Finding right wine for Dragon Year(2)
Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, 2010
Region: Marlborough, New Zealand
Varieties: Sauvignon Blanc
Aging Method/Potential: Light oak aging/6-8 years.
Serving and food pairing: Serve at 10°C; excellent with flavorful seafood dishes including raw or baked oysters and steamed or broiled lobster as well as Chinese style fish.
Body:
Dry/Sweet:
the wine that started the Sauvignon Blanc sensation in New Zealand, this cult status wine literally jumps out of the glass; the wine has a pale yellow color with hints of green, explosive aromas of citrus and tropical fruits with herbal nuances and rich flavors of green apple and citrus fruit and a long fresh finish.
Miguel Torres Fransola Sauvignon Blanc, 2008
Region: Penedes, Spain
Varieties: Sauvignon Blanc, Parellada
Aging Method/Potential: 50% in new American and French oak for 8 months/enjoy now or within the next 5 years.
Serving and food pairing: Serve chilled, about 10-12°C; this complex wine deserves an elegant seafood dish like steamed lobster or fish.
Body:
Dry/Sweet:
from an elevated single vineyard in Penedes featuring the ideal sunny days and cool evenings; this complex wine has a light golden yellow color, intense typically Sauvignon Blanc aromas of yellow and tropical fruit with mineral and oak nose and concentrated tropical fruit and vanilla flavors with a long pleasing acidic finish.
Casa de Sabicos Alentejo (DOC), 2006
Region: Reguengos, Alentejo, Portugal
Varieties: Aragonez, Trincadeira, Alicante, Bouschet, Cabernet Sauvignon
Aging Method/Potential: 12 months in new French oak barrels and 12 months bottle aging/approachable now and can be cellered for 7-8 years.
Serving and food pairing: Allow 20+ minutes breathing and serve at 16°C; serve with flavorful meat dishes including Hunan-style assorted cured meat and Sichuan-style marinated beef with five spices.
Body:
Dry/Sweet:
four Portuguese varieties with some Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine features a deep garnet color, lively blackberry aromas and harmonious almost jammy flavors of plums and other dark fruit with hints of dark chocolate and vanilla along with good acidity and subtle tannins and a pleasantly long finish.
Joseph Phelps, Insignia, 2006
Region: Napa Valley, California, USA
Varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot & Malbec & Cabernet Franc
Aging Method/Potential: 2 years in oak/15-20 years.
Serving and food pairing: Serve at 18°C, this is a powerful wine with ample tannins that needs several hours of breathing to soften; match with full flavored meat and cheese dishes including roasted game, wild pheasant and smoked wild turkey.
Body:
Dry/Sweet:
insignia is one of California's consistently excellent red wines; the 2006 wine features a dark black-purple color, robust aromas of sweet plum, chocolate and spices and concentrated ripe black and red fruit and exotic spice flavors.
