New Arrival of Donum 2019

Sculptures Display at Donum Estate

With the trust and support of the owner of Donum and their management team in the US, we launched their wines in Dec/2020 and are pleased that our friends and customers have come to enjoy them. Following the well-attended wine dinner at the Hong Kong Golf Club last year, we are organizing one more to take place later this year at another very prestigious private club. So stay tune for that.

In terms of our Donum offering, we are pleased to add a couple of the Russian River Valley wines from the latest 2019 vintage. The 2019 season for California was in general cool and that allowed the grapes to mature gradually. Vintners praised the full flavour, fresh acidity and the superb balance for the fruit. Fortunately the wildfires in October did not impact harvest as the vast majority of the wine grapes were already brought in. Overall, it is regarded as a very successful vintage. Other than 2019, we are also making available the 2017 Anderson Valley Estate Pinot as many of you like its more elegant style (vis-à-vis the RRV which is more intense and opulent).

Other than Donum, we have specifically sourced some half bottle reds. Whether it is now more WFH, restaurants not offering sit-down dinners or just social distancing, these will be handy if one wants to have a drink or two at home.

And here are the highlights:

2019 Donum Russian River Valley Estate Chardonnay (JS95 at HK$600/bottle) – This medium golden wine shows exotic aromas of starfruit, lemongrass and tangerine, with hints of pear and apple. Clean and juicy on the palate, there is a slightly spicy flavour on top of the fruits, leading to an intense finish.

2019 Donum Russian River Valley Estate Pinot Noir (JS96 at HK$700/bottle) – Deep ruby in colour, it offers enticing aromas of black cherry, cola, cedar and hibiscus. The palate is vibrant, intense, with juicy berry, cherry and plum joined by caramel and vanilla, all opening to a good finish.

2017 Donum Anderson Valley Estate Pinot Noir (WA93 at HK$720/bottle) – This features scents of warm red cherries, black raspberries, Earl Grey tea leaves, cinnamon stick, violet perfume, tree bark and a note of coffee bean, all well layered as it explodes in the mouth with a good frame and freshness, finishing very long and fragrant.

2006 Barone Ricasoli Chianti Classico di Brolio (JS96 at HK$200/half bottle) – This is a generous, weighty Chianti with good structure and possesses depth in a ripe fruit-driven style that provides good drinking pleasure for the next few years.

2016 Le Prieure (VN98 at HK$240/half bottle) – This St-Emilion red is one of the unquestioned sleepers of the vintage. It feels slightly restrained at the beginning but given time, it shows lots of dark fruits and a palate that is silky, refined and with total precision. The VN rating may be slightly generous but there is no doubt of it being a pleasure at great value.

2012 Pavie Macquin (VN95 at HK$320/half bottle) – Bright, floral and racy, this Bordeaux red is drinking beautifully now. For those who prefer to wait, there looks to be great potential for it to evolve for the better over the next 10 years.

2012 Clinet (RP95 at HK$380/half bottle) – A medium to full-bodied Pomerol in a dense purple colour with gorgeous levels of fruits, especially black raspberry and black currant, it is luxurious, almost extravagant and immensely enjoyable.

2015 Peby Faugeres (WA98 at HK$520/half bottle) – A very impressive offering from this St-Emilion estate, a bold, full-bodied wine with a strikingly gorgeous nose of exotic spice, baked blackberries, plum reserve, earth, smoked meats, lavender and licorice, it has a firm and yet compromising structure with incredible depth and a lengthy finish.

Thank you for reading. Please browse www.vinopolis.com.hk to check out the full wine list. Purchases can be made through the website or by sending us an e-mail or simply WhatsApp 9195-7383.