July 2013: 2000 Grand-Puy-Lacoste, 2003 Dom Perignon…

2004 Castello di Ama Chianti Classico, from the wine list of Garibaldi, 2 July 2013. Popped and poured. I don’t have much experience with Chianti, but this came off very well, carrying decent weight with substantial red fruits, slightly plummy with a dash of cherries and licorice, the tannins tamed by the passage of time. Good but overpriced.

2001 Elderton Command Shiraz, decanted and poured at Amarone, 6 July 2013. Dark and luxurious in aroma and texture, with generous notes of kirsch, plums, licorice, red cherries, raspberries and a good dollop of varnish wafting across effortlessly, promising what seems to be a monstrous wine though, surprisingly, it is distinctly medium-bodied on the palate, very open in the mid-body, the soft and supple tannins ensuring a superb mouthfeel, ending in a minty spicy finish. Superbly crafted, and a prime example of how good Barossa shiraz can be. Still yet to peak, I think. Great stuff, and great value at SGD68. Oh…BTW, Osvaldo has sold Amarone to another Italian. Corkage is now $50 although the wine service is excellent.

2005 Ch L’Arrivet Haut-Brion, popped and poured at Hakumai, 9 July 2013, and drunk rather hastily. In spite of that, its excellence is readily apparent, the wine saturated with a lovely blend of ripe cabernet and merlot of understated elegance that was utterly smooth and even, exuding an air of quiet confidence, the fine supple tannins adding just a touch of excitement. Doesn’t quite possess the classic terroir of Pessac-Leognan compared with Domaine de Chevalier but this is still good. On the verge of secondary development. Keep.

2010 Domaines Leflaive Macon-Verze, popped and poured from magnum at International Seafood, 10 July 2013. Noticeably less exuberant than before, and all the better for it, allowing one to focus on its excellent depth of fruit and near-opulence seldom encountered in a Macon, glorious with notes of white rose petals and subdued citrus, layered with creamy minerality, almost slick. Excellent.

2009 Ch Capdeville (courtesy of F), popped and poured at Seafood International, 10 July 2013. Supposedly a plonk, but it turned out to be something of an over-achiever. Even in tone, imbued with an attractive dryness with a touch of toast and earth although the fruit itself itsn’t very remarkable, sufficiently ripe but lacking in flair. It goes to show that it’s almost impossible to make a bad wine in a perfect vintage.

2003 Dom Perignon (courtesy of Ben), popped and poured at Iggy’s, 12 July 2013. It’s not difficult to see why DP is such a venerable name for champagne. Soft gentle bubbles caress the palate, oozing with notes of cashews, walnuts, toast, complex citrus and white flowers in a powerful aromatic glow, coupled with refined minerality, wonderful depth and just the right level of acidity, ensuring that the wine was never too dry nor brazen. Excellent.

2010 Vincent Girardin Bourgogne Cuvee St Vincent, at Anu’s farewell dinner at Jade Palace, 18 July 2013. Thankfully, this turned out a lot better compared to the first time I had it couple of months back, surely the result of considerable aeration in bottle for a couple of hours. Appropriately light in texture with aromas of red cherries, displaying good purity of fruit well-balanced against some earthy minerality, ensuring sufficient weight. Quite a far cry from the bland and austere encounter previously. What it lacks is the richness and concentration of classified growths that hold the promise of delightful complexity upon further maturity but at SGD37, I’m not complaining.

2003 Ch Clerc-Milon, decanted on-site for about an hour at Jade Palace, 18 July 2013. Although still rather dark at its core, this wine has mellowed considerably. Soft, gentle and fleshy initially, subdued in acidity, tannins well recessed, the notes of dark currants and black cherries dove-tailing into an unusual but attractive concentrated twist at the finish. It opened up more over time, gaining in body and weight, the tannins and acidity more pronounced but never at any instance threatening to upset the balance. Very good, and I’ll try to keep my last bottle for as long as possible. Bought for only SGD87 during its en primeur.

2007 Ch Coutet (courtesy Jeannie), at Jade Palace, 18 July 2013. Popped and poured. People tend to look down upon the lesser growths of Sauternes but this is a beautiful example of what we should be drinking now whilst we continue to lay down D’Yquem and Climens from that outstanding vintage. Notes of apricot, honey, nectarine, white roses and seared caramel are readily apparent, the wine broadening and firming up on the palate, the fresh but recessed acidity never getting in the way. There’s already a hint of complexity in its finish, promising great potential in the years ahead. Excellent.

2005 Ch D’Aiguilhe, at La Barca, 24 July 2013. Popped and poured. Compared to a previous tasting note 1-2 years ago, this wine has settled down considerably, rounded and medium-full, the tannins no longer harsh nor obtrusive while its bouquet is dominated by a generous glow of sweet red and dark berries, plums, briar and cedar. The vanillin oak is still distinctly discernible but for sure, this wine is becoming accessible now.

2000 Ch Grand-Puy-Lacoste (courtesy John), decanted on-site at Otto Ristorante, 31 July 2013. Generous notes of raspberries, dark cherries and ripe wild berries wafted across initially, the wine distinctly medium-full and lush at this stage with excellent concentration and transparency, cloaked in fine supple tannins. Compared to other Left Bank estates of the same vintage, however, it doesn’t quite possess the same richness and opulence. Neither has it displayed the complexity one expects, its Pauillac signature of tobacco and dried leaves only appearing rather late into dinner. Perhaps we’d drunk it too quickly, but I’d suggest not touching it for several more years. Needs time to unfold.