Celebrate The Festive Season With Hardys Wines
This Christmas, Hardys Wine is the perfect accompaniment to your festive celebrations. If you are looking for new wine options to complement your festive meal, then look no further – Hardys has you covered with their selection of delectable whites, diverse reds and refreshing sparkles.
A Feast Fit For A King
For a delectable Christmas Eve dinner, start with a home cooked lobster and crab bisque paired perfectly with the Sir James Vintage Pinot Noir Chardonnay 2003.
This award-winning wine was developed to honour fourth generation family member, Sir James Hardy and is an elegant sparkling wine crafted from select parcels of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier sourced from the premium sparkling wine producing regions of the Yarra Valley and Tumbarumba. The Sir James Vintage Pinot Noir Chardonnay 2003 has a rich and complex palate, with nuances of lychee and butter sautéed mushroom. It has a bright and lively brut style finish, which is fresh and crisp, perfect for enjoying with fresh seafood dishes.
The Sir James Vintage Pinot Noir Chardonnay 2003 is retailed at $329 per bottle.
*Available at Aeon.
A Toast To Tradition
Tantalise your taste buds on Christmas Day with a traditional roast turkey and all the trimmings, paired perfectly with the William Hardy Chardonnay 2013. The William Hardy range of wines was created in celebration of William (Bill) Hardy’s 40th anniversary with Hardys Wines.
This fresh, lively Chardonnay exhibits pronounced lemon zest and white peach flavours, complemented by subtle, spicy oak giving the wine a well-balanced crisp finish with a creamy texture. The William Hardy Chardonnay 2013 is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
The William Hardy Chardonnay 2013 is priced at HK$129,
*Available at ParkNShop, Aeon and Yata.
A relaxing Boxing day
Boxing Day is often a relaxing affair after the celebrations of the previous day. If you are entertaining family and friends, open a bottle of William Hardy Cabernet Sauvignon 2013.
This vibrant wine hails from South Australia, and showcases the characteristics of a warm summer season. This lavish wine is sweet and soft on the palate, exhibiting blueberry, oak, vanilla and sweet spice flavours, resulting in a full-bodied wine with hints of sweet spice – guaranteed to leave a lasting impression.
The William Hardy Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 is priced at HK$129
*Available at ParkNShop, Aeon and Yata.
Start With A Sparkle
Kick 2015 off with a bang by popping open a bottle of Nottage Hill Sparkling Pinot Chardonnay NV. The Nottage Hill range is at the heart of the Hardys portfolio, and is known for its consistency, approachable style and balance – a true favourite around the world. This elegant sparkling wine combines Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grape varieties to produce vibrant stone fruit flavours, which lead to a crisp finish – the perfect sparkling wine for any celebration.
The Nottage Hill sparkling Pinot Noir Chardonnay NV is priced at HK$138.
*Available at ParkNShop.
For further information, please visit www.hardyswines.com
Through the lens of the new - Global Launch of Battersea Power Station
“As an architect you design for the present, with an awareness of the past, for a future that is essentially unknown.”
by NORMAN FOSTER”
Battersea Power Station is at the heart of one of central London's largest, most visionary and eagerly anticipated new developments, which will see this cast 42-acre former industrial brownfield site become home to a community of homes, shops, cafes, offices and 18 acres of public space. The outline planning application for architect Rafael Viñoly's master plan for the site was approved by Wandsworth Council and the Mayor of London in 2010 and approved by the Secretary of State and permission granted in August 2011.
The 8£bn project will see the creation of vibrant, mixed-use development, a new town centre for London serviced by an extension to the Northern Line and the restoration of the Grade II* listed Power Station. Battersea Power Station is contributing up to £211m to the NLE, which was guaranteed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne in the Autumn Statement of November 2012. According to Prime Minister David Cameron, it is the "jewel in the crown" of central London's significant regeneration area, Nine Elms on London's South Bank.
The overall project is divided into seven phases, with each designed by a range of specialist architects. These include Ian Simpson Architects and De Rijke Marsh Morgan (dRMM) in Phase 1 (Circus West), Eikinson Eyre Architects in Phase 2 (The Power Station), and Foster + Partners and Gehry Partners in Phase 3 (The Electric Boulevard, Battersea Roof Gardens and Prospect Place.)
Construction work officially began with Phase 1 on July 4th, 2014 - the 80th anniversary of the is historic building. The overall development is anticipated to be completed in 2025, with The Power Station itself expected to be open to the public for the first time in over 30 years in 2019.
The Battersea Power Station site is owned by a consortium of Malaysian investor s comprising S P Setia, Sime Darby and the Employees' Provident Fund. The development management of the project is being undertaken by British based, Battersea Power Station Development Company.
Phase 3 Electric Boulevard and Foster + Parters' Battersea Roof Gardens (L) and Gehry Partners' Prospect Place (R)
The Flower, designed by Gehry Partners, sits at the centre on the Electric Boulevard.
We will have more details information on our coming issue, please stay tuned!
For more information: www.batterseapowerstation.co.uk
A perfect score of 100 points from the influential critic Robert Parker
Great winemaker Jonathan Maltus is the first Englishman in Bordeaux to win a perfect score of 100 points from the influential critic Robert Parker. Jonathan came to prominence during the “cult” (or called as “garage”) movement of Saint-Émilion during the 1990’s. His success has been built upon an ambitious, exciting, innovative and technologically advanced approach whilst strictly maintaining the vineyards’ “terroir”. Merci Magazine was honoured to be one of the participants to attend the Winemaker Dinner and taste his wines.
Five reds and three whites from Château Teyssier, the winery where Jonathan is working, were tasted in the dinner and paired perfectly with foods in Lawry’s The Prime Rib. Château Teyssier is a Bordeaux winery from Saint-Émilion, Right Bank of Bordeaux’ wine region. It is ranked as Grand cru in the Classification of Saint-Émilion wine.
In addition to its Grand vin Château Teyssier, the estate produces the "super-cuvées" Le Dôme, Vieux Château Mazerat, Les Astéries, Le Carré, and Clos Nardian as single vineyard wines and the estate wine Château Laforge as well as the generic Bordeaux appellation line Pezat.
Pezat is a Bordeaux white that is sauvignon blanc based. It is packed with rich, joyous, quite intense citrus fruit, white peaches with a hint of white flowers. As a typically sauvignon in style, it is crisp and fruity on the palate with a refreshing finish.
Clos Nardian is another dry white from the winery, made up of sauvignon blanc, semillon and muscadelle. The percentage of the grape varies according to the harvest and weather each year. The wine is of wonderfully fresh bouquet of candied pears, pink grapefruit, yellow peaches, and turns into complex stony aromas with well balanced acidity and elegant finish.
Vieux Château Mazerat, Château Teyssier, Château Laforge and Le Carré are all Saint-Emilion Grand Cru. Château Teyssier, the cuvee production, is award winning, spicy, velvety, and with ripe dark fruit characters, and with sweet and nice tannin.
Château Laforge is a five-parcel-blended wine with majority in merlot (normally over 90%). It is concentrated and opulent, full bodied, round and seductive. It is balanced and with nice tannin texture to stand out the character of merlot of the year.
Vieux Château Mazerat was the original vineyard out of which Le Dôme, the benchmark of the winemaker, was created. Vieux Château Mazerat is also next to another Premier Grand Cru, Château Angelus, resulting the soil and grapes benefit from the two great wines. The wine is a blend of merlot and cabernet franc stamped with class. It is powerful, complex and persistent, full bodied with excellent concentration of black fruit to show the terroir of vineyards.
Le Carré is another merlot-cabernet franc-blended wine but only from a single vineyard. Around 350 cases is produced every year. It is deep coloured, with opulent fruit expression. It has beautiful, complex texture and fine, long tannins. It is an excellent to express the character of a homogenous terroir of particular vineyard. It can be aged for 15-25 years for reaching the peak maturity.
Le Dôme is the benchmark estate and wine of Jonathan Maltus. It is unique in the Château due to the high portion of cabernet franc in the blend (almost 80%), and rest is old-vine merlot. This single-vineyard of three hectares is situated next to Château Angelus and represents the highest manifestation of Cabernet Franc in a wine of this level from Bordeaux. Vintage 2010 of Le Dôme is one of the four 100-points perfect wines given by Robert Parker, together with Latour, Haut Brion and Cheval Blanc. The wine is perfumed with opulent palate, full-bodied with spicy black fruits and saturated tannins. Meanwhile the finesse and delicate texture gives an elegant expression of the cabernet franc and shows the excellence in the winemaking.
Enquires: http://www.onereddot.com
Sense of Place - Pyramid Valley Vineyards
Pyramid Valley Vineyards was established in 2000 in North Canterbury, Pyramid Valley embodies a true "sense of place" stemming from its geographic location. Owners Mike and Claudia Weering reveal the harmonious and thoughtful approach to natural winemaking, incorporating biodynamics, hand-based viticulture and low yields.
The home vineyard has been established according to rules that Mike grew to respect and inherently to trust during his time studying and working in Burgundy. Vines have been planted on clay-limestone soils on scarp slopes, at a density 10,000-12,000 vines per hectare. In total they have only 2.2 hectares planted in 4 separate blocks, each block reflecting a specific soil type.
Managing Director Caine Thompson
On October 21, 2014, we were invited for the exclusive Pyramid Valley tasting, and Managing Director Caine Thompson came to Hong Kong personally to presented the wines for tasting.
Pyramid Valley Riverbrook Vineyard Riesiing 2010 - Marlborough WA 91
The 2010 Growers Collection Riverbrook Vineyard Riesling presents a very fragrant nose of green apple juice, lime leaves, jasmine and lemongrass with a whiff of allspice. Off-dry in the light-bodied mouth, it offers tons of refreshing citrus and apple flavour with a lovely savoury edge that comes through in the long, harmonious finish.
Pyramid Valley Eaton Family Pinot Noir 2007 - Marlborough WA 92+
There's a funky/wild character on the nose over aromas of warm strawberries and raspberries, game, earth, forest floor, loam, truffles and a whiff of dried herbs. Very crisp and tight in the mouth, this medium-full bodied Pinot gives a medium level of silky tannins with great flavor concentration and a long layered finish.
Pyramid Valley Angel Flower Pinot Noir 2010 WA 91-93
A tank sample due to be bottled within two weeks of my tasting, the 2010 Angel Flower Pinot Noir offers alluring ripe cherry and mulberry aromas over baking spices, lilacs and a touch of honeysuckle. Medium bodied with a medium level of fine-grained tannins, it has medium-high acid and long finish.
Pyramid Valley Earth Smoke Pinot Noir 2010 WA 91-93
A tank sample due to be bottled within 2 weeks of my tasting, the 2010 Earth Smoke Pinot Noir gives ripe back raspberry and pomegranate aromas at this stage with hints of violets and baking spices. Generously fruited, it gives a medium-high level of very fine tannins with medium-high acid and a long, pure finish.
Pyramid Valley Howell Cabernet Franc 2009 - Hawke's Bay WA 91+
Medium-deep ruby-purple in colour, the 2009 Howell Family Vineyard Hawke's Bay Cabernet Franc is a little closed, offering delicate to moderately pronounced notes of red currants and red cherries over nuances of black pepper, moss covered tree bark and game. Ripe and rich in the medium bodied mouth, it has medium-firm silky tannins, crisp acidity and a long savoury finish.
For enquires, please visit www.altayawines.com
A merger of artistic crafts
It all started with a droplet. Here it’s ink, there it’s water, here it’s black, there it’s crystal clear. Fluid and round like a fingerprint marked on time. The droplet has inspired exceptional pieces within the limits of art and of technical expertise. Some are fine writing instruments, others are decorative objects. The droplets form an invisible link between two companies that share a passion for beauty and for excellence.
LALIQUE and Caran d’Ache have built their reputations on the basis of expertise handed down over the generations. As independent manufacturers, born at the start of the 20th century, they have always given their craftsmen a pledge of total creative freedom, constantly renewed. Their meeting brings together two vibrant heritages that are engraved on the collective memory.Their two histories are characterized by a respect for tradition and a love of daring innovation, driven by a commitment to quality and precision. In their workshops, craftsmen combine the discipline of their art with the intuition of their talent and this marriage of writing and crystal has given birth to the Crystal collection, a limited edition of writing instruments resplendent in LALIQUE.
Ever since it was founded in 1915, Caran d’Ache has drawn on its invaluable heritage of craftsmanship to preserve the art of handwriting. In the long tradition of Swiss manufacturing, it designs and produces exceptional products in Geneva with passion and rigour. Recognized around the world for their Swiss Made excellence, Caran d’Ache writing instruments are a bold combination of expertise and aesthetics. These highly personal objects are outstanding technical achievements of perfected design in original materials, ready to write each new page with refinement and distinction.
Black CRYSTAL
Its dark body in black ceramic is embellished with the motif so closely associated with LALIQUE. The droplets are applied in relief on the pen as if to punctuate its lines. A LALIQUE crystal cabochon sits atop the pen making a striking contrast between the satin-brushed and polished finishes. This large drop of crystal is set in a fine metal surround that adds a motif with an incomparable sparkle. This highly delicate technique, carried out by hand with a special tool, subtly perfects the appearance of the pen.
White CRYSTAL
The light and the material complement each other beautifully. The anatomy of the pen emerges from the droplets regularly positioned on the white ceramic body. The pattern slowly emerges in the fingers. The rhodium-coated silver trim is reflected in the LALIQUE crystal cabochon set within a ring that seems to seize the light.
A diamond solitaire on the clip acts as a majestic seal to the pen’s natural elegance.
CRYSTAL & Diamonds
The Crystal & Diamonds edition brings together noble and precious materials in an alliance of light and shade. The gold cap is coated in ruthenium with deep black reflections that complement the body carved in white gold.
The droplets spread over the instrument in a cascade of precious stones: some 341 diamonds weighing almost 3 carats bring their stunning purity to the motif. They have been chosen from the most beautiful gems of Top Wesselton WS quality and their sparking prisms flood the pen in an aura of fascinating reflections. The lighting effect is complete with the beauty of the satin-brushed crystal cabochon and ring.
A limited edition of 18 fountain pens.
EXCLUSITIVITY AND ELEGANCE
The black sycamore box is beautifully lacquered to reveal its full magnificence. Numerous coats of lacquer and several polishing stages are required to achieve the brilliant finish that protects and enhances the beauty of the wood. LALIQUE crystal cabochons positioned on the box create the Coutard motif.
For enquiries: www.Lilique.com
Venture and SPCA Join Forces ADOPT LOVE Campaign
Pets are a great source of happiness for many people and the therapeutic effects of companionship are simply priceless. However not all of them are fortunate enough to have a warm and loving home. In order to raise the awareness of animal welfare and encourage adoption, renowned photography studio, Venture Photography, is partnering with the SPCA to launch the ADOPT LOVE Charity Photography Exhibition. Featuring homeless SPCA animals, celebrity pets as well as some of the general public’s pets, their stories will be shared through heartwarming photographs captured by Venture and the stunning hand-crafted artwork will be available for sale with all proceeds going to the SPCA charity.
This three-month campaign has kicked off with an exhibition hosted at the Asia Contemporary Art Show from 2-5 October 2014 at the Conrad Hotel. The exhibition unveiled the untold stories of these beautiful but homeless animals. Photos of Miss Lizard, Mr Mouse and Lady Puppy were displayed at the Asia Contemporary Art Show, and will join force with a new batch of celebrity portraits in the coming exhibition in December 2014.
Public members interested in contributing stories of their own pets can join the Facebook campaign by Venture entitled ADOPT LOVE. The campaign, which can be found at https://www.facebook.com/venturephotographyhk gives members of the public a chance to win a professional photo shooting sessions together with their pets at renowned Venture Studios.
Winners also receive a free pass to attend the opening cocktail reception alongside celebrities and SPCA supporters in mid December.
To learn more about Venture Photography, visit venturephotography.com.hk
For Enquires: (852) 2885 6262