2000 Ch Monbousquet @ Saint-Pierre

One of the blessed things about the recent economic downturn is the relative reduction in pricing to be found in almost all upmarket restaurants, which have been forced to offer more value for money without sacrificing quality. The most attractive offers are the lunch menu, and of all the current establishments, Saint-Pierre probably has the best offer: SGD28++ and SGD38++ for two and three courses, respectively. It’s absolutely a steal for this sort of top quality food and service, with BYO on Tuesdays.

And so on a spur-of-the-moment, we dropped by Saint Pierre with a 2000 Ch Monbousquet in tow. I recognised the boyish-looking manager Jan Stroop, formerly from The French Kitchen (“…no longer!”), who ushered us. The initial bouquet was overwhelming, a huge fragrance wafting over the table as the wine was decanted, deeply flavoured, of dark fruits, blackcurrants and berries. Deep dark red, the first sip revealed a big wine, full-bodied with some thickness in the middle. This cleared after 30 minutes, the wine opening up and luxuriating in its richness, showing excellent grip, plenty of depth, great concentration without over-extraction, finishing very long. It simply got better and better as lunch wore on, matching the beef cheek perfectly. By the time we were indulging in an excellent cheese selection, accompanied by a nice spread of condiments, the wine had gained immeasurably in breadth and complexity, covered with velvety sexy tannins, beautifully poised and voluptuous. This is a very modern St Emilion, and very unashamedly so. Purists may baulk, but I appreciate a delicious drop anytime. I liked it. This occasion won’t be forgotten.