Mat Ryan

In this monthly column, Shanghai’s most committed dipsomaniacs get together to share and compare some of the wines available around town. It’s a no-nonsense guide to the good, the great and the bloody ordinary of wine. Which wine will win the day this month?

Honig 2009 Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley

I thought we’d probably over-chilled this one a bit, so the gang sipped it gradually waiting for it to warm up slightly – it was worth the wait. This Honig is a solid Sauv Blanc with quite a bit of fruit in it. Brett ruminated it would go well with a bucket of prawns and some rock salt and fresh pepper. “Perfect for on the back patio,” chirped Jacqueline. Craig – who now lives in Scotland – probably has a back patio, but I doubt any weather up there would allow such an indulgence. The hangover he was nursing probably resulted in him taking too long to finish it, declaring it too warm when he got to the bottom. Anyway, we all agreed this was fine. It’s not something you’d crack open to really impress someone, but it’s something you’d have a bottle of in the fridge to share with friends.

Price: RMB 219

Saintsbury 2007 Pinot Noir, Carneros

As we were opening this bottle, our pizza arrived. Quite possibly perfect timing, as Pinot surely must go well with a pepperoni pizza, right? I wasn’t overly impressed with the nose, and upon pouring it, I gave it a little time to air out. Probably a wise investment of time, as it did come out from its shell. Jacqueline and Craig, both self-declared non-fans of red wine, reluctantly got into it. I use ‘reluctantly’ loosely, as they didn’t leave much in their glasses. Jacqueline, fresh from a break-up, reckoned it would be one to sit at home with, on your own while listening to Barbara Streisand or Celine Dion and crying to yourself. Ooookay, the rest of us thought as we moved back to the wine. Brett pointed out that for a Pinot, it was pretty bloody purple. Yes, it was darker and fuller than most Pinots I’ve had recently, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. Overall, this wine was not my favourite, but not offensive, and it did go well with the pizza.

Price: RMB 410

Hall 2006 Merlot, Napa Valley

This Merlot was another wine that needed some breathing space. I tried it early and then again much later. It did improve, but no matter how you look at it, it’s a wine that needs to be matched with something very strong flavoured, such as a jerky or something smoked. Basically, something that is not the leftover crusts of our pizza. I probably wish I’d decanted this, as the two non-red wine drinkers really weren’t impressed. I thought it was ok, but I would like to try one from them that’s a bit fresher than the 2006 we had. I think it’s a wine that does need to be opened and consumed this year. We all agreed that it’s probably something we’d be happy with at dinner paired to something strong, but it’s not a Sunday afternoon drink.

Price: RMB 354

Summary

Three Napa wines for us, and all probably different than what the four of us are normally used to. I do like Big Californian reds, but normally for a Sauvignon Blanc, my personal taste trends towards New Zealand wines. I think the Pinot Noir won out, but it was a little heavy. Jacqueline stuck to her guns with the Pinot and is most likely reading this at home whilst nursing a bottle of it with Bette Midler playing in the background. Scary thought that one.

All wines are available from www.napareservewines.com