Visiting a Winery…and More

Many golfers yearn for the opportunities to play at courses around the World, in particular the really legendary ones such as the St. Andrews Old Course, Augusta or Pebble Beach. Similarly, we wine lovers would often pencil down wineries as part of our itinerary to France, Italy, Australia or the West Coast of the US. And in case you wonder where exactly we took the pictures above, that was when we toured a Sonoma estate some time ago. What made it special was of course the excellent Pinot they produced but adding on top, it was the display of the owner’s sculpture collection throughout the vineyard, some over 20-foot tall, all ingeniously conceived and meticulously crafted. Overall, it made the visit an unforgettable experience in wine as much as in modern art. More on this winery in due course…so stay tuned.

The other thing we want to mention is our Wine Programs which has attracted reasonable interests in the last year and a half. For those who don’t know, the idea is that by pre-paying HK$4,000 (for the Silver Program) or HK$6,000 (for the Gold Program), you will receive our curation of 3 bottles of wines every 2 months i.e. total 9 bottles over 6 months. The wines are typically rated 95 points or above by the likes of the Wine Advocate, the Wine Spectator, James Suckling or Vinous and selected based on certain preference criteria pre-specified by you. In the Gold Program, the wines will come from more established producers/wine regions when compared with those offered by the Silver Program. In addition to our insight in selecting these wines, it will actually work out to be more economical than if you were to buy these wines individually from our website. All Silver and Gold Program members will also be invited to our office for a tasting event during which one can meet like-minded folks to share experience and ideas while enjoying wines and snacks.

Any of you wanting to renew your Wine Program or joining for the first time, please e-mail us:

1. Your name / E-mail / Telephone number / Address

2. Whether you opt for the Silver or Gold Program

3. Your wine preference such as

- Red only

- Sweet and white wine acceptable

- Wines from the New World acceptable

Finally, a few recommendations from our recently added inventory:

2015 Hyde de Villaine (VN95) at $490/bottle – This classy Napa (California) Chardonnay is bright, clear and with a rich texture. Lemon peel, white flower and white fruits give the wine a personality of weight, depth and complexity.

2017 Guigal Condrieu la Doriane (WA96) at $560/bottle – Our all time favourite Rhone white is back. This full-bodied opulent wine offers a nose loaded with flowers, a silky texture and a palate of succulent fruits, ending with a long finish.

2010 Fleur Cardinale (RP95) at $570/bottle – From St-Emilion of Bordeaux, this is 70% Merlot and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Full bodied in texture, it offers loads of blue and black fruits, with some cedar, vanilla and a touch of spring flowers.

2017 Mure Pinot Noir Clos Saint Landelin (JS96) at $440/bottle – Sensational and somewhat muscular Pinot from the Alsace region of France with layers of complexity boosting the flavour of cranberry, cherry and rosemary. A new experience for those whose usual notion of a good Pinot can only be from Burgundy.

2018 Louis-Claude Desvignes Morgon Javernieres (WA95) at $230/bottle – Most folks know the new wine of Beaujolais (nouveau) as something light and fresh coming out every year on the 3rd Thursday of November after just a few weeks’ fermentation and they are supposed to be consumed ASAP. But the Beaujolais region also produces red wines of more substance and aging potential, with this example being a medium to full-bodied structurally refined wine boosting bouquets of violets, raspberries, dark chocolate, all beautifully balanced, making it worthy of one’s effort to explore.

We encourage you to browse our website www.vinopolis.com.hk to read our newsletters and view our wine list. You can make purchases through this online platform, send us an e-mail or even by WhatsApp to 9195-7383.