Almaviva 2001

Date: 27 January 2007
Venue: The Sky View Restaurant

I have tried different vintages of Almaviva and found them all pretty much the same. They were all rich and dense, with powerful smoky, mineral and oaky nose. Always full bodied with spicy plum flavours, with just the right balance of tannin. Almaviva is a joint effort of Mouton Rothschild and Chile's Concha y Toro winery, these relatively expensive wines nearly always get raging reviews from critics. However, I found them a little artificial and lacks character. This is formula wine-making at its best.

Rating: average

Leeuwin Estate Art Series Chardonnay 2003

Date: 27 January 2007
Venue: The Sky View Restaurant, CWB

Refreshing nose with aromas of dried apricot, peach and nuts. Citrus fruit flavour with spice and a creamy texture made this wine a beautiful accompaniment to most Chinese dishes.

Rating: good