Just putting a report together for this ripper event 
HKWS Barolo Tasting: Decanting or Slow-Ox? (subsidised)
Location: AnOther Place, 5/F, Block C, Sea View Estate, 2-8 Watson Road, Tin Hau
Date: 5th March 2019 (Tuesday)
Time: 7pm
Price: HK$ 2000 (HKWS subsidised price for members only), $2300 (non-members)
Dear Jamie,
"Everybody knows that when someone is found in a desert, still living but lacking cruelly of food and water, it is crucially important to feed him extremely slowly. If fed too quickly, he could die.
So, the so-called Audouze method should be called : slow oxygenation method. But as some of you have tried to use it by making innovations, I would be happy that this method would be called : “do nothing method”." - François Audouze
How should we serve old and young Barolo?
By decanting, or by the slow oxygenation (slow-ox) method? For how long?
The Slow-Ox method, or the Audouze method, was first popularized on the forum of erobertparker.com by Francois Audouze, one of the best know wine collectors and advocates of older wine in France.
It is a very simple method:
You open a wine 4 to 5 hours before drinking
You let it stand
You do not touch it anymore
When it is time, you pour it in the glasses
Point.
Audouze mainly uses this method for opening old French wines, but when winelovers around the world uses his method on Barolo wines, the reported opening time increased from hours to days.
Personally, I have had many young Barolo which needs over 5 days of slow-ox to express themselves, while there is a group of Barolo lovers which slow-ox old Barolo (70s or older) for days before serving.
In contrast, aeration time for decanting is much simpler, the common consensus seems to be 2-4 hours before serving.
Advocates of the slow-ox method believes that excessive decanting would greatly reduces the aromas of the wine, and possibly leads to premature shutdown.
In this tasting, I would be serving 6 Barolos, young and old (with representative for each decade from 1971 to 2014), from 6 reference producers: Brovia, Cavallotto, Cerretto Bricco Rocche, Domenico Clerico, Aldo Conterno and Francesco Rinaldi.
Two bottles of the same wine will be prepared with the two methods: 1) Decanting for 3-4 hours, 2) Slow-Ox for 3-4 days. The twelve wines will then be served blinded, rated and discussed.
In typical HKWS fashion, the fun does not stop here, a third bottle of the 6 tasting wines will be prepared by the classic Audouze Method (4 hours slow-ox) and served with the second course of the dinner, a chance to look deeper into the subject with the identify of the wines revealed.
The last course of the menu is paired with a mini-horizontal 2006 tasting of three great Barolo Traditionist: Bartolo Mascarello Barolo, Giuseppe Cappellano Barolo Pie Rupestris, and Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia.
Tasting Wines:
2 bottles each of 6 Barolos, from 1971 to 2014, from Brovia, Cavallotto (Bricco Boschis), Cerretto Bricco Rocche (Brunate), Domenico Clerico (Pajana), Aldo Conterno (Romirasco) and Francesco Rinaldi.
Method A: Decanting for 3-4 hours
Method B: Slow-Ox for 3-4 days
Dinner Wines:
1) 2016 Claudio Mariotto Timorasso Pitasso
2) A third bottle of the 6 Tasting Barolos, Slow-Ox for 4 hours (Original Audouze Method).
3) 2006 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo (Magnum), 2006 Giuseppe Cappellano Barolo Pie Rupestris, and 2006 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia.
Dinner Menu:
Course 1: Pan seared Hokkaido scallop, cauliflower puree, pancetta, bagna cauda foam
Course 2: Risotto Carnaroli, wild mushroom and Barolo
Course 3: Wagyu rump steak, nozaki ranch, seared baby carrots, Barolo juice
Coures 4: Selection of Italian Cheese Parmiggiano Reggiano 24 months, Pecorino, Taleggio
