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Sep 2025: 2022 Michel Gros Clos des Réas, 2021 Caroline Morey Beaune 1er Les Grèves, 2017 Hundred Acre Kayli Morgan Vineyard, 1994 Pahlmeyer Merlot…

October 17, 2025

2020 Thomas Morey Saint-Aubin 1er Les Castets, courtesy of Kieron at 67 Pall Mall, 01 Sep 2025. Light greenish. Classic Saint-Aubin bouquet of cool glacial tones amid lemons and clear citrus. Well integrated with very good depth of fruit, imparting fine clarity with a teasing intensity.

2021 Caroline Morey Beaune 1er Les Grèves, courtesy of Kieron at 67 Pall Mall, 01 Sep 2025. Surprisingly evolved in colour, looking like a 15-20 year-old pinot. Decidedly delicious on the nose with an effusive rosy fragrance, the fleshy palate wonderfully fresh and subtly nuanced in red fruits with a hint of tangerines within its gentle layers, producing a quiet focus. Became even more highly expressive as it sat in the glass. Utterly beguiling.

2021 Claude Dugat Gevrey-Chambertin, courtesy of Kieron at 67 Pall Mall, 01 Sep 2025. Classic pinot tint. There is just a bare hint of earthiness amidst the domineering presence of cherries and rose petals, producing an open supple intensity and freshness throughout its lovely length that is almost exquisite. Gelled together very well with a bit of mid-palatal shine, becoming even more plummy and expressive.

2020 Bric Turot Prunotto Barbaresco, courtesy of Kieron at 67 Pall Mall, 01 Sep 2025. Crimson. Racy bouquet of tropical fruits and mint, leading to an exuberant supple intensity throughout its flowing length, tempered by just a hint of vegetal stems within its subtle tannins. Settled down with a lovely feminine grace.

2022 Domaine Michel Gros Vosne-Romanée 1er Clos des Réas monopole, courtesy of Kieron at 67 Pall Mall, 01 Sep 2025. Deep purple. Big, intense and racy, almost New World in its heady mix of vanillin, haw and ultra-ripe raspberries. Obviously well extracted but still immaculately proportioned with supple tannins to yield controlled power and refined intensity, just a tad austere with some gritty detail towards its finish.

2011 Williams Selyem Precious Mountain Pinot Noir. Aired in bottle ahead of dinner at Kai Garden, 04 Sep 2025. Brownish Red. Full presence of ripe plummy fruit, cedar, balsamic elements and forest notes, laced with slick teasing acidity that produced sharp attack with fleet focused intensity. Well-proportioned with smooth rounded tannins, finishing with moderate length amid overtones of eucalyptus, mint, licorice. For the long haul.

2006 Champagne Dom Pérignon P2, courtesy of CJ at Kai Garden, 04 Sep 2025. Pale golden, exuding a bit of barnyard aroma amid floral hues. There is a certain elusive quality in its delicate lift of fruit, very subtly nuanced with ferrous elements that add to its controlled refined intensity. Superbly balanced, turning a little more crisp over time. Modest finish.

2017 Bentrock Santa Rita Chardonnay, courtesy of LF at Kai Garden, 04 Sep 2025. Pale yellow. Distant notes of summer hay on the nose, though the full palate is well endowed with fleshy layers of distilled citrus, proffering excellent balance and clarity. Very well proportioned. Moderate length. Drinks like a burgundy premier cru.

2019 Le Petit Cheval, courtesy of Sanjay at Kai Garden, 04 Sep 2025. Pale. This dry white of Château Cheval Blanc is surprisingly relaxed and elegant, only medium weight, proffering great clarity with a tinge of salinity that produced a bit of mid-palatal shine.

1994 Pahlmeyer Merlot, courtesy of LF at Kai Garden, 04 Sep 2025. Deep purplish core with a crimson rim. Earthy herbaceous aromas dominate on the medium-full palate that is wonderfully supple with a tensile quality, richly imbued with deep plummy fruit and soy that produce superb lift and linearity throughout its integral length. Still remarkably youthful.

2015 Castello di Amarone Butala Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, courtesy of Lui HF at Kai Garden, 04 Sep 2025. Deep garnet. Concentrated presence of raspberries, blackberries and dark currants in generous proportions, producing an intense brooding tone though there is already a certain lushness.

2007 Sine Qua Non Dangerous Birds, courtesy of LF at Kai Garden, 04 Sep 2025. Impenetrable deep garnet, opening with a pebbly warmth that led to a sharp attack and rasping intensity on the medium-full palate, replete with overtones of tobacco snuff. Modest finish. Made of 100% syrah.

2013 Sine Qua Non Jusqu’ à l’os, courtesy of MH at Kai Garden, 04 Sep 2025. Deep garnet. Generous presence of red fruits and strawberries that exude a certain warm ripeness with early secondary characters. Open enough at this stage, yielding good detail and sweet supple intensity within its robust structure, but shorn of all opulence.

2017 Hundred Acre Kayli Morgan Vineyard, courtesy of CHS at Kai Garden, 04 Sep 2025. Deep crimson, boasting a concentrated focus of delicious red fruits amid a dash of vanillin within its lush velvetiness, supported by an even deeper vein of darkish fruit. Subtly vibrant without any hint of its 16.1% abv. Predominantly grenache.

2014 Domaine Thibert Père et Fils Pouilly-Fuissé Les Cras. Popped and poured at Eastern House of Seafood, 07 Sep 2025. Pale yellowish. This wine opens with a profusion of intense yellow citrus and white flowers that produce initial exquisite intensity. Settled down with greater clarity as the fruit gave way to a more austere ferrous presence.

2017 Domaine de Montille Saint-Aubin 1er En Remilly. Aired four hours ahead of lunch at Otto Ristorante, 09 Sep 2025. Pale yellowish. Delicate intensity of clear citrus and lime that impart a high-toned palate amid cool glacial notes underpinned by understated chalky and ferrous elements.

Rockford Black Shiraz (2023 disgorgement). Popped and poured at Asia Grand, 12 Sep 2025. Deep garnet, imbued with the unmistakable shiraz character of darkish rich plummy fruit laced with black currants and licorice. Well layered with a velvety intensity, just a little sweetish as it fans out with a liquored finish amid a deeper vein of black fruits. A Barossa classic.

PengWine Emperor III Blend NV at New Ubin Seafood, 13 Sep 2025. Very deep crimson. Some forest floor and dried mushrooms on the nose whilst currants and plummy red fruits dominate on the fleshy palate with a dash of earthiness, structured with smooth rounded tannins that impart controlled fleeting intensity. Well-proportioned with fine length and linearity. Wax seal.

2017 PengWine Royal at New Ubin Seafood, 13 Sep 2025. Deep crimson. Somewhat subdued on the nose though quite generously proportioned with a firm minerally line cushioned by soft tannins, yielding rustic detail though the mid-palate is unresolved with a high-toned brightness.

2014 PengWine Royal at New Ubin Seafood, 13 Sep 2025. Deep crimson. Hint of velvety red fruits on the nose. Distinctly juicier and more succulent than the 2017, showing better resolution with tannins that are structured but pliant, well integrated with its subtle minerality.

2018 PengWine Rockhopper Gran Reserva Carmenere at New Ubin Seafood, 13 Sep 2025. Deeply coloured. Distant bouquet of warm red fruits that belie the lush velvetiness on the full palate, tinged with a hint of capsicum. Very well balanced. Modest finish.

2018 PengWine The Humboldt Cabernet Gran Reserva at New Ubin Seafood, 13 Sep 2025. Deep crimson. Velvety lift of ample red fruits and dark currants. Quite delicious and integral. Well balanced with a hint of sandiness.

2019 Henschke Keyneton Euphonium. Popped and poured at the in-laws, 14 Sep 2025. Very deep purple, proffering an attractive density of ripe raspberries, blueberries and violets on the nose and palate, structured with soft velvety tannins that impart a rich luxuriant mouthfeel to the ample fruit, quite impeccably balanced against the refined acidity. Delicious and irresistible now, yet will keep for decades. Highly satisfying.

2020 Domaine Morey Coffinet Saint-Aubin 1er Les Frionnes, after a brief aeration at Xin Cuisine, 20 Sep 2025. Clear pallor. Charming complex of light citrus, wildflowers and orchard fruit matched by a cool relaxed placid elegance that yield great clarity, the fruit quietly concentrated, gradually developing a gentle floral bloom over time.

2020 Turkey Flat Shiraz, semi-double decanted for an hour prior to dinner at the in-laws, 21 Sep 2025. Deep garnet. Somewhat more introverted now even though the deep fleshy Barossa fruit is clearly evident, replete with the obligatory dash of licorice and balsamic spice, controlled with immaculate precision and balance within a sheen of ultra-smooth tannins that impart a certain cool elegance.

2019 Romanée-Conti Corton-Charlemagne, 2019 Cyprien Arlaud Vosne-Rom Aux Réas, 2005 Louis Jadot Bonnes-Mares

October 7, 2025

An evening at Buona Terra very generously hosted by Sir Bob on 25 September 2025 where he had also procured a bottle of the latest white of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, its Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru. All wines were tasted blind. The whites stole the show; without knowing the labels, the honest palate truly senses that each of them was excellent in its own way, proving once again that quality exists across all price points. Many thanks, Sir!

Champagne Ruinart Brut NV, courtesy of Sir Bob. Clear golden. Gentle notes of yeast and gun smoke minerals unfold with a relaxed rounded crystalline clarity, yielding lovely detail with understated acidity. Grew in stature over time. Moderate finish.

2004 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet, courtesy of Sir Bob. Clear golden. Distant notes of caramel and frangipani on the nose and beautifully rounded palate, coiled with agile intensity with a high-toned acidity. More reductive over time, displaying sharp delineation of complex but subtle minerality. Remarkably youthful after twenty-one years, even more so for Leflaive.

2017 Claire Naudin Clematis Vitalba. Aired for four hours ahead. Displaying a clear golden lustre, this wine opens with notes of distant chalk and cool floral hues from the fleshy density of lithe citrus, developing a tangy focus and growing salinity amid a backdrop of recessed chalk and austere minerals in equal measure. Held its ground against the Leflaive and D.R.C.

2019 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, courtesy of Sir Bob from the restaurant list. The initial impression is a wine of considerable age, dull golden with an oxidative nose of floral orchard and beeswax amid an understated chalkiness, leading to a darkish rounded cool elegance in the mouth. It firmed up quite quickly with sharper definition, fuller and more effusive as its generous tone teased the palate with a superbly-controlled ebb and flow, coiled with tight balsamic tension underpinned by a persistent gluey undertone, staying the course for the rest of the evening without any further evolution. The only concern was that it seemed more evolved than expected for a young Grand Cru. A bottle problem? Difficult to say but, for sure, we couldn’t quite pin it down as Corton-Charlemagne; a couple of us felt this same wine had tasted very differently during its launch at a FICOFI event. Made from seven plots totaling seven acres (2.83 ha) leased from Bonneau du Martray, the 2019 is the inaugural vintage.

2019 Cyprien Arlaud Vosne-Romanée Aux Réas. Deeply coloured. Only the village version (as opposed to the Michel Gros Vosne-Romanée 1er Clos de Réas monopole) but this is so expertly crafted, boasting a velvety warmth and density of ripe dark cherries, rose petals and haw with a deep core of rubies within a sleek body of lithe tannins underpinned by a dash of tarry undertones. Beautifully integral, displaying refined intensity and precision.

2021 Domaine Ponsot Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cuvée des Alouettes, courtesy of Dennis. Deeply coloured. with quite an exuberance of red fruits and haw laced with tangy spice. Quite full and harmonious on the palate though the fleshy tannins took on a slightly angular stance amid a backdrop of warm gravel.

2022 Domaine Méo Camuzet Vosne-Romanée 1er Les Chaumes, courtesy of Jonny. Deep purple. Forward balance of blackberries and raspberries with a warm ripeness. Rounded and highly supple, well-integrated with unobtrusive tannins and refined acidity.

2005 Domaine Louis Jadot Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru, courtesy of Kieron. Very deep crimson. Highly aromatic in perfumed rosy hues still tinged with vanillin and enamel from the excellent density of velvety red fruits underpinned by a high-toned acidity, structured with lithe tannins that yield subtle detail with a dash of spice and earthy pungency.

Bonneau du Martray’s massive 27 acres (10.9 ha) of Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru before 2018 (courtesy of winehog.org)
D.R.C.’s plots come from the lieu-dits of En Charlemagne and Le Charlemagne (from winehog.org)

1996 Palmer, 1998 Krug, 2017 The Maiden, 1999 Romanée-Conti Grands Échezeaux, 2009 Louis Jadot Clos de la Roche

September 29, 2025

These were tasted at a lavish dinner generously hosted by the great Dr Ngoi at Imperial Treasure Great World, 10 September 2025, to celebrate the birthdays of several close friends, always a great opportunity to pop large formats and to sample a wide range of good stuff. I’m always reminded after such tastings that price seldom equates drinking pleasure but I am grateful for the privilege, nonetheless. Thank you, Sir!

1998 Champagne Krug, poured from double magnum. Light golden. Predominant nose of pines, walnuts and summer hay amid subdued yeasty overtones. Still wonderfully fresh and full, boasting a delightful intensity of lime and pomelo well integrated with subtle minerality that stretched with supple length. Will last several more decades.

2011 Domaine Louis Jadot Puligny-Montrachet 1er Les Referts. Courtesy of SC. Poured from magnum. Pale golden. Profusion of rye, malt and dried coconut on the nose. Refreshingly cool with a rounded opulence, generously proportioned with clear citrus and understated acidity amid an open chalky glow.

2023 Vignoble de Pauline de Plain de Lugny Auxey-Duresses. Good colour, proffering red fruits with an effusive rosy fragrance. Medium-weight and supple, tinged with a dash of waxiness. Drinking well but short.

2009 Domaine Louis Jadot Clos de la Roche Grand Cru, courtesy of yours truly. Poured from magnum. Great colour. Lovely lift of red fruits and plummy notes, leading to a lovely rosy depth with a deeper vein of subtle fruit. Very wonderfully nuanced, revealing lovely detail. Grew a little tighter with time and food, its acidity drawing some tension. Glowing finish.

2012 Château de Fonsalette. Great colour. Subtle intensity of cherries and rose petals. Highly agile on the medium palate where overtones of ash and incense dominate with a certain waxy texture, yielding quiet detail. Open with supple succulence, developing greater intensity amid a darkish vein of delicious fruit.

2022 Domaine Joseph Drouhin Chambolle-Musigny 1er. Purplish. Subdued bouquet of raspberries and dark cherries that impart a rosy depth. Surprisingly supple and charming for such a young premier cru, its super-smooth tannins barely tangible. Already drinking so well, laced with just a hint of paraffin. Delicious.

1998 Château Certan De May de Certan, courtesy of SKY. Poured from double magnum. Good colour. Tertiary characters of capsicum, stems and herbaceous tones leap from the glass. Wonderfully fresh, just entering full maturity. Deliciously slick with a fleshy warmth and melted tannins that impart a certain elusiveness. Under-appreciated by many.

1996 Château Palmer. Evolved crimson. Effusive glow of early tertiary characters with herbaceous overtones matched by a lush creaminess. Highly integral and fleshy, underscored by sublime acidity and imperceptible tannins that produce supple intensity. Minty finish. Has distinct pedigree.

2017 The Maiden, courtesy of CHS. Very deep purple. Generously proportioned with a gravelly warmth of ripe raspberries and enamel, laid on sublime acidity and sophisticated tannins that produce silky smooth intensity. This second label of Harlan Estate is accessible now, yet will keep for decades.

1999 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Grands Échezeaux Grand Cru, courtesy of Trijono. Poured from magnum. Quite an opaque purplish core with some crimson at the rim, opening with a gentle darkish tone of wild berries amid balsamic elements. The medium-weight palate is still fresh and lively, rounded with quite a generous depth of cool dark fruits and refined acidity that impart subtle verve and fleeting intensity, though unexpectedly short.

2016 Domaine Lambrays Clos des Lambrays, 2005 Leflaive Bien-Bâtard-Montrachet, 2009 Armand Rousseau Chambertin

September 22, 2025

The great SC hosted an excellent dinner on 15 September 2025 featuring Shanxi (山西) cuisine, right at the heart of Singapore at the Fenjiu (汾酒) Flagship Store. The robust flavours of northern China, spicy at times with a pastoral touch, may be challenging for wine pairing but the trio of Grand Crus that evening managed to negotiate the tricky palate. Many thanks, Sir!

2008 Champagne Dom Pérignon, courtesy of SC. Pale golden. Delicate lift of floral hues and light minerals. Almost shy with feminine restraint at first, taking its time to develop a focused high-toned intensity of clear citrus underscored by a distinct austere minerality. Still tight and somewhat restrained in depth but its distilled essence comes through.

2005 Domaine Leflaive Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, courtesy of SC. Clear golden, opening with distant yellow citrus that developed into effusive gleaming tones though it is rather slender with medium presence, underpinned by unobtrusive minerality that yield refined clarity and precision amid a bright chalky glow.

2016 Domaine des Lambrays Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru, courtesy of SC. Poured from magnum. Deep ruby, exuding a gentle deep rosy fragrance. Medium weight. Very classically proportioned with refined depth and layering, structured with supple tannins and slick acidity that impart fine definition and smooth intensity. Not the opulent sort.

2009 Domaine Armand Rousseau Chambertin Grand Cru, courtesy of Boon. Evolved crimson. Predominance of rose petals and red fruits well into secondary development, wonderfully fresh and delicious with a controlled succulence from its lovely depth of fruit. Classically proportioned with elegant silky tannins. Doesn’t call attention to itself. You may not even realise what you’re drinking.

2019 Meursault 1er Poruzots: Rémi Jobard, Antoine Jobard & Vincent Bouzereau & Domaine Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle 1982, 1991, 2001, 2005, 2011, 2015

September 15, 2025

La Vigne d’Or of Singapore marked its tenth anniversary with a la paulée gala at Clifford Pier, Fullerton Bay Hotel, on 23 August 2025 where proceeds went to IDHealth, a community-based healthcare service for the intellectually disabled. Prior to dinner was a tasting promenade featuring a 2019 mini-horizontal of Meursault 1er Poruzots as well as a vertical of six vintages of Paul Jaboulet Aînè Hermitage La Chapelle, generously contributed by various individuals. This iconic Rhône has had its ups and downs since its seminal bottling of 1961, though it appears to be finding its feet again over the past decade with robust but sophisticated age-worthy efforts. Many thanks, Sandy!

2019 Domaine Vincent Bouzereau Meursault 1er Les Poruzots. Racy profusion of floral notes, almost beguiling. Layered with lovely fruit and slick acidity, pampering the palate with a certain lacquered tone. Highly integral and superbly balanced. Far from the steely reductive style that is the current rage. One of the very best examples of Poruzots. Reminds me of the domaine’s same wine of 2023.

2019 Antoine Jobard Meursault 1er Poruzots. Light greenish. Dryish lift of summer hay with stony overtones that render a bit of reduction, though the easy-going palate is most subtly nuanced with refined acidity and understated minerals that impart a bit of pebbly quality.

2019 Domaine Rémi Jobard Meursault 1er Poruzots. Pale. Very sleek, exuding subtle floral hues with a hint of reduction from its expanse of chalk and exquisite intensity of lime and clear citrus that lit the palate with refined clarity.

2015 Domaine Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle. Orangey crimson, exuding a lovely perfumed fragrance with a bit of waxy tone. Very lively, its darkish plummy presence underscored by incisive acidity that produce sharp attack and intensity.

2011 Domaine Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle. Strong note of enamel and caramelised crème on the nose that belies its slender linear structure, displaying with fine balance and clarity as it stretched out with a minty glow.

2005 Domaine Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle. Brownish red. Very good presence of ripe plummy fruit that has evolved with subtle shades, underscored by rounded velvety tannins and well-integrated acidity. Excellent balance. This may turn out to be a reincarnation of the 1991.

2001 Domaine Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle. Brownish hues. Rather reticent. The fruit is surprisingly recessed, while the angular tannins that I recall are now quite imperceptible, resulting in a relaxed rounded palate. Modest finish.

1991 Domaine Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle. Fully mature in colour and tone with striking autumnal overtones that recall traditional pipagao. Still wonderfully full and lively, imbued with superb acidity and enough heft in its fruit to produce slick teasing intensity, making up for its modest finish. At its very best.

1982 Domaine Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle. Poured from magnum. Brownish. Distinctly autumnal, exuding sweetish overtones of caramel, cinnamon and nougat. Still holding out reasonably well, displaying a placid feminine elegance and clarity with just enough fruit to match the refined acidity. Modest finish.

And at dinner…

Champagne Olivier Horiot Les Riceys NV. Clear golden. Nutty yeasty characters with overtones of brioche and honeysuckle. Lovely tension and intensity.

2017 Domaine Paul Pillot Chassagne-Montrachet 1er La Romanée, courtesy of Bernhard. Pale, proffering faint teasing floral hues. Relaxed medium presence of delicate citrus, yielding fine clarity with a growing intensity that led to a distinct salinity at its modest finish.

2017 Domaine Denis Mortet Gevrey-Chambertin Mes Cinq Terroirs. Deep crimson. Very lovely perfumed bouquet of red fruits and fresh floral hues, yielding refined detail. The medium-weight palate is beautifully nuanced in velvety red fruits and haw laid on lush tannins. Good finish.

1990 E Guigal Hermitage, courtesy of Melvin. Light purple. Gentle palate of mature red fruits marked with overtones of cinnamon and distinct balsamic elements. Fairly lush, still imbued with fresh acidity, tapering to a modest sweet finish. Delicious.

2012 Champagne Pierre Peters Cuvée Spéciale Les Chetillons Grand Cru, courtesy of Hui Jian. Pale golden. Generous in clear and yellow citrus, dried pears and peaches that produce a deep burnished glow. Wonderfully fresh and crisp, layered with superb definition. Immaculately proportioned. Highly inviting.

2022 Alex Moreau Chassagne-Montrachet 1er La Maltroie, courtesy of Robin. Somewhat restrained on the nose though the medium palate is open with lovely white tones. Very evenly proportioned and elegant, stretching out with excellent linearity.

2006 Soldera Case Basse, courtesy of Kok Hiang. Good colour. Warm expanse of delicious red fruits and haw. Very subtly layered and impeccably proportioned, just entering its secondary development. One for the long haul. From 100% sangiovese.

1982 Château Pontet Canet. Still deeply coloured with a profusion of forest floor, stems and vegetal notes. Quietly supple and fleshy, not drying out.

1982 Château Lagrange. Saint-Julien. Still deeply coloured, proffering a complex bouquet of vegetal notes, balsamic elements, earth and mature dark berries. Relaxed and fleshy with rounded contours, its acidity still amazingly fresh, imparting fine tension.

2013 Domaine Chantal Rémy Latricières-Chambertin Grand Cru. Red fruits dominate with dense rosy hues. Well-structured with supple tannins, exerting a focused intensity throughout its glowing length.

2001 Domaine François Lamarche La Grand Rue Grand Cru, courtesy of Bernhard. Brownish crimson. Medium presence, the maturing fruit and tannins highly integral, producing quiet elegant charm.

2004 Domaine Bouchard Pére et Fils Clos Vougeot Grand Cru, courtesy of Peter Tan. Distilled presence of mature darkish plums and cherries, imbued with a lovely freshness underpinned by excellent acidity that impart fine definition.

1996 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Musigny Grand Cru, courtesy of Dr Kuang He. Deep garnet with some crimson at the rim. Generously layered in red fruits and dark cherries that carry an aristocratic air. Very subtly nuanced with undertones of earth and incense, effortlessly poised with supple grace and elegance. Modest finish. Highly successful and still going strong.

1994 E Guigal Côte-Rôtie, courtesy of Melvin. Evolved crimson. Fully mature with autumnal characteristics of red plums, wild berries, herbs, ash and bramble, the wine still full and amazingly fresh with superb acidity that teased with fleeting attack.

Aug 2025: 2010 Philipponnat Les Cintres, 2009 Armand Rousseau Clos Saint-Jacques, 2015 Bruno Clair Clos Saint-Jacques 1er, 2009 Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux Échezeaux, 2014 Domaine Dublère Corton-Charlemagne 2017 Comtes Lafon Meursault Clos de Barre, 2001 Williams Selyem Rochioli Riverblock, 2005 Aubert Chardonnay

September 9, 2025

2016 Domaine de Montille Puligny-Montrachet 1er Le Caillerets. Aired ahead of dimsum at Imperial Treasure Great World, 02 Aug 2025. This wine boasts a crystalline clarity in spite of its minerally density, highly refined with cool glacial tones and understated acidity throughout its lovely length. Developed bit of oily texture over time. May be half a step behind the 2017 but it is still very fine.

2014 Domaine Dublère Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, courtesy of Kwine at Shang Palace, 04 Aug 2025. Luminous golden hue. Quite glorious with an immediacy of chromatic chalky tones seamlessly integrated with distilled white fruits and exquisite minerality that impart superb tension and density across its full expanse. Settled down with a refined rounded clarity where its initial richness is somewhat reined in, developing a lithe elegance with a tinge of vanillin sweetness throughout its lovely length.

2022 Domaine Fernand et Laurent Pillot Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Vide Bourse, at Shang Palace, 04 Aug 2025. Pale, exuding a cool glacial transparency with a delicate minerally presence before becoming gradually more intense with emerging notes of frangipani followed by the classic dense white tones of Chassagne. Plenty of promise here.

1997 Domaine Michel Lafarge Volnay 1er Clos du Château des Ducs monopole, courtesy of Roger at Shang Palace, 04 Aug 2025. Displaying an evolved pinot tint with a brownish core, this wine is simply quite brilliant on the nose, exuding a beguiling fragrance amid leathery autumnal aromas of mature red plums. Medium-weight. Still imbued with very fine acidity, the fruit a tad backward initially, becoming more agile and livelier as its layers unfurl to reveal a distinct feminine grace.

2009 Domaine Armand Rousseau Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Clos Saint-Jacques, courtesy of Kieron at Shang Palace, 04 Aug 2025. Displaying some evolution with a deep crimson core, this wine is wonderfully nuanced with a supple density of cherries and red fruits underscored by sublime acidity that exert a clean tensile presence, though such is the degree of expert craftmanship that its exquisite intensity never spirals out of control, yielding great definition even as it turned more minerally over time. Outstanding.

2006 Champagne Dom Pérignon Rosé, courtesy of CJ at San Shu Gong (New Bahru), 05 Aug 2025. Good colour, proffering shades of grapefruit and mandarins though surprisingly reticent. The fullish palate boasts a cool freshness of slick acidity and modest supple intensity with a faint layer of crème. Drinking well.

2015 Champagne Dom Pérignon, courtesy of Lui HF at San Shu Gong (New Bahru), 05 Aug 2025. Rather reluctant on the nose. Gently nuanced with opaque green fruits, rather laidback, yielding fine clarity and modest intensity but it is somewhat underwhelming and lacklustre.

2010 Champagne Philipponnat Les Cintres Extra Brut, courtesy of Vic at San Shu Gong (New Bahru), 05 Aug 2025. Pale greenish. Distant orchard fruit on the nose that belies the refined reductive intensity of concentrated clear citrus and ferrous undertones cushioned by very soft bubbles, producing a flinty lift of match-stick cinder. Drinking well.

2005 Aubert Chardonnay, courtesy of LF at San Shu Gong (New Bahru), 05 Aug 2025. Dull golden. This wine exudes lovely tones of glazed caramel and rye from its refined layers of dense white fruit, evoking elegant complexity. Developed an understated glacial lift amid a trace of sweetness as it fanned out with delicate detail. Superb.

2017 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Meursault Clos de la Barre, courtesy of Sanjay at San Shu Gong (New Bahru), 05 Aug 2025. Pale. Cool glacial tones dominate from the superb layers of fruit and lithe acidity within its slender frame. Still primal in its terse supple intensity laced with traces of mint. Modest finish. Excellent.

2017 Hospices de Beaune Meursault-Charmes 1er Cuvée Bahezre de Lanlay, courtesy of Sanjay at San Shu Gong (New Bahru), 05 Aug 2025. Pale. Green fruits and orchard dominate, producing a rounded teasing quality with attractive detailed intensity. Distinctly femininely. A little withdrawn at this stage compared with previous tastings, though it did flesh out later with balsamic elements. From a barrel with élevage by Bouchard, bottled into 150 magnums.

2015 Domaine Bruno Clair Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Clos Saint-Jacques, at San Shu Gong (New Bahru), 05 Aug 2025. Good colour, exuding a rosy fragrance of ripe cherries and rose petals though the palate is only medium-weight, rather laidback with considerable restraint in spite of the relative density of fruit, laced with a dash of tea leaves.

2001 Williams Selyem Rochioli Riverblock Vineyard Pinot Noir, courtesy of LF at San Shu Gong (New Bahru), 05 Aug 2025. Displaying a fairly deep crimson, this wine opens with distinct balsamic elements amid rosy tones, matched by sweet velvety tannins that produce keen attack in spite of its gentle roundedness. Shows great burgundian character.

2009 Domaine Alain Hudelot-Noëllat Richebourg Grand Cru, courtesy of MH. Classic pinot tint. Open with a minty plummy nose. Deliciously slick, boasting ample depth of fruit with early secondary traits of cinnamon within supple tannins.

2009 Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux Échezeaux Grand Cru, courtesy of CHS at San Shu Gong (New Bahru), 05 Aug 2025. Deeply coloured. Restrained bouquet of distant plums and tea leaves. Beautifully open and integral with subtle depth, underscored by sleek supple tannins. Gently aristocratic. Not showy.

2019 A.F. Gros Bourgogne Rouge, over dinner at Verandah on 08 Aug 2025. Very good presence of rose petals, cherries and haw, classically structured with understated acidity and refined tannins. Fleshy, rounded and elegant. Highly pleasurable.

2018 St Hallett Old Block Shiraz. Popped and poured over dinner at Verandah on 08 Aug 2025. Deep garnet. Dark cherries and ripe raspberries in equal measure laid on velvety tannins amid a dash of licorice, fairly soft and lush. Drinking surprisingly well.

1999 Domaine Robert Ampeau et Fils Auxey-Duresses 1er Eccuseaux. Aired in bottle ahead of dinner at Tonny, 14 Aug 2025. Good colour, proffering darkish plummy fruit with autumnal overtones. Rather slender with medium presence though the fruit is still wonderfully fresh, structured with sleek tannins underscored by a distinct sweetness that grew in stature and intensity over time. At its best.

2009 Goulée. Aired in bottle for four hours ahead of dinner at the in-laws, 17 Aug 2025. Deep purple. This Médoc made by Cos D’Estournel is richly layered in ripe raspberries, dark cherries, black currants and plums, supported by fresh lively acidity seamlessly integrated with rounded tensile tannins. Well extracted but not overdone, maintaining good balance and refinement all through its long minty finish of 14.5% abv.

2022 Kumeu River Estate Chardonnay. Aired for two hours ahead of dimsum at Wah Lok, 24 Aug 2025. This wine opens with a note of white pepper on the nose matched by a deep vein of yellow citrus and pomelo imbued with a distinct salinity. Very cleanly delineated with a supple teasing quality, fleshing out with integral white tones and sublime acidity within a delicate sheen of crème. Highly burgundian.

2010 Château Chasse-Spleen. Aired in bottle followed by decanting on-site at Cook & Brew, 27 Aug 2025. Deep garnet. Intense warm gravel, dark plums and currants on the nose. Quite full. Well-layered with rounded soft tannins imbued with a touch of graphite minerals and vegetal undertones in the best manner, supported by firm acidity. Fine linearity and finish.

2017 Domaine Henri Richard Gevrey-Chambertin Aux Corvées, courtesy of Charlotte and David from the restaurant list of Pura Brasa, 29 Aug 2025. Bright crimson, proffering a generous rosy fragrance from the fleshy supple presence of cherries and red fruits underpinned by slick acidity and pliant tannins. Subtly layered with feminine intensity. Drinking beautifully.

2023 Jean-Pierre et Alexandre Ellevin Chablis, from the list of M&T Bistro, 30 Aug 2025. Pale. Green fruits and leafy mint on the nose. The fruit is rather backward, yielding fine clarity. An easy drink.

2005 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste. Semi-double decanted for three hours ahead of dinner at the in-laws, 31 Aug 2025. Deep garnet. Dark plums, black fruits, currants and herbal spice dominate on the nose, matched by a dense darkish palate underpinned by undertones of forest floor, the austerity offset to some extent by fresh acidity and pliant tannins.

2016 Bouchard Chevalier-Mont La Cabotte, 2003 Jean-Claude Ramonet Montrachet, 2003 Domaine Romanée-Conti Richebourg, 2005 Domaine Romanée-Conti Richebourg, 2001 Masseto, 1995 Coche-Dury Meursault, 1975 Heitz Martha’s Vineyard Cabernet, 1982 Château Lafite Rothschild

August 27, 2025

Sir K marked his seminal round-number day with a sumptuous Cantonese cuisine at the Michelin-starred Summer Pavillion, Ritz-Carlton Singapore, 15 August 2025, matched by a stunning line-up, all singing beautifully in pristine condition. Great wines are meant to be shared, not kept as trophies. Many thanks to all for your immense generosity.

1990 Champagne Louis Roederer Cristal, courtesy of Kieron. Deep golden. The bubbles have largely dissipated at this stage, leaving behind a deep burnished tone on the nose whilst the full palate, still wonderfully fresh, exudes an exquisite intensity of lime and clear citrus on a bed of velvety minerally textures, taking on a distinct ferrous note over the evening. Excellent.

1995 J. F. Coche-Dury Meursault, courtesy of Sir Bob. Deep golden lustre. The bouquet here recalls marmalade and faint orange peel, far removed from the crisp definition of iron filings amidst the laidback chalkiness on the palate that is still very fresh, yielding refined inner detail as it gradually firmed up with structured golden hues with a hint of flinty match-stick smoke. Simply glorious.

2016 Domaine Bouchard Père et Fils Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru La Cabotte. Pale greenish. This tiny monopole right within Montrachet Grand Cru exudes faint hues of orchard fruit on the nose that evolve quite rapidly into a white floral fragrance matched by a smooth ethereal density that is subtly nuanced with a teasing intensity, exuding sheer refinement and elegance all through its lengthy linearity, lingering with minty persistence.

2015 “Y” d’Yquem, courtesy of Vic. Light clear golden, proffering gleaming tones tinged with vanillin. Well layered with substantial depth of glorious white fruit that impart understated sweetish intensity with refined balance throughout its length. Still quite primal.

2003 Domaine Jean-Claude Ramonet Montrachet Grand Cru, courtesy of Kieron. Clear golden. Somewhat distant and subdued at first. Turned more beguiling with a distilled clarity, displaying superb supple refinement with understated detail. Immaculately proportioned with a quiet ethereal elegance, boasting exquisite acidity with perfect integration, all misleadingly shrouded within its feminine guise. This is a complete wine, and more, for it possesses that elusive cerebral dimension that more than makes up for its moderate finish. Truly the unattainable beauty.

2003 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Richebourg Grand Cru, courtesy of Sir Bob. Displaying an evolved pinot tint with a crimson core, this wine exudes a delicious fragrance matched by a juicy succulence of mature raspberries, cherries and dark plums. Still amazingly fresh without any hint of the heat stress of that vintage, its tannins tempered by the passage of time to yield an understated supple intensity that stretched with moderate length. Rather demure for a Richebourg with none of the expected exuberance.

2005 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Richebourg Grand Cru, courtesy of Kieron. Fairly deep in pinot tint with a darkish core. The benefits of this excellent vintage are clear, the wine still full and fleshy, imbued with ample depth of darkish fruit and fresh acidity tinged with a dash of earthiness that impart lovely tension with elegant length and intensity. Superbly integrated, finishing with a hint of stems that would be consistent with the domaine’s preference for whole-bunch fermentation. Every bit a Richebourg, just entering its drinking window. One suspects it has even more to give over the next few decades.

2012 Clos Rougeard Saumur Champigny, courtesy of LF. Captivating bouquet of darkish forest floor and effusive secondary characters from its rich layers of maturing cabernet franc laid on pliant supple tannins, imbued with overtones of tea leaves and elements of brilliant graphite that impart delicious lift and superb freshness.

2001 Tenuta dell’Ornellaia Masseto, courtesy of Vic. Displaying a deep garnet core, this wine remains generously proportioned and intense, highly exuberant and hedonistic in its funky splash of varnish, black fruits, currants, truffles and soy interspersed with brilliant graphite, packing considerable heft and power within its fleshy layers. Almost a dead ringer for Pomerol’s all-merlot bottlings. This has decades of life ahead.

1975 Heitz Cellar Martha’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, courtesy of LF. Still deep garnet, this wine exudes a lovely fragrance from its suave layers of supple fruit structured within pliant tannins, still incredibly fresh and wonderfully nuanced with an understated stinging intensity. Distinctly masculine. May last another half century!

1982 Château Lafite Rothschild. Still rather deep garnet at the core, the 1982 proffers a lifted glow of tertiary characters amid an earthy reduction. The palate remains fullish, beautifully integral and rounded, its sublime acidity exerting a sleek teasing intensity amid lush textures tinged with savoury and balsamic elements that impart exquisite mouthfeel. Utterly feminine, as the quintessential Lafite ought to be. At its very best, though its modest finish may suggest that this wine may not remain at its zenith much longer.

2013 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Corton, 2008 Domaine Cte Liger Belair Échezeaux, 2015 Henri Boillot Bâtard-Montrachet G.C., 2018 Peter Michael Cuvée Indigène, Comando G Las Umbrias 2017

August 13, 2025

A dinner at Chef Chan’s Private Dining, 07 July 2025, where the restaurant, normally closed on Mondays, was opened specially just for Vic on his special day. The wines were all singing beautifully. Many thanks!

Champagne Krug Grande Cuvée 160th Edition, courtesy of LF. Light golden. Effusive in yeasty tones, a perfect contrast to the intense concentrated citrus and crisp acidity that cut through with bold brilliance, making up for its modest dryish finish.

2015 Domaine Henri Boillot Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru. Pale. Highly inviting bouquet of cool glacial tones. Very delicately nuanced in its expansive presence of white flowers and orchard fruit tinged with a dash of vanillin, maintaining fine transparency and impeccable balance even as it gradually developed a subtle layered depth. Highly poised and elegant.

2018 Peter Michael Cuvée Indigène, courtesy of Kieron. Light golden. Opening with a bare hint of oxidation amid its cool glacial tones, its pedigree shines through in every sip, wonderfully fresh and supple, boasting a deep subtle intensity of glorious fruit tinged with a dash of vanillin and paraffin that stretch out with lovely length and impeccable balance. You can’t tell apart from a Puligny Grand Cru.

2014 Domaine Jean-Claude Ramonet Saint-Aubin 1er Les Murgers des Dents de Chien, courtesy of Vic. Pale. Medium-full, exuding the classic St-Aubin icing and coolness with subtle minerally undertones that impart a distinct salinity. Still rather tight but beautifully nuanced, developing chiseled tones over time.

2008 Domaine des Lambrays Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru. Good colour, proffering a gentle bouquet of red fruits and haw. Classically balanced and proportioned with subtle layers of mature fruit supported by firm acidity and pliant tannins that exert quiet intensity, finishing with fine linearity.

2017 Comando G Las Umbrias, courtesy of LF. Seemingly evolved with an effusive fragrance of cherries and rose petals, leading one to think that this may be a mature burgundy. The fullish but slender palate is wonderfully fresh and incisive, imbued with subtle intensity. Made from 100% grenache, this wine is all about the nose.

2008 Domaine du Comte Liger Belair Échezeaux Grand Cru, courtesy of Vic. Classic pinot tint. Fairly effusive bouquet of balsamic elements amid light hues of mandarins and rose petals. The medium-weight palate is clearly mature with autumnal characters, well-structured with lively acidity and a subtle deeper vein of fruit that impart understated minty tones. Wonderfully balanced and fresh, gaining further supple intensity over time.

2001 Château Lafleur, courtesy of Kieron. Deep garnet, opening with a funky yeasty pungency amid overtones of tea leaves. Still quite full and supple with a lifted note of soy, the darkish fruit laid on velvety tannins with a focused subtle intensity. Quite integral and aristocratic. At its best.

2013 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Corton Grand Cru, courtesy of Sir Bob. Good colour. Highly inviting in its generous expanse of red fruits and currants. Layered with refined acidity within supple tannins that impart subtle verve with a surprisingly relaxed charm not usually associated with Corton. Almost feminine. Drinking quite superbly and will hold for many years.

July 2025: 2021 Résonance Wines Pinot Noir 2005 Robert Arnoux Romanée-Saint-Vivant 2021 Roux Père et Fils Saint-Aubin

August 2, 2025

Penfolds Champagne Cuvée Brut NV at Shang Palace, 02 Jul 2025. Pale golden, exuding powerful yeasty tones to go with its dryish crisp intensity while the incisive palate boasts a bold presence of orchard fruit with distinct ferrous undertones. A collaborative effort with Champagne Thiénot.

2013 Champagne Dom Pérignon, courtesy of Harry at Shang Palace, 02 Jul 2025. Light golden. Open with a lovely sheen of fabulous tiny bubbles that exude a delicate glow of early secondary characters. Turned a little more stony as the initial rush of white fruits and frangipani took on a recessed tone, distinctly more minerally over time. Easily outshines the Penfolds with its class and sophistication.

2021 Domaine Roux Père et Fils Saint-Aubin at Shang Palace, 02 Jul 2025. Pale golden. Restrained nose of longans, matched by a superb clarity of cool glacial tones on the lively delicate palate, its acidity perfectly judged with just a hint of understatement, rendering crisp definition with lovely slender linearity. This is a gem.

2021 Résonance Pinot Noir at Shang Palace, 02 Jul 2025. Good colour. Effusive in cherries, red fruits and strawberries. Superbly layered with effortless grace, its imperceptible supple tannins giving way to a subtly nuanced and understated palate, quite impeccably balanced with a refined savouriness. Supremely elegant though a tad short. A revelation, nonetheless. Farmed by Louis Jadot in the Willamette Valley, Oregon.

2017 Château de Chamirey Mercurey 1er La Mission monopole. Aired for two hours ahead of dimsum at Imperial Treasure Great World, 06 Jul 2025. Light golden. Keen presence of lime and clear citrus. Very generously imbued with a warm ripeness, boasting fine clarity and lovely acidity. Settled down with cool subtle orangey overtones as the fruit turned slightly backwards, developing an understated glowing finish.

2014 Domaine A.-P. de Villaine Saint-Aubin 1er Les Perrières. Aired for ninety minutes ahead of dinner at Otto Ristorante, 09 Jul 2025. My second bottle in as many months from the same batch. Displaying a superb clear golden hue, this wine opens with crème and icing amid a chalky gleam. The fullish palate carries good weight and intensity of dense yellow citrus and spiced pear laced with suave acidity, yielding a further hint of tropical fruits within its cool glacial demeanour, eventually developing a distinct salinity. Showing better than before. Probably at its peak and likely to hold on for several more years.

2005 Domaine Robert Arnoux Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru, courtesy of John at Otto Ristorante, 09 Jul 2025. Popped at the restaurant. Fairly deep crimson at its core, exuding an alluring fragrance of dark cherries, roses, blackberries and currants. Still wonderfully full and fresh, its sublime acidity exerting a supple tensile presence that broadens the expanse of glorious fruit on a bed of velvety tannins. Morphed together very well with understated plummy overtones. Very impeccably balanced and proportioned, coming across as traditional in the best sense of the word. A superb effort by Pascal Lachaux.

Champagne Piper Heidsieck Essentiel Brut NV at the Silver Kris Lounge, Changi T3, 12 Jul 2025. Pale golden. Dense acerbic intensity of lime and other citrus infused with minerally elements.

2022 Markus Huber Gruner Veltliner, on board Singapore Airlines Business Class SIN-LHR, 12 July 2025. Clear golden. Quite effusive in its distilled chalky clarity. Rounded with lithe suppleness. Very subtly nuanced. Modest finish.

2022 Maison Louis Latour Mâcon-Lugny Les Genièvres, on board Singapore Airlines Business Class SIN-LHR, 12 July 2025. Light golden. Clear chardonnay character with understated white tones and chalk. Quite fleshy, imbued with a distinct mid-palatal minerality that impart lovely freshness though it’s a little short.

2020 Pewsey Vale 1961 Block Eden Valley Riesling, on board Singapore Airlines Business Class SIN-LHR, 12 July 2025. Pale. Undertones of petroleum notes on the nose and cool rounded palate, tinged with a trace of saline glare that impart a bit of edginess.

Champagne Pierre Peters Blanc de Blancs Brut NV at Claridge’s, London, 18 Jul 2025. Pale. Refined clarity with cool shades of green fruits and orchard, displaying a soft gentle intensity with fine delineation amid understated overtones, pampering the palate with a touch of velvet. Great balance.

2020 Domaine Pierrick Bouley Monthelie 1er Les Clous at Claridge’s, London, 18 Jul 2025. Deeply coloured. Raspberries, blackberries and currants dominate with a tinge of varnish on the nose. Rather savoury and fleshy, developing striking acidity with an attractive tannin structure over time, becoming more delicious and integral with emerging notes of chocolate.

2023 Sirmontagu Côtes de Provence Rosé at L’Epicerie Georges in Nice, 19 Jul 2025. Pale rosy orangey hues. Fairly crisp and clean with a bright intensity of grapefruit. Perfect for summer.

2024 Rapiteau Chardonnay Les Plants Nobles at Cafe de Turin in Nice, 20 Jul 2025. Pale greenish. Fine density of fruit and floral notes in equal measure, supported by a firm minerally line with a bit of biting intensity. Modest finish.

2023 Estoublon La Reserve Blanc at restaurant La Pinede, Aix-en-Provence, 22 Jul 2025. Pale. Fig, some mint and green fruits dominate, showing fine intensity with a firm minerally undertow. Fleshed out quite quickly with refreshing freshness and fullness.

2024 Domaine de Castlenau Les Ronces Chardonnay at the Silver Kris Lounge, Heathrow T2, 26 Jul 2025. Rather greenish in colour, exuding summer hay, green fruits and leafy mint. Medium-weight with a distinct trace of salinity amid its smooth acidity. Decent finish.

2019 Evening Land Seven Springs Pinot Noir. Aired for ninety minutes ahead of dinner at Crab At Bay, 28 Jul 2025. Good colour. This wine opens with ripe darkish plummy fruit laced with traces of sweetness, structured with supple tannins. Quite subtly nuanced with gentle inner detail of tea leaves. Good refinement.

June 2025: 1999 Anne Gros Richebourg, 1999 Bruno Paillard N.P.U., 2004 Palmer, 2022 Fernand & Laurent Pillot Vide-Bourse, 2022 Henri Gouges Clos Porrets St-Georges, 2015 Emmanuel Rouget Vosne-Romanée, 2009 Montevertine Le Pergole Torte

July 2, 2025

1999 Champagne Bruno Paillard N.P.U., courtesy of Dr WKW at Imperial Treasure Great World, 03 Jun 2025. Dull golden, displaying a weighty presence of mature chalk and glorious autumnal fruit throughout. Still wonderfully fresh and crisp, developing a sharp yeasty tone with a distinct minerally shine amid a superb complex of lovely white tones. Truly nec plus ultra in every way. Superb!

1999 Domaine Anne Gros Richebourg Grand Cru, courtesy of Dr WKW at Imperial Treasure Great World, 03 Jun 2025. Still boasting a lovely deep ruby, proffering a gentle balsamic lift amid rose petals and dark cherries. Softly contoured by now, though the acidity is still glorious with an inner ferrous detail reminiscent of pochai pills that impart a slightly tensile presence, adding to its refined sophistication as it tapered to a lengthy glowing finish. Outstanding!

2014 Domaine A. P. de Villaine Saint-Aubin 1er Les Perrières. Aired in bottle ahead of dinner at Imperial Treasure Great World, 03 Jun 2025. Dryish bouquet of warm gravel with a bit of minerally shine, developing the classic St-Aubin signature of cool icing and white fruits with good presence and refinement.

2018 Domaine Henri Naudin-Ferrand Côte de Nuits-Village. Tasted after a brief aeration at Imperial Treasure Great World, 03 Jun 2025. Warm bouquet of rose petals and ripe red fruits. Quite open and supple, well-nuanced with subtle shades amid the generous darkish palate, turning a bit more savoury and smoky over time.

2018 St Hallett Old Block Shiraz. Semi-double decanted for two hours ahead of dinner at Bedrock Bar & Grill, 02 Jun 2025. Deep garnet, exuding deep dark plummy fruit with masculine proportions. Concentrated but balanced, imbued with subtle shades of mint, licorice and mandarins within a sheen of sweet velvety tannins, developing further notes of blackcurrants and tobacco snuff over time. Only SGD79 from the supermarket!!

Gunther’s

2004 Château Palmer. Aired for almost three hours ahead of dinner at Gunther’s, 09 Jun 2025. Deep garnet. Fairly expressive in raspberries, mulberries, violets, sandalwood and subtle earth on the nose whilst the fleshy medium-weight palate displays a classic restraint of darkish fruit underscored by sleek refined acidity, boasting excellent balance, freshness and refinement with very subtly nuanced tannins, developing an enticing tertiary glow with increasing sweetness and supple intensity. Superb.

Champagne Veuve Clicquot Brut NV, courtesy of Shangri-la Singapore, 11 Jun 2025. Very pale greenish, opening with attractive yeasty hues with an earthy pungency. Medium-full with shades of pomelo, lime and longans that produce exciting intensity.

2022 Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Clos des Porrets St-Georges monopole. Aired in bottle for ninety minutes ahead of our anniversary dinner at Shang Palace, 11 Jun 2025. Deeply coloured. This wine is more extracted than usual in darkish berries and ripe black cherries that permeate throughout the nose and fullish palate. The balance is quite impeccable, structured with well-defined supple tannins and refined acidity that impart tensile verve and power laced with subtle sweetness, developing a bit of the classic NSG sandiness over time. Plenty of potential here, and I expect it to be highly rewarding in another 7-8 years.

Champagne Philippe Lancelot Extra Brut NV, courtesy of LF at Otto Ristorante, 17 Jun 2025. Light golden. Highly inviting entry of rich creamy cool icing within a sheen of soft bubbles, leading to a fairly intense palate tinged with bitter lemon and pochai pills. Settled down with good character and growing intensity.

2022 Domaine Fernand et Laurent Pillot Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Vide-Bourse at Otto Ristorante, 17 Jun 2025. Light golden. Glazed white fruits dominate with a chamfered quality, very smoothly balanced, the fruit a tad backward initially. Fleshed out over time with a certain sleekness from the refined acidity, eventually developing a gleaming intensity of chromatic Chassagne white tones laced with traces of vanillin, nutmeg and tropical fruits. Excellent but not entirely surprising, for Vide-Bourse directly abuts Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru.

2014 Domaine Louis Latour Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru Les Quartre Journaux, courtesy of Vic at Otto Ristorante, 17 Jun 2025. Displaying a developed crimson, this wine proffers a good lift of red fruits and haw. Softly contoured and sleek with fairly lush textures, boasting very fine detailed tannins with orangey hues. Modest finish.

2015 Emmanuel Rouget Vosne-Romanée, courtesy of Sir Bob at Otto Ristorante, 17 Jun 2025. Good colour, exuding lovely aromas of raspberries, mulberries and violets with cherries coming on later. Soft, open and lush, structured with sweet velvety tannins that yield darkish inner detail beneath the lovely tension imparted by terse acidity, boasting ripe warmth and great linearity throughout its length. A village, but superb!

2009 Montevertine Le Pergole Torte, courtesy of LF at Otto Ristorante, 17 Jun 2025. Evolved deep crimson. Considerably restrained on the nose though very beautifully nuanced on the medium-full palate with sublime acidity and a trace of sweetness within the tightly knit tannins. Still wonderfully youthful and vibrant.

Champagne Frerejean Freres Grande Reserve NV at Yan Ting, 20 Jun 2025. Slightly forward in green fruits and citrus with a hint of yeast. Medium-weight. Quite transparent at first before fleshing out with excellent fullness, exuding overtones of cordite and hot metal with brazen intensity.

2019 Le Comte de Malarctic Blanc at Yan Ting, 20 Jun 2025. Pale greenish. This wine opens with an understated earthy pungency that went well with the fine presence of fruit. Very silky smooth and slick to make up for its relative lack of density and detail compared with this estate’s highly esteemed grand vin.

2018 Esprit de Saint Pierre at Yan Ting, 20 Jun 2025. Very deep purple. Alluring warmth of raspberries, mulberries and violets. Very well-integrated, boasting lovely ripeness with balsamic elements amid intense biting tannins. Not far at all from its grand vin.

2019 Divin de Corbin at Yan Ting, 20 Jun 2025. Good colour. Considerably restrained on the nose, though the fleshy medium palate is slightly forward in purple fruit. Softly contoured with open sexy tannins. Good finish.

2020 Admiral de Beychevelle at Yan Ting, 20 Jun 2025. Deep garnet. Exotic spice and black currants dominate whilst the open medium-full palate boasts soft tannins, very subtly nuanced with fine detail, tinged with a dash of soy. Largely understated. Highly integral and sleek.

2016 Domaine Yvon Clerget Volnay 1er Les Caillerets. Aired for ninety minutes ahead of dinner at Crab At Bay, 24 Jun 2025. Classic pinot tint. Considerable restraint of raspberries and mulberries on the nose though the medium-full palate is fairly intense in supple plummy fruit, beautifully ripe with lovely tensile mouthfeel from the tightly knit tannins but somewhat attenuated in depth, laced with a bare hint of ferrous undertones. Good finish. This is so much better than a previous bottle from the same case tasted shortly after delivery; probably a case of bottle shock.