**此文曾刊登于深圳酒典2009年9月杂志品酒心得栏目内**
在2008年8月1日的一场私房玛歌红酒品试会中（Margaux Wine Cross Over Tasting），那瓶来自波尔多左岸的三等列级庄庞玛红酒（Chateau PALMER 1999）在云云的同区酒品里脱颖而出，以整体的优雅与平衡表现取胜，赢取全场好评。
我一直以来没去看日本的《神之水滴》漫画书，但常从报章上看到引述书中一些特品葡萄酒介绍，其中也提到Chateau PALMER 1999庞玛红酒。我当时的反应有点怀疑，虽说以前喝过的1975、1982、1985、1988等老年份庞玛酒，除1975年那瓶已年华早逝之外，其它喝过的年份真是蛮不错的，但这瓶1999年酒能否延续往日佳绩呢？若说玛歌区的至尊一级庄Chateau Margaux酒极尽优雅，那么，庞玛酒有点集优雅与力劲的混合体。
当日我们一行十人（九男一女）随便的订了些外卖饭餸，来配搭以下几款玛歌区红酒（每瓶均为750ml容量）：
1） Chateau MONGRAVEY Cru Bourgeois 2004
2） Chateau VINCENT CANTENAC Bourgeois Superieur 1991
3） Chateau VINCENT CANTENAC Bourgeois Superieur 1992
4） Chateau HAUT-TAYAC Cru Bourgeois 1997
5） Chateau BEL AIR MARQUIS D’ALIGE GRE Grand Cru Exceptionnel 1995
6） Chateau D’ISSAN Grand Cru Classe (3rd Grwoth) 1994
7） Chateau PALMER Grand Cru Classe (3rd Growth) 1999
经过整夜的五个小时品试，结果有点教人意外。除大家一致认为Chateau PALMER 1999庞玛是最好之外，那瓶Chateau MONGRAVEY Cru Bourgeois 2004却是跟Chateau D’ISSAN GCC (3rd Growth) 1994不遑多让。在起初的赛后检讨，有些人还以为那瓶MONGRAVEY 2004的小伙子哪能跟三级庄的D’ISSAN 1994相比。两者单是论价格和当次已有一大段距离。拿D’ISSAN 1994来人说这酒约港币500多元，相比我在深圳买回来的MONGRAVEY 2004相等于港币420元特惠价来说，价位上相差不算太远。也许，D’ISSAN 1994有点年华老逝，但MONGRAVEY 2004却活力饱满，果香悠长稳重，口感讨好。
其它几款玛歌红酒由于年份稍老，只能获一些品尝者钟爱，但对我来讲没什么特别好感。那瓶PALMER 1999庞玛酒几近平衡柔和，亦柔亦刚，在每口段落皆能恰到好处，酒体饱满。我把口感详述如下吧：
深石榴红色泽深沉，光泽仍存，紫罗兰花香带玉米谷物陈年幽香，混和樱桃与黑莓果酱味，单宁仍顺，酒体圆润，酒精不重，酸辣味不现，层次分明，收结半干，后味优雅悠长。
这瓶好酒的售价在2008年上半年因着《神之水滴》的介绍已上扬了10%以上，但也值回新的订价水平。凡事无绝对，就算这本经常夸大酒品的畅销漫画不停地吹捧特约品牌，有时候，它的命中率也蛮高的，除这好酒外，波尔多四级庄的拉图嘉丽（Latour Carnet）也是挺不错的酒啊！
Chateau PALMER 1999: The BEST in a Margaux Wine Cross Over Tasting
On the 1st of August 2008, Chateau PALMER 1999 (a 3rd growth Bordeaux Grand Cru Classe wine) won the applause from the tasting group and rewarded as the BEST among other Margaux wines in a cross over tasting event.
I have never read the Japanese wine book called GOD’S DROP, but learned from some newspaper snapshots about this book that Chateau PALMER 1999 also appeared in one of the past issues thereof. I was slightly in doubt about such issue although I had tasted the older vintages like 1975, 1982, 1985, 1988, etc. Other than the fact that the 1975 was found over-matured, the rest of the mentioned vintages tasted quite well. Put it in this way, if the 1st growth Chateau MARGAUX was found unusually elegant, then Chateau PALMER would be tasted like a mixture of elegance and energetic.
On the mentioned tasting day, our group of ten people (9 men plus 1 woman) simply ordered some express-delivery meals to match with the following Margaux wines (each model at 750ml capacity):
1) Chateau MONGRAVEY Cru Bourgeois 2004
2) Chateau VINCENT CANTENAC Bourgeois Superieur 1991
3) Chateau VINCENT CANTENAC Bourgeois Superieur 1992
4) Chateau HAUT-TAYAC Cru Bourgeois 1997
5) Chateau BEL AIR MARQUIS D’ALIGE GRE Grand Cru Exceptionnel 1995
6) Chateau D’ISSAN Grand Cru Classe (3rd Grwoth) 1994
7) Chateau PALMER Grand Cru Classe (3rd Growth) 1999
After 5-hour tasting at that night long, the result was a bit unexpectable. Besides that Chateau PALMER 1999 ranked the BEST, Chateau MONGRAVEY Cru Bourgeois 2004 showed similar performance as that of Chateau D’ISSAN Grand Cru Classe (3rd Grwoth) 1994. During the preliminary review of the result, some people queried how such a young Chateau MONGRAVEY Cru Bourgeois 2004 could be compared with Chateau D’ISSAN Grand Cru Classe (3rd Grwoth) 1994. The deviation of prices and classes between these two said wines is quite lengthy. The owner of Chateau D’ISSAN Grand Cru Classe (3rd Grwoth) 1994 revealed that such wine costed over HKD500 which was not so much higher than what I paid in Shenzhen for Chateau MONGRAVEY Cru Bourgeois 2004 at HKD420 as a special price. Perhaps Chateau D’ISSAN Grand Cru Classe (3rd Grwoth) 1994 had dropped by quality whereas Chateau MONGRAVEY Cru Bourgeois 2004 was still energetic with consistent fruity flavors which matched the majority taste preference.
Other tasted Margaux wines only deserved impressive remarks from some minor drinkers. Due to their average old vintages, I did not quite appreciate them. The Chateau PALMER 1999 was quite balance between tenderness and power exposure, having appropriate progress of different durations with full-round body. Let me state my tasting finding as follows in details about this wine:
Intense dark garnet red color, still with shininess, orchid nose with vintaged maize corn and wheat cereal aroma, the palate was full of cherry and black berry marmalade flavors, smooth tannin and full-round body, alcoholic strength was not quite obvious, acidity and spiciness were not apparent, in-between segments were quite sharp and clear, semi-dry finish with lengthy and elegant after taste.
The price of this wine had gone up by over 10% since the beginning of 2008 due to the issue of GOD’S DROP. Even though, the revised price was still value-for-money due to its quality and performance. Sometimes nothing is absolutely right or wrong, although this wine book had repeatedly pronounced some listed wines in its issues which are now and then very sellable, yet the probability of its evaluation of good quality wine is quite high. Besides Chateau PALMER 1999 being a good wine, the 4th growth Bordeaux Grand Cru Classe Chateau LATOUR CARNET is also another good wine as previously recommended in the said book.