Top 10 wines in Asian media

1998 Jean-Francois Coche-Dury – Puligny-Montrachet Les Enseigneres

This wine is recommended by Jeannie Cho Lee MW on the asianpalate.com. She wrote: “This Puligny-Montrachet was tasted blind and it was impressive in its layered complexity and minerality. Spices and toasted nuts are backed up by firm acidity and what was noteworthy was the lack of intense, powerful flavours which is Coche-Dury’s signature style. In this vintage, the wine is 12.5% alcohol with medium body and elegant, lean flavours that are ready to be enjoyed now.”

1981 Dunn Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain

Cho Lee also picked out this wine, writing: “Still extremely youthful, this full bodied Cabernet still tastes only about a decade old. Amazing how well Dunn Howell Mountain reds age and evolve. Dark, earthy, black truffle and herb flavours mingle on the palate. Notes of tarragon and rosemary are present in the finish. Subtle, layered red with firm tannins barely showing its age. Will keep for at least a decade or more.”

Towerhill Estate late harvest Riesling 2010

Singaporean wine blogger Wai Xin, tasted this wine for his blog winexin.sg, looking for wines that will work with moon cakes for the forthcoming mid-Autumn festival. He wrote: “This wine hailed from Mount Barker in the Great Southern region of Western Australia. On its own, it was easy to tell there was a good amount of residual sugar by a medium sweet sensation. Pitting it against the traditional lotus paste moon cake and this wine prevailed with its long, fresh and acidic finish. Unexpectedly, it was capable to liven up the palate and tamed the rampant sweetness.

“While the sweetness were fighting to dominate our taste buds, the wine brought about a touch of mineral and stone fruits to the mid palate. The same wine paired with five-kernel moon cake demonstrated a supportive purpose. Instead of subduing the moon cake, the wine led the spicy aroma out of seclusion and showed it through as an extra touch of complexity.”

Astrolabe Kekerengu Coast Sauvignon Blanc 2010

This wine was picked out by Chek Wong on Thelocalnose.com, he wrote: “Astrolabe is the only winery to source grapes from the Kekerengu Coast sub-region of Marlborough, which has limestone soils and a longer growing season due to cooling ocean breezes. A pungent and vegetal nose of ripe guava, mushy peas and butterhead lettuce, with the palate displaying further gooseberry notes. Considering that Sauvignon Blanc is usually released and drunk quickly this wine, having had three years to develop, represents an oddity. Might not be for all but is quite pleasantly exotic.”

Tyrrell’s Vat 1 Hunter Valley Semillon

This is the wine that was described as “earth-shatteringly good”, by the Wine Times of Hong Kong. The website added: “Not just because it has a fantastic range of nuances and flavours but it is possibly the most versatile wine I have come across. It just went with every single dish we had over the course of a Chinese lunch at Kee Club.

“For me, the best had to be the Vat 1 Semillon, the grape variety that has firmly put Tyrrell’s on the world wine map. Given a bit of age, Semillon can be one of the most extraordinary white wine varietals with complexity and intrigue. If you are going to give Semillon a whirl sometime, I would strongly suggest you start with one of the worlds very best and that most definitely is Tyrrell’s.”

2008 Breaky Bottom Sparkling Brut

This English sparkler was also recommended by the Wine Times of Hong Kong, who wrote that the wine is “made from Seyval Blanc, the most widely-planted grape variety in England, according to Jancis Robinson in her Oxford Companion to Wine.

“The Breaky Bottom has a fresh and zingy citrus taste and a relatively long finish. It’s like a squeeze of lemon on a plate of oysters — highly acidic, yet without the creamy texture of champagne. The mousse is subdued. This is probably the biggest difference between champagne and English sparkling. The former typically has a thick mousse — that explosion of bubbles in the mouth when first tasted — and aromas of toast and freshly-baked bread combined with a creamy texture.”

Ronci di Nepi – Veste Porpora 2006

This wine was highlighted by WineBuzz.hk and described as: “Brilliant ruby red colour, moderate transparency. Intense, clean and pleasing aromas that start with hints of black cherry and plum followed by aromas of toasted wood, vanilla, blueberry, tobacco and carob.”

La Giaretta — Amarone Classico 2005

WineBuzz.hk also picked out this wine, writing: “Ruby red colour wine with an intense bouquet of cherries and Morello cherries preserved in alcohol. This is a robust bodied wine with a particularly well-balanced flavour. It goes well with braised beef, juicy main courses and mature and spicy cheese varieties.”

2010 Badenhorst Secateurs Chenin Blanc

This wine was described as “perfect for the patio parties or with barbecued shellfish at your local Korean restaurant,” by Winekorea.asia. Adding: “Crisp, clear fruit with white pear, lime and lemon bouquet. Clarity, solid fruit core and some white pepper leading to a finish with good lift and length. Very good balance throughout.”

2009 Dr Pauly-Bergweiler Noble House Riesling

And finally this wine was also picked out by Winekorea.asia and described as: “Gorgeous as a dessert wine or chilled for lunch with kimchi-jeon or chilli soups. Bright acidity, fruit and sweetness in good balance. Good white pepper spice on the bouquet with clarity and freshness. Finish is focused with honey and more spice. Medium bodied off-dry Riesling.”