Thomas Bachelder in his element
Monday, November 2nd: Last night we arrived home from Hong Kong after a 15½-hour flight. It was a fantastic week which I will describe in detail once I get over my jet lag.
Tuesday, November 3rd: Had a monumental tasting of Thomas Bachelder’s release Les Vins de La Toussaint 2024 vintage – 20 wines. My notes will be posted here next week. Continue reading
This year I am celebrating 50 years as a wine writer. Over these five decades I have had the privilege of visiting wineries on four continents and I have flown many of the world’s airlines.
I have just returned from a week in Hong Kong, where I attended that city’s annual outdoor Wine & Dine Festival, which featured 340 booths presenting the wines of France, Italy, Spain, China, Australia, South Korea and – for the first time – Canada.
As a guest of the Hong Kong Tourist Board, I was flown there Business Class by Cathay Pacific. And what a pleasure it was to endure the 13½-hour return flight in coddled comfort. I broke the outbound Air Canada journey in Vancouver to spend the night with my daughter and grandson. The following morning the Cathay Experience began in the Business Class lounge.
The food is prepared by chefs on site. I enjoyed a snack of pork and deep-fried shrimp roll before boarding our afternoon flight to the ultra-modern new airport on Chek Lap Kok island in western Hong Kong.
Seated in my pod, enjoying a glass of Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve Champagne, I immediately perused the Wine & Spirits list, as is my wont.
It was an impressive cellar:
There was also a page added, offering:
(I could also have ordered Johnnie Walker Gold Reserve Scotch, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey, Canadian Club or the following spirits and liqueurs: Campari, Bombay Sapphire Gin, Bacardi Rum, Absolut Vodka, Hine Rare VSOP cognac, Cointreau or Bailey’s Irish Cream. Quite a bar!)
For lunch I had the choice of starters: pea and mint veloute, snow pea tendrils and aged pecorino; honey-glazed smoked duck breast with mixed vegetables.
Mains: shrimp, fishcake and fishball laksa noodle soup; or grilled cauliflower with saffron risotto, dukkah spices, chimichurri, pomegranate; or roasted chicken thigh, glazed carrots, fondant potatoes, accompanied by leaf salad, balsamic vinegar; or halibut with scallion and butter sauce.
Next a plate of cheeses: French brie and double Gloucester.
Followed by dessert: seasonal fresh fruit, vanilla panna cotta (green apple compote, shortbread crumbs), hawthorn jelly with Chinese yam, and a selection of ice cream and pralines.
Should I feel hungry before dinner I could always request from the galley ice cream, caramel popcorn and other sweet and savoury nibbles.
Dinner menu: seasonal fresh fruit, tamarind-glazed barramundi fillet with okra curry, jeera rice; or roasted eggplant with bell pepper sauce and lemon honey soy sauce; or sacha chicken with flat rice noodles.
Dessert: opera cake with raspberry puree.
Breakfast menu
The courtesy and attention my wife and I received on both flights, from the cabin crew and the ground staff, was impressive, as was the relaxing atmosphere in the lounges at Vancouver and Hong Kong.
The highest compliment I can pay Cathay Pacific was that they made us feel, not like passengers, but like honoured guests.
I look forward to my next flight on this magnificent airline.
Cheers, Tony
André Proulx and Michael Pinkus
Sunday, October 18th: Michael Pinkus and André Proulx (of the podcast “Two Guys Talking Wine”) invited me to be the tie-breaker in their second “Ontario’s Ultimate Wine” competition – a blind tasting of the 19 entries. The format is unique – based on the FIFA World Cup draw. Each winery was invited to submit their best wine. The order of the wines in each flight of three wines was selected randomly by drawing numbered ping pong balls (which meant white wines could be tasted against reds, and the lone sparkling entry, irrespective of varietal or blend). Continue reading
Monday, October 12th: Tasted the following wines from Le Vieux Pin and LaStella in the Okanagan.
Le Vieux Pin Sauvignon Blanc 2025
Pale straw in colour; grassy, gooseberry nose with lively acidity; medium-bodied, crisply dry; lemony, grapefruit and green plum flavours. Well-balanced and lingering. (91)
Le Vieux Pin Roussanne 2025
Light gold colour; honeyed peach bouquet with a light floral note; full-bodied (14.6% alcohol), dry; peach and apricot flavours; richly extracted, well-balanced with a long, fresh finish. Continue reading
Destined for Hong Kong
Monday, October 5th: Tasted a wine that will be presented at the dinner in Hong Kong:
Southbrook Estate Sol & Luna Merlot 2021
Deep purple in colour, holding to the rim; cedary, black plum bouquet with oak spice; medium-bodied, dry, richly extracted plum and black cherry flavours carried on lively acidity; well-balanced, well-integrated oak and a lovely mouth-feel. (93)
Tuesday, October 6th: Deborah and I dined at Bolete. We had a dozen oysters and shared a burrata salad with grilled peach. A glass of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Blanc respectively. Continue reading
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