LeDomduVin: Last night at Yakumo

Last night at Yakumo 

I had the pleasure to taste and serve 

Toyobijin Junmai Daiginjo Tokugin Aiyama

Juyondai Junmai Daiginjo (Yellow label)

Juyondai Yamadanishiki Junmai Daiginjo

Domaine Ponsot Clos de Vougeot Cuvée Vieilles Vignes 2010

Domaine Comte George de Vogue Musigny Grand Cru 1996

Château Margaux 1979

Cheers! Santé! 

Dom 

Full descriptions soon on my blog at www.ledomduvin.com 

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LeDomduVin: AUOR - An exquisite culinary experience in the heart of Wan Chai - Hong Kong

AUOR: An exquisite culinary experience 

I recently went to "AUOR", the new fine dining restaurant project of Chef Edward Voon, in Wan Chai (Hong Kong). It was a tremendously exquisite culinary experience. Highly recommended. 

The dimly lighted decor is dark, somber brown and matte metallic gold, sober, elegant, chic, sophisticated, yet cozy, comfortable, intimate, and inviting. 

The logo design, the name "AUOR" referring to both "Gold" and "Auror" (Dawn), as well as the clock concept for the menu and the menu itself,  have all been created by Chef Voon. 

As pictures are worth a thousand words, here is the menu we ate that night in pictures.  

Proving once again that, despite his (or her) skills and experience, a Chef is all about creativity and imagination, as well as a constant search for excellence and consistency, perfecting his (her) talent and skills as he (she) continues learning, experiencing and discovering, meticulously and precisely crafting each dish, while reinventing and improving his (her) cuisine every day. 

Each dish at AUOR was a delight for the eyes, the olfactory system, and the taste buds. 

Beyond the elegant and creative presentation, I savored the most the combination of scents, aromas, flavors, textures, and substances of each bite. Each dish was both intriguing and enticing, colorful and very tempting. 

Bravo, and thank you, Chef @edwardvoon74 (Chris and your team). You did an amazing job with the design, the decor, the menu, the food, and the service. My friend and I were very impressed and amazed. 

I'm happy for you that you can now run your own restaurant to splendidly showcase your talent and skills to the world and do what you really want to do. 

Each of your dishes was a rich, complex, refined, and sophisticated piece of art. And I feel privileged that I had the chance to see, smell, and taste them, as I very rarely indulge myself in such fancy restaurants. 

I brought 2 bottles, which paired surprisingly well with the food: 

Jacquesson Avize Grand Cru Champ Cain Brut 2009 (disgorged in 2019), and Château Léoville Poyferré Saint-Julien Second Grand Cru Classé. 

It was an exquisite culinary experience. Thank you to Chef Edward Voon for the food and to Chris and the rest of the team for the service.  

Have a look at their website to see what they offer and book your table: https://auor.com.hk/

Cheers! Santé! 

Dom

#ledomduvin @ledomduvin #lesphotosadom @auor.hkg #auor #restaurant #auorrestaurant @champagne_jacquesson #jacquesson @chateau_leovillepoyferre #leovillepoyferre #food #wine #vin #culinaryexperience #hongkong

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LeDomduVin: Decanting Château Léoville Barton 2010

Another night

Another wine

Another decanting 

LeDomduVin decanting Château Léoville Barton 2010

I must admit that I have been opening quite a few 2010 Bordeaux lately, and they are drinking fantastically well. The Pontet Canet 2010, which I opened the previous night was amazing! (here) And this Leoville Barton was no exception either.   

Video by @nc_hang 

Thank you, David, much appreciated 

😁👍🍷🍷🍷

Santé! Cheers! 

Dom

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LeDomduVin: Coincidental pairing

Coincidental pairing 

Following up on "which bottle should I pick to be paired with a cigar?" Some of you guessed it well, spot on, well done! 

Yet, most of you discovered it with the reel (a short video) I posted in the previous post. 

I picked Château Pontet Canet 2010. 

Why? 

Well, as I did not know which cigar it will be paired with, I needed a solid wine with complex aromas and body, so as not to be overwhelmed or overpowered by the flavors, strength, and richness of the cigar. 

It was not an easy choice, as Pomerol first came to my mind. And yet, Cabernet Sauvignon being stronger and more tannic, it had to be from the Left Bank. And, amongst the choice I had, my gut's feeling (combined with my experience and knowledge of the wines) told me that it will probably be the best choice. 

Pontet Canet 2010 is an amazing wine displaying aromas of dark fruits, earth, soil, and wood mingling with floral and mineral notes. It has power and richness, structure and texture while being harmonious and balanced, and beautifully expands throughout the palate with substance and character up to the long lingering earthy finish. Majestic! 

It showed wonderfully after 2 hours of decanting and displayed a lot of complexity and refinement and potential of aging. Highly recommended and to be revisited within the next 5-10 years. 

As for the "coincidental pairing" part, it came when I realized that the cigar, (it will eventually be paired with), was none other than one of my favorite cigars, and truly an excellent choice from the host: 

Partagás Serie D Especial Edición Limitada 2010

What a coincidence! And, what a surprise! (as I had no clue what the cigar will be). A 2010 vintage wine paired with a 2010 vintage cigar. Perfect! 

It definitely makes for a good story to tell. 

Santé! Cheers! 

Dom

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LeDomduVin: A man in black decanting Château Pontet Canet 2010

Men in black

A man in black decanting Château Pontet Canet 2010

When it comes to preparing wine for clients or guests, decanting becomes a crucial, needed step of the preparation when a wine is too young, too tight, or presents lots of sediments due to its age. 

For Burgundy, for example, I don't usually decant the reds (it might have happened but only on rare occasions), as Pinot Noir-based wines open up quite easily and rapidly in the bottle, and thus do not require decanting, unless really tight.  

However, I love decanting white burgundy, especially if they are young to give them a boost and allow them to open up faster. Old burgundy whites also deserve to be decanted in most cases.  

For Bordeaux, both young and old need to be decanted in my opinion. The ones in the middle with a certain maturity, not necessarily too young or too old, can just be opened, tasted, and left open, without decanting.  However, if too tight, too young, or too old, and, more importantly, if full of sediments, then decanting is a must.  

For other regions and appellations, it depends on the wine, the grape variety, the strength, the alcohol content, the vintage, and many other factors.  

For example, I do not usually decant Loire valley Red, yet, some Chinon and even some Saumur Champigny deserve to be decanted, for the Cabernet Franc to fully express itself. 

In the meantime, I like to decant full and strong wines from the Southern Rhone, Rioja, Ribera del Duero, California, Barossa, etc... as they usually need to be tamed down a little to be better appreciated. 

I must say I love decanting and I'm pretty good at it. The key is to remain calm, concentrated, and focused. And after doing it and repeating the same gests for the past 30+ years, I'm like a Decanting Master now.  It is definitely one of my specialties and all the videos I posted on YouTube and other Social Media can attest to the quality of my decanting skills.  

Santé! Cheers!

Dom 

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LeDomduVin: Mise en place

Mise en place

Hesitating? Sometimes, the problem is when you have too many good bottles to choose from. 😉😁🍷🍷🍷

Don't get any ideas, this wine fridge and these bottles are not mine, I wish... if only

So, basically, I need to pick a bottle for a host who will enjoy it while having a cigar with his guests, after dinner, tonight. 

I have already made my choice. You'll see it in the next post. 

Yet, which one will YOU choose? 

It is for a wine and cigar pairing

Let me know in the comments below. 

😁👍🍷

Santé! Cheers! 

Dom 

#ledomduvin @ledomduvin #lesphotosadom #wine #vin #vino #wein  #bordeaux #france #miseenplace #sommelier #sommelierlife #sommlife #ilovemyjob

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LeDomduVin: Food Pairing

Food pairing 

When it comes to private dinner, I (and most Sommeliers I know) prefer to go with food pairing, meaning "one dish -  one wine". 

As, it is usually easier to match the aromas and flavors of the wine with the food of one dish, or vice versa, depending on how you proceed. 

And, for a menu with 5 dishes, for 4 to 6 people, for example, I usually end up choosing a line up of wines including a Champagne to start with, then 1 or 2 whites, followed by 1 or 2 reds, depending if I can keep the same wine for 2 dishes or not. 

However, for this Monday's private dinner with a 5 dishes menu, the host decided to go with only one champagne and one red within a certain price range and amongst his own collection. 

Not an easy task as I was restricted by both choice and price. Yet, I was up to the task and ready for the challenge, and finally picked out: 

@louisroederer_ Cristal 2014, that I had never tried before, and ended up being stellar (always a good excuse to try something new 😁👍🥂🍾), and,

Domaine Claude Dugat Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru 2018, which was delightful and versatile enough to gracefully complement the food (both fish and chicken). 

Both wines were a real treat and great expressions of Pinot Noir too (*). The food was apparently really good too (it sure did look good on the plate 😍😋). The host and his guests were very pleased. 

I was relieved and could pat myself on the back for having had the flair, (once again), to have selected wines that paired well with the various dishes, and contributed a little to the success of this dinner.

At the end of the day, this dinner proved to me that, once again, when selecting wine for a food pairing, knowledge, experience, and skills are important, as well as knowing the ingredients of the menu and the various dishes, yet, the Sommelier's understanding and adaptability (to the host's demands) and the wine's versatility (to pair with various dishes) are the essential keys to a successful wine pairing (in my opinion).

Santé! Cheers!

Dom

(*) Cristal is a blend of 60% Pinot Noir 40% Chardonnay.

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LeDomduVin: A muse, a boat and a Pomerol

A muse, a boat, and a Pomerol 

This weekend, I was working for a lunch that occurred on a private yacht, where I served a bottle of Château Clinet 2010, a Pomerol that I like a lot, and, even better, in a good vintage. 

I opened the bottle near a sculpture of a muse standing up on a boat, with open arms, as if she was ready to jump into the water.

Not sure why, but I love this little sculpture, simple, elegant, refined, energetic, and attractive at the same time. 

There is an unexplainable sense of determination in that statue, she is concentrated, she is focused, she is ready, she is about to... which gives her a "je-ne-sais-quoi" of character that is very alluring (to me). Love it. 

She is in motion without moving! 

Château Clinet somehow found its place in the boat of the muse, and I couldn't help but take a few pictures while opening and decanting the bottle. 

Outside temperatures being so hot, I had to put the decanter in a bowl with some ice to cool it down a bit and prevent the wine from being too warm.

Chateau Clinet Pomerol Bordeaux France 

Average Market Price HKD 1,200 (Euro 158  / USD 153)

Beyond its dark and deep color, the wine offers intense aromas of ripe dark et red fruits and berries mingling with earthy and woody nuances, as well as notes of dirt and scorched earth, reflecting the heat of this solar vintage. The palate is medium to full-bodied, ripe, rich, and layered with the same flavors, notes, and nuances as the nose. And, despite some slight edges due to the acidity being a tad low, some firm tannins, and noticeable alcohol in the back end, overall, this wine still remains fairly harmonious and balanced, expanding nicely through the palate, with dark fruits and earthy tannins adding texture and a good grip all the way to the lingering finish.

Fortunately, the ice gave a needed refreshing touch to this wine powerhouse, which ended up showing wonderfully after about 2 hours of decanting. Yet, its youthful character could use some taming, as some edges deserve to round up a little to be a little more integrated. To revisit absolutely in the course of the next 5 to 10 years. Highly recommended. Great wine! Yet somewhat too young, but a lot of potential!

Well done to the pair behind the label, Roan Laborde and his wife, Monique Bailly, and their team of course. Bravo! 

Cheers! Santé! 

Dom

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LeDomduVin: Ponsot on top of the world

Ponsot on top of the world 

Serving Domaine Ponsot Clos de Vougeot 2010 for a private lunch in one of the tallest buildings in Hong Kong...  What else? 

And, of course, I could not help myself from taking a few pictures of the bottle and the magnificent views of Victoria Harbour and TST (Kowloon). Mesmerizing view as you can see in this picture below (better not be afraid of height).  

I also took a portrait of myself too. And, believe me, or not, the first picture was not intentional, it was just a trial (as I took these pictures alone), and I did not position the phone correctly and cut my head off. 

Yet, I really liked the result, as it kind of looked like a picture you could see in a wine magazine (*), as an advertisement for @domaineponsot for example...  ... just saying...😉

NB: don't thank me, just send me the money, I take cash and bank transfers 😉😎😁🤣🤣🤣👍🍷🍷🍷(just kidding)

Let's get back to the wine. 

Domaine Ponsot Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru Cuvée Vieilles Vignes Bourgogne 

Average Market Price HKD 4,340 (Euro 553  / USD 553)

Tight and muted at first (**), the wine opened up and tasted beautifully after about 45 minutes of opening, and was even better after 2 hours. Loved it. Showing a discreet yet charming scent of fresh red cherry mingling with floral and mineral notes and earthy nuances, in both the nose and the palate. Offers a very nice balance, structure, and texture in a delicate and refined mouthfeel from the subtle attack, expanding gracefully to the lingering finish. What a charming wine!  

Given the vintage 2010 was a difficult vintage that ended up being extremely good for those who adopted proper vineyard management and, more especially, careful sorting during the harvest, I was not too sure what to expect. Yet, Domaine Ponsot being one of the top producers, I was not taking much risk there. 

The wine does not have the body and opulence of the 2009 vintage, a much warmer and easier vintage compared to 2010, which experienced heavy frost in December 2009, poor conditions during the flowering in June, then a damp summer, yet fortunately some sun in September in until the end of the harvest in October, which allowed for the grapes to mature nicely and reach full phenolic ripeness, which ended up saving the vintage that was otherwise heading to be a disaster.            

After posting these pictures and a short version of this post on my Facebook and Instagram accounts, I had a few people asking about the plastique cork. Some were asking when Domaine Ponsot does not use real corks to seal their bottles? 

So, for those of you who may not know it yet, Domaine Ponsot has adopted ARDEASEAL thermoplastic/bioplastic stoppers since the 2010 vintage and does not use the real cork anymore.   

If interested, there is an article from www.burgundy-report.com, written in August 2010, that talks about it, with a PDF to download on Laurent Ponsot's point of view on his choice to change his corks for ARDEA. 

You can read it at https://www.burgundy-report.com/2010/08/laurent-ponsots-new-plastic-corks/

Thank you for reading my post. Remember to drink responsibly, and take good care of yourself and your loved ones.  

Santé! Cheers! 

Dom

(*) maybe I should change career and become a model for wine, as long as my face is not in the picture, that's ok, isn't it? I love this first picture. 😁😎👍🤘🍷

(**) Some people asked me if I should have decanted it, to which I answered that I did not decant it, and I do not think that I should have either, even if the wine was tight and muted, as Burgundy reds usually just need a bit of air within the bottle and a bit of time to open up, but decanting them might shock them and they may not react well to decantation. Moreover, I usually do not decant Burgundy reds (Burgundy whites yes, very often, especially the Premier Cru and Grand Cru, but Burgundy Reds never, unless really needed, but that does not happen very often).  

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