suggest in advance the aromas, flavors and overall profile and attitude of the wine. Pretty smart, isn't it?



2007 Brooklyn Oenology "BOE" Viognier North Fork of Long Island
Suggested retail price $16-$19
Distributed directly by Brooklyn Oenology BOE in NYC

To prove what I was trying to say on the last paragraph, let's take for example the label of the 2007 Viognier: you may see something else, but in my opinion, it looks like a close-up of gently undulating grass on a bright, sunny day due to the movement and the light; it evokes Spring, or Summer, a picnic may be... and yet again, it somehow also gives you the illusion of being in the water or like if you were looking at grass under water just below the surface with the ever-changing light filtering through it; creating in your mind images and sensations of grassiness, minerality, freshness, crispiness, lightness, something with soft, gentle and discrete behavior, yet bright and lively and inviting attitude. And surprisingly, it is also what you get in the bottle when you taste the wine. What a great idea! (and it works with pretty much all of her wines, amazing).

Let's talk about that Viognier. Like for most of her wines, she sources most of her grapes through various growers of Long Island and this Viognier is no exception. All of her wines are bright and racy with a lot of focus, great acidity and balance, but this Viognier is one of my favorite wines amongst all the ones she introduced me to, since I begin to support her project and ideology a few years ago.

Viognier is a tough grape variety to deal with: floral, mineral, expressive, long, elegant, mouth-coating and lightly oily when well crafted; it can also turn into a tired, dull, fat, viscous and uninteresting wine, if the fruit is too ripe and the overall wine profile lacks the acidity and freshness. However, this is not the case for 2007 BOE Viognier, which is quite zesty and refreshing.

“Viognier loves stainless steel; so, it was fermented in-tank at a cool temperature. It rested on a small amount of lees for a few weeks to extract extra aromas to give the wine its prolonged finish. It was then simply rested and bottled. Its flavors present in a sequence of fruits and flowers, and linger like a reminder of a summer evening. (320 cases made)” – Alie Shaper, Winemaker/Owner

I could have described the taste of this wine myself, like I normally do, but I’m usually too wordy and Alie has a great way on describing it shortly and pleasantly.

“A cooling alternate French varietal, our Viognier will refresh you with honeydew, peach, lime, and honeysuckle, finishing clean with stone and rose. It’s a great wine when you want to explore outside of Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. Get sipping and be transported out of the city and into the meadow.” – Alie Shaper, Winemaker/Owner

She has a great website where one can find a lot of info about what is happening in the BOE world, but I just wanted, with this post, to open little parentheses about her past and how she began this wonderful adventure, which you will not necessary find on her website. And encourage her to continue to pursue her ideas and visions. http://brooklynoenology.com

Enjoy!

LeDom du Vin

Step into the Green! Drink more Biodynamic, Biologique and Organic wines and spirits and food) from sustainable culture and respect the environment! Support the right causes for the Planet and all the people suffering all around the globe! Also follow projects and products from the Fair Trade, an organized social movement and market-based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries obtain better trading conditions and promote sustainability. Also support 1% for the Planet, an alliance of businesses that donate at least 1% of their annual revenues to environmental organizations worldwide. "Commerce Equitable" or "Fair Trade" is evidently and more than ever a needed movement connecting producers and customers, to be aware of others and their cultural and traditional products based on high quality, natural components and craftsmanship.

2007 Wolffer Estate Cabernet Franc Sagaponack Long Island New York

2007 Wolffer Estate Cabernet Franc Sagaponack Long Island New York

Recently someone ask me: "What do you think will be the best Long Island wine to pair with a grass fed local steak if money is absolutely no object (and what's great about the wine, or the producer, or why it's great with steak)? Here is what I answered.

In my opinion, money isn’t always synonymous of quality and when it comes to Long Island wines, it is definitely true. Although, usually, Money rhythms with hand-harvested, low yield and therefore limited production, long oak ageing and targeted markets and customers; sometimes, the high demanded price of a wine also often reflects the cost of the winery’s investments, marketing and yearly structure and vineyard maintaining: new barrels, new stainless steel tanks, etc… and probably a touch of greed added to the overall equation.

On Long Island, even if quality tremendously rose over the last 5 years, as well as the number of producers, only a handful of producers distinguish themselves from the bunch for their consistency. And Wolffer Estate is definitely one of them, more especially their Cabernet Franc, which is the benchmark of their portfolio and a standard for the region as far as grape variety characteristic, is concern.

Wölffer Estate Vineyard is unquestionably a beautiful place. But the creation of it spanned over three decades and required a creative vision, an ability to bring dreams to reality and a great deal of dedicated hard work by many people. Christian Wölffer possessed the vision and with the meticulous care of his professional team that built this special place – Wölffer Estate Vineyard - that was created, first and foremost, to be enjoyed by people. The original parcel of land was a potato farm with an old farmhouse in what is now the middle of the estate.

Over the years as more acres were acquired, paddocks and stables were added and in 1987, the vineyard was founded. This 55-acre winery is part of a 175 acre estate with boarding stables, 30 paddocks, an indoor jumping ring, and a Grand Prix field. Both the stables and winery have a European character and these former potato fields have become the foundation for world-class wines. Wölffer Estate Vineyard is an American Winery in the Classic European Tradition. As for the wine, the 2007 Wolffer Cabernet Franc will greatly suitable to pair with local grass fed steak.




2007 Wolffer Estate Cabernet Franc Sagaponack Long Island New York
Suggested retail price $17-$19
Distributed by Winebow Inc. in NYC

As for the wine, the 2007 Wolffer Cabernet Franc will be very suitable to pair with local grass fed steak, due to its present yet integrated tannic structure, balance and complexity of flavors, which combine European elegance and earthiness with the typicity of their Long Island Terroir. These factors will surely enhance the substantiality of the meat and complement its taste. Beside its medium, bright ruby color, the nose is redolent of dark and blue berries, white pepper, cedar and vanilla aromas. Slightly restraint at first, the palate, which needs decanting, is elegant, focus and expanding with ripe fruit flavors intermingled with peppery, slightly vegetal nuances, framed by soft tannins and balanced by bright acidity into a smooth, earthy finish. Despite steak, it will also pair well with hearty and meaty dishes like Duck confit, Cassoulet and slow cooked Beef short ribs (a great combination).

Enjoy!

LeDom du Vin

Step into the Green! Drink more Biodynamic, Biologique and Organic wines and spirits and food) from sustainable culture and respect the environment! Support the right causes for the Planet and all the people suffering all around the globe! Also follow projects and products from the Fair Trade, an organized social movement and market-based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries obtain better trading conditions and promote sustainability. Also support 1% for the Planet, an alliance of businesses that donate at least 1% of their annual revenues to environmental organizations worldwide. "Commerce Equitable" or "Fair Trade" is evidently and more than ever a needed movement connecting producers and customers, to be aware of others and their cultural and traditional products based on high quality, natural components and craftsmanship.