2004 Domaine Leroy Bougogne Rouge

Manly & Choi Wan Hin

2000 Chateau Meyre, Medoc 375ml
2000 Chateau La Tour Carnet, Haut Medoc 375ml
NV Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut, Sparkling Wine, US
1996 Bollinger R.D. Extra Brut, Champagne
2003 Pichon Lalande, Pauillac
2004 Domaine Leroy (Not Mansion) Bourgogne Rouge
2002 Domaine Rene Engel, Clos Vougeot, Grand Cru
Plus
One Spanish Wine ?
One Vin de Pays, France ?
& one Rhone?

NV Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut, Sparkling Wine, US (from Watsons $188)

Winespector 2006 Top 100 wines

THE WINE SPECTATOR, DECEMBER 15 200690pts"A delicious mouthful of bubbly. Smooth, rich and creamy, with layers of black cherry, vanilla, ginger and a hint of lemon drop. Finishes with a long, refreshing aftertaste with mineral and fruit. Drink now."

Large Bubble, clean nose and sweet aftertaste, quite nice. ***

1996 Bollinger R.D. Extra Brut, Champagne (from Watsons $1269)

Very young, typical Bollinger nose, oaky, apple, lemon and bread. fine bubbles and re-freshing, structure and long aftertasted, really needed time. French wine magazine give this 20/20 the perfect champagne. ***/* (we still think that 1996 Pol Roger Sir Winston Churchchill is better to drink right now)


Disgorged 15 March 2006

2003 Pichon Lalande, Pauillac ($1xxx?)

A bonus given by Boss mailto:B@Manly, very closed, not showy, tight and untouchable. It was showed much better in the Vin Expo earlier this year. ***

RP 95 & TNs

The brilliant, opulent, fleshy 2003 Pichon Lalande (65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, and 4% Petit Verdot) possesses a high pH of 3.8 as well as 13% alcohol. Reminiscent of the 1982 Pichon Lalande (which never shut down and continues to go from strength to strength), the dense plum/purple-colored 2003 offers gorgeous aromas of blackberries, plum liqueur, sweet cherries, smoke, and melted licorice. Fleshy, full-bodied, and intense, displaying a seamless integration of wood, acidity, tannin, and alcohol, this beauty can be drunk now or cellared for 20 years or more.

2004 Domaine Leroy Bourgogne Rouge (from Ponti $8xx)

This one was settled for more than one month. It performed much better than previous bottle. Typical Leroy floral nose, complex (nose only) and elegant. We called it blue blood. But the palate cannot catch up with nose. Nice anyway and pleasure to drink. ***/*

This is not "cheap version" of Maison Leroy Bourgogne Rouge. It contained a lot of 1er Cru and Grand Cru juice from Leroy domaine owned vineyard. It may be one of the most expensive bourgogne in the world!

Bourgogne Rouge contained the juice from

(Clos Roche, Clos Vougeot, Corton Renardes, Narbantons, Santenots, Vignots)

Only 16200 bottles were produced, this bottle has the number 07608.

2002 Domaine Rene Engel, Clos Vougeot, Grand Cru (around $1xxx?)

Chateau Latour from Burgundy? Latour bought this famous burgundy domaine recently. The price of this domaine wines may escalate in the future. 2002 Engel Clos Vougeot showed great floral nose but more powerful style, nice structure and good mouthful feel. decent and nice aftertaste. ****

WA 93-95 & TNs

As was noted in the introduction, 2002 will long be remembered as a great vintage for Clos Vougeot and Engel’s is no exception. Produced from 50-year-old vines and aged in 80% new oak, this medium to dark ruby-colored wine sports an earthy black cherry, intensely spicy nose. Concentrated, deep, and intense, it is crammed with loads of black cherries, spices, and blackberries whose flavors linger in its superbly soft and lengthy finish. Projected maturity: 2007-2015.