October 2022: 2003 Domaine de Chevalier, 2018 Pikes Riesling, 2013 Silver Oak Napa, 2019 Taupenot-Merme La Combe d’Orveau, 2016 Château Larmande, 2009 Calon Ségur

2017 Meerlust Rubicon. Popped and poured after a brief aeration at home, 05 Oct 2022. Purplish hues, exuding an attractive fragrance of raspberries, redcurrants and ripe strawberries that carried well onto a medium-bodied palate that is surprisingly soft and inviting with a refined elegant presence, very open and highly supple, structured with muted tannins. Truly a wine where the sum is greater than its parts. This can take its place on any table.

Bouchard Aine et Fils Chardonnay-Terret NV, tasted at Changi T3 Krisflyer Gold Lounge, 06 Oct 2022. Pale luminosity with a fairly sharp minerally lift amid recessed notes of nutmeg and wildflowers on the medium-bodied palate, finishing with a slight peppery glow. Serviceable.

2017 Domaine Bouchard Père et Fils Beaune 1er Grêves Vigne de L’Enfant Jesus, poured at the wedding of Jane & Bobie at The Langham, Jakarta, 07 Oct 2022. Dark pinot tint, promising restrained dark rosy hues that carried well onto the medium-full palate with a firm minerally tensile presence, structured with refined even tannins. Best to lay down further.

2000 Château Sociando-Mallet, aired for an hour ahead of tasting at The Carlton Hotel, Singapore, on 13 Oct 2022. Still quite deep in colour, exuding a fairly sharp lift of plums and sandalwood. Medium-bodied and softly contoured, imbued with a prominence of green capsicum and herbs on a slightly dryish floor, showing very good even presence with fine linearity.

2018 Pikes Riesling at Changi Airport T2 Silverkris Lounge, 15 Oct 2022. Pale. Intoxicating bouquet of petroleum fumes and kerosene. Translucent minerally palate, medium-full, proffering fabulous shiny detail with a cleanly defined lift. Good glowing finish. An astute choice.

2020 Stonier Mornington Peninsula Chardonnay at Changi Airport T2 Silverkris Lounge, 15 Oct 2022. Pale. Fresh morning dew on the nose. Gentle creamy palate infused with delicate clear minerality, showing a tad of salinity that finished with glowing lingering persistence.

Champagne Piper Heidsieck Essentiel Brut NV at Changi Airport T2 Silverkris Lounge, 15 Oct 2022. Dry blazing intensity of clear citrus, lime and pomelo. One dimensional but serviceable.

2003 Domaine de Chevalier Rouge. Popped and poured at Otto Ristorante, 18 Oct 2022. Deep garnet. Ripe dark currants and blackberries on the nose and medium-full palate, showing excellent tensile presence with refined acidity and a dash of wild berries and vegetal elements. Developed further subtle detail of sandalwood with a hint of charred savouriness as its tannins came alive with exciting verve. Delicious.

1998 Château Musar, courtesy of LF at Canto Jumbo, 20 Oct 2022. Brownish red. Distinct nose of plums and mandarins. Still fresh and supple, showing good clean precision and ripeness with judicious use of oak.

2016 Domaine Luzien Muzard Santenay Maladière 1er Rouge at Canto Jumbo, 20 Oct 2022. Classic pinot tint. Open and softly contoured, imbued with supple plummy notes and raspberries.

2013 Silver Oak Napa Valley, courtesy of LF at Canto Jumbo, 20 Oct 2022. Dark. Rich ripe and savoury, underpinned by cedar and cinnamon amid overtones of vanillin oak. Medium-bodied, yielding supple inner detail with supple freshness. Delicious.

2019 Marc Colin Saint-Aubin Le Charmois 1er, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, on 22 Oct 2022. Light greenish. Glowing bouquet of lime, citrus and green fruits. Medium-full, fairly rounded with keen acidity and refined balance. Tightly structured with excellent delineation, finishing well with dryish white tones.

2017 Weingut Markus Molitor Brauneberger Spätburgunder Klostergarten***, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, on 22 Oct 2022. Darkish tint of dark plums and dark roses. Quite full on the palate with a slightly jarring acidity at first, settling down eventually with a little more detail though that nervous tension never really went away, clearing the way for a long finish of charred elements, earth and firewood.

2018 Domaine Rapet Père et Fils Pernand-Vergelesses Sous Frétille 1er. Popped and poured at Eastern House of Seafood, 23 Oct 2022. Unashamedly full and tight on this occasion, displaying a firm mid-palate imbued with white fruits and dense minerally elements that conferred a certain austerity.

2010 Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Pruliers 1er. Aired for two hours ahead of lunch at Bedrock Bar & Grill, 24 Oct 2022. Delicious nose of raspberries, mulberries and dark currants tinged with a note of mandarins leading to a fullish tensile presence from the ample ripe fruit, showing excellent integration of tannins and acidity with understated earthy minerals. Good balance. Still youthful.

2016 Château Lanbersac, tasted at Kiyose, 25 Oct 2022. Full presence of warm ripe fruit and dark currants that exert supple intensity. Unashamedly modern.

2016 Château Larmande, tasted at Kiyose, 25 Oct 2022. There is a certain restraint on the nose even though the fruit is wonderfully ripe throughout, promising dark currants with a note of cedar. Quite unexpectedly lush, structured with understated tannins that convey a velvety warmth and rounded fullness, developing further notes of chocolate and mocha. Very well balanced and elegant throughout its length. Absolutely delicious. Punches way above its weight.

2015 Château Cap de Mourlin, tasted at Kiyose, 25 Oct 2022. Very dark crimson with a note of heated gravel on the nose. Medium-bodied. Somewhat restrained in spite of its abundant dark fruits, dominated more by a bright minerally mid-palate. Not quite ready.

2008 Château Guadet, tasted at Kiyose, 25 Oct 2022. Dark crimson. Softly contoured, showing great integration with understated structure. Fresh, warm and ripe, seemingly evolving at a glacial pace.

2016 Domaine Chavy-Chouet Meursault Les Charmes 1er, courtesy of Kieron at Jade Palace, 25 Oct 2022. Dull golden. Sharp lift of cool clear fruit. Medium-full with a lithe teasing quality, yielding fine definition. Finished with white floral tones and understated intensity.

2018 Domaine Bellargus Treilles, courtesy of Russ at Jade Palace, 25 Oct 2022. Its relative pallor belies an elusive boldness that recalls eucalyptus and traces of tropical fruits amid a certain glazed chalkiness. Decidedly more relaxed after some time in the glass, displaying fine clarity and elegance.

2009 Domaine Bruno Clair Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint-Jacques 1er, courtesy of Russ at Jade Palace, 25 Oct 2022. Red fruits dominate with overtones of cool icing. Softly contoured with fine definition though there is a certain austerity on the mid-palate, finishing with moderate length.

2011 Chapelle d’Ausone, courtesy of Kieron at Jade Palace, 25 Oct 2022. Dark fruits tinged with capsicum on the nose, exuding a mild sweet fragrance. Medium-bodied, displaying a beautifully supple presence, rather slick and understated with early secondary characters. Just a tad short. Reflects the vintage.

2000 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste, aired in advance before dinner at Asia Grand, 26 Oct 2022. Somewhat reluctant and angular at first, only faintly delicious. Fleshed out beautifully in unhurried manner with a full presence of dark roses, red plums and preserved cherries tinged with mocha and capsicum. Sleek with great tensile presence, developing subtle detail and layering.

2016 Domaine Hudelot-Nöellat Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Bas Combes. Popped and poured at Sin Chao Gardens, 28 Oct 2022. Accentuated lift of raspberries, wild berries and currants. Medium-full, displaying very good depth and clean definition with a minty glow. Good refinement. Moderate finish.

2004 Château L’Eglise-Clinet, courtesy of Jimmy. Popped and poured at Sin Chao Gardens, 28 Oct 2022. Deeply coloured, exuding a lovely bouquet of cedar and mahogany tinged with eucalyptus. Supple and fleshy with a quiet intensity amid herbaceous overtones, still imbued with excellent freshness, traversing the palate with fine linearity to a glowing finish.

2017 Château de Meursault Meursault Les Charmes-Dessus 1er, courtesy of Dr Ngoi. Popped and poured at Sin Chao Gardens, 28 Oct 2022. Slightly heavier tint, exuding a fresh lift of cool icing and vanillin, fairly opulent with creamy detail. Excellent stuff, but expensive now.

2009 Château Calon Ségur, courtesy of Jimmy. Popped and poured at Sin Chao Gardens, 28 Oct 2022. Very deep garnet, proffering a rich dark delicious nose with a distinct note of soy, delivering an abundance of wonderfully ripe dark fruits and currants with early cedary characters. Highly supple, seamlessly integrated with open intensity, developing youthful biting tannins over time.

2018 The Standish Shiraz, courtesy of Dr Lee KH. Popped and poured at Sin Chao Gardens, 28 Oct 2022. Very deep garnet. This Barossa red is richly layered and full, yet beautifully rounded with silky smooth tannins, offering gorgeous dark fruits tinged with mocha and licorice and a bit of toast, finishing on a spicy note.

2019 Domaine Taupenot-Merme Chambolle-Musigny La Combe d’Orveau 1er, by the carafe at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, on 29 Oct 2022. Good color. Lovely fragrance of fresh red fruits, dark cherries and plums. Rounded with sweet subdued tannins, beautifully balanced and integrated, exerting lovely gentle tension. Almost lush. Delicious.

2019 Domaine Jean-Marc Pillot Chassagne-Montrachet Les Caillerets 1er, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, on 29 Oct 2022. Fairly deep yellowish greenish hue, proffering quite a generous lift of lemon citrus and green fruits. Medium-full. Beautifully structured and amply layered with a subtle chalky glow.

2020 Shaw & Smith M3 Adelaide Hills Chardonnay. Popped and poured at home, 30 Oct 2022. Pale. Consistent nose of nutmeg, lemongrass and olives. Full terse presence, delivering fine detail and controlled intensity but it is too tightly wound for me.