2010.10.28, @雅得蕊復興店
未成年請勿飲酒，飲酒過量有礙健康

Best's Winery

[column width="47.5%" padding="5%"] Best's winery was established in 1866 by Henry Best. However, after Henry's death, his son, Charles, sold this estate to its neighbor Frederick P Thomson in 1920.

Frederick P Thomson is the 2nd generation of this Scotland family. His father, William, born in 1847 and arrived Australia in 1876. William's interest is baking, so he started his bakery and catering business in Melbourne at the beginning. In 1892, the age of Victoria land boom. William decided to sell his business and bought the "Lorimer’s" farm, which includes an orchard, a vineyard and a working winery. This estate is 13 KM south of Henry's Best's Winery.

William named this property as "St. Andrews", and began his new life with his two sons, Frederick (age 16) and Pinchon. However, William had no background of viniculture and wine making, but he was really lucky. During 1890's, vineyards of Victoria region were affected by phylloxera, but Great Western district was to be spared of it. So, Thomson's wine business can survive and grow up steadily in the hard viniculture age.

In Frederick's early twenties, William decided to restart his interested bakery business in Melbourne and hand over the winery business to Frederick. After Frederick took the charge of the business, he started to expand Thomson's enterprise to almost 100 acres. In 1920, he paid ₤10,000 for Best's winery and the right of using Best's name, which is used as Thomson family's brand.

BTW, the wine label of Best's is deep gray background (like the left one in the photo above), but is white background a few years ago.
[/column] [column width="47.5%" padding="0%"] Best's Winery 在 1866 年由 Henry Best 所創立，但當 Henry 過世之後之後，他的兒子 Charles 在 1920 年將其賣給 Frederick P. Thomson，自此之後都一直是 Thomson 家族所擁有。

Frederick 是 Thomson 家族的第二代，他爸爸 William 是在 1876 年從蘇格蘭移民到澳洲。William 對烘焙相當有興趣，所以一開始是在墨爾本開麵包店。但在 1892 年時，William 結束他的烘焙事業，帶著年僅 16 的 Frederick 和另一個小兒子 Pinchon 加入 Victoria 大拓荒潮流，在 Best's winery 南邊約 13 公里的地方買下了 Lorimer 這個農莊，開啟 Thomson 家族的釀酒事業。

最初 William 將這塊莊園取名叫 St. Andrew，雖然 William 對釀酒並不在行，但他真的很幸運。因為在 1890 年代，Victoria 產區受到葡萄虱蟲的侵害，但是 Great Western 區幸運地躲過這場災難，使得 Thomson 家族的事業有機會可以穩定地成長。

後來等到 Frederick 二十多歲時，William 就把酒莊的事務都交給 Frederick，然後自己又跑回去墨爾本從事他的老本行
--烘焙。而 Frederick 接手之後，努力擴張酒莊、葡萄園的版圖，直到約 100 英畝。而在 1920 年時，Frederick 買下了 Best's Winery 以及名稱的使用權，自此之後，Thomson 家族的酒都用這個新的品牌。

另外，目前 Best's Winery 的酒標為灰黑色底，前幾年的時候還是採用白底的酒標。
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Best's Great Western Riesling 2005

[column width="47.5%" padding="5%"] Pale to medium straw color. Medium nose with mineral, lemon and light petrol hint. Very typical Riesling nose.

Dry, medium body and medium+ length. Peach and honey presents in the palate, and high lemon flavor acidity dominates the end. Good with seafoods or simple appetizers.
[/column] [column width="47.5%" padding="0%"] 不太深的稻草黃。氣味有礦石、萊姆跟些微的汽油味道。很典型的 Riesling。
屬不甜、中等口感。口中味道有白桃與蜂蜜，另外尾韻有很明顯的萊姆酸味。很適合搭配海鮮跟簡單的開胃菜。
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Best's Great Western Chardonnay 2001

[column width="47.5%" padding="5%"] This bottle is corked. 🙁

Medium blonde. Barrel, light citrus and light butter. The corked adds wet paper and fish odour.
Dry. Medium body and acidity. Peach, apple, pear, vanilla, and creamy oak. A little bit chewy mouthfeel, I guess it applies malolactic fermentation.

If this one is not corked, it must be very great.
[/column] [column width="47.5%" padding="0%"] 這瓶很可惜軟木塞有點問題。
金黃色。木桶味道、柑橘、些微的奶油香。出了問題的木塞導致有一些濕報紙跟魚腥味道。
中等酒體與酸度。白桃、蘋果、西洋梨、香草、奶油桶香。口感略稠，猜測應該有做乳酸發酵。

如果是正常的酒的話應該會非常棒。
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Sandhurst Ridge

[column width="47.5%" padding="5%"] Sandhurst Ridge is a small and low-yield winery in Victoria, Australia. The owner is Greblo family, who is from Italy. Sandhurst Ridge was established in 1989, and the 1st vintage is 1995. Their main viniculture philosophy is low yield for excellent quality. Even in good vintage, they only harvest 4~5 tones/hectare. The annual product might be 3000 cases.
[/column] [column width="47.5%" padding="0%"] Sandhurst Ridge 是在 Victoria 產區的一個小酒莊，由 Greblo 這個義大利家族在 1989 年創立，第一個年份是 1995 年。他們主要的精神是以低產量的葡萄來精釀高品質的酒。即便是在好的年份，可能每公頃也只有 4~5 公噸的產量。每年約只有生產三千箱的酒。
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Merlot 2005

[column width="47.5%" padding="5%"] 2005 is not a very good year, due to some storms in summer time.
Medium+ ruby color. Fruity black berry nose, with oak barrel, violet, green pepper hint.
Young medium+ tannins balance with medium- acidity in mouth, which shows black berries, oak and green pepper.
[/column] [column width="47.5%" padding="0%"] 2005 並不是個非常好的年份，主因是有些暴風雨。
中等略深的紅寶石色。氣味上有很明顯的黑莓果香，另外有桶味、紫羅蘭、青椒味道。
年輕但不是過於厚實的丹寧以及些微的酸度在口中很舒服，此外還可以感受到大量的黑莓，以及桶味、青椒味道。
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Cabernet Sauvignon 2002

[column width="47.5%" padding="5%"] Hand harvest, fermentation in small open vats. Aging in French barrels for 12 months (at least).

Medium+ garnet with light purple rim.
Medium+ nose. Black cherry, black currant, oak barrel, juniper, vanilla, fresh leaves (eucalyptus or black currant) and violet.

Dry and medium-to-high tannin. Full body with medium acidity. Mint, black cherry, fresh grass, chocolate, and rose hint in palate.
[/column] [column width="47.5%" padding="0%"] 人工採收，在開放小酒桶中發酵，之後在法國橡木桶中陳年至少12個月。

略深紅石榴色，邊緣有點帶紫
黑櫻桃、黑醋栗、木桶、一些檜木香氣、香草、新鮮葉子(有點像是尤加利樹葉或黑醋栗葉子)、紫羅蘭花香。

丹寧厚實，酒體非常飽滿。黑櫻桃、新鮮草香、薄荷、巧克力，還有一點點的玫瑰香氣在口中呈現。
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Shiraz 2003

[column width="47.5%" padding="5%"] Similar wine making process, but the barrels are about 40% American and 60% French barrels. Only 20% barrels are new.

Deep ruby color.
Medium-to-pronounced nose includes blue berries, creamy oak barrels, light spices, wet soil and a hint of plastic pipe.

Palate starts with fruity black berries, and includes coffee, chocolate, anise and licorice. Full body and long length.
[/column] [column width="47.5%" padding="0%"] 類似的釀造方式，但是使用的木桶只有約 60% 的法國桶，其他是美國桶，每年只有約 20% 桶子換新。

深紅寶石色。明顯的香氣，有藍莓、奶油桶香，一些的香料、濕土壤，還有一點點很奇妙的塑膠水管味道。

入口是很甜美的黑莓，然後就是咖啡、巧克力、一些八角跟甘草味道。酒體飽滿、餘韻長。
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Reserve Shiraz 2004

[column width="47.5%" padding="5%"] Aging at least 20 months in 100% French barrels, and 70% are new. Very low yield, about 1 tone/acre(hectare? not so sure.) BTW, 2004 is a great vintage.

Pronounced nose. Caramel macchiato with vanilla and hazelnut syrups. (Before swirling, more vanilla and hazelnut; after swirling, more caramel and coffee nose)

The palate is fruity sweet at the beginning. Black berries, chocolate and caramel. Full body and lingering.
[/column] [column width="47.5%" padding="0%"] 在 100% 法國桶中陳年至少20個月，每年有 70% 的桶子換新。產量超低，大約只有1噸/英畝(還是公頃？不太確定...)。另外，2004年是好年份。

明顯的香氣。焦糖瑪其朵加香草及榛果糖漿。

入口一開始也是很莓果的甜香。黑莓跟巧克力、焦糖的味道。酒體飽滿、很長的餘韻。
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照片可以參考 這邊