Vinexpo Asia 2023

For the very first time, Vinexpo Asia was held in Singapore instead of its usual venue in Hong Kong from 23-25 May 2023 at the Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre, attracting 10,000 attendees from the wine trade, featuring wine and spirits from all over the world. The event also incorporated a one-day tasting of the newly-bottled 2020 Bordeaux vintage by the Union des Grands Crus. Various fringe events were also organised around that week to take advantage of the presence of winemakers, producers and sales directors, not least the Jürade de Saint-Émilion Gala (which inducted the French ambassador) as well as 67 Pall Mall’s Bordeaux tasting. The trade-only event meant there was plenty of room to move around leisurely without any pressure, but there was only so much I could handle over the couple of afternoons that I was there. So here they are, all 116 wines listed in the order tasted. Moving ahead, Singapore will alternate with Hong Kong in hosting this annual event.

2018 Château Brulesecaille. From the Côtes de Bourg. Purplish. Plums, briar and earthy tones. Full, warm, velvety ripeness, structured with well-managed tannins. Shows good intensity and refinement.

2017 Château Laffitte Carcasset. Warm ripe wild berries dominate against a backdrop of bright gravelly tones, laced with fine acidity. Very sleek. Good Saint-Estèphe character.

2018 Château Fourcas Dupré. Briar, red fruits and haw amidst a gentle floral fragrance. Good presence of fruit, showing refined acidity and supple intensity. Good balance. From Listrac-Médoc.

2018 Domaine Bony Gachot Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Damodes. Good color. Glowing warmth of ripe red fruits. Medium-bodied. Distinct NSG sandy signature with fine presence of fruit and acidity.

2015 Château La Cardonne. Deep crimson. Ripe plums and distilled red fruits amid floral overtones. Cool, understated medium palate, structured with soft subtle tannins. Very harmonious. An excellent Médoc.

2018 Château Haut-Logat. Haut-Médoc. Deep crimson. Earthy smoky savoury characters. Medium-bodied. Highly supple and integral with open intensity.

2022 Château de Maligny Chablis. Grassy morning dew, summer hay and floral characters on the nose. Medium-bodied. Very well-balanced and integral with understated elegance, displaying excellent freshness with unobtrusive acidity topped with a dash of salinity. Good stuff.

2022 Maison Jaffelin Chablis. Distinctly floral amidst morning dew. A little dryish, adding clarity to its fresh clear citrus graced with a splash of cinnamon and tropical fruit that contributed further dimension. Highly integral with understated acidity. Good finish.

2021 Domaine Jean Collet et Fils Chablis 1er Vaillons. Light greenish. Very lovely nose of ripe tropical fruits and honeysuckle. Medium-bodied. Plenty of presence but well-integrated with refreshing acidity, displaying great clarity. Highly appealing.

2022 Château de Tracy Pouilly-Fumé. Pale. Dry grassy elements with after-rain aromas. Structured with good presence and clarity. Well-balanced. Good refinement and acidity.

2022 La Perrière La Petite Perrière Sauvignon Blanc. Pale greenish. Grassy elements and green fruits on the nose, slightly sweet. Refreshing clean clarity. Sleek acidity. Rounded warmth. Very fine.

Champagne Paul Goerg Premier Cru À Vertus. Effusive full creaminess. Dense presence of clear and yellow citrus that exert dry intensity. Somewhat narrow but made up for by its very soft refined effervescence. Drinking well.

Champagne Guerlet-Deguerne Brut NV. A premier cru grower champagne from Chamery, farmed organically. Very attractive darkish nose. Cool, smoky, medium-full. Well-layered with refined acidity. Good zest. Drinking well. 40% pinot noir.

Champagne Brocard Pierre L’Égarée NV. A 50-50 blend of pinot noir and chardonnay. Floral nose with a distant sweetness of cane juice. Very soft refined effervescence, not too dry. Structured with a clean feel, displaying very good presence and clarity of fruit.

2020 Domaine François Legros Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Perrières 1er. Deep purple. Forward in raspberries and rose petals. Cleanly structured with fine concentration and balance, just a tad narrow. Well-integrated with good energy and focus.

2022 Domaine Lalande Les Hauts de Lalande. Deep purple. Forward nose of briar and bramble. Softly contoured. Imbued with abundant fruit, displaying good presence and acidity.

2018 Château d’Escurac. Médoc cru bourgeois. Crimson, slightly dusky. Full presence of ripe red fruits and currants. Good attack and tensile intensity, finishing with dryish tannins that impart a bit of austerity.

2020 Château Haut-Maurac. Médoc Cru Bourgeois. Purplish. Earthy nose. Clean, dry presence of fruit, somewhat lean and narrow.

2019 Château Lassus. Médoc. Crimson. Ripe savoury nose, fairly rich, though the medium palate is quite the opposite, distinctly dryish with a dash of ember, showing clean lean definition.

2019 Château La Branne. Médoc. Deep crimson with a discernible touch of vanillin. Medium-bodied. Rounded with teasing supple intensity. Good definition. A little lean but the fruit is there, laced with refined acidity.

2018 Château La Branne. Crimson, exuding a certain warm ripeness though the plump palate is rather cool and darkish. Highly integral between the ample dark fruit, acidity and tannin structure. Very refined, almost to the point of aloofness. Modest finish.

2018 Château D’Arsac. Crimson. Cedary notes and dark currants dominate with a touch of vanillin. Rounded with soft unobtrusive tannins, imbued with a deep core of plummy fruit, yielding fine detail and supple freshness.

2020 Château La Mouline. Moulis-en-Médoc. Crimson. Floral notes of dark roses. Soft, medium palate. Well-integrated with good clarity and understated acidity but somewhat underwhelming.

2019 Château Corconnac. Haut-Médoc cru bourgeois. Abundant red fruits, strawberries and currants, proffering an effusive floral fragrance. Well integrated with controlled supple intensity. Drinking well.

2018 Château Bernadotte. Dark purple. Softly contoured with red fruits and darkish elements. Medium-full. Structured with subtle tannin detail. Very well integrated with refined acidity though a little dryish. Modest finish.

2019 Château Beaumont. Haut-Médoc. Crimson. Highly effusive in rosy floral characters. Excellent medium-full presence of supple dark cherries with traces of alcoholic flash. Good attack.

2018 Château Cissac. Haut-Médoc cru bourgeois. Crimson. Some restraint on the nose. Darkish cool ripeness of black fruits. Fresh and highly supple, showing good delineation with a dash of soy.

2017 Château Clauzet. Saint-Estèphe. Deep crimson. Restrained fruit. Softly contoured with a warm ripeness. Fleshy and agile. Good detail. Medium-bodied. Understated acidity. Good harmony. Modest finish.

2016 Château Sociando-Mallet. Deep purple. Darkish tone of currants, raspberries and mulberries. Good attack. Refined intensity. A little bit of alcoholic heat is evident. Spicy finish.

2019 Château La Tour De Mons. Margaux. Purplish. Light-medium. Youthful fruit. Fine acidity. Could do with more stuffing.

2013 Château Langoa Barton. Crimson. Strong note of soy amidst bramble with splashes of vanillin still evident. Soft medium-full palate, structured with rounded slightly velvety tannins. Good detail. Some herbal elements. Modest finish.

2013 Château Montrose. Crimson. Darkish earthy characters with a hint of smoke. Solidly structured. Good attack. Still tightly wound. Modest finish. Somewhat squarish, not yielding much.

2017 Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion. Crimson. Good ripeness. Early notes of cedar. Supple intensity and acidity. Good integration though the fruit is somewhat recessed. Modest finish.

2019 Château La Commanderie. Saint-Estèphe. Deep crimson. Darkish rosy glow. Medium-full. Very good integration, displaying terse tension and sleek acidity. Good attack.

2019 Château La Croix de Gay. Pomerol. Deep crimson. Sleek presence of red fruits. Medium-full. Still fairly tight though its tannins are very pliant and supple, exerting fine tension.

2008 Château Lynch-Bages. Deep crimson. Restrained early secondary characters on the nose. Medium-full. Cool ripeness. Highly fleshy and supple, imbued with mocha and soy with a touch of briar, displaying understated intensity and acidity. Very refined tannin structure. Full of feminine grace and elegance.

2016 Château Dufort-Vivens. Deep crimson. Aromas of roasted nuts. Medium-full. Open intensity of predominant red fruits, displaying cool ripeness with great verve and understated acidity. Highly integral. Good finish.

2019 Château Pichon Baron Longueville. Deep opaque purple. Classic nose of dense raspberries and mulberries touched with vanillin. Excellent fullness of cool ripe fruit. Fleshy and agile. Beautifully structured with sleek acidity, exerting supple intensity.

2018 Château Figeac. Deeply coloured. Nose of darkish fruit with dark rosy characters. Highly supple and fleshy, boasting a deep expanse of lush succulent fruit that traversed the palate with excellent delineation and linearity. Highly integral. Very successful.

2018 Château Cantermerle. Dark. Restrained nose of cool dark fruit though the full palate possesses a lovely warm ripeness with early cedary characters, structured with sophisticated svelte tannins and superb acidity, exuding great freshness. Finished well. A real revelation! I bought a case.

2018 Domaine Louis Jadot Corton-Charlemagne Grand Gru. Light golden luminosity. White fruits dominant with a glorious clean chalky sheen. Highly harmonious with restrained verve, displaying lovely clarity with a dash of nutmeg and spicy white pepper. Coiled with tight potential but it’s all there. Good finish.

2020 Maison Louis Jadot Beaune Grèves Le Clos Blanc 1er. Light golden hue. Intense distilled presence of white fruits on the nose and palate with a tinge of nutmeg. Layered with excellent fullness. Beautifully nuanced.

2015 Domaine Louis Jadot Clos Vougeot Grand Cru. Good colour. Some discernible vanillin still on the medium-full palate, displaying sharp delineation of cool ripe fruit and sleek acidity. Very well integrated. Highly supple and fleshy.

2020 E Guigal Condrieu. Pale. High-toned floral bouquet with distinct grassy elements on the medium palate. Cool presence. Modest finish.

2019 E Guigal Ermitage Ex-Voto Blanc. Pale. Mild bouquet of brioche and nectarine. Cool, ripe white tones laced with vanillin. Very fine presence and layering with an austere minerally tinge.

2019 Château d’Ampuis. Deep purple. Alluring lightness of glorious fresh fruit. Layered with lovely depth and supple intensity. Harmonious. Great energy. Good finish.

2020 Château Léoville Poyferre at the Union des Grands Crus. Deep purple. Raspberries and mulberries on the nose. Lovely full tensile presence. Excellent concentration and tannin structure. Masculine. Solid refinement and sophistication with subtle power. Punches above its weight.

2020 Château Talbot at the Union des Grands Crus. Deep purple. Nose of rye, malt and raspberries. Good ripeness. Superb integration. Quite full and fleshy but quite unable to shake off that dominant note of rye. Drinking well. Great stuff.

2020 Château Léoville Barton at the Union des Grands Crus. Deep purple. Some rye and malt amid cool ripe fruit that display excellent presence and concentration with understated acidity. Very good balance. Elegantly poised. Good finish.

2020 Château Gruaud Larose at the Union des Grands Crus. Deep purple. Restrained nose of raspberries and wild berries. Medium-full. Good attack and intensity though tannins are a little dryish.

2020 Château Beychevelle at the Union des Grands Crus. Purplish. Not much on the nose though there’s obviously plenty of stuffing beneath. Pebbly soft, layered with fine acidity with a deeper vein of dark fruit.

2020 Château Clerc-Milon at the Union des Grands Crus. Deep purple. Very good lift of red fruits and darkish cherries. Fleshy, supple and highly integral, lit with bright acidity. Shows very fine Pauillac character. Modest finish.

2020 Château Kirwan at the Union des Grands Crus. Deep purple. Lovely floral fragrance. Softly contoured with a cool ripeness, well-structured with detailed velvety tannins.

2020 Château Brane-Cantenac at the Union des Grands Crus. Warm pebbly tones. Good fruit, darkish but well-extracted, slightly angular. A little brambly. Good acidity.

2020 Château La Dominique at the Union des Grands Crus. Deep purple. Warm ripe fragrance. Medium-full. Good transparency and acidity. Slightly stern and assertive. Good depth.

2020 Château Clos Fourtet at the Union des Grands Crus. Deep purple. Dominant note of rye. Great expanse of fruit beneath. Beautifully rounded and polished. Shows great sophistication and elan.

2020 Château Grand Mayne at the Union des Grands Crus. Purplish. Good intensity of fruit. Fleshy but a little sharp and assertive. Good definition and freshness.

2020 Château La Tour Figeac at the Union des Grands Crus. Deep ruby. Some malt on the nose. Warm, ripe and supple. Very good presence. Highly pliant tannin structure, revealing gritty detail. Superb balance. Great stuff.

2001 Gaja Sperss. Nose of complex red fruits and haw. Soft and supple, medium-full. Deep vein of dark fruit and currants. Plenty of charm and feminine power. Yet to peak.

2021 Anthium Bellone Lazio. Floral green fruits. Lovely fullness of crisp citrus and nutmeg with velvety textures, displaying refreshing tensile acidity with good early complexity. Very well integrated. Good finish. Excellent.

2021 Matidia Cesanese Lazio. Aged six months in old oak. Purplish. Dryish nose with distinct notes of bramble. Medium presence of cool ripe fruit and fine acidity, exerting fleeting intensity. Modest finish.

2017 Casale del Giglio Mater Matuta Lazio Rosso. 100% syrah aged two years in oak. Very deep garnet. Restrained nose. Soft rounded medium presence with some bushy characters, layered with fine acidity and a dash of Asian spice. Well integrated. Not heavy or peppery. Good tannin structure.

2015 Borgogno Barolo Riserva. Pale reddish. Gentle red fruits on the nose and fleshy palate. Structured with supple pliant tannins. Very good definition. Subtly layered. Refined acidity.

2020 Borgogno No Name. 100% nebbiolo. Translucent. Soft floral notes. Rounded. Medium-bodied. Restrained in red fruits, a little backwards. Good acidity.

2020 Tenuta Santa Caterina Illegale Monferrato Rosso. 10% nebbiolo. Pale red. Open rosy hues. Clean, lean definition with a reductive back palate, featuring tight density of darker fruit, olives and minerals.

2020 Tenuta Santa Caterina Vignalina. Made from barbera. Clear purplish. Overtones of heated wet gravel. Medium-full. Good intensity. Quite seamless. Soft elegant fruit. Modest finish.

2020 Monte del Fra Cà Del Magro. Very light yellowish. Lovely floral fragrance. Bit forward. Medium weight. Good concentration of light citrus, displaying fine delicate acidity and deft agility.

2022 Zenato Lugana San Benedetto. Pale grassy elements. Medium-full. Fresh delicate fruit, a little forward. Good clarity. Understated acidity. Modest finish. Easy charm.

2018 Zenato Ripassa Valpolicella Ripasso. Evolved red. Plums, rose petals and cherries. Medium-full. Rounded. Quite fleshy with good presence and acidity. Bit earthy. Good tannin structure.

2021 L’Antica Fattoria La Parrina Costa dell’Argentario Ansonica. Light greenish. Cool refreshing feel of green fruits along with olives and nutmeg. Medium-bodied. Good clarity and agility. Fine acidity.

2021 Tenuta Mara Vermentino di Gallura Petrizza Masone Mannu. Pale. Effusive white floral tones and green fruits. Dry medium presence of recessed fruit. Lean definition, laced with ferrous elements. Slightly stern and stemmy.

2019 Cantele Salice Salentino Rosso Riserva. Opaque purple. Delicious raspberries and ripe wild berries on the nose. Medium weight. Soft, understated structure and acidity. Drinking well. From Puglia.

2020 Cantele Amativo. Deep purple. Generous nose of raspberries, mulberries and dark cherries. Quite full. Well-proportioned with tight acidity and controlled intensity. Excellent pliant tannin structure. Good finish.

2020 Kaltern Pinot Bianco Quintessenz. Pale. Effusive bouquet of yellow fruit. Excellent presence of citrus, exerting a high-toned sleek acidity that impart delicate intensity. Good persistence.

2018 Freemark Abbey Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep purple. Attractive reductive tone amid a profusion of red fruits. Wonderfully ripe and delicious. Very well-proportioned, structured with sophisticated refined tannins that exert lovely svelte intensity. A tad forward but balanced.

2014 Staglin Family Vineyard Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep ruby. Restrained on the nose though the medium palate features a generous spread of delicious fruit with a velvety feel, imbued with great acidity and sweetish tannins. Finished well with a dash of minerals.

2016 Viader Red Blend. Deep garnet. Smoky savoury tones with overtones of cedar. Fullish tensile palate, tannins still tight and steely, oozing a bit of sweetness.

2009 Cain Five Proprietary Blend. Deep crimson. Generous delicious lift of delicious currants and ripe plums, a little savoury. Excellent integration. Highly integral with melted tannins, displaying refined balance with a warm ripeness. Not overwhelming. Good finish. From Spring Mountain, Napa Valley.

2016 Burgess Contadina Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep crimson. Generously proportioned with intense warm ripe fruit. Good tannin structure.

2018 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep purple. Deliciously ripe effusive bouquet though the fruit is, surprisingly, set rather backward on the medium-full palate, overshadowed by a distinct minerally presence.

2020 Hudson Vineyards “Little Bit” Chardonnay. Light luminosity. Restrained soft presence, the fruit set a little backward on the agile medium palate, finishing with a menthol lift.

2021 Hudson Vineyards Chardonnay. Luminous. Attractive glowing lift nose. Medium-full. Well-layered with refreshing clarity and good verve, slightly sweet with some nutmeg at the sides. Great balance. Good finish.

2019 Hudson Vineyards Phoenix Napa Carneros. Deep garnet. Dark fruits, currants and sweet meat, evoking savoury tones. Medium-full. Open with a lush warmth, displaying superb integration and excellent definition. Very sleek. Well-balanced.

2020 Hudson Vineyards Phoenix Napa Carneros. Deep garnet. Plums, olives and black fruits dominate, exerting terse dry intensity. Highly supple. Good balance and clarity. Well-proportioned.

2019 Hudson Vineyards Old Master Napa Carneros. Deep purple. Quite generous on the nose. Open, a little fruit forward, showing lean delineation with good tannin structure.

2018 Roy Estate Mr. Evans Proprietary Red. Deep purple. Intense bouquet of dark fruits and currants. Open with delicious supple intensity. Good charm.

2018 Roy Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep purple. Distinct note of lacquer amid savoury characters and ripe raspberries and currants. Medium-full. Integral warm lushness. Good balance. Understated acidity. Good finish.

2015 Roy Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep garnet. Distinct note of eucalyptus amid soft red fruits. Open with controlled intensity. Very well-proportioned with excellent unobtrusive tannins.

2007 Roy Estate Proprietary Red. Deep crimson. Generous bouquet of cedar and eucalyptus with a hint of menthol. Utterly seamless. Medium. Fleshy with lush supple succulence, the tannins having melted. Modest finish.

2019 Shafer Vineyards TD-9, a blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and malbec. Deep purple. Aromatic lift with a dash of eucalyptus. Softly contoured and supple, almost velvety, displaying smooth creamy textures with unobtrusive tannins. Good charm. Balanced.

2019 Shafer Vineyards One Point Five. Deep ruby. Generous nose of red fruits and roses in full bloom. Equally captivating palate of ripe cherries laid on succulent velvety warmth. Good subtle intensity. Bit spicy.

2018 Shafer Vineyards Hillside Select. Deep purple. Nose of plummy red fruits cushioned in velvety hues, promising early complexity. Quite full. Good balance and proportion. More minerally on the mid-palate though the tannins are unobtrusive. Good finish.

2021 Avalon Zinfandel. Sweetish note of eucalyptus midst restrained red fruits. Good acidity. Medium presence, rounded but straightforward.

2021 Raeburn Sonoma County Chardonnay. Light greenish. Highly aromatic. Good verve. More fruit forward, yielding excellent detail and clarity. Very refined acidity. Great balance. Oozing with relaxed charm.

2019 Larkmead Vineyards Solari Cabernet Sauvignon. Good colour. Elegant lift of red fruits. Quite full and warm with a tinge of vegetal base. Medium presence. Quite fleshy though the fruit is set a little backward, giving way to more pronounced acidity.

2019 Larkmead Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon. Good colour. Very correct. Lovely bouquet. Great balance and restraint though there’s plenty going on. Impeccably balanced with supple refined tannins. Highly integral.

2019 Larkmead Vineyards Firebelle Red. Deep crimson. Nose of savoury roast and rosy floral fragrance. Medium-full. Dry intensity. Good delineation and acidity. Understated tannins.

2021 Calera Pinot Noir. Good colour. Gentle floral aromas with distilled red fruits. Medium-bodied. Good intensity, underscored by sweet understated tannins with a warm ripeness. Great balance. Good finish.

2019 Calera Mills Vineyard Pinot Noir. Good colour. Prime bouquet of delicious red fruits. Softly contoured with a medium presence, structured with mild tannins that support the glowing lift of red berries. Fine detail. Very refined. From Mount Harlan.

2020 Duckhorn Vineyards Goldeneye Anderson Valley Pinot Noir. Good colour. Lovely nose of delicious fruit with rosy hues. Medium weight. Highly integral with refined acidity and intensity. Good balance and finish.

2020 Duckhorn Vineyards Decoy Cabernet Sauvignon. Good nose. Glorious fruit. Great balance and refinement. Open with highly supple intensity. Great balance. Good finish.

2021 Duckhorn Vineyards Decoy Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep purple. Highly aromatic with discernible vanillin. Surprisingly open and supple, displaying great purity and balance. Modest finish.

2021 Duckhorn Vineyards Decoy Alexander Valley Merlot. Deep purple. Highly aromatic. Great presence of fruit. Good balance and acidity.

2020 Duckhorn Vineyards Napa Valley Merlot. Deep crimson. Restrained nose of red fruits and currants though the supple medium-full palate is fruity and delicious, structured with subtle tannins that impart great acidity.

2020 Duckhorn Vineyards Three Palms Vineyard Merlot. Deep purple. Rosy hues and red fruits with a chamfered quality. Softly contoured with good detail and layering with a substantial core of minerals. Very well-integrated. Good intensity. Lovely poise elegance.

2018 Silver Oak Alexander Valley. Deep crimson. Delicious bouquet of warm red fruits and smouldering ember. Medium-bodied. Quite amply layered with good transparency, subtly structured with refreshing acidity.

2018 Silver Oak Napa Valley. Deep purple. Warm red fruits on the nose with a suggestion of heated gravel. Full ripe palate, dressed in svelte tannins with a distinct minerally base. Somewhat dryish, though impeccably balanced and proportioned. Good finish.

2019 Silver Oak “Timeless” Bordeaux Blend. Deep purple. Restrained warmth. Medium presence. Well balanced. Highly supply and approachable. Modest finish.

2021 Wirra Wirra Church Block. Deep purple. Delicious nose of velvety red fruits. Medium-full. Great energy. Very well-integrated with subtle tannins and understated acidity. From McLaren Vale, South Australia.

2021 Wirra Wirra Catapult Shiraz. Deep purple. Medium presence, displaying supple velvetiness with good structure and definition. Very well-balanced. Drinking well.

2021 Wirra Wirra Woodhenge. Deep purple. Velvety medium-full presence. Generously endowed in dark fruits with plenty of depth and energy. Excellent balance. Well proportioned.

2019 Wirra Wirra RSW Shiraz. Quite restrained on the nose though the palate is rather full, imbued with a warm ripeness amid distinct medicinal overtones, layered with velvety depth.

2021 Bleasdale Bremerview Shiraz. Deep purple. Some malt on the nose, leading to a generous warm ripeness of fruit marked by a tensile presence with a bit of alcoholic heat. From Langhorne Creek, South Australia.

2021 Bleasdale Second Innings. Made from malbec. Purplish hues. Warm, soft medium presence. Very well-integrated with structured tannins.

2020 Bleasdale Frank Potts. Good bouquet. Structured with some rustic quality, exuding warm ripeness with a rustic quality amid overtones of mahogany. A cabernet sauvignon from Langhorne Creek, South Australia.

2021 Bleasdale Mulberry Tree Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep purple. Quite effusive in dark fruits, mulberries and currants with a note of rye. Excellent fullness, layered with fine cabernet character with overtones of mahogany. Good acidity.