Re-visiting the Donum Estate

Yours truly fell in love with the Donum Estate during that first visit in 2018 as the property brought to life a delicate balance among fine wine, beautiful landscape and a renowned modern art collection that made it such an unforgettable experience. It was a real privilege when the opportunity came in 2020 to be the winery’s exclusive Hong Kong representative. The Covid pandemic made another visit impossible for 3 years during which time the Estate continued to evolve. More land and vineyard were acquired. Among other things, the tasting rooms and vinification facilities had been redone. Regenerated farming is now the practice in terms of growing the vines, with bees, ducks, chickens and sheep being reared on campus. More olive trees have been planted.

There are now more art pieces on display too, the latest being the “Hypersonic” which was unveiled by its creator Yang Bao together with owner Allan and Mei Warburg in July this year. “Hypersonic” is a site-specific sound sculpture. This dynamic installation features a golden pyramid with a futuristic space organ composed of nine mirror-finish stainless steel upright structures, creating an evolving soundscape that changes with the wind, temperature and humidity. Interested readers should click https://youtu.be/1lgCj86lu7w to get a sense of the holistic sensory experience.

There is an argument in that technology has rendered visit and meeting in real unnecessary. But nothing comes close to really being there. It is extremely useful to meet face-to-face with some of the Donum colleagues whom we only communicated online previously.

Overall this second visit allows us to be updated with all the developments at the winery and further reinforces mutual collaboration.  If you have not had Donum wines before, we strongly recommend you to try a few of what we currently carry in our portfolio:

2021 Carneros Estate Chardonnay (JS95 at HK$620/bottle) – our flagship white

2021 Anderson Valley Estate Pinot Noir (JS93 at HK$750/bottle) – red fruits and minerality

2021 Russian River Estate Pinot Noir (JS94 at HK$750/bottle) – more full-bodied, opulent

2021 Mikado Tree Reserve Pinot Noir (JS95 at HK$950/bottle) – small production, elegant and balanced

In terms of our other recent additions to the wine list:   

2019 Hirsch Ried Gaisberg Gruner Vetliner (JS98 at HK$350/bottle) – This good value Austrian white is intense and aromatic and yet also fresh, revealing perfectly ripe white and yellow fruits. Rich and juicy on the palate, with crystalline acidity and elegant fruit, it is very complex, precise and a really excellent wine. The finish is finely tannic, juicy and with drive.

2018 Le Petit Cheval Blanc White (WA95 at HK$980/bottle) – We are re-stocking this excellent white by a top top Bordeaux estate. As the wine unwinds, there are profound notions of ripe pineapple, passion fruit and white peaches exploding from the glass, followed by fragrant notes of lemongrass, lime blossoms and yuzu zest with a waft of sea spray. The palate is full-bodied with an alluring oiliness to the texture and layer upon layer of tropical fruits, citrus peel and minerals, finishing with loads of mineral sparks.

2018 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc (WA95 at HK$730/bottle) – Arriving in a week is another Bordeaux white, one that offers a gorgeous perfume of ripe pears, grapefruit, mandarin peel and lemongrass, lime blossom, beeswax and a touch of salt. The medium to full-bodied palate has a seducing opulence, delivering layers of citrus, pear and floral-inspired flavours with a satiny texture and seamless freshness, finishing long with a spicy kick. It makes for a complex, decadently delicious wine right now, but could be even more savoury in a few years.

2012 Pavie Decesse (RP95+ at HK$850/bottle) – As more of its vineyard got absorbed by the more illustrious sister estate Pavie, production of Pavie Decesse has become very small (yes…more exclusive now but harder to find). This is a concentrated Bordeaux red, with a liquor of powdered chalk mixed with cassis and blackberry. Complexity, texture, density, finishing…everything is present to make it a great wine and a connoisseur’s dream.   

2012 La Violette (RP97 at HK$1,900/bottle) – This Bordeaux red from the Pomerol sub-region is surely a candidate for the wine of the vintage. It has a very floral, blueberry and raspberry nose, inky purple color, exceptional texture, full-bodied richness and stunning purity, symmetry and palate presence. Unfortunately, there are less than 500 cases produced and almost impossible to find.    

2018 Domaine Courbis Cornas la Sarborotte (WA94-97 at HK$470/bottle) – Yours truly was very impressed when having a bottle of this Northern Rhone red during dinner at the very prestigious restaurant Louroc at d’Antibes (south of France) to the extent now we are stocking it. The wine is packed and stacked with lush purple fruit. Full-bodied, plush and creamy, it boasts solid granite underpinnings and a long, dusty finish that leaves behind a powerful impression of crushed stone. 

2020 Bibi Graetz Testamatta (WA95 at HK$500/bottle) – Always a good Tuscany red out of Sangiovese, the 2020 vintage also introduced grapes from a new breezy, high elevation vineyard into the mix (about 30%), and that is giving this Testamatta its beautiful clarity, sharpness and lifted bouquet, resulting in it being vibrant, transparent and fresh both in terms of acidity and aromatic intensity. This is a wine in transformation and a wine to watch. 

2018 Pintia (WA95+ at HK$400/bottle) – A project at Toro by the legendary Spanish Vega Sicilia, this red has a very expressive nose with bright cherry fruit, and is fresher than the norm in the region, with integrated alcohol and oak, reflecting a very cool year, floral and perfumed. The palate is medium-bodied and reveals very fine and elegant tannins. This has to be one of the finest vintages of Pintia.

Thank you for reading. 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.