Burgundy monopoles: 2013 Clos de Tart, 2015 Faiveley Clos des Cortons Faiveley, 2013 Bouchard Chevalier-Mont La Cabotte, 2009 Philipponnat Clos des Goisses Ex-Brut, 2016 Chavy-Chouet Clos des Corvées Citeau, 2011 Mugnier NSG Clos de la Marechale, 2015 L’Arlot NSG Clos de L’Arlot

Sir K hosted an inspired theme of Burgundy monopoles to go with a delightful dinner helmed by chefs Juliana Ng and Joe Leong from V-ZUG’s Gourmet Academy prepared entirely, of course, on V-ZUG equipment at his bespoke residence on 21 January 2022. In spite of the very best top crus being stratospherically priced out of reach, we still managed to put up an excellent line-up without much forward planning. Thank you, Sir!

2012 Champagne Philipponnat 1522, courtesy of Sir K. Very pale. Wonderfully fresh. Well endowed with pomelo and clear citrus with traces of bitter lemon that impart a slight steeliness, finishing with an attractive austerity.

2009 Champagne Philipponnat Clos des Goisses Extra Brut, courtesy of Sir K. Luminous golden hue, exuding pungent yeasty characters and smoke with a chalky gleam. Open with regal sophistication, displaying superb balance and suppleness. Highly integral. Doesn’t quite possess the same depth and dimension as the 2008, but this is drinking very well. Clos des Goisses is a 5.5 ha walled monopole sited on a very steep slope with a 45-degree incline facing south, planted with both chardonnay and pinot noir in a ratio of about 40:60.

2015 Domaine de L’Arlot Nuits-Saint-Georges Clos de L’Arlot 1er monopole, courtesy of Russ. Pale. Lightly toned but deceptively effusive in white floral notes and clear citrus with a welcoming warmth though the palate is initially too cautious with a laid back politeness, fleshing out eventually with full intensity and fine clarity.

2016 Domaine Hubert Chavy-Chouet Meursault Clos des Corvées de Citeau, courtesy of Sir K. From a monopole of 0.96 ha, this wine displays a lovely luminosity with an alluring sweetness of pears and figs. Rather delicate and restrained on the medium-bodied palate, becoming more introspective over time as it developed greater fullness and tension. This wine is all about its fabulous nose at this stage.

2011 Domaine Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier Nuits-Saint-Georges Clos de la Marechale 1er monopole, courtesy of Russ. Good colour, proffering a rosy fragrance of distant red fruits amid some earthiness. Medium weight. Well integrated with structured supple intensity, displaying the classic sandy Nuits-Saint-Georges character of earthy ferrous minerals. Excellent.

2015 Domaine Faiveley Corton Clos des Cortons Faiveley Grand Cru, courtesy of Sir K. Deep ruby. Well extracted and full, ample in bright plummy red fruits and dark currants still substantially laced with enamel. More open after some time with rounded supple tannins though still wound with tight intensity. Best to lay down for another decade. At its best, Faiveley’s famous monopole is capable of rivaling Domaine de la Romanée-Conti’s Corton Grand Cru.

2013 Domaine du Clos de Tart Clos de Tart Grand Cru monopole. Deep crimson, exuding a delicious swathe of ripe cherries and raspberries. Medium-full. Generously stuffed with ripe darkish fruit and ferrous elements in equal measure, cleanly structured with dryish textures within a condensed narrow spectrum though this vintage misses the fabulous depth and layering of the best Clos de Tart.

2011 Domaine Bouchard Père et Fils Chevalier-Montrachet La Cabotte Grand Cru, courtesy of Sir K. Luminous hues. Bouchard’s little-known monopole is effusive in cool white tones with a cool chalky gleam though its austere mid-body is distinctly minerally, structured with fine precision amid a tinge of salinity. Opened up with regal presence to reveal intense white tones with tremendous clarity, superbly balanced with fine vigour. Outstanding.