Journal

Stories and reflections on wine, the people who make it, the places we gather, and the ideas that connect them. A journal of curiosity, discovery and the pleasures of the table.

Wine & Tasting JC Viens Wine & Tasting JC Viens

Travelling Through Time with Madeira…

It was tasting a wine that is even older than yourself is a magical feeling. Madeira’s unparalleled ageing potential earns a special place in the arena of aged wines, and it is undoubtedly a sensational experience to enjoy this legendary wine.

The occasion for such a time-travelling experience was a unique tasting hosted by the Hong Kong Wine Society and organized by a long-standing member Edward Smith.  As usual in these proceedings, we were presented with 12 wines to taste blind so that we could record our notes, give each wine a score, and reflect upon them without the influence of their label or their year of birth. The scores were then tabulated to establish a group ranking, followed by a thorough discussion of each wine among the members present.

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Wine & Tasting JC Viens Wine & Tasting JC Viens

Madeira 1875… What does it taste like?

Whenever I join a tasting organised by Nigel and hosted by the HK Wine Society, I count my blessings. And much I have to count! Especially last month when we experienced quite a few "Old Madeiras".

On the flight, we had wines from 1875, 1900, 1920, and 1968 and some younger wines.

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