1995 Domaine J-F Coche-Dury Meursault, 2013 Salon, 2018 PYCM Meursault-Charmes, 2023 William Kelley Coteaux Bourguignons, 2023 William Kelley Volnay Sous Chapelle, 2023 Kei Shiogai Pommard Poisot

A lovely dinner at Ki-sho on 08 June 2026, very generously hosted by Anthony Oei who also popped the William Kelley Volnay and Kei Shiogai on a whim. All the wines were drinking beautifully, perfectly matching the sublime culinary art of Executive Chef Taro Takayama who had previously been operating at an eponymous establishment. Some of these new domaines command a very steep premium right from the start and while the wines are, indeed, very expertly crafted, there are plenty of choices for the connoisseur at such price points. Many thanks again to everyone for your kind generosity.

2013 Champagne Salon Cuvée S Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs Brut, courtesy of Anthony. Light pale greenish. Keen rounded bouquet of pomelo, pears and peaches amid a fabulous minerally density. Full-bodied, displaying crystalline clarity and sharp attack of lemon bitters that cut through with a bold dry intensity that lingered with lasting persistence. Great balance.

2008 Champagne Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill, courtesy of Vic. Pale golden. Fairly effusive in deep yeasty tones, boasting a sharp attack of dense yellow citrus with shades of bitter lemon that impart bold supple intensity. Somewhat narrow in spectrum initially, fleshing out eventually with fine balance and linearity. Yet to develop.

2017 Domaine Jean-Claude Ramonet Puligny-Montrachet Les Enseignères. Pale. This wine opens with a restrained glow of white fruits and melons amid a recessed chalkiness that fills the palate with an enticing rounded softness in spite of the full presence of fruit, topped with a cool luxuriant coat of crème de la crème. True to Ramonet’s style, there is a very lovely ebb and flow of gentle feminine intensity, conveying fine tension and linearity throughout its integral length. Punches way above its village status. No wonder producers such as Coche-Dury and Chavy-Chouet have also begun producing from this plot that abuts Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru at the easterly end.

2018 Domaine Pierre-Yvés Colin-Morey Meursault-Charmes 1er, courtesy of Kieron. Pale greenish, proffering reductive tones of lime and clear citrus couched with a certain restraint. Medium-full, imbued with copious fruit and sublime acidity that impart terrific tension and intensity. Yet to develop.

1995 J-F Coche-Dury Meursault, courtesy of Sir Bob. Golden luminosity. A little autumnal in character initially where notes of apricot amid a mature chalky creaminess are evident. Fleshed out quite quickly with keen citrus underpinned by refined acidity that conveyed adequate youthful freshness, poised with aristocratic elegance. Still holding on well, though at 31 years, one should start drinking up gradually.

2023 William Kelley Coteaux Bourguignons, courtesy of Kieron. Pale. Unusual nose of nutmeg with overtones of mint. Imbued with generous swathes of white fruit seamlessly integrated with superb acidity, exerting a focused intensity that swells and ebbs with excellent coherence. More integral over time with glowing warmth though its finish is somewhat modest.

2023 William Kelley Volnay 1er Carelle Sous la Chapelle, courtesy of Anthony. Good colour. Deep effusive bouquet of red fruits and cherries. Well extracted and wonderfully ripe, underscored by a deeper vein of dark currants and sleek acidity that impart a focused intensity and tensile presence though it didn’t seem to develop further in the glass. Modest finish.

2023 Kei Shiogai Pommard Poisot, courtesy of Anthony. Good colour, exuding a lovely feminine fragrance of cool ripe cherries and red fruits tinged with a bit of stems. Superbly proportioned and integrated with an unforced agility, boasting fine definition. Just a tad reductive towards its moderate finish, reflecting the rich ferrous soils of its terroir. Almost ethereal.