Ric's Wine Journal

In what is now an annual ritual, the great SC closed the year with a long lunch at Omakase@Stevens, albeit a week earlier than usual on 23 December 2023. Chef Shu Kubota has further developed his refined culinary art, now executed with supreme confidence, expertly aided by Chef Kazuki. As usual, the wines were very carefully curated by SC in the same manner as he does for all his bespoke properties where it is all about balance and good taste to accompany the exquisite cuisine, avoiding any vulgar excesses. Many thanks, Sir, and good health to all in 2024.

1998 Champagne Krug Brut. Poured from magnum. Clear golden, proffering a gentle yeastiness on the nose that belies the expansive brilliance of complex citrus and pomelo. Still amazingly fresh and full, laced with a bit of stern minerality amid the refined acidity and intensity. Perfectly balanced, and not too dry.

2019 Domaine Bouchard Père et Fils Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru. Poured from magnum. Pale golden. This wine opens with a gentle buttery nose, oozing cool freshness and refined elegance as it took its time to unfurl subtle layers of ethereal fruit seamlessly integrated with sublime acidity. Perfectly balanced with delicious glowing intensity, stretching out with sensational length as it morphed into a quiet regal essence, a trait consistent with all the great whites of Bouchard.

2007 Château Rayas Réservé. Evolved crimson, exuding a distilled rosy fragrance perfectly matched by gentle layers of mature red fruit and cherries that punch through a highly subtle sheen of ferrous elements with occasional sparkle and understated minty tone. Superbly integrated, seducing the senses with a delicious juicy succulence and supple intensity that marries power with lush velvetiness. Clearly a case where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Tasted from two separate bottles with consistent notes.

2000 Château Margaux. Ex-château, poured from magnum. Deep garnet. Softly contoured and open with highly supple tannins that impart refined intensity. Surprisingly lean in body and definition, given the vintage and large format, though the fruit, acidity and tannins are superbly integrated with outstanding precision, marrying subtle power with elegance. Only just beginning to develop secondary characters. Utterly feminine in its delicious essence. Probably the ideal realisation of a Margaux.

The Singapore chapter of the Jürade de Saint-Émilion held its annual Gala for members at The Four Seasons on 08 November 2023. Each course was accompanied by wines supplied by the Wine Council of Saint-Émilion, unless otherwise stated. Members also paid homage to Pierre Mirande of Château La Rose Côtes Rol, whose untimely demise in June 2023 so soon after the Jürade’s visit had shocked us. Many thanks, Russ, Calvin and Marc, for the brilliant organisation!

2018 Les Cordeliers Grand Vintage Brut. A sparkling white from Saint-Émilion. Green fruits, melons and minerally elements in equal measure, imparting excellent zest with dryish intensity.

2012 1938. From the satellite region of Puisseguin. Deep purple, displaying supple intensity of ripe plummy fruit. Very well-balanced.

2011 Château Trianon. Deep crimson, proffering a reductive earthy pungency softly cushioned by a gentle cool ripeness. Rather understated at first, gaining traction with greater fullness and elegant intensity after some time over a base of subdued minerals.

2015 Château Carteau. Some early evolution in colour. Medium presence, open with relaxed charm. Structured with smooth rounded tannins that enhanced its feminine stance, offering good detail. Highly integral, developing controlled verve and intensity.

2014 Château Jean Faure. Deep purple. Fullish. Sleek mid-palate of recessed red fruits with undertones of rye, yielding fine intensity.

2010 Château Jean Faure. Deep colour. Savoury characters on the nose amid a cool ripeness of fruit. Medium-full, displaying excellent fullness, balance and intensity tinged with a subdued note of varnish. Good sophistication and finish but far from ready.

2015 Clos de la Cure. Early evolution of colour, proffering a lifted note of haw and red fruits. Medium weight. Structured with lean definition, though it carries good verve with fine intensity of cool ripe fruit. Good balance.

2015 Château La Rose Côtes Rol. Opaque dull red that belies the lovely lift of predominant red fruits, boasting sheer density of fruit and characters of soy though there is a vegetal tinge, further accentuated by a general darkish austerity. Still tightly coiled.

2006 Clos Badon Thunevin. Deep brownish red. Medium-full, the fruit fairly well developed with open supple intensity, structured with sweet rounded tannins. Distinctly modern. Good sophistication.

2020 Arômes de Pavie, courtesy of Marc. Strong hint of warm gravel on the nose, met by sleek youthful intensity on the medium-bodied palate, structured with tightly-knit tannins.

2016 Château Les Grandes Murailles, courtesy of Russ. Deep purple. Distinct note of rye on the nose. Generously layered with black fruits that impart sleek dryish textures, structured with firm tannins. Distinctly modern, but quite highly integral. This estate is now extinct, its two hectares of vines having been completely absorbed into Château Clos Fourtet.

2011 Château Valandraud, courtesy of Marc. Deep garnet. Notes of malt and vanillin on the nose matched by well-extracted swathes of ripe dark plummy tones dressed in svelte velvety tannins, still tinged with a discernible note of varnish.

2010 Château Pavie, courtesy of Dennis. Decanted on-site. Impenetrable deep purple. Still very full, almost unctuous, imbued with deep swathes of dark fruits and ripe wild berries that exude overtones of varnish. Unashamedly modern. Plenty of promise here; truly one for the ages.

1998 Château La Gomerie. Opaque purple. Lifted note of soy amid a profusion of alluring secondary characters. Fairly full, structured with slick acidity and silky tannins. Still very fresh and agile, developing further notes of toffee and mocha. Excellent.

A small group at Chef Chan’s private dining on 06 December 2023 without any specific theme to go with the delectable cuisine. All wines were blinded. Many thanks!

2015 Domaine Pierre Yves Colin-Morey Meursault-Perrières 1er, courtesy of LF. Pale. Good lift of delicate floral elements tinged with saline. Fairly full and expressive though slightly reductive with lean definition, the fruit set a little backward with a cool elegant complex of vanillin and recessed chalk, highly harmonious with subtle intensity.

2015 Domaine Jean-Claude Ramonet Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, courtesy of Anthony. Luminous golden hue, exuding a distant glow of white floral tones at the open that grew with gradual intensity over time, filling the medium palate with distilled white tones from the subtle depth of glorious fruit. Richly layered with lovely focus and concentrated intensity without overwhelming the senses, maintaining its ethereal poise over the long evening. Outstanding.

2017 Domaine Louis Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint-Jacques 1er. Good colour. Red fruits and raspberries dominate with cool ripeness on the nose and medium palate, layered with subtle depth and understated intensity, laced with a modest streak of ferrous minerals. Almost underwhelming, though there is a certain correctness about it even without the fleshy exuberance of an Armand Rousseau.

2014 Domaine Faiveley Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru Les Ouvrées Rodin, courtesy of Vic. Lovely colour. This wine opens with a certain restraint, evolving over time with fleeting reductive tones and earthy pungency. Only medium weight, softly contoured with supple feminine presence though slightly lean, imbued with a bit of reddish warmth that confer some brightness against darkish minerally elements at the base, well balanced with developing intensity though the finish is decidedly modest.

2002 Domaine Dujac Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru, courtesy of LF. Superb colour. There is a focused pungency on the nose that I like very much amid all the exuberant rosy fragrance, haw and red fruits. Deeply luxuriant with medium presence, wonderfully layered with glorious fruit, sleek acidity and supple tannins that combine to produce effortless grace and concealed power, seducing the senses with subtle intensity. Superbly balanced and cohesive with a further tinge of saline and earthy elements over time whilst remaining absolutely beguiling on the nose. Simply quite sublime.

2009 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru, courtesy of Anthony. Evolved red with a crimson rim. Effusive bouquet of haw, red fruits and mulberries, endowed with copious dark berries and currants that produce refined power and depth in equal measure, laced with traces of medicinal powder. Somewhat darkish for Romanée-St-Vivant, even for D.R.C., though its impeccable breed and pedigree is obvious through its seamless velvety verve and great cohesion, eventually developing this estate’s characteristic note of kumquat.

2020 Château Laffitte Carcasset. Double-decanted three hours ahead of dinner at Crab At Bay, 02 Nov 2023. Very deep purple. Restrained nose of dark currants, black cherries and mulberries. Well-crafted with very fine sophistication, boasting refined tannins with ample depth of fruit and youthful intensity, imbued with graphite minerals that added lovely tension. Impeccably balanced without any jarring edges. Great ageing potential. A real steal at SGD45 all-in.

2005 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste. Aired in bottle for four hours prior, followed by additional decanting at The Astor Grill, St Regis Singapore, 04 Nov 2023. Fairly deep garnet. Raspberries and mulberries dominate with a cool delicious freshness. Well developed with leathery textures and svelte tannins, displaying refined attack and supple intensity with a deep plummy glow of early tertiary development though I find the acidity a little too striking, resulting in some angularity despite all that aeration.

2003 Domaine Leflaive Bourgogne, courtesy of Stephen at The Four Seasons, Singapore, 08 Nov 2023. Dull golden. Evolved tones of mature chalk and glacial mint, slightly recessed and creamy. Good balance but short.

2001 Domaine Leflaive Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru, courtesy of Sir Bob at The Four Seasons, Singapore, 08 Nov 2023. A little dull in colour, but the nose is beautifully lifted with golden fruit and lychees that confer cool glacial tones amid distant chalk. Very refined and elegant with subtle depth, developing further notes of rye and white fruits. Immaculately proportioned. Superb.

2005 Weingut Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese Goldkap, courtesy of Kieron at The Four Seasons, Singapore, 08 Nov 2023. Deeper tint of gold, exuding attractive diesel tones that contrasted beautifully against the controlled sweetness of apricot and nectarine on the medium palate, boasting slick acidity and fluid detail. Highly elegant.

2015 Weingut Markus Molitor Wehlener Sonnenuhr Kabinett Riesling, courtesy of Hak Mien at MH’s party, Orchard Residences, 12 Nov 2023. Pale. Fair dense bouquet of petroleum fumes. Very good presence of complex lime, citrus fruit and peaches, showing excellent lift and acidity with a controlled sweetness.

Champagne Roger Coulon Heri-Hodie 1er Extra Brut NV, courtesy of Clarissa at MH’s party, Orchard Residences, 12 Nov 2023. Light golden. Lovely sharp lift of flint, gun smoke and pomelo matched by a full supple presence of dense citrus with sweetish undertones supported by a subdued minerally base. Drinking well.

2012 Horst Sauer Escherndorfer Am Lumpen Silvaner Grosses Gewachs, courtesy of Yuh Shan at MH’s party, Orchard Residences, 12 Nov 2023. Dull golden. Warm flinty lift of lemon and dense citrus amid overtones of heated gravel, saturating the palate with intense presence of fruit and austere ferrous elements.

2014 Champagne Bollinger La Grande Année, courtesy of Vivien at MH’s party, Orchard Residences, 12 Nov 2023. Dull golden. Subdued reductive characters with alluring deeper tones, displaying excellent balance with sharp definition and fine precision. Lovely refinement.

1995 Champagne Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millenaires Brut, courtesy of Lincoln at MH’s party, Orchard Residences, 12 Nov 2023. Superb reductive pungency, exuding an elusive alluring complexity. Medium depth, slightly darkish. Highly integral with a refined understated acidity, boasting elegant lift and intensity.

2012 Château Bourgneuf at MH’s party, Orchard Residences, 12 Nov 2023. Deep garnet. Love lift of plummy red fruits and dark currants. Softly contoured with supple tannins tinged with a dash of varnish. Good clarity. Excellent merlot character.

2010 Château Beychevelle, at MH’s party, Orchard Residences, 12 Nov 2023. Deep purple. Medium-full. Warm darkish intensity of supple black fruits underscored with sweet sandalwood within an understated tannin structure. Good Saint-Julien character.

2017 Far Niente Cabernet Sauvignon, courtesy of Yuh Shan at MH’s party, Orchard Residences, 12 Nov 2023. Deep garnet. Very deep dark intensity of ripe black fruits and currants amid undertones of smouldering ember. Generously proportioned with masculine tannins. Not ready.

2017 Château Rauzan-Segla, courtesy of Thomas at MH’s party, Orchard Residences, 12 Nov 2023. Deep purple. Open with supple tannins, generously endowed with ripe wild berries and currants. Good balance though there is a certain attenuation in depth, resulting in a bit of glassiness.

2014 Silver Oak Alexander Valley, courtesy of LF at MH’s party, Orchard Residences, 12 Nov 2023. Poured from magnum. Very deep purple, exuding overtones of malt, menthol and rye with a restrained cool ripeness. Very even presence of fruit dressed in silky smooth tannins though only moderate in depth.

2014 Otazu Bond, courtesy of MH at his party, Orchard Residences, 12 Nov 2023. Poured from magnum. Deep garnet. This personal wine of ours has definitely turned the corner, proffering warm gravel cushioned by a velvety fullness while early secondary characters dominate on the open palate, structured with delicate tannins that lend lean definition and fine inner clarity amid a gentle splash of licorice.

2017 Domaine Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier Nuits-Saint-Georges Clos de la Marechale Blanc 1er monopole, courtesy of Alvin at Jade Palace, 17 Nov 2023. Sheen of cool icing amid peaches, fig and pines. Fairly full, displaying excellent presence and depth with clean textures and sharp acidity.

2017 Domaine Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier Nuits-Saint-Georges Clos de la Marechale Rouge 1er monopole, courtesy of Alvin at Jade Palace, 17 Nov 2023. Looks more evolved in colour than it actually is. Gentle feminine lift of red fruits, lightly perfumed. Medium weight. Highly integral and seamless without the usual sandy trait of NSG. Short finish.

2008 Champagne Louis Roederer Blanc de Blancs, courtesy of Alvin at Jade Palace, 17 Nov 2023. Pale. Cool glacial tones with an inviting minerally depth, providing great contrast against the brazen dry intensity of clear citrus and bitter pomelo. Almost Krug-like.

2002 Champagne Dom Pérignon, courtesy of Sir Bob at Jade Palace, 17 Nov 2023. Pale golden. Open with supple intensity of light melons and gentle citrus that impart moderate depth. Highly integral. Still remarkably youthful and lively.

2016 Domaine Michel Niellon Chassagne-Montrachet Les Chaumes 1er Clos de la Truffière, courtesy of Raymond at Jade Palace, 17 Nov 2023. Good colour. Distinct overtones dried orange peel on the nose whilst distant white tones dominate on the medium palate with refined intensity and clarity, turning a little more minerally over time.

2018 Domaine Etienne Sauzet Puligny-Montrachet Les Perrières 1er, courtesy of Sir Bob at Jade Palace, 17 Nov 2023. Pale golden. Restrained fruit. Inviting cool glacial depth. Slightly reductive on the medium-full palate, displaying clean lean definition with subtle inner detail and intensity. Good refinement but still tight.

2016 Weingut Rings Kallstadter Steinacker Spätburgunder, courtesy of Alvin at Jade Palace, 17 Nov 2023. Tasted blind. This wine exuded a highly refined glow of glorious red fruits and plums, already hinting at some early complexity. Softly contoured with superb suppleness, impeccably balanced with just the right degree of acidity and tannin structure. Has poise and pedigree. We all thought it was a burgundy grand cru.

2010 Domaine François Lamarche La Grande Rue Grand Cru, courtesy of Alvin at Jade Palace, 17 Nov 2023. Crimson tint. Deep intoxicating bouquet of alluring ripe cherries, currants and haw. The high-toned mid-palate is quite richly endowed with refined fruit that impart very fine definition and supple intensity, structured with tannins not yet fully resolved. Surprisingly short.

2006 Champagne Leopoldine, courtesy of CHS at Jade Palace, 20 Nov 2023. Dull golden. Slightly burnished tone of brioche and honeysuckle, displaying excellent fullness and refreshing intensity of clear and yellow citrus. Decent weight, developing some glazed secondary characters.

2012 Champagne Boërl & Kroff, courtesy of CJ at Jade Palace, 20 Nov 2023. Pale. Reductive pungency with dense flinty overtones. Full palate of complex of ripe tropical fruits and intense citrus, utterly delicious, underscored by high-toned acidity with moderate yeasty undertones, settling down eventually with a cool placid expanse.

2015 Domaine Henri Boillot Meursault Les Genevrières 1er at Jade Palace, 20 Nov 2023 Pale golden hue, evoking delicate grassy elements and nutmeg with distant cool tones. Medium-full, displaying slick oily density and acidity, showing excellent clarity and cohesion. Perhaps just a little more expressive on the nose whereas the mid-palate took on a bit of shiny glare after some time, laced with traces of vanillin and saline.

2005 Domaine de Montille Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, courtesy of Sanjay at Jade Palace, 20 Nov 2023. Pale. Surprisingly muted on the nose though the medium palate offers fine clarity and definition of fruit, more reductive than plump, exuding a glacial coolness with dryish intensity and further notes of malt. This is the inaugural vintage of Montille’s Corton-Charlemagne, where a magnum tasted over lunch at the domaine in 2017 was truly memorable.

2019 “Y” d’Yquem, courtesy of Chee Fong at Jade Palace, 20 Nov 2023. Pale. Faint notes of banana and brioche on the nose. Far more expressive on the palate where mangoes, preserved pineapples and a distinct note of durians dominate with an exquisite slick fullness, capped with mint and green capsicum amid a dash of oiliness, developing a glowing glacial coolness towards its finish. Superb.

2012 Marcassin Sonoma Pinot Noir, courtesy of LF at Jade Palace, 20 Nov 2023. Darkish colour and tone, consistent with the heavier bouquet of glycerin and menthol. Medium weight. Supple with velvety tannins and ripe plummy tones, oozing a trace of sweetness. Good balance. Minty finish.

2012 Kosta Browne Koplen Vineyard, courtesy of LF at Jade Palace, 20 Nov 2023. Darkish colour. Well extracted, imbued with dark plummy fruit tinged with a hint of burnt and ember, boasting supple intensity with a menthol lift at its finish. Still rather tight.

2012 Domaine Bertagna Corton Grand Cru Les Grandes Lolieres, courtesy of Jimmy at Jade Palace, 20 Nov 2023. Deep purplish. Full but darkish characters dominate, though the palate exudes a certain brightness from the intense supple tannins. A little short as well.

2010 Domaine de L’Arlot Vosne-Romanée Les Suchots 1er, courtesy of Vic at Jade Palace, 20 Nov 2023. Evolved crimson. Superb bouquet of red fruits and cherries that carry well onto the medium palate. Wonderfully fresh and delicious, structured with pliant tannins that offer great clarity.

2010 Château Coutet, courtesy of Sanjay at Jade Palace, 20 Nov 2023. Surprisingly darkish in colour. Lifted burnished tone of nectarine, apricot and aged honey. Excellent cohesion. Still amazingly fresh with youthful intensity, supported by a slight minerally base.

Champagne Piper Heidsieck Essentiale Extra Brut NV at Changi Airport T3 Silver Kris Lounge, 21 Nov 2023. Light golden hue. Fullish dry intensity of lemons and clear citrus that cut through with crisp clarity, producing a bit of ferrous glare. Distinctly reductive.

2021 Domaine Louis Latour Pouilly-Fuissé, on board SQ279 Business Class SIN-ADL, 21 Nov 2023. White floral notes dominate amid overtones of nutmeg and earthy diesel. Medium weight. Slightly lean and terse but imbued with lovely freshness and clean textures. Reductive finish.

2016 Château Clos du Moulin, on board SQ279 Business Class SIN-ADL, 21 Nov 2023. Earthy. Medium weight. Softly contoured with cool ripe fruit that is slightly darkish with charred elements, proffering good detail. Highly serviceable.

These are some wines tasted during a 2,000 km road trip in November 2023 covering the Adelaide Hills, McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley and Coonawarra, going as far as Apollo Bay and Ballarat. I know certain folks would scoff at Australian wines but plenty of superb stuff can be found at friendly prices. Wirra Wirra is an absolute gem in McLaren Vale, while Henschke (their riesling from high-altitude Eden Valley is outstanding) and Rockford remain my favourites for Barossa.

2022 Pikes “Traditionale” Riesling, on board SQ278/279 between SIN-ADL–SIN, 22 Nov and 02 Dec 2023. Dominant lift of kerosene and petroleum fumes. Open with lovely fullness and rustic suppleness, abundant in brawny fruit with overtones of nutmeg. The second bottle was distinctly better in balance and subtlety.

2021 Stoney Rise Gruner Veltiner, by the glass at Salopian Inn, McLaren Vale, 23 Nov 2023. Pale golden. forward bouquet of fresh morning dew with a clean floral lift. Medium-full, exuding a very elegant presence of orchard fruit with a dash of bitter lemon within a lush velvety smoothness.

2015 Albright Longline Grenache, by the glass at Salopian Inn, McLaren Vale, 23 Nov 2023. Impenetrable red. Mild nose of understated licorice, undergrowth and earth. Fullish presence, exerting a controlled subtle intensity with a minty glow that culminated in a peppery spicy finish.

2021 Chapel Hill Shiraz, by the glass at Salopian Inn, McLaren Vale, 23 Nov 2023. Impenetrable red, proffering a hint of vanillin sweetness with a restrained warmth though the open palate is saturated with ample swathes of ripe shiraz, structured with supple intensity and just right level of acidity, developing a sheen of creamy mocha. Very well balanced.

2022 Wirra Wirra The Lost Watch, tasted at the cellar door, McLaren Vale, 23 Nov 2023. Very pale. This riesling exudes distant diesel fumes on the nose matched by a dry reductive fullish presence, laced with crisp acidity amid overtones of nutmeg, displaying clean precision.

2021 Wirra Wirra Church Block, tasted at the cellar door, McLaren Vale, 23 Nov 2023. Deep purple. Medium weight. Highly supple with overtones of wet gravel displaying excellent ripeness of shiraz fruit that exert teasing intensity. Judiciously oaked. Very subtly nuanced with an even warmth, laced with just a trace of vegetal elements.

2022 Wirra Wirra The Absconder, tasted at the cellar door, McLaren Vale, 23 Nov 2023. This is a single vineyard 100% grenache from really old centurion vines, put through the traditional basket press followed by ageing in large French barriques for 10 months without any new oak. Highly alluring nose of delicious red fruits and currants, leading to an attractive oily density on the medium-weight palate, showing excellent integration between the slick acidity and refined tannins. Superbly balanced with fine purity without any of that herbaceous gruffness usually associated with grenache. Very lovely.

2020 Wirra Wirra RSW, tasted at the cellar door, McLaren Vale, 23 Nov 2023. Aged in 30% new wood. Beautiful colour, exuding a restrained warm ripeness from a medium-full presence, seamlessly structured with sleek acidity and supple understated tannins. Highly integral. Drinking beautifully.

2014 Wirra Wirra RSW, tasted at the cellar door, McLaren Vale, 23 Nov 2023. Impenetrable red. Developing well, proffering a complex of licorice, medicinal herbs and cool ripe plummy fruit with controlled restraint on a bed of velvety tannins, oozing traces of sweetness amid early secondary characters.

2020 Wirra Wirra The Angelus, tasted at the cellar door, McLaren Vale, 23 Nov 2023. This cabernet sauvignon is surprisingly sleek and supple, endowed with a moderate depth of ample red fruits, gently structured with delicate presence and balance. Not at all big. Also known as The Dead Ringer outside of Australia as Château Angélus in Bordeaux had taken offence.

2019 Wirra Wirra The Holy Trinity, tasted at the cellar door, McLaren Vale, 23 Nov 2023. A cabernet-shiraz in equal proportion, this wine opens with a hint of warm gravel leading to fullish palate layered with cool ripeness, structured with well-managed tannins that exert nervous tension and teasing intensity. Good balance.

2022 Hollick Pinot Noir, tasted at the cellar door, Coonawarra, 25 Nov 2023. Classic pinot tint. Effusive fragrance of rose petals. Medium weight, the fruit restrained almost to the point of caution, allowing a distinct salinity to dominate. Rather straightforward.

2022 Hollick Sauvignon Blanc, tasted at the cellar door, Coonawarra, 25 Nov 2023. Very pale. Morning dew and grassy elements dominate amid a distinct note of raddish (a.k.a. sweaty armpits). Medium-full. Structured with a tight reductive tone with undertones of nutmeg and earth.

2020 Hollick Coonawarra Shiraz, tasted at the cellar door, Coonawarra, 25 Nov 2023. Deep purple. Good lift of cool ripe plummy fruit amid overtones of white pepper and licorice. Medium weight. Very well balanced and proportioned, imbued with understated ferrous elements and slick acidity within a coat of sweet rounded tannins. Unexpectedly refined.

2019 Hollick Old Vines Cabernet Sauvignon, tasted at the cellar door, Coonawarra, 25 Nov 2023. Deep garnet. Distinct nose of red capsicum and chili skins. Softly contoured. Subtly layered with fine detail, the fruit almost pruny, structured with sweetish tannins that impart a gentle teasing intensity. Very well balanced with elegant restraint.

2020 Rymill Pioneer Shiraz, tasted at the cellar door, Coonawarra, 25 Nov 2023. Good colour. Nose of soft red fruits, rose petals and rhubarb. Fleshy with highly supple tannins, imparting lithe intensity. A little spicy at the finish.

2019 Rymill Classic Shiraz, tasted at the cellar door, Coonawarra, 25 Nov 2023. Deep purple. Rather restrained on the nose though the palate boasts a very refined warm ripeness tinged with sweet vanillin oak that impart fleeting intensity.

2022 Rymill Pioneer Cabernet Sauvignon, tasted at the cellar door, Coonawarra, 25 Nov 2023. The nose lacks focus, hinting at wild vegetation though the medium palate is well layered with a fine supple presence of fruit tinged with mocha.

2019 Rymill Classic Cabernet Sauvignon, tasted at the cellar door, Coonawarra, 25 Nov 2023. Deep purple. Medium-full, displaying a rounded tone of Asian spices and dry mushrooms amid lithe tannins, boasting fine detail and intensity.

2022 Michael Hall Adelaide Hills Piccadilly Pinot Noir, from the list of The Barn Steakhouse, Mount Gambier, 25 Nov 2023. Slightly darkish for pinot, exuding a faint rosy glow that belies the concentrated density of darkish fruit sitting on sleek acidity within sweet supple tannins. Very finely proportioned. Settled down with even balance and considerable charm, developing a refined tensile presence.

2021 Gibson My Darling Merlot, from the list of 1918 restaurant, Tanunda, Barossa Valley, 28 Nov 2023. Very deep crimson. Amply endowed with dark plummy fruit and delicious ripe berries. Weighty and intense, layered with sleek acidity. Fleshed out with more body and subtle ferrous elements within rounded supple tannins. but it’s still too tight.

2023 Henschke Peggy’s Hill Riesling, tasted at the cellar door, Barossa Valley, 29 Nov 2023. Very pale. Effusive fragrance of orchard fruit and frangipani. Eminently tropical on the medium-weight palate with a full presence where the sleek acidity imparts refreshing zest, finishing with fine linearity. Drinking beautifully.

2008 Henschke Julius Riesling, tasted at the cellar door, Barossa Valley, 29 Nov 2023. This wine impressed with its power and complexity, distinctly reductive on the nose where diesel and preserved fruit dominate amid nutmeg and olives. The medium-full palate is most appropriately dry, boasting an even presence of fruit still fresh and lively, imparting elegant tension and superb balance. Finished well. From a single vineyard planted by Cyril Henschke in 1968. Outstanding.

2021 Henschke Lenswood Pinot Noir, tasted at the cellar door, Barossa Valley, 29 Nov 2023. Classic pinot tint. Feminine bouquet of black cherries and floral fragrance. Medium presence, subtly layered with excellent pinot character infused with lovely verve and salinity throughout. Highly integral. Beautiful.

2019 Henschke Keyneton Euphonium, tasted at the cellar door, Barossa Valley, 29 Nov 2023. Deep purple. Ample depth of raspberries and mulberries that impart a plush velvety warmth with refined acidity and unobtrusive tannins. Very expertly blended with exemplary balance and integration, finishing with excellent linearity. This cabernet-shiraz is several notches above its previous incarnations, and far better than many other rival efforts.

2022 Saltram Pepperjack Chardonnay, by the glass over lunch at Salter’s Kitchen, 29 Nov 2023. Pale greenish hue. Distant notes of green melons, pears and orchard fruit though the fruit is more forward on the medium-full palate, matched by ferrous elements in equal measure with a dash of sweetness. However, it turned more reductive over time, the fruit distinctly more backward.

2020 Rockford Rod & Spur, tasted at the cellar door, Barossa Valley, 29 Nov 2023. Sporting a rusty red, this cabernet-shiraz is imbued with ample plummy red fruit and dark currants, quite appropriately rustic in character in its muscular verve, crisp acidity and warm ripeness.

2020 Rockford Rifle Range Cabernet Sauvignon, tasted at the cellar door, Barossa Valley, 29 Nov 2023. Dense crimson, opening with a sense of heated warmth though there is a certain restraint in spite of its excellent density of fruit, dressed in velvety tannins.

Rockford Black Shiraz (2023 disgorgement), tasted at the cellar door, Barossa Valley, 29 Nov 2023. The usual elements of Basket Press shiraz, blueberries and red currants are there, perhaps just a tad less weighty but still eminently fresh and inviting with a cool ripeness. Highly supple and engaging, replete with a dash of liqueur from the addition of a splash of Rockford’s own Vintage Port.

2022 Rockford Hand-picked Riesling, by the glass at fermentAsian, Tanunda, 29 Nov 2023. Pale greenish. Focused intensity of bitter lemon and clear citrus against a backdrop of restrained morning dew, controlled petroleum character and subdued minerals. Great balance and proportion. Finished well.

2020 Greenock Creek Shiraz, by the glass at fermentAsian, Tanunda, 29 Nov 2023. Impenetrable deep garnet. Surprisingly restrained, proffering only faint whiffs of enamel even though the medium-full palate is amply stuffed, structured with slightly assertive tannins that impart focused attack and intensity. Short finish.

Domaine Wines, Singapore, held a promotion where the wines of Domaine Armand Rousseau would be offered at Jade Palace restaurant for dine-in only at minimal mark-up to discourage speculative pricing. Needless to say, the entire consignment of seventy-two bottles was snapped up, including Chambertin Grand Cru (which is still beyond our reach). Many thanks, Dr Chan, for your kind generosity.

2017 Domaine Armand Rousseau Gevrey-Chambertin Les Cazetiers 1er, tasted 17 Nov 2023. Classic pinot tint. More forward and immediate in red fruits and darkish characters compared with the Clos Saint-Jacques, structured with supple tannins and refined acidity that impart tensile presence and fleeting verve, tinged with a bit of sweetness.

2019 Domaine Armand Rousseau Gevrey-Chambertin Lavaux Saint-Jacques 1er, courtesy of CHS, 20 Nov 2023. Deep ruby red. Forward nose of dense red fruits amid a sense of warm gravel matched by an exuberant palate of ample red fruits that impart velvety fullness with a tinge of brilliant graphite, dressed in understated tannins. Exudes obvious breed and pedigree. Excellent.

2017 Domaine Armand Rousseau Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint-Jacques 1er, tasted 17 Nov 2023. Classic pinot tint, proffering a lovely bouquet of evolving red fruits, cherries and rose petals. Rather demure at first, developing an increasing presence of baked apples and dark plums as the medium-full palate began fleshing out with refined svelte intensity supported by a mild minerally austerity amid splashes of red capsicum. Highly integral in its layered fruit, acidity and tannins, exuding real breed and sophistication though its finish is somewhat modest. Another bottle from a different batch, courtesy of CHS, tasted on 20 Nov 2023 was equally mellow and soft, displaying feminine traits with subtle verve within a frame of pliant supple tannins, seamlessly integrated with open intensity though its finish is similarly restrained.

2019 Domaine Armand Rousseau Ruchottes Chambertin Clos des Ruchottes Grand Cru, courtesy of CHS, 20 Nov 2023. This monopole boasts a wonderful lift of red fruits and haw amid overtones of warm gravel, just a little more forward in fruit that imparted excellent verve and fleeting intensity. Superbly balanced within a frame of sweet svelte tannins, displaying impeccable breed and sophistication.

2019 Domaine Armand Rousseau Clos de la Roche Grand Cru, courtesy of CHS, 20 Nov 2023. Deep purple. There is a distinct note of enamel here within the ample swathe of glorious ripe fruit, again a little more forwardly balanced though the balance and immaculate cohesion are evident, adding immeasurably to the superb linearity underpinning its entire length.

2016 Domaine Armand Rousseau Clos de la Roche Grand Cru, courtesy of Alvin, 17 Nov 2023. Beautiful pinot tint, exuding a superb lift of glorious red fruits amid overtones of warm gravel. Very generously endowed but never imposing, for such was its immaculate proportions, structured with pliant supple tannins that proffer superb detail.

An evening at Hua Ting on 14 November 2023 very kindly hosted by LF, all tasted blind. Through sheer coincidence, there were two bottles of Henri Boillot of similar vintage. Many thanks!

2015 Domaine Henri Boillot Puligny-Montrachet Les Combettes 1er. Pale golden. Restrained bouquet of cool floral scents leading to a fullish palate of slick oily density, still quite tightly coiled. Loosened up a little with distant notes of flint and gun smoke whilst maintaining its floral fragrance, morphing eventually into a delicate lift of créme and nutmeg with a high-toned chalky shine.

2017 Château de Meursault Meursault-Perriéres 1er, courtesy of Kieron. Lovely luminosity, exuding delicate white tones with excellent clarity and modest intensity, layered with minerally detail that show some early complexity. Very subtly structured. More velvety over time with an ethereal elegance, lighting up the palate with superb glowing length. This is Meursault as it ought to be.

2015 Domaine Henri Boillot Puligny-Montrachet Clos de la Mouchere 1er, courtesy of Vic. This monopole opens with soft reductive notes amid delicate high-toned citrus and dominant acidity. Highly integral with medium depth of fruit, beautifully rounded with lean definition, layered with a very understated glowing minerally presence tinged with saline and menthol.

2020 Claire Naudin (Domaine Henri Naudin-Ferrand) Viola Odorata. Deep purple. Profusion of well-extracted raspberries and mulberries that exude alluring fragrance with a deep luxuriant presence but neither imposing nor hedonistic. Wonderfully lithe and agile in spite of its ample proportions, dressed in svelte silky tannins that blend seamlessly with the understated acidity, displaying exemplary balance. From 90-year-old vines, expertly crafted by the wife of Jean-Yves Bizot.

1986 Vieux Château Certan, courtesy of Kieron. Still fairly deep in colour. Subtle tertiary glow of well-evolved red fruits and mahogany. Highly integral and open with lean definition, utterly seamless in its layers of fruit, sublime acidity and melted tannins, boasting superb lift and great cohesion. Outstanding.

1997 Ridge Monte Bello, courtesy of LF. Deep purple. Restrained presence of dark fruits, blueberries and cool currants, structured with equally subdued tannins that oozed a bit of sweet warmth. Amply endowed and still wonderfully fresh, turning a little pruny along with traces of burnt though it suited the mediun-full palate very well.

2005 Château Troplong Mondot, courtesy of Vic. Deep purple. This wine was rather difficult to place, opening with a certain restraint, proffering a dash of sweetness tinged with menthol. Equally understated and soft in its tannin structure, slightly dusty, displaying subtle detail with subdued intensity even though the fruit is placed more forwardly than usual, trailed by ferrous elements laced with a distinct note of sweetness. We all thought New World!

Sir K very kindly hosted dinner at Shang Palace on 31 October 2023 with an outstanding line-up on a loose theme of Burgundy. As usual, all bottles were blinded except the champagne. Thank you all for your kind generosity.

2002 Champagne Louis Roederer Cristal, courtesy of Kieron. Dull golden lustre. Flinty nose of reasonable depth amid yeasty overtones, lighting up the weighty but rounded palate with excellent precision and dry intensity of complex minerals and white fruits, gaining further crystalline clarity over time.

2014 Domaine Leflaive Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, courtesy of Andrew. Pale, opening with glowing vanillin and icing in soft focus. Medium-full. Slightly buttery, its predominant white fruits beautifully balanced against slick acidity, displaying excellent precision and definition. Developed further stoniness and salinity over time yet retaining its sense of ethereal lightness. Drinking superbly without the usual Leflaive weightiness.

2015 Domaine Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, courtesy of Kieron. Pale. This wine opens with a distinct note of fluoride amid dense orchard fruit. Very well-structured with chiseled white tones, displaying great freshness, cohesion and clarity with undertones of nutmeg, developing a bit of delicate chalkiness even as it gained further traction and energy. Finished well. Not the kind of plump Bonneau du Martray of old. Superb.

2019 Domaine Morey-Coffinet Chassagne-Montrachet Blanchot Dessus 1er. Wax seal. Displaying a golden luminosity, this wine opens with a quiet lift of soft floral scents, taking its time to blossom with silky smooth contours matched by a restrained ethereal intensity. Distinctly feminine, opening up with greater clarity even as it developed further white tones with a bit of creaminess, seducing the palate with beguiling complexity and subtle precision. Practically a Montrachet, since this tiny 1.1 ha plot directly abuts both Montrachet Grand Cru as well as Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru at the south-west corner (not to be confused with Blanchot Dessous (ie. from lower ground) which is village). Outstanding.

1978 Domaine Robert Sirigue Grands Échézeaux Grand Cru, courtesy of Dennis. Dull crimson. Obviously well matured, though the medium-full palate is still remarkably fresh and ample in autumnal red fruits, grapefruit and mandarins, imbued with striking acidity above its glowing minerally presence.

1999 Domaine Louis Jadot Échezeaux Grand Cru, courtesy of Sir Bob. Lovely color. Distilled nose of dark plums and cherries. Medium-bodied. Open with a bright supple presence of red cherries and raspberries on a minerally base, exuding excellent intensity that belies its slightly lean structure, just entering its mature phase with early notes of cinnamon.

2005 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Échézeaux Grand Cru, courtesy of Sir Bob. Lovely crimson, appearing to be more evolved than the preceding 1999 Louis Jadot of the same plot, proffering a superb lift of delicious red fruits tinged with haw and cedar. Softly contoured with subtle depth and definition beneath its veneer of sleek acidity and tension, finishing with fine linearity and understated complexity.

2015 Domaine Georges Lignier Gevrey-Chambertin Les Combottes 1er. Strawberries and haw dominate on the nose and medium palate. Softly contoured with fine inner detail, considerably sharper in definition at the base where a slight minerally presence is evident, boasting excellent fruit intensity, finishing well though yet to develop true secondary characters. One can see why it is almost within reach of grand cru, just missing in layered depth. Its name indicates that the vines are situated in a combe (hollow) on the hillside (ie. a fault in the land); hence, it can never be grand cru even though it is smack within that fabulous longitudinal strip that extends all the way from Mazis-Chambertin down to Bonnes-Mares. An application to be upgraded to grand cru was thrown out in 1932.

2006 Domaine Georges Roumier Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru, courtesy of Kieron. Good colour. Just entering early maturity where plummy brightness and a splash of mandarins are discernible. Softly contoured. Open with supple understated verve, boasting sharp definition throughout its layered depth. Highly integral.

1999 Domaine Dominique Laurent Vosne-Romanée Champs Perdrix, courtesy of Peter (from Penang) at Imperial Treasure Great World, 02 Oct 2023. Mature orangey hues from a fair presence of autumnal fruit that has begun to recede, shifting its focus towards a high-toned acidity matched by a general ferrous austerity.

Ambriel Classic Cuvée Brut NV, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, 05 Oct 2023. This English sparkling wine displays a lovely luminosity, evoking lime and yellow citrus on the medium palate, a little forward with lithe intensity, laced with just the right level of acidity. Good balance and unfussy, turning a little bright and shiny before developing a gentle minerally base but it lacks further dimension.

2017 Château Cantermerle, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, 05 Oct 2023. Fairly deep garnet. Dark fruits and currants beneath a restrained warmth. More effusive after some coaxing, revealing understated verve from a well-layered medium palate, structured with unobtrusive tannins. Good balance.

2018 Jean-Philippe Fichet Volnay Les Champans 1er, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, 05 Oct 2023. Rather dark for pinot. Restrained hues of dark roses. Medium-bodied, imbued with a bit of oily density. Well balanced and proportioned with understated verve. Good finish.

2019 Louis Jadot Mâcon-Villages, at Liang Kee restaurant, 07 Oct 2023. Light golden. Nose of cool icing laced with white tones that carried on to the medium-full palate. Well layered with a hint of early complexity, developing sweetish undertones amidst dominant clear citrus and pomelo.

2019 Patrick Javillier Bourgogne Blanc Cuvée des Forgets, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, 12 Oct 2023. Light greenish hue. Effusive in clear citrus and lemon with lifted floral scents. Medium weight. Generously layered with a seamless chamfered quality, proffering glorious fruit with focused presence and excellent definition. Very well proportioned with lithe agility and fine linearity all the way to its finish.

2021 Julie Fevre Chablis Fourchaumes 1er, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, 12 Oct 2023. Deep greenish golden hue. Distinct nose of morning dew and wet grassy elements. Medium-full. Fine density of green fruits laced with bitter lemon that stoke the palate with lithe gentle intensity and bright clarity though it finished on a darkish note.

2021 Coldstream Hills Chardonnay. Popped and poured at Eastern House of Seafood, 14 Oct 2023. Crisp, full-bodied chiseled stoniness from a layered palate of floral white tones and nutmeg, displaying excellent precision throughout its length, finishing with a dash of sweetness. Another bottle tasted over 21-22 Oct 2023 proffered a lovely lift of fig, green fruits and floral accents from its light-greenish hue, leading to a full palate of peaches, honeydew and tropical notes supported by a subtle minerally base, beautifully layered with keen definition. James Halliday’s estate over-delivers, as usual. A no-brainer at SGD27 all-in whenever Cold Storage has it on sale.

2016 Laurent Ponsot Chambolle-Musigny Cuvée de la Violette. Popped and poured over lunch at Otto Ristorante, 16 Oct 2023. Purplish hue, caressing the full-bodied palate with a rich luxuriant intensity from the ample depth of ripe dark plums and berries that glitter with occasional red fruit. Structured with lithe tannins. Bright, supple and exuberant, though it developed a bit of austere minerality after some time before restoring order. Good overall sophistication.

2017 Domaine Joseph & Philippe Roty Marsannay Champs Saint-Etienne, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, 17 Oct 2023. Good colour. Subtle lift of cherries and red fruits. Good extraction. Rather full with a distinct note of heated gravel, warming the palate with bright tones and rustic intensity.

2020 Domaine Jean Fournier Fixin Les Petits Crais, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, 17 Oct 2023. Almost deep garnet! Nose of olives and dried plums. Well-extracted medium presence, displaying good verve and purity with a controlled intensity. Decent length.

2019 Léon Beyer Pinot Gris, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, 17 Oct 2023. Dull golden hue. Started off with a distant nose of green fruits, melons and honeysuckle matched by understated acidity and minerality. Gradually blossomed with a pronounced glowing presence of fig and nectarine, displaying fine detail and clarity amid dense floral characters. Excellent example of pinot gris by a great producer.

2017 Domaine Bruno Clair Chambolle-Musigny Les Véroilles, aired in bottle ahead of dinner at GEMMA, 18 Oct 2023. Well extracted. Delicious nose of dark cherries with sweet rosy hues. Medium-full with a velvety tensile presence, taking on a rounded shine before attaining good purity and layered integration with a trace of grilled burnt, structured with a restrained sweet intensity from the ample ripe fruit.

2018 Domaine Jean Fournier Marsannay Clos du Roy Blanc, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, 24 Oct 2023. Greenish hue. Fairly effusive in fig, preserved yellow fruit and peaches. Focused medium-weight palate, exuding great verve and delicate intensity with good balance and sublime acidity.

2019 Domaine Alexandre Parigot Pommard Les Vignots, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, 24 Oct 2023. Classic pinot tint. Lovely nose, slightly burnished. Fresh plums, dark cherries and mulberries dominate. Beautifully rounded. Medium presence, showing very good balance and concentration with understated verve. Settled down with fine definition amid a distant note of eucalyptus. Subtly layered. Highly integral and elegant. Excellent effort.

2020 Duckhorn Vineyard Merlot, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, 24 Oct 2023. Deep garnet. Brooding nose of dark fruits, black currants and forest floor, slightly reductive. Medium-full. Very fresh and clean on the entry, boasting fine definition with a controlled intensity. Still imbued with subtle splashes of vanillin, developing further overtones of rye.

2008 Mount Mary Quintet, aired for two hours prior to dinner at Yan Ting, St Regis Singapore, 27 Oct 2023. Delicious fragrance of dark cherries and rose petals. Soft, fleshy and highly supple with ample presence of dark plums and mushrooms, displaying a hint of glare initially before gelling into a very well-balanced elegant seamless entity with further notes of mocha and chocolate.

2010 Château Larcis Ducasse, courtesy of Melvin at Yan Ting, St Regis Singapore, 27 Oct 2023. Purplish crimson. Aired in bottle for seven hours prior. Full, big and creamy, imbued with ample depth of dark fruits and currants topped with a distinct note of varnish though it is surprisingly restrained on the nose. Very much like a New World. Still quite primal.

2012 La Chapelle de La Mission Haut-Brion, courtesy of Marc at Yan Ting, St Regis Singapore, 27 Oct 2023. Purplish. Soft distant fragrance of dark berries tinged with a subdued earthiness. Subtly structured with fine tension and definition. Harmonious. Drinking well.

2012 Vieux Château Certan, courtesy of Russ at Yan Ting, St Regis Singapore, 27 Oct 2023. Decanted on-site. Deep crimson. Subdued nose. Velvety darkish notes with early secondary characters tinged with a hint of varnish against dryish textures, finishing with overtones of licorice. Best to lay down further.

2004 Vieux Château Certan, courtesy of Marc at Yan Ting, St Regis Singapore, 27 Oct 2023. Decanted on-site. Deep crimson. Rather restrained on the nose and medium palate, showing signs of early maturity with the cool darkish fruit somewhat recessed. Fleshy and fairly seamless, exuding a subdued glow of mature claret that grew with gradual intensity. Deserves more time to express itself.

For reasons unclear, Rhône is relatively neglected amongst wine lovers compared with Bordeaux and Burgundy. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that the wines tend to be very robust in its youth, requiring decades of cellaring to come round, or that some examples may be rather rustic and gruff before they turn the corner. It may as well be that Burgundy alone provides endless fascination, leaving oenophiles with little room for other regions. But Rhône is an excellent source of sensibly-priced wines that offer great quality and immense satisfaction, even in the present era of outrageous prices, as shown in the mostly-Rhône line-up tasted at Imperial Treasure Great World on 10 October 2023. All wines were blinded. Many thanks, everyone.

2008 Champagne Louis Roederer Cristal, courtesy of Kieron. Clear luminosity, proffering intense lime, yellow citrus and mandarins with a high-toned acidity, lighting up the palate with structured blazing intensity. Became slightly reductive after some time with emerging ferrous elements though maintaining its tremendous verve, oozing a little sweetness.

1993 Champagne Dom Pérignon, courtesy of Vic. This bottle opened with marked oxidised tones that almost veered towards cork taint though never really there, saved by emergent notes of ferric oxide and dried mushrooms that offer velvety comfort, eventually gaining some semblance of pochai pills that shrouded the abundant golden fruit within. Not the best example of Dom, but likely to be bottle variation.

2021 M Chapoutier Crozes-Hermitage Blanc. Luminous gold. Zingy energetic chalky white tones cut with razor sharp precision amid overtones of rhubarb and olives. Medium weight, settling down with good refinement and elegance though it lacks further dimension, the fruit turning a little backward after some time. Nevertheless, still great value at SGD27 all in.

2013 M Chapoutier Ermitage De L’Orée, courtesy of LF. Pale golden. Some notes of diesel on the nose amid white tones, imbued with fine powdery textures. Medium-full. Slightly austere and medicinal, turning brighter over time with lovely inner detail and glowing intensity. Good length.

2014 Domaine Bouchard Père et Fils Chevalier-Montrachet La Cabotte Grand Cru, courtesy of Vic. Displaying a pale luminosity, this seminal white is uncharacteristically restrained on the nose like the shy beauty it is though the palate is open with lithe white tones tinted with cool icing, seamlessly integrated with a recessed chalkiness that added immeasurably to its placid elegance, almost to the point of aloofness. Yet to really develop. Looks like the 2014 Puligny grand crus are truly set for the long haul.

2017 Château des Tours Côtes-du-Rhone, courtesy of Anthony. The evolved crimson is highly deceptive though the palate of wild berries and rose petals accurately reflects its youthful energy and freshness, exuding distant hues of soft red fruits from its rounded contours, yielding fine definition with a growing feminine intensity supported by a firm minerally base. Excellent.

2007 Château Rayas Réservé, courtesy of Anthony. Displaying an aged crimson, this wine proffers a feminine lift of elegant red fruits and cherries underpinned by secondary characters. Still rather full, carrying cool elegant verve within its seamless layers of mature ripe fruit supported by firm minerally undertones, structured with pliant tannins. Exactly why Rayas commands such premium.

1996 Château Rayas Réservé, courtesy of Sir Bob. Evolved crimson, matching the mature medium-weight palate of rosy hues and feminine floral fragrance, just entering its autumnal phase with a slight medicinal after note. Beautifully open and fleshy, imbued with firm but elegant intensity.

1999 Domaine Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle. Fairly deep crimson. Rather restrained though the medium-full palate displays a clean presence of red plums and orangey fruit with a savoury splash, boasting excellent definition and cohesion. Much better than a previous bottle from the same case without the vegetal gruffness.

1998 Domaine Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle, courtesy of LF. Pale crimson. Distinctly more mature than any other La Chapelle in the line-up, where the red fruits have softened with early autumnal character, turning more rustic with a distant note of petroleum, not helped at all by a dense darkish mid-palate of briar, bramble and earth but saved by acidity that’s still quite slick.

1991 Domaine Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle, courtesy of Kieron. Deep garnet with a bare rim of crimson, exuding a full bouquet of ripe black berries and dark plums. Masculine and well-proportioned, perhaps a little more forwardly balanced with undertones of dried mushrooms, structured with refined tannins that ooze a bit of sweetness. Still swinging after thirty-two years; may not even have peaked.

1989 Domaine Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle, courtesy of Sir Bob. Deep crimson at its core, proffering some early complexity on the nose with a dash of sweet varnish. Robust with masculine proportions, generously endowed with fruit that is still wonderfully full, fleshy and ripe, recalling orange peel and mandarins. Highly fluid and elegant, just a tad short.

2015 Domaine Henri Bonneau et Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Réserve des Célestins, courtesy of Alvin. Crimson with some evolution. Ample depth of warm dark fruit tinged with vanillin that moves with lithe agility in spite of its tight structured intensity, proffering glimpses of inner detail with a discernible alcoholic flash at the finish. Needs another two decades of cellaring.

2001 Sine Qua Non Midnight Oil, courtesy of LF. Very deep garnet. Immediately recognisable as non-Rhône from its dark robust and almost hedonistic tone. Unapologetically masculine and concentrated, endowed with very deep dark plummy fruit and black currants supported by a dense vegetal blackness laced with some pruny sweetness. Yet the balance is there between the fruit, tannins and acidity, just that everything is delivered full-on. I guessed a Penfolds Grange; it belongs to that league.