2005 Romanée-Conti Grands Échézeaux 1993 Armand Rousseau Charm-Chambertin 2009 Méo-Camuzet Clos Vougeot Le Cellier 2015 Henri Boillot Criots-Bâtard Montrachet 2006 Dujac Clos de la Roche Grand Cru & 2014 Guy Amiot Le Montrachet

A simple theme of Grand Cru, all blinded, for my special day on 10 December 2024 at Riviera, One Fullerton, in its spacious private room. Many thanks to all for the wines and to restaurant owner Olivier Bendel for making it possible.

2010 Domaine Bouchard Père et Fils Meursault 1er Les Gouttes d’Or, courtesy of Kieron. Luminous., proffering distant pineapples from the lovely distilled white fruit underscored by subdued salinity, boasting cool clarity and refinement though without much inner detail. Modest finish.

2015 Domaine Henri Boillot Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru. Pale golden. Too cold initially, proffering a little musty pungency before easing up with delicate floral hues and cool clear citrus that exert an excellent even presence. Very well balanced. Quite lively with controlled intensity, the fruit just a little recessed in favour of a chalky clarity, maintaining an understated demeanour throughout its fine length.

2014 Domaine Guy Amiot et Fils Le Montrachet Grand Cru, courtesy of LF. Lovely golden luminosity. Quite generously proportioned, already developing a certain maturity in its glowing chalkiness imbued with some layered complexity. Beautifully rounded with overtones of cool icing, exuding a gentle regal elegance with a tinge of salinity.

2006 Domaine Dujac Clos de la Roche Grand Cru, courtesy of Kieron. Evolved crimson, proffering an attractive bouquet of orangey fruit with red plums from the deep expanse of fruit already imbued with very lovely tertiary characters. Superbly balanced and integral, structured with slick acidity and exciting tannins that impart tingling intensity though it is still somewhat understated on the whole, finishing with lasting persistence amid a tinge of medicinal powder.

2009 Domaine Méo-Camuzet Clos De Vougeot Près Le Cellier Grand Cru, courtesy of Vic. Classic pinot tint. Only medium weight, though the full ripe darkish fruit here exerts a certain warm exuberance with a focused intensity, underpinned by a ferric earthiness (consistent with its location [photo above] right next to the Château de Vougeot) that lent a touch of austerity and terse tension within its layers. Impeccably balanced.

2005 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Grands Échézeaux Grand Cru, courtesy of Sir Bob. Some age is evident from its classic pinot tint, proffering dark plums, mulberries and cedar with minty overtones. The medium-full palate shows a slightly assertive intensity of earthy minerals, casting a certain austerity to its darkish masculine proportions enhanced by an undertow of stems towards its modest finish.

1993 Domaine Armand Rousseau Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru, courtesy of LF. Displaying an evolved crimson, this wine boasts subtle layers of mature red fruits imbued with a warm ripeness that exude fleshy freshness and focus, seamlessly integral with soft tannins and understated ferrous minerals.