Reduction - a unique wine making method that some experienced wine drinkers might not aware

The first time I came across this wine production term, was when I felt suspicious of the quality of a wine. 

When this Domaine de la Cote de l’Ange, Cotes du Rhone, Rouge 2014 arrived Hong Kong, I opened the bottle to taste with quite some expectations as some Cotes du Rhone can be of very good value these days. The color was fine garnet, not deep or dark. The nose was " questionable ". The taste was good with lots of fresh, vibrant fruit, then becoming better after 45 mins of breathing in bottle, especially when the strange aroma subsided. On the palette, it was a very good value Cotes du Rhone indeed. 

I was thinking about the tasting steps. By sight, by nose, by palette. I got confused with a nose like " used socks ". Is it a good or is it a bad wine ? French wine buddy Olivier once suggested that it was like " Andouillette " - French sausage made with pig intestine and often stomach too. Definitely an aroma not very " populaire ". 

I was at a point wondering if the wine is " corked ". 

Nevertheless, I was confused with the quality between bad ( nose ) and good ( taste ). 

I started talking with wine merchants and professionals, where I get a suggestion that it might be a result of " Reduction ", where I finally get the answer. 

Reduction is a wine making technique, aiming at producing vibrant, fresh fruit to the wine.  Traditionally, wines are exposed to air in wine making. By using stainless steel and inert gas, a wine maker can reduce the exposure of oxygen to a wine.

The negative side of this method is that "Reduced" notes generally result from the present of volatile sulfur compounds. These notes usually offer heavy musty, earthy notes, but also could sometimes include strange aromas, such as rotten eggs, rubber, struck matches, sewage and even animal smell. However, there can be a beautiful wine underneath the reductive notes, and sometimes decanting or vigorous swirling can help to eliminate these aromas.

I open up myself to unlock a myth about the wine. The wine is not corked. It is a distinctive character that I should bear in mind when I want to enjoy a good value bottle. 

The 2015 vintage of this wine is a much better version with the same production method, where I find less sulphuric notes or ‘ suspicious ‘ aromas. Giving 30+ mins of decanting, I find a lovely, not expensive rouge but good value bottle from the Rhone.

Great learning. 

http://www.bacchusclubhk.com/new-products/domaine-de-la-cote-de-lange-2014-cotes-du-rhone

Berlin Tasting in Hong Kong

The time when I realised the power of Blind Tasting was when I had the opportunity to join this Berlin Tasting back to 2009. Since then, my perspective, vision and passion about wine was completely open. I started to understand my real own palette, and I started to doubt about those big names  .... pardon the Chinese below if you are an English speaker. 

MSN Food Channel - Wine Section 2010

     柏林品酒 - 香港站

十月中應法國佬朱理安之邀, 參加了在君悅 Drawing Room 裏舉行的一場葡萄酒界盛事 - 栢林品酒 ( Berlin Tasting ), 可謂大開眼界。

栢林品酒的緣起, 其實和另一次品酒比試 - Judgement of Paris - 有着密切的關係。這次葡萄酒界的里程碑後來被拍成電影 < 醇酒醋男 >, 成為一時的佳話。

1976年英國商人 Steven Spurrier 在法國巴黎安排了一次 < 盲品 * > ( Blind Tasting ), 希望讓品酒專家和傳媒品嚐一下美國加州的葡萄酒。直至品酒前的一個星期, 史提芬才驚覺大部份被邀請的酒評人都未曾品嚐過加州的葡萄酒。為了讓盲品更有義意和為評判提供一個指標 ( parameter ), 史提芬便找來一些手頭上最好的法國名釀, 作比較之用。

比試中的紅酒包括了法國一級酒莊 Chateau Mouton Rothschild, Chateau Haut Brion, 以及 Montrose 和 Leoville Las Cases。 白酒則有 Meursault Charmes Roulot , Beaune Clos des Mouches Josheph Drauhin, Batard Montrachet Ramonet Prudhon 和 Puligny Montrachet Les Pucelles Domaine Laflaive。都是響噹噹的名釀。

比試結果出人意表。在九名專業品酒人士的評判之下 ( 史提芬和 l’Academie du Vin 創辦人之一 Patricia Gallagher 的評分不被計算在內 ), 紅酒以美國的 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars 1973 的平均分最高, 而白酒則以美國的 Chateau Montelena 1973 的平均分最高。

這個結果其實並非史提芬所願意見到。他根本不想美國酒嬴 ( 2006年 11月 -智利 Le Cav 專訪 ) 。他的原意只為引人注意。

三十年後, 史提芬在 2006 年再安排另一次美法之戰。結果法國葡萄酒的神話再一次被擊敗。 最高分的得主是 1971 年的 Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello Cabernet, 二至五名亦為加州酒。 Chateau Mouton Rothschild 1970 僅得第六名。

法國葡萄酒神聖不可侵犯的地位, 自此不斷受到挑戰。新世界酒莊也開始相信, 只要做出好酒, 還是可以取勝的。當中身體力行的表表者, 莫過於智利的 Vina Errazuriz 。

Vina Errazuriz 第五代園主 Eduardo Chadwick 經多年努力, 釀製出多款一級水平的佳釀。可惜國際頂級酒評家 Robert Parker一直都不願嚐試他的出品。Eduardo深信 Errazuriz的質素, 也明白求人不如求己的道理, 於是仿效 1976 Judgement of Paris之舉, 創辦了栢林品酒。

2004年, Errazuriz 廣邀國際傳媒專業酒類新聞記者( 如英國Daily Telegraph, Independent Sunday, 德國的Weinwisser ) 和歐洲的專業酒評人 ( 瑞士的Rene Gabriel, 德國Hotel Louis C.Jacob 的Hendrik Thoma ), 在栢林以本身酒園出產的五款紅酒 ( 下列 * ), 與 Chateau Lafite Rothshild 2000, Chateau Margaux 2000 和 2001, Chateau Latour 2000和2001 , Solaia 2000等進行盲品, 結果如下:

名次 / 酒名

1.        Vinedo Chadwick 2000 *

2.       Sena 2001 *

3.       Chateau Lafite Rothschild 2000

4.       Chateau Margaux 2001 

4.       Sena 2000 *

6.       Chateau Margaux 2000

6.       Chateau Latour 2000

6.       Vinedo Chadwick 2001 * 

9.       Don Maximiano Founder Reserve 2001 *

 10.    Chateau Latour 2001

 10.    Solaia 2000

智利酒從此一鳴驚人。往後幾年間, Errazuriz分別在巴西、東京、多倫多、 阿姆斯特丹、北京、倫敦、斯德歌爾摩、紐約進行類似的比試, 成績斐然。

十月中旬, 這個比試終於來到香港。規則其實十分簡單, 只須在十種 2007 年份,但不知名的紅葡萄酒裏選出 “ 最喜歡 “的三款便成。

在七十二名試酒人的盲品下, 平均分的結果如下 ( * 為 Errazuriz 出品, 酒名後是我個人的排名 ):

1.                Chateau Margaux ( 4 )

2.               Sena * ( 2 )

3                 Kai * ( 3 )

4                 Vinedo Chadwick * ( 1 )

5                 La Cumbre * ( 5 )

6                 Don Maximiano * ( 6 )

7                 Chateau Lafite Rothschild ( 7 )

8                 Chateau Haut Brion * ( 8 )

9                 Sassicaia ( 10 )

10                Tignanello ( 9 )

這種比試的方式 ( 盲品年份一樣的酒 ), 當然不一定是最完善的。行內有的人說法國一級酒莊 ( 如拉菲 ) 一般要陳十至二十年, 甚至是三十年方能進化成佳釀, 與可以 drink young的新世界酒在這樣年青的階段比試, 不太公平。對於這種質疑, 史提芬早有另一種見解: 這樣的想法無疑是想說所有的評判都不懂品酒 ! 沒有人敢當眾說出來, 因為這想法其實並不正確。

有關這一點, 我也和法國佬朱理安討論過 ( 他是負責當天試酒次序的人, 因而不能像我一般的參予評分 )。他提供了一個令我頗為信服的答案: 一級酒有一級酒的條件, 即使在年青的時候, 也應有一定的水平。可是就當日嚐試的某類極享盛名的酒莊而言, 實在也有交代不出應有風範之嫌, 因此而輸了排名也是自然不過的事。 ( 事實上就我最近兩星期所品嚐的較年青的高級酒而言 - 意大利的Gaja Barbaresco 2005, Ornellaia 2005, 2006, 2007 等, 都沒有 “ too young “ 的毛病 )

*台灣及國內稱 blind tasting 為 < 矇瓶試酒 >。我倒覺得用 < 盲品 >更貼英文原來語譯 - 似乎較有趣。