陆江美国产区行之加州篇5-索诺马(Sonoma)

陆江美国产区行之加州篇5-索诺马(Sonoma)

 撰稿人/陆江(Maxime LU) /2012-06

索诺马郡(Sonoma County)主要的葡萄酒产区是索诺马谷和包括亚历山大谷(Alexander)、干溪谷(Dry Creek)和俄罗斯河谷(Russian River)在内的希尔兹堡(Healdsburg)地区。

其中索诺马谷是加州葡萄酒工业的发源地,历史追溯到19世纪早期。索诺马谷又名“月亮谷”。从旧金山向北行驶大约1小时即可抵达,从纳帕镇或索诺马机场过来只需要半小时的车程。索诺马谷全长为17英里,北面是圣罗莎(Santa Rosa),南面是圣帕布罗(San Pablo bay),西面是梅亚卡玛斯山(Mayacamas Mountains),东面是索诺马山脉(Sonoma Mountains)。

肯伍德镇(kenwood,格林艾林镇(Glen Ellen)和索诺马镇是索诺马谷三个主要城镇。这个地区以包括赤霞珠、仙粉黛和Meritage blending(波尔多风格的调配)在内的红葡萄酒闻名。索诺马谷葡萄园种植葡萄超过25个品种,无论你有哪些偏好,你都能找到你喜欢的那种风格。

Sonoma镇的Farmer’s Market

从索诺马镇到希尔兹堡大约40英里,通常情况下开车大约要一个小时。可以用一天游览索诺马谷底至希尔兹堡地区,但建议留出3~5天的时间,参观酒庄,当地的农夫集市,以及体会小镇生活。

参观葡萄酒产地就是放松自我、享受美酒和感受不同产区的生活方式。如果你一天的大部分时间都在开车,也就很难充分享受葡萄酒之旅。

Sonoma的Farmer’s Market是当地居民家庭聚会的场所

 

葡萄酒其实离你很近

 葡萄酒其实离你很近

陆江(Maxime LU)/万欧兰葡萄酒俱乐部

(本文已刊发于《酒尚》杂志2012.11-12月刊)

提到葡萄酒的功能,老生常谈无非是保健养颜或是务实的社交功能。而其对生活理念的影响方面却谈之甚少,或者就是风花雪月,太过阳春白雪的感性文字。

 

其实每次我讲葡萄酒课时,谈及此话题,并不推崇为了保健养颜喝葡萄酒,一则性价比不佳,二则功效的显著还是存在或多或少的争议,更多只是建议作为锦上添花的功能。

 

当然葡萄酒社交功能的凸显,现阶段是大行其道,因为无论骑马、雪茄,还是钟表、高尔夫,都是受众较窄,而葡萄酒一般只要有餐的主流社交场合,都会穿插其中,某种意义上说葡萄酒甚至可称为“最普遍的社交语言之一”,不过这项较多功利。

 

而我最乐于展现的葡萄酒功能,是葡萄酒品鉴对葡萄酒爱好者生活理念方面的影响。谈到葡萄酒的品鉴,对于初次接触的受众来说,往往觉得有些距离,总觉得葡萄酒工作者的嗅觉和味觉有着过人之处,尤其明显是嗅觉方面。

 

其实不然,甚至可以说绝大部分受众的嗅觉功能都足够灵敏,他们缺的其实是对多种香气的记忆和集中精神感受香气的能力,而这项的练习,其实并不麻烦。虽然市面上有一些香气样本的产品,但从我个人经验来说,作为爱好者完全不必购买。如果你有感受生活中美好事物的心态的话,其实光你在平时生活经历中的积累,就已足够达到不逊于职业工作者的很强的嗅觉判断能力。

 

 

例如去超市买水果,为了判断是否新鲜,经常需要闻水果香气,而这一过程往往可以带来愉悦感,同时也能充实自己记忆的香气库。如果超市还有些不常见的水果,也不妨有意识去闻闻其气息,每一次闻香就是一次感受经历,也是一次香气的记忆(复习)。所以说,有了感受生活中点滴美好事物的心态,买水果过程就会多些趣味性,也能增加对水果香气的记忆和提升集中精神感受香气的能力。

 

同样的例子很多,厨房做菜是感受香料和食材气息的上佳机会;去社区花园能感受花卉和植物叶芽气息;服装中皮夹克、羊皮袄等都是动物性气息的来源;咖啡、巧克力、烤杏仁这类也是生活常见之物;各地旅游可感受不同的特色水果、植物、花卉和食材气息;还有长相思常见的猫尿味,更是养猫族家猫砂的主导气息。 通过这些平时生活中极易实践的方式,在增加生活愉悦的同时,也增强了对葡萄酒香气细节感知的能力。

 

总而言之,葡萄酒品鉴能力提升的关键之一,就在于培养关注细节和热爱生活的积极心态,而这,正是我最想倡导的葡萄酒带给我们的功能。

陶然天艺术空间美酒品鉴暨圣诞古典音乐会小记

陶然天艺术空间美酒品鉴暨圣诞古典音乐会小记

陆江(Maxime LU)/万欧兰葡萄酒俱乐部

2012年12月18日,应邀参加了天裕风范酒业在北京陶然天艺术空间,举办的一场别开生面的美酒品鉴和古典音乐会。这场音乐会将葡萄酒品鉴与古典音乐欣赏融合在一起,为即将到来的圣诞和新年营造了轻松和雅致的氛围,音乐会是由著名男高音范竞马主持。

当晚演奏曲目:肖邦夜曲Op9-1;拉赫玛尼诺夫音画练习曲op39 no5,肖邦练习曲Op25-9;贝多芬单簧管、大提琴和钢琴三重奏Op11,勃拉姆斯单簧管、大提琴和钢琴三重奏Op114(第一乐章)。

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来宾里有来自于音乐领域、葡萄酒领域,还有一些天裕风范的VIP客户。天裕风范将不少代理的酒庄或是品牌的中高端产品悉数呈现,其中不乏实力超群的作品。产区覆盖了法国阿尔萨斯、布根地、波尔多、卢瓦河谷、罗纳河谷、法国南部,意大利,美国等。

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万欧兰文化首席葡萄酒顾问陆江的点评:

Mas de Daumas Gassac 2010

黑樱桃、马厩、甘草、烟熏和咖啡豆气息;重酒体,有结构感,单宁强,收敛有力,细腻,平衡,酒精中强,酸度强活跃,回味长,有果味和烟熏余味。

Clos du Marquis,2nd vin de Chateau Leoville Las Cases(雄狮副牌)2008

雄壮,单宁强劲,骨架明显。

Chateau d’Angludet 2008和Chateau Clerc Milon 2008

两款都是平滑、均衡

Silverado Solo 2009

太妃糖主导,黑樱桃;圆润平滑,酒精中高,单宁强劲细腻,有结构感,回味中长

Castello del Terriccio Lupicaia 2006

山楂花、皮革、黑巧克力、动物皮毛、咖啡豆;重酒体,庞大,单宁有力,酸度强劲,中高酒精,回味长,有上佳陈年实力。

Massolino Vigna Rionda Barolo Riserva DOCG 2004

浅樱桃色,边缘桔色;皮革、湿羊毛、枯叶、三文鱼生鱼片;重酒体,高单宁,高酸,结构感,平衡,Barolo经典风格,依旧有很强陈年实力。

Chateauneuf du pape Cuvee Renaissance 2009

芬芳,红花瓣,红樱桃,一丝麻油气息;重酒体,平衡,高酒精,口中黑樱桃、李子,烟熏,果味充沛,平滑,柔和,单宁细致中强,回味长,回味有炭烧气息和果味。

Domaine des Baubard Quarts de Chaume 2008
菠萝、杏干,凝缩,饱满,活跃清新,酸度贯穿,平衡,回味长。

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澳洲之旅的相关报道-Joint initiative bears fruit

上月下旬,包括我在内的6家媒体(博客)走访了南澳、西澳,历时10天,因为正在为几本杂志写澳洲葡萄酒之旅的稿件,所以还未发博客。

不过澳洲葡萄酒管理局(Wine Australia)和澳洲旅游局已经有新闻发出。附一下,做个记录。

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Joint initiative bears fruit

Chinese Opinion Leaders Experience Some of Australia’s Best Drops .

http://www.wineaustralia.com/en/News%20and%20Events/News/Joint%20initiative%20bears%20fruit.aspx

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Six of China’s leading wine and lifestyle opinion leaders have been visiting Australia this month as part of a joint Tourism Australia and Wine Australia initiative to promote Australia’s world class tourism and wine experiences to potential Chinese visitors.

The visiting opinion leaders represent major media titles and wine blog sites in China such as WineOnline, WineBlogChina.com, Vinehoo.com, Wines Info, U Life Magazine, Men’s Uno and the Robb Report, which have a combined following of more than one million Chinese.

Their Australian itinerary has included visits to more than 10 wineries and talks with leading winemakers in the McLaren Vale, Adelaide Hills, Barossa and Margaret River.

Tourism Australia Managing Director Andrew McEvoy said the visiting opinion leaders would help to extend the global message of why There’s nothing like Australia in one of Australia’s most important tourism markets.

“China continues to be a market of increasing significance for Australian tourism and is now our single most important market in terms of value – worth $3.8 billion annually – and key to our long term plans for growth,” Mr McEvoy said.

“Whilst we know that Australia’s nature is incredibly appealing to Chinese travellers, and has helped to drive the demand for our tourism experiences, we want to extend their knowledge that our landscape has also created some of the world’s finest wines. “Hosting these influential opinion leaders will help to spread word-of-mouth advocacy in China about the many and compelling reasons why Australia is a world class tourism destination, especially those experiences that are built around our wine and food offering,” Mr McEvoy said.

Mr McEvoy added the visit followed recent research commissioned by Tourism Australia that shows while Australia’s world class beauty and natural environment are the primary reason why Chinese travellers choose to visit, the country’s wine and food offerings enhance their reasons to visit and the experience when they are here. Wine Australia Chief Executive Andrew Cheesman said the visit would help showcase the quality and diversity of Australian wines and wine regions. “China is Australia’s fastest growing export market for Australian wine, with bottled wine exports to China delivering double digit growth in both value and volume this year,” Mr Cheesman said.

“Australian wines are fast gaining a reputation in China for their high quality, and the diversity of styles means they are very well matched with Chinese cuisines. “Education and engagement of consumers, sommeliers, wine educators, importers, media and other key influencers is central to Wine Australia’s strategy in China and this visit by some of China’s media opinion leaders is a major part of that.”

South Australian wineries involved in the visit have included: Hardy’s Tintara, Angove McLaren Vale, d’Arenberg Vineyard &Winery, Chapel Hill Winery, Petaluma’s Piccadilly Vineyard, Shaw & Smith, The Lane Vineyard, Grant Burge Wines, Jacob’s Creek, and Peter Lehmann Wines.

In Western Australia wineries visited included Fraser Gallop Estate, Stella Bella, Brookland Valley Winery, and Cullen Wines.

Tourism experiences featured on the program in South Australia have included: Cheese and Olive Oil tasting with the producers of McLaren Vale , Cleland Wildlife Park, Star of Greece Café’, Hilton Adelaide and Hilton Brasserie, The Victory Hotel, Barossa Trike Tours, Novotel Barossa Resort and Harry’s Restaurant in South Australia.

Western Australian tourism experiences have included: Pullman Resort Bunker Bay, Margaret River Gourmet Escape, Naturaliste Charters Whale and Dolphin Eco-Tours, Swan Jet Adventures, The Bell Towers, The Trustee Bar & Bistro, Busselton Jetty & Underwater Observatory, Esplanade Hotel Fremantle, Little Creatures Brewery, The Round House, Didgeridoo Breath, Cottesloe Beach, Crown Perth, Kings Park, Wandering West Tours, Perth Mint, and Must Wine Bar.

In the past year Australia welcomed 606,400 visitors from China (September 2012 year end), making it the second largest source market for visitors after New Zealand. As part of Australia’s Tourism 2020 strategy, China is expected to grow to as much as $9 billion and 860,000 visitors annually by the end of the decade.

China is Australia’s third largest market for Australian bottled wine exports and the biggest for bottled wine exports above A$7.50 per litre, ahead of the US and Canada. China’s demand for premium wine continues to drive strong growth in the higher priced Australian wine segments, with the above A$10.00 per litre segment a stand‐out, up 37 per cent. The average value per litre of Australian bottled imports to China is now for the first time higher than the average for French wines.