Wine Tasting at the Wine Hut (Part B)

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Wine Hut is also located at Robertson Walk directly opposite the entrance of Gallery Hotel. You cannot miss the place as there are wine bottles adorning the front of the Wine Hut. The ambience of the place was very nice and cozy, however because it is a relatively confined with a low ceiling, it amplifies the conversation of all the customers. The place is decked out with nice black comfy sofas with red cushions, and the wine and water glasses are prepared well in advance. However, I found the layout of the place a little odd, almost like a horseshoe shape.

But what I really like about the deco of the place was the array of wines in wooden rows of shelves on both sides of the wall. Also I was impressed with the number of magnum and super magnum bottles displayed. The price list was also very kind on the wallet, we had the Louis de Plessy, Cotes du Luberon 2000 which was on a 20% discount, and the introductory price was $32, instead of the usual S$40. The munchies were also reasonable, the cheese platter at S$15 and the sausage platter at S$12.

But the most important thing that I really adore was that they did not charge any GST (5%) or service charge (10%).

Smell : ripen fruit of blackcurrents.

Taste : light medium bodied, smooth with slight peppermint canvassed with fruity flavour, spice and wood. Slowly transcends to a flora fruity wine.

After-taste : quick finsh with no tannins. Bitterness at the end.

Description at back of bottle :
A blend of Grenache & Syrah grape varietals, this wine is fresh and generous with lots of luscious fruit flavours.
The vineyards of 36 commues comprised under this appellation are scattered on the north and south slopes of the luberon limestone.
The grape varieties used are the same as the ones found in the Cote du Rhone wines, especially grenache and syrah.
Fresh and generous with lots of luscious fruit flavours a good all round red wine for meat courses grills poulty and cheese.

Wine Tasting at the Wine Hut (Part A)

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Well on Friday evening, first there was dinner recommended by K.T. at Robertson Walk area, actually part of Gallery Hotel. There is this Ramen noodles store that is tucked away in a nice cozy corner. It’s called Miharu Sapporo Ramen and all the noodles and beer is from Sapporo Japan. We each had the Tokusen Miso which costs $12.50 for a LARGE bowl of soup noodles that was very tasty, but I found it a little salty at the end. Actually what I found more interesting was the Rice Bowl Cha-Mayo Don $4.50, it looks like tuna and mayo rice but it is actually pork and mayo rice which tasted very scrumptious. And though this is a blog dedicated to wine, I could not help writing about it’s cousin, a Sapporo Draft Beer $12 for a large bottle, that complemented the meal wonderfully. The beer was refreshing and light, with no bitterness normal associated with lagers.

It was quite a busy restaurant considering that it was in a “ulu” location, we were “rushed” to eat quick and get out as there was a crowd building up at the front door. Luckily we were one step earlier!

Wine Entry : Rucahue Ambrosia Late Harvest Itata Valley 2003 (Chilean)

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You are not seeing double from drinking too much wine! I have got three bottles of this wine which I bought from Adam of Le-Raisin. www.le-raisin.com as part of his Great Singapore Sale list of wines. One of the bottles was for K.T and so I am left with two. This bottle that we opened last night costs only S$18 and well-received by the ladies, they found it very refreshing and not too strong in the alcohol content. Me on the other hand being so used to full-bodied red shiraz, cabernet was not too taken by the wine. Also it proclaiming to be a late harvest wine is not what I am usually used to. Which is a fair dose of sweetness for a late harvest wine, not the honey lemon of a botrytis but similar. It is a light clean yellow colour, almost I would say bordering on pale. It is a relatively young wine and it is not meant in anyway to be kept for cellaring. Drink now!

Smell : Fresh and crisp, with scent of sour plums.

Taste : The first taste of the wine is light and refreshing with flora scents interlacing the small amount of green peach. It even is slightly bubbly and effervescence, with no overwhelming alcohol.

After-taste : A quick uncomplicated finish with just a hint of sweetness at the end.

Description at back of bottle : This elegant and refine wine comes late harvested Moscatel de Alejandria grapes hand picked in the Itata Valley, where nature has created privileged natural conditions for their production. Lovely intensity of honey and citrus tightly integrated with flora notes shows perfect harmony and long finish buoyed by acidity and finess. Serve chilled as an aperitif, or to accompany dessert. A truly delicious wine. Salud!

Wine Guest Write: KT

Hi folks,

I held a bday party/mahjong party for one of my best friends, Weishan @ my Lorong K hideaway last evening and we opened this wine that i have been dying to try since my other bunch of friends gave it to me and its the " Casillero del diablo "

(I received a new bottle of red wine but i'd leave it for another day)

The Casillero del Diablo that i have is a 2003 Chardonnay from Chile. It has an interesting story to it and it began more than a 100 yrs ago when Don Melchor de Concha y Toro, founder of the winery, reserved for himself an exclusive batch of the best wines they produced. And to keep strangers away from this private reserve, he spread the rumour that the Devil lived in that place. Hence the name Casillero del Diablo: Cellar of the Devil.

http://www.casillerodeldiablo.com



Anyway forgive the following amateurish review:

Smell: Lemony, pineapples against the backdrop of vanilla

Taste: Green apples, pineapple and strong lemon/citric flavour

After taste: The entire citric burst of pineapples and citric is pretty apparent

Not a bad choice if you are serving fish, pasta or with salads... :)

Wine Entry : Wyndham Estate Show Reserve 1997 (Australian)

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Had dinner yesterday with C.K. and wife last night at Jerry’s Grill and Bar at Tanglin Shopping Center. It is a Baby Back Ribs and Steak place. Their batter covered Mushrooms appetizer was delightful and very juicy, about $14 for about 15 pieces. The baby black ribs were also very tasty and the BBQ sauce was pretty unique, however a little dry and charred.
Following dinner we adjourned to C.K.’s house for a drink, before the World Cup game of Germany vs Argentina. I had bought this bottle from the DFS for about S$38, was attracted to it because it seemed to have won quite a number of awards, judging by the gold and silver medal stickers on the bottle. To name some, Monde Selection 2001, Finger Lakes 2001, Melbourne Show 2001, etc. For a wine that had been cellaring for about 9 years, it was still a dark, garnet ruby colour.

[See C.K. performing deft moves to open the bottle.]

Smell : Intense blackcurrents, waft of spice and pepper.

Taste : Fruit content is lacking and minimal but smooth with dark chocolate. No significant concentrations of tannins.

After-taste : Slightly spicy and pepperish and even salty at the end. Warm and heavy finish.

Description at back of bottle : Blended from Cabernet and Merlot, this wine exhibits a complex bouquet of ripe berry and plum fruit with a violet flora background. The rich flavours of Cabernet marry with the softer character of Merlot with hints of spice, vanilla and chocolates brought together by fine oak tannins. The finish is soft and persistent. The 1997 Cabernet Merlot has excellent cellaring potential with bottle age characters adding to the wine’s complexity. Cellaring potential 5-10 years. www.wyndhamestate.com.au