At Moomba: 2006 Tignanello, 1999 Pichon Baron, 1996 Bahans Haut-Brion & more…

For the first time, the Department booked out the entire Moomba restaurant to host its dinner for the junior officers. A Chef’s menu was crafted, the staff rose to the occasion most commendably, and we all had a great time, starting the evening with 5 bottles of  Domaine Chandon Brut NV from the restaurant list. Very pale. Bitter-sweet with a light touch of lively citrus, not too dry. Quite broad on the palate, slightly nutty with notes of almonds and a pungent glow in a positive sense, showing very good oak integration. Not much real depth though, but enjoyable. On top of this, I also brought a Billecart-Salmon Rose NV for my table, the second time I’ve had this within a week. Rather flat initially with more nutty and woody overtones, the commendable minerality coming on only much later, laced with sweet citrus. Not as impressive as the earlier sample a few days prior at Jade Palace, I’m afraid. Following this, we had the 2007 Joh Jos Prum Wehlener-Sonnenuhr Spatlese to go with the scallop and baked squid, a Moomba classic. Pale, but it exuded a very smooth layer of tropical fruits, lychees, nectar and fig and a hint of smoked salmon with just the right degree of sweetness, complete with a lovely rich vein in the middle, ending in a complex finish. Excellent.

We kicked off the reds with a 2006 Tignanello (courtesy of Gerard), typically a blend of around 80% sangiovese and 20% cabernet sauvignon. Deep purple. A complex bouquet of sweet cassis and a bit of plum, medium-bodied, developing sexy velvety tannins with time with very attractive biting intensity, the cabernet fruit providing an excellent stern structure with a minty after-glow and finish. Excellent.

The 2005 Ch Clerc-Milon (courtesy of Gerard), made by Mouton Rothschild, a deep garnet red, showed great consistency of character. Typically stern and austere in its youth although there’s no mistaking the Pauillac terroir of dried leaves and cigar box, with a fair degree of salty minerality within the excellent body, displaying great balance and concentration, more fruit forward with time. Leave it for another 10 years, at least. In contrast, the 1999 Ch Pichon Longueville Baron, the only red to be decanted for two hours, was drinking well. There was quite a bit of salty pungency that took some time to blow off, thereafter revealing a lovely nose of dried herbs, cherry-plums and other red fruits, slightly earthy. Not surprisingly, it developed a more Burgundian character after some time. This was much better than a previous bottle opened at Asia Grand a year back, which was very woody. Finally, we rounded off the evening with a 1996 Bahans Haut-Brion (courtesy of F), its label already badly effaced. Fortunately though, the wine, a dusty red, was lovely and seamless, rather full and plummy, displaying excellent concentration and freshness, not at all earthy, finishing long. Tasted more like a classified growth of the Medoc. Very fine indeed.