November 2022: 2002 Hudelot-Nöellat RSV, 2017 Ch de Chamirey Mercurey La Mission, 2006 Pierre Damoy Chambertin-Clos Bèze, 1985 VCC, 2009 Pichon Longueville Lalande, 2014 Ao Yun, 2005 Torbreck RunRig

2013 Champagne Bollinger B13, courtesy of LF at Imperial Treasure Great World, 01 Nov 2022. A 100% blanc de noirs. Beautifully luminous, exuding intense yellow citrus with a forward presence. Fairly open and not too dry, imbued with subtle ferrous minerals. Brighter and drier over time with a more distinct austerity even as it developed mild yeasty overtones.

2014 Didier Dagueneau Silex, courtesy of Vic at Imperial Treasure Great World, 01 Nov 2022. Tasted blind. Pale luminosity. Morning dew and mint dominate with a trace of sweetness on the nose. Equally unusual on the medium-bodied palate where it is open and fairly relaxed with a light tinge of rye and ginger, slightly short and dryish. Rounded and highly refined.

2014 Ao Yun, courtesy of LF at Imperial Treasure Great World, 01 Nov 2022. Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Quite rich in dark fruits, black berries and currants on the nose and medium-full palate, tinged with capsicum and spice box, displaying a lovely fullness with superb layering, tension and concentration. Structured with great refinement. Moderate finish. We were unanimous in declaring it a Left Bank; that’s how good it is.

2016 Bollinger La Côte aux Enfants Coteaux Champenois, courtesy of at Imperial Treasure Great World, 01 Nov 2022. Tasted blind. Deep rosy fragrance of haw and red fruits. Medium-bodied. Rounded and fleshy with a rather placid character. Well integrated though somewhat straightforward, lacking true complexity. A dry red from Aÿ. Fooled us all into thinking it’s a burgundy.

2001 Château Léoville Las-Cases at Imperial Treasure Great World, 01 Nov 2022. Tasted blind. Dark brownish red. Most unusual on the nose, rather heavy in soy and licorice cushioned by a velvety barnyard pungency that threw everyone into thinking shiraz (!). Medium-full. Has a lithe teasing quality within a muscular frame of sweet tannins. Opened up further with smoky tones though it’s finish is unexpectedly short. Certainly not corked, but it is most unlike a Saint-Julien.

2011 Domaine Confuron-Cotetidot Gevrey-Chambertin Les Crapillot 1er, courtesy of Vic at Imperial Treasure Great World, 01 Nov 2022. Sensual rosy hues, distinctly feminine in its perfumed fragrance. Open with subdued restrained, showing good balance and integration although it is equally understated in structure, finishing short as well. Lacks true complexity.

2009 Rockford Black Shiraz. Popped and poured at Sin Chao Gardens, 03 Nov 2022. Red currants with deep plummy tones on the nose tinged with licorice, unmistakably Barossa in character. Medium-full. The fizz in this bottle has largely dissipated, leaving behind a wine imbued with lithe subtle minerality within a refined tannin structure, developing greater layering over time with gentle notes of liqueur amid a herbal medicinal lift.

2010 Château Chasse-Spleen, drunk at home over two days 6-7 Nov 2022. Deep garnet. Quite alluring on the nose, boasting a vivid depth of dark cherries, black currants and wild berries that saturate the darkish palate with lively acidity and intensity, imbued with a subtle vein of stony minerals that impart a trace of hardness in spite of its fleshy frame. Drinking fairly well, but I really think it needs another eight years of cellaring.

Champagne Laurent-Perrier Brut NV, courtesy of Melvin at Long Beach Seafood, 08 Nov 2022. Pale. Gentle tones of yeast, nutmeg and cinnamon. Very fine body and presence, displaying decent depth and dry intensity but generally nondescript.

2016 Valandruad Blanc, aired for an hour at Long Beach Seafood, 08 Nov 2022. White creamy tones precede a smooth rounded presence with a distinct note of vanillin, well-layered with refreshing acidity without any hint of its 15% abv, showing early secondary characteristics.

2006 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Chambolle-Musigny 1er, courtesy of Sir Bob at The Fullerton Hotel, Singapore, on 10 Nov 2022. Rosy hues and dark flowers on the nose and palate. Medium-full. Darkly delicious and rounded with smooth sophisticated tannins. Very well-balanced.

2017 Domaine Chavy-Chouet Meursault Clos des Corvées de Citeau, courtesy of Kieron at The Fullerton Hotel, Singapore, on 10 Nov 2022. Poured from magnum. This monopole exudes a lovely oxidative lift of floral scents and delicate citrus. Beautifully opulent with an oily density on the palate, displaying refined intensity and acidity.

2002 Domaine Hudelot-Nöellat Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru, courtesy of Kieron at The Fullerton Hotel, Singapore, on 10 Nov 2022. Classic pinot tint. Medium-full. At optimal maturity now, every sip bearing the distilled essence of cool ripe fruit still wonderfully fresh with lithe intensity and just the right degree of acidity. Absolutely beguiling. Quite the complete wine.

2014 Domaine Robert Groffier Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoureuses 1er, courtesy of Pipin at The Fullerton Hotel, Singapore, on 10 Nov 2022. Cool ripe fruits dominate with gentle charm, slightly darkish from its deep minerally vein and dryish tannins in spite of a gorgeous expanse of red fruits, almost veering on austerity.

2006 Domaine Pierre Damoy Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru, courtesy of Kieron at The Fullerton Hotel, Singapore, on 10 Nov 2022. Good colour, showing darkish tones on the nose while dark fruits and plummy notes dominate on the palate, already developed with secondary characters. Highly refined with supple intensity. Impeccably proportioned and balanced.

2018 Domaine Gérard Duplessis Chablis Les Vaillons 1er, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, on 12 Nov 2022. Rather greenish in colour, proffering a gentle floral lift with soft perfumed scents. Medium-full. Very well layered and taut with good clean precision. Modest finish. Chablis can be most rewarding.

2008 Château Carbonnieux Rouge, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, on 12 Nov 2022. Deep garnet with a crimson rim. Mature nose of gentle dark velvety tones. Softly contoured with a very refined seamless presence, structured with sleek tannins and understated acidity. Good finish.

2015 Domaine Roblet-Monnot Volnay Saint-François, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, on 12 Nov 2022. Dark impenetrable red. Whiff of spicy capsicum and wild berries on the nose while the medium-full palate boasts a lithe bold agility, generously layered with dark plummy fruit and lively acidity that culminated in a lengthy minty finish.

2017 Château de Chamirey Mercurey La Mission 1er, popped and poured at Otto Ristorante, 14 Nov 2022. Rather pale but this wine is still as wonderful as ever, softly cushioned with a velvety density even on the nose, imbued with understated sophistication as it unfurled layers of floral characters and white fruits topped with a dash of delicate crème, eventually attaining a transparent clarity and unforced elegance. A real steal.

Champagne Pierre Baillette Coeur de Craie de Verzenay Extra Brut, courtesy of Russ at Yan Ting, St Regis Singapore, on 16 Nov 2022. Blanc de Noirs. Heavier tint of gold, proffering attractive tones of mature chalk and yeast. Excellent bright minerally presence on the mid-palate, subtly shaded with delicious complexity with a tinge of austerity towards the finish.

2019 Sandhi Central Coast Chardonnay, courtesy of Russ at Yan Ting, St Regis Singapore, on 16 Nov 2022. Pale. Distinct notes of lemongrass and light green fruits on the nose. Medium-bodied. Decidedly relaxed and rounded with fine clarity and subtle acidity. Well integrated with soft intensity. Drinking well.

1985 Vieux Château Certan, courtesy of Kieron at Yan Ting, St Regis Singapore, on 16 Nov 2022. Decanted on-site. Dark crimson. Marked earthiness on the nose tempered with haw and soft rosy hues. Highly supple with refined acidity and fleshy charm, still quite ample in its glorious fruit, subtly layered with clean fresh savoury tones that taper to a moderate finish. Very ’85 in character. At its very best.

2015 Château Clos Fourtet, courtesy of Melvin at Yan Ting, St Regis Singapore, on 16 Nov 2022. Tasted blind, though its modern Saint-Émilion character is easily discernible. Deep garnet. Dense sweet overtones of black fruits, licorice and bacon. Big, forward, and open with dark delicious tones, fairly taut, imbued with mocha, soy and sweet medicinal spices coated with a sheen of enamel. Firm finish.

2002 Barossa E&E Estate Black Pepper Shiraz, courtesy of Melvin at Yan Ting, St Regis Singapore, on 16 Nov 2022. Deep crimson. Forward balance of dark plums, licorice and cedar with a velvety warmth. Boldly structured with supple intensity and lithe agility, still carrying traces of enamel and varnish. Excellent.

2005 Torbreck RunRig, tasted after a brief aeration at Yan Ting, St Regis Singapore, on 16 Nov 2022. Very deep purple with a crimson rim. Somewhat restrained on the nose, but the palate is superbly layered with a vast expanse of gloriously ripe Barossa shiraz that exude a pervasive sweet velvety warmth laced with glycerin and varnish within a sheen of ultra-smooth tannins. Immaculately proportioned and balanced, displaying elegant youthful intensity. Drinking very well, but it can easily be cellared for another 2-3 decades.

2010 Domaine Joseph Drouhin Beaune Clos des Mouches 1er Blanc. Poured from 6-litre imperial at Dr Ngoi’s lunch party, 19 Nov 2022. Dull golden tint. Good presence and clarity, imbued with supple chalky intensity. A little high-toned from its refined acidity. Drinking well.

2016 La Forge de Tart at Dr Ngoi’s lunch party, 19 Nov 2022. Classic pinot tint. Restrained rosy hues on the nose. Soft and fleshy, showing good clarity with plenty of feminine charm tinged with a dash of salinity.

2015 Chapelle d’Ausone at Dr Ngoi’s lunch party, 19 Nov 2022. Deep crimson. Quite richly imbued with camphor and red fruits on the nose and full palate, exuding a warm ripeness amid overtones of enamel. Very lively with supple intensity, just a tad spicy towards the finish.

2009 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande at Dr Ngoi’s lunch party, 19 Nov 2022. Dark plums and dark roses dominate amid a savoury liveliness. Medium-full. Highly supple but darkish, laced with sleek acidity that impart a soft fleeting intensity. Fleshed out a little more in the glass, morphing into its usual feminine stance.

2016 Domaine de la Côte La Côte at Dr Ngoi’s lunch party, 19 Nov 2022. A Californian pinot, displaying classic tint with a forward balance of red fruits, dates and cherries with excellent presence. Very well balanced, not overly extracted. Finished well with great charm and confidence. Very correct.

2013 Saffredi Elisabetta Geppetti at Dr Ngoi’s lunch party, 19 Nov 2022. Poured from double magnum. Deep crimson. Darkish tones of wild berries and currants, very generously imbued with a warm velvety ripeness. Structured with svelte supple tannins that exert understated sweet intensity. Very lovely.

2010 Château Pontet-Canet at Dr Ngoi’s lunch party, 19 Nov 2022. Deep garnet with a certain restrained warmth on the nose. Similarly understated in ripeness even though there is ample density of black fruits, slightly velvety against an early cedary floor. Good balance but evolving very slowly.

2018 Domaine Thierry et Pascale Matrot Meursault-Charmes 1er at Dr Ngoi’s lunch party, 19 Nov 2022. Pale. Rather restrained. The medium-bodied palate is also rather unusual, dominated by a distinct note of coconut, lavender and white fruits. Ample but somewhat dryish, subtly structured.

2005 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste. Aired for an hour ahead of dinner at Summerhill, 21 Nov 2022. Deep garnet. Delicious depth of gorgeous black fruits and currants on the nose though the palate is distinctly medium-bodied, structured with tightly knit tannins that exert supple intensity, imbued with fairly rich darkish tones though there is a certain initial glare that disappeared after the wine had fleshed out adequately, yielding further notes of ripe raspberries with gritty earthy detail. Still not quite ready.

2016 Château Prieuré-Lichine. Popped and poured at home, 23 Nov 2022. Deep purple. Controlled bouquet of raspberries, ripe wild berries and strawberries. Surprisingly soft and relaxed with a cushioned feel, showing glimpses of gritty tarry detail before firming up with a dash of graphite minerals that impart a tinge of austerity at its finish.

2019 Domaine Henri Gouges Bourgogne Pinot Blanc, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, on 26 Nov 2022. Light greenish hue. Cool lift of icing and vanillin, beautifully fresh and clean, matched by an excellent glowing presence of firm white minerally tones that fan out with lovely precision, finishing with refined understated intensity. Great value.

2016 Domaine Launay-Horiot Pommard Les Perrières 1er, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, on 26 Nov 2022. Very deep ruby, proffering delicious cherries and dark roses with a soft velvety intensity, yielding dense red fruits and supple tannins amid overtones of earthy ferrous elements. Moderate finish. Drinking well.

2020 Shaw & Smith Adelaide Hills M3 Chardonnay, drunk over dinner at home after an hour’s aeration, 26 Nov 2022. Pale straw-coloured, proffering raw nutmeg, olives and white floral characters with lovely expanse and density, yielding further detail of pineapples and tangy citrus. Very well-balanced and rounded. This wine really deserves to be drunk in a large delicate burgundy glass.

2017 Le C des Carmes Haut-Brion, at Parkway’s cocktail party at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, on 28 Nov 2022. Distinct Médoc character of forest floor and dark berries with a light easy presence, displaying fine tannin structure and gentle intensity. Good finish. A decent drop.

2018 Laurent Ponsot Meursault-Blagny 1er Myosotis, at Parkway’s cocktail party at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, on 28 Nov 2022 Fragrant white tones, creme and vanillin on the nose. Medium-bodied, imbued with classy fruit that exert understated intensity. Good balance. Drinking well but deserves further cellaring.

2018 Jean et Sébastian Dauvissat Chablis Les Sechet 1er, at Parkway’s cocktail party at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, on 28 Nov 2022. Pale. Rather light on the palate with fine clarity though the fruit is way too subdued.

2012 Champagne Dom Pérignon, at Parkway’s cocktail party at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, on 28 Nov 2022. Cool clear refreshing tones of delicate citrus and distant green fruits, displaying lovely fullness and clarity with impeccable balance. Yet to really flesh out with further depth and detail but it is delightful.

2017 Château Léoville Barton, at Parkway’s cocktail party at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, on 28 Nov 2022. Dominant notes of vanillin oak amid creamy overtones, replicated in equal measure on the medium-full palate. Clearly ample in ripe dark fruits and currants with well-managed tannins, but the wood is too prominent at this stage.

2005 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, at Parkway’s cocktail party at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, on 28 Nov 2022. Deep ruby. Still youthful, displaying a restrained regal elegance with a gentle lift of secondary characters. Well-balanced and integrated though subdued in intensity. Rather demure. May be best to rest another 5-8 years to allow full maturation.

2003 Paolo Scarvino Carobric Barolo, at Parkway’s cocktail party at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, on 28 Nov 2022. Brownish red with some evolution, displaying ripe plummy tones laced with cedar, cinnamon and licorice on the medium-full palate, imbued with slick acidity and sweetish tannins.

2006 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste, at Parkway’s cocktail party at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, on 28 Nov 2022. Subdued on the nose with darkish tones throughout. Medium-full. Fine depth and intensity of fruit, marked by a firm minerally presence that imparted some glare.

2018 Massetino, at Parkway’s cocktail party at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, on 28 Nov 2022. A blend of merlot and cabernet franc. Impenetrably dark, delivering an unfathomable depth of sheer black fruits freshly layered with vanillin and enamel. Fleshy with refined intensity, finishing with a slight vegetal after note. Clearly set for the long haul.

2019 Domaine Michel Niellon Chassagne-Montrachet Clos de la Maltroye 1er, at Parkway’s cocktail party at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, on 28 Nov 2022. Pale. Classic Chassagne nose of dense white fruits that shone with cool clarity, delivering on its promise with lovely intensity and acidity, just a tad austere towards its minerally finish.

2019 Yann Durieux Love And Pif Recrue Des Sens. Popped and poured at Sin Chao Gardens, 30 Nov 2022. A bourgogne aligoté. Light golden. Muted on the nose though the medium-bodied palate features a high-toned acidity imparted by a very fine presence of clear citrus tinged with distinct saline and ferrous elements. Fairly tight and lively with good clarity, though somewhat austere with attenuated depth.