1.

CHAMPAGNE
Champagne Aubry Champagne Le Nombre d'Or ''Campaniae Veteres Vites'' 2015
HK$600 per bottle

The Aubry family has grown vines in Champagne since 1790, and when the Aubry brothers of Pierre and Philippe took over the running of the estate, they thought of reproducing the characters of champagne in the 18th century. Immersed in old manuals and treatises, they went in search of the noble grape varieties no longer common but were grown at the time: Arbanne, Petit Meslier, Fromenteau (Pinot Gris) and Enfumé (a variant of Pinot Gris). These vine stocks were endangered, but finally in 1989 after a thorough search, they found and replanted them, blending these four grapes with Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, and Chardonnay to create the Le Nombre d’Or cuvee. This particular cuvee is a blend of the four true white grape varieties of the Champagne region: the Arbanne, nervous and aromatic, the generous Petit Meslier, full of freshness and very fruity, the elegant and fine Chardonnay with great aromatic power, and the exotic Pinot Blanc. Not an aperitif and more a food wine on the dining table. Pairs well with poultry dishes.

2.

WHITE
Domaine Pierre Martin Sancerre Blanc Les Culs Damnés 2016 | CK95-97
HK$325 per bottle

Pierre Martin has a low intervention philosophy both in the vineyard and in the cellar, being respectful to traditional methods of wine making, while at the same time work according to organic and biodynamic methods. The resulting wines are richly-styled, with the unique minerality often found only in the Sauvignon Blanc wines of Sancerre. Made from organically and biodynamically farmed grapes, this is an unconventional blend of fruit from the Cul de Beaujeu and Les Monts Damnés vineyards, the nose is intense with white flowers and minerals. The wine is full bodied with intense citrus fruits and spreads across the palate and a long finish. Great with oysters, salad, seafood and fish dishes.

3.

WHITE
Domaine Laureau Savennières Les Genêts 2018 | VNS94
HK$360 per bottle

Damien Laureau’s work in the vineyard has long been organic. He has oats, clover and other greenery planted between the rows, feeling that this benefits the soil, bringing life and breaking up the soil structure, and when the soil is worked over the oats act as a natural fertiliser. The Chenin Blanc produced from this estate is now amongst the best in the appellation, and unlike some Chenin Blanc that may be hard to approach when young from the region in the past, the estate’s wines give pleasure for both immediate drinking and long term cellaring. This wine has a complex and smoky nose, with aromas of citrus fruits, peach, and pear, and a long appetising finish. Around 650 cases produced per year.

4.

RED
Minimalist Wines Connect The Dots Syrah 2019
HK$300 per bottle

Young South African star winemaker Sam Lambson is lauded by critics such as Neal Martin, who gave the second vintage of his flagship Stars in the Dark 2019 the joint highest score for reds along with only three other wines out of thousands tasted from the country. The estate crafts exciting wines with minimal intervention in both the vineyard and the cellar. This wine hails from two vineyards in Elgin and a site on the Helderberg in Stellenbosch. This is 100% whole bunch fermented. The blend is made up of three almost equal parts, with the Helderberg lending red fruit and floras, underpinned by a grippy graphite, textured tannin, and the soils of the Elgin parcels displaying a more luxurious, plummy profile. There’s a lighter lavender and pepper from the shale, a darker, more savoury note from the sandstone and collectively, they showcase just how well Syrah thrives in South Africa’s cooler Cape climates. Only 2,400 bottles produced for this vintage.

5.

RED
Folium Vineyard Pinot Noir Reserve 2014 | RP91
HK$460 per bottle

Made by Japanese winemaker Takaki Okada in the New Zealand wine region of Marlborough, the 2015 vintage of this wine was featured in the 16th issue of the sequel to the immensely popular Japanese manga series about wine, The Drops of God (神之水滴). The wine was recommended to be a great match for the much loved Peking Duck dish. Made with organically farmed grapes, the wines crafted here are distinctively European in style, and has a subtlety that complements rather than overpower food.  

6.

RED
Domaine de la Noblaie Pierre de Tuf 2018 | RP93
HK$250 per bottle

Winemaker Jérôme Billard travelled around the world following his oenology studies in Dijon, and worked at famous producers Petrus in Pomerol and Dominus in Napa Valley before returning to the family estate Domaine de la Noblaie in 2003.

From the estate’s top parcel on flint clay, the low yielding vines have an average age of 70 years old. The grapes are fully destemmed and deposited directly into a 15th century vat carved into the limestone of the estate’s cellars. The wine is rich but elegant, complex with a ripe tannic backbone, a cool dark blue and red fruit profile, and a long finish. This has substantial ageing potential, and goes well with richer foods such as braised beef or game, and is perfect for the winter.