Hong Kong Portfolio Tasting 2013 Invitation

Justerini & Brooks is thrilled to be hosting its Spring Portfolio Tasting later this month at the summit of the LKF Hotel in Wyndham Street, Hong Kong. Taste 40 specially selected fine wines from our extensive portfolio.

Built through excellent relationships that go back many years and with over 3000 wines in stock the Justerini & Brooks fine wine portfolio is unrivalled, with a collection of greats from Burgundy, Rhône, Loire, Champagne as well as Barolo and German Riesling Estates, not forgetting the finest Bordeaux from the greatest vintages.

There will be a selection of these estates on show from across Burgundy, Italy and the Rhône valley, as well as a selection of clarets from the famed 2010 vintage that have just gone into bottle.

Amongst many famous names, we will be showing: Mugnier, Sauzet, Bruno Clair, Sylvain Cathiard, La Conseillante, Léoville Barton, Duhart Milon, Roberto Voerzio, Elio Altare and more.

We are delighted to extend this invitation to those who share our passion for fine wine in Hong Kong. Places are strictly limited so please contact William Chan to reserve your place. william.chan@justerinis.com

It is not often that an opportunity to taste such a wide range of exquisite and great value drinking wines arises so we hope to see you there. If you love good wine this will be an event too good to miss.

Date: Wednesday 15th May 2013, from 5.30pm till 8pm 

Location: Azure, Hotel LKF, 33 Wyndham Street, Hong Kong

RSVP by email to william.chan@justerinis.com

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Justerini & Brooks reserve the right to refuse entry for any reason
Over 18s only

Burgundy 2009 - First impressions of the Cote de Nuits

There aren't many vintages that would have me leaping out of bed for a tasting in Pernand Vergelesses at 8.15 at the end of a hard week's tasting, but 2009 is proving to be one of them. The last two days have been a tour around 11 Domaines, 2 in the Cote de Beaune and 9 in the Cote de Nuits, among them Chevillon, Leroy, Rousseau, Roumier and Mugnier to drop just a few names. Again, as in the Cotes de Beaune, the key seems to have been picking early in 2009, most Domaines finishing by mid September. Also the cooler terroirs seem to have done particularly well, Latricieres, the high Chambolle and Gevrey vineyards, the cooler parts of Chambertin.

Burgundy seems in rude health, not only are the top growers making good to excellent wines every year but the average age of these top growers seems to be dropping. I have seen two such young stars in the last couple of days. Christian Gouges' nephew, Gregory, has made superb 2009s that mix classic Henri Gouges structure with a fair dose of finesse and baskets full of fruit. They should age seriously well whilst being more approachable in their youth. Its true that THE highlight so far has been an Henri Gouges Les St Georges 1958 thats shows remarkably vivid, youthful fruit, but rather selfishly I want to get some pleasure out of my 2009s and not leave that luxury soley to my children!

The other star is Arnaud Mortet who has arguably been even more successful. I was blown over by the definition and finesse his 2009s show, equal to the intensity the Mortet wines habitually demonstrate. This is a balance never before achieved at Domaine Denis Mortet.

The wine of the day goes to Chevillon's Vaucrains, it left me stuck for words, I have never know it be so expressive and yet retain such concentration and power.

Saturday morning promises the chance of a lie in, Vosne-Romanee at 9.30, followed by Marsannay and then again back down to Nuits. More of that and another taste of the Cote de Beaune on Monday.

The grape escape: 2008 Burgundy Revisited and a peek at 2009

Narrowly avoiding the ash clouds that nearly prevented my annual escape from the London Wine Trade fair, I head to Burgundy for a chance to re-taste 2008 and take an early peek at the already well-reputed 2009s.

Most Red 2008s are now ready to be bottled and though, admittedly, its a perfect time to taste, they look fabulous, even lovelier than from barrel in November. It may not be a totally homogenous vintage but there are so many great examples of red 08s from the top producers. Every grower I have spoken to this week considers it a genuinely top vintage for Pinot Noir and I have to admit I am totally seduced, too. Such a balance of Pinot purity, freshness, ripe fruit and roundness, with a nice little tannic kick. Freddy Mugnier himself describes it as "a vintage I adore, like 2001 but better, more refined." Anyone who has been lucky enough to drink any of the quite glorious Cote de Nuits 2001s recently will know this is praise indeed.

Then there is the small matter of 2009. The most flattering vintage I have tasted at this early stage, more so than 1999, even the likes of d'Angerville's Clos des Ducs and Liger-Belair's La Romanee, the most serious of wines, were impressively forthcoming; whilst Cecile Tremblay appears to have made a sensational range from top to bottom. There is still plenty of time and elevage to go for these 2009s, I will see in November how the summer has treated them so lets not be hasty, but it has to be said in their current state they are difficult to resist: Suave, very fruity and with a smooth texture that belies their great power and persistance. Mostly it seems a decent size crop (fingers crossed this is reflected at allocation time !!) Picking date was a fine balance as fruit ripened at a pace, so it is feasible there may be one or two disappointments more than with the extraordinarily reliable 2005s, we shall see, but there will plenty of absolute crackers to feast on I have no doubt.