Meeting a Legend...

We wrote about finding some old pictures last time and just one more episode before we retreat from the subject. That’s about yours truly having the privilege to meet Ferruccio Lamborghini in his Umbria estate in 1990. All car lovers know well Signor Lamborghini as the founder of the sports car manufacturer bearing his name. His family were farmers for some generations but he was first trained as an engineer and had his tractor company when young. Motor racing was his passion and supposedly on one occasion he went to see Enzo Ferrari expressing his slight disappointment about certain Ferrari cars and how these might be made differently. Legend had it that the great man was not impressed with the opinion from a tractor maker. Feeling slighted, Signor Lamborghini vowed to make better sports cars than Ferrari. What next? As they like to say: ”…and the rest is history.”

Signor Lamborghini eventually embarked on another venture in setting up his vineyard in Umbria in the 80’s. The unfortunate thing was that yours truly not (yet) into wine at all at the time. It was all about cars during the 1990 visit and even when presented with a bottle of Lamborghini red, very little attention was paid to the bottle!!! The Lamborghini vineyard does make very respectable wines and we now have in stock the 2010 Lamborghini Campoleone (JS95) at $300/bottle. This 50/50 Sangiovese/Merlot blend is of extreme elegance, offering a palate of black fruits enhanced by sweet spice and tobacco, closing with a soft but long finish…all for such a reasonable price!!!

Lamborghini aside, we would like to focus on recommending a few excellent Chardonnays this time:

2009 Domaine Bonneau du Martray Corton Charlemagne (VN95) at $1,600/bottle – Simply brilliant, with its signature minerals, slate and citrus note all wrapped in a rich wine. The fact that Domaine Romanee Conti has recently leased a parcel of their vineyard just adds to the cachet of this excellent producer.

2011 Henri Boillot Bienvenues-Batard Montrachet (WA95) at $2,600/bottle – Good Burgundies never come at low prices these days. But this is such a seamless wine of great elegance, with rich fruit and an exquisite texture from a famous producer, making it worth every penny one has to pay.

2016 Alois Lageder Lowengang Chardonnay (WA95) at $430/bottle – From Northern Italy, this beautiful white opens to a luminous golden colour with balanced fruit and spice aromas that are expertly folded together.

2012 Jim Varner Amphitheater Block Chardonnay (WA95) at $400/bottle – Medium to full bodied with loads of citrus blossom and white flower nuances, this Napa wine is of purity, focus, depth and richness.

We would encourage you to browse our website www.vinopolis.com.hk to view our full winelist. Purchases can be made through this online platform, by sending us an e-mail or just WhatsApp to 9195-7383.