Top 10 wines in the Asian media

2006 Bastianich – Calabrone IGT

This wine was recommended by Jeannie Cho Lee MW on asianpalate.com. She wrote: “Balanced, full bodied red with generous plums and dark cherry flavours. Sophisticated, polished handling of tannins with layers of roasted herbs with fairly long finish.”

2007 Hyde de Villaine – Belle Cousine Hyde Vineyard

Cho Lee also picked out this wine, writing: “An elegant Merlot-based red from Hyde de Villaine. Their reds, including the Syrah, are subtle, restrained and very different from the typical full bodied reds from their neighbours. Ripe cassis and plum flavours surrounded by sumptuous tannins. Ready to enjoy now but will keep/age for a decade easily.”

Marques de Riscal 1998 Reserva

The Wine Times of Hong Kong attended a vertical tasting by Marques de Riscal. This was picked out as a favourite by the team, who wrote that the wine “had still retained some of the glorious fruit of the Tempranillo, Graciano and Mazuelo that it is made from.” The 2005 Reserva was also picked out with the website adding this wine “is looking like being a fantastic wine for cellaring for a few more years yet before it reaches its full potential.”

Solaia 2010

This wine was picked out by Stephy Poon, writing for the Wines Times of Hong Kong. After attending a tasting in Hong Kong, Poon write: “This was the first wine that I tried when I got there and I liked its friendliness and how approachable it was. This wine would be very suitable for me and made for a good ‘welcome drink’. I usually go for wines that are smooth on the palate and have a fruity nature and this was exactly what I was looking for – definitely my ‘cup of wine’.”

Juvelo Gewurztraminer Passito 2011

This wine was recommended by Pamela Tan in the Bangkok Post. She wrote: “This amber-hued wine has a very aromatic and spicy bouquet, with notes of honey, vanilla, quince and candied orange peel. It has a full and voluminous body, with excellent balance between the residual sugar, acidity and alcohol content.”

Winkl Sauvignon Blanc 2012

Tan also picked out this wine, writing: “This delicately fruity Sauvignon Blanc is made from grapes grown in one of the region’s oldest wine-growing sites, known to have been used for that purpose by the Romans. The aroma is of ripe fruits – apricot, mandarin and passion fruit mingle with elements of elderberry, nettle and mint. The fruitiness continues on the palate in combination with a fine acidity. The wine scores with a good structure and a finish that is minerally, but at the same time aromatic.”

2003 Pazo de Senorans Seleccion de Anada Albarino

Winebuzz.hk wrote that “this is the Queen bee of Albarinos”, adding “from specially selected vines the wine has spent 27 months on the lees for extra complexity and a great ageing potential. For a special experience.”

Gaston Chiquet NV Brut Tradition

Chek Wong picked out this wine for his readers on Singaporean wine blog, The Local Nose. He wrote: “Gaston Chiquet is a grower-producer based in Dizy, run by brothers Antoine and Nicolas Chiquet. The wine shows fruity lemon and biscuit notes, mid weight with a creamy mousse and a slightly saline finish. The blend is 40% Pinot Meunier, 35% Chardonnay and 25% Pinot Noir.”

Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millénaires 1995

Wong also recommended this wine, writing: “The nose displays notes of yeast, cotton, wool and ground meal. Superb definition on the palate, pronounced notes of smoke and toast with well-rounded acidity and a long, compelling finish. The patience of maturing this wine for over 15 years in cool chalk cellars has paid off handsomely.”

2008 Château Les Trois Croix

Andreas Larsson recommended this wine on heritagewineclub.com, he wrote: “Multitude of aromas in the nose such as some earthy and smoky but also mineral touches with plenty of dark fruits like dark plums and cassis. Ample on the palate, good concentration without too much extraction. Finely integrated tannins which add structure and contribute to the length in the mouth. It is all about the black fruits that really keep lingering on the finish with a nice spiciness.”

He added that the wine would work well with, “Beijing duck, Beef and broccolis stir-fry, Xinjiang grilled beef brochettes.”