2014 Drouhin Criots-Bâtard Montrachet, 2015 Aubert Chardonnay, 2011 Clos de Tart, 2023 Kei Shiogai Dame Hertz, 2004 Salon, 2014 Romanée-Conti Grands Échézeaux, 2005 Domaine Romanée-Conti Échézeaux, 2017 Jean-Yvés Bizot Vosne-Romanée & 2023 Charles Lachaux Bourgogne Rouge

It was Kieron’s turn to host his annual dinner, this time at Jinjo private dining on 17 August 2026 without any specified theme. The line-up, nevertheless, was fit for any high table. Many thanks, everyone and especially Sir K, for your immense generosity!

2004 Champagne Salon Cuvée S, courtesy of Kieron. Light golden, proffering an alluring complex of soft zesty citrus, lemon and cool pomelo on the nose. Beautifully integral with a lean intensity of crystalline fruit and lemon bitters that teased with sublime acidity, its very soft luxurious bubbles being the perfect counterfoil, culminating in a fine finish of ferrous elements as it grew with glowing sophistication in the glass. Outstanding.

2015 Aubert Chardonnay. Luminous gold. There is a distinct note of crème de la crème on the nose that carried a hint of sweetness, more predominant over time even as other notes of paraffin, diesel and earth crept in. Medium-full. Fairly opulent with a crystalline quality that lent fine definition, turning more exuberant over time as pineapples and tropical fruits took hold with exciting verve and intensity. Everyone thought it was burgundy.

2023 Kei Shiogai Cuvée Dame Hertz, courtesy of LF. Luminous with a prominent note of petroleum and diesel on the nose that immediately signaled riesling though only medium-weight on the palate, displaying a lean elegant intensity of fruit and minerally shine in equal measure, yielding fine clarity with a bit of pebbly warmth. Made from grand cru riesling sourced from Alsace but vinified in Burgundy.

2014 Joseph Drouhin Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, courtesy of Vic. Pale, proffering a fine detail of tropical fruits on the nose. Very mellow and integral at first, almost demure, before fleshing out with exciting verve and sublime acidity with subtle fluid minerality amid a hint of green capsicum. Still wonderfully fresh. Excellent.

2005 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Meursault Clos de la Barre, courtesy of Sir Bob. Deep golden lustre. Distinctly autumnal on the nose and palate with a glazed glacial quality, the fruit more recessed than expected in favour of a chalky creaminess and dominant acidity that are, nevertheless, still stamped with Lafon’s signature tone.

2023 Charles Lachaux Bourgogne Rouge, courtesy of Vic. Deep colour, exuding a warm gentle lift of intense darkish fruit that carried on to the fullish palate, displaying youthful intensity with a tense taut forward balance, distinctly more extracted but expertly balanced. A modern style.

2011 Domaine du Clos de Tart Clos de Tart Grand Cru. Good colour. Deep velvety bouquet of mulberries, dark plums and red cherries. Surprisingly generous and masculine for the vintage. A little darkish in demeanour though its supple tannins allow greater clarity and elegance over time. Highly integral. Finished well. An effort of the legendary Sylvain Pitiot.

2017 Domaine Jean-Yvés Bizot Vosne-Romanée, courtesy of Anthony. Darkish evolved crimson. Remarkably intense bouquet of sweetish red fruits, plums and haw. Equally predominant in darkish fruit and mulberries on the medium palate, tinged with a hint of earthiness. Distinctly modern.

2005 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Échézeaux Grand Cru, courtesy of Kieron. Fairly deep purple, exuding an arresting funky pungency one would usually not associate with D.R.C., gradually taking on a warmer tone of red cherries and ripe raspberries. At twenty-one years, this wine remains an exciting affair in spite of the melted tannins, its generous expanse of red fruits exerting a highly supple tension and intensity with some degree of elegant restraint and velvetiness. Classy stuff.

2014 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Grands Échézeaux Grand Cru, courtesy of Sir Bob. Deep opaque purple at the core, proffering intense darkish tones on the nose with a bit of gleam. Still taut with youthful intensity, seemingly more extracted than usual, perhaps to compensate for the average vintage though the fruit did turn a bit more reticent in the glass, allowing its supple tannins to dominate before tapering to a stemmy finish.

2017 Comando G Rey Moro, courtesy of LF. Great colour. Effusive deep rosy fragrance from the generous expanse of red fruits that impart immediate tensile intensity, its well-defined tannins inducing a taut mouth-puckering sensation. Weighty, youthful and fruit dominant at this stage, still undifferentiated. Undeniably attractive. One could tell this isn’t pinot noir, yet one seldom encounters 100% grenache of such quality.