2009 Picardy Pemberton pinot noir
A soft yet complex pinot noir from the Pemberton region of Western Australia, this would be a good summer drink if served slightly chilled. It is pale in the glass with aromas of cherries and raspberries. A sour cherry taste continues in the mouth. It is well balanced and the integrated oak adds a touch of spice across the top of the palate. It feels quite old world in style because of the high acidity and soft tannins. The only concern is the high alcohol – at 13.5 per cent – that might be too much for some people during summer. It retails for HKD 268 at Watson’s Wine Cellar.

2011 Neudorf pinot rose
The lively pink colour is the first thing that catches one’s eye. The colour is enticing and the bouquet slightly herbaceous. This pinot noir rose hails from the Nelson region at the top of the south island of New Zealand. In the mouth the wine tastes creamy from a little time on lees, and it is slightly tangy, with hints of raspberries. Again, the high alcohol (also 13.5 per cent) is a bit much for a summer wine. It could best be enjoyed as an aperitif at dusk of a sunny evening. It retails for HKD 148 at Watson’s Wine Cellar.

2009 Puligny-Montrachet Chablis Francois Carillon
Louis Carillon has long been regarded as one of the three best producers over the past three decades in this great village. This wine comes from his son, Francois. The nose suggests cashews and in the mouth the wine has lively acidity and an almost steely mineral-ity. It tastes of tart pears and slightly unripe apples. The wine is probably a bit young to drink now but this chardonnay would be lovely with the right food in a couple of years. It is a stylish drink and retails for HKD 368 at Kerry Wines.

Published in Wine+ magazine, May 2012, pages 10, 12, and 14.