Feb 2024: 2016 Clos des Lambrays G.C., 2018 Marquet Verzenay, 2010 Le Dôme, 2015 Bouchard Corton-Charlemagne G.C., 2014 Occidental SWK, 2014 Ch d’Yquem, 2005 Kapçsandy State Lane Cabernet

2016 d’Arenberg Dead Arm Shiraz. Popped and poured at the in-laws, 04 Feb 2024. Deep crimson. Profusion of cool shiraz at just the right degree of extraction that coat the palate with a ripe plummy warmth. Good balance with well-managed tannins.

2021 Domaine Florent Garaudet Monthelie Blanc Sous le Cellier. Aired for ninety minutes ahead of dinner at GEMMA, 07 Feb 2024. This wine opens with abundant fresh tangy citrus that impart zesty focused intensity with a teasing quality, trailed by gentle overtones of raddish and vanillin. Gradually morphed into a seamless crystalline entity with cool glacial tones tinged with a distant chalkiness and nutmeg, becoming almost Puligny-like, developing a further note of saline with emerging ferrous elements amid early floral characters and nectarine. Plenty of promise here, and certainly great value.

2019 Henschke Keyneton Euphonium. Popped and poured on 10 Feb 2024. Deep purple. Full presence of warm ripe plummy fruit, firmly structured in equal measure with a trace of astringency in its lively intensity amid overtones of licorice, warm gravel and menthol. Not given enough time and aeration on this occasion.

2018 Mondot. Aired in bottle for three hours ahead of dinner at Bedrock Bar & Grill, 12 Feb 2024. This Saint-Émilion Grand Cru opens with a fair amount of restraint on the nose, proffering only distant notes of dark roses, cherries and currants though the juicy medium-full palate is wonderfully engaging, quite generously endowed with supple intensity and well-integrated acidity, displaying more ferrous elements over time that eventually lent a slightly austere steely edge. Made entirely of merlot from a separate 10-ha plot (therefore not a “second wine” of declassified grapes), this is worthy of further cellaring.

2018 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet, courtesy of Mr Nasrat at Jiang-Nan Chun, 15 Feb 2024. Pale. This wine opens with overtones of cool distant morning mist, leading to a focused gentle intensity of delicate clear citrus tinged with bitter lemon. Grew in stature with fleeting notes of tropical fruit, still maintaining fine clarity with a distinct acidity but it stopped short of further layering.

2015 Domaine Bouchard Père et Fils Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru, courtesy of Mr Nasrat at Jiang-Nan Chun, 15 Feb 2024. Pale. Opens with a mild reductive pungency amid cool rounded white tones, delivering excellent mouthfeel from the superb density of distilled peaches and white fruits that impart focused intensity with an ethereal elegance, fleshing out well. Distinctly feminine. Still relatively tight but utterly irresistible.

2016 Domaine des Lambrays Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru, courtesy of Mr Nasrat at Jiang-Nan Chun, 15 Feb 2024. Classic pinot tint. Subtle plummy fruit and mulberries on the nose, somewhat restrained. The medium palate is fairly integral with a deeper core of kumquat laced with a distinct acidity, showing early secondary characters. Snapped into focus after an hour with further notes of fresh cherries on the nose, eventually fleshing out with supple succulence, becoming very beautifully developed with layers of fruit underpinned by a dash of darkish elements. Highly consistent with a barrel sample tasted at the domaine in November 2017.

2017 Domaine Prieuré Roch Nuits-Saint-Georges Le Clos des Corvées 1er monopole, courtesy of Mr Nasrat at Jiang-Nan Chun, 15 Feb 2024. Opaque dusky reddish-brown, exuding mulberries and wild raspberries on the nose initially, giving way to a brilliant cherry fragrance after some time. The fullish palate is rather velvety, laced with a pronounced acidity laid on a firm ferrous base that lent a distinct rusticity, developing an attractive supple succulence with moderate intensity though the finish is somewhat untidy. Closed down to become even more acidic and reductive over time.

2018 Domaine Comte Senard Corton Clos des Meix Grand Cru, courtesy of Chee Wee at Jiang-Nan Chun, 15 Feb 2024. Classic pinot tint. Rather restrained on the nose in spite of a medium-full density of wild berries, bush and vegetal characters that impart a distinct rusticity. Rounded with a dominant acidity.

2014 Château d’Yquem, courtesy of Mr Nasrat at Jiang-Nan Chun, 15 Feb 2024. Dull golden. Gleaming tones of emulsion, vanillin, crème and nectarine dominate with superb presence, tinged with a dash of incense. Beautifully rounded and elegant, stretching out with a balanced luscious intensity underscored by gorgeous acidity.

2018 Champagne Marguet Verzenay Grand Cru, courtesy of LF at Gleneagles, 16 Feb 2024. Clear golden hue, proffering a lovely lift of red apples and tensile nectarine. Superbly integrated. Wonderfully agile and slick with dry supple intensity, exuding overtones of iron filings. Excellent.

Champagne Pascal Agrapart Complantée Extra Brut NV, courtesy of LF at Gleneagles, 16 Feb 2024. Pale with an attractive reductive pungency, easing into a cool understated palate with relaxed charm and clear crystalline quality, the white fruits set a little backward.

Champagne Pascal Hénin NV, courtesy of LF at Gleneagles, 16 Feb 2024. Comprises 100% chardonnay grand cru from Chouilly. Lifted nose of fresh morning dew and light floral fragrance, gleaming with yellow citrus and cashews on the refreshing medium palate, underpinned by some salinity.

2014 Occidental SWK Vineyard, courtesy of LF at Gleneagles, 16 Feb 2024. Slightly darkish for pinot. Generously endowed with a keen supple presence of dark cherries and red plums but rather measured with cool precision and lean definition, structured with effortless grace. Highly integral.

2015 Antikythera Pinot Noir, courtesy of LF at Gleneagles, 16 Feb 2024. Good colour. Raspberries, cherries, and rose petals dominate with a tinge of salinity. Medium-full. Seamlessly integrated with lovely freshness, exuding a gentle rosy fragrance with relaxed charm.

2005 Kapçsandy Family Winery State Lane Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, courtesy of LF at Gleneagles, 16 Feb 2024. Dark purple, boasting a glorious depth of ripe berries and currants laid on lush velvety textures, developing early secondary characters of sandalwood and earthy spice with a trace of sweetness in its subtle tannins. Rounded with fine sophistication. Delicious!

2020 Château Laffitte Carcasset at Gleneagles, 16 Feb 2024. Aired in bottle for four hours prior. Deep garnet. This Saint-Estèphe opens with a certain restraint though there’s plenty of darkish fruit lurking beneath. Medium-full. Well integrated, though there is a bit of minerally brightness as the fruit turned a little backward after some time, revealing dryish detailed tannins with a trace of sweetness. Needs time to flesh out in bottle.

2010 Cayuse Vineyards Syrah Walla Walla Valley Armada Vineyard, courtesy of LF at Gleneagles, 16 Feb 2024. Crimson. Effusive glow of haw and ripe red fruits with a focused intensity on the firm medium-full palate, underpinned by menthol and medicinal tones. Structured with subtle tannins.

2015 Almaviva, courtesy of LF at Gleneagles, 16 Feb 2024. Deep crimson. Quite effusive in darkish fruit with sweetish overtones. Fullish with cool ripeness, displaying moderate depth with deft agility.

2015 Sena, courtesy of LF at Gleneagles, 16 Feb 2024. Dark. Fleshy and highly supple. Well integrated with darkish easy charm. Somewhat nondescript.

2018 Gran Moraine Willamette Valley Chardonnay, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, 21 Feb 2024. Pale greenish hue. Fairly effusive in delicate floral scents. Medium weight, displaying an agile teasing quality amid cool glacial tones with good cohesion and refined acidity. Finished well with traces of bitter lemon.

2016 Château Chasse-Spleen, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, 21 Feb 2024. Deep garnet. Some restraint initially, proffering just a hint of vanillin with a certain lightness and cool introspection on the medium palate imbued with darkish fruit and currants, tinged with an unusual trace of barnyard earthiness towards the finish. Seemingly lacking in vigour though things snapped into focus after thirty minutes with a bit of furred intensity, the fruit a little deeper and more plummy with detailed tannins. Probably going through an awkward phase.

2009 Domaine Meo Camuzet Échezeaux Les Rouges du Bas Grand Cru, courtesy of John at Gleneagles, 23 Feb 2024. Tasted after overnight aeration in bottle. Deep crimson. Restrained glow of dark plums with faint overtones of emulsion. Medium weight. Ample in dark fruits and black currants, well extracted with a rich glossy sheen. Structured with sophisticated tannins and refined acidity. Dark, weighty and masculine, exuding controlled intensity with a slight tartness at the finish (opined Sir Bob, which I agree).

2005 Roc de Cambes, decanted on-site at Cook & Brew, 24 Feb 2024. Deep crimson. Profusion of dark plummy fruit with a dash of sweet currants on the nose, slightly savoury. Medium-full, displaying lively acidity with exciting verve imparted by very fine tensile tannins. More lush and voluptuous over time with characteristic savoury tones underpinned by a distinct note of mocha, stretching out with understated minty length. From Côtes de Bourg, but one may be forgiven for thinking Saint-Émilion. Drinks like a classified growth.

2017 Domaine de Montille Puligny-Montrachet Les Cailleret 1er. Aired in bottle for six hours ahead of dinner at Origin Grill, 28 Feb 2024. Straw coloured. Attractive aromas of nutmeg, chives, almonds and clear citrus. Medium-full. Softly contoured with teasing plush intensity that impart distilled clarity and lovely tingling mouthfeel with a distinct salinity. Not the reductive sort.

2011 Château Canon, courtesy of Kieron at Origin Grill, 28 Feb 2024. Popped and poured. Deep purple. The nose suggests a big wine, still tinged with emulsion and varnish, though it came across as highly supple and agile on the medium-weight palate, very smoothly delineated with a concentrated warmth and refined balance.

2010 Le Dôme, courtesy of Russ. Aired well ahead of dinner at Origin Grill, 28 Feb 2024. Deep crimson. This garagiste effort opens with a gravelly warmth leading to a fairly full rounded velvety palate, evenly delineated with structured supple intensity in spite of its masculine proportions.

2005 Jasper Hill Shiraz, courtesy of Melvin at Origin Grill, 28 Feb 2024. Popped and poured. Dark opaque purple. Rather funky on the nose with licorice and powerful medicinal overtones. Big, ripe and juicy, structured with chewy tannins that ooze with sweetish eucalyptus. Far from ready.