前一陣子開始找起 Wine Spectator 每年所挑選的百大好酒(Wine Spectator Top 100)... 因為每年都會有新的 Top 100，所以我想這一系列的文章應該會持續下去，同時將會以正體中文與英文交互的方式書寫。

A few days ago, I started to find the wines of Wine Spectator annual Top 100. Wine Spectator releases Top 100 list annually, so I think I will keep this series going, and in both traditional Chinese and English interleavedly.

另外，飲酒過量有礙身體健康，未成年請勿飲酒！

Oh, btw, drinking too much is not good to your healthy, and you can not drink unless you are adult.

要買到Top 100中的酒不是一件容易的事情，很幸運地在 Costco 買到了 Yalumba Eden Valley Viognier 2007 (#55 of 2008, Wine Spectator 評分 91)。而原本想找 Mount Eden Estate Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay 2004 (#13 of 2008, Wine Spectator 評分 94, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 評分 95, Wine Enthusiast 評分 93, International Wine Cellar 評分 90)，可是早就已經銷售一空，所以改買有偉大年份之稱的 2005 年份同酒莊 Chardonnay(Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 評分 96, Wine Spectator 評分 93)。另外還有 Ridge Chardonnay Santa Cruz Mountains Santa Cruz Mountain Estate 2005 (#2 of 2007, Wine Spectator 評分 95)，但同樣地也是早就買不到了，所以改買了同酒莊同一年份鄰近葡萄園的 Ridge Chardonnay Santa Cruz Mountains Santa Cruz Mountain Home Ranch 2005。

Well, it is not easy to find and buy one of Top 100, and I am luckly to get my first Top 100 at Costco, it is Yalumba Eden Valley Viognier 2007 (#55 of 2008, Wine Spectator rating 91)。Besides, I also want to find Mount Eden Estate Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay 2004 (#13 of 2008, Wine Spectator rating 94, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate rating 95, Wine Enthusiast rating 93, International Wine Cellar rating 90)，but it was sold out already. Hence, I bought the same Chardonnay of 2005 (Robert Parker's Wine Advocate rating 96, Wine Spectator rating 93) instead。In addition, Ridge Chardonnay Santa Cruz Mountains Santa Cruz Mountain Estate 2005 (#2 of 2007, Wine Spectator rating 95) is also sold out, so I took the Chardonnay from the same winery and the sam year, but different vinyard -- Ridge Chardonnay Santa Cruz Mountains Santa Cruz Mountain Home Ranch 2005。

在這一篇中，我將會先介紹 Yalumba Eden Valley Viognier 2007 及飲用心得，另外兩支酒就待續吧。

In this article, I will introduce Yalumba Eden Valley Viognier 2007 and my personal tasting notes, and the other two wines are to be continued.

Yalumba Eden Valley Viognier 2007 為淡金黃略有綠色色澤，是使用 Viognier 這個品種的葡萄所釀製，該品種在澳洲的主要產區是在 Eden Valley，而 Yalumba Winery 則為主要種植的酒莊。Viognier 算是種比較難預測的品種，如果過早採收則釀造出來的酒的香氣與口感無法展現 Viognier 的特色；而如果太晚採收，則可能讓酒變得較油(oily)以及缺乏香味。

Yalumba Eden Valley Viognier 2007 is light gold color with a little bit green note, and it is made by the grape -- Viognier. The main region of Viognier in Australia is Eden Valley, and Yalumba Winery is the main winery in this region. Viognier is not easy to take care, especially the harvest time. Early harvesting will make the aromas and palates of Viognier wine not fully developed, and late harvesting results in oily tastes and less-flavored.

Yalumba Eden Valley Viognier 2007 以雅致的花香帶頭並參雜一些蜜香，領著橙皮的味道進入鼻腔，是很有活力的味道；而在飲用時，則有著與橙皮香味很一致性的柑橘(citrus)的味道，另外有著甜桃(peach)香味。同時在口中一陣子後會在舌上感受到些微類似薑的辛刺口感，但卻是恰到好處的柔順；當搭配蝦子一起吃的時候，些微的辛味(spicy)讓蝦肉的香甜在口腔中更加的明顯，雖然蝦肉的氣味會壓抑甜桃的香氣，但是也讓柑橘的香味更加地顯著。

Yalumba Eden Valley Viognier 2007 has elegant flower smell with a note of honey, and then, you can feel the tangerine smell gets into nose. That brought me an active and sunny feeling. While drinking, the concentrated citrus and peach is full of the palate. Besides, you can find a smooth taste of ginger. I had this wine with some shrimps, and the ginger taste would make shrimps taste more sweet and bright. Although shrimps a little bit suppresses the palate of peach, it really make the citrus more vivid and elegant.

若要拿個場景來形容 Yalumba Eden Valley Viognier 2007，我想會是個

美麗的小漁港，
在早午餐時刻於街道上漫步的我，享受著沿途上不絕的花香；
當走過水果攤時，亦可見到滿滿的橘黃；
再往前有著幾張白淨桌椅，我不自主地坐下，享受舒適的煦陽與這悠閒的時光。

Having Yalumba Eden Valley Viognier 2007 is like...

It is a beautiful cutie fishing port.
And I am just walking down the streets during brunch time, and enjoying the air with flower smells;
Walking by the fruit boothes, most I can see is the mass color of orange;
Then I am sitting by white tables and chairs after a few more steps, and enjoying the leisure sunlights.

 

最後要提一下，Yalumba Eden Valley Viognier 2007 真的是物超所值，含稅只要USD$13左右，真是太划算了。

At last, I have to say Yalumba Eden Valley Viognier 2007 is really a great choice, not only because of the great taste but also the price -- about USD$13 (tax included)!!

 

2009.02.21 Update: 

今天喝的時候比較像是蜜香、梨子、檸檬皮與花香的味道非常吸引人，入口後是柳橙繼之以花香。我在猜之前喝的時候可能是醒酒不夠，或者是因為我搭著其他的食物一起吃，所以味道沒有完全散發出來或被蓋掉了。今天再次喝這支酒，算是比較知道為什麼她會被排進百大了(對，前面的敘述短詩我改了，如下)。

早午餐時刻於美麗的碼頭漫步，有著花語芬芳；
走過水果攤時，則感受多樣的果香；
再往前是幾張白淨桌椅，令我不自主地坐下，
是因為對面的淑女，還是這煦陽與悠閒的時光... ？

In the tasting today, honey, pear, leamon skin and floral flavors pull me into the glasses, and tangerines comes first in palates and followed by flowers. I guess the aromas and palates are not fully displayed or are canopied because I had it with other dishes or before fully breathed. Today, I seem to know why she is listed in Top 100. (Yes, I modify the description poem, as follows).

Walking at the floral cutie wharf at brunch time;
Passing by the boothes with fruity surrouned by;
Spontaneously sit at the white table after steps,
due to the leisure or the lady at the opposite side... ?