FICOFI Large Formats: 1995 Clerc Milon, 1990 Pichon Longueville Comtesse Lalande, 1989 Mouton Rothschild, 2016 “Y” d’Yquem, 2018 Prieuré Roch Vosne-Romanée Suchots 1988 Château d’Yquem

FICOFI held a large-format evening at 1-Atico, perched on the 55th floor of ION Orchard, Singapore, on 22 September 2023 where bottles of jeroboam, imperial and double-magnums abound. Wines in large format generally age better and retain their freshness longer due to a much lower surface-to-air ratio between the wine and the bottom of the cork, lesser micro-oxygenation and the thicker glass which insulates against temperature variation and light penetration. This was evident that evening where the 1976 Bouchard Clos de la Mousse and 1990 Pichon Lalande were wonderfully expressive. Where cost and practicalities are favourable, magnums are definitely the ideal bottling for home cellars. Many thanks, Chee Wee!

2000 Champagne Henriot Millésimé. Jeroboam (3L). Pale. Forward balance of clear citrus and melons amid yeasty overtones, yielding good clarity and precision with clean dry intensity.

2016 Domaine Dujac Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatières 1er. Methuselah (6L). Pale. Classic Puligny nose of chalky white tones, a little creamier over time. The medium-weight palate is surprisingly restrained, imbued with a lean cool ripeness of distilled fruit tinged with nutmeg, displaying gentle depth with excellent clarity and precision. Harmonious and impeccably proportioned but almost nonchalant.

2016 Domaine Jean-Claude Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet Le Clos du Cailleret 1er monopole. Jeroboam. Light greenish. Surprisingly reticent on the nose though the palate is fairly ample in white fruits, quite harmonious with a plump rounded presence, yielding further notes of nutmeg and olives over time, laced with peppery spice at the sides. I feel that the inaugural 2014 still reigns supreme.

2006 Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc. Imperial (6L). Effusive notes of nectarine, varnish, enamel and apricot with powdery textures, layered with structured cool tones that impart fine intensity with a hint of oily diesel on a chalky base.

2016 “Y” d’Yquem. Double-magnum (3L). Pale golden. Effusive forward balance of pineapples, durians and longans topped with a dash of nectarine, underpinned by fabulous acidity that impart tight restrained intensity, developing a subtle base of ferrous elements over time. Still primal but likely to develop very well.

2000 Poderi Aldo Conterno Granbussia Riserva Barolo. Jeroboam. Very dark, boasting an impressive depth of black fruits and currants that still exude youthful intensity amid secondary medicinal tones and bramble, its tannins having softened considerably, yielding lovely fragrance but still far from ready in this super-large format.

1976 Bouchard Père et Fils Beaune Clos de la Mousse 1er. Magnum (1.5L). Fairly deep in colour and pinot character at its core, still imbued with good presence of mature red fruits that impart fine vigour in spite of its soft feminine character, glowing with a refined floral fragrance, just a little short.

2016 Domaine Denis Mortet Gevrey-Chambertin Mes Cinq Terroirs. Jeroboam. Fresh raspberries dominate amid floral scents, boasting ample presence of cool ripe fruit that exude silky tannins with darkish refined intensity. Seriously good for a blend of five village plots of northern Gevrey centred around Brochon.

2015 Domaine Thibault Liger-Belair Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Saint-Georges 1er. Jeroboam. Good colour. Quite effusive in dried plums and red fruits though the medium-weight palate is rather reserved, showing some early development where soft rosy hues dominate with well-integrated acidity, a tad short. Way too polite and feminine.

2018 Domaine Prieuré Roch Vosne-Romanée Les Suchots 1er. Magnum. Slightly deeper in colour for pinot, delivering forward aromas of raspberries, wild berries and red plums. Very well structured and integrated with soft refined tannins on a dusty minerally base, yielding fine detail.

2014 Domaine Pierre Damoy Chambertin Grand Cru. Jeroboam. Good colour. Arresting bouquet of fragrant red fruits and cherries while haw, rhubarb and sweet enamel dominate on the fleshy medium-weight palate. Well integrated but a little uneven with understated intensity. I always feel that Pierre Damoy is more successful with Clos de Bèze, of which it owns the lion’s share.

1995 Château Clerc Milon. Double-magnum. Good colour. Lovely glow of mature dark fruit amid wisps of capsicum and briar. Very open, supple but lean, seamlessly integrated with soft melted tannins that exude fragrant rosy hues against dryish Pauillac characters. Excellent, not far at all behind the 1989 Mouton Rothschild.

1990 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande. Imperial. Evolved ruby. Beautifully expressive and captivating bouquet of haw, cherries, mulberries and raspberries. The soft medium-weight palate is distinctly feminine, wonderfully expansive with an inviting velvety warmth perfectly balanced against its distilled minerally detail, displaying regal poise and elegance. Often described as the vintage where the vines shared the grief of the legendary May-Eliane de Lencquesaing at the passing of her beloved husband, it has taken thirty-three years for the 1990 Pichon Lalande to unfurl its true character. Absolutely superb, rivalling the 1989 Mouton Rothschild this evening.

1989 Château Mouton Rothschild. Imperial. Deep crimson. Beautiful glow dark currants, mulberries and raspberries against the dryish textures of Pauillac. Equally beguiling on the plump fleshy palate of medium depth, set with relaxed plummy tones amid delicious haw, stamped with vivid freshness and understated acidity. Boasts great refinement, no doubt benefitting from the super-large bottling. Caught at optimal maturity. Superb.

1988 Château d’Yquem. Double-magnum. Dull golden, proffering mature fruit of apricot and honeyed toast with a glowing placid stillness, perhaps even a little stern and austere in spite of its fresh acidity. Fleshed out better over time with glimpses of tropical fruit and inner detail.