Top 10 wines in the Asian media
2010 Rodney Strong Symmetry
This wine is recommended by Singaporean wine blogger Wai Xin on winexin.sg. He wrote that this wine “had 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and qualified to be labelled as a varietal wine, but it chose to be ‘Meritage’ instead. Nice roasted oak aroma wrapped around the lightly stalkish notes of Cabernet and rich cassis. The rich full palate was considerably grippy and had a slightly higher alcohol sensation on the finish. This wine had 15.5% alcohol.”
Bollenberg 2008, AOC Alsace, Domaine Valentin Zusslin
This wine was picked out by Micha Moselle in the South China Morning Post, he wrote that the wine he had “at Fook Lam Moon was silky smooth, a little spicy with berry flavours and a great match for the restaurant’s stir-fried beef cubes with XO sauce.”
Charles Ellner Cuvée de Réserve NV
In the Singaporean wine website, The Local Nose, Check Wong picked out this wine at a recent tasting. He wrote: “Lean and incisive with green apple and light pastry notes. Dry and light bodied with good persistence. 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir.”
Charles Heidsieck Brut NV
This is another sparkler picked out by Wong, who wrote: “A blend of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay from around 60 crus. A high proportion of reserve wine lends depth and complexity. Generous and mouth-filling on the palate with a fine bead and notes of brioche and lemon. A very complete wine with a satisfying finish.”
Winkl Sauvignon Blanc 2012
This wine is recommended by Pamela Tan in the Bangkok Post, she wrote: “This delicately fruity Sauvignon Blanc is made from grapes grown in one of the region’s oldest wine-growing sites, known to have been used for that purpose by the Romans. The aroma is of ripe fruits, apricot, mandarin and passion fruit mingle with elements of elderberry, nettle and mint. The fruitiness continues on the palate in combination with a fine acidity. The wine scores with a good structure and a finish that is minerally, but at the same time aromatic.”
Kreuth Chardonnay 2011
Tan also recommended this wine, writing: “Kreuth is the name of Terlano’s westernmost site. The chardonnay grapes here produce a very elegant white wine which boasts a fine acidity, creamy structure and an elegant play of aromas. The aroma of this brilliant, attractively straw-yellow chardonnay is built of exotic fruit components. With its complexity and mineral notes, this is a very strong, long-lived chardonnay.
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2002 Camille Giroud – Aloxe-Corton 1ER Cru Les Guerets
This is one of Jeannie Cho Lee MW’s recommendations on asianpalate.com. She wrote; “Balanced, elegant Aloxe-Corton with bright, fresh cherry flavours and firm acidity to support it. The wine shows nice depth with savoury notes and a hint of bottle maturity. Ready to enjoy now.”
2009 Sanford Pinot Noir
This is another recommendation from Cho Lee who wrote of this wine: “A savoury Pinot Noir with dark berry flavours. Tannins are firm and the acidity lifted. Balanced, well made Pinot Noir from Santa Rita Hills with good fruity concentration and moderate finish.”
Castello Romitorio Rosso di Montalcino DOC 2007
Damon Yuen for winebuzz.hk described this wine as “ruby red”, adding, “the wine carries a soft richness that balances the bouquet of red berries, tobacco and violets. Its beautiful structure balances with juicy viscosity and persistent finish.”
Schloss Johannisberg 2008er Riesling Kabinett
And finally this wine is recommended on Winekorea.asia: “Schloss Johnissberg’s Riesling Kabinett is medium dry with juicy pineapple and clean stonefruit. Slightly perfumed nose with some wild flowers and a touch of minerality. Nectarine and hallabong finish. Definitely juicy. Enough acidity to keep it all together. 11% Alcohol. Must be chilled to keep the fruit and sweetness at the right levels. Put it in your freezer for 30-40min prior to opening and make sure there’s plenty of ice in your ice bucket.”
How can a wine with such a high alcohol level be balanced? Does the alcohol show on the nose, and is this quite strident?