Ric's Wine Journal

The good guys at Wine Clique, Singapore, held an online tasting of Quintessa wines with its winemaker Rebekah Wineburg on 13 October 2021. Situated on a most beautiful plot in Rutherford, Napa Valley, that was first acquired in 1989 by Agustin and Valeria Huneeus, themselves experienced winemakers from Chile, this 280-acre (112 hectares) estate is planted with cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, petit verdot and carménère over 160 acres (64 ha) spread over twenty-six blocks. The first vintage of Quintessa was produced in 1994 and the estate was certified biodynamic soon after. The wine is typically aged for about twenty months in French oak, of which 70%-85% is new, depending on vintage. I found the wines to be superbly balanced and naturally nuanced at just the right level of extraction without any sort of glossiness, almost Old World in feel and character. This is an excellent address.

2018 Illumination. 100% sauvignon blanc, though this is not a domaine wine as there are only two acres (0.8 ha) of this grape varietal grown on the estate. Good clarity. Quite effusive in its classic bouquet of diesel fumes, nutmeg and olives. Medium-full. Quite beautifully rounded and plush, almost velvety. Seamlessly integrated with sublime acidity and lithe agility, imbued with a dash of sweetness amid its subdued minerality. Finishes in a fabulous warm glow of superb length. Excellent. Only 2000 cases annually.

2010 Quintessa. Opaque dull purple. Minerally nose of soil, ferrous elements and preserved plums. Medium weight. Rounded and fleshy with a distinct chalky minerally mid-body, displaying early secondary characters of cedar with some savoury quality amid dark plums tinged with mandarins. Very well integrated within a sheen of highly supple tannins, tapering with fine linearity to a decent finish. Not overtly profound but drinking well.

2016 Quintessa. The second vintage of Rebekah Wineburg. Opaque dull purple. Pointed nose of red fruits, slightly earthy. Medium-bodied. Rounded with good weight and understated verve, underscored by a deeper vein of dark currants and early secondary characters, displaying very fine acidity with fleeting attack and intensity. Finished well on a note of lead oxide.

2018 Quintessa. Vinified with considerably less new oak, only 62%, to give greater expression to pioneering vines which are now about 30 years of age. Deep purple. Lifted delicate bouquet of fresh dark berries that seems remarkably lithe and agile, almost cautious in its entry. Seamlessly layered with understated presence, though undeniably impressive in purity and clarity. Yet to flesh out. Quiet finish. Drinking well. Very well-behaved though, perhaps, it could do with more character?

I had the good fortune to drink another First Growth, courtesy of John, of the same vintage the same week that I had the 1998 Château Ausone and 1998 Château Haut-Brion at Otto Ristorante on 14 October 2021 in the midst of dine-in restrictions. But first, to pair with white truffle (from Toscana) pasta, was the 2008 Champagne Pol Roger Brut. Light golden, this wine exuded a highly inviting depth of toast and yeasty characters enhanced by a gleaming chalky glow, fleshing out quite rapidly with a glorious tone of intense citrus amid overtones of honeysuckle and brioche. Superbly balanced with a rich opulence, tapering gently with excellent length and linearity. I find this a lot more attractive and ready than the Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill 2008 which is too dry and acerbic at this stage.

The 1998 Château Lafite Rothschild deserved nothing less than a 600g wagyu ribeye that restaurant manager Paolo Zanni had specially arranged. Decanted on-site, this wine proffered a nose of ripe blueberries, dark cherries, black fruits and dark currants though distinctly feminine in its alluring restraint. Equally gentle upon its entry, soft, beautifully rounded and supple with highly understated gentle verve. Utterly seamless with lithesome charm, exuding a mild floral fragrance with a dash of capsicum and spice. Caught at its peak. Many thanks, John!

Due to current dine-in restrictions, I could only meet up with Sir K at Origin Grill, Shangri-la Singapore, on 12 October 2021 where a superb grass-fed T-bone was washed down over the course of four hours with a pair of top-flight clarets that were decanted on-site. But, to start things off, Sir K had brought a mini-carafe of white that was blinded. Distinctly pale with an effusive bouquet of dry summer hay laced with pears and fig, this wine laid on a full velvety warmth of delicate clear citrus with a touch of bitter lemon that moved with quiet verve and deft agility, subtly layered with very fine precision and sleek intensity, finally developing notes of green capsicum amid splashes of white tones with a dash of spice. This wine was so much like a Meursault that I’d thought it to be a Roulot. I was blown away when it was revealed to be a 2019 Shaw & Smith M3 Adelaide Hills Chardonnay!! Really…why pay top dollar for burgundy when this is available at only a tenth?

Next came the clarets, drunk simultaneously. The 1998 Château Haut-Brion courtesy of Sir K, displaying a deep garnet red, exuded a superb earthy pungency amid delicious hue of dark roses, wonderfully plush in its velvety fullness underpinned by sleek acidity. It gradually opened up to reveal a flinty minerally dimension with a deep core of dark currants tinged with mocha and chocolate before fleshing out with a rich opulence one seldom associates with Haut-Brion. Beautifully seamless and youthful, caught at its peak and is likely to hold station for another couple of decades.

Cracked from an OWC6 imported from London, the 1998 Château Ausone showed a deep opaque purple that proffered a hesitant nose at first of ripe wild berries tinged with Chinese medicinal powder. This cleared after a few minutes to reveal a succulent depth of dark cherries and black currants, deliciously ripe, eventually fleshing out with exciting intensity as it exuded a powerful glow of cedary characters amid splashes of capsicum. Vinified by Alain Vauthier, one senses more of merlot than cabernet franc. Like the Haut-Brion, this is likely to evolve at a glacial pace over the next two decades.

2017 Maison de Montille Saint-Romain. Popped and poured at Eastern House Of Seafood, 01 Sep 2021. Lifted nose of delicate citrus with a hint of cool morning dew and vanillin. Very good understated supple presence, fleshing out with tangy nutmeg amid some earthiness and subtle salinity, displaying excellent clarity and persistence.

2016 Domaine Lucien Muzard et Fils Santenay La Maladière 1er Rouge. Popped and poured at Otto Ristorante, 02 Sep 2021. Good colour. Rose petals, cherries and red fruits dominate, growing more effusive and delicious with greater intensity, seamless acidity and subtle detail before settling into a gentle even medium-bodied proposition amid a distinct saline note. The perfect accompaniment for lunch.

Champagne Jacques Selosse Initial Brut, courtesy of Russ at San Shu Gong, 03 Sep 2021. Quite deeply colored, proffering a rich burnished tone of toasted oak infused with a chalky expanse. Medium-bodied. Fleshed out with lovely brilliance, displaying fine detail and length.

2009 Domaine Francois Mikulski Meursault-Perrières 1er, courtesy of Russ at San Shu Gong, 03 Sep 2021. Lovely luminosity, exuding cool icing with a controlled racy depth of complex white fruits and white floral tones with a hint of nutmeg, showing good verve and sophistication as it fleshed out with rounded intensity. Beautifully seamless.

2016 Aubert Sugar Shack Chardonnay, courtesy of Kieron at San Shu Gong, 03 Sep 2021. Gentle wafts of paraffin and crème tinged with vanillin, leading quite seamlessly to a controlled sweetness of exotic tropical fruits laced with tangy white pepper on the medium-full palate. Developed a lovely chromatic tone that glowed with intense linearity. Wonderfully balanced. Outstanding.

2006 Mount Mary Quintet, aired for two hours in advance at San Shu Gong, 03 Sep 2021. Translucent purple. This final effort of the late Dr John Middleton opens with a soft subtle fragrance of distant fruit, very finely balanced and rounded with a bright pebbly tone against the expanse of dark fruits and capsicum beneath. Utterly seamless. Has that same tonal balance as a claret. Highly successful.

2000 Château La Gomerie, courtesy of Russ at San Shu Gong, 03 Sep 2021. Deep garnet, proffering aromas of ash and burnt ends that contrasted beautifully against the dryish rounded medium-bodied palate, open with a supple depth of ripe fruit that exuded superb lift and balance. Truly the distilled essence of Bordeaux. Very lovely.

2012 Joseph Faiveley Chambertin Grand Cru, courtesy of Kieron at San Shu Gong, 03 Sep 2021. Lovely pinot tint, displaying fresh intensity of rose petals. and red fruits on a medium-full palate laced with fine acidity, taking on a more minerally tone with time. Very well balanced. Surprisingly feminine.

2003 Jos Joh Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Auslese, courtesy of Tim at San Shu Gong, 03 Sep 2021. Full bouquet of intoxicating diesel earthiness, exuding cool tones with lovely clarity and definition on the medium-bodied palate.

2015 Eileen Hardy Chardonnay. Popped and poured at Eastern House Of Seafood, 04 Sep 2021. Lifted floral bloom amid traces of sweet vanillin against a clean slate of chalk and white citrus, displaying good density and crisp acidity, seamlessly integrated with superb rounded intensity. Very correct.

2006 Château Malarctic-Lagravière. Decanted at home for ninety minutes prior on 06 Sep 2021. Deep garnet, proffering a delicious bouquet of deep dark currants and black berries that is slightly reserved. Medium-bodied, displaying soft fleshy contours with a gritty inner presence of earthy tannins and crushed fruit, maintaining its understated poise with fine linearity and balance throughout. Very correct for a Pessac-Léognan. This is what we ought to be drinking while the so-called “wines of the century” remain in deep slumber.

2009 Champagne Philipponnat Clos des Goisses Extra Brut, courtesy of CHS at Mei-i Sushi, 08 Sep 2021. Ripe peaches, pineapples, apricot and tropical fruits abound on the nose, matched by an open dry intensity that shone with excellent tone and clarity, imbued with understated toasty characters. Drinking very well.

2014 Lucien Le Moine Corton Blanc Grand Cru, courtesy of Dr Ngoi at Mei-i Sushi, 08 Sep 2021. Light dull golden. Slightly bright tonal balance of white fruits against a recessed chalkiness, rather placid with a prominent salinity. A tad rustic, not showing much inner detail nor complexity.

2011 Domaine Etienne Sauzet Puligny-Montrachet Champ-Canet 1er, courtesy of Vic at Mei-i Sushi, 08 Sep 2021. Dull golden. Grassy elements, white tones and floral scents dominate while the lithe medium-bodied palate is open with early secondary characters of tangy nutmeg that grew in quiet intensity and power with a glowing chalkiness, underscored by crisp acidity and understated saline minerals. Good length. Very lovely.

2017 Meerlust Rubicon, aired in bottle for two hours prior to dinner at Rubicon Steak House, 09 Sep 2021. Deep purple. Delicious bouquet of dark cherries and blackberries tinged with brilliant graphite. Medium-full with a dark rounded velvety presence, showing good layering and sophistication. Those who still give South African wines a wide berth don’t know what they’re missing.

2018 Coldstream Hills Chardonnay, popped and poured on 11 Sep 2021 to go with satay at home. High-toned density of clear citrus, pears and chalky minerals that cut through the palate with lively intensity. Goes well with the heavy spices.

2008 J L Chave Selection Hermitage Blanc, courtesy of Sir Bob at Jade Palace, 14 Sep 2021. Clear golden lustre. Dense white floral bloom dominate against a tense chalky expanse, turning a tad more austere over time as darker shades took hold with a more backward presence, retaining crisp definition. Entirely consistent with a Rhône white.

2005 Domaine Morey-Coffinet Chassagne-Montrachet Les Farendes 1er. Aired in bottle for two hours prior at Jade Palace, 14 Sep 2021. Deep golden hues. Restrained at first, gradually evolving with a mature chromatic chalkiness, appreciably deeper on the nose with further notes of frangipani, displaying good weight and clarity. Fleshed out with an even tone, seemingly more reductive over time. I wouldn’t cellar any further.

2008 Domaine Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, courtesy of Vic at .Jade Palace, 14 Sep 2021. Pale. Very delicate tones of lime and citrus with a lifted acidity, showing great agility and definition. Firmed up with great subtlety and understated length, finishing with a dash of bitter lemon. Very lovely, though yet to really develop tertiary complexity. 

2004 Domaine Georges Jayer Nuits-Saint-Georges, courtesy of Sir Bob at Jade Palace, 14 Sep 2021. Vinified by Emmanuel Rouget. Displaying a well-evolved pinot tint, this wine opens with a gentle restrained fragrance of tangerines and mandarins, medium weight with good tension and acidity. Fully mature. Seamlessly integrated with lovely elegance and agility. Perfectly balanced. Good finish. It may just be village, but this is a wonderful example of how good any burgundy can be in the hands of a good producer.

2006 Domaine de Montille Vosne-Romanée Aux Malconsorts Christiane 1er, courtesy of Alvin at Jade Palace, 14 Sep 2021. Classic pinot tint. Assertive bouquet of paraffin, red fruits and cherries. Weighty, bright and rounded. Very well-layered with abundant dark fruits that seemed to recede into a shell of high-toned acidity after some time, finishing a tad short.

1993 Domaine Jean Grivot Richebourg Grand Cru, courtesy of Anthony Oei at Jade Palace, 14 Sep 2021. Still displaying a very impressive deep crimson, this wine opens with a deep captivating bouquet of complex red fruits with a distinct plummy tone. Medium weight. Still very lively, layered with a rich vein of dark fruit that traversed the palate with great length and linearity. Very lovely.

2008 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs, courtesy of Russ at San Shu Gong, 15 Sep 2021. Pale. Superb density of clear citrus and lime with a lifted smoky presence, displaying a crystalline quality that glowed with excellent clarity and dry intensity, subtly structured with an understated sweet intensity throughout its length.

2004 Château Le Gay, courtesy of Dolly at San Shu Gong, 15 Sep 2021. Early evolution. Detailed bouquet of dark plums and rose petals amid an attractive funky earthiness that is quite lovely, matched by fine concentration of dark fruits on the soft rounded palate though somewhat lean, laced with lithe acidity. Drinking well. 

2018 Château de Rontets Pouilly-Fuissé Les Birbettes, courtesy of Russ at San Shu Gong, 15 Sep 2021. Pale. Highly restrained, evoking distant characters of preserved plums. Rounded with very good presence and subtle acidity, fleshing out eventually with sleek youthful intensity though it still came across as somewhat eccentric, more withdrawn with poised restraint towards the end of dinner.

2011 Weinlaubenhof Alois Kracher No.8 Scheurebe Trockenbeerenauslese “Zwischen den Seen” at San Shu Gong, 15 Sep 2021. Deep orangey hues. Sublime bouquet of ripe apricot, mandarins and nectarine that display soft density with a controlled sweet intensity, rounded with a smoky savoury afternote. Very naturally balanced without ever threatening to overpower the palate. Excellent.

2017 Maison Louis Jadot Mâcon-Villages. Aired in bottle for ninety minutes prior on 19 Sep 2021. Lively notes of pears and other white fruits though considerably less exuberant than before. Slightly darker and a tad more minerally. Drinking well with good balance and presence.

2015 Jordan Cobblers Hill. Aired in bottle for two hours prior to dinner at Asia Grand, 20 Sep 2021. Deep purple. This Bordeaux blend from Stellenbosch opens with an enticing nose of spice box and tobacco that led to great swathes of warm ripe fruit, coating the medium-full palate with a glossy luxurious sheen. Subtly structured with smooth sophisticated tannins that oozed with a trace of sweetness, evolving further with emerging notes of tea leaves and sandalwood as it gelled together with seamless juicy succulence. Distinctly New World but excellent.

2005 Château Barde-Haut. Aired in bottle for an hour prior to dinner, 21 Sep 2021. This wine has turned the corner, considerably softer and a little more velvety, imbued with a fairly deep plummy tone of ripe red fruits and cool dark berries that reveal subtle inner detail on the medium-bodied palate. Well-balanced and delicious.  

Champagne Henri Giraud Ay Grand Cru MV15, courtesy of Russ at Yoshi, 23 Sep 2021. A 70:30 blend of pinot noir and chardonnay, respectively, with two-thirds coming from the 2015 harvest and the remaining third from perpetual harvest. Opens initially with a chalky reticence before fleshing out with an impressive depth of brilliant white fruits and citrus, boasting characters of toast, honeyed glaze, brioche and honeysuckle that blazed at just the right degree of dry intensity. Highly inviting, even as it took on a more minerally depth after some time, exuding an attractive austerity. Finished well on a note of bitter pomelo. Excellent.

2015 Domaine Thibert Père et Fils Pouilly-Loche En Chantone. Aired in bottle for two hours prior at Yoshi, 23 Sep 2021. Pale, opening with cool white tones. Rather minerally at first, imparting a fairly austere density before blossoming with a lovely rounded intensity of pineapples and tropical fruits. Good length.

2017 Domaine Jean-Claude Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet La Boudriotte 1er, courtesy of Kieron at Yoshi, 23 Sep 2021. Pale. Somewhat reticent on the nose at this stage though the classic Ramonet signature of Chassagne white tones and minerals is evident throughout. Well-balanced but still coiled with lithe intensity, teasing the palate with deft agility. Far from ready.

2008 Lucien Le Moine Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Cailles 1er, courtesy of Melvin at Yoshi, 23 Sep 2021. Medium-bodied. Good density of ripe dark fruits on a cedary floor amid characters of sweet incense. Slightly dryish, open with some early maturity. Turned slightly brighter after some time, exerting greater fullness and attack with good definition.

2013 Domaine Dujac Gevrey-Chambertin Aux Combottes 1er, courtesy of Kieron at Yoshi, 23 Sep 2021. Classic pinot tint. Wonderful lift of delicate rose petals with a hint of paraffin. Medium-bodied. Slightly crisp and dryish. Very refined in acidity, showing good attack with a controlled intensity. Settled down eventually with cool balance that is almost aloof whilst its bouquet continued to evolve with superb complexity. Excellent.

2011 Domaine Joseph Drouhin Vosne-Romanée Les Petits Mont 1er, courtesy of Russ at Yoshi, 23 Sep 2021. Good colour. Full bouquet of dark roses and sweet incense. Medium-bodied. Distinctly leaner in profile with good clarity and definition.

2013 Clos Dubreuil, grown dynamically on a seven-hectare site in Saint-Émilion. Decanted on-site at Yoshi, 23 Sep 2021. Deep garnet. Full bouquet of dark currants and ripe black berries amid characters of warm gravel and licorice. Rounded with well-structured subtle tannins, exerting sharp intensity on the mid-palate though it dropped off quite abruptly towards the finish.

2005 Winemakers’ Collection No.1 (Michel Rolland). Popped and poured at Ka Soh, 25 Sep 2021, where the cork again was fragmented. Good lift of dark plums, leading to a palate of moderate weight and supple intensity imbued with wild dark berries that carry good level of ripeness, developing fine attack with rustic intensity. Another bottle (where the cork also broke) properly decanted for ninety minutes on 27-28 Sep 2021 was appreciably fresher, rounded and fleshy with better depth of dark currants and black fruits that shone with a graphite sparkle, finishing very well with gritty chewy detail amid earthy elements.

Dr Ngoi hosted a small party to celebrate SKY’s birthday on 12 September 2021. No theme was planned but the resulting line-up confirms my view that forward planning isn’t quite necessary amongst like-minded wine lovers. Many happy returns, SKY!

2000 Champagne Pommery cuvée Louise Rosé. Fairly deep aromas of burnt toast and walnuts, showing good lift of tangy citrus and cool icing with fine clarity and acidity. Fleshed out with superb length and attractive dry intensity.

2017 Hospices de Beaune Meursault-Charmes 1er Cuvée de Bahèzre de Lanlay. Poured from magnum. Pale. Cool icing and vanillin dominate on the nose amid overtones of steamed rice. Opens with gentle delicate tones and a bit of sharp acidity before fleshing out with a lovely rounded intensity of white tones imbued with an oily density, showing early complexity. Vinified by Bouchard, this wine is set for a glorious future.

2015 Domaine Faiveley Échezeaux Grand Cru, courtesy of Dr Ngoi. Superb pinot tint. Delicious glow of red fruits and cherries with a bare tinge of earth, giving way to a slight prominence of understated minerals after some time. Rounded with subtle intensity and sublime acidity. Beautifully integrated.

2010 Earl Jean-Marc Millot Échezeaux Grand Cru, courtesy of Dr Ngoi. Slightly evolved pinot tint. Quite a profusion of haw and red fruits tinged with a touch of salinity. Rather full. Well-structured with fine intensity on an earthy base, gradually developing a lovely purity of tone as it sat in the glass. Excellent.

2003 Domaine Joseph Drouhin Musigny Grand Cru, courtesy of Dato’. This wine opens with a lovely deep bouquet of ripe raspberries and darker fruits amid characters of paraffin. Rounded with very fine sophistication and detail, showing great integration and balance without any hint of that vintage’s heatwave, its tannins having melted long ago. Excellent.

1990 Château Léoville Las-Cases. Aired in bottle for three hours prior. Dark crimson. Dominant note of capsicum and dark fruits on the nose. Medium weight. Layered with fine depth and subtle intensity, showing great balance and integration. Still youthful. My third bottle in six months from the same case, with consistent notes.

And just when we thought that was it, the star of Eric Khoo’s Be With Me brought out another two bottles and insisted that they were popped. Can’t say no to the birthday boy…

1990 Château Margaux. Popped and poured. Still quite deeply coloured, proffering dominant characters of earth and capsicum amid elusive notes of tobacco, sandalwood and mocha. Superbly lifted, wonderfully fresh with lovely supple verve, exuding exciting velvety detail with a youthful luxurious sheen on the medium-bodied palate. Finished with superb length amid traces of menthol and paraffin. Perfectly balanced. This can still outlast another generation.

1982 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande. Popped and poured. Still deep garnet, boasting delicious swathes of ripe dark fruits with a suggestion of warm gravel. Medium-full. Still richly layered, underscored by a deep vein of glorious black currants that exude velvety succulence with excellent integration of subtle acidity and melted tannins, displaying superb control and balance. As memorable as a bottle tasted just two months earlier. Outstanding!

2008 Reynella Basket Presssed Shiraz. Decanted for 90 minutes prior, 01 Aug 2021. Very dark crimson. Layered with abundant depth of black fruits, dark plums, currants and licorice that held the palate in a controlled velvety grip, displaying distinct secondary characters of cedar and cinnamon with vibrant acidity. Very well-balanced, structured with very fine tannins that, compared with a previous tasting in 2014, are no longer angular, just tinged with a rustic hint of McLaren Vale. Excellent.

2018 DeMorgenzon Reserve Chardonnay, 03 Aug 2021. In spite of extended aeration for two hours in bottle, this wine was still tightly coiled, displaying an intense presence of clear citrus and bitter lemon underscored by sharp acidity with nary a glimpse of crème nor perfumed floral characters promised on the nose when the bottle was first popped. Deserves more time in bottle. If you have the chance to visit this beautiful estate, you’ll be greeted by serious classical music being played to the vines over outdoor loudspeakers.

2005 Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon. Tasted after a brief aeration in bottle, 06 Aug 2021. Deep garnet with some crimson, this wine has now turned the corner, proffering a predominance of red fruits, dark cherries and currants on the nose while ripe red plums dominate on the palate amid darkish undertones with supple fleshy detail and rounded intensity, very well-balanced and lively. Probably at its best but will hold for many years.

2018 Coldstream Hills Chardonnay, drunk over 8-9 Aug 2021. Concentrated presence of lime and clear citrus laced with darker tones of ferrous elements, supported by terse acidity that cut through the palate with crisp intensity, not yielding much detail. Another bottle tasted over 16-17 Aug 2021 showed very good concentration of clear citrus, white fruits and chalky minerals that produced a high-toned density, laced with a trace of steeliness and lively acidity that traversed the palate with fine linearity and decent length. I must have quaffed close to a case of this.

2003 Tenuta dell’Ornellaia “Ornellaia”, aired in bottle for two hours prior to dinner at Otto Ristorante, 10 Aug 2021. Bright cherries, red fruits and raspberries dominate with characters of cedar and mocha amid savoury tones, layering the palate with supple tension and agile intensity, revealing succulent velvety detail on a base of ferrous elements that imparted some austerity at its long minty finish. Excellent though still not quite at its absolute peak.

2016 Domaine Denis Mortet Gevrey-Chambertin Mes Cinq Terroirs, aired in bottle for 90 minutes prior to dinner at Ka Soh, 15 Aug 2021. Opaque purple. Clearly well-extracted, proffering ample presence of dark cherries, raspberries and wild berries that display excellent levels of ripeness, somewhat heavy without being sappy. Lightened up with a little suppleness over time but it remained generally darkish and narrow in dimension at this stage. Needs plenty of cellaring.

2001 Rockford Basket Press Shiraz. Decanted on-site at Jade Palace, 20 Aug 2021. Bold glossy characters of licorice, raisins and cedar, layered with the unique Barossa warmth and spice with a hint of burnt. Settled down with cooler darker tones with sleek supple intensity, displaying a lifted glow of orange peel that is the signature of mature shiraz. Very well-integrated and balanced, never at all monolithic in spite of its generous proportions. Excellent.

All-American at Morton’s, The Steakhouse, on 25 August 2021 at the Mandarin Oriental, Singapore…

2016 Kenzo Rindo. Bright deep purple. Superb lift of raspberries, currants and sweet dark cherries with a darkish tinge of capsicum, exuding lovely glow. Medium-full. Superbly rounded with sleek acidity and supple intensity, imbued with traces of licorice, saddle and roast. Weighty but skillfully balanced, showing great sophistication throughout. Already highly accessible. Excellent.

2006 Dominus, courtesy of The Boss. Deep garnet red, proffering an equally deep fragrance of ripe blueberries, raspberries and cherries. Hugely effusive. Somewhat narrow at first on the medium-bodied palate, eventually opening up with dried fruits, cedar and cinnamon amid a high-toned acidity, fleshing out beautifully with supple complexity and early tertiary development.

2007 Beringer Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, courtesy of Marc. Lovely bouquet of ripe red fruits set against warm gravel. Open with generous swathes of raspberries that exert supple intensity with a menthol lift, displaying great seamless integration. Drinking beautifully.

1999 Ridge Monte Bello, courtesy of Russ. Deep garnet. Wafts of wet gravel with a hint of gunmetal on the nose. Medium-full. Beautifully supple and open, softly rounded with a deeper core of tangerines and subtle tertiary characters that gelled very well with its understated tannin structure. Outstanding.

2013 Devil Proof Vineyards, courtesy of KC. Impenetrable black. This cult 100% Californian malbec from a 1.2 ha plot in the northern Sonoma County by Jesse Katz seduces with an intoxicating bouquet of eucalyptus, enamel and varnish, very generously endowed on the medium-full palate with a glowing sweet supple intensity of crushed fruit amid ripe savoury tones on an earthy base, finishing with spicy length. Absolutely enticing without going overboard. Superb!

The usual suspects met again on 23 August 2021 after the second Prohibition of the year on dining-in (totally unnecessary and ineffective, in my opinion) had been lifted. Shang Palace at the Shangri-la is our usual venue of choice for such top-flight line-ups and it lived up to all expectations: the food was outstanding, the wine service exemplary. Most of the bottles were blinded while the trio of Mouton Rothschild was totally unexpected. Many thanks, everyone, for your generous contributions.

2012 Champagne Roger Coulon Blanc de Noirs. Displaying a lovely luminosity, this wine proffers toasted oak, flint and intense citrus on the nose with a hint of sweet vanillin. Quite excellent in depth and definition with an open dry intensity, very well-balanced with a chiseled chalkiness laced with refreshing acidity.

2012 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, courtesy of LF. Lightly colored. Distinctly reductive on the nose, opening with a gentle earthiness amid diesel characters. Rather firm with a minerally fullness that imparted a certain austerity with some oily density, fleshing out with sleek white tones and nutmeg that exude lovely seamless detail, finishing with outstanding length and acidity.

2012 Domaine Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, courtesy of LF. Lightly colored. Effusive in cool tones, paraffin and icing with rounded floral characters, wonderfully luxuriant. Medium-full. Distinctly minerally, layered with lovely opulence and early complexity, displaying superb lift and agility throughout its length. This is the Bonneau du Martray that we know and love.

2004 Domaine Vincent Girardin Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru, courtesy of Kieron. Tasted blind. Deep golden hue. Rather restrained, dominated initially by a recessed mature chalkiness that suggested this wine may have past its prime though the Puligny signature remained intact. It finally did open up after ninety minutes with full chromatic tones of white fruits, apricots and ripe peaches underscored by fine acidity, distinctly brighter and fresher.

1979 Heitz Wine Cellar Martha’s Vineyard, courtesy of LF. Tasted blind. Clearly a well-aged wine by color but still fairly dark at its core, proffering a lifted fragrance of tangerines, red fruits, strawberries and haw.  Still fairly vibrant with supple intensity, laced with lively acidity that is beautifully integrated with understated ferrous elements at its core, yielding subtle detail. Half the table thought it to be a claret (I’d quietly harbored thoughts of a mature Cheval Blanc) until it turned sweeter over time, finally unfurling its New World roots with further notes of varnish and eucalyptus, seemingly more youthful as it gained greater intensity in the glass. Superb!

1975 Château Mouton Rothschild, courtesy of Kieron. Tasted blind. Clearly mature by color, a slightly faded opaque red. The slender medium-bodied palate is set with evolved red fruits, raspberries and currants amid shades of cinnamon, mocha and licorice, appropriately soft and velvety but still wonderfully fresh and engaging. Very beautifully balanced, appearing to have the legs to last for many more years. It doesn’t quite possess that Pauillac signature but who cares when it is so good?

1996 Château Mouton Rothschild, courtesy of Vic. Tasted blind. Deep mature crimson. Effusive in blackberries and dark currants. Generously endowed, structured with highly supple tannins underscored by a deeper vein of rich black fruits with a tinge of smoke. Wonderfully balanced, brimming with youthful exuberance though it turned more placid and laid back after some time, becoming seemingly nonchalant. Probably needs much more time in the glass to express itself fully. I’d thought it was the 1986. Caught at its peak.

1985 Château Mouton Rothschild, courtesy of Sir Bob. Tasted blind. Still impressively deep in color, proffering a lovely rounded floral fragrance amidst some hint of savoury tones. Still wonderfully fresh and fleshy, imbued with succulent dark fruits with a deep core of ferrous elements. Absolutely slick and seamless. It doesn’t quite hide its years, but this still has the legs to last many more years.

2001 Château Haut-Brion. Deep garnet. Good lift of black fruits and currants, darkly delicious. Rather full, packed with abundant ripe wild berries amid briar and brambly characters that imparted some degree of sternness. Distinctly sweeter after some time as it fleshed out with lithe acidity and intensity, revealing very fine subtle detail with a vibrant open tone. Lovely, but still far from peaking.

Dr Ngoi threw a lovely poolside party for a small group on 21 August 2021 where he had specially curated a selection of wines to match Grace’s exquisite home-cooked cuisine. Thank you !!

Champagne Chartogne-Taillet Les Barres Extra Brut NV. Lightly colored. Delicate pale citrus dominate amidst the freshness of morning dew. Cleanly-focused with lovely glow and fine clarity, but straightforward.

Champagne David Léclapart L’Aphrodisiaque NV. Comprises 80% pinot noir and 20% chardonnay harvested from premier cru vines in Trépail. Deeper hues of golden-yellow, proffering honeyed toast on the nose topped with crème and a dash of chalkiness, showing excellent presence and balance with further notes of wafer and cashews. May really stoke one’s sexual desires if enough of it is drunk.

Champagne Veuve Fourny et Fils Blanc de Blancs NV. Lovely nose of rounded tropical fruits and warm peaches, cutting through the palate with fine precision and dry intensity. Generously endowed with an excellent depth of clear citrus and bitter lemon, oozing traces of sweet throughout its length. Excellent.

2004 Champagne Dom Pérignon Rosé. Deeply colored. Effusive in tangerines and grapefruit that exude an irresistible rose-scented fragrance, leading to a gentle depth of cherries and red fruits on the medium-full palate, impeccably balanced with dry intensity. Distinctly feminine. Very lovely.

2010 Domaine Henri Boillot Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru. Displaying a deep luminosity, this wine was rather restrained on the nose though the medium-full palate showed a distinct minerally depth that imparted a certain austerity brought into sharp relief by a top layer of crème de la crème, developing some sharp attack and intensity as it warmed up in the glass. Would have been better if tasted under ideal conditions.

2006 Domaine Drouhin-Laroze Chambertin Clos de Béze Grand Cru. Mature pinot tint. Delicious bouquet of dark cherries and currants. Well-delineated with clean supple intensity on the medium-bodied palate, showing good balance but surprisingly short.

2014 Domaine Francois Lamarche Échezeaux Grand Cru. Darkish in tone, imbued with supple red fruits with some early secondary development that exude delicious lift with a velvety presence, revealing charred inner detail with fair intensity and power as it finished with good length. Quite excellent.

2015 Roagna Pira Barolo. Utterly seductive nose of haw and red fruits, highly effusive and delicious. Medium-full, amply layered with supple detail and lovely sophistication.

2011 Hétszölö Tokaji Furmint. Lightly colored, displaying excellent presence of pears, clear citrus and white fruits on a dry open palate with fine intensity and subtle minerality, underscored by a controlled sweetness. Excellent.

1996 Domaine Robert Ampeau et Fils Meursault-Charmes 1er. Aired in bottle for 150 minutes prior at Imperial Treasure Great World on 12 Aug 2021. Displaying a fairly deep golden hue, this wine is still amazingly full and intense, opening with delicate floral notes and enticing green fruits against a backdrop of gentle mature chalk and fresh acidity, gaining a bit of austere depth as it fleshed out with great agility, balance and integration even though it remained somewhat on the lean side. Excellent.

2004 Nicolas Potel Clos de la Roche Grand Cru, courtesy of Sir Bob at Imperial Treasure Great World on 12 Aug 2021. Mature deep ruby, proffering shades of black cherries that exuded a lovely delicious fragrance. Still rather full and intense, displaying lively acidity and fleshy density as it opened up with charred earthy detail though the finish is distinctly short for a grand cru, fading off somewhat towards the end of dinner.

2014 Maison Leroy Bourgogne Rouge, courtesy of Sir Bob at Imperial Treasure Great World on 12 Aug 2021. Deep garnet red. Rather restrained at first, displaying warm gravel tinged with earth and tangerines on the nose. The palate is appropriately dense with youthful intensity yet still yielding fine clarity, revealing some earthy detail amid a savoury hint though the finish is short.

1995 Domaine Leroy Pommard Les Vignots, courtesy of Sir Bob at Imperial Treasure Great World on 12 Aug 2021. Displaying a dense pinot tint, this wine impressed right away with its impeccable poise, balance and dimension, exuding bright cherries, red fruits, wild berries and wet vegetation with a dash of burnt sugar. Still wonderfully fresh and fleshy, imbued with a highly subtle minerally vein that added further dimension to its supple tannin structure, conveying fine intensity. It may only be a village, but Leroy’s pedigree and sense of correctness shines through every sip. Superb.

1996 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Chambolle-Musigny 1er, courtesy of Alvin at Imperial Treasure Great World on 12 Aug 2021. Evolved red. Sweet profusion of red fruits, tangerines and peaches on the nose, highly perfumed and alluring, leading to fine presence of mature fruit (from declassified younger vines of Musigny Grand Cru, first bottled in 1995) that shone with good purity and linearity all the way to its lifted finish, underpinned by sleek tension and acidity.