今天新开了一只澳大利亚“玛格瑞特”设拉子，对照朋友刚刚赠送的酒鼻子54香套装，比较明显地感觉到了黑加仑、紫堇花和丁香花蕾的香气。酒鼻子确实是学习葡萄酒的必备工具。

此外，最深刻的感觉就是酒中的橡木味。橡木在酒鼻子中没有作为一种香气专门列出来，大约是因为每瓶酒的橡木塞上都可以闻到这种味道吧。感觉这款设拉子中过重的橡木味盖住了酒中的其他香气，实在是很遗憾的事情。橡木香之于葡萄酒，就好像奶油之于蛋糕，少之失色，过犹不及。太重的橡木味的酒，多喝几口就如同吃下过多奶油的蛋糕，会给人很腻的感觉。

10月，为了弥补3个月前去Chateau Haut Brion没有喝到他们白酒的遗憾，我又一次飞往法国波尔多。虽然正值收获的农忙，酿酒师Jean-Philippe Delmas先生还是抽空接待了我，并且慷慨地拿出了红颜容2005白酒（Chateau Haut Brion White 2005）和修道院红颜容2005白酒（Laville Haut Brion 2005），真把我高兴坏了！

要知道，红颜容红酒已很珍贵，红颜容白酒更是难求！仅2.87公顷的白葡萄园，每年所产的红颜容白酒仅区区7800至10200瓶的产量。修道院红颜容白酒在酒园面积和产量也差不多如此。

比较一下两支顶级白酒的区别吧：红颜容白05所用的葡萄品种为53%赛美蓉和47%的长相思；修道院红颜容白05中的赛美蓉比例占到了88%。在口感上，红颜容白更为细腻可人；修道院红颜容白则酒体更丰厚些、口感不如红颜容白那么纯粹而利落。阿兰补充道，赛美蓉是一种能够久藏的葡萄酒，含量更多，酒的陈年期就会相应更长些。

红颜容白05给我的印象还是颇为深刻的，都说它是可以用来和勃艮第顶级白酒蒙哈歇比拼的超级白酒，我个人认为葡萄品种不同（后者用的是100%莎当妮），还是缺乏一定可比性的。但是，红颜容白作为法国爱丽舍总统府的国宴上和波尔多“八大”红酒、伊甘堡（Chateau d’Yquem）甜酒同台上场的白酒，如果必须用波尔多的，那就非它莫属了。从这当中不难看出红颜容白作为波尔多顶级白葡萄酒的地位。

**此文曾刊登于深圳酒典2009年9月杂志品酒心得栏目内**

法国Chateau PALMER 1999庞玛红酒：云云玛歌中取胜

在2008年8月1日的一场私房玛歌红酒品试会中（Margaux Wine Cross Over Tasting），那瓶来自波尔多左岸的三等列级庄庞玛红酒（Chateau PALMER 1999）在云云的同区酒品里脱颖而出，以整体的优雅与平衡表现取胜，赢取全场好评。

我一直以来没去看日本的《神之水滴》漫画书，但常从报章上看到引述书中一些特品葡萄酒介绍，其中也提到Chateau PALMER 1999庞玛红酒。我当时的反应有点怀疑，虽说以前喝过的1975、1982、1985、1988等老年份庞玛酒，除1975年那瓶已年华早逝之外，其它喝过的年份真是蛮不错的，但这瓶1999年酒能否延续往日佳绩呢？若说玛歌区的至尊一级庄Chateau Margaux酒极尽优雅，那么，庞玛酒有点集优雅与力劲的混合体。

当日我们一行十人（九男一女）随便的订了些外卖饭餸，来配搭以下几款玛歌区红酒（每瓶均为750ml容量）：

1. Chateau MONGRAVEY Cru Bourgeois 2004
2. Chateau VINCENT CANTENAC Bourgeois Superieur 1991
3. Chateau VINCENT CANTENAC Bourgeois Superieur 1992
4. Chateau HAUT-TAYAC Cru Bourgeois 1997
5. Chateau BEL AIR MARQUIS D’ALIGE GRE Grand Cru Exceptionnel 1995
6. Chateau D’ISSAN Grand Cru Classe (3rd Grwoth) 1994
7. Chateau PALMER Grand Cru Classe (3rd Growth) 1999

经过整夜的五个小时品试，结果有点教人意外。除大家一致认为Chateau PALMER 1999庞玛是最好之外，那瓶Chateau MONGRAVEY Cru Bourgeois 2004却是跟Chateau D’ISSAN GCC (3rd Growth) 1994不遑多让。在起初的赛后检讨，有些人还以为那瓶MONGRAVEY 2004的小伙子哪能跟三级庄的D’ISSAN 1994相比。两者单是论价格和当次已有一大段距离。拿D’ISSAN 1994来人说这酒约港币500多元，相比我在深圳买回来的MONGRAVEY 2004相等于港币420元特惠价来说，价位上相差不算太远。也许，D’ISSAN 1994有点年华老逝，但MONGRAVEY 2004却活力饱满，果香悠长稳重，口感讨好。

其它几款玛歌红酒由于年份稍老，只能获一些品尝者钟爱，但对我来讲没什么特别好感。那瓶PALMER 1999庞玛酒几近平衡柔和，亦柔亦刚，在每口段落皆能恰到好处，酒体饱满。我把口感详述如下吧：

深石榴红色泽深沉，光泽仍存，紫罗兰花香带玉米谷物陈年幽香，混和樱桃与黑莓果酱味，单宁仍顺，酒体圆润，酒精不重，酸辣味不现，层次分明，收结半干，后味优雅悠长。

这瓶好酒的售价在2008年上半年因着《神之水滴》的介绍已上扬了10%以上，但也值回新的订价水平。凡事无绝对，就算这本经常夸大酒品的畅销漫画不停地吹捧特约品牌，有时候，它的命中率也蛮高的，除这好酒外，波尔多四级庄的拉图嘉丽（Latour Carnet）也是挺不错的酒啊！

Chateau PALMER 1999: The BEST in a Margaux Wine Cross Over Tasting

On the 1st of August 2008, Chateau PALMER 1999 (a 3rd growth Bordeaux Grand Cru Classe wine) won the applause from the tasting group and rewarded as the BEST among other Margaux wines in a private cross over tasting event.

I have never read the Japanese wine book called GOD’S DROP, but learned from some newspaper snapshots about this book that Chateau PALMER 1999 also appeared in one of the past issues thereof. I was slightly in doubt about such issue although I had tasted the older vintages like 1975, 1982, 1985, 1988, etc. Other than the fact that the 1975 was found over-matured, the rest of the mentioned vintages tasted quite well. Put it in this way, if the 1st growth Chateau MARGAUX was found unusually elegant, then Chateau PALMER would be tasted like a mixture of elegance and energetic.

On the mentioned tasting day, our group of ten people (9 men plus 1 woman) simply ordered some express-delivery meals to match with the following Margaux wines (each model at 750ml capacity):

1) Chateau MONGRAVEY Cru Bourgeois 2004
2) Chateau VINCENT CANTENAC Bourgeois Superieur 1991
3) Chateau VINCENT CANTENAC Bourgeois Superieur 1992
4) Chateau HAUT-TAYAC Cru Bourgeois 1997
5) Chateau BEL AIR MARQUIS D’ALIGE GRE Grand Cru Exceptionnel 1995
6) Chateau D’ISSAN Grand Cru Classe (3rd Grwoth) 1994
7) Chateau PALMER Grand Cru Classe (3rd Growth) 1999

After 5-hour tasting at that night long, the result was a bit unexpectable. Besides that Chateau PALMER 1999 ranked the BEST, Chateau MONGRAVEY Cru Bourgeois 2004 showed similar performance as that of Chateau D’ISSAN Grand Cru Classe (3rd Grwoth) 1994. During the preliminary review of the result, some people queried how such a young Chateau MONGRAVEY Cru Bourgeois 2004 could be compared with Chateau D’ISSAN Grand Cru Classe (3rd Grwoth) 1994. The deviation of prices and classes between these two said wines is quite lengthy. The owner of Chateau D’ISSAN Grand Cru Classe (3rd Grwoth) 1994 revealed that such wine costed over HKD500 which was not so much higher than what I paid in Shenzhen for Chateau MONGRAVEY Cru Bourgeois 2004 at HKD420 as a special price. Perhaps Chateau D’ISSAN Grand Cru Classe (3rd Grwoth) 1994 had dropped by quality whereas Chateau MONGRAVEY Cru Bourgeois 2004 was still energetic with consistent fruity flavors which matched the majority taste preference.

Other tasted Margaux wines only deserved impressive remarks from some minor drinkers. Due to their average old vintages, I did not quite appreciate them. The Chateau PALMER 1999 was quite balance between tenderness and power exposure, having appropriate progress of different durations with full-round body. Let me state my tasting finding as follows in details about this wine:

Intense dark garnet red color, still with shininess, orchid nose with vintaged maize corn and wheat cereal aroma, the palate was full of cherry and black berry marmalade flavors, smooth tannin and full-round body, alcoholic strength was not quite obvious, acidity and spiciness were not apparent, in-between segments were quite sharp and clear, semi-dry finish with lengthy and elegant after taste.

The price of this wine had gone up by over 10% since the beginning of 2008 due to the issue of GOD’S DROP. Even though, the revised price was still value-for-money due to its quality and performance. Sometimes nothing is absolutely right or wrong, although this wine book had repeatedly pronounced some listed wines in its issues which are now and then very sellable, yet the probability of its evaluation of good quality wine is quite high. Besides Chateau PALMER 1999 being a good wine, the 4th growth Bordeaux Grand Cru Classe Chateau LATOUR CARNET is also another good wine as previously recommended in the said book.

今天在网上读到一篇“八卦”新闻，标题是《揭秘张怡宁大婚：一瓶红酒近千元 新浪富过梁锦松》。比较俗气的我还是点了进去，虽然题目有点“标题党”，可内容却使我产生了思考。特别是对那瓶2004年产的“法兰古堡贝沙克雷奥兰法定产区”葡萄酒和婚宴葡萄酒的延伸。我截取了一段来自新浪网的内容。

“记者了解到，当日的酒席不但包括鲍鱼、海斑等菜肴，还有2004年产的“法兰古堡贝沙克雷奥兰法定产区”葡萄酒，这种酒在网上的价格为370元/瓶，在专卖店的售价则高达近千元。婚宴菜单 凉菜六小碟、荔茸酿带子、鸳鸯蛋黄汁虾球、菜胆羊菌海螺炖鸡、耗黄原汁鲜鲍时蔬花菇、香煎澳洲黑胡椒牛柳、葱油蒸海斑、竹荪鼎湖上素、悦庭香炒饭、美点映双辉拼蜜时果、冰花红莲炖燕窝”

先聊聊这瓶2004年产的“法兰古堡贝沙克雷奥兰法定产区”葡萄酒（Château Ferran - Pessac-Léognan AOC - 2004）。 应该说2004年在法国波尔多的Graves产区还是一个相当不错的年份，Pessac-Léognan属于波尔多左岸Graves产区，主要是以种梅洛(Melot)为主。这瓶酒的葡萄品种构成是80%的梅洛(Melot)，20%的赤霞珠(Cabernet Sauvignon)。综合以上的信息可以得出此酒酒体丰满，单宁强劲，果味浓厚等等。一言以蔽之，重口味！

我的疑问来了。婚宴采用法国的波尔多葡萄酒看似典雅，但若选择重口味的干红对以粤菜为主的筵席来说是否合适？这瓶2004年的干红还很年轻，尚未达到巅峰状态，所以口感强劲，不够柔顺，配合上口味清淡的粤菜，我相信干红的味道一定会把食物的鲜味给盖过。举例来说筵席中的一道“葱油蒸海斑”，这是一道经典的粤菜，配上强劲的干红，就会把它的鲜味掩盖，干红的果味会释放鱼更多的腥味。我看只有“香煎澳洲黑胡椒牛柳”能与之“共舞”。

那什么样的红酒更适合婚宴的菜式呢？我的看法是在同等的预算之下，尽可能选择法国勃艮第产区出产的黑比诺（Pinot Noir）和意大利的Valpolicella产区的Ripass葡萄酒。之所以推荐它们是因为黑比诺（Pinot Noir）和Ripass都具有清新细致的特质，细腻的单宁搭配美味菜肴能起到了画龙点睛的作用。

虽然我个人对张怡宁夫妇选择了这款酒作为婚庆用酒并不那么认可，但还是为冰雪美女找到了好归属而感到高兴也祝福他们的婚姻想法国葡萄酒一样浪漫，永恒！
 

1999年Saint-Emilion配美极鸭心。

无需赘述，看图：