Nov 2021: 1998 Parker Estate First Growth, 2017 Domaine Coche-Dury Bourgogne Blanc, 2012 Fourrier Chambolle Les Gruenchers, 1994 Château Haut-Brion, 1997 Lokoya

1998 Parker Estate Coonawarra Terra Rossa First Growth. Decanted on-site at Origin Grill, Shangri-la Singapore, on 03 Nov 2021. Deep purple with a bare hint of crimson at the rim. Opens with a distinct note of capsicum and green chilli skins amid traces of salinity, leading to a medium-full palate rich in cedary characters and leather. Fleshed out with juicy succulence, displaying a glorious depth of tertiary fruit and currants that shone with amazing freshness, exuding a highly refined plummy tone as it stretched out with excellent linearity to a spicy lengthy finish, barely hinting at its twenty-three years. Superb.

2018 Château du Couvent, courtesy of Mr S Kannan at his residence on Deepavali, 04 Nov 2021. Good colour. This Pomerol exudes a very fine presence of ripe dark plums, cherries and black berries with a gentle trace of salinity. Somewhat attenuated at the top, resulting in a leaner profile but it is very well balanced and proportioned, structured with detailed supple tannins and sleek acidity. Drinking well.

2017 Meerlust Rubicon, tasted over two days 7-8 Nov 2021. Deep purple. Attractive bouquet of delicious black berries and dark currants, placed slightly forward on a medium-full palate imbued with ample depth and concentration. Remarkably balanced with understated tannin structure, revealing some gritty inner detail with a hint of brilliant graphite. Highly consistent with a previous tasting note couple of months back. Excellent.

1994 Château Haut-Brion, courtesy of SC at Shoukouwa, 09 Nov 2021. Decanted for an hour prior. This particular vintage of Haut-Brion seems ageless, appearing deep crimson with a sharp lift of distilled plummy red fruit in its deep alluring bouquet. Highly supple with a high-toned sublime acidity, seamlessly integrated and structured with understated earthy tannins tinged with charcoal dust that impart excellent linearity and mouthfeel as it lingered to a glowing finish. At its peak, and far from drying out. Superb.

2017 Domaine Coche-Dury Bourgogne Blanc, courtesy of Sir K at Park 90, Singapore, on 11 Nov 2021. I had the opportunity to taste this very wine from barrel at the domaine in October 2018 (https://winebyric.com/2018/10/25/ric-arrives-at-domaine-coche-dury/) and I’m pleased to report that it has delivered on its promise in bottle. Popped and poured, its pallor belies an amazingly complex bouquet of jackfruit, nutmeg, mango peel and floral characters that is deep and alluring, fanning out with breathtaking detail and supple intensity with a distinct salinity on a full palate layered with sublime acidity that stretched to a finish of attractive austerity from its minerally elements. Truly, what is bourgogne for Coche-Dury is grand cru for many others.

2012 Domaine Fourrier Chambolle-Musigny Les Gruenchers 1er, courtesy of Sir K at Park 90, Singapore, on 11 Nov 2021. Lovely pinot tint, exuding quite a glorious bouquet of red cherries and haw with a deep tarry quality while the medium-full palate excelled in its definition, clean precision and delicious presence, structured with an enticing sweet glowing intensity. Became more Gevrey-like in character over time rather than Chambolle, a trait noted by astute observers of domaines that make wine primarily from a different appellation. Superb.

2019 Shaw & Smith Adelaide Hills M3 Chardonnay. Tasted 16-17 Nov 2021. Generous in notes of green apples, pears, fig and peaches. The palate is more plump and rounded than a previous bottle tasted last month though that clear definition and lithe agility still remains, yielding fine minerally detail. Very fine.

Champagne Roger Coulon L’Hommée 1er. Popped and poured at Asia Grand on 21 Nov 2021. Fairly deep bouquet of smouldering ember and chalky glow, leading to a deeper vein of honeyed toast, walnuts and almonds on the palate with surprising complexity that grew with crisp intensity over time. Another bottle tasted on 27 Nov 2021 at Ka Soh opened with a dry acerbic intensity before evolving with more rounded tones of fresh lime, pomelo and grapefruit. Excellent.

2010 Joseph Drouhin Chassagne-Montrachet Morgeot 1er Marquis de Laguiche, courtesy of Barrie at his residence, 22 Nov 2021. Dull golden. This wine opens with a stony laid-back chalkiness amid traces of saline minerals, medium weight with a masculine though elegant profile of white tones. Developed a structured intensity with striking acidity in the glass, displaying tremendous verve before settling down with more austere tones as the Chassagne signature took hold.

2007 Claude Dugat La Gibryotte Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru, courtesy of Barrie at his residence, 22 Nov 2021. Decanted and poured. Dull opaque pinot tint. Powerful bouquet of dark fruits and raspberries that exude a minty flourish. Well extracted but balanced, showing very fine fleshy definition and subtle acidity, gelling together with velvety intensity after some time.

1997 Lokoya Cabernet Sauvignon, courtesy of Barrie at his residence, 22 Nov 2021. Decanted and poured. Deep garnet. Medium weight with a mature tone of ripe wild berries and dark currants, structured with sweet rounded tannins that oozed with overtones of eucalyptus, developing supple intensity over time.

2019 Louis Jadot Mâcon-Villages. Popped and poured at Liang Kee restaurant, 24 Nov 2021. Chalky white tones of white fruits and cool icing, somewhat reluctant at first. Equally backward with a rather minerally mid-palate though there is subtle presence and verve, indicative of plenty of stuffing beneath. Opens up slowly with lighter notes of tangerines, though the finish is more pronounced in capsicum and whiffs of spicy white pepper. Not ready.

2018 Domaine du Roc des Boutires Pouilly-Fuissé Aux Bouthières, tasted at home on 25-26 Nov 2021. High-toned fresh citrus and white fruits dominate with excellent presence, infused with subtle ferrous minerally elements and sleek acidity, showing good clarity with further notes of green fruits and mint. A tad fuller on the mid-palate compared with the 2019 which is more delicate with subtle refinement.

1998 Château Barde-Haut, courtesy of Sir Bob at Imperial Treasure Great World, 30 Nov 2021. Deep garnet. Minty powerful cedary nose. Open with fleshy vigour and understated intensity. Somewhat short, lacking true depth but drinking well.

Champagne Egly-Ouriet Blanc de Noirs Grand Cru. Popped and poured at Imperial Treasure Great World, 30 Nov 2021. Dull golden. Fairly effusive in gun smoke and flinty notes, lit by a bright chalky glow that revealed an excellent rounded presence of white fruits and richly-detailed citrus that blazed with dry intensity before tapering to a complex lingering finish of austere elements laced with a dash of sweetness. Excellent.