Ric's Wine Journal

A lovely dinner at Ki-sho on 08 June 2026, very generously hosted by Anthony Oei who also popped the William Kelley Volnay and Kei Shiogai on a whim. All the wines were drinking beautifully, perfectly matching the sublime culinary art of Executive Chef Taro Takayama who had previously been operating at an eponymous establishment. Some of these new domaines command a very steep premium right from the start and while the wines are, indeed, very expertly crafted, there are plenty of choices for the connoisseur at such price points. Many thanks again to everyone for your kind generosity.

2013 Champagne Salon Cuvée S Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs Brut, courtesy of Anthony. Light pale greenish. Keen rounded bouquet of pomelo, pears and peaches amid a fabulous minerally density. Full-bodied, displaying crystalline clarity and sharp attack of lemon bitters that cut through with a bold dry intensity that lingered with lasting persistence. Great balance.

2008 Champagne Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill, courtesy of Vic. Pale golden. Fairly effusive in deep yeasty tones, boasting a sharp attack of dense yellow citrus with shades of bitter lemon that impart bold supple intensity. Somewhat narrow in spectrum initially, fleshing out eventually with fine balance and linearity. Yet to develop.

2017 Domaine Jean-Claude Ramonet Puligny-Montrachet Les Enseignères. Pale. This wine opens with a restrained glow of white fruits and melons amid a recessed chalkiness that fills the palate with an enticing rounded softness in spite of the full presence of fruit, topped with a cool luxuriant coat of crème de la crème. True to Ramonet’s style, there is a very lovely ebb and flow of gentle feminine intensity, conveying fine tension and linearity throughout its integral length. Punches way above its village status. No wonder producers such as Coche-Dury and Chavy-Chouet have also begun producing from this plot that abuts Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru at the easterly end.

2018 Domaine Pierre-Yvés Colin-Morey Meursault-Charmes 1er, courtesy of Kieron. Pale greenish, proffering reductive tones of lime and clear citrus couched with a certain restraint. Medium-full, imbued with copious fruit and sublime acidity that impart terrific tension and intensity. Yet to develop.

1995 J-F Coche-Dury Meursault, courtesy of Sir Bob. Golden luminosity. A little autumnal in character initially where notes of apricot amid a mature chalky creaminess are evident. Fleshed out quite quickly with keen citrus underpinned by refined acidity that conveyed adequate youthful freshness, poised with aristocratic elegance. Still holding on well, though at 31 years, one should start drinking up gradually.

2023 William Kelley Coteaux Bourguignons, courtesy of Kieron. Pale. Unusual nose of nutmeg with overtones of mint. Imbued with generous swathes of white fruit seamlessly integrated with superb acidity, exerting a focused intensity that swells and ebbs with excellent coherence. More integral over time with glowing warmth though its finish is somewhat modest.

2023 William Kelley Volnay 1er Carelle Sous la Chapelle, courtesy of Anthony. Good colour. Deep effusive bouquet of red fruits and cherries. Well extracted and wonderfully ripe, underscored by a deeper vein of dark currants and sleek acidity that impart a focused intensity and tensile presence though it didn’t seem to develop further in the glass. Modest finish.

2023 Kei Shiogai Pommard Poisot, courtesy of Anthony. Good colour, exuding a lovely feminine fragrance of cool ripe cherries and red fruits tinged with a bit of stems. Superbly proportioned and integrated with an unforced agility, boasting fine definition. Just a tad reductive towards its moderate finish, reflecting the rich ferrous soils of its terroir. Almost ethereal.

2022 Domaine Morey-Coffinet Chassagne-Montrachet, courtesy of LF over lunch with Vic, 04 May 2026. Light golden. Fairly effusive in gentle floral hues, apricot and dried mangoes. Medium-full, imbued with a concentrated presence of lively citrus fruit that impart exquisite intensity, showing good refinement and sophistication even for village.

2022 Kumeu River Mate’s Chardonnay. Popped and poured at Wah Lok, 08 May 2026. My second bottle in three months. Pale luminosity. Very Puligny-like on the nose, highly expressive and enticing. The medium-full palate is layered with a fine chalky density imbued with white fruits, melons and almonds at just the right level of acidity, conveying elegant verve with a dash of ferrous minerality towards its moderate finish. Highly successful.

2021 Comando G La Bruja, courtesy of LF over lunch with Vic, 11 May 2026. Aired in bottle for five hours prior. Clear brownish red, exuding an attractive deep rosy fragrance along with haw and red fruits. Medium-full though surprisingly lithe and delicate for a 100% grenache, imbued with lovely acidity that impart succulent intensity.

2016 Domaine Alain Hudelot-Noëllat Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Bas de Combes. Aired in bottle for four hours prior to lunch at Crab At Bay, 14 May 2026. Brownish red with a trace of crimson at the rim, proffering quite a fairly intense lift of ripe raspberries and mulberries. The weighty palate shows a high-toned acidity to go with the glow of red fruits, well extracted with succulent intensity amid smooth tannins, becoming a little more dense and velvety over time, underpinned by a dash of sweetness.

2021 Etienne Sauzet Puligny-Montrachet, courtesy of LF over lunch with Vic, 18 May 2026. Aired in bottle for five hours prior. Pale yellowish-green. Distant green fruits and floral hues. Quite excellent in the mouth, displaying a lean minerally tone along with good presence of lemon citrus in equal measure, laced with keen acidity that impart a teasing intensity.

2016 Domaine Bouchard Père et Fils Beaune Grèves 1er Vigne de L’Enfant Jésus. Aired in bottle for a few hours ahead of lunch at Bedrock Bar & Grill, 25 May 2026. Fullish. Well extracted with an abundance of ripe raspberries and mulberries dressed in velvety tannins with a sweetish undertow, perhaps a tad gruff and rustic in keeping with its Beaune origin. Lightened up further in the glass, opening up to reveal more delicate tones of rose petals and cherries, considerably more refined and integral. A monopole of Bouchard.

2009 Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Clos des Porrets St-Georges monopole. Popped and poured at Otto Ristorante, 26 May 2026. Good colour. Effusive in deep rosy hues that exudes a glowing intensity of haw and red fruits, displaying excellent freshness with fine precision, developing a dash of earthy ferrous undertones over time.

An evening of Bordeaux with The Professor at Ying, SICC, on 06 May 2026. The 1990s are really coming into their own now, having hit the 30-year mark, still holding up very well. Many thanks!

2023 Sandhi Central Coast Chardonnay, courtesy of Hiok. Pale. Effusive in green fruits and resinous hues though a little lean with moderate intensity, showing good focus and precision with a tinge of salinity.

2021 Domaine Jean-Chartron Puligny-Montrachet 1er Clos de la Pucelle. This monopole exudes a classic Puligny nose of sublime chalk and white floral hues from its glorious luminosity, very generously layered in citrus and pomelo that impart overtones of lemon bitters amid a glacial coolness.

2003 Château Clos Fourtet, courtesy of The Professor. Deep crimson, exuding a funky earthy pungency that I really like. Medium-full. Generous in mulberries and ripe wild berries, still imbued with lively acidity with a robust minerally base, displaying a bit of rustic character. From a super-hot vintage.

1996 Château Clos Fourtet, courtesy of Hiok. Opaque reddish brown. Quite reductive on the nose, while the ample palate shows a predominance of darkish forest notes with a smooth velvety sheen, structured with firm tannins that impart a bit of austerity. More integral after some time, finishing with a dash of mint.

2010 Château Pichon Baron Longueville, courtesy of KP Hui. Deep purple, boasting generous swathes of dark currants, raspberries and some red fruits but not heavy at all on the palate, highly integral with soft refined tannins that confer fine intensity and lithe supple succulence. One senses a certain pedigree but it is difficult to place at this stage, somewhat deceptive as it doesn’t quite show the classic Pauillac character.

1998 Château La Gomerie. Deep crimson. This wine exudes a lovely rosy fragrance, matched most appropriately by a feminine intensity and sublime acidity on the velvety palate. Wonderfully succulent and integral, glowing with impeccable balance. Someone thought it was a Lafite. It’s really that good.

1996 Château Montrose, courtesy of Vic. Evolved crimson. Very lovely on the nose, full of lively verve that carried fleshy layers of mature red fruits, dark currants and cinnamon underscored by fine tension and acidity that gelled together beautifully. Very impeccably proportioned and refined. Wonderfully integral yet unlikely to have peaked. Quite outstanding.

1995 Château Margaux, courtesy of WCY. Deeply coloured. This wine opens with an exuberant fragrance of supple darkish characters. Wonderfully lithe and fleshy within very finely-grained tannins that impart sustained tension, imbued with a deeper core of black fruits that deliver swathes of sweet dark currants. Beautifully balanced, making up for its modest length. Highly captivating.

The theme was “unusual burgs and pinot” for this gathering on 23 April 2026 at Imperial Treasure Great World, whatever that means. Some of us managed to dig up wines from less commonly tasted communes that were showing very well and which should feature more in any serious collection. As usual, all wines were tasted blind, proving that even lesser-known producers deserve enormous respect, for they were all drinking well. Many thanks, gentlemen, for your generous contributions!

2018 Champagne Leclerc Briant Cuvée Abyss Brut, courtesy of LF. Clear golden luminosity, exuding a classic yeasty pungency. Imbued with pomelo and citrus within a sheen of soft refined bubbles, boasting crystalline clarity and precision. Aged in bottle in the deep sea.

2021 Domaine Florent Garaudet Monthelie Sous le Cellier Blanc. Keen bouquet of intense clear citrus with a hint of orchard fruit. Fullish with a rounded gleam, its sleek acidity and ripe warmth conveying a distinct feminine intensity with a trace of lemon bitters. Highly integral. Moderate length. A real gem, tucked between Meursault and Volnay.

2016 Domaine François Raveneau Chablis 1er Montée de Tonnerre, courtesy of Kieron. Pale golden. Cool icing and glacial tones dominate. Very subtly layered with refined acidity and a bit of oily density, exuding a delicate feminine presence.

2012 Joseph Drouhin Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Morgeot Marquis de Laguiche, courtesy of Vic. Displaying a heavier tint of gold, this wine has taken on an autumnal glaze, perhaps a little more developed than expected for its fourteen years and ex-domaine provenance, the fruit just a tad backwards in favour of dominant acidity.

2019 Egly-Ouriet Ambonnay Rouge Coteaux Champenois ‘Cuvée des Grandes Cotes’ V.V. Darkish tint of pinot. Forward bouquet of haw and red plums with good density of fruit on the medium palate, tinged with a bit of herbal tone. Wonderfully agile and slick, more perfumed and exuberant over time as it developed overtones of exotic spice along with a fleeting salinity. Moderate length. Difficult to place when blinded.

2017 Domaine Armand Rousseau Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru, courtesy of Kieron. Good colour. Rather restrained with a controlled rosy fragrance amid deeper swathes of red fruits and darkish flavours, framed by smooth supple tannins that exert elegant restraint with medium presence though there isn’t much inner detail.

2012 Domaine Taupenot-Merme Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru, courtesy of LF. A most uncommon bottle from the domaine’s meagre holdings of 400 square metres (0.04 ha) within that plot of grand cru. Displaying a deeper tint of pinot, this wine is quite pronounced in pochai and wild berries on the nose, while the medium-full palate is ample in ripe red fruits, generously proportioned with a bit of stemmy undertow that adds a bit of austere rusticity.

2012 Domaine Forey Père et Fils Vosne-Romanée 1er Les Gaudichots, courtesy of LF. Classic pinot tint. Ample layers of fleshy darkish fruit, showing some secondary development with overtones of spice, cedar and capsicum, dressed in supple tannins with lively acidity that impart fine tension. Modest finish. From tiny holdings directly abutting La Tache Grand Cru yet sufficiently differentiated. Amazing how those medieval monks already knew back then.

2012 Domaine Follin-Arlebet Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru, courtesy of Vic. Heavier tint of pinot, delivering darkish fruit on the nose and palate with considerable power and intensity. Still seemingly youthful with supple tannins, displaying fine length and linearity with a bit of exotic spice towards its finish.

2016 Domaine Emmanuel Rouget Échezeaux Grand Cru, courtesy of Sir Bob. Deeper tint of pinot. Forward balance of darkish fruit tinged with varnish, replete with a subtle undertow of iron filings and vegetal tones on the generous palate, structured with well-managed tannins

2004 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Échezeaux Grand Cru, courtesy of Sir Bob. Classic pinot tint. Considerable age is evident, exuding a delicious rosy fragrance with delicate intensity, matched by a highly integral medium palate that is still wonderfully fresh with a deeper core of mandarins imbued with precise tannins and subtle complexity. Excellent.

A mostly Chambolle line-up over dinner at Sonder on 28 April 2026, very kindly hosted by Anthony Oei. Chef Handika’s brand of fusion cuisine incorporating many elements of Indonesian cooking has won him a large following but, sadly, he would be returning to Jakarta after that same evening. The wines were all singing although I would have preferred pairing them with a non-spicy menu. Many thanks, gentlemen, for your kind generosity!

2008 Champagne Pierre Peters Cuvée Spéciale Les Chétillons Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs, courtesy of LF. Dull golden, opening with yeasty overtones and keen zesty clear citrus that led to an exuberant dryish intensity underscored by a modest depth of cool ripe fruit. Still primal. The 2008s really do need plenty of bottle time.

2018 Domaine Etienne Sauzet Puligny-Montrachet 1er Les Referts. Pale golden. Rather cool and distant in spite of the abundance of orchard fruit, imparting a restrained intensity underpinned by a subdued earthiness amid floral hues that conveyed a lovely rounded elegance. Went on to develop a more focused presence after some time.

2020 Domaine Fontaine Gagnard Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, courtesy of Anthony. Dull golden. Alluring nose of nutmeg, grapefruit and gentle citrus amid morning dew and distant orchard fruit. Rounded with restrained acidity and intensity, the initial traces of austere minerals giving way to greenish mandarins. Moderate length. Very elegant though yet to develop true complexity.

2014 Domaine Faiveley Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru Les Ouvrées Rodin. Good colour. Red fruits, cherries and haw dominate. Surprisingly full and rounded with a lovely supple succulence in spite of the modest vintage, underpinned by a distinct salinity. Beautifully balanced, displaying excellent linearity with a trace of varnish against dryish tannins towards its modest finish. Highly feminine.

2023 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Chambolle-Musigny, courtesy of Sir Bob. Bright crimson. Intense flavours of cherries and ripe red fruits dominate with youthful verve and exuberance, yet expertly balanced with smooth refined tannins. Already ready to drink even at such infantile stage. Modest finish.

2009 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Chambolle-Musigny 1er, courtesy of Vic. Bright crimson, exuding a lovely perfumed fragrance to match the succulent warmth and freshness and lively intensity, just a tad narrow in breadth. Modest length.

2013 Domaine Jacques-Frédèric Mugnier Chambolle-Musigny 1er Les Fuees, courtesy of Anthony. Evolved crimson. This wine opens with a distinct reductive funkiness in spite of the abundant red fruits, though the medium-full palate is wonderfully pure and fresh with layers of lithe density that convey a certain feminine elegance.

1995 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Chambolle-Musigny 1er Les Amoureuses, courtesy of LF. Deeply coloured. Quite effusive in ripe raspberries, cherries and currants. Still quite full though its tannins are imperceptible at this stage, boasting rounded agility and supple succulence, turning a little assertive over time. Modest finish. May not even have peaked.

2021 By Farr Sangreal Pinot Noir. Popped and poured at the in-laws, 01 Mar 2026. This is highly burgundian in every way, displaying a correct pinot tint with overtones of cherries, rose petals and haw whilst the palate oozes exquisite supple intensity from unobtrusive tannins. Highly integral throughout its even linearity, finishing well.

2012 Domaine Joseph Drouhin Puligny-Montrachet 1er Les Pucelles. Popped and poured over lunch with Vic and LF, 02 Mar 2026. Golden luminosity, proffering a lovely glow of cinnamon, almonds, tangerines and yellow citrus. Medium-weight, displaying a distinct salinity amid secondary development where the fruit, acidity and mature chalkiness have blended very well together, culminating in a bit of stoniness at its modest finish.

2022 Kumeu River Mate’s Vineyard Chardonnay over rendang with Vic and LF, 23 Mar 2026. Good colour. Rich crystalline quality, developing an earthy undertow with a hint of diesel from its dryish chiseled density of predominant white fruit. Gelled together very well, boasting a juicy succulence infused with minerally elements.

2022 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Volnay 1er Santenots-du-Milieu, from the list of restaurant Blaue Gans, Salzburg, on 31 Mar 2026, courtesy of Vic. Good colour. Highly aromatic in its keen bouquet of currants, raspberries, violets and red cherries. Richly imbued on the forward palate, dressed in highly refined tannins with elegant linearity though not revealing much detail, exerting just a hint of tension.

It’s back to Bordeaux again for the usual suspects at Hua Ting restaurant, 10 March 2026. It’s certainly true that one drinks the vintage as far as clarets are concerned, and one might add the older the better. Many thanks, gentlemen!

2008 Champagne De Saint-Gall Orpale Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru, courtesy of LF. Luminous. Quite a glorious gleam of créme de la créme amid dense yeasty overtones from the richly imbued palate, boasting crisp precision and cutting acidity that went perfectly with the refined dry supple intensity. Crafted only in exceptional vintages.

2021 Domaine Gabriel et Paul Jouard Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Les Vides Bourses. Luminous. Nose of white fruits, brioche and floral hues that cut through with chiseled definition. Rather tightly coiled, fleshing out with a bit of slick oily density, caressing the palate with understated tension and restrained power. Spicy length.

2004 Pavilion Blanc du Château Margaux, courtesy of Kieron. Dull golden. Effusive glazed tone of creamy white fruits with a resinous quality though the palate is only medium-weight, displaying good clarity with a refined spiciness, turning a little racier as it firmed up over time. Still wonderfully vibrant. Excellent.

1990 Château Trotanoy, courtesy of Sir Bob. Evolved crimson. There is a certain reductive funkiness amid cedar and capsicum with leathery undertones. Medium-full. Darkish and supple and beautifully integral, firming up with tensile presence. At its peak.

1989 Château Palmer, courtesy of Sir Bob. Still deeply coloured. Quite exuberant and expressive, proffering delicious tertiary characters with impressive complexity laced with a razor-thin ferrous undertone. Equally confident with fluid ease on the lush open palate, fleshing out with elegant intensity. At its best.

2006 Tertre Roteboeuf. Poured from magnum that had been opened for over a day, courtesy of LF. Very deep garnet. The nose is darkish with a cool vegetal hint whilst the darkish palate of ripe raspberries, currants and dark plums is fairly vibrant with its characteristic savoury verve.

1986 Château Lynch Bages, courtesy of Kieron. Deep garnet. Mildly reductive on the nose. Superbly harmonious and supple with a vegetal tinge, underscored by a deeper vein of dark fruits. Still fresh and energetic in spite of its forty years, imparting a lovely succulence with excellent linearity.

2000 Château Léoville Las-Cases, courtesy of Vic. Deep garnet. Some considerable age is evident from the overtones of capsicum, cedar and Chinese tea leaves but this wine is still imbued with youthful energy, the abundant fruit gloriously rich, ripe and darkish, structured within a sheen of tensile tannins. Far from maturity, and still probably has some way to go before entering tertiary development.

1994 Ridge Monte Bello, courtesy of LF. Deep garnet. Very generously proportioned with lively acidity that impart exciting tensile verve, the darkish fruit still wonderfully fresh and agile in great abundance. Distinctly masculine. May not yet have peaked.

2019 Domaine Vincent Bouzereau Meursault. Popped and poured with Vic and LF, 02 Feb 2026. Displaying light golden hues, this wine offers a lovely lift of icing, pomelo and racy citrus, boasting a rounded fullness with cool glacial tones and subdued acidity that blended well with its crystalline chalkiness, developing a hint of nutmeg over time. Drinking very well.

2019 Domaine Bernard Moreau Chassagne-Montrachet 1er La Maltroie. Popped and poured at Imperial Treasure Great World, 07 Feb 2026. Pale yellowish, imbued with refined pomelo citrus and nutmeg seemingly laced with crème de la crème that impart wonderfully sleek and ultra-smooth textures with a bit of teasing intensity, eventually developing the classic white tones of Chassagne with a certain restraint, tapering to a lengthy finish.

2017 Domaine Bruno Clair Chambolle-Musigny Les Veroilles. Popped and poured with Vic and LF, 09 Feb 2026. This village is drinking beautifully now, rounded with imperceptible tannins and understated acidity whilst early secondary characters of cedar and licorice are beginning to emerge from the ripe plummy fruit with a fine delicate balance.

2024 Elena Walch Pinot Grigio Alto Adige by the glass at Otto Ristorante, 19 Feb 2026. Light golden. Distinct pinot grigio character of morning dew, green fruits and mint on the nose and medium palate. Very clean and well-delineated with fine clarity and a slightly incisive acidity with a bit of stony undertow. Good length.

2022 Kumeu River Estate Chardonnay. Popped and poured at Eastern House of Seafood, 28 Feb 2026. Pale. This wine opens promisingly with warm floral hues, pears and orchard fruit on the nose whilst an incisive intensity and sleek acidity dominate on the medium-weight palate. The fruit and acidity, rather surprisingly, receded quite quickly, leaving behind a hollowness filled with austere minerals.