Vosne-Romanée: 2008 Forey Gaudichots, 2011 Montille Aux Malconsorts Christiane, 2016 Thibault Liger-Belair Richebourg GC, 2014 Domaine Prieuré-Roch Les Suchots & 2002 Sylvain Cathiard Aux Reignots

A leisurely evening on 21 October 2020 at La Strada, Singapore, on a theme of Vosne-Romanée 1er or grand cru hosted by Timothy Goh where all wines were blinded and served in random order by the maitre’d. We were on good form, for each of us could identify our own wines while picking out the correct plots most of the time. Many thanks for dinner, Tim, and to everyone for your contributions.

2018 Pieropan Soave Classico, courtesy of Tim. Gentle fresh morning dew and floral elements on the nose tinged with a trace of sweetness. Light crystalline clarity, showing clean acidity with good detail, finishing in a minty glow with a touch of salinity.

2016 Aubert Chardonnay, courtesy of Kieron. This wine opens with a lovely complex of citrus, floral tones, some nutmeg and emerging pineapples, fairly vigorous, while a cool velvety creaminess coats the palate with a light sheen of paraffin and distant green fruits, displaying excellent intensity though understated on the whole with lovely restraint. I was spot-on with my guess.

2016 Domaine Thibault Liger-Belair Richebourg Grand Cru, courtesy of Tim. Very dark. Clearly youthful, brimming with intense red fruits and currants though shy and elusive at first, becoming a bit more plummy later on the nose. Medium-full, displaying excellent ripeness with clean definition and sleek acidity. Very well balanced and proportioned, revealing a deeper vein of dark fruit that conferred subtle weight. Masculine yet elegant.

2014 Domaine Prieuré-Roch Vosne-Romanée Les Suchots 1er. Bright crimson, looking misleadingly mature based on colour alone. Distinctly feminine on the nose, quite effusive in delicious sweet cherries and red fruits with further notes of plums and haw followed by an earthy tinge. Medium-full. Fleshy with fair intensity and striking acidity that conferred sharp definition though the fruit is rather restrained within a narrow spectrum. Became utterly seamless by the end of dinner, developing a lovely layered fluidity though clearly not the opulent sort. Tim got it right.

2002 Domaine Sylvain Cathiard Vosne-Romanée Aux Reignots 1er, courtesy of Andre. Beautiful clear ruby. Dark raspberries dominate on the nose though a hint of varnish is discernible along with a tinge of ash. Rounded on the palate with excellent presence and depth with subtle sublime acidity though still rather tightly coiled, taking its time to shake off the glare of shiny minerals to reveal good purity and integration, finishing with good length and understated intensity. Still yet to peak.

2008 Domaine Forey Vosne-Romanée Les Gaudichots 1er, courtesy of Russ. Good colour. There is a sense of dry heated gravel on the nose amid red fruits and currants. Rather brightly lit on the medium-bodied palate, showing fine concentration with rounded suppleness, gaining greater intensity with a more forward balance after some time though it remained short. I guessed it right though another bottle tasted last month was richer and more opulent.

2011 Domaine de  Montille Vosne-Romanée Aux Malconsorts Christiane 1er, courtesy of Kieron. Classic pinot tint, exuding soft red fruits and rose petals with a dash of velvetiness amid overtones of varnish. Highly feminine on the medium-bodied palate, marked by remarkably rounded fruit that yielded soft inner detail with a light touch. Beautifully proportioned and balanced. Highly elegant and well-behaved, allowing the vintage to speak for itself. We were unanimous in calling it Aux Malconsorts, though the Christiane here from Montille is a slice that slips right into the southern end of La Tâche. Excellent.