Top 10 wines in the Asian media

2006 Juliusspital – Wurzburger Stein Grosses Gewachs Trocken Riesling

Jeannie Cho Lee MW described this wine as having a “deep gold colour” on asianpalate.com. She added: “Beautifully evolved Riesling with fresh, mineral notes. No signs of age or dried out character here – just lovely evolved floral and honeysuckle flavours. Fairly long finish. Perfect to enjoy now.”

2007 Tabali Payen Syrah

Lee also recommended this wine, writing: “A beautifully complex expression of spices and dark berry fruit all seamlessly woven with a fabulous texture. Balances elegance with concentration and depth.”

2010 Bourgogne Pinot Noir Buissonnier

Ed Soon, of Singaporean wine blog The Local Nose, wrote of this wine: “Pretty nose with some sour plum, strawberries, spice that carry through to the palate. Soft acid and light tannins makes this a very easy quaffing wine.”

Fellow Local Nose writer Timothy Goh wrote: “Cherry, spices and herb aromas. Medium to full-bodied with flavours of raspberry and pretty good structure. Nice acid frame on the medium-long finish.”

Astrolabe Taihoa Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2011

Chek Wong wrote on The Local Nose that “it’s always dicey when winemakers take an aromatic variety such as Sauvignon Blanc and introduce it to oak.”

He added: “This wine though, rewards those who seek the intrigue of something not quite mainstream. It is still first and foremost a Sauvignon Blanc, with intense blackcurrant pastille and passionfruit on the nose with a slight vanilla richness. Lees stirring has added some flesh to the bony structure of the wine along with a silky texture.”

Hestan Vineyards Chardonnay 2009

The Wine Times of Hong Kong described this wine as “a butterscotchy delight”, adding: “It’s unfiltered but certainly not un-refined and the aromas remind me of going into a toffee shop. It has great structure and balance and has a subtle sweetness.”

Grace Kayagatake Rouge 2012

This wine was picked out by Sarah Wong in the South China Morning Post. She wrote: “A red wine made from a blend of Muscat Bailey A (a hybrid grape developed in Japan to suit the local climate), Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Strawberry, raspberry confectioned fruit. Medium body with crisp acidity and soft tannins. Approachable and easy to drink. Pair with fish and poultry. HK$215.”

Tempus Two Pewter Shiraz 2010

In the Bangkok Post Pamela Tan described this as a “full-bodied” wine, adding that it, “exhibited an intense blackberry character, aromas of vanilla and mocha chocolate, lovely fine grained tannins and a succulent finish.”

Château Branaire Ducru 1999

Winebuzz.hk wrote that this “is a beautifully perfumed effort revealing scents of graphite, lead pencil shavings, blueberries, raspberries, and blackcurrants. The wine is rich, layered, medium-bodied, pure, and elegant. It is a complex St.-Julien with good flavour depth, soft tannin, and unobtrusive acidity. Drink it now and over the next 12-15+ years.”

2010 Carpineto Dogajolo Toscana Rosso IGT

This wine is recommended by Joshua Hall on winekorea.asia. He wrote: “Bright cherry red with pink edges. Fresh raspberries, clean fruit and bright acidity on the bouquet. Plenty of red fruit through the palate with brambles and good acidity. Some dark fruit on the finish. Would be good on the patio with pizza or as an aperitif. 70% Sangiovese, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon.”

Frank Family Vineyard Pinot Noir 2009

And finally this wine was picked out by Wai Xin CSW on his website winexin.sg. He wrote: “The initial stalk-ish nose reminded me of possible whole bunch fermentation or under-ripeness. But the palate showed a firm structure and less-harsh-than-expected tannins. However it did seem to be a little high on the extraction. After an hour of sitting in the glass, the second observation was of delightful red fruit perfume with tannins firmly remained along with a good dose of acid.”