Wine-tasting robot to spot fraudulent bottles

A robotic wine taster, capable of distinguishing between 30 different varieties or blends of grape, has been developed by engineers in Japan. The idea is to automate wine analysis so that retailers and customs officials can easily check that a wine is indeed what its label declares. The wine-bot was developed by scientists from NEC's System Technologies laboratory and Mie University, both in Japan. It is about twice the size of a 3-litre wine box and consists of a microcomputer and an optical sensing instrument. For analysis, a 5 millilitre sample of wine is poured into a tray in front of the machine. Light emitting diodes then fire infrared light at the sample and the reflected light is sensed by an array of photodiodes. By identifying the wavelengths of infrared light that have been absorbed by the sample, NEC says the wine-bot can correctly identify the unique organic components of 30 popular wines within 30 seconds. Grape fraud Because the combinations of these components are unique to certain wine-making regions, NEC says the wine-bot can even tell where the wine came from. The company promises to extend the number of wines the device can recognise before it is commercialised, but has not revealed when this will happen. John Corbet-Milward, head of technical and international affairs at the UK's Wine and Spirit Trade Association, says deliberate mislabelling of wine is a serious problem. "There always has been such fraud going on," the told New Scientist. "If there has been a bad grape-growing year, for instance, it's quite tempting for people to make up a blend of wines that's difficult to spot." Currently, fraud detection is performed through human tasting and careful analysis of a vineyard's records. "Any new machine that can identify wine fraud is potentially very interesting if it can speed up detection processes and reduce costs," Corbet-Milward adds. Refined palate But he also notes that a wine-bot would need to be capable of distinguishing between more than 30 flavours of wine to be truly useful. This is because the global wine market includes thousands of wine varieties and blends. "The acid test would be to test a machine against a team of qualified tasters," Corbet-Milward says. He is not alone in having reservations. "There have been many attempts to do this but the calibration that is involved is truly enormous," says Geoff Taylor, managing director of Corkwise, a company that analyses wine to assess its quality. "You have to teach the sensor all the parameters of all varieties and blends of wine. Then you have to include all the subtle differences caused by the use of different yeasts and maturation environments," Taylor adds. "It's a massively complex picture." Above article sourced from NewScientist.com news service 28 July 2006

Ridlaine Goat Log & Feta Cheese

Ridlaine Goat Log

Feta Cheese

Danish feta cheese is a speciality product which can be bought in most parts of the world. The cheese is produced from cow’s milk. This makes Danish feta cheese more creamy and milder tasting which is one of the reasons for its popularity – not just in the countries with a tradition for feta cheese, but increasingly among consumers in the rest of the world.

Feta is a classic and famous Greek curd cheese whose tradition dates back thousands of years and is still made by shepherds in the Greek mountains with unpasteurized milk. It was originally made with goat's or sheep's milk, but today much is often made commercially with pasteurized cow's milk (the firmer cow's milk version is made for export). The curdled milk (curdled with rennet) is separated and allowed to drain in a special mold or a cloth bag. It is cut into large slices (feta means 'slice') that are salted and then packed in barrels filled with whey or brine.
Salted and cured in a brine solution (which can be either water or whey) for a week to several months (this is why it is sometimes called a 'pickled' cheese). Feta dries out rapidly when removed from the brine.

Feta cheese is white, usually formed into square cakes, and can range from soft to semi-hard, with a tangy, salty flavor that can range from mild to sharp. Its fat content can range from 30 to 60 percent; most is around 45 percent milk fat. It is now made in many countries, but usually the pasteurized cow's milk version, on a commercial scale.

Feta is delicious crumbled over salads (the Classic Greek Salad), or together with sliced tomatoes, sprinkled with olive oil and fresh herbs. It is also used as a filling for puff pastry (feuilletes)

Genetic variation gives a taste for alcohol

12:00 15 November 2004
NewScientist.com news service
By Anna Gosline

People with a gene variation that dulls their taste buds to bitter flavours drink twice as much alcohol as those with more sensitive palates, suggests a US study. The discovery may assist doctors in the battle against alcoholism, which is strongly connected to early drinking behaviour.
People generally fall into three categories of taster. Supertasters have an acute sensitivity to bitter chemicals, while nontasters only sense bitterness at higher concentrations. Medium tasters fall in between.
Previous studies have shown that nontasters find alcohol - such as whisky, wine or beer - more pleasing and sweet than supertasters. There is also evidence that alcoholics and their relatives are more likely to be nontasters. But results have been contradictory, probably because grouping people into taster categories is partly subjective.
The bitter chemical 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP) is often used in taste tests and in 2003 a gene influencing the sensitivity to PROP was discovered. The gene, TAS2R38, codes for a taste bud receptor and has several natural variations.
Valerie Duffy at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, US, and her colleagues set out to see if the TAS2R38 variation could accurately predict sensitivity to bitterness, and whether that in turn influenced alcohol consumption.
Overriding tastes
The team screened 53 women and 31 men, all light-to-moderate drinkers, for their response to PROP and their TAS2R38 gene profile. They also recorded each person's self-reported alcohol consumption and the number of taste buds on each person's tongue.
All but four people had either had two copies of one gene variant group (PAV/PAV), two copies of the other main variant (AVI/AVI), or one of each (PAV/AVI). These groups corresponded well to the PROP tasting categories with PAV/PAV individuals being the most bitter-sensitive and AVI/AVI the least.
The researchers also found that genotype had a strong relationship with yearly alcohol consumption. PAV/PAV people had, on average, 133 drinks a year, those with PAV/AVI had 180 and those with AVI/AVI had 285.
"For the person who tastes the most bitterness, it makes sense that you aren't going to want to drink as much alcohol," Duffy told New Scientist. However, she warns that people may often override the demands of their taste buds by drinking highly sweetened beverages, or ignore them completely in some social situations - like student parties.
Worldwide impact
Dennis Drayna, at the National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders in Rockville, Maryland, US, headed the research team that discovered TAS2R38. About half of the world's population have at least one copy of the low-sensitivity variant AVI, he says.
Understanding how it affects alcohol taste and consumption could have huge implications, he adds: "It is well know that there are genetic influences on alcoholism, but it is a very difficult tangle of facts. That taste appears to be so clear a factor is very exciting. The finding may have a substantial impact on the worldwide problem of alcoholism."
Julie Mennella at the Monnell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia, US, agrees: "Taste is usually the primary reason kids give for not using alcohol. Whether the genetic differences that underlie sensitivity to bitter tastes contribute to early experimentation with alcohol is an important area for future research."
Journal reference: Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research (DOI: 10.1097/01.ALC.0000145789.55183.D4)

Above article sourced from NewScientist.com news service

Dinner at Lung Wong Restaurant - 28/Jul/06

"Vintage 1998 Australian Wine Dinner" at KCC on 21/Jul/06 - Intro & Whites

Tasting Date: 21/Jul/06
Venue: Kowloon Cricket Club
Organized by: Dr. Peter Au-Yeung
Number of Wines Tasted: 8
Country of Wines: 6 Australian, 1 French

Theme:

Vintage 1998 Australian

Whites:

Wine: Tyrrell's Wines Vat 1

Region: Hunter Valley

A.b.v.: 10.5%

Tasting Notes:

Appearance ~ Bright & clear, pale lemon green colour core fading to a broad watery rim, few legs.

Nose ~ Clean with medium-intensity, developing aromas. Toasted nuts, buttery, vanilla, some citrus & stone fruit.

Palate ~ Off-dry, crisp acidity. Light-bodied & light to medium intensity. Citrus, oak, buttery, toasted nuts & slightly floral. A bit of salty after-taste. Low level of alcohol & short to medium length of finish. A good, light aperitif wine.

Wine: Yattarna Chardonnay
Region: South Australia
A.b.v.: 13.5%

Tasting Notes:
Appearance ~ Bright & clear, pale lemon gold colour core fading to a broad watery rim, few legs.

Nose ~ Clean, medium-intensity, developing aromas. Ripe apples, citrus, vegetal, floral.

Palate ~ Dry, highlevel of acidity. Medium-bodied & medium intensity. Apricot, rusted apples, mineral, some oak. Creamy textured. Medium level of alcohol & long length of finish. An excellent match with the scampi.

"Vintage 1998 Australian Wine Dinner" at KCC on 21/Jul/06 - Sparkling Wines

Sparkling Wines:

a) Green Point NV, Victoria

b) Dom Pérignon 1996

"Vintage 1998 Australian Wine Dinner" at KCC on 21/Jul/06 - Shiraz

Shiraz:

Wine: Grant Burge Meshach

Region: Barossa

A.b.v.: Unknown

Tasting Notes:

Appearance ~ Bright & clear, deep purple colour core fading to a ruby rim, few legs.
Nose ~ Clean, medium-intensity, youthful aromas. Sweet spice, cinnamon, earthy, some blackfruit.
Palate ~ Dry, low to medium level of acidity. Medium-bodied & medium intensity. High level of ripe tannins. Cigarbox, blackberries, blackcurrant, spicy, vanilla, slightly farmyard. Medium level of alcohol & medium length of finish. Still youthful, can be consumed now but could be kept for another 5 years, with slight improvement.

Wine: Penfolds RWT

Region: Barossa

A.b.v.: 14.5%

Tasting Notes:

Appearance ~ Bright & clear, opague purple colour core fading to a pink rim, few legs.

Nose ~ Clean, pronounced-intensity, developing aromas. Blackcurrants, nutmeg, cedarwood & medicinal.

Palate ~ Dry, medium level of acidity. High level of ripe tannins. Full-bodied & pronounced intensity. Blackberries, blackcurrants, peppery, some cloves. Medium to high level of alcohol & long length of fruity finish. At peak now but can be kept for another 6 -7 years.

"Vintage 1998 Australian Wine Dinner" at KCC on 21/Jul/06 - Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon:

Wine: Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: South Australia
A.b.v.: 13.5%

Tasting Notes:
Appearance ~ Bright & clear, opague purple colour core fading to a narrow pink rim, few legs.

Nose ~ Clean, pronounced-intensity, developing aromas. Blackcurrants, blackcherries, liquorice, leather, oak, tobacco.

Palate ~ Dry, medium to high level of acidity. High level of soft tannins. Full-bodied & medium to pronounced intensity. Blackcherries, blackcurrants, peppery, chocolate & hints of cigarbox. High level of alcohol & long length of finish. Ready to drink now but could be kept for another 6 years with further mellowness.

Wine: Grant Burge Shadrach
Region: South Australia
A.b.v.: 13%

Tasting Notes:

Appearance ~ Bright & clear, opague purple colour core fading to a pink rim, few legs.

Nose ~ Clean, medium-intensity, youthful aromas. Blackcurrants, blackberries, minty & savoury.

Palate ~ Dry, medium level of acidity. Medium-bodied & medium intensity. Medium to high level of ripe tannins. Blackcurrant, floral, perfumed, minty & oaked. Medium level of alcohol with a long length of finish. Good to drink now & could be kept for another 6 - 8 years with further integration of wood tannins & fruit.

Australian 1998 Wine Dinner at KCC on 21/Jul/06 - The Menu & Food

The Menu:

Canneloni Stuffed with Fish & Spinach:

Grilled Scampi with warm vegetable salad:

Rack of Lamb Provencal:

Apple Crumble:

Les Pèlerins de Lafon-Rochet 1999 - Tasted on 19/7/06

Tasting Date: 19/Jul/06

Venue: Home

Name of Wine: Les Pèlerins de Lafon-Rochet 750ml

Vintage: 1999

Region: St. Estèphe, Bordeaux

Country: France

A.b.v.: 12.5%

Price: HK$240 (Vins Gallery)

Tasting Notes:

Appearance ~ Bright & clear, deep intensity of ruby colour core fading to a pink rim. Few legs.

Nose ~ Clean, pronounced-intensity, developing aromas. Blackcurrants, blackcherries, plums, wet wool, oak.

Palate ~ Dry, high acidity. Medium level of soft tannins. Medium-bodied & medium intensity. Blackcherries, blackberries, oak, tobacco leaves, slightly floral & chocolatey. Medium level of alcohol & long length. Can drink now, complex flavours is developing now, but should taste mellower & softer in another 4 years. A good second wine of Lafon-Rochet.

SICK AGAIN!!! 再次打敗仗~~~

Gosh~~ Getting sick again - sore throat, running nose.....having tasted no wine these few days. Hopefully I can get better by Friday as I will be attending a wine dinner at KCC. Will upload more info after the dinner.

Cheers!

「神之水滴」第一門徒及第二門徒

第一門徒:
Chambolle-Musigny Domaine G. Roumier 1st Cru - Amoureuse 2001

~ A superstar of Chambolle-Musigny. Winemaking is simple & traditional. Not much new oak is used. The abovementioned wine & the Bonnes Mares are usually Roumier's best wines. But even their simple Bourgogne Rouge has very good quality.

More info can be obtained here:

http://www.roumier.com/index.htm

第二門徒:

Chateau Palmer 1999

「神之水滴」第六卷

風摩各界葡萄酒飲家的日本漫畫「神之水滴」現時在本港只出到第五卷, 日本方面已於4月21日推出第六卷, 本港則需等至8月尾[根據天下出版社消息]。至於第七卷則要7月21日才在日本面世，相信本港要到大概11月才有中文版。

Japanese Website:
http://shop.kodansha.jp/bc2_bc/search_tyosha.jsp?ty=230&x=C

French Wine Fair - 22/7/06 at Happy Valley

"French Wine Fair" organized by Sopexa Hong Kong.
Date: 22/7/06
Time: 1 to 5:30pm
Door Ticket: $95
Venue: 3/F., Happy Valley Stand, Happy Valley Racecourse.
For info, please contact Sopexa at 2866-7163.

Vinopolis in London

Here is the very famous Vinopolis in London. I didn't go inside for any event due to limited time, but I'm sure that I will go there for a tasting next time. Some videos can be seen in the boxes below, do scroll down & have a look.

For more information, you may go to their official website: http://www.vinopolis.co.uk/

Vinopolis in London - Video 1

Vinopolis

Vinopolis - 1

Vinopolis in London - Video 2

Vinopolis in London

Vinopolis - 2

Vinopolis in London - Video 3

Vinopolis

Vinopolis - 3 (Entrance)

WSET Headquarter in London

I was in London for the Tutor workshop in the past few days. Here is a snapshot of the WSET headquarter.

Cheeses Tasted on 8/Jul/06

Buche Chevre Affine Cheese

>> Goat's milk. They come in many sizes and shapes, such as round patties, log-shapes, drum-shapes, pyramids, round loaves, long loaves etc.; their textures vary from soft, but firm like cream cheese to extremely hard. Chevres are excellent dessert cheeses, often served as snacks or before dinner drinks. Goat cheese is often served as an ingredient in many fine dishes. ~ From www.cheese.com <<

English Blue Stilton Cheese

>> Historically referred to as "The King of Cheeses" Stilton is a blue-mould cheese with a rich and mellow flavor and a piquant aftertaste. It has narrow, blue-green veins and a wrinkled rind which is not edible. Stilton is milder than Roquefort or Gorgonzola, and is equally excellent for crumbling over salads or as a dessert cheese, served with a Port Wine. There are two types of Stilton: Blue and White Stilton. Rennet is added to milk at 86 degrees F and after an hour curd forms. The curd is drained and moulded. One week passes and then Stiltons are allowed to mature for 6 to 8 months. ~ From www.cheese.com <<

Rio Mannu Pecorio Stagionate Cheese

>> Goat's milk. From Spain <<

M. Chapoutier Tavel 2004 Rosé Tasted on 8/Jul/06

Tasting Date: 8/Jul/06
Venue: Home
Price: HK$150 (Citysuper)
Name of Wine: M. Chapoutier Tavel 2004 Rosé 750ml
Vintage: 2004
Region: Tavel, Loire
Country: France
A.b.v.: 13.5%

Tasting Notes:

Appearance ~ Bright & clear, medium intensity of salmon colour core fading to a broad watery rim & a few legs.

Nose ~ Clean, medium-intensity, youthful aromas. Strawberries, spicy red cherries. Herbal & perfumed.

Palate ~ Dry with medium acidity. Very little tannins. Light-medium-bodied with a medium intensity of fruity flavours. Red cherries, spices, liquorice, roses. Medium level of alcohol but a very pleasant long length of red fruit finish. A nice choice for such a boiling summer in HK. Chill beforehand.

Rosé wine is one of the very famous kinds of Loire Tavel region. Give it a go!

W & J Graham's 20 Year Tawny Port tasted on 8/Jul/06

Tasting Date: 8/Jul/06
Venue: Home
Price: HK$675 (Citysuper)
Name of Wine: W & J Graham's 20 Year Tawny Port 750ml
Region: Oporto
Country: Portugal
A.b.v.: 20%

Tasting Notes:
Appearance ~ Bright & clear, medium intensity of tawny colour core fading to an amber rim. Many legs.
Nose ~ Clean, pronounced-intensity, aged bouquet. Dried plums & dried prunes. Caramel, toffee & chocolate, raisins & cigar.

Palate ~ Sweet with low to medium acidity. Low level of tannins. Full-bodied with a pronounced intensity of complex flavours. Oak, cedarwood, caramel, toffee & chocolate. Some dried fruit. Fortified, with a very long length of sweet finish. An excellent match with Stilton Blue Cheese.

「神之水滴」 第一卷 ~ 終於到手了!

走遍港九多間書店，終於在上週購得訂閱已久的「神之水滴」第一卷。一看之下，得知此乃第二版, 6月22日才出版! 我相信出版社及發行商對於此書的受吹捧程度是始料不及的。否則又怎會加印第二版呢？ 據我所知，第一卷已是渴市甚久矣!

無論如何，雖然我是個不折不扣的「非漫畫迷」，可是我讀着讀着，便覺這書對葡萄酒的描繪和刻劃倒真別樹一幟。書中對葡萄酒的解說，和那些對某等一級名酒的驚嘆形容詞，不管是意境還是實在的香氣味道描述，絕對令讀者對葡萄酒鼓起非常熱切的渴望及冀盼。無論讀者是葡萄酒的門外漢或已對葡萄酒有一定程度認識者，作者都照顧週到，寫和畫出吸引的故事情節。我認為作者是基於一個大前題﹕「葡萄酒的世界是無窮無盡的」。即使是書中喝遍世界名酒的葡萄酒專家；或是幼承庭訓的葡萄酒評論家之後；還是一般尋常老百姓，都對美味可口的葡萄酒臣服，希望可找尋其根源。這跟我現在經常做的事可十分相似啊！

當然，我還未瘋狂到要吃泥的程度, 有看過此漫畫而又有意圖這樣做的朋友，請告訴我呀!!

Wine Dinner at Bonheur (Sheung Wan) on 30/6/06 ~ The Menu

The menu for selection

Aperitif: Spanish Ibérico Ham with Rock Lemon

* Ibérico ham is fatter than Parma Ham, & relatively perfumed & chewy. The best ham maker in Spain is said to be Joselito. Here, my ham made a perfect match with the fatty cheeses aside, though a bit heavy as an aperitif for me. A very very delicious dish. I like it a lot.

Wild Mushroom Soup

Main Course: Char-grill U.S. Prime Rib-eye Steak ~ Rare

Dessert: Chocolate Fondant with Coconut Icecream