(Along with the four mentioned above, Deng also consults for Mountain Wave, Heyu and Holyfun.) "And now he serves seven wineries in Ningxia. "He is one of the most energetic and open-minded winemakers but remains very down to earth as a consultant," says Shuai Zekun, who rates Chinese wines for James Suckling. Group of sevenĭeng's clients range from a veteran grape -armer-turned-wine-producer (Château Rongyuanmei) to an architect with whose winery includes a pyramid to house the cellar (Domaine Charme), and from a family from a nearby province who are passionate about both wine and Chinese architecture (Lansai Winey) to a foreign investor based in the country's south (United Winery).Įven before Deng gets to the grapes, his job requires serious people skills to juggle all of these different owners' dreams and demands. The result of this work, including a mountain of contest medals, make him arguably China's most intriguing wine consultant, even if a relatively unknown one. His is a daily grind of pounding the pavement – blazing hot in summer, bitter cold in winter – for a rising list of clients that now totals seven.īut if Deng's roads are often lonely, his work life is full, with a vast range of terroirs, grape varieties and owners to handle. Then he moved to Ningxia in 2012 and has sped across the wind-swept roads of this north-central region of China ever since. Related stories:ĭeng graduated in oenology at University of Burgundy, interned at Château Lascombes and Domaine des Lambrays, and worked at Domaine Vincent Girardin. The life of Deng Zhongxiang, a wine consultant who averages 200 kilometers per day on the lonely roads of China's remote Ningxia region, epitomizes this. The title "flying winemaker" inspires images of exciting journeys to exotic locales to save the vinous day, with boozy airport lounge breaks on the way back home. It is pretty rare for Opus One to be so approachable at this stage.© Shutterstock | The air hangs heavy with mist over China's Ningxia wine region. It will be interesting to see if the 2018 gains body with a bit of time in bottle. Silky tannins and lifted, perfumed aromatics add to an impression of finesse that distinguishes the 2018 from some of the preceding vintages in a pretty big way. It offers pleasure today but should benefit from 4-5 years in the cellar, and my money is on it evolving for 30 years or more."ĭecanter Magazine scored this 95 points saying "The 2018 Opus One is incredibly elegant and polished, right out of the bottle. It plays in the finesse-driven end of the spectrum yet is concentrated and seamless, with serious length. With a Pomerol-like elegance and purity, it's medium to full-bodied and has wonderful tannins, flawless balance, and a great finish. This deep purple-hued effort leans to lively, fresher side of the vintage but has a brilliant, utterly classic style in its crème de cassis and blue-tinged fruit as well as notes of lead pencil, candied violets, damp earth, and chocolate-like nuances. Jeb Dunnuck scored this 97 points saying "The 2018 Opus One is a blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot, and the rest Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is packed with tightly wound layers of crunchy black fruits, supported by firm, grainy tannins and fantastic freshness, finishing with lifted fruitiness and on a lingering mineral note." ![]() The Wine Advocate scored this 98 points saying "Very deep garnet-purple in color, the 2018 Opus One soars out of the glass with bright, bold boysenberries, warm cassis and ripe, juicy black plums notes, plus emerging nuances of lilacs, oolong tea, cinnamon stick, tilled soil and black truffles. ![]() The quality of tannin is exquisite with wonderful polish and refinement. Fresh herbs, such as bay leaf and lemongrass highlight the dark fruit. It’s full-bodied, yet ever so balanced and refined, with super fine tannins that last for minutes. ![]() James Suckling scored this 99 points saying "Extremely perfumed and floral with lavender, lilacs and violets to the sweet, ripe berries, such as blackberries and blackcurrants. This 2018 is an extraordinary Bordeaux blend of 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Petit Verdot, 5% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 1% Malbec from Napa Valley. The joint venture that started it all was between Baron Philippe de Rothschild and Robert Mondavi.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Details
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |