As 2024 coming to an end…

The festive season is a time to enjoy, reflect and look forward. We do know you have plenty of choices when it comes to buying wines and are really appreciative of your support over the years. There is no bigger satisfaction from a professional standpoint than knowing you like what we recommend to you. We are a small operation with limited resource but will strive to be of service to you all the time.

Like in previous Decembers, yours truly want to share some great F&B encounters during the year:

Best restaurant experience:

Moo-lah – ingenious concept of doing HK style beef brisket noodles using Hanwoo

Mora – another great concept with all dishes derived from soy…could improve on price-value though

Citrino – Italian cuisine by Japanese chef, authentic and creative at the same time

Haidilao Hot Pot Causeway Bay – amazing service attitude and attention to details

Sooner – cozy little eatery with good tapas and pasta

Grissini – not on my dining list for years…glad to see it coming back with excellent food at great prices

Lau Sum Kee Noodle – the best authentic Cantonese style noodles in Hong Kong?

Hikiniku To Come – a franchise from Japan…one has to admire how they manage to make a very ordinary thing to perfection and in this case the hamburger steak. And at such great price too!!!

La Mere Brazier (Lyon) – another proof that the best restaurants in France are not in Paris

Le Figuier de Saint-Esprit (Antibe) – a must if you ever go to that part of South France

Memorable wines:

2021 Donum Carneros Reserve Chardonnay – the best Californian white I had for a long time

2013 Spottwoode Family Estate Cabernet Sauvignon – worth every 99 points of its rating

2015 Screaming Eagle – OK…it has the name but it is really good

2010 Messeto – First growth equivalent of Italy…no doubt about that

2008 Louis Roederer Cristal – have had quite a few Cristal over the years but this one seemed the best

1986 Mouton Rothschild – smooth, complex, still youthful and full of energy

2005 Certan de May – Not a top Bordeaux name but can give any famous estates a run for their money

2012 Hosanna – Petrus is good, that’s common sense but this sibling not far off and at 10% the price

2012 La Violette – Robert Parker’s Bordeaux of the vintage

2008 DRC Romanee Saint-Vivant – floral, so smooth and elegant

2015 Syvain Cathiard Aux Malconsorts – the best Burgundy 1er Cru?

2018 Courbis Cornas La Sabarotte – Good but I am sure the experience was enhanced by the gorgeous setting of Restaurant Louroc

Now some of our arrivals for you to consider, especially if you have half-emptied your cellar over Christmas:   

2020 Domaine William Fevre Chablis 1er Cru Vaulorent (WA95 at HK$500/bottle) – This Burgundy white is one of the finest wines in the portfolio as it unwinds in the glass with aromas of citrus zest, beeswax, crisp white peach, white flowers, freshly baked bread and oyster shell, it is medium to full-bodied, ample and seamless, with terrific tensioning intensity in a tightly wound format. Warmly recommended, there is such promise although a little patience may be required 

2022 Quintodecimo Greco di Tufo Gialo d'Arles (WA95 at HK$400/bottle) – Our introduction of a white from Campania of South Italy, especially to those who gravitate toward aromas and precision on the palate as this one expresses itself with a nose of tart citrus fruit, green papaya and crushed oyster shell. There is volume and texture as the wine delivers hints of cinnamon and a little salty element towards its finish.

2005 La Fleur Morange (RP96 at HK$800/bottle) – From a tiny St-Emilion estate and out of 100-years old vines, this dense purple red offers a superb bouquet of acacia flowers, blueberries, black currants, and crushed rocks, with its oak component obscured by the wealth of fruit and the overall rich, concentrated style. Get it while you can as only 350 cases were produced.

2016 M. Chapoutier CNDP Croix de Bois (WA95-97 at HK$490/bottle) – A star of this prominent Rhone producer’s collection, there are notes of cracked pepper, licorice and black raspberry singing loudly in this full-bodied, supple, creamy-textured beauty. Will the hint of warmth on the lingering, mouthwatering finish limit its ageability? But why care as it is so sexy and lush, one should just enjoy it now.

2018 Domaine Duclaux Cote Rotie Maison Rouge (WA96 at HK$620/bottle) – Folks accustomed to Australian reds may not realize Syrah can be so different when it comes to Northern Rhone, especially those from the sub-regions of Cornas and Cote Rotie. This superb wine is an excellent example of the generally softer and elegant style. Scents of violets, stone fruit, anise-like spice and mixed berries combine to create a complex nose, while the medium to full-bodied palate is concentrated yet supremely silky, smooth and charming, ending long and elegant.   

2020 Gantenbein Pinot Noir (WA96 at HK$1,750/bottle) – Referred by some as the DRC of Switzerland, this estate has made its absolutely marvelous 2020 Pinot precise and intense on the more classic, coolish and noble nose that shows purity, intensity and balance. Full-bodied, round and intense on the palate, this is a generously juicy, ripe yet fine and concentrated wine that is refreshingly salty and crystalline, with a tight, sustainable structure and an enormously long and intense finish.

2012 Argiano Brunello di Montalcino (JS96 at HK$320/bottle) – The quintessential good value Brunello coming from the warmer southern flank of the Montalcino appellation, with Argiano making it a proud expression of the Sangiovese grape with thick texture, determination and a succulent approach. Aromas of dark cherry, moist earth, tobacco and grilled herb lift from the bouquet, closing with bright acidity and a long finish. 

2015 Feudi di San Gregorio Patrimo (WA97 at HK$460/bottle) – One of our favourite reds from the south of Italy out of the Merlot grape varietal, this is arguably the finest editions ever produced. The wine has extreme richness, complexity and finesse that unwraps before your eyes and taste buds. Its aromas of blackberry, spice and dark leather are delivered with super-sized exuberance and opulence. The mouthfeel is richly developed and centered.  

2018 Ridge Vineyards Geyserville (WA95 at HK$420/bottle) – From Sonoma County of California by a reputable producer, this is a blend of 68% Zinfandel, 20% Carignane, the rest Petite Sirah and Alicante Bouschet. The wine is incredibly alluring, offering layers of fruits and loads of spicy accents on the nose, with a dusty, mineral-tinged undercurrent that adds to its appeal. In the mouth, it is generously fruited and fantastically juicy, with silt-like tannins providing just enough support, finishing very long and layered. 

Thank you for reading and we wish you a very merry Christmas and all the best for 2025. Please feel free to go to our website www.vinopolis.com.hk to browse the full wine list. Purchases can be made through the website or by sending us an e-mail or simply WhatsApp 9195-7383.