Ric's Wine Journal

A dinner at Imperial Treasure Great World, 23 August 2023, to mark the return of Sir K’s Chinese zodiac. Such an auspicious occasion called for special bottles worth enduring the overnight attack of gastric reflux. All wines were blinded except for the champagne and the Arlaud. Many thanks, Bros!

2009 Champagne Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill. Pale. Excellent refreshing zest of clear citrus and pomelo with a tinge of bitter lemon, wonderfully tight and crisp. Well integrated with fine clarity, gaining further intensity with a dash of gun metal and bright minerally elements.

1985 Champagne Krug Brut, courtesy of Kieron. Darkish shade of gold. This maison’s signature dry intensity is still highly evident, now imbued with rich autumnal characters amid yeasty tones from its passage of thirty-eight years though the wine is still amazingly fresh with lively acidity, fleshing out with a distinct white medicinal note (pochai pills!). Drinking beautifully, though I suspect mature bubbly is more of a connoisseur’s drop.

1994 Domaine Marc Colin et Fils Montrachet Grand Cru, courtesy of Sir Bob. Luminous, ethereal lift of lightly-shaded pears and delicate tangerines though some age is evident on the medium-full palate, marked by grapefruit and mature chalkiness amid cool glacial tones, developing the unmistakable chamfered white tones of Chassagne after some time but still maintaining excellent clarity.

2015 Maison Leroy Bourgogne Aligoté, courtesy of Vic. Pale. Subtle tropical fruit on the nose though there is a distinct note of pineapple on the medium palate that gave away its grape varietal, delivery fresh youthful intensity that gave way after some time to a bright relaxed clarity, just a little short with attenuated depth.

2016 Domaine Arlaud Clos de la Roche Grand Cru. Youthful pinot tint. Lovely nose of soft red fruits, cherries and baked plums. Medium-full. Already highly accessible and harmonious, its deeper vein of fruit and cedar exerting slick acidity with a bit of darkish intensity though the overall impression is one of tranquil restrained elegance, finishing with traces of ember.

2008 Domaine Armand Rousseau Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint-Jacques 1er, courtesy of Vic. Classic pinot tint. Rose petals and cherries dominate on the nose and medium palate with delicious depth amid overtones of match-stick incense, displaying excellent freshness and tonal balance without being exuberant, showing a certain restrained poise with a hint of earthiness and spice at the finish.

2011 Domaine Drouhin-Laroze Musigny Grand Cru, courtesy of WCY. Good color. Very developed nose of delicious warm ripe fruit tinged with chocolate and black truffles though the structured palate is somewhat underwhelming, quite amply imbued but missing the breed and layered dimension of the best Musigny.

1998 Bouchard Père et Fils La Romanée Grand Cru, courtesy of Kieron. Classic pinot tint. Delicious alluring bouquet of rose petals and red cherries allied with a medium weight palate that’s still wonderfully fresh, a little forward in sweet cedar and early tertiary characters laid on a cool minerally base. Superbly balanced and elegant, developing greater cohesion and intensity in the glass. Outstanding. This monopole, the smallest Grand Cru plot of all at 0.8-ha, was leased by Comte Liger-Belair to Bouchard from 1976 to 2001; it was co-produced by both from 2002 to 2005 before the former regained complete control again from 2006 onwards.

1996 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée Saint-Vivant Grand Cru, courtesy of Sir Bob. Classic pinot tint, proffering a delicious lift of red fruits and cherries that exert a chamfered intensity with traces of saline minerals on the medium palate, producing excellent mouthfeel. Compared with the La Romanée, this wine is distinctly more masculine, carrying a little more verve within its layered folds. Beautifully elegant. D.R.C. had leased 5-ha of R.S.V. from the Marey-Monge family since 1966 before buying over entirely in 1988.

1989 Château Montrose, courtesy of LF. Deep crimson. Richly layered with glorious fruit now truly infused with tertiary notes of cedar, baked plums, mahogany and a dominant note of soy set against slick reductive tones on an open medium-weight palate that’s still amazingly fresh with agile intensity., superbly integrated with impeccable balance. Still holding at its peak, and seemingly far from over.

1984 Joseph Phelps Vineyards Insignia, courtesy of LF. Deep crimson. Very similar in character to the 1989 Montrose which was paired together. Richly layered with fleshy agility, just slightly autumnal in character with leafy tones, cedar and bramble, its freshness underpinned by lively acidity. The supple tannins ooze just a dash of sweetness that, perhaps, gave away its Napa origins but the wine is still highly integral and very well balanced, tapering to a moderate finish.

2000 Château Margaux, courtesy of Alvin. Deep garnet. Very good presence of fruit, still reasonably fresh and seamlessly layered, exuding rich plummy tones amid open dryish overtones of cigar box and green capsicum laced with sleek acidity. Impeccably balanced with good vigour and cool elegant intensity. A classic 2000.

Don Weaver, Founding Director at Harlan Estate, made an appearance again after an absence of five years at a dinner hosted by Vic, Sanjay and Dr Ngoi in Don’s honour at Jia He Restaurant, 21 August 2023, where it was good to see him still sharp and healthy amongst his old friends here. Since its founding by William Harlan in 1984, Harlan Estate has very quickly achieved cult status, no doubt contributed by the limited quantities from just 17-ha of vines planted at altitude with quality that is nothing short of astounding, always generously layered with impeccable balance and structured with sheer sophistication. These qualities were clearly evident in the three magnums of Harlan Estate grand vin spanning three decades generously contributed by Don himself. But real patience is required, for these wines only really come into their own after thirty years. Many thanks to Don, Dr Ngoi and fellow brethren for your immense generosity!

2013 Harlan Estate “The Maiden”, courtesy of Dr Ngoi. Very deep garnet, exuding a forward bouquet of fresh currants and cherries amid overtones of varnish that carried on to the soft medium-full palate, structured with excellent depth of fruit and delicious sweet tannins, producing chamfered velvety textures that cushioned its youthful intensity and attack. Highly refined and open.

2013 Promontory. Poured from magnum, courtesy of Dr Ngoi. Deep dark impenetrable purple, oozing with the sweet intensity of ripe raspberries, blueberries and violets that dominate both the nose and palate amid overtones of enamel. Surprisingly open and accessible, displaying fine linearity (always a hallmark of Harlan) with glimpses of chewy inner detail on a bed of soft subdued tannins, just a tad short. Made from high-altitude single vineyard cabernet sauvignon.

2015 Harlan Estate, courtesy of Don Weaver. Poured from magnum. Deep garnet. The step up in breed and sophistication is immediately palpable. This wine opens with a great expanse of warm ripe fruit, slightly brambly but beautifully integrated with pliant tannins that are highly subtle and refined in spite of the masculine proportions, displaying tremendous breadth and depth across the palate with confident verve yet never at all hedonistic, maintaining absolute control and balance almost to the point of it being a tad cautious, which is simply quite amazing coming from a large format bottling.

2005 Harlan Estate, courtesy of Don Weaver. Poured from magnum. Deep crimson, just beginning to unveil early secondary characters of cedar and mahogany. The medium-full palate has a certain bright pebbly glow, imbued with a prominent note of soy from its dark succulent depth, laced with understated acidity that add to its velvety mouthfeel and spicy finish.

1995 Harlan Estate, courtesy of Don Weaver. Poured from magnum. Deep crimson. This is Harlan Estate grand vin at its absolute prime, boasting a full presence of gorgeous succulent fruit well into its tertiary development that exude lovely velvety tension with predominant red tones, contrasting beautifully against shades of mint and tobacco leaves. Impeccably balanced with a controlled even intensity cushioned by soft rounded tannins, still wonderfully fresh and vibrant. Outstanding!

A handful of alumni from Changi met up with the Professor, still hale and hearty, for a superb evening at Jade Palace on 17 August 2023 where we all dug deep on a main theme of 1996 (for the Left Bank) that included a pairing of Haut-Brion and La Mission Haut-Brion. All wines were blinded except for the champagne and one bottle of Sociando-Mallet. Many thanks to all for your kind generosity.

2006 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs, courtesy of GPP. Very good presence of pears, peaches and orchard fruit that convey exciting verve with a chiseled intensity, exuding brilliant chromatic tones with cool refreshing zest. Excellent.

1996 Domaine Robert Ampeau et Fils Meursault-Perrières 1er, courtesy of Kieron. Light luminosity. Shy at first, opening with distant orangey tones that indicate substantial age. Rather placid with a very even linearity before Ampeau’s signature acidic tone became evident along with overtones of olives, pomelo and coconut. Still amazingly fresh and energetic.

2000 Château Sociando-Mallet, through sheer coincidence an identical pair courtesy of Vic and yours truly. The first bottle, which had been through negociant Henri Duboscq, displayed secondary characters of cedar and capsicum amid tobacco shavings and dark currants on a dryish medium-full palate, very fresh and elegant with well-integrated acidity, gently layered with good typicity. The second bottle, from an OWC sourced from Bordeaux Index London and tasted blind, was highly consistent but even more rounded and full with a fleshy succulence, on par with a classified growth. Truly, Sociando-Mallet from the old days is made to last.

1996 Château La Mission Haut-Brion, courtesy of WCY. Deep crimson. Compared with Haut-Brion of the same vintage (drunk side-by-side), the La Mission shows a remarkable restrained intensity of darkish tones topped with a dash red capsicum, seamlessly structured with tightly knit tannins that grip the full palate with svelte intensity, imparting great swagger and elegance in equal measure.

1996 Château Haut-Brion, courtesy of WCY. Deep crimson. This wine appeared a little disjointed at first before snapping into place with fine transparency, revealing tertiary characters of cinnamon, capsicum and star anise from its gentle depth, structured with relaxed elegant tannins that display that greater bit of refinement compared with the La Mission Haut-Brion, eventually fleshing out with growing intensity.

1998 Château Ausone. Deep garnet. Darkly delicious, open with an inviting warmth of glorious black fruits and currants, wonderfully ripe, painting the palate with velvety succulence and early tertiary characters that impart superb mouthfeel and vigour. At its prime.

1996 Château Margaux, courtesy of Kieron. Deep crimson. Warm glow of mature ripe fruit well into its tertiary development. Faintly delicious on the nose but the palate is wonderfully fresh, buzzing with great vibrancy and superb intensity, framed by open delicate tannins that add immeasurably to its feminine elegance. Took on delicious intensity in the glass. At its best, I feel.

1996 Château Mouton Rothschild, courtesy of Vic. Deep garnet. Rather placid on the nose though there is an unquestionably full presence of black fruits, very generously layered with cool ripeness and controlled intensity, shot through with a certain racy streak that culminated in a bit of brambly forest characters. Delicious. I was spot on.

A lovely dinner at Shang Palace, Singapore, on 31 July 2023 to dust off the Monday blues. The theme is evident with the 1990 Lynch-Bages showing best, proving once again that you need to wait at least 25-30 years before popping your top clarets. Many thanks!

2017 Domaine Jean-Claude Ramonet Puligny-Montrachet, courtesy of Kieron. Tasted blind. Pale golden. Opens with a discernible trace of glycerin on the nose amid white tones, proffering a restrained floral lift. A little backward initially, though it did eventually flesh out with a gentle rounded presence of clear fruit touched with nutmeg and saline minerals, very well integrated with excellent precision and definition, the salinity taking on a bit of shiny glow as some of the signature Ramonet character came through.

2000 Château Ducru Beaucaillou, courtesy of Melvin. Opaque dusty purple. Highly attractive reductive pungency on the nose, developing a bit of leathery quality with overtones of dried tobacco leaves. Medium-full luxuriant palate, boasting layers of ripe darkish fruit imbued with lively acidity that impart brilliant biting intensity amid early secondary characters. Just entering its optimal drinking window.

2000 Château Lynch-Bages, courtesy of Russ. Dark crimson with some bricking. There’s a whiff of sweetness amongst the copious black fruits though the palate is slightly lean in spite of the density of fruit, producing very fine precision. Very dark leafy tone, fleshing out a little after some time with elegant supple intensity before shutting down into a sullen reticence. May need to lay down a little longer.

1990 Château Léoville Las-Cases. Deep crimson. Beautifully mellow with a fleshy presence of fruit that is still quite ample and vibrant, gently layered with subtle intensity, developing a bit of leathery texture over time. Lovely cool balance, almost to the point of aloofness. At full maturity and will not get any better.

1990 Château Lynch-Bages, courtesy of Kieron. Deep crimson, exuding darkish characters. The keen palate is still quite intense, brightly lit with dense graphite elements amid a deep core of delicious fruit. Very well developed and open, continuing to evolve with further notes of cinnamon and subtle tertiary characters, growing in stature by the hour in defiance of its thirty-three years. Simply irresistible. At its exciting best and will hold for many more years. Truly outstanding.

2014 DuMol Lia Russian River Vineyard Viognier, courtesy of LF at Long Ji Zi Char, 04 July 2023. Pale golden. Powdery white tones of vanilla on the nose. Medium weight, imbued with some creaminess, displaying good clarity underpinned by distinct austere minerals.

2016 Domaine Paul Pillot Chassagne-Montrachet La Romanée 1er, courtesy of Vic at Long Ji Zi Char, 04 July 2023. Pale. Classic Chassagne signature lift on the nose. Excellent presence of clear citrus that impart delicate teasing intensity with good transparency.

2009 Kistler Cuvée Catherine Occidental Italien Vineyard, courtesy of Bob at Long Ji Zi Char, 04 July 2023. Deep garnet. Powerful glossy sheen of dark fruits splashed with vanillin enamel. Generously layered with a bold dark presence, structured with ultra-smooth spicy tannins. Not for the faint-hearted.

2019 Domaine Philippe Livera Gevrey-Chambertin En Champs at Long Ji Zi Char, 04 July 2023. Very deep impenetrable crimson. Forward balance of delicious deep currants, dark cherries and ripe raspberries on the nose and medium-full palate. Well-extracted with plummy fruit and early cedary characters that exert smooth supple intensity, underpinned by just a trace of stern minerality. Surprisingly New World-ish in character. Not ready. The 2017s are drinking better at this stage.

2010 Kapcsándy Family Winery Endre State Lane Vineyard, courtesy of LF at Long Ji Zi Char, 04 July 2023. Cabernet blend from Napa. Very deep crimson. Glossy bouquet. Medium-full with a very ripe fleshy warmth, structured with velvety sweet tannins producing saturated mouthfeel.

1998 Bannockburn Pinot Noir, courtesy of CHS at Long Ji Zi Char, 04 July 2023. Clearly displaying some age, proffering a very lovely glowing bouquet of mature fruit with seamless layers of mocha, cinnamon and tea leaves of medium intensity. Still wonderfully fresh.

2000 Domaine de Chevalier Rouge. Aired in bottle for ninety minutes ahead of dinner at Wah Lok, 07 July 2023. Deeply coloured. Lifted aromas of currants, herbs, dark roses, spice and soy. Medium-full fleshy presence, still generously imbued with cool dark fruits laced with cutting acidity, supported by distinct earthy minerals that lend a darkish austerity. Fleshed out with lovely depth, weight and intensity, becoming more seamlessly integrated over time. Yet to peak.

2018 Domaine Jean et Sebastien Dauvissat Chablis 1er Vaillons, from the list of Centurion Haus, Singapore, over lunch on 08 July 2023. Dull golden. Nose of green fruits, dried plums and peaches, though more recessed and distant on the medium palate with a dryish presence. Fleshed out with refined presence with a tinge of salinity, more rounded and plump than usual for Chablis.

2014 Domaine Valentin Zusslin Riesling Pfingstberg Grand Cru, from the list of Centurion Haus, Singapore, over lunch on 08 July 2023. Dull golden. Intense bouquet of diesel fumes. Medium-full, open with ripe maturing citrus laid on a minerally bed, imparting a tinge of austerity amidst fairly crisp acidity, yielding good definition.

2002 Château Margaux, courtesy of Sir Bob over lunch at Centurion Haus, Singapore, on 08 July 2023. Tasted blind. Some age is evident from the colour and nose, a distant complex of mulberries, ripe wild berries and dark currants that immediately suggests Margaux. Quite sleek on the medium palate with rounded warmth, well balanced with a lovely controlled intensity. Fleshed out with very good presence amid overtones of pochai pills, just missing the charm, depth and layering of the very best years.

2002 Château La Mission Haut-Brion, courtesy of Sir Bob over lunch at Centurion Haus, Singapore, on 08 July 2023. Tasted blind. Deep ruby at the core. Restrained nose of distant red fruits. Medium weight with a distinct pebbly warmth that impart a bit of glare. Quite seamlessly integrated with restrained intensity, displaying fine definition and robust acidity, tapering with good linearity towards a moderate finish. Has a certain rustic feel.

2005 Château Lascombes, courtesy of LW at Imperial Treasure Great World, 10 July 2023. Deep purplish crimson. Alluring glow of rose petals, dark plums and red currants amid secondary characters of capsicum. Medium-full, structured with sweet svelte pliant tannins that offer cushioned intensity, showing good refinement and intensity with further notes of tea leaves and cedar. Drinking well, though it doesn’t quite possess the pedigree of a true deuxième cru.

2015 Domaine Didier Dagueneau Sancerre Le Mont Damné Chavignol, courtesy of Vic at Imperial Treasure Great World, 10 July 2023. Pale luminosity. This Loire opens with distant tropical fruit and cinnamon on the nose, a little reticent and light initially though excellent in clarity. Developed greater structure after an hour with a deeper vein of longans and crisp minerality tinged with a dash of saline, eventually fleshing out with delightful dry intensity.

2000 Château Sociando-Mallet at Imperial Treasure Great World, 10 July 2023. Deep garnet. This wine opens with whiffs of high-toned minerality leading to an open fleshy palate that exudes a distinctly relaxed feel almost to the point of nonchalance before rebounding with a gentle understated intensity. Fully mature in every way though the fruit has yet to start its autumnal decline, holding up well with a prominent note of capsicum. Has class, but just a little short. Another bottle tasted at Beng Thin on 23 July 2023 was appreciably better, absolutely correct in its mature tones, layered with well-developed fruit that is still fresh and fleshy, not drying out at all. At its best and will not improve any further.

Champagne Edouard Duval Noir D’Eulalie Brut NV, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, 12 July 2023. Delicate luminosity. Excellent nose of grapefruit, dense citrus and brioche leaping out of the glass, displaying superb zest and freshness with the cushioned intensity of very refined soft gentle bubbles on the richly-layered palate, developing a greater minerally presence over time. Finished well. Excellent.

2017 Evening Land Seven Springs Estate Chardonnay, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, 12 July 2023. Light greenish. Shut on the nose, proffering only glimpses of distant lime, citrus and green fruits on the medium palate with an equally minerally presence. Finished with a trace of sweet vanillin.

2020 Domaine Ballorin & F Marsannay Les Echezots, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, 12 July 2023. Very dark. Restrained nose of dark fruits and black currants. Well-extracted with generous proportions, its density of eucalyptus and mint (most unusual) almost saturating the palate with trailing spicy overtones.

2010 Château Cissac, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, 12 July 2023. Deep garnet. Muted on the nose but there’s no denying the density of black fruits and currants beneath, exuding just a tinge of peachy fragrance. Medium-full, featuring dark plummy fruit superbly integrated with pliant tannins and acidity that exert a lovely tensile presence. Excellent balance. Very sleek, slightly minerally, settling down with softer tones amid a tinge of capsicum. Evolving at a glacial pace. Very fine.

2003 Les Forts de Latour, decanted on-site at Origin Grill, 14 July 2023. Delicious cherries, red fruits and currants on the nose leading to a fresh supple intensity on the medium-full palate, infused with earthy elements that impart a distinct austerity. Structured masculine presence, exuding a lovely effusive glow of cedar, capsicum and tobacco that eventually morphed into the classic Pauillac signature, finishing on a note of exotic spices. At peak maturity. Has class and pedigree.

2020 Domaine Laroche Chablis Fourchaumes 1er, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, 15 July 2023. Greenish hues, delivering green fruits and dense yellow citrus with a floral accent on the medium palate with a delicate high-toned intensity. Structured with striking acidity and clarity. Good linearity and finish.

2020 Domaine de la Vougeraie Côte de Beaune Le Pierres Blanches Rouge, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, 15 July 2023. Darkish characters of black fruits tinged with bramble. Well-extracted and full, imparting a bit of rasping intensity on the floor, eventually smoothening out with fine tensile presence. A very modern approach.

2005 Château Haut-Marbuzet. Aired in bottle for three hours prior to dinner at the in-laws, 16 July 2023. Fairly deep garnet, proffering generous swathes of black fruits and dark plums on the nose and palate with robust masculine proportions, imbued with exotic spices that fill its finish with minty glow. Almost New World in style.

2021 Coldstream Hills Chardonnay, drunk over 19-20 July 2023. Pale greenish hue. Excellent presence of delicate citrus and white fruits with a distant floral accent underscored by refreshing acidity. Not too dry, displaying good inner definition. Another bottle drunk over dinner at Eastern House of Seafood, 29 July 2023, displayed even greater detail and delineation, infused with a very well integrated minerally presence that contrasted beautifully against the high-toned citrus fruit. Worth every penny whenever it’s on offer at only SGD27.

2004 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, decanted on-site at Brasserie de Saveurs, St-Regis Singapore, on 22 July 2023. Deep crimson. Highly attractive bouquet of plums, fresh cherries and red fruits tinged with tangerines. Classically structured with soft tannins, the cool ripe fruit already showing early autumnal characters with a distinct note of capsicum, stroking the medium palate with lush supple intensity underscored by a deeper vein of dark currants that taper to a gentle spicy glowing finish. At its best and will hold for several more years.

2003 Rockford Basket Press Shiraz. Double-decanted ahead of dinner at Asia Grand, 24 July 2023. Deep crimson. Dollops of warm ripe fruit on the nose and palate still laced with enamel and medicinal overtones, saturating the palate with a glowing minty freshness that truly belies its twenty years. Boldly structured with lively acidity, layered with mandarins and dense plummy fruit that is classic Barossa in every way, evolving at a glacial pace. Like a true syrah, this wine will probably need another twenty years before it’s anywhere near ready.

2021 M Chapoutier Crozes-Hermitage, aired in bottle ahead of dinner at Long Ji Zi Char, 25 July 2023. Golden luminosity. Very fine presence of white tones, peaches, distant olives and nutmeg that impart excellent Rhône character. Well-balanced with refined clarity, finishing with traces of vanillin. Doesn’t try too hard. Satisfying. Great value at SGD27.

2016 Frédéric Magnien Morey-Saint-Denis Blanc Les Larrets, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, on 26 July 2023. Quite deeply coloured. Greenish hue. Rather shy, proffering just distant notes of chrysanthemum and tea leaves. Good presence of yellow orchard with a bit of oily density on the mid-palate. Very well delineated, fanning out with even chromatic tones laid on darkish undertones.

2017 Camille Giroud Vosne-Romanée Les Chalandins, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, on 26 July 2023. Darkish colour and tone. Inviting warm ripeness, proffering a perfumed floral fragrance lit with plummy overtones. There’s some discernible vanillin oak and enamel imparting a certain plasticity though that disappeared quite quickly as the fullish palate transformed into a lush expanse, structured with smooth unobtrusive tannins, developing true pinot character.

2020 Shaw & Smith M3 Adelaide Hills Chardonnay. Popped and poured over sushi at home, 30 July 2023. Light greenish hue. Excellent chardonnay character of dense white fruits and tangy citrus superbly integrated with sleek acidity and subdued minerals, laced with a dash of salinity. Beautifully fresh and energetic.

The usual suspects convened at Imperial Treasure Great World City on 17 July 2023, focusing on a theme of “red cap” that is a reference to the prohibitively priced domaine wines of Domaine Leroy. But, of course, only a lucky few can boast of them in their collection and, so, I must thank everyone for generously sharing their prized trophies and the likes. All the wines were blinded. By sheer coincidence, the whites were a pair of 2011 Puligny grand crus, while there was also a 2011 pair of Armand Rousseau Chambertin and Chambertin-Clos de Bèze, allowing a rare side-by-side comparison. Amazing as well was how well the 2019 Nicole Lamarche Bourgogne stood against the 1995 Leroy Pommard, both paired in the same flight, proving that top quality exists at all levels. Merci beaucoup!

2011 Domaine Leflaive Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru. Light luminosity. This wine opens with distant floral hues in soft focus, dominated by saline minerals on the medium-full palate. Well layered with pale citrus, gaining traction and intensity as it warmed up in the glass, fleshing out eventually with delicate textures amid traces of nutmeg. Very fresh and impeccably balanced, perhaps just a little short. Doesn’t possess the usual plump heaviness of Leflaive, which I feel is a good thing. Yet to peak.

2011 Domaine Bouchard Père et Fils Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru, courtesy of Vic. Golden luminosity. Surprisingly reticent, warming up with white tones and vanillin not unlike a Chassagne, eventually developing a rounded glowing delicate presence, boasting sleek acidity and refinement with a teasing elegant intensity that is classical of Bouchard’s Puligny grand crus. Still a little tight. Far from ready but already a pleasure to drink if one has the patience to do so over 4-5 hours.

2019 Nicole Lamarche Bourgogne, courtesy of Sir Bob. Classic pinot tint. Fairly exuberant bouquet of rose petals and raspberries, displaying vibrant youthful intensity with fine clarity and detail. Very well integrated and balanced, structured with rounded gentle tannins that impart a distinct feminine grace.

2008 Domaine Leroy Vosne-Romanée Les Beaux Monts 1er, courtesy of Anthony. Some age is evident, exuding a lovely lift of red fruit, cherries and haw with a trailing whiff of matchstick incense. Wonderfully sleek, the supple fruit caught at full maturity with melted tannins, simply poised with elegant tension from the sublime acidity, laced with a slight darkish intensity without any trace of burliness from this vintage. Utterly seamless. Shows real class and pedigree.

1995 Domaine Leroy Pommard Les Vignots, courtesy of Sir Bob. Aged pinot tint. Somewhat restrained. The fruit that comes through is clearly mature though more recessed and backward than a previous bottle tasted in August 2021, imbued with tertiary characters of mandarins, haw and cinnamon underscored by tight acidity that is a little more pronounced now. The balance eventually righted itself after a couple of hours with the emergence of more fruit to the fore, still wonderfully fresh, carried with excellent verve and purity by the gorgeous acidity.

2011 Domaine du Clos de Tart Clos de Tart Grand Cru. Some early bricking, proffering distant red fruits with lighter, delicate tones. Very well-integrated and open. Rather demure in demeanour in its refined presence and purity of fruit, layered with subtle acidity, boasting excellent freshness and balance.

2011 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru, courtesy of Kieron. Deep crimson, exuding a perfumed exuberance of delicious red fruits and varnish. Generously endowed where the fruit, acidity and tannins are structured with sharp precision, brimming with youthful balance and vigour, turning a little more introspective over time with the emergence of austere minerality.

1997 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche Grand Cru, courtesy of LF. Mature pinot tint, proffering a distinct note of red capsicum on the nose that overshadowed the fruit. The palate is imbued with a great lift of fruit, still wonderfully ripe and fresh, imparting supple intensity amid darkish overtones. Very seamlessly integrated, just missing the sheer opulence and layered decadence of the best years.

1997 Williams Selyem Hirsch Vineyard Pinot Noir, courtesy of LF. Some age is evident in colour and in its autumnal character, its New World origin immediately recognisable from its darkish minty tones laced with sweet robust tannins though very well-integrated with excellent balance. Still rather fresh and ample. Caught at peak form.

2017 Domaine Jean Yves Bizot Marsannay Clos du Roy, courtesy of Anthony. The faded crimson hues are most deceptive. Soft red fruits and tangerines dominate with a lively high-toned acidity, seamlessly structured with delicate presence, exuding a poised elegance in spite of its tremendous verve. Shows great balance and control, finishing with superb linearity. Unbelievable from Marsannay. Now I’m beginning to understand a little about its crazy pricing.

2011 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin Grand Cru, courtesy of Alvin. Displaying an evolved crimson, this wine bathes the palate in a deep velvety warmth, seamlessly structured and integrated with subtle layers of fruit of aristocratic breed whilst the usual minerally presence of Chambertin (as opposed to neighbouring Clos de Bèze) is kept in check. Impeccably proportioned.

1994 Domaine Leroy Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru, courtesy of Sir Bob. Clearly well evolved in colour, proffering a superb lift of mature dark fruits that still boast superb freshness and sublime acidity, gliding across the medium palate with effortless grace. Utterly seamless. Caught at the pinnacle of peak maturity. Outstanding.

2018 Nicole Lamarche Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru, courtesy of Sir Bob. Lovely pinot tint, exuding fresh raspberries and currants with youthful swagger and verve, structured with sharp delineation and precision cushioned by rounded gentle tannins that appear to be the style of Nicole Lamarche. Good sophistication.

A gathering of the usual suspects on a theme of Non-French at Jade Palace, 27 June 2023. All wines were blinded.

2015 Peter Michael Winery Cuvée Indigène, courtesy of Kieron. Lovely luminosity. Gleaming tones with some delicate buttery notes. Quite plump and rounded, yielding very fine inner definition with transparent white tones though traces of sweet vanillin still linger. Grew in stature and intensity over time, becoming very Puligny-like as it completed its transfiguration with a gentle glowing finish. Very lovely.

2013 Kusuda Pinot Noir, courtesy of LF. Classic pinot tint, exuding an intense floral bouquet. Medium-full. Excellent integration between the gloriously ripe fruit and sublime acidity, displaying structured definition and great purity.

2001 Beringer Quarry Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep purple. Ripe aromatic lift of plummy red fruits, richly chromatic, still splashed with vanillin. Medium-full. Generously proportioned and fleshy, boasting layers of dense fruit laced with spicy capsicum that yield excellent definition, structured with sweet subtle tannins. Exudes relaxed charm and elegance. A gift many years ago from Sir K, bought directly from the winery’s cellar door. Made from a single vineyard, only 200 cases annually.

2011 Marcassin Pinot Noir, courtesy of Kieron. Pinot tint with some evolution. Immediately recognisable as Marcassin in its aromatic lift of haw, delicate red fruits and cherries that led to a superbly perfumed palate of great detail and definition, open with glazed intensity and sublime acidity. Highly agile, developing further notes of gun metal minerality as the wine tapered to a finish of sweet melted tannins. Outstanding. I nailed it.

2004 Tenuta Dell’Ornellaia Ornellaia, courtesy of Vic. Darkish core with a bit of bricking. Deeply luxuriant nose, exuding a dark rosy fragrance answered by deep dark velvety fruit on the richly layered medium-full palate, lit with eucalyptus amid some fruity detail, developing further notes of capsicum and exotic spice. Still youthful.

2010 Cayuse Vineyards Cailloux Vineyard, courtesy of LF. Deeply coloured with a lovely fragrance. Full and fleshy, generously proportioned with dollops of warm ripe fruit framed by sweet velvety tannins that impart a cossetting feel. A syrah from Walla Walla Valley.

1992 Penfolds Grange, courtesy of Sir Bob. Deep purplish core with just a bare hint of bricking. Distinctly masculine and fleshy, painting the full palate in bold strokes of burly black fruit, sweet dark plums, enamel and varnish. Very well structured, open and highly aromatic, imbued with superb acidity and saline elements that impart taut tension and freshness. Hard to believe that this wine is already into its fourth decade.

1992 Henschke Hill of Grace, courtesy of Sir Bob. Pinot tint. This wine opens with a distilled funkiness, very sleek with a reductive pungency. Medium-full. A little narrow in body but seamlessly integrated with great acidity. More open after some time with a lovely svelte intensity, developing a delicate fragrance tinged with smoky tones.

2012 Domaine Joseph Drouhin Puligny-Montrachet Folatieres 1er. Aired for two hours ahead of dinner at Crab At Bay, 03 June 2023. Quite deeply coloured, exuding dense floral chalkiness with sweet undertones on the nose. Weighty medium palate of masculine proportions, imbued with excellent freshness of ripe citrus and crisp acidity, adding further notes of brioche and honeysuckle with a growing tangy intensity of mandarins. Good length.

Gérard Bertrand An 825 Crémant de Limoux Brut at the Star Alliance Lounge, Paris CDG T1, 09 June 2023. Fresh clean lift of distant green fruits and melons. Medium weight with dryish intensity. Very pleasant. Serves its purpose.

Champagne Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve, on board SQ335 CDG-SIN, 09 June 2023. Luminous gold. Intense nose of ripe citrus and pineapples against a backdrop of crisp chalky acidity. Straightforward finish.

2022 Pikes Riesling ‘Traditionale’, on board SQ335 CDG-SIN, 09 June 2023. Alluring floral fragrance along with nutmeg and olives, well-replicated on the soft medium palate with crisp well-defined acidity, infused with excellent minerality and tangy freshness. Excellent riesling character.

2021 Chartron et Trebuchet Pouilly-Fuissé, on board SQ335 CDG-SIN, 09 June 2023. Pale clarity. Gentle layers of olives, nutmeg, pomelo, lime and citrus. Medium weight. Very well-integrated with understated acidity. More rounded and plump than usual for Pouilly-Fuissé. Drinking well.

2019 Dandelion Lionness Shiraz McLaren Vale, on board SQ335 CDG-SIN, 09 June 2023. Medium weight Forward balance of fresh ripe plums amid overtones of sweet incense and enamel. Structured with fairly refined tannins that exude supple acidity and intensity. Moderate finish.

2011 Domaine Taupenot-Merme Chambolle Musigny La Combe d’Orveau 1er. Aired for two hours ahead of dinner at Imperial Treasure Great World, 11 Jun 2023. Mature tones of dark plums and wild berries, slightly medicinal, with a dash of mustiness but definitely not corked. Very good density of cool ripe fruit on the mid-palate with a distinct salinity, gradually gelling together with very fine acidity and minerally depth and emergent red fruits and dark rosy characters. Good balance and finish. From a plot directly abutting Musigny Grand Cru.

2018 Etienne Sauzet Puligny-Montrachet 1er Hameau de Blagny. Aired for two hours ahead of dinner at Otto Ristorante, 12 June 2023. Luminous gold. Forward bouquet of ripe orchard fruit with a teasing floral fullness. Quite brightly lit on the medium palate with a bit of chamfered quality, the fruit set a little backwards, glowing with distant chalkiness.

2005 Domaine des Lambrays Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru, courtesy of John. Popped and poured at Otto Ristorante, 12 June 2023. Good colour. Effusive complexity of red fruits and rose petals that teased with lithe agility. Very generously layered with excellent freshness and fullness, structured with supple sophisticated tannins. Finished well with glowing length. Superb.

2019 Château de Béru Chablis Côte aux Prêtres, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, on 13 June 2023. Yellowish-green. Fairly deep nose of marine aromas and tangy shellfish. Slick sharply delineated profile of lively acidity and concentrated freshness.

2012 Château Phélan Ségur, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, on 13 June 2023. Deep garnet. Nose of mahogany, new oak, cigar box and dark fruits. Full warm rounded ripeness, structured with smooth sweet tannins, slightly velvety.

2019 Lieu Dit Winery Cabernet Franc, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, on 13 June 2023. Deep garnet. Fresh enamel on the nose, promising and delivering ample presence of dark roses, black cherries and ripe wild berries amid overtones of heated wet gravel and malt. Elegantly poised with good balance. Modest finish.

2017 Antinori Antica Chardonnay Block A26, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, on 19 June 2023. Deep yellowish greenish. Distant green fruits and floral notes on the nose. The fruit is set rather backwards in favour of a dryish chalky glow that blended seamlessly with well-integrated minerality, laced with refined acidity that exert good tension, eventually developing a high-toned oily density. Good balance. Modest finish. From Atlas Peak, Napa Valley.

2016 Domaine Lucien Muzard et Fils Santenay La Maladière 1er Rouge. Popped and poured over dinner at Crab At Bay, 20 June 2023. Deep ruby. Darkish in tone at first, more of dark plums, wild berries and bramble. Well-endowed on the palate, gradually opening up to reveal more of red fruits and ripe cherries with refined chewy tannins, turning sweeter and more delicious whilst maintaining its general elegance. Label-drinkers usually wouldn’t bother with its plain un-sexy label. A connoisseur’s drop.

2018 Vagabond Chardonnay, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, on 21 June 2023. Clear luminosity. Clean lift of light chalky elements, fig and distant citrus. Good concentration of fruit, exerting a high-toned delicate medium presence, sharply delineated with good definition and clarity. Finished with a bit of tangy spice.

2018 Domaine Louis Jadot Beaune Grèves 1er Le Clos, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, on 21 June 2023. Classic color. Nose of gentle floral elements and fresh citrus. Medium-bodied. Fleshy with refreshing acidity and well-integrated minerals that culminate in a glowing finish. Good Côte de Beaune character. Settled down with elegant clarity.

2011 Château L’if, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, on 21 June 2023. Very deep garnet. Whiffs of fresh enamel and deep plummy fruit, delivering a distinctly modern, full, well-extracted and darkish palate supported by a gravelly base. Ultra-ripe and glossy, even for this moderate vintage.

2016 Domaine Thibert Père et Fils Pouilly-Vinzelles Les Longeays. Aired briefly ahead of dinner at Eastern House of Seafood, 24 June 2023. Melons and honeysuckle dominate with a high-toned acidity. The full palate is well-layered in clear and yellow citrus, yielding plenty of inner detail. Modest finish of pomelo and bitter lemon.

2019 Domaine Larue Saint-Aubin Montceau 1er. Popped and poured over lunch at Imperial Treasure Great World, 25 June 2023. Pale greenish. Lifted notes of paraffin, summer hay and morning dew. Strong presence of lemon and tangy yellow citrus laced with crisp acidity. Developed a more effusive note of tropical fruits on the nose though, paradoxically, it started receding on the palate, turning lighter, backward and more delicate.

2002 Champagne Louis Roederer Cristal, courtesy of Dr WKW. Popped and poured over lunch at Imperial Treasure Great World, 25 June 2023. Good color. Notes of grape skins and icing with early characters of maturity. Still imbued with excellent fullness and freshness, open with fairly intense characters of toast and yeast amid attractive reductive elements. Lovely.

2015 Domaine Bruno Clair Gevrey-Chambertin Les Cazetiers 1er. Aired for ninety minutes prior at Imperial Treasure Great World, 25 June 2023. Good color. Elegant bouquet of fragrant rose petals leading to a gentle supple intensity, displaying good clarity and subdued tannin structure, developing greater intensity of fresh ripe cherries over time. Drinking well.

2018 Virginie de Valandraud Blanc, courtesy of Kieron at his residence, 29 June 2023. Tasted blind. Pale. Highly attractive nose of peaches and orchard fruit, proffering great clarity. Fairly plump on the palate, imbued with ripe greenish fruit laced with refined acidity, turning slightly darkish, displaying moderate depth and layering. Got better and better in the glass, eventually fanning out with blazing intensity.

2018 Vintage Tunina, courtesy of Kieron at his residence, 29 June 2023. Tasted blind. Pale. Delicate lifted of perfumed floral notes, leading to a moderate presence of white tones, clear citrus and some orchard. Quite seamlessly structured with subtle acidity, revealing emerging layers of fruit with good integration and recessed chalkiness.

2017 Le Petit Haut Lafitte, courtesy of Kieron at his residence, 29 June 2023. Tasted blind. Deep garnet. Pronounced earthy barnyard funk with overtones of wet gravel, green capsicum and wild berries that is unmistakably Pessac-Leognan. Excellent presence, open with moderate supple intensity, consistently darkish and earthy throughout its length with a distant note of malt and rye, finishing on a spicy note. I nailed it. One of my favourite second wines of all time.

2017 Virginie de Valandraud Rouge, courtesy of Kieron at his residence, 29 June 2023. Tasted blind. Very deep garnet. Delicious lift of red fruits and currants. Medium-full. More savoury over time with excellent acidity and intensity, displaying lovely balance and finish. I nailed it.

At the edge of the little town of Saint-Émilion, towards the north, is the road Rue Guadet, named in honour of Château Guadet which is sited there and which has been in existence since the 15th century, coming under the ownership of the Lignac family since 1844. The estate was one of those to be listed under the inaugural 1955 classification of Saint-Émilion wines. Nowadays, Vincent Lignac (truly a Mick Jagger lookalike) runs the 4.5-hectare estate that is managed biodynamically but still utilising traditional tools such as the basket press in its very modest chai. The wines are aged in 30% new oak. Only 20,000 bottles are produced annually, all sold through direct private sales which is why you are most unlikely to encounter Château Guadet at your local retailer. Vincent, who has worked at various estates in France (with Dider Dagueneau), USA, Chile and Australia, is more intuitive rather than scientific in his methods. The wines are dark and robust and well-endowed although there is always a bit of rustic tint towards the finish. They can certainly age. When the Jürade de Saint-Émilion du Singapour visited again on 05 June 2023, we had the privilege of tasting its 1971 that was still showing well, just as an ex-château 1962 had been when I had it in December 2020. There is quite an extensive cold dark underground cave system beneath the château housing decades of library stocks. Merci, Vincent, for your time and generosity.

2008 Château Guadet. Good color. Rosy hues of red cherries. Medium weight. Good presence of fruit with a dominant plummy tone underscored by earth, briar and bramble. Very fine acidity, imparting crisp intensity. A little stern and dryish at the finish. Tasted June 2019 at the château. Consistent with a previous encounter in November 2018 in Singapore, also ex-château.

2011 Château Guadet. Deep purple. Rather reticent on the nose though the palate is well-layered with supple black fruits and dark currants within a slim profile, displaying fine presence that tapered to a dryish finish. Tasted June 2019 at the château.

2016 Château Guadet. Still pre-release. Deep purple. Faint rosy hues with overtones of vanillin. Full, expansive presence. Quite generously endowed with darkish ripe fruit, structured with early detailed tannins. Good integration, finishing with a tinge of austerity. Tasted June 2023 at the château.

1971 Château Guadet-St Julien. Poured from magnum. Tasted blind. Clearly evolved in colour though still darkish at the core, evoking distant roses with earthy overtones. Barely autumnal on the palate, still imbued with excellent freshness and very fine intensity of cool darkish characters within a frame of dryish tannins. Minty finish. Very impressive. Tasted June 2023 at the château. The St Julien suffix was dropped in 2005.

I have always wondered how Château La Confession came to be named, but it turns out to be nothing more than a case of religious fervour on the part of Jean-Philippe Janoueix and his family, which established the estate in 2003. The cellars and chai are watched over by a prominent crucifix, while several large paintings and illustrations depicting biblical characters adorn the walls of the modest château. When members of the Jürade de Saint-Émilion du Singapour arrived in the late afternoon of 06 June 2023, the Singapore flag was already hoisted high at the main entrance. The seven-hectare estate is planted with 66% merlot and 32% cabernet franc on clay and limestone soils, aged in 50% new oak. The average age of the vines is forty years. The château was certified organic in 2010 and biodynamic from 2014. Jean-Philippe also deeply admires the wines of Burgundy to the extent that he utilises medium-toast barrels made by ten different cooperages from Burgundy. The wines are aged in a mix of these barrels as well as amphorae and concrete vats. I have fond memories of the 2011 and 2012, which pack real power, layering and expressiveness, totally befitting of its Grand Cru Classé status. Merci, Jean-Philippe, for our time and generosity.

2022 Château La Confession. Barrel sample of only the merlot component. Beautiful deep purple. Highly aromatic, exuding a fragrant floral freshness. Medium-full. Quite amply layered with ripe dark berries, well-structured with clean elegant tannins. Good balanced. Not yet the final blend but this is very promising. Tasted at the château, June 2023.

2019 Château La Confession. Deep purple. Generous bouquet of ripe raspberries and currants tinged with enamel. Medium weight. Good presence of fruit, structured with subtle tannins. Beautifully supple though a tad leaner in balance, showing some early complexity with overtones of cigar box, spice and a touch of savouriness. Good verve. Tasted at the château, June 2023.

2016 Château La Confession. Deep purple with some crimson rim. Effusive in cool red fruits. Medium weight. Structured with soft pliant tannins underpinned by fresh acidity and an unusual note of olive, imbued with distinct earthy minerals in the mid-body that lent a leaner tone. Modest finish. Tasted at the château, June 2023.