Friday 3 May 2013

Bordeaux 2012: Deux Mot

Posted by Justerini & Brooks

Hong Kong Portfolio Tasting 2013 Invitation

Posted by Justerini & Brooks
Justerini & Brooks is thrilled to be hosting its Spring Portfolio Tasting later this month at the summit of the LKF Hotel in Wyndham Street, Hong Kong. Taste 40 specially selected fine wines from our extensive portfolio.


Built through excellent relationships that go back many years and with over 3000 wines in stock the Justerini & Brooks fine wine portfolio is unrivalled, with a collection of greats from Burgundy, Rhône, Loire, Champagne as well as Barolo and German Riesling Estates, not forgetting the finest Bordeaux from the greatest vintages.

There will be a selection of these estates on show from across Burgundy, Italy and the Rhône valley, as well as a selection of clarets from the famed 2010 vintage that have just gone into bottle.

Amongst many famous names, we will be showing: Mugnier, Sauzet, Bruno Clair, Sylvain Cathiard, La ConseillanteLéoville Barton, Duhart Milon, Roberto Voerzio, Elio Altare and more.

We are delighted to extend this invitation to those who share our passion for fine wine in Hong Kong. Places are strictly limited so please contact William Chan to reserve your place. william.chan@justerinis.com

It is not often that an opportunity to taste such a wide range of exquisite and great value drinking wines arises so we hope to see you there. If you love good wine this will be an event too good to miss.


Date: Wednesday 15th May 2013, from 5.30pm till 8pm 
Location: Azure, Hotel LKF, 33 Wyndham Street, Hong Kong
RSVP by email to william.chan@justerinis.com

__________

Justerini & Brooks reserve the right to refuse entry for any reason
Over 18s only

Tuesday 30 April 2013

Portfolio Tasting 2013: Three masters of their trade

Posted by Giles Burke-Gaffney, Buying Director
It was a huge pleasure to taste my way through the three masterclasses at our Portfolio tasting in the stunning surroundings of Somerset House last week. We were honoured to have three great wines estates presenting their finest wines, young and old.

First up was Katharina Prüm of JJ Prüm presenting no fewer than 9 wines in an hour from 2011 back to 1997. A hard act was brilliantly followed by Davide Voerzio of Roberto Voerzio, who talked us through 4 different Barolo Cru across various vintages and the evening fittingly culminated with the gentleman of Cote Rotie, Rene Rostaing, with whom we tasted La Landonne and Cote Blonde across 07, 05, 2000 and 1995.

There were many thrilling and differing wines in the line ups, one recurring theme however seemed to be the ability of a great terroir to show its true colours after sufficient bottle age even in a year where the vintage characteristics are decidedly dominant. An example of this is 2003. I have been lucky enough to have had some wonderful examples recently of this atypical, heatwave vintage. Terte Roteboeuf being one in addition to a number of 1er Crus from Marquis d'Angerville (there will be more detail in another post soon.) The 2003s in question on this occasion were Cote Blonde from Rostaing and the Fossati Barolo Riserva from Voerzio. The Blonde was bold, opulent and full of violets and youthful fruit whilst offering a distinct stoniness.  The Fossati was the wine of the night. An outstanding mix of perfume, velvet texture, sweet fruit and earthiness with enormous length of flavour, it had more fragrance and finesse than I was expecting from a 2003, remarkable. The other less typical vintage was 1997 in the Mosel. An exciting vintage on release that was less austere than many of its predecessors, concentrated for sure but almost suspiciously easy, fruity and round. Well the Graacher Himmelreich 1997 JJ Prüm had all of these characteristics in spades together with a vivid streak of minerally slate, a beautiful lively and very precise wine that whilst delicious now, still tasted on the young side.

Monday 29 April 2013

2012 Parker Scores

Posted by Tom Jenkins, Bordeaux Buyer

Last Friday the Wine Advocate #206 was released revealing the scores for the 2012s. Mr Parker has echoed many of our own thoughts on the vintage, identifying Pomerol and Pessac Leognan as the best performing appellations. 'My tastings clearly revealed the overall success of the Merlot crop, with the most successful appellation being Pomerol, followed closely by Pessac-Léognan... Because of its vast size, St.-Emilion offers virtually everything from top-flight wines that are not far off the mark of 2010 and 2009, to wines that are hollow, overly extracted, rustic and astringent.

While 2012 is not a great vintage, it is an excellent one in Pomerol, Pessac-Léognan and for some St.-Emilions. In the Médoc, 2012 tends to be average to above average depending on the château. It was a disappointing year for the sweet whites of Sauternes and Barsac, which is evidenced by the fact that four well-known châteaux, Yquem, Rieussec, Raymond-Lafon and Suduiraut, all declassified their entire harvest. In contrast, the dry white wines of Graves are beautiful. 2012 is clearly a top vintage for these wines, which are rich, soft, intense and honeyed’. - Robert Parker, www.erobertparker.com

Please find a list of the top performing wines adjudged by The Wine Advocate below:

Year Wine WA
2012 Haut Brion Blanc (98-100)
2012 L'Eglise Clinet (96-100)
2012 La Mission Haut Brion Blanc (96-98+)
2012 Trotanoy (96-98)
2012 Petrus (95-98+)
2012 Pape Clement Blanc (95-98)
2012 Ausone (95-97)
2012 Mouton-Rothschild (95-97)
2012 Bellevue Mondotte (94-97)
2012 La Mondotte (94-97)
2012 Pavie (94-96+)
2012 Angelus (94-96)
2012 Cheval Blanc (94-96)
2012 La Fleur Petrus (94-96)
2012 Hosanna (94-96)
2012 Troplong-Mondot (94-96)
2012 Beausejour (Duffau Lagarrosse) (93-95+)
2012 Gracia (93-95+)
2012 Belair-Monange (93-95)
2012 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc (93-95)
2012 Clos Fourtet (93-95)
2012 Feytit Clinet (93-95)
2012 Gazin (93-95)
2012 Haut Brion (93-95)
2012 Larcis-Ducasse (93-95)
2012 Leoville-Las Cases (93-95)
2012 Le Pin (93-95)
2012 Rauzan-Segla (Rausan-Segla) (93-95)
2012 Smith-Haut-Lafitte Blanc (93-95)
2012 Beau-Sejour-Becot (92-95)
2012 Domaine de Chevalier (92-95)
2012 Cos d'Estournel (92-95)
2012 Lafite-Rothschild (92-95)
2012 Palmer (92-95)
2012 Pape Clement (92-95)
2012 Pavie-Macquin (92-95)
2012 Clinet (92-94+)
2012 Clos de Sarpe (92-94+)
2012 La Fleur Morange (92-94+)
2012 Lafleur (92-94+)
2012 Branon (92-94)
2012 Canon la Gaffeliere (92-94)
2012 La Clarte de Haut-Brion Blanc (92-94)
2012 La Conseillante (92-94)
2012 Le Dome (92-94)
2012 De Fieuzal Blanc (92-94)
2012 La Fleur de Bouard Le Plus (92-94)
2012 Latour (92-94)
2012 Chateau Margaux (92-94)
2012 Montrose (92-94)
2012 Pavie-Decesse (92-94)
2012 Smith-Haut-Lafitte (92-94)
2012 Canon (91-94)
2012 Clos l'Eglise (91-94)
2012 La Fleur de Gay (91-94)
2012 Malartic-Lagraviere Blanc (91-94)
2012 La Mission Haut Brion (91-94)
2012 Pontet-Canet (91-94)
2012 Bellevue (91-93+)
2012 Le Gay (91-93+)
2012 Chapelle d'Ausone (91-93)
2012 Clos du Marquis (91-93)
2012 La Fleur de Bouard (91-93)
2012 Haut Bailly (91-93)
2012 Malartic-Lagraviere (91-93)
2012 Pavillon Blanc du Chateau Margaux Blanc (91-93)
2012 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande (91-93)
2012 Rol Valentin (91-93)
2012 Chateau Saint-Pierre (91-93)
2012 L'Evangile (90-94)
2012 Barde-Haut (90-93)
2012 Cantenac Brown (90-93)
2012 La Dominique (90-93)
2012 Haut Bergey (90-93)
2012 Pichon-Longueville Baron (90-93)
2012 Rouget (90-93)
2012 Trottevieille (90-93)
2012 Chateau Valandraud (90-93)
2012 Brane-Cantenac (90-92)
2012 Calon Segur (90-92)
2012 Ducru Beaucaillou (90-92)
2012 Lafon Rochet (90-92)
2012 Laforge (90-92)
2012 La Lagune (90-92)
2012 Larrivet Haut Brion Blanc (90-92)
2012 Lascombes (90-92)
2012 Leoville-Barton (90-92)
2012 Monbousquet (90-92)
2012 Le Petit Mouton (90-92)
2012 Petit Village (90-92)
2012 Talbot (90-92)