Ric's Wine Journal

By now, most people may be aware that Rose & Arrow Estate began in 2012 as a collaborative effort between the late Mark Tarlov (a film producer who also started Evening Lands) and Louis-Michel Comte Liger-Belair of the eponymous domaine in Vosne-Romanée, looking to produce the best expression of Oregon pinot noir through a fastidious in-depth study of volcanic basalt soils of the Willamette Valley, largely conducted by Chilean geologist Pedro Parra along with fellow compatriot and winemaker Felipe Ramirez. By discovering the relative densities of various parts of the land through conductivity tests, Felipe has mapped out the best plots to plant their vines, each really an irregularly-shaped polygonal micro-cuvée with its own micro-terroir. While they own or farm over 60 hectares of land there, less than four percent goes into the prestigious Rose & Arrow cuvées. The estate has since ended its relationship with Comte Liger-Belair after its 2018 vintage; its viticulture and winemaking are now entirely in-house, led by Felipe Ramirez. However, the ties with Vosne-Romanée still exist in the usage of French barrels that are still flown in every year, of which about twenty-percent consists of new oak. The 2021 line-up below (the entire range of Rose & Arrow is much more extensive) was specially organised by one of the estate’s partners, Tristan Sjoberg, at Atout, Singapore, on 23 April 2024 where we were joined by Felipe himself as well as CEO Ian Lombard. After the masculine and assertive 2019s and the disastrous wildfire smoke-drenched 2020s (where only a total of 400 cases were produced), it is good to report that the 2021s appear to hark back towards the style of 2018, wines that are much more naturally balanced and elegant with unforced expression of pinot noir. The reds are largely de-stemmed, though one would never have guessed from the earthy warmth that characterised each wine. Patience is required. Many thanks, Tristan and Sir Bob!

2021 Rose & Arrow Estate Eola Springs Chardonnay. Lovely luminosity. Shut initially with just a whiff of diesel. That changed quickly into a lovely bloom of white tones and clear citrus laced with a distinct salinity, beautifully balanced with a soft feminine intensity, glowing with refined clarity amid a dash of reductive quality in its chiseled structure. Not surprising, considering that whole clusters are vinified in stainless steel tanks. From Eola-Amity at 600 feet elevation; only 125 cases (of twelve bottles) annually.

2021 Rose & Arrow Estate Riverline. Subtle darkish tones on the nose, leading to a softly contoured palate of red fruits that struck a lovely contrast against minerally undertones, displaying chiseled definition with refined energy and balance, finishing with lengthy persistence. It reminds me very much of a classic Nuits-Saint-Georges. From Chehalem Mountain at 700 feet elevation; only 99 cases annually.

2021 Rose & Arrow Estate Highland Close. Darkish tint of pinot. Rather tight on the nose though the medium-full palate is ample in raspberries and dark cherries, a little more forwardly placed but well juxtaposed against elegant tannins, morphing after some time into an integral seamless entity, stretching out with superb linearity and lithe intensity. Excellent. This should develop very well in bottle. From Chehalem Mountain at 700 feet elevation; only 138 cases annually.

2021 Rose & Arrow Estate Stonecreek. Touted as a Grand Cru equivalent, this wine opens with restrained darkish tones though it’s evident there’s plenty lurking beneath, taking its time to develop subtle layers of warm ripe fruit marked by a predominance of red plums and mulberries, structured with rounded tannins though the bracing acidity is slightly terse, developing further weight and controlled intensity with a seamless elegance. Modest finish. May need more time in bottle but it’s Highland Close that’s showing better at this stage. From Eola-Amity Hills at 450 feet elevation; only 99 cases annually.

2017 Rose & Arrow Estate Gathered Stones. Lovely colour. Very correct in every way, exuding a lifted feminine fragrance with a sense of warm gravel. Beautifully ripe and rounded, displaying exemplary balance with subtle verve and delicious detail without any hint of over-extraction, its refined tannins imparting effortless grace. Dare I say…very Vosne-like? From Eola-Amity Hills at 350 feet elevation; only 137 cases annually.

2019 Rose & Arrow Estate Gathered Stones. Darkish in colour and tone. Considerably more restrained than the 2017 though a gravelly warmth is discernible. A little more intense and fuller as well on the palate with a forward balance of darkish fruit, boasting lovely tannin structure. Distinctly masculine.

2021 Rose & Arrow Estate Gathered Stones. Good colour. Medium-full, imbued with ample depth of bright red fruits and refined acidity that impart supple intensity. Still primal but showing plenty of lovely detail and integral warmth, quite impeccably balanced without any hint of alcoholic heat. Huge promise here; will it be a 2017?

2010 Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Pruliers 1er. Aired in bottle for two hours ahead of dinner at Otto Ristorante, 02 Apr 2024. Displaying a classic pinot tint, this wine proffers a beguiling gentle fragrance of ripe strawberries and rosy hues tinged with rhubarb and floral bloom matched by brilliant red tones on the medium-full palate, boasting exciting verve from the sublime acidity and exquisite supple intensity. Very seamlessly integrated, developing more of the NSG ferrous minerality over time though still rather subtle, overshadowed by the lovely layered complexity. Highly enticing. Superb!

1999 Château Palmer. Aired in bottle for three hours ahead of dinner at Chef Chan Private Dining, 06 Apr 2024, on the occasion of M’s twenty-fifth. Deep garnet. This wine still exudes youthful intensity with some early complexity that recalled balsamic elements and cedar. Beautifully structured, vibrant and energetic, carrying layers of copious dark fruits that impart cool elegance within a frame of exciting tightly knit tannins supported by a subtle vein of minerally elements that lend an austere trace. Fairly lush, just missing that last ounce of opulence. Excellent.

2006 Fontanafredda Barolo La Rosa, aired in bottle for five hours ahead of dinner at the in-laws, 07 Apr 2024. Opaque crimson, proffering a gentle rosy fragrance of cherries and red fruits from a medium presence of velvety fruit laced with refined acidity, exerting mild supple intensity. Drinking well.

2018 Domaine Rapet Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Sous Frétille. Tasted after a brief aeration at home, 17 Apr 2024. Pale. Restrained white tones on the nose tinged with brioche. The medium palate is similarly backward, fleshing out only a little more in spite of persistent coaxing, finishing with distant overtones of nutmeg and white peppery spice. Could do with more fruit to the fore.

Champagne Louis Roederer NV at Atout, 23 Apr 2024. Pale. Bright clarity of clear citrus and lemon that exert focused dry intensity. Slightly reductive but highly inviting. Drinking well.

2021 Coldstream Hills Chardonnay. Popped and poured at Eastern House of Seafood, 26 Apr 2024. Pale. Rather reductive with a crisp chiseled tone, taking a long time to evolve eventual notes of fig, green melons and dense white citrus with a focused intensity, finishing with after notes of bitter lemon.

2020 Château Béchereau, from the list of Cafe Gavroche, 27 Apr 2024. Decanted on-site. Deep garnet. Ample in dark currants and black fruits, alluring on the nose while the gently oaked palate boasts a glowing lithe intensity laced with excellent understated acidity and unobtrusive tannins, briefly disrupted by a streak of austere minerals before morphing into a sleek integral medium-full presence, displaying lovely balance and refined intensity. Quite excellent. From the Saint-Émilion satellite of Montagne.

2018 Stags’ Leap Karia Chardonnay. Aired in bottle for two hours ahead of dinner at Yang Ming Seafood (Bishan), 30 Apr 2024. Luminous light golden hue, exuding slightly resiny tones with a hint of cinnamon. Generously proportioned with moderate depth and lithe presence, showing good refinement though the white fruits appeared to recede over time.

2018 Sandhi Patterson Santa Rita Hills Chardonnay, courtesy of LF at Yang Ming Seafood (Bishan), 30 Apr 2024. Pale. Faint nose of brioche though the palate is surprisingly full with a rounded tight intensity of citrus fruits imbued with high-toned acidity. Very refined and integral though narrow in spectrum.

2005 Müller-Catoir Haardter Burgergarten Spätlese Riesling, courtesy of Vic at Yang Ming Seafood (Bishan), 30 Apr 2024. Luminous deep golden hue. Effusive nose of white incense and paraffin. Open with moderate intensity and understated sweetness, showing lovely riesling character with an early caramelised tone.

2012 Occidental Running Fence Vineyard Cuvée Catherine, courtesy of Sir Bob at Yang Ming Seafood (Bishan), 30 Apr 2024. Forward nose of delicious raspberries, currants and mulberries. Medium-full, exerting youthful freshness and intensity.

2006 Château Léoville Las-Cases. Aired in bottle for two hours prior to dinner at Yang Ming Seafood (Bishan), 30 Apr 2024. Deep garnet. Powerful nose of early tertiary characters. Fullish with supple layers of lovely fruit that inpart sleek intensity. Highly integral, seamlessly structured with refined tannins that impart superb agility and glowing elegance thoughout its length. Excellent.

2000 Château Montrose, courtesy of Sanjay at Yang Ming Seafood (Bishan), 30 Apr 2024. Popped and poured. Deep garnet, exuding an elegant velvety fullness tinged with tobacco leaves. Generously proportioned with ample depth of black fruits that exert open supple youthful intensity, yet highly elegant and integral. Finished with glowing length. Very lovely but still far from peak maturity.

2013 Kosta Browne Keefer Ranch Russian River Pinot Noir, courtesy of LF at Yang Ming Seafood (Bishan), 30 Apr 2024. Ample presence of dark plummy fruit with pruny characters, laced with a distinct sweetness. Big and weighty, almost port-like.

A lovely dinner hosted by Sanjay at Shang Palace, Shangri-la Singapore, on 19 April 2024 on a theme of burgundy to go with the exquisite Cantonese cuisine. All the wines were showing well. As per Burgundian tradition, we drank the Montrachet last on its own. Many thanks and many happy returns!

2010 Champagne Corbon Les Bacchantes Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru, courtesy of CJ. Considerably drier and leaner than the preceding champagne, displaying a sleek high-toned linearity from the generous presence of clear citrus, imbued with subtle shades.

2008 Champagne A Margaine Villers-Marmery Blanc de Blancs 1er, courtesy of CJ. Effusive bouquet of dense yellow citrus amid gleaming chalky tones, leading to a vibrant complex of distant floral tones, incense and toast, laced with very fine ferrous elements and superb acidity that exert a lovely dry intensity, displaying refined verve and crystalline clarity. Perfectly balanced. Excellent.

2012 Champagne Dom Pérignon, courtesy of Jimmy. Pale. Clean lift of white fruits and clear citrus with airy after notes that added to its superb freshness, exerting fleeting dry intensity within a sheer sheen of delicate bubbles. Still very primal.

2009 Antoine Jobard Meursault Genevrières 1er. Lovely luminosity. Mildly reductive on the nose, exuding a whiff of pungent durians. Medium-full. Beautifully rounded and sleek, imbued with a very fine powdery texture of vanillin with a gentle splash of crème. Highly alluring and integral with lovely refinement.

1996 Domaine Robert Ampeau Père et Fils Meursault Charmes 1er, courtesy of LF. Luminous golden hue. Slightly steely and reductive on the nose. Appropriately incisive and fullish, displaying chiseled definition. Still amazingly fresh.

1999 Domaine Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, courtesy of Sanjay. Slightly heavier tint of gold, exuding rounded tones of glazed autumnal fruit with a recessed chalkiness. The medium palate is softly contoured, the fruit and acidity more subdued than anticipated, yielding excellent clarity and transparency with a relaxed, placid character. Very refined but evidently past its prime.

2014 Domaine Jean-Claude Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet Clos du Cailleret 1er, courtesy of CHS. This monopole opens with a luminous restraint, its floral white tones, nutmeg and distant chalkiness very well integrated with excellent clarity and transparency, yielding refined crystalline detail with cool aristocratic elegance.

1992 Domaine Robert Ampeau Père et Fils Volnay Santenots 1er, courtesy of LF. This wine opens with a delicate complex of mature fruit with overtones of tea leaves, cedar and savoury burnt ends. laced with a slight medicinal tinge. Still lively and fresh, elegantly structured though lean in definition with understated intensity.

2015 Domaine Georges Lignier Morey-Saint-Denis Clos des Ormes 1er. Good colour. Alluring presence of fresh strawberries and cherries that carried well on to the ample medium-full palate with gentle supple intensity, underscored by sleek acidity. Delicious. From a plot downslope of Clos de la Roche Grand Cru but on the “wrong” side of the Route des Grands Crus.

2013 Domaine Jean Grivot Vosne-Romanée Les Beaux Monts 1er, courtesy of Vic. Good colour, exuding a delicious bouquet of dark fruits. Softly contoured and feminine, displaying supple intensity with a bit of sharp attack from the pronounced acidity. A little short and straightforward, probably a function of the vintage.

2012 Domaine Dujac Vosne-Romanée Aux Malconsorts 1er, courtesy of Barrie. Classic pinot tint. This wine seduces with a sleek alluring fragrance of dark rose petals and cherries, delivering a classic rounded Dujac signature palate that is fleshy, velvety and luxuriant with understated supple intensity, imbued with seamless layers of ripe fruit underscored by a darkish vein of ferrous elements. Superb.

2002 Domaine A. F. Gros Richebourg Grand Cru, courtesy of CJ. Mature crimson. Highly aromatic in its profusion of cherries, haw, plums and peaches that seduce with elegant complexity. Fleshy but understated, boasting seamless layers of darkish fruit that flirt with fleeting intensity.

2007 Domaine Bouchard Père et Fils Montrachet Grand Cru, courtesy of Dr Ngoi. Luminous. Cool elegant veneer of white fruits and orchard, only hinting at early complexity in spite of its concentrated presence that teased with pointed sublime acidity and fleeting intensity, delicately weighted and agile. Not quite as opulent or ethereal as the 2011 or 2014 or 2017, but still poised with refined elegance, yielding fine detail. Evolving at a glacial pace.

1990 Château Suduiraut, courtesy of Sanjay. Darkly coloured. This mature Sauternes proffers an alluring sweetness with overtones of rye and medicinal malt, clearly autumnal in tone with understated acidity but still fresh, developing further notes of mature honey and apricot laced with medicinal undertones, becoming weightier over time. Ageing well.

It was back to Bordeaux and Bordeaux-blends for the usual suspects at Imperial Treasure Great World on 08 April 2024. While the wines were not as old as some of the best examples of mature claret that we’ve had in the past, the line-up that evening was drinking superbly across the different vintages. Nevertheless, evident from the pair of 1989s, they are at their best after more than three decades of careful cellaring. All wines were blinded. Many thanks!

2008 Champagne Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame, courtesy of LF. Lovely luminosity, exuding airy white tones to match the crisp acidity and intensity of clear citrus on the exuberant palate, structured with a dash of austere minerals throughout its glowing length, proffering crystalline clarity through the sheen of soft bubbles.

2005 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc. Dull golden hue, proffering a restrained chamfered chalkiness. Rather lean initially, very lightly oaked, displaying sleek refinement with excellent clarity and sublime acidity. Fleshed out over time with further undertones of caramel and roasted walnuts, developing sharper definition along with glowing white tones underscored by subtle minerally elements. Highly elegant and still rather youthful, showing only just a hint of secondary development after three hours in the glass.

2006 Dominus. Deep garnet. Restrained darkish hues permeate on the nose and medium-full palate. Generously endowed with warm ripe fruit laced with a dash of tell-tale sweetness that betrayed its New World origin. Nevertheless, its seamless integration, velvety tannins and a distinct note of soy got people into thinking Pomerol which isn’t really wrong, considering this was made by Christian Mouiex.

2000 Château Pavie, courtesy of Sir Bob. Very dark crimson. Expectedly full, generously endowed with ripe raspberries, mulberries and currants underscored by a deeper vein of intense black fruit. Morphed together very well with crisp acidity and elegant tannins but distinctly modern with a restrained exuberance, its vanillin oak still evident but subdued along with a hint of pochai pills. Still far from peak maturity.

1995 Château Margaux, courtesy of Kieron. Deep crimson. The fruit here is rather recessed, resulting in a fair degree of restraint on the nose, just faint whiffs of mature red fruits and dark berries. The medium palate displays good clarity with a lean relaxed presence, fleshing out a little better after some time though it lacks the refined opulence of the best vintages, finishing with a trace of sweetness.

1995 Château Ausone, courtesy of LF. Deep garnet core, proffering a subtle fragrance of dark currants and black berries. Fully mature. Highly supple and integral, generously endowed with seamless layers of fruit structured with detailed tannins. Still wonderfully fresh and youthful, carrying plenty of verve amid overtones of tertiary characters. This is tasting even better than before. At its best.

1989 Château Clinet, courtesy of Sir Bob. Deep crimson, proffering a delicious bouquet of currants and dark berries with a dash of crème de la crème. The fleshy palate is beautifully endowed with subtle shades of glorious fruit and tertiary characters tinged with tobacco leaf, exuding lovely definition and elegant vigour amid sublime acidity. Impeccably balanced and proportioned, and still amazingly youthful. Almost feminine. Truly a complete wine.

1989 Château Angélus, courtesy of Vic. Deep crimson at the core, proffering a distinct feminine fragrance from the superb complex of tertiary characters that exude the pure distilled essence of mature black fruits where every layer of detail may be traced with superb linearity throughout its length, yet utterly integral and seamless, underscored by elegant intensity and exquisite sweetness. Absolutely bewitching and complete. Very, very lovely, perfectly caught at peak maturity and will hold for many more decades. Truly a seminal vintage in more ways than one, for this was the year when Angélus dropped its article L’.

Madame Marie-Andrée Mugneret of Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg dropped in to Singapore (her very first visit!) where her sole agent, Alvin of Domaine Wines, wasted no time in organising a dinner at Jade Palace on 24 March 2024. Marie-Andrée still recalls our visit to her domaine in October 2018, and it was very good to see that she has not changed at all since. The wines of Mugneret-Gibourg hail from various holdings in Vosne-Romanée and Nuits-Saints-Georges totaling some 8 hectares, mostly de-stemmed during vinification. Made by an all-female team all from within the family after Marie-Andrée and her sister Marie-Christine succeeded their father Georges (who was also an ophthalmologist), one cannot help but notice that the wines tend to be a little more feminine: wines of great purity and elegance, well-proportioned with understated power and intensity. This was evident throughout the range that evening from village to grand cru. Like most burgundies, though, quantity is scarce and they command a premium. Thank you very much for visiting us, Marie-Andrée, and we hope to see you again soon.

2019 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Bourgogne Les Lutenières. Deep purple. Distant nose of raspberries and cherries. Exuberant presence of bright red fruits, displaying a warm ripeness with a hint of velvety tannins. Fairly integral with controlled intensity.

2019 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Vosne-Romanée. Good colour. More immediate in character than the preceding wine, proffering cherries and red fruits with a greater suggestion of verve. The palate displays refreshing purity of fruit with a glimpse of inner detail, carrying a moderate swell of intensity to its modest finish.

2019 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Vosne-Romanée La Colombière. From a single lieu-dit but still village, this wine is considerably deeper and darker, delivering a full bouquet of haw and rosy fragrances matched by a superb depth of glorious fruit on the busy palate, still tightly coiled but already lush and succulent, finishing with a trace of vanillin. Truly quite a special cuvée, imbued with plenty of promise.

2015 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Les Chaignots. Good colour. Soft red fruits and cherries dominate with a refined feminine intensity, though somewhat more fleeting on the medium-full palate, underscored by a deeper darker minerally vein entirely in keeping with the character of this commune. Quite vibrant and energetic, morphing together very well.

2015 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Échezeaux Grand Cru. This blend of two plots from the top slope is deep purple with an opaque darkish core, proffering a sharp lift of black cherries and currants from the ample depth of fruit that exert tremendous verve and exciting intensity, its seamlessly layered textures yielding fine inner detail with overtones of haw. Beautifully integral. Highly successful.

2011 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru. Classic pinot tint, exuding a gentle rosy fragrance matched by a moderate presence of fruit. Well-integrated though the slick acidity is a little too distracting, shifting one’s attention away from the silky-smooth tannins. Somewhat detached and uninvolving.

2008 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs, courtesy of Jim at Otto Ristorante, 05 Mar 2024. Pale. Distant complex of green fruits and almonds with lifted floral scents, leading to rounded tones of fig and dense citrus laced with refreshing crisp acidity, its vigour tempered by slightly darkish undertones. Excellent.

2015 Lamy-Pillot Le Montrachet Grand Cru, courtesy of John at Otto Ristorante, 05 Mar 2024. Pale golden, proffering faint orchard fruit and morning dew amid cool glacial tones whilst apricot, peaches and shavings of orange peel dominate with early complexity with medium presence, very lightly perfumed with refined clarity. Cleanly structured with unobtrusive acidity. Not quite as minerally as one would expect from the Chassagne side of Montrachet. Drinking well.

2008 Domaine Hudelot-Noëllat Richebourg Grand Cru, courtesy of John at Otto Ristorante, 05 Mar 2024. More developed than usual for 2008, opening with a dash of brett on the nose that, thankfully, blew away quite quickly to offer a fine density of dark cherries and black currants, exuding veiled fragrance. The medium-weight palate is open with supple intensity, highly integral and rounded with a tinge of crème and balsamic elements. Not the finest example though, missing the layered verve, power and succulence one would usually expect of Richebourg.

Champagne Devaux Coeur Des Bar Blanc de Noirs NV at Iggy’s, 06 Mar 2024. Pale yellow. Peaches and grapefruit dominate on the nose with a hint of emulsion and sweet incense. The fullish palate shows a lively presence of fresh citrus underpinned by a trace of darkish berries, producing restrained intensity and modest finish. Drinking very well. From 100% pinot noir.

2018 Domaine Bachelet-Monnot Maranges 1er La Fussière, from the list of Galvin La Chapelle, London, on 14 Mar 2024. Deep purple at the core. Fairly aromatic in ripe raspberries and cherries, combining well with the base of ferrous elements to impart a slightly darkish tone to the lively medium-full palate, displaying good balance and fine detail with a cool freshness. Fairly robust but refined enough to handle the tensile tannins, turning a little sweeter and fuller over time.

2019 Domaine de Montille Saint-Aubin 1er En Remilly. Aired for almost three hours ahead of dinner at Crab At Bay, 16 Mar 2024. Pale. Lifted notes of delicate citrus, fig and pomelo, imparting excellent presence and lively acidity with fine clarity and refreshing intensity though it turned more minerally and reductive over time.

2008 Château Maucamps. Aired for two hours ahead of dinner at Beng Thin, 23 Mar 2024. Deep crimson core. Very beautifully integrated, exuding green capsicum, currants and wild berries alongside secondary notes of cedar in a medium-bodied complex with just the right level of acidity and tannins, oozing a trace of sweetness. Classically proportioned. A true Haut-Médoc at its best.

2018 Domaine Roulot Bourgogne Blanc. Aired for two hours ahead of dinner at Jade Palace, 24 Mar 2024. Pale. Distant nose of citrus and clear fruits amid a faint floral fragrance. Equally restrained at first on the palate before fleshing out with greater fullness and controlled intensity, displaying good acidity with a dash of sweetness, eventually veering towards a minerally presence without being overtly reductive.

2012 Domaine Joseph Drouhin Puligny-Montrachet Pucelles 1er. Aired for two hours ahead of dinner at Jade Palace, 24 Mar 2024. Lovely golden hue, exuding a restrained chalkiness with a hint of apricot and apples. Rather fleeting initially with a teasing quality before fleshing out with more pronounced acidity, displaying fine transparency against a backdrop of subtle saline minerals. Modest finish.

2014 Domaine Bouchard Père et Fils Meursault Gouttes d’Or 1er, courtesy of Kieron at Jade Palace, 24 Mar 2024. Luminous. Highly expressive bouquet of brioche and honeysuckle, leading to a medium-full palate of nuanced chalky detail supported by understated minerals, developing a little more pronounced acidity that exert a controlled tensile presence. Good finish.

2017 Domaine Bernard Bonin Meursault Vieilles Vignes, courtesy of LF at Jade Palace, 24 Mar 2024. Pale. Highly expressive in white tones underscored by a dash of vanillin. Classic reductive character, displaying precise but lean definition.

2017 Maison Leroy Bourgogne Blanc, courtesy of Sir Bob at Jade Palace, 24 Mar 2024. Tasted blind. Luminous gold. Distant hues of white fruits with a chamfered chalkiness, impeccably balanced with sublime acidity that exert a subtle tensile presence, fleshing out with svelte fullness. Highly integral and elegant, shot through with breed and pedigree. Very lovely. I’m glad we’d bought loads just before prices began soaring.

2006 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Meursault-Charmes 1er, courtesy of Sir Bob at Jade Palace, 24 Mar 2024. Tasted blind. Heavier tint of gold and clearly of considerable age on the nose. The balance on the medium palate veers towards a minerally presence, the chalkiness somewhat recessed, favouring greater clarity that conferred a distinct feminine stance in spite of some funky overtones of diesel, finishing in a gentle glow. Probably at its best.

2015 Domaine Roulot Meursault Les Luchets, courtesy of LF at Jade Palace, 24 Mar 2024. Nose of distant crème, lightly floral, though surprisingly full on the palate where distilled clear citrus and ferrous elements dominate in equal measure with a hint of lemon bitters, underscored by refined acidity that added to its excellent balance and delineation throughout its subtle length. Highly successful.

2011 Domaine Henri Boillot Puligny-Montrachet Clos de la Mouchere 1er, courtesy of Barrie at Jade Palace, 24 Mar 2024. Pale golden. Medium-full though the fruit is rather restrained, its predominant white tones marked by a distinct salinity and high-toned acidity. Good balance.

Champagne Moët & Chandon Impérial NV. Popped and poured at Liang Kee, 25 Mar 2024. Displaying a lovely luminosity, this wine is imbued with generous layers of lime and yellow citrus supported by crisp acidity that exert controlled intensity, softened by a considerable level of sweetness along its moderate length. Drinking well.

2021 Domaine Robert Groffier Père et Fils Bourgogne Passetoutgrain. Aired for an hour in bottle prior to dinner at Crab At Bay, 27 Mar 2024. Displaying an opaque purplish core, this blend of 25% gamay and 75% pinot noir is surprisingly good, delivering a medium presence of mulberries and plums at just the right level of ripeness, extraction and acidity, close to being velvety in its refined tannin structure though without the expressive purity of the noble grape. Drinking very well.

2008 Château Maurac, aired in bottle for an hour ahead of lunch at Asia Grand, 29 Mar 2024. Deep garnet, exuding powerful tones of dark plums, licorice and wild berries on the nose and concentrated palate that impart a certain robustness smoothened over by well-managed tannins and lively acidity. Fairly integral. Distinctly firm and masculine. You can throw anything at it.

Following the success of two previous all-Château d’Yquem dinners in 2018 and 2022, Grace very kindly hosted a third back again at Nicolas on 20 March 2024, featuring a stupendous line-up that included, once again, the 1957 (Dr Ngoi had wiped out all the château’s remaining six bottles some years ago) plus the mouth-watering rarity of a 1944! This time, Nicolas has boldly paired the wines with a standard menu that included red meat, proving that a good Sauternes can go with anything. All the wines were singing. Suffice to say, these are ageless beauties that seduce unfailingly without wearing you out. Many thanks, Grace and Dr Ngoi and everyone else, for your immense generosity and for digging deep.

2014 “Y” d’Yquem, courtesy of Dr Ngoi. Pale. Distant floral lift of fig and green fruits. Equally subtle on the medium palate where understated layers of white fruits and minerally elements impart lean precision underscored by refined acidity and a distinct salinity. Impeccably balanced, developing further intensity of longans over time. Excellent.

2014 Château d’Yquem. Good colour. Gentle glow of tropical fruits on the nose, matched by a sleek palate of longans and lychees laid on an understated minerally base. Highly integral and agile, a little lean initially before fleshing out in a blaze of pears, nectarine and pineapples. Similar in DNA as Ygrec of the same vintage, but this wine is all about its beguiling bouquet. Considerably lighter and fleet-footed than usual but it may yet turn out to be a great d’Yquem.

2010 Château d’Yquem, courtesy of Edward. Dull golden hue. This wine is more in the manner of traditional d’Yquem, opening with classic tones of apricot, cinnamon and maple fruit in a luscious concentrated opulence, almost cloying in its full ripeness, yet delicate enough in its glowing definition of seamless layers of fruit, acidity and subtle minerals. A reflection of the vintage and an older style.

2002 Château d’Yquem, courtesy of Winfred. Luminous gold, proffering a restrained glow of honeyed toast from its bold detailed presence, laced with wonderfully sleek acidity that added a touch of elegance to the deep velvety layers of succulent opulence. Superb.

2001 Château d’Yquem, courtesy of Peter Tan. Poured from a pair of half bottles, this seminal vintage of d’Yquem is notably more developed, sporting a heavier tint of gold with dense nutty flavours topped with a medicinal hint. Still remarkably deft and agile, displaying sharp delineation with effortless grace within a rounded sheen of white incense that teased with fleeting intensity. Not at all heavy.

1997 Château d’Yquem, courtesy of Stephan. Highly luminous, opening with a lovely glow of mandarins and kumquat well-replicated with agile presence and fleeting intensity, its slick acidity imparting superb freshness on the clean streamlined palate, impeccably balanced even as it developed further notes of brioche and honeysuckle.

1995 Château d’Yquem, courtesy of Gisela and Ted. Rather heavy in color. Distinctly mature on the nose and palate, its autumnal character imparting darkish shades to the medium-full presence of orange peel and apricot, superbly refined and well-balanced with understated attack and intensity. Drinking beautifully.

1988 Château d’Yquem, courtesy of Tsun Yan. Good colour. Fabulous bouquet of liquored honey that belies its delicate tone, wonderfully fleet and transparent and still amazingly fresh in spite of its obvious maturity. Very evenly proportioned and impeccably balanced, boasting understated detail with a suggestion of cigar burnt ends from subtle layers of refined minerally elements. Outstanding.

1957 Château d’Yquem, courtesy of Dr Ngoi. Ex-château. Rather heavily tinted, as expected. Compared to a previous tasting in 2018 (also ex-château from Dr Ngoi), this bottle is much fresher and livelier, its demure restraint on the nose masking an incredible lithe agility on the silky smooth palate, still imbued with superb acidity and amazingly fresh citrus and kumquat within an understated complex, delivered with aristocratic poise. Immaculately proportioned, turning a little more savoury over time as it finished with excellent linearity. One is truly drinking the distilled essence of noble rot, stripped of all excesses and distraction. Still has the legs to go on for years. A feminine beauty. Superb!

1944 Château d’Yquem, courtesy of Mr Nasrat. Tasted with palpable anticipation, the 1944 is very darkly coloured, proffering a restrained sweet warmth with a distinct note of capsicum and exotic spice. The medium palate remains lively enough, still imbued with fresh acidity, though, like any eighty-year-old, it has become highly introspective, having shed all excesses to leave a distilled integral essence throughout its lovely length, finishing with a dominant note of bitter lemon. Ageing very gracefully, indeed. Probably vinified shortly after the Liberation of Paris that year, one can almost taste the spirit and confidence of imminent Allied victory. Thank you very much for such a wonderful privilege, Sir!

2016 d’Arenberg Dead Arm Shiraz. Popped and poured at the in-laws, 04 Feb 2024. Deep crimson. Profusion of cool shiraz at just the right degree of extraction that coat the palate with a ripe plummy warmth. Good balance with well-managed tannins.

2021 Domaine Florent Garaudet Monthelie Blanc Sous le Cellier. Aired for ninety minutes ahead of dinner at GEMMA, 07 Feb 2024. This wine opens with abundant fresh tangy citrus that impart zesty focused intensity with a teasing quality, trailed by gentle overtones of raddish and vanillin. Gradually morphed into a seamless crystalline entity with cool glacial tones tinged with a distant chalkiness and nutmeg, becoming almost Puligny-like, developing a further note of saline with emerging ferrous elements amid early floral characters and nectarine. Plenty of promise here, and certainly great value.

2019 Henschke Keyneton Euphonium. Popped and poured on 10 Feb 2024. Deep purple. Full presence of warm ripe plummy fruit, firmly structured in equal measure with a trace of astringency in its lively intensity amid overtones of licorice, warm gravel and menthol. Not given enough time and aeration on this occasion.

2018 Mondot. Aired in bottle for three hours ahead of dinner at Bedrock Bar & Grill, 12 Feb 2024. This Saint-Émilion Grand Cru opens with a fair amount of restraint on the nose, proffering only distant notes of dark roses, cherries and currants though the juicy medium-full palate is wonderfully engaging, quite generously endowed with supple intensity and well-integrated acidity, displaying more ferrous elements over time that eventually lent a slightly austere steely edge. Made entirely of merlot from a separate 10-ha plot (therefore not a “second wine” of declassified grapes), this is worthy of further cellaring.

2018 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet, courtesy of Mr Nasrat at Jiang-Nan Chun, 15 Feb 2024. Pale. This wine opens with overtones of cool distant morning mist, leading to a focused gentle intensity of delicate clear citrus tinged with bitter lemon. Grew in stature with fleeting notes of tropical fruit, still maintaining fine clarity with a distinct acidity but it stopped short of further layering.

2015 Domaine Bouchard Père et Fils Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru, courtesy of Mr Nasrat at Jiang-Nan Chun, 15 Feb 2024. Pale. Opens with a mild reductive pungency amid cool rounded white tones, delivering excellent mouthfeel from the superb density of distilled peaches and white fruits that impart focused intensity with an ethereal elegance, fleshing out well. Distinctly feminine. Still relatively tight but utterly irresistible.

2016 Domaine des Lambrays Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru, courtesy of Mr Nasrat at Jiang-Nan Chun, 15 Feb 2024. Classic pinot tint. Subtle plummy fruit and mulberries on the nose, somewhat restrained. The medium palate is fairly integral with a deeper core of kumquat laced with a distinct acidity, showing early secondary characters. Snapped into focus after an hour with further notes of fresh cherries on the nose, eventually fleshing out with supple succulence, becoming very beautifully developed with layers of fruit underpinned by a dash of darkish elements. Highly consistent with a barrel sample tasted at the domaine in November 2017.

2017 Domaine Prieuré Roch Nuits-Saint-Georges Le Clos des Corvées 1er monopole, courtesy of Mr Nasrat at Jiang-Nan Chun, 15 Feb 2024. Opaque dusky reddish-brown, exuding mulberries and wild raspberries on the nose initially, giving way to a brilliant cherry fragrance after some time. The fullish palate is rather velvety, laced with a pronounced acidity laid on a firm ferrous base that lent a distinct rusticity, developing an attractive supple succulence with moderate intensity though the finish is somewhat untidy. Closed down to become even more acidic and reductive over time.

2018 Domaine Comte Senard Corton Clos des Meix Grand Cru, courtesy of Chee Wee at Jiang-Nan Chun, 15 Feb 2024. Classic pinot tint. Rather restrained on the nose in spite of a medium-full density of wild berries, bush and vegetal characters that impart a distinct rusticity. Rounded with a dominant acidity.

2014 Château d’Yquem, courtesy of Mr Nasrat at Jiang-Nan Chun, 15 Feb 2024. Dull golden. Gleaming tones of emulsion, vanillin, crème and nectarine dominate with superb presence, tinged with a dash of incense. Beautifully rounded and elegant, stretching out with a balanced luscious intensity underscored by gorgeous acidity.

2018 Champagne Marguet Verzenay Grand Cru, courtesy of LF at Gleneagles, 16 Feb 2024. Clear golden hue, proffering a lovely lift of red apples and tensile nectarine. Superbly integrated. Wonderfully agile and slick with dry supple intensity, exuding overtones of iron filings. Excellent.

Champagne Pascal Agrapart Complantée Extra Brut NV, courtesy of LF at Gleneagles, 16 Feb 2024. Pale with an attractive reductive pungency, easing into a cool understated palate with relaxed charm and clear crystalline quality, the white fruits set a little backward.

Champagne Pascal Hénin NV, courtesy of LF at Gleneagles, 16 Feb 2024. Comprises 100% chardonnay grand cru from Chouilly. Lifted nose of fresh morning dew and light floral fragrance, gleaming with yellow citrus and cashews on the refreshing medium palate, underpinned by some salinity.

2014 Occidental SWK Vineyard, courtesy of LF at Gleneagles, 16 Feb 2024. Slightly darkish for pinot. Generously endowed with a keen supple presence of dark cherries and red plums but rather measured with cool precision and lean definition, structured with effortless grace. Highly integral.

2015 Antikythera Pinot Noir, courtesy of LF at Gleneagles, 16 Feb 2024. Good colour. Raspberries, cherries, and rose petals dominate with a tinge of salinity. Medium-full. Seamlessly integrated with lovely freshness, exuding a gentle rosy fragrance with relaxed charm.

2005 Kapçsandy Family Winery State Lane Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, courtesy of LF at Gleneagles, 16 Feb 2024. Dark purple, boasting a glorious depth of ripe berries and currants laid on lush velvety textures, developing early secondary characters of sandalwood and earthy spice with a trace of sweetness in its subtle tannins. Rounded with fine sophistication. Delicious!

2020 Château Laffitte Carcasset at Gleneagles, 16 Feb 2024. Aired in bottle for four hours prior. Deep garnet. This Saint-Estèphe opens with a certain restraint though there’s plenty of darkish fruit lurking beneath. Medium-full. Well integrated, though there is a bit of minerally brightness as the fruit turned a little backward after some time, revealing dryish detailed tannins with a trace of sweetness. Needs time to flesh out in bottle.

2010 Cayuse Vineyards Syrah Walla Walla Valley Armada Vineyard, courtesy of LF at Gleneagles, 16 Feb 2024. Crimson. Effusive glow of haw and ripe red fruits with a focused intensity on the firm medium-full palate, underpinned by menthol and medicinal tones. Structured with subtle tannins.

2015 Almaviva, courtesy of LF at Gleneagles, 16 Feb 2024. Deep crimson. Quite effusive in darkish fruit with sweetish overtones. Fullish with cool ripeness, displaying moderate depth with deft agility.

2015 Sena, courtesy of LF at Gleneagles, 16 Feb 2024. Dark. Fleshy and highly supple. Well integrated with darkish easy charm. Somewhat nondescript.

2018 Gran Moraine Willamette Valley Chardonnay, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, 21 Feb 2024. Pale greenish hue. Fairly effusive in delicate floral scents. Medium weight, displaying an agile teasing quality amid cool glacial tones with good cohesion and refined acidity. Finished well with traces of bitter lemon.

2016 Château Chasse-Spleen, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, 21 Feb 2024. Deep garnet. Some restraint initially, proffering just a hint of vanillin with a certain lightness and cool introspection on the medium palate imbued with darkish fruit and currants, tinged with an unusual trace of barnyard earthiness towards the finish. Seemingly lacking in vigour though things snapped into focus after thirty minutes with a bit of furred intensity, the fruit a little deeper and more plummy with detailed tannins. Probably going through an awkward phase.

2009 Domaine Meo Camuzet Échezeaux Les Rouges du Bas Grand Cru, courtesy of John at Gleneagles, 23 Feb 2024. Tasted after overnight aeration in bottle. Deep crimson. Restrained glow of dark plums with faint overtones of emulsion. Medium weight. Ample in dark fruits and black currants, well extracted with a rich glossy sheen. Structured with sophisticated tannins and refined acidity. Dark, weighty and masculine, exuding controlled intensity with a slight tartness at the finish (opined Sir Bob, which I agree).

2005 Roc de Cambes, decanted on-site at Cook & Brew, 24 Feb 2024. Deep crimson. Profusion of dark plummy fruit with a dash of sweet currants on the nose, slightly savoury. Medium-full, displaying lively acidity with exciting verve imparted by very fine tensile tannins. More lush and voluptuous over time with characteristic savoury tones underpinned by a distinct note of mocha, stretching out with understated minty length. From Côtes de Bourg, but one may be forgiven for thinking Saint-Émilion. Drinks like a classified growth.

2017 Domaine de Montille Puligny-Montrachet Les Cailleret 1er. Aired in bottle for six hours ahead of dinner at Origin Grill, 28 Feb 2024. Straw coloured. Attractive aromas of nutmeg, chives, almonds and clear citrus. Medium-full. Softly contoured with teasing plush intensity that impart distilled clarity and lovely tingling mouthfeel with a distinct salinity. Not the reductive sort.

2011 Château Canon, courtesy of Kieron at Origin Grill, 28 Feb 2024. Popped and poured. Deep purple. The nose suggests a big wine, still tinged with emulsion and varnish, though it came across as highly supple and agile on the medium-weight palate, very smoothly delineated with a concentrated warmth and refined balance.

2010 Le Dôme, courtesy of Russ. Aired well ahead of dinner at Origin Grill, 28 Feb 2024. Deep crimson. This garagiste effort opens with a gravelly warmth leading to a fairly full rounded velvety palate, evenly delineated with structured supple intensity in spite of its masculine proportions.

2005 Jasper Hill Shiraz, courtesy of Melvin at Origin Grill, 28 Feb 2024. Popped and poured. Dark opaque purple. Rather funky on the nose with licorice and powerful medicinal overtones. Big, ripe and juicy, structured with chewy tannins that ooze with sweetish eucalyptus. Far from ready.

The usual suspects and friends met on a theme of Old and New World pinot noir and chardonnay at Summer Pavillion on 25 February 2024. All wines were blinded. While the yardstick still remains with the burgundies, the New World pinots (which happened to be all American in our case) measured up very well, their contemporary style being highly sophisticated with great refinement. Many thanks, everyone!

2017 Domaine Benoit Ente Puligny-Montrachet. Pale. Delicate lift of peaches, pears and light citrus with fresh floral scents amid cool glacial tones. Subtly layered with fine clarity, turning more reductive over time with a distinct salinity as it teased with fleeting intensity, eventually developing a fine density of orchard fruit that finished with a harmonious glow of nutmeg.

2007 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Meursault Clos de la Barre, courtesy of Sir Bob. Luminous gold. Resolutely shut at first, gradually developing an emerging dense oiliness on the nose whilst the stern medium palate of ferrous minerals gave way to a concentrated presence of intense white fruits still laced with a dash of vanillin, fleshing out with rounded lean definition. Lifted finish.

2021 Cullen Wines Kevin John Fruit Day Chardonnay, courtesy of Alvin. Dull golden. Shut initially, showing just a hint of recessed chalk before unfurling a dense bouquet of intricate floral detail that contrasted beautifully against a racy palate of rounded white chromatic tones, taut with fine definition and precision. The unusual hint of diesel at its lengthy finish gave away its New World origin, but it was still very difficult to place. Not the usual creamy buttery style. Excellent!

2020 Domaine des Lambrays Puligny-Montrachet Folatières 1er, courtesy of Vic. Pale. Shut on the nose though the medium-weight palate boasts excellent density of fruit and ferrous elements, taut with delicate intensity along with a bit of minerally glare, proffering only a glimpse of inner citrus and nutmeg beneath the sheen of white tones. Huge potential here.

2019 00 Wines EGW Willamette Chardonnay, courtesy of Kieron. Pale golden. Nose of fresh floral scents, the fruit a little reluctant initially. Generously proportioned with a high-toned tensile presence, becoming more harmonious over time, gelling together with excellent refinement.

1985 Chalone Vineyard “Estate Grown” Pinot Noir, courtesy of LF. Opaque purplish-crimson hues, imbued with the distilled presence of red fruits tinged with a distinct salinity that exude clean minty overtones. Still holding up well.

1993 Calera Jensen Mount Harlan Pinot Noir, courtesy of LF. Evolved pinot tint, boasting a mature complex of red fruits, apricot and tangerines amid racy overtones of saline, smoke and gum. Concentrated yet open with tremendous verve and refinement from the sweetish tannins, each sip bringing on even greater intensity and sweetness. Very well balanced and proportioned in spite of its size. Superb.

2021 Ostia Tempore Honoris Pinot Noir, courtesy of Anthony. Deep purplish core, proffering a forward balance of fresh dark berries of moderate intensity. Very cleanly structured with refined purity and lean definition, finishing with, perhaps, just a hint of match-stick smokiness. An effort by Domaine de la Romanée-Conti in Willamette Valley, Oregon.

2018 Rose & Arrow Hopewell Hills. Deep purple. Lifted bouquet of fresh wild berries and black cherries. Very clean in feel and delineation. Exudes quiet sophistication with smoothly contoured subtle tannins that yield good definition with a distilled dry intensity underscored by a deep dark vein of fruit, finishing well. Delicious. Not surprising that everyone thought it was burgundy as this estate began as a joint collaboration between the late Mark Tarlov and Comte Liger-Belair, using barrels from Vosne-Romanée.

2008 Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux Vosne-Romanée Les Chaumes 1er, courtesy of Vic. Fairly deep core of crimson, exuding early secondary characters with some earthiness. Medium weight, the darkish plummy fruit well developed with overtones of bramble and undergrowth, imparting a bit of gruffness that thinned out a little towards the finish.

2010 Domaine Georges Roumier Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru, courtesy of Anthony. Classic pinot tint. This wine opens with an attractive bouquet of fresh cherries and red fruits tinged with a dash of sweetness, exuding a clean relaxed charm on the medium palate, underpinned by subdued acidity and structured with understated tannins. A demure Bonnes-Mares rather than the usual exuberance.

2002 Domaine Emmanuel Rouget Échezeaux Grand Cru, courtesy of Sir Bob. Good colour. Delicious expanse of ripe wild berries and cherries that impart excellent concentrated presence, quite seamlessly integrated with a rasping dry intensity from its chiseled definition and precision. Modest finish.

2009 Christophe Roumier Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru, courtesy of Kieron. Good colour. Benefitting from the impeccable pedigree of Domaine Roumier, Christophe’s own effort is imbued with a delicious supple intensity of fresh berries and mandarins that display lean definition with lovely purity and structured precision. Superb.