A Fuss Over Fizz

When facing a bottle of chilled Champagne sitting in an ice bucket, it is always tempting to take off the aluminium foil, unwind the wire muzzle, pop out the cork, and pour yourself a glass of the bubbling content.

Wait a second, you have just dumped something as interesting as the content…

It is the CORK!

The Magical Side

The cork of a sparking wine, of course including Champagne:

• acquired its well known “mushroom” shape AFTER corking, not its original shape;
• originally has the form of a cylinder with an area of its face 3 times that of the bottle neck

(From left to right) Cork of Jacquesson NV, Venue Clicquot Yellow Label & Perrier Joet Rose NV

Here we further cut into the detail of the subject matter:

Cross-section view of the corks, see the 3 sections of wood in the 2nd and 3rd cork. The lower section are made of slices of whole cork

This composition of a champagne cork with multiple sections is believed to deliver the best seal to a sparkling wine.

The Not So Magical Side

A flying cork seems an exciting scene and an extra dose to the celebrative atmosphere.  But an object travelling at 50 mph could cause disastrous outcome.

Certainly a financial one if flying cork hits the crystal light hanging on the ceiling, but it will be more unlucky if it hits something else closer than a light:  an eye of the one uncorking the bottle.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) warns about the possibility that:

“warm bottles of champagne and poor technique in removing the cork can result in serious, blinding eye injuries.”

So I would suggest everyone who has seen a flying cork or will have the chance to read the below guidelines before getting your hands on a bottle of Champagne.

• Make sure sparkling wine is chilled to at least 45 degrees Fahrenheit before opening. The cork of a warm bottle is more likely to pop unexpectedly.
• Don’t shake the bottle. Shaking increases your chances of eye injury.
• To open the bottle safely, hold down the cork with the palm of your hand while removing the wire hood. Point the bottle at a 45-degree angle away from yourself and from any bystanders.
• Place a towel over the entire top of the bottle and grasp the cork.
• Keep the bottle at a 45-degree angle as you slowly and firmly twist the bottle while holding the cork to break the seal. Continue to hold the cork while twisting the bottle. Continue until the cork is almost out of the neck. Counter the force of the cork using slight downward pressure just as the cork breaks free from the bottle.
• Never use a corkscrew to open a bottle of champagne or sparkling wine.

Premium Burgundy Night

Henri Ballot Carton Charlemagne Grand Cru 2002

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What A Group Of WSET Level 3 Candidates Drink

WSET, Wine and Spirit Education Trust, the de facto entry ticket to the wine trade industry.

See what a dozen of of level 3 candidates did on a dinner gathering:

Greatest Disappointment of the night

Domaine Des Sénéchaux, Chateauneuf Du Pape 2006:

A Southern Rhone white blending Grenach Blanc with another two local varieties. Overhyped expectation for a CDP, the clean pale yellow has the nose of flint stone and subtle note of oak.

The wine has medium body and alcohol level, however the medium rough tannin and bitter finish dismiss any possibility that the wine represent the needed quality of a white from this region.

There is much disappointment with the quality of the wine, especially considering the price of just under HK$400.   

Wine of the night:

Royal Tokayi 2006 5 Puttonyos

I hope I have another wine to take this position.  However, the best wine is always the eventual winner, no matter how much external impact to it.

The wine is the last one tasted by the group, but you can tell how much it it welcomed by the group.  No one can stop pour him/herself after their first taste. In fact, how can you compare a delicate and well made Tokji Asuz Puttonyon 6?

After opened for more than an hour, the wine display the fantasic nose of floral, pineapple, dried appricot, exotic fruit.  On palate, the acidity is high, otherwise the higher sweetness/sugar level, is well matched with the amount of residue sugar in this wine.

Unable to stop smelling the wine, sip a mouthful of integrated sweetness and acidity.

The wine has a very good quality, acidity and consistency.  There could not be a better wine to finish a course of wine sampling, especially after a few bottles of  wines with uncompetitive quality.

Greek Wines From Naoussa & Nemea

To know more about new friends, you can start with the food they eat at home.  If your new friends come from a wine making country, it is a great chance to know more about how the locals think about their own wine.

Last night, my friend from Greece prepared me two bottles of Greek wines that he brought from home and return to work in Hong Kong.  (To my great Greek friend, thank you so much!)

As of the wine, although its less known of quality wine, Greek is of great quality!

Two red wines are tasted this night, a 2006 vintage of Syrah and Cabinet Sauvignon blend, another 2000 vintage of a local variety, which even my friend is unable to identify from the wine label.

Aibasiv Nemea 2006 Syrah Cabinet Sauvignon

I have to admit that I'm not 100% sure about the producer name of this wine, since the name in script font on the label, and the Greek only words labeling, are both unreadable to me.

The wine has less than medium intensity of ruby red colour, although it is a relatively young vintage, some sediment is seen, this implies the wine may be an unfiltered one.

The nose has medium plus intensity of blackcurrant, fruity and youthful.

Dry and med plus acidity on the palate, added the relatively high alcohol level. Tannin is medium minus.
The wine is quite a powerful one, the intensiveness of fruit and alcohol is not more than aggressive.  The length is however not long, although the body is quite full.

Without much expectation, this wine is of good quality, ready to drink now.

Boutari Naoussa 2000 Grande Reserve

Made from a local variety from Naoussa, this wine shows the elegance of a Greek wine.

The wine has clear pale ruby red colour, the nose has high intensity of red cherry.

On the first sip, the wine express its fineness long time in oak (36 months as my Greek friend tried to read the label for me).  Well rounded silky tannin, with integrated smoky, oak flavor in the wine, the intensity of the red cherry fruit still manged to find its way to express itself. 

All of friends find the wine can be summarized this wine of good balance, elegance and easy to drink

The wine has more than good quality, ready to drink and may further improve for one to two years.

PLUS: Greek Local Dishes
Wine and food go together, and both have been a part of daily life in Western countries, so my friend also showed me some traditional Greek food

Meat Ball, Salad, Cheese & Spanish Ham

Salad & The Breed Dip (Outside the photo..)

The dip is made of yogurt and Garlic, when the latter one is used much less than it is in traditional style, to better fit with our Chinese preference.