飲年度百大(Top 100, Wine Spectator)好酒 — Part 2

這一篇就輪到 Mount Eden Estate Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay 2005。

Now, I will introduce Mount Eden Estate Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay 2005。

飲酒過量有礙身體健康,未成年請勿飲酒!

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

在百大之內的是Mount Eden Estate Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay 2004,但因為已經找不到了,所以我改買了 2005 年份。

The one in Top 100 I wanted to find out is Mount Eden Estate Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay 2004, but it was sold out everywhere. So I bought the 2005 Chardonnay from the same winery and vinyard instead.

Mount Eden Estate Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay 2005 是一月初在 downtown 的 vinocruz 買的,當時還在跟另一瓶(以後會介紹)的陷於猶豫之中,vinocruz 的老闆說這瓶 Chardonnay 比較 Bourgogne (Burgundy) style,和一般的 California style 不一樣,所以推薦我買這一瓶。而最後我也確實只帶了一瓶 Mount Eden Estate Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay 2005 回來,不過在飲用過之後,我又去多買一瓶準備帶回台灣以後喝。XD

I bought Mount Eden Estate Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay 2005 from vinocruz in Jan. When I was in vinocruz, I hesitate about which Chardonnay I should buy. The owner of vinocruz said this Mount Eden Estate Chardonnay is more "Bourgogne(Burgundy) style", and very different from other "California style" Chardonnay, so he recommeded me to buy this one. I decided to follow his suggestion and took one. However, after drinking, I visited vinocruz a few days ago and bought one more for some day in the future in Taiwan.  XD

具 vinocruz 老闆的說法,一般的 California style Chardonnay 果香屬於較成熟(ripe)的香氣,而 Bourgogne(Burgundy) style 則會有較多的其他味道。

Accroding to what the vinocruz's owner stated, the smells and tastes of California style Chardonnay is "riper" fruit, and Bourgogne(Burgundy) style contains more kinds of aromas and palates.

Mount Eden Vinyards 在1878由一位來自 Bourgogne (Burgundy) 的釀酒師 Paul Masson 所創立,一開始的位置是在 Mount Eden 山腳下。在酒莊主人易手為 Martin Ray 之後才搬到了 Mount Eden 山上去。且從1930年代起,Ray 就開始以單一品種葡萄來釀酒,這在當時仍以 blending 為主流的葡萄酒界來說是被認為很蠢蛋(ridiculous)的事情,但後來證明 Ray 的眼光確實卓越。1970年後酒莊主人再度易手,Mount Eden Vinyards 開始走向較為企業化的經營方式,釀酒師不再是由酒莊主人自己校長兼撞鐘,而是改用聘僱的方式來釀酒,至今在 Mount Eden Vinyards 任職過的有許多有名的釀酒師。雖然 Mount Eden 從創立至今有許多的演變,但 Bourgogne (Burgundy) 的風格仍一直被保存下來,就如同 vinocruz 老闆所言,這瓶和其他之前飲過的其他酒莊的 Chardonnay 有著很大的不同。

Mount Eden Vinyards was founded in 1878 by Paul Masson who is a Bourgognian. The original vinyard location was at the food of Mount Eden. The vinyard was not moved to the hill until it was owned by Martin Ray. From 1930s, Ray started to make wine with single variety grapes, and mainstream wineries thought that is a ridiculous decision. However, the progress of wine making proves that Ray was correct and had a great vision. After 1970, the owner was changed, and Mout Eden Vinyards had a new operation model, just like running a bussiness company - the wine maker was hired. And, many famous wine makers were worked for Mount Eden Vinyards. Although many changes from from 1878 till now, the Bourgogne (Burgundy) style is always the same. Just like the statement of vinocruz's owner, it tasted very different from other California wineries.

首先是他的色澤,一般的 California style Chardonnay 是金黃略帶綠的色澤,而 Mount Eden Estate Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay 2005 則是不帶一絲綠色色澤,且是較為濃厚的金黃色澤。而氣味上呈現的是水果香氣,有瓜類與橘子,怎麼聽起來好像沒有很特別?但!比起之前喝過的 Chardonnay 都來得濃郁許多許多,而且還有些許奶油香氣 😀 ... 原本以為至此就已經是相當令人驚訝了。但...

The first difference is color. California style Chardonnay usually have light gold color with green hint, but Mount Eden Estate Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay 2005 has deeper gold color. The aromas include melons and citrus. Well, similar to other Chardonnay... But! MUCH more concentrated, and it also has a hint of cream. 😀   So far, I thought that is the most surprising. However, there are more surprises following...

真正令人驚豔的是接下來的品嚐時刻,顯著但不突兀的礦石味,讓我想到了先前喝 Chateldon 1650。入口時湧現的礦石味道先洗淨了口腔的氣味,讓接下來混著柑橘香與些許煙燻味(smoky)的幽雅微酸口感在味蕾上充分展現。

The most amazing is the tastes. MINERAL, concentrated. I immediately related to Chateldon 1650. The mineral taste would clean the other smells in mouth, and make the tangerine and smooky tastes came out with an elegant spicy mouthfeel.

Mount Eden Estate Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay 2005 如果只論香氣與口味的種類其實並沒有很特殊,但,其濃郁的程度卻是先前喝過的任一 Chardonnay 都望塵莫及的,而且,從嗅聞到品嚐,都令我覺得這是一個更為「大氣、豪華、非凡、特出」的 Chardonnay...

If we just discuss the varieties of aromas and palate tastes, Mount Eden Estate Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay 2005 is not very special. But, the dense of aromas and tastes makes it leave other Chardonnay far behind. Besides, from smelling to tasting, it gave me a "LARGER, MORE LUXURIOUS, and MORE OUTSTANDING" feeling...

像是從一般的民居,走入了廣大的宮廷;
從樸素樣式的器具,換成了華麗的瓷銀;
磚瓦泥灰的壁與頂,繪上了炫麗的油彩。

Chateldon 1650 是 King of Water,而他就像是 King of California Chardonnay。

From a house to a gorgeous palace;
Replace tablewares with porcelains and silverwares;
Substitute marl walls with brilliant paints.

If Chateldon 1650 is the King of Water, Mount Eden Estate Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay 2005 is the King of California Chardonnay.