Chateau Clerc Milon

Located between two First Growth estates (Lafite-Rothschild and Mouton Rothschild), Clerc Milon is a Fifth Growth, sharing with a few other Pauillac properties in that level of the 1855 classification. This chateau is located in the north-western corner of Pauillac, in the small village of Milon. Jean-Baptiste Clerc was in-charge of the vineyard in the time of the classification, but after he died the vineyard had changed hands a couple of times, gradually falling into disrepair.

In 1970, Baron Philippe de Rothschild bought the chateau, and immediately sent his team to improve the chateau, from planting new vines, selecting right varieties, and investing in latest technology. Results readily showed and many people reckoned that Clerc Milon warranted actually a Fourth Growth status with her quality.

The soils are a mixture of sand and gravel, with more clay nearer the river. Just over 43 ha of vines, with 46% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Carmenere. The vine averages 40 years of age. Fermentation is in stainless steel tanks for 15-22 days, followed by 18 months in oak, of which 30% is new. Average production is 14000 cases per annum. No second wine is produced.  

On the label, one can find two figures dancing a jig and it was a replica of a figure made by a 16^th century German goldsmith. The figure is now on display in the Museum of Wine in Art.

The wines I owned and tasted:

• Chateau Clerc Milon 2004

Region / Country: Pauillac France

Vintage: 2004

Grape: 49% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc, 2% Petit Verdot, 1% Carmenere

ABV: 13%            

Price: HK$472

Tasting Date: 25 September 2011

Official website: www.bpdr.com

Wineshark Score: 90

Deep ruby color with strong and developing aromas of blackcurrant, blackberry, black cherry, chocolate, liquorice, smoke and savory, this Pauillac GCC has a high acidity balanced with high tannin level. Medium body, the wine has medium intensity flavors of blackberry, black cherry, liquorice, vegetal, cloves, slight vanilla and savory notes. Overall of good quality from the complex and intense nose, showing a strong ripe fruitiness. The palate is relatively weaker but still got a good balance between acidity and tannin, with a reasonable length. Ready to drink now but has potential for further ageing of another 3-5 years.

Wineshark weekly - 25 September 2011

This week was away to Singapore and Bangkok, and so was quite slow in catching up on my wine and stuff. On Friday Ivy and me went to Whampoa to have dinner. Nothing special on that restaurant so I decided not to write, but then we went to The Sesame dessert house in Man Tai Street.

We ordered two desserts: Ivy had a 'Black and White' - a black sesame soup underneath with milk curd on top, and I had a Mango and Melon Mix with 'Q' Jelly. As recommended by the shop, the Black and White should be eaten in layers: first completing the milk curd on the top, then on the black sesame soup, and then mixing the two so that there are three different flavors and style of dessert in one go. And mine has a chewy texture which coupled with the sweet mango and melon pieces are also delicious. A good dessert house which I recommend you to try!

Saturday was our monthly wine tasting party. This time we have it in David's clubhouse. Each of us brought something to eat and once again we had some wonderful dishes from everyone. The theme of the tasting this time is single varietal blind tasting. Each of us bringing a bottle, and others have to guess which variety and country the wine is coming from. I identified the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, but the most amazing thing is that I got the commune right for the Pinot, but have to say luck plays a big part on that. Haha... The list of wines we have:

1. Tyrrell's Wines Semillon 2006, Hunter Valley, Australia
2. Morande Chardonnay Gran Reserva 2006, Casablanca Valley, Chile
3. Jean-Francois Chapelle Corton Grand Cru 2005, Aloxe-Corton, Burgundy, France
4. La Spinetta Gallina 2006, Barbera d'Alba, Italy
5. Montes Purple Angel 2007, Colchagua Valley, Chile
6. Filipa Pato FLP 2008, Bairrada, Portugal

During the tasting David and Helena also shared their recent trip to France. I am so jealous and hope we can organize one trip next year with this group so we can have a real wine tour together. And a big thanks also to David who helped me to buy a Domaine Weinbach Cuvee d'Or Gewurztraminer Quintessence de Grains Nobles 2002 from the domaine during his visit. This is their top wine and only produced in a few years with very limited quantity. I have been searching this wine for a long time and finally got it into my collection!! Will need to age for another 10+ years but hope to enjoy this with my friends then!

I resume my cooking lesson this week also. We have made two dishes: a Leek and Lentil Soup, and a Pork Chop with Onion and Mustard. Both are nice and quite easy to make. I will share the recipe later when I make those again at home.

Time to stop here and start my wine study, with a bottle of Chateau Clerc-Milon 2004 to accompany me. A happy National Day to you all, and hope the typhoon won't affect our fireworks next Sat!

Wineshark Recipe - 6. Prawn Fritter with Tartare Sauce

This is a good snack that all people would like, particularly suitable for cocktail party. Again, the sauce is also made by myself. Let's start with the Tartare sauce:

• Onion finely - 1.5oz
• Sweet Pickle - 1.5oz
• Parsley chopped - 1 tsp
• Mayonnaise - 5oz
• Brandy - 1 tsp

First chop the onion and sweet pickle to small pieces, then mix with parsley, brandy and mayonnaise.

• Fresh prawn -  16oz
• Corn starch - 1/8oz
• Flour - 8oz
• Sugar - 1/4oz
• Baking powder - 1/2 tsp
• Water - 12oz
• Salt - 1/4oz
• White vinegar - 1/4oz
• Parsley chopped  - 1/4 tsp
• Oil - 1.5oz

Mix the flour, corn starch, sugar, baking powder, salt, white vinegar in a bowl. Gradually add water and stir well. Then add oil and parsley. For the prawn, remove the shell and cut it open at the back and flatten it. Use some corn starch to coat and then soak in the fritter mix. Deep fry in oil (oil temperature should be medium).

Wineshark Recipe - 5. Banana Pancake

This is the first dessert I wrote on this blog. Something easy again, but you need to practice to avoid burning your fingers!!

• Flour - 8oz
• Whole egg - 4
• Sugar - 4oz
• Evaporated milk - 2oz
• Butter - 1/2oz
• Water - 15oz
• Cooking oil - 1oz

Put the flour, whole egg, sugar, evaporated milk and butter together in a bowl, gradually pour in the water and use egg mixer to stir thoroughly. Then add the cooking oil to mix well.

Heat a clean pan and use tissue to wipe the pan with a bit of oil or butter. Pour a ladle of pancake mix and fry over a small fire. Once the sides can be peeled off with a spoon, then flip it over (I use my fingers to do that!) and fry some more.

We can have different fillings, I use banana this time with some topping cream, but can use jam or other fruit instead.

Wineshark weekly - 18 Sep 2011

Last week I did not write this blog because of some shocking news, and I need some time to sort things out. Anyway I think things will turn out as it will be, so no need to overworry and better to continue my hobby and passions, right? So here we come again! Hope you enjoy reading it!

Recently been drinking a lot of fortified wine for my coming exam. Frankly I was not a big fan of such originally, but now with more tasting and understanding on the vinification and other details, I think this is one of the most under-rated type of wine in the world. Not necessarily just sweet, there are different styles and characters which are all interesting. Stay tuned to my blog as I will share with you more information about these, and I have posted the first two about Cyprus & Commandaria, and Madeira already.  

The restaurant I visited this Friday was Olala in Wanchai. Located in a small street up a steep slope near PP3, this French restaurant serve very good seafood, with also a good selection of wine. The prices are very reasonable also (but I forgot to ask them for the corkage if bringing my own wine). We have half a dozen oysters, which are very very fresh (highly recommend!!), mussels in white wine sauce (fresh mussels but nothing special), a duck leg confit (a nice intense aroma of duck fat you can smell before eating, but need more people to share as it is quite heavy), a grilled Iberico pork (the chef did not put any seasoning, and before you eat you can add a bit of sea salt which brings out the original flavor of the pork) , plus a creme brulee and apple tart for dessert. I ordered a glass of house white which is good match with the seafood. Overall it costs $1360 for two (I found out the wine was not included in the bill afterwards, hehe...). A restaurant I definitely will go again, and I heard from the waitress that the lunch menu is only $88-120 so if you are working close by, a good place to go for lunch!

The wine I tasted this week is Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle 2001, one of my top 100 collection. The nose is really exceptional, one of the best I have ever tasted though the palate is not as spectacular. For more details please refer to my blog about this famous producer in Rhone.

Cooking this week is Banana Pancake and Prawn Fritter with Tartare Sauce. Both are very nice (I have to be humble, I know, but I am really quite good at cooking, haha...). The recipe will be shared in my blog so please refer there. Here I will just show you the photos. Wanna try?

Need to pack for my trip tomorrow to Singapore and Bangkok. Until next week, remember my motto: enjoy life and live it to the full everyday!

Paul Jaboulet Aine

Before talking about the producer, let’s give some background on Hermitage. The name means ‘a place for refuge’. The story goes that in 1230, a knight who had came from the Fifth Crusade called Sterimberg, came to this place in Rhone to seek refuge from his wife(!)and built a small chapel at the hill for prayer. This place later is known as ‘Hermitage’, producing mainly red with a small amount of white.

The Jaboulet family is probably one of the oldest family in Rhone but unfortunately the records were all destroyed during the French Revolution. It was founded by Antonine Jaboulet and his twin sons, with Paul (the eldest) established the company in its current form.

The firm’s own vineyard covers about a quarter of the production needs, with the remaining coming from raw materials purchased from more than 150 growers in the Rhone valley, with two-thirds in wine rather than grapes. Their most celebrated wine is the Hermitage La Chapelle, named after the solitary tiny white chapel that sits atop the steepest slope of the Hermitage hill. The vines are coming from two vineyards known as Le Meal and Les Bessards. Jaboulet has a total of 25ha in Hermitage, with 18ha growing red and 7ha in white. The vines are grown on a steep slope, with 100% Syrah. Normally harvested around early Oct, because of the slope the vines ripen at different stage, which can differ by more than 10 days. The white is called Le Chevalier de Sterimberg, which can be drunk at an early age.

The La Chapelle is a wine made to last. Intensely concentrated, it normally will take more than a decade to soften its tannin and by then only starting to reveal the perfume and richness of the wine. The quality and complexity is rivaled only by the top Bordeaux and Burgundy, and a few Rhones.

The wine is not clarified, with only a light filtration after malolactic fermentation. Interestingly, Jaboulet is among the first to bottle the Hermitage, with less than 14 months in oak. Most people recognized Hermitage with a high degree of alcohol, but Jaboulet rarely exceeds 13% ABV. The impact of the wine mainly comes from the complexity arising from the old vines grown in the granite soil of the vineyards.

Wines I have tasted / owned from this producer:

• Hermitage La Chapelle 2000
• Hermitage La Chapelle 2001
• Le Chevalier de Sterimberg 2003

Tasting notes:

Wine: Hermitage La Chapelle

Region / Country: Hermitage Rhone France

Vintage: 2001

Grape: 100% Syrah

ABV: 13.5%                 

Price: HK$896

Tasting Date: 17 September 2011

Wineshark Score: 92

Deep ruby colour with garnet rims, this Hermitage exhibits an intense developing aromas of blackberry, plum, black cherry, smoke, tobacco, savory, nutmeg and meaty notes. Medium acidity with ripe and fine-grained tannin, the wine is fully body with a medium intensity flavors of blackberry, smoke, plum, baked black cherry, black pepper, savory and vegetal characters. Overall of good quality, the nose is one of the best in my experience of very complex and intense profile, showing both the ripeness of the grape and the maturity of the wine. Comparatively the palate is less spectacular but still enjoyable, with a reasonable length. Ready to drink now but has the potential for further ageing of another 6-8 years.

Wine: Le Chevalier de Sterimberg

Region / Country: Hermitage Rhone France

Vintage: 2003

Grape: 65% Marsanne, 35% Roussanne

ABV: 14.5%                 

Price: HK$496

Tasting Date: 10 September 2011

Wineshark Score: 93

Medium lemon colour, with a medium and developing nose of pear, apricot, peach, honey, nut, cream, honeysuckle, lemon, toast and tropical fruit. The wine exhibits medium acidity which is refreshing, of full body and having intense flavors of apricot, honey, cream, lemon, hazelnut, pear and smoke. Overall a good quality Rhone white with a complex nose and palate. The intense flavors of ripe fruit and honey signify good ripeness upon harvest with the typical higher alcohol level for a Rhone. A very balanced and well structured wine with a good length. Ready to drink now but can benefit for further ageing for another 3-5 years.

Madeira

It is one of the prettiest islands in the world, with a fertile soil. Everywhere you can see terraces growing vine, sugarcane, corn, beans, potatoes, bananas, and flowers. But among these, wine has been the principal product of the island for 400 years. With the increasing traffic with the colonies, it is necessary to have wines that can last for the long voyage, and also as ballast. With a bucket or two of brandy added to fortify the wine, the voyage actually mellowed the madeira wonderfully and so quickly it became the favorite wine of the American colonies.

Now the madeira is made through a simulating effect. The wine is warmed to about 45 deg C in hot stores (estufas) for at least three months. For higher quality ones a more moderate temperature will be used for a longer period, and the best is without any artificial heating, which only relied on the environment in a sun-baked loft and then in a warm wine lodge. That’s how the caramel common in madeira is coming from. If too much burnt sugar is detected it would mean the estufa was too hot.

The shippers nowadays blend the wines into consistent brands, using the estufagem process. Some are blended using the solera system, with the highest quality of a single vintage and single grape variety. Colheita madeiras are made from the produce of a single year and bottled after spending five years in wood. If no grape variety is mentioned then it will have been made from Tinta Negra Mole, the most dominant and common grape variety at 90%.

Today, unless made from one of the traditional varieties, the label can only mention the age and style, as determined by when the fermentation is stopped by the addition of spirit. The sweetest of the traditional varieties is Malmsey (or Malvasia), with dark brown, fragrant, rich and soft-textured to almost fatty. Bual produces a lighter and slightly less sweet than Malmsey, with a smoky note. Verdelho is less sweet and softer than Bual, with a faint honey and distinct smoke. Sercial makes the driest and is light, fragrant, distinctly sharp, more substantial than a fino sherry.

For a vintage madeira it must be coming from a single year, a single variety, and aged in cask for at least 20 years. It is a wine that age seems unable to exhaust or diminish. An opened bottle for any good madeira also can retain its freshness for months or even years.

Wine: Blandy’s 5-year Malmsey Madeira

Region / Country: Madeira Portugal

Vintage: NV

Grape: 100% Malmsey

ABV: 19%            

Price: HK$222

Tasting Date: 11 September 2011

Official website: www.blandys.com

Wineshark Score: 88

Medium brown in colour, with a greenish tinge showing its high alcohol contents, this 5-year Madeira has a medium nose showing fully developed and deliberately oxidized characters of fig, prune, raisin, orange peel, butterscotch, cloves, caramel and toffee. Medium sweetness with a good refreshing acidity to accompany, the wine is fortified to high alcohol level with a full body and medium palate of fig, prune, raisin, nutmeg, walnut, caramel, orange peel and toffee. Overall of acceptable quality, the nose and palate are fairly complex though only of reasonable intensity. Easy to drink but lacking the sophistication of ageing, with a reasonable length. Ready to drink now and can be maintained for another 8-10 years.

Cyprus and Commandaria

When Cyprus joined the EU in 2004, the wine industry entered an era of renaissance. Subsidies were available to help export in bulk to make cheap drinks, with the worst vineyards being demolished. The four biggest wineries (SODAP, KEO, ETKO and Loel) are moving their facilities away from Limassol to the more promising regions, which used to be dominated by smaller producers without modern expertise. By 2006 an appellation of origin scheme is being developed.

Cyprus’ vineyard area is divided into 6 regions: Pitsilia, Marathasa, Commandaria, Troodhos South, Troodhos East and Troodhos North. Pitsilia and northern part of Commandaria have igneous soil, elsewhere being sudimentary limestone. Climate is Mediterranean with mild winters and hot summers, with rainfall mostly in winter months. Drip irrigation is permitted. Climatic hazards mostly come from hail or frost in higher-altitude vineyards, plus powdery mildew. Phylloxera never reached Cyprus so vines are ungrafted. Most are bush-trained.

Over 70% plantings are of indigenous varieties, with about 3/4 plantings are Mavro, which gives high yield, with pale, unattractive colours for a red wine. So producers often remove 40% of the juice prior to fermentation. These removed juices are commonly used for making fortified wine or grape concentrate as distillation base. Mavro can give a cherry or blackcurrant candy character when young, developing vegetal characters with 3-5 years of age. There is an iodine background flavor and are usually high in alcohol.

The second most planted grape is Xynisteri. If picked before overripe and carefully vinified, can produce aromatic wines with good balance of sugar, alcohol and acids, with an earthy flavour. Of the imported varieties, Carignan and Grenache are most widely planted. Many indigenous varieties have much greater quality potential but less popular because of cultivation difficulties. Almost all Cypriot wines made from four large firms and are heavily reliant on export markets. Main market for Cypriot fortified wine is UK. DOC style rules were incorporated, with Commandaria the first wine to be granted full legal protection.

Most famous Cyprus wine is Commandaria, made of raisined Mavro and Xynisteri, in 14 designated villages on the lower slopes of Troodos. Almost four times the sugar content than port, the best have a fresh grapiness however, with alcohol content around 15%. The name derived from the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem’s chief feudal holding called Grand Commandery, where lay the vineyard producing the wine. It is produced from sun-dried grapes. Vintage usually takes place in mid-Sep, with the juice of min. sugar of 212 g/l for Xynisteri and 258 g/l for Mavro. The grapes were dried under sun for at least one week, the sugar content after that reached to 390 to 450 g/l. Fermentation must take place within Commandaria region, and it will stop before all sugar converted to alcohol, leaving residual sweetness and a min. alcohol content of 10%. After this stage the wine is moved to one of the large winery in Limassol to mature. The alcohol content is further increased by addition of grape spirit or wine distillate, but not to exceed 20%. It must be matured in oak casks for at least two years, but normally much longer. A small quantity of vintage Commandaria is also made. It is one of the world’s classic wines.

Wine: Etko St. Nicholas Commandaria

Region / Country: Commandaria, Cyprus

Vintage: 1998

Grape: 60% Xynisteri, 40% Mavro

ABV: 13.5%                 

Price: HK$285

Tasting Date: 20 August 2011

Official website: www.etkowines.com

Wineshark Score: 92

Medium tawny colour with greenish tints, this Commandaria exhibits intense and fully developed aromas of raisins, prune, chocolate, smoke, stewed fruit, cinnamon and caramel. Sweet, yet balanced with a good acidity, the wine has a low tannin which is ripe and of resolved texture. Fortified low alcohol level, with full body and pronounced intensity flavors of raisins, prune, chocolate, caramel, cinnamon and smoke. Overall of good quality level with complex and intense nose and palate, the diverse characters are particularly enticing. Balancing the sweetness with a good acidity to make it fresh and not cloying, the wine has a good length also. Ready to drink now and can be maintained for another 2-3 years.

Wineshark Recipe - 4. Lamb Chop with Walnut Pesto

This one is relatively more complex as it will take some extra steps to make the pesto sauce. But if you have not had this before I strongly recommend you to try. Let's start with the Pesto.

• Fresh Basil Leaf - 2oz (I use Basil herbs instead - 4 tsp with 1 tbsp water)
• Pine Nuts - 2 tbsp
• Walnut - 3 tbsp
• Garlic - 2 tsp
• Olive Oil - 4oz
• Parmesan Cheese Powder - 2 tbsp
• Salt - 1/2 tsp

First put the pine nuts and walnut in oven to cook for couple of minutes to increase its aromas. Then put everything in a blender to mix well.

Then we prepare the lamb. You can use Lamb Rack instead. First pre-heat the oven to 230 deg. The lamb is marinated with some salt and black pepper, and adding some oil. Then it is put inside the oven to cook for about 6-8min.

After cooling, put the pesto sauce on the lamb and put back in oven for another 12-15min then it is done. We can use the juice on the heating plate to cook a sauce, by adding a bit of olive oil and white wine to heat it over fire. Then put some side dishes (the left-over from the ingredients for my soup) and you have a nice dinner!

Wineshark Recipe - 3. Chicken Chowder

This week I made two dishes, a soup and a lamb. Let's start with the soup. It is quite easy to make, especially if you don't want to deal with thickening. We need the following ingredients (this is for four people):

• Bacon - 4 strips
• Onion - half
• Celery - 3-4 stalks
• Potato - 2 pcs
• Whole Kernal Corn - 3/4 can
• Chicken Stock - 5-6 bowls
• Cooked Chicken - 4oz
• Seasoning: white pepper powder, salt, ground nutmeg

First prepare the chicken stock. To save time we can just use the off-the-shelf stock but remember to dilute it with the same amount of water. Since we also need to have some diced chicken, I actually put a couple of chicken breast to cook together, plus some celery and onion, with a piece of bay leaf and some black pepper.

Chop the bacon, onion, celery and potato into small pieces. Start with the bacon, stir fry till it smells good then add the onion. Continue to stir fry for about 5min and then put the celery, potato and chicken stock in to cook for another 15min.

When it is almost done, add some corn and the diced chicken. Add the seasoning and adjust accordingly.

Monthelie

Behind Meursault, at the top of a hill is Monthelie, one of Cote de Beaune’s most underrated communes. It is odd that this delightful picturesque little village should be so neglected. One reason might be that previously the wine was sold in bulk to negociants to bottle as Cote de Beaune-Villages but in recent years it is getting more attention and is a worthy alternative to the more costly Volnay.

It is also one of the smallest communes of the Cote, second only to Vougeot, with 119ha of vines. Of these 83ha is of AC Monthelie and 36ha under Monthelie premier cru (15 in total). The finest is Sur la Velle and Les Champs-Fulliot. Soil is mainly limestone, with some marls and iron-bearing rocks.

Although there is a tiny quantity of Blanc (100% Chardonnay), it is the red that Monthelie founded the reputation. The wines are of depth and structure, with reasonable longevity. It combines the finesse of Volnay with the body and structure of Auxey. Best producers include Didier Darviot, Jean-Francois Coche, Vincent Girardin, Comtes Lafon and Louis Jadot. The wines are undervalued and underpriced, and definitely a good source to look out for a good Burgundy red.

Wines from Monthelie which I owned and tasted:

• Eric de Suremain, Chateau de Monthelie 2003

Tasting Note:

Medium ruby colour with watery rims, this Monthelie has a medium and developing aromas of raspberry, sour red cherry, medicinal, plum and violet. On the palate it has a medium acidity with light tannin, which shows an integrated and smooth texture. Even though the alcohol level is of medium level it got a warming sensation upon swallowing. Relatively light body, the wine has medium intensity flavors of plum, strawberry, sour red cherry, cedar and medicinal. Overall of acceptable quality, it has a ripe red fruit characters dominating on both nose and palate. Relatively simple, nevertheless the wine has a reasonable intensity and length. Ready to drink now but can further develop for another 2-3 years.

Wineshark Recipe - 2. Bolognese

The second dish I made last weekend. Looks simple but really took a while to make... The ingredients:

• Minced Pork - 3/4 lb
• Garlic Finely - 1oz
• Onion - 3oz
• Celery - 3oz
• Carrot - 3oz
• Tomato - 1 pc
• Tomato Paste - 3oz
• Basil, Oregano, Thyme, Salt, Black Pepper - adjustable
• Red Wine - 0.5 oz
• Thicken White - 2oz

First put the tomato into boiling water. After cooking for around 2min take it out and put in cold water to peel the skin and chop into small pieces. Put the minced pork into oven to bake for about 5min. Then chop the onion, celery, carrot into pieces.

Heat a small pot till hot, then add oil. Put garlic finely into the pot and stir fry the carrot, then add celery and onion. When it smells good add butter and continue to stir fry. Add tomato paste and stir until the mix dried up and then put water till 3/4 full. Continue to stir but let it stew.

Prepare the Thicken White by heating 3 tsp of oil and 3tsp of butter, then add around 6 tsp of flour. Heat it with a small fire to avoid burning the flour. When it turned golden it is done.

Heat a pan with oil, add some garlic and then put the minced pork to stir fry. Put the herbs and seasonings and stir fry till it smells good. Then put the meat, thicken white into the sauce mix, and then add thicken white. Continue to stir to avoid sticking to the bottom of the pot. Add Bay Leaves and the Tomato pieces to continue to cook for another 40min.

It is very good to pair with spaghetti. Just follow the instructions of the spaghetti packaging and you should be able to cook a good spaghetti. Pour the sauce on top and you have a nice dinner!

Wineshark Recipe - 1. Fresh Prawn Cocktail with Thousand Island Dressing

Over the weekend I started to do some cooking, and I decided to share the recipe to my readers. If I can cook these dishes with success, I am sure you can too! Let's start with something easy, a Fresh Prawn Cocktail with Thousand Island Dressing.

First let's make the dressing. Yes, I do that from scratch instead of buying off the shelf. The portion here is good for 3-4 people. The ingredients include:

• Onion - around 1/4 pc 
• Sweet Gherkins - 2 small pcs
• Boiled Egg - 1 pc
• Mayonnaise - 5oz
• Juice from the Sweet Gherkins - 1.5oz
• Brandy - 1/2 tsp
• Tomato Ketchup - 1.5oz

First we chop the ingredients into small pieces, then mix everything together. Easy right? Frankly this is the best Thousand Island I have ever tried (because I make it!!)

On the Fresh Prawn Cocktail, we have the following ingredients:

• Fresh Prawn - around 15 pcs
• Lettuce - 1 small pc
• Tomato - 2 pcs
• Cucumber - 0.5 pc
• Parsley - 1 pc
• Salt, Black Pepper, Brandy - a little each

Again, quite easy to make. First we remove the intestine from the prawns, and then boil a pot of water and put a) Celery, b) Onion, c) Bay Leaves, d) Black Pepper and e) Lemon in. After smelling the fragrance we put the prawns in to cook for about 5min. The prawns are then taken out to put the fridge to freeze, to remove the shell.

After that we put the seasonings to the prawns to mix well, and chop the lettuce into shreds to put on the plate, and then put tomato and cucumber on top, with the prawns and then apply the Thousand Island Dressing, and use the Parsley to decorate. 

Easy right?

St-Aubin

St-Aubin is a tranquil, compact village, only a few kilometers from Chassagne and Puligny-Montrachet. There are just under 300 souls inhibiting the village, and most are working in the service of wine. The origin of the village date back a while, but the archaeological findings seem to confirm that there were people living there in the Bronze Ages.

St-Aubin also comprises of nearby Gamay, which is a small village famous for the grape-variety which gives its name. But nowadays it was superseded by Pinot Noir and very few Gamay are still growing there. There are no less than 123 ha of red and white premiers crus.

There are two separate vineyard sites: the Montagne du Ban can find some better premier cru vineyards like Les Castets, Les Frionnes and Sur le Sentier du Clou, and they are mostly on limestone marl. The second swathe comprises of all premiers crus lies on Roche du May, above Gamay. The soil is more varied here, with limestones admixed with clay on the lower slopes and more obvious limestones on the upper. Here have the finest white premiers crus of Les Murgers des Dents de Chien, La Chateniere and En Remilly.

The wines here are well worth investigation. The reds are generally robust and earthy, developing well in 5-10 years in good vintage. The whites, however, are even better which can age and develop to lime-blossom, nuts and earthy flavors, but can still be consumed young with good fruit and freshness. The prices are much more affordable, unlike other white Burgundy, with sound, abundant characters.

Best producers in St-Aubin are Gerard Thomas et Filles, Hubert Lamy, Marc Colin and Henri Prudhon. Some negociants and growers also make good St-Aubin including Vincent Girardin, Jadot, the Moreys and Pierre-Yves Colin.

Wines that I tasted or owned from this village:

• Bernard Morey et Fils, St-Aubin 1er Cru Les Charmois 2004
• Deux Montille, St-Aubin 1er Cru Sur Gamay 2007