Pure coincidence?

Trust all of you in Hong Kong have had a good break during the Chinese New Year holiday. With the quantity of festive food consumed, and many sports facilities closed because of COVID, yours truly felt almost obliged to do more walking just to keep body weight in check.

And that’s what I did on Feb/13, leaving home and walking up a flight of steps from MacDonnell Road to Bowen Road, planning to go all the way towards Happy Valley. As I climbed the steps, memories of my good friend Andrew with whom I used to sometimes do the same walk surfaced. When I almost reached Bowen Road, I saw an unusual object under the bridge…a small memorial somebody set up discreetly for his or her beloved feline pet. Out of curiosity, I went nearer and bent down, trying to read the words thereon. That’s when I saw a cat sitting there in a somewhat melancholic mood. Was that just a coincidence? Or a cat friend missing a cat friend so much the surviving one would come here every now and then? I started to ponder…

And it suddenly dawned on me Feb/13 being the same day three years ago when Andrew was rushed to the hospital under emergency for illness of unknown root cause and tragically passing away soon after midnight, all within 15 hours. I did go to the hospital that evening but already he was unconscious. We did not even manage to exchange a word. Things happened so shockingly fast, cruelly reminding me how fragile life could be. It illustrates even more the importance of spending time with family and friends, treasuring every one of those moments.

OK…back to wines, especially if your cellar now looks a little underloaded after Chinese New Year and we would recommend:

2011 Larmandier-Bernier VV du Levant Grand Cru Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs (WA97) at $750/bottle – Some critics refer to this as the Champagne of the vintage. It is full bodied and with concentration, offering a complex nose of citrus zest, crisp yellow apple, bread and oyster shell.

2015 M. Chapoutier St- Joseph les Granits Blanc (WA97) at $600/bottle – A sensational Rhone white that offers loads of minerality in addition to citrus blossoms, hazelnut and toasted bread, with the Wine Advocate feeling it to be the greatest ever coming from this appellation.

2018 Catena White Stones Chardonnay (WA98) at $600/bottle – We listed the 2017 vintage of this top notched Argentinian white last time and had it sold out within a day!!! Arriving this week is a small parcel of its sibling with an even higher rating so do not hesitate this time if you wish to try.

2008 La Conseillante (RP95) at $950/bottle – From one of our favourite Pomerol estates, this is a medium to full bodied wine with notes of jammy red and black fruits, flowers, crushed rocks and a great texture…very elegant, to the extent of nobility.

2010 St. Pierre (RP97) at HK$600/bottle – Another small production Bordeaux red (6,000 cases) for which we are replenishing because so many of you like this wine of power, gravity and density. It is dark purple, offering a brilliant nose of blackberries, scorched earth, expresso roast, truffles and licorice.

2004 Clarendon Hills Hickinbotham Syrah (WA95) at $480/bottle – This astonishingly good wine, though full bodied, is a more elegant representation than most Australian Syrans because of its great balance. The inky/purple hue is accompanied by flavours of crème de cassis, smoke meat, licorice, coffee beans and graphite.

2008 Klein Constantia Vin de Constance (WA95) at $540/500 ml bottle – The natural sweet wine from South Africa was loved by and captured the imagination of Napoleon (during his exile at St. Helena), Charles Dickens and Jane Austen. It is medium bodied, smooth and pure, gentling caressing one’s sense with quince, marmalade and a slight sense of ginger.

Thank you for reading as we would also encourage you to browse our website www.vinopolis.com.hk to view our full wine list. Purchases can be made through this online platform, by sending us an e-mail or just WhatsApp to 9195-7383. Your support is really appreciated.