Wineshark Wine Journey - Chateau d'Arlay

Arlay Castle is an entirely family-owned estate which is devoted to developing traditional wines capable of ageing, where all the soil characteristics can express themselves with elegance. The estate is considered to be the oldest wine-growing chateau in France, dating from 1070 which is proved by the archives kept there. In other respects, Arlay has always been handed down by legitimate inheritance from its foundation until today. A very rare event in Europe!

By virtue of its position in the roots of the wine industry, it forms part of the reputation of the great wines of France and this has often earned it the title of a top Jura vineyard ("grand cru du Jura"). It stands as a brand of tradition and quality as much in France as abroad. This is emphasized by a unique emblematic labeling of the bottles which has remained unchanged since 1917.

The vineyard comprises nearly 25 hectares, planted with three types of red grape (Pinot, Trousseau and Poulsard) and two types of white grape (Chardonnay and the typical local grape Savagnin). All of them are located on hills at a height between 200 to 400 metres. For the most part, the vines are old vines planted in 1953 and 1974. Therefore the yields are limited, 30 hectolitres per hectare, and the estate doesn't produce sparkling wines.

The estate practices a organic cultivation on a part of the vineyard. And on the rest a reasoned growing, close to organic one. The grapes are hand harvested and manually selected.

All the vines face south, which is unusual in the region. Moreover, the terroir of Arlay is renowned for the specific characteristics of its subsoil, the grey marls of the lower Lias, from the Jurassic period, which has been named because of the region.

From these distinctive natural conditions and the long tradition of wine-making in Arlay, are born, time after time, unique wines typical of Arlay. They stand for the best expression of the land, which is the priority over anything else.

The average production is about 90,000 bottles. Being the oldest wine growing castle, the estate stick to the traditional way, proven by experience. The mixture of grapes is made right at the time when they are picked. The wine is not made from blended wines made separately like many other places in Jura. Blending and filtration of the wines are limited as far as possible.

The wines are matured in old casks, always topped up, even the white wines. They stay in their casks for about 3 to 4 years, much more than the majority of Jura winemakers. This process answers to the desire to seek aromatic complexity and elegance in each wine, where the characteristics of a vintage can fully express themselves.

The Vin Jaune, or yellow wine, is the jewel and emblem of the estate, the one which earns a ranking amongst the greatest grand cru in the world. A dry and powerful wine with walnut fragrance, the Vin Jaune is obtained using only Savagnin grapes from 1953 & 1974 vines. Made the same way it has always been made, it is matured for 6.5 years in a barrel allowing a slow natural evaporation without topping up, no sulphating and under a natural film of local yeasts without the addition of commercial yeast. A rigorous selection of barrels is done to ensure only the best blending once a year.

The Vin de Paille is the authentic and rare 'straw wine' with a fresh style of sweetness, richness and complexity. It is obtained by a severe selection of 2 red grapes (Trousseau and Poulsard) and 2 white grapes (Chardonnay and Savagnin) picked up at perfect maturity without a single trace of rot on the fruits. Then the grapes are dried in an opened attic for 4 months, checking daily to avoid any rot. After being pressed, the wine will ferment for 3 to 4 years in small old casks. Nearly 100 kg of grapes are needed to produce 12 to 15 litres of straw wines. Each bottle is numbered and wax tagged.

Tasting Note (1999 Vin de Paille)

Appearance: Bright and clear, the wine is of light brown colour with greenish rims and legs.

Nose: Clean, with medium (+) intensity aromas of dried fruit of raisin and fig, oxidation notes of caramel, maturity notes of honey, mushroom and tobacco, mineral notes of beeswax, kernel notes of cocoa. The wine is fully developed.

Palate: Medium sweet with high acidity, medium tannin of ripe and silky texture, the wine has medium (+) alcohol, full body and medium (+) intensity flavors of dried fruit of raisin, stone fruit of apricot and peach, kernel notes of walnut, oxidation notes of caramel. The wine has a medium (+) finish.

Conclusion: Very good quality Vin de Paille with an intense nose showing good complexity, with lots of tertiary characters from the oxidation and development, the wine has perfect balance of sweetness with the acidity, making it refreshing on the palate. The richness on the body and concentrated flavours, as well as fairly long finish, makes it ready to drink and can maintain for another 10-15 years.

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Ta-Ke

This Japanese restaurant is located in Lee Garden Two, with the name meaning bamboo in Japanese, and as you would imagine, the decors have many elements featuring bamboo, and in fact the design came from the unprecedented of three master designers, including the world famous Kengo Kuma. The overall ambiance is cozy, warm and comfortable, supplemented with soft lighting. I am particularly impressed with the use of bamboo on both the ceiling and partitions in different parts of the restaurant.

The restaurant is exceptionally large for a high-end Japanese restaurant, separated into five zones. We were seated at the sushi bar section Niwa, which can accommodate 17 diners and is also one of the largest I have seen in HK. Serving us on the day was Chef Kingsly, a friendly chef from HK.

We ordered the Chef's Special Omakase Menu ($1880 each), and was served the appetizer, beautifully plated, which comprised of a peanut tofu, whelk, and a mushroom that resembles more like bamboo shoot on texture. The tofu got a nice intense peanut taste and smooth on texture, while the whelk was cooked in broth to infuse with great flavors. The mushroom was crunchy and I would not believe it was mushroom if the staff did not tell me in advance. A good starter.

Next were the sashimi, with the first being Isaki. The chef had aged the fish overnight to make it more tender, and with a bit of vinaigrette and seaweed to add complexity to the flavors. Delicate in taste.

The second sashimi was Hokkigai. The chef cut a generous piece of the clam and then smashed it on the chopping board, with the fresh clam meat immediately retracted, showing how fresh they were. Seasoned with a bit of lime juice, it had a great umami note, a crunchy bite, and was really great.

Next the chef brought out from the chiller a wrapped crab shell, and then put the picked Crab meat on a piece of shiso, with a big piece of claw meat on the side. On top of the crab meat there were a few pieces of uni too. The crab meat had been pre-mixed with the crab yolk, creating an intense taste with also a creamy texture. The sea urchin was of a lighter note, so not masking any of the great flavors of the crab. Personally I would prefer skipping the sea urchin and focus on the crab, which on its own was already perfect in taste.

To ensure we were not feeling hungry, the chef started some sushi straight after, with the first being Tai, with a great sweet taste, supplemented by a bit of mashed radish and chives. Very tasty indeed.

The next was one of my all-time favorite, Shiraebi. The small shrimps were essentially melting in the mouth, with a nice soft mouthfeel that was simply irresistible.

The third sushi was Scallop with Uni, with the chef cutting in half a large, fresh scallop, then further cut in halves to spread it out. On top there was some sea urchin, and upon tasting this sea urchin was quite different than the earlier one, much more intense on the taste, and the overall complementary effect of the two was quite nice. Still I had to admit I am still more inclined to have just the scallop to have a pure taste of that.

The fourth sushi was Shima-aji, another premium fish that had a great crunchy texture, with a delicate and sweet flavor. The chef had added some seaweed on top which I found highly complementary on taste.

The fifth sushi was Chutoro, the portion of the tuna that is near the skin of back and belly. Personally I prefer this to Otoro as I always found the latter too fat and oily for my liking. The chutoro was great in the combination of having the intense note of the otoro but a leaner meat, and this piece also delivered that perfect blend.

Taking a break in the sushi, we were served two slices of the marinated and aged Buri, the fish that was best in winter season. Intense on flavors, I think it was not yet in the best time with the meat not sufficiently fat. Still very good however.

Next was the signature of the restaurant, the Monkfish Liver with Crispy Wafer. The liver was very nicely done, with a creamy and soft texture, very intense on flavors, and I would say it was a better option than foie gras. The wafer was shaped like a shell, and between the wafer and liver was a paste also made from monkfish liver. A very good and a must-try in this restaurant indeed.

Following was the Grilled Wagyu Beef with Maitake Mushroom. I was not a big fan of wagyu beef and generally think they were too fat and oily. This one was not too bad in that respect, but still would not be my favorite. The mushroom was a bit of a surprise because of the serving temperature, which was not even warm. Not sure that was the intent or the right way it should be done, but that would not be my preference.

Returning to the sushi, the Kinmedai was prepared specially, with the chef using two sheets of kombu and then aged for two days, infusing the flavors of the seaweed into the fish. On the initial bite I could not detect any noticeable difference, but on the aftertaste there was an interesting umami note which could be associated with the kombu. Interesting and tasty.

Next was a type of fish I craved for, Sanma. The silvery fish got many bones and was difficult to keep fresh, and so was seldom made into sushi because of those challenges. Near the end of the season, this one was still quite nice, with the fishy note not overpowering. But probably would still be better earlier.

Aji, which had nothing to do with the Shima-Aji served earlier, was the second last sushi served. The fish was torched to liven up the oil, making it more vibrant and intense. Pretty good.

The last sushi was Akami, the lean tuna, with the chef marinated the fish meat in soy sauce for a short while, and then adding a bit of chopped onion on top. The soy sauce helped to reduce the slight bitterness of the taste, and the onion was a good match, a nice finish on the sushi.

Then the chef prepared something extra for us, taking the muscle attaching the scallop to the shell, as well as the 'skirt' of the scallop, he skewered them and grilled for a short while, with the resulting became a nice side dish good for beer or sake. Another example of how the good chef would make use of all the ingredients to prepare food for customers, without leaving them to waste.

Next was another of the restaurant's signature, Abalone Risotto with Sea Urchin and Dried Mullet Roe. Prepared right on the spot, the chef took the mullet roe out from the fridge and then mixed with the sushi rice to form the risotto base. After blanching the abalone, he cut them open and then served together with some sea urchin. The abalone was very tender, without any chewy issue, and also very flavorful .

Then the Soup was served which was a clear soup, prepared with a fish meat ball. The broth was clear and very umami, plus extra fragrance from the coriander and lime juice. A comfortable and smoothing sensation while drinking the soup, it was a perfect finale for the meal before dessert.

Dessert was rather mediocre unfortunately on the idea, with pear and melon, plus a green tea pudding. The fruit was not too sweet and flavorful, but the pudding was quite good on the contrary.

Service was good, with the chef explaining the individual pieces to us, and striking some conversation especially after we showed interests on the seasonality of the seafood. The overall bill was $4,136 and a point to note was that the receipt also got a $500 coupon, good for the next dinner bill if it exceeds $1,000.

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - Madame Ching

This modern Chinese restaurant is located in Wanchai Star Street, offering contemporary Chinese dishes with a twist, in a buzzing and vibe atmosphere while customers can still see the kitchen and the familiar BBQ racks displaying the char siu (BBQ pork), goose and chicken.

Arriving early in the evening we were seated in the middle of the restaurant, and while the dining area was fairly comfortable, with more people coming the place became quite packed and there was not much space between tables. If you prefer a quiet place for dinner, this is not the right venue. But if you wants to enjoy some fun and relaxing ambiance, the bar and cocktails offered a nice complement before the start of the meal.

We went for Ching's Banquet Menu ($380 each), and the starting dish was Sesame Prawn Toast. The milk bread was stuffed with a layer of mashed prawn, before deep-frying to give a crispy texture. It was not oily on the palate, with the tare and chives on top serving as nice complement.

The next course was Hamachi Crudo. The yellowtail sashimi was marinated with XO tare vinaigrette to give a slight spicy kick to the delicate fish meat, intense on flavors, while the roasted tomatoes and charred gooseberry were to me even better in taste, robust on the flavors and the acidity matched well with the slightly spicy sauce.

The third course was Suckling Pig, served on top of a celeriac puree and roast jus. Really crunchy, the suckling pig's skin was phenomenal, with the meat also having an equally amazing taste. The smooth and creamy puree was an interesting contrast on texture. This was my favorite among the dishes in the evening.

The next one was Roast Duck, with the best cut served, including the breast and drumsticks. The duck was truly juicy and flavorful, and was great with the sauce. There were also some assorted homemade pickles accompanied, and those were also very good too.

The vegetable dish was Roast Cauliflower, prepared with Xinjiang spices and sweet soy sauce. Quite an interesting way to prepare the cauliflower, because we told the staff to reduce the spiciness of all dishes, I think this one the chef had tuned down a lot, and in the original recipe the spices would be quite intense. Unfortunately this version resulted in a dish lacking its characters.

Next came the Mushroom Egg Fried Rice, which was quite good with some preserved vegetable added. A good wrap up for the meal before the dessert.

The dessert was an great Ovaltine Cake. I originally mistook this to be a chocolate cake but once we tasted the ovaltine characters were profound and unmistakable. A nice dessert, not overly sweet, and a good conclusion to the meal.

Service was generally good, but I prefer to have the staff explained more the dishes. The bill was $900 (without service charge) and fairly reasonable considering the amount of food and the quality. If you fancy something different than your traditional Chinese food, this is a nice choice to try it out.

Wineshark HK Restaurant Review - The Optimist

This restaurant specializes in Northern Spanish cuisine. Located in Wanchai over three floors in 239 Hennessy, the ground floor is a chic bar while the upper levels are dining sections, with a nice ambiance offering softly lit environment of comfort and coziness. Seated on the window side overlooking the busy Hennessy Road down below, I ordered a cocktail to start.

The Hemingway Super ($100) is a cocktail coming from Cuba, modified after the classic daiquiri, made using pineapple specially charcoal-grilled, salted, caramelized and spiced up. The pineapple was squeezed to the core to extract the special flavors, bringing a sour and spicy beverage highly appealing.

We ordered the Tasting Menu ($480 each) to try out more varieties. There were three small dishes to start. First was Ham Croquettes, with the croquettes made with Iberian ham, deep-fried to give a crispy surface while moist on the inside, with some Piquillo alioli underneath to provide a creamy sauce to complement. A very tasty starter.

Next was Patatas Bravas, with pressed Parmesan potatoes, bravas hot sauce and alioli. The potatoes were sliced and then pressed, cut into cubes and then added with the sauces. The slightly spicy bravas and alioli added flavors of the paprika and garlic to the potatoes. While the dish might look simple, it was good in taste and another small dish I recommend.

The last small dish was Gambas 'Al Ajillo', with the king prawns cooked with garlic and extra-virgin olive oil. The prawns were fresh and showing the natural sweetness in taste, and the olive oil imparting engulfing the flavors and keeping the prawns from drying out in oven, while infusing them with the garlic taste. Another simple but tasty tapas.

Then we had the Enokitake Rice, with the Enokitake mushroom and black truffle added. Intense on the aromas and palate, the rice was cooked with stock and added with some bacon to further enhance the savory notes, plus the signature black truffle characters permeating through, this rice was very good and even I was not particularly fond of the raw Enokitake mushroom added, this dish was one of the highlights in the dinner.

The main dish could be chosen from four options, and we decided to go for Grilled Boston Lobster, with kimchi sauce, and hand cut fries. The lobster was cut in halves and then marinated before grilling. The meat was very sweet and even though a bit salty, the overall grill was nicely done. The fries were good too but by the time we were so full that we could not finish all the pieces.

For desserts there were two of them, with the first being a Flan. The pudding was made with egg, with a caramel top, almond crunch and lemon cream. Not overly sweet, the lemon cream giving a nice tartness to balance too. It had a smooth texture, paired well with the almond crunch and was fairly good.

The other dessert was Strawberry Cheesecake. Instead of serving as a slice, this one was put inside a jar, in a 'disintegrated' format. However, one could easily associate back the individual components of the cheesecake, with the strawberry coulis, cheese fillings, and cookies. Tasty and there was also a nice touch with a piece of chocolate on top.

Service was very good, with the staff very friendly and introducing us to the restaurant as well as the menu right from the beginning, and then following up on the dishes and checking in. The bill was $1,180 and the restaurant was without service charge too. A good place to come for some tapas and drinks, as well as a comfortable meal. 

Wineshark Japan Restaurant Review - Galetteria Da Sasino

Address: 青森県青森市柳川1-4-2

Tel: 017-752-1890

Website: https://www.jre-abc.com/wp/afactory/index/

Date of Visit: 31 Oct 2019

After buying some snacks as souvenirs, we went to Galetteria Da Sasino, the restaurant on the second floor, for afternoon tea. With each of us having an Apple Juice (400 yen each), I also ordered the Apple Galette (700 yen), with vanilla ice-cream and cooked apples on top of the galette. Decent in taste, I would not say it is particularly impressive. My wife had the Daily Dessert (600 yen) which was a grape sundae I personally like more.

• りんごジュース Apple Juice (400 yen) x 2
• 本日のデザート Today's Dessert (600 yen)
• りんごのガレット Apple Galette (700 yen)

Wineshark Japan Tour Hotspots - A-Factory

Address: 青森県青森市柳川1-4-2

Tel: 017-752-1890

Website: https://afactory1p.storeinfo.jp/

Date of Visit: 31 Oct 2019

Next we walked to A-Factory, the adjacent building which consists of a cider brewery where cider made from Aomori-grown apples is brewed and the Food Marche, which provides selected products and food ingredients from Aomori, including vegetables and fruits, rice and processed food, as well as artwork from traditional local folk crafts.

The glass-walled brewery is located in the centre of the facility where various types of ciders and apple soda are brewed, in eight big tanks. Exclusive alcoholic beverages using a special variety of apple, and other Aomori-grown fruit, as well as an apple brandy produced using Charentais distillation equipment from France, are available.