Ric's Wine Journal

2018 Coldstream Hills Pinot Noir, popped and poured at home, 02 Mar 2020. Lighter tone of red. Slightly forward in red fruits, mulberries and cherries, opening up well with very good concentration and body. Fleshy and supple with very well-integrated acidity. Quite harmonious and correct in every way. Great value.

2018 Coldstream Hills Chardonnay, tasted on 03 Mar at Gattopardo and again on 30 Mar 2020. Clear luminosity. Lovely balance of white and yellow citrus, displaying very clean and clear definition on a gentle bed of subdued chalk. Very generously proportioned and highly harmonious. Grew in intensity of fruit and sleek acidity with emerging notes of green apples and pineapples, exuding a refined oily density. At only SGD30, this can take its place on any table. Excellent.

Champagne Aubert & Fils Brut NV, popped over dimsum lunch at Wah Lok, 07 Mar 2020. Light-medium, displaying gentle presence of clear and yellow citrus, softly textured with very fine bubbles that exude refined intensity. Fleshed out over time with more body and definition, developing further notes of crème and light minerals though remaining quintessentially feminine.

2014 Domaine du Château de Meursault Meursault Les Charmes-Dessus 1er, an ex-château bottle popped and poured over lunch at Gunther’s, 09 Mar 2020. Pale. Fairly sharp tone of clear citrus and fresh lemons on the nose and palate, fleshing out rather quickly with excellent depth and body, rounder and fuller with more white floral notes and crème though it still managed to maintain a delicate feel in the mouth. Highly harmonious with a poised elegance.

2017 Barramundi Chardonnay Viognier, tasted at the Krisflyer Gold Lounge of Changi Airport T3, 13 Mar 2020. Very light greenish hue, proffering very clean aromas of floral fragrance with a dash of crème, vanillin and light green fruits, showing good presence and acidity. Finished well with a lasting glow.

2017 D’Arenberg The Olive Grove, tasted at British Airways Club World Lounge of Heathrow T5, 15 Mar 2020. Nutmeg, wild flowers and traces of olive and crème dominate with fine presence, painting the palate with exotic tangy tones with a fair degree of rusticity before tapering to a lingering peppery persistence.

Champagne Canard-Duchêne Cuvée Léonie Brut NV, on board BA123 Business Class from LHR-DOH, 15 Mar 2020. Roasted almonds, walnuts and toast on the nose. Bright, full and dry, displaying white tones with plenty of zest that traverse the palate with good linearity but rather short on the finish and complexity.

Champagne Besserat de Bellefon Grande Tradition Rosé Brut NV, on board BA123 Business Class from LHR-DOH, 15 Mar 2020. Comprising 28% chardonnay with pinot noir and pinot meunier, this wine proffers a rosy fragrance of light cherries and haw while tangerines dominate on the dry palate, unable to cover the lack of complexity in spite of adequate presence.

2018 Spy Valley Sustainably Crafted Sauvignon Blanc, on board BA123 Business Class from LHR-DOH, 15 Mar 2020. Medium-bodied. Light grassy elements amid wild grass and a dash of nutmeg, rounded with good presence.

2018 Teanum Otre Primitivo, on board BA123 Business Class from LHR-DOH, 15 Mar 2020. From the region of Puglia, Italy. Earth, mulberries and raspberries dominate with a hint of licorice amid overtones of sweet incense. Medium-full, rounded with sweet tannins that oozed fine intensity.

Champagne Lallier Grand Reserve Brut NV, on board QR944 Business Class from DOH-SIN, 16 Mar 2020. Lovely luminosity. Superb lift of roasted almonds, toast and complex citrus with a trace of green fruits. Structured with a lovely depth of chiselled minerality and crisp acidity, exuding great intensity, balance and freshness that finished on a note of gentle teasing citrus. Really excellent.

2018 Chartron & Trébuchet Chablis 1er, on board QR944 Business Class from DOH-SIN, 16 Mar 2020. Some gentle vanillin and icing on the nose. Medium-bodied, imbued with dry wild flowers, some pomelo and a bit of tangy citrus within a narrow spectrum of acidity, tempered by a ferric mid-palate that conferred a certain sternness before finishing in a gentle glow.

2011 Château Marzelle, on board QR944 Business Class from DOH-SIN, 16 Mar 2020. This Médoc opens with dense, dark characters of mulberries and raspberries that display excellent body and presence on a floor of forest notes, framed within tannins that are slightly sweet. Serviceable.

2000 Henriot Cuvée des Enchanteleurs, on 17 Mar 2020 at Otto Ristorante. Pale greenish hue. Gentle yeasty depth of green fruits and citrus, showing fair complexity with a rounded subdued dryness. Imbued with intense chalky minerals that developed with further emerging acidity and graphite tones into a seamless complex. At its best though it isn’t the most profound of champagne.

2005 Moss Wood Cabernet Sauvignon to go with pizza at home, 20 Mar 2020. Deep crimson. Rich effusive bouquet of dark cherries, strawberries, red fruits and plums. Beautifully ripe and aromatic. Rather full with lovely suppleness, structure and tension within a frame of svelte tannins, almost velvety in texture, delivering great energy, acidity and balance. Excellent.

2017 Domaine Jean-Philippe Fichet Bourgogne Blanc VV to go with Hokkien noodles (from Geylang Lorong 29), 21 Mar 2020. Superb nose of fresh morning dew and gentle grassy elements matched by an abundance of clear citrus, ferrous minerals and sublime acidity that impart excellent presence and mouthfeel. Superbly integrated, fleshing out with fine complexity and vivacious intensity. Punches way above its weight. Quite outstanding. Jean-Philippe Fichet is a true star of Meursault.

2017 Wirra Wirra Shiraz, popped and poured on 23 Mar 2020. Very dark. Excellent concentration of blackberries and dark currants. Warm, ripe and fleshy but neither dense nor jammy, surprisingly supple with a lovely glow of delicious fruit within a subtle sheen of vanillin. Beautifully and naturally balanced with sweet unobtrusive tannins and understated acidity, finishing with distant trailing notes of chocolate and mocha. Doesn’t try too hard at all. Truly excellent. A real steal at SGD25, if you can find it.

2006 Château Malartic-Lagravière, popped and poured at home, 27 Mar 2020. Mulberries, wild berries, mocha and charcoal elements dominate with good density amid finely-grained earthy textures, quite open and harmonious, finishing with some lovely spicy intensity but lacks charm.

2005 Rockford Black Shiraz, popped and poured at home, 28 Mar 2020. Surprisingly unyielding on the nose, though the palate is classic Basket Press Shiraz through and through, layered with very good density of warm ripe Barossa shiraz amid overtones of licorice, iron fillings and herbal elements. Very well-integrated and balanced, laced with very fine subdued bubbles and understated acidity, finishing with a hint of that classic liqueured note though, surprisingly on the whole, there isn’t much complexity on show here.

A few of us gathered at Waterfall, Shangri-La Singapore, on 10 March 2020 for an exclusive Californian theme. All wines were aired or decanted on-site with the exception of the Kenzo Rindo, which had been double-decanted for three hours prior. On this occasion, the whites were outclassed by the reds, all of which were hitting their stride beautifully, particularly those aged beyond twenty years, without even having seemingly peaked. The take-home message: catch the whites in their youth but keep the reds for the next generation. Many thanks, everyone.

2003 Kistler Kistler Vineyard Sonoma Valley Chardonnay, courtesy of Bob. Dull golden. Mature aromas of grapefruit and orangey tones shrouded within a dense sheen of paraffin. Rather full and concentrated, rounded with rich acidity. Dead serious in demeanour, resulting in a leaden feel.

2006 Kistler Hudson Vineyard Chardonnay, courtesy of Bob. Dull golden. Shut. More minerally on the palate with overtones of white ash, showing very good concentration, depth, transparency and intensity though a tad stern with subdued acidity.

2001 Kistler Russian River Les Noisetiers Chardonnay, courtesy of Bob. Gentle enticing fresh floral aromas. Excellent in presence, depth and layering amid a hint of paraffin with further emerging notes of apricot and pineapples. Very well integrated with fine acidity, finishing with lasting glow and intensity as it attained a rounded creaminess. Much fresher in feel than the preceding two wines. Excellent.

2015 Aubert Chardonnay, courtesy of K. Light golden-greenish hue, exuding delicious forward aromas of green and tropical fruits that extended well onto the palate with white floral tones, showing great presence and density with sublime acidity, depth and length as it developed a further spicy glow. Excellent.

2007 Kistler Cuvee Elisabeth, courtesy of Bob. Very deep red with a forward bouquet of sweet dark berries and dark currants. Medium-full. Still quite intense at the edges with taut acidity, becoming creamier in texture over time with emerging bright red fruits.

2016 Kenzo Rindo. Made by Heidi Barrett of Screaming Eagle fame, this classic Bordeaux blend from Napa showed a very deep garnet red with an unique lift of mulberries, malt and warm wet gravel on the nose. Very smooth and open with great suppleness on the palate, richly layered with dark cherries and blackberries that sparkle with brilliant graphite, displaying excellent depth and definition on a burnished floor of cedar and eucalyptus. Morphed very well with superb integration, yielding some early complexity. Very classy with superb potential without any hint at all of its 15.2% abv.

2001 Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, courtesy of Uncle H. Deep purple with a rim of evolution. Open with characters of sweet dark berries, incense and tobacco that exude a smooth relaxed intensity with sublime acidity, utterly seamless, displaying great balance, subtlety and length. Excellent.

1997 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, courtesy of Uncle H. Deep dark ruby. Superb depth and concentration of dark fruits, blackberries and old leather, open with lovely freshness. Still rather full, displaying great acidity and balance. Clearly hitting its stride now and will hold for many more years. Outstanding.

1997 Joseph Phelps Insignia, courtesy of Lars. Brilliant deep ruby, imbued with wonderful depth of ripe black fruits, dark berries and dark cherries that exude superb freshness and balance. Evolved further into some kind of distilled essence, becoming richer, bolder and even deeper with expanding fullness. Outstanding, but it may not even have peaked.

The Jürade de Saint-Emilion du Singapour met on 05 March 2020 at Rhubarb for an evening of Rhône. All the wines were showing very well though what came across clearly was that Rhône really needs plenty of bottle age, much like Bordeaux, in order to be at its best, preferably approaching thirty years as one may appreciate from the notes below. My thanks to all concerned for the generous contributions.

Champagne Delamotte NV. Clear bright minerals with good concentration of crisp clear citrus and traces of green fruits, displaying fine transparency. Not too dry.

1996 Domaine Paul Jaboulet-Aine Chevalier de Sterimberg. Aged tone and colour. Heavier bouquet of mature creme and caramelised baked apples. Smooth and rounded, rather full. Still imbued with good acidity and concentration, developing a greater expanse of white tones over time with very fine intensity, finishing with lingering persistence and kinearity. Severely under-appreciated, this is one of my favourite Rhône whites.

2007 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc. Luminous in color, proffering musky aromas tinged with diesel exhaust and peat. Very good fullness, depth and layering on the palate, fleshing out over time with excellent freshness amid predominant white tones that exude a controlled poised elegance. Excellent.

2001 E Guigal Ermitage Ex Voto, courtesy of Stephen. Dull golden with a weighty effusive glow of mature creme and apples. Considerably lighter on the palate, marked by refined acidity amid traces of glycerin, superbly balanced, evolving with greater weight and power with a dominant plummy tone. Good finish. Excellent.

2005 E Guigal Ermitage Ex Voto, courtesy of Sandy. Dull golden, exuding a controlled glow of white fruits. Medium-bodied. Very smooth on the palate, seemingly more delicate in feel though undoubtedly deeper than the 2001, laced with darkish undertones amid oily textures. Quiet finish. Yet to peak.

2006 Clos Saint-Jean Deus-Ex Machina Châteauneuf-du-Pape, courtesy of Marc. Impenetrably dark with consistent powerful tones of dominant dark plums, currants, dark cherries and tangerines on the nose and palate. Darkly concentrated with focused intensity, structured with sweet tannins oozing with medicinal traces, culminating in a tensile finish. Strictly for afficionados of CdP.

2001 Château de Beaucastel Hommage à Jacques Perrin, courtesy of Russ. Very deep garnet red. Superb freshness of red and dark currants that exude youthful intensity with a very gentle perfumed floral fragrance, displaying wonderful suppleness and open intensity with further notes of early cedar and tobacco. Superb.

2000 E Guigal Château D’Ampuis. Deep crimson with some evolution. Predominance of delicious red fruits that display lovely ripeness, very open with great agility, revealing very fine ferric traces tinged with capsicum, finishing with great acidity and linearity. Distinctly feminine.

1990 E Guigal Hermitage. Mature brownish red with an effusive complex of earthy pungency, Chinese herbs and mushrooms. Medium-bodied. Beautifully open with silky smooth tannins that exude great sophistication and elegance with velvety ripe fruit caught at its optimum. Distinctly feminine. Most lovely.

1995 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage. Evolved brownish red, exuding gentle rosy hues with a lovely lift. Wonderfully supple and fleshy, laced with superb acidity that confer great excitement, yet highly harmonious and elegant at the same time. Simply glorious.

1995 Château de Fonsalette. Very deep opaque red. Chinese herbs and dried mushrooms dominate on the nose, a perfect counterfoil to the broad expanse of red fruits luxuriously laid on velvety bed of svelte tannins, open with lovely intensity, going on to develop dominant tones of plummy tangerines before finishing with a dry sappy mouthfeel. Superb though not really surprising, for this estate belongs to the stable of Château Rayas.

1997 Domaine Paul Jaboulet-Aine Hermitage La Chapelle. Dark vermilion. Medicinal characters dominate, underscored by red fruits and dark currants. Rather full and fleshy, open with very fine acidity and intensity, developing a little more of licorice and herbal tones over time. Still quite youthful.

1995 Domaine Paul Jaboulet-Aine Hermitage La Chapelle. Deep garnet core with some vermilion, seducing the senses with an excellent lift of red fruits and currants that teased the palate in equal measure with wonderful agility and impeccable balance amid further overtones of tobacco. Superbly harmonious.

1991 Domaine Paul Jaboulet-Aine Hermitage La Chapelle, courtesy of Sandy. Deep garnet core with some vermilion, exuding a lovely complex of dark fruits, raspberries, mulberries and currants that extended well onto the open palate with lithe youthful intensity, revealing very fine detail and layering. Very fleshy, finishing with great persistence. Superb.

2006 E Guigal Cote-Rôtie La Landonne, courtesy of Chancellor Melvin. Very deep crimson, displaying a smoky lift that added a further dimension to the superb ripeness of raspberries and dark fruits, exerting excellent tensile mouthfeel with lovely open intensity and proportion. Excellent.

2007 Domaine Paul Jaboulet-Aine Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise Le Chant des Griolles. Pale. Rather effusive and forward with an enticing sweetness, almost bold, displaying very good intensity though underscored by a deep ferrous streak that imparted almost too much of sternness on the palate.

2003 Ch Pape Clement, popped and poured at Venue by Sebastian, 01 Feb 2020. Deep garnet red, exuding copious dark fruits, blackberries and blackcurrants with distinct overtones of tobacco snuff amid traces of dry earthiness. Excellent in concentration. Silkily structured with very fine acidity that exert lovely tension across the smooth sleek palate, developing a further complex of ferrous elements, light cedary tones, cinnamon and orange peel, finishing with persistent tingling mouthfeel. Quite excellent.

Champagne Ruinart Blancs de Blanc NV, courtesy of Sir Robert at his residence, 06 Feb 2020. Pale greenish. Delicate minerally tones of clear citrus and green fruits that immerse the palate great freshness, clarity and gentle rounded presence. Appropriately dry; just a tad short but excellent.

1991 Maison Leroy Meursault, courtesy of Sir Robert at his residence, 06 Feb 2020. Delicate tones of recessed fruit and citrus that tend to accentuate the sharp acidity within, glowing with raw nutmeg and spice over time in the glass. Medium-bodied. Harmonious but a bit short.

1991 Domaine Leflaive Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, courtesy of Sir Robert at his residence, 06 Feb 2020. Highly delicate and shy on the nose. Distinctly aged in feel on the palate, displaying a rather full pervasive expanse of white tones and exotic floral overtones amid recessed chalkiness, highly subtle and harmonious. Developed a further gentle complex of spice, green capsicum and white pepper that grew with sharp intensity and character over time. Quite consistent with a similar bottle tasted in December 2019 at Iggy’s, also courtesy of Sir Robert.

1994 Ch Ausone, courtesy of Sir Robert at his residence, 06 Feb 2020. Decanted for three hours prior. Still rather dark with some evolution, exuding a classic glow of mature claret with a very fine peppery quality amid traces of ferrous elements and capsicum. Medium-bodied. Supple with a very relaxed feel, imbued with very good concentration and purity of dark fruits and wild berries with emerging notes of red fruits over time. Delicious. Charming in its own way even though it doesn’t quite possess the layering and opulence of the best vintages.

1993 Domaine Leroy Pommard Les Vignots 1er, courtesy of Sir Robert at his residence, 06 Feb 2020. Beautiful deep ruby, exuding a bit of funky earthy pungency that gave way quickly to broad swathes of delicious red fruits and rose petals that was simply quite beguiling. Still rather full and fleshy, subtly structured with excellent definition and detail, laced with ferrous elements that imparted a certain sternness before becoming sweeter over time. Superb.

2005 Domaine de Chevalier Rouge at Zafferano, 08 Feb 2020. Deep purple. Cool raspberries, dark cherries, strawberries and red currants dominate on the nose, superbly ripe. Beautifully supple and rounded. Very well proportioned and harmonious on a bed of velvety tannins, developing fine intensity. Finished with good linearity amid overtones of rye. Excellent.

2005 Ch Sociando-Mallet, popped and poured at Asia Grand, 14 Feb 2020. Deep purple. Richly layered with dark currants and dark cherries, lined with graphite elements that lend trace of austerity. Highly supple, displaying excellent presence with a hint of dryness. Rounder and richer over time with a mouth-puckering intensity along with early notes of cedar. Still not quite ready.

2001 Ch Sociando-Mallet, popped and poured at Venue by Sebastian, 15 Feb 2020. Deep purple. Malt, smoke and mulberries on the nose. Excellent presence of marmite, Chinese herbs, black fruits, dark currants, earth and grape must, exuding lovely ripeness and brilliance. Highly supple and fleshy, imbued with seamless gorgeous acidity. Grew in intensity over time, eventually gelling with a dominant plummy tone. Still youthful. Belongs clearly within the league of classified growths.

2012 Joseph Drouhin Puligny-Montrachet Les Pucelles 1er, popped over lunch at Bedrock Bar & Grill, 17 Feb 2020. Good color. Excellent concentration with a dense minerally presence though the fruit is rather shy initially, the wine almost austere in demeanour. Developed more of crème and icing over time, displaying good transparency with further notes of delicate peaches amid a mild salinity but it refused to be hurried, requiring plenty of patience in the glass. Best to cellar another 2-3 years.

2002 Caymus Special Selection, courtesy of Kieron, decanted on-site over lunch at Bedrock Bar & Grill, 17 Feb 2020. Deep garnet red. Imbued with abundant dark currants and blackberries, superbly ripe and delicious with some early secondary development and cedary characters. Warm and supple with discrete minty and vegetal undertones, glowing with a slow gentle intensity of dark plums that grew tighter over time with excellent linearity, rounding off beautifully on a bed of sweet velvety tannins. Excellent though it may not have peaked.

2001 Bass Philip au Jardin Les Amis, courtesy of Sir Robert over lunch at Bedrock Bar & Grill, 17 Feb 2020. Tasted blind. This wine displays an evolved red with a delicious rosy fragrance, still reasonably fresh with excellent acidity and adequate fruit on the palate, seamlessly rounded with a deep core of tangerines.

2006 Fontanafredda La Rosa Barolo, popped and poured at Otto Ristorante, 20 Feb 2020. Crimson at the rim. This wine is highly fleshy and supple, exuding red plummy tones with a certain rounded feminine character, highly harmonious with well-managed tannins. Developed more depth and lift over time with more exciting intensity, yielding more inner detail with some early cedar and cinnamon along with a trace of earthiness. Still youthful.

2015 Hardy’s Eileen Hardy Chardonnay, popped and poured at Yoshi, 21 Feb 2020. Explosive nose of crème and chalk with rich upfront vanillin. Very clean and highly focused on the palate, displaying excellent concentration of white tones on a floor of subtle minerals with a trace of steeliness. Opened up with more tropical fruits and nectarine, rather plump and elegant as it finished in a minty glow with excellent refinement.

2017 Château de Chamirey Mercurey Blanc, popped and poured at Ka Soh, 22 Feb 2020. Broad expanse of gleaming white tones tinged with a peppery glow. Medium-full. Layered with very good concentration and transparency with fine inner detail, showing traces of green capsicum and nutmeg with a hint of salinity towards the finish.

2011 Domaine Henri Boillot Pommard, a half-bottle from the list of Gunther’s for SGD65, 24 Feb 2020. Darker tint of pinot, exuding a high toned rosy fragrance with delicious red fruits and cherries. Quite fleshy and full, imparting very fine acidity and tension, developing deeper darker undertones with a bit of charcoal quality before giving way to dominant plummy tones framed within sweet subtly structured tannins. Finished well.

2009 Peay Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, courtesy of Kieron over a long lunch at Alma, 28 Feb 2020. Blinded. Dull golden, appearing older than it actually is. Shaved apples and pears on the nose, rather shy, though fairly robust on the palate with dominant medicinal tones (not unlike the Chinese traditional cough remedy pipagao) and tight reductive fruit. Very fine in acidity, becoming more homogenous over time as it lightened up though neither creamy nor chalky, culminating in a warm fullish finish.

2017 Vincent Dancer Chassagne-Montrachet Tete du Clos 1er, courtesy of Tim over a long lunch at Alma, 28 Feb 2020. Pale. Powerful sweet citrus on the nose with a hint of sour plums. Quite full. More forward in fruit and clear citrus without the usual white tones of Chassagne. Opened up after some time to reveal a bit more minerally detail though its balance remained unchanged, exuding a delightful fruity glow as it tapered to a quiet finish.

2014 Domaine Thibert Pere et Fils Pouilly-Fuissé Les Cras, over a long lunch at Alma, 28 Feb 2020. Pale. Delicate clear citrus dominate on the nose with a bit of sharp acidity but not overdone, opening up with an expansive even tone on the palate with a light teasing quality. Highly harmonious, maintaining its delicate elegance throughout the afternoon.

2012 Domaine Duroché Gevrey-Chambertin Aux Etelois, courtesy of LF over a long lunch at Alma, 28 Feb 2020. Displaying a deep dull red with some early evolution, this village proffers a lifted bouquet of delicious dark fruits, saccharine and dark cherries, developing further complex earthiness over time. Quite fleshy and rounded with distinct saline minerals that confer lovely tensile mouthfeel.

1992 Williams Selyem Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, courtesy of LF over a long lunch at Alma, 28 Feb 2020. Blinded. Dull dusty red, exuding an evolved glow of dark fruits and currants. Very fleshy, soft and open, revealing even more red fruits with a mature plummy tone supported by excellent minerality with a trace of salinity. Finished well with good linearity and great subtle acidity, though just a tad short.

2009 Domaine Georges Roumier Morey-Saint-Denis Clos de La Bussière 1er, courtesy of Kieron over a long lunch at Alma, 28 Feb 2020. Very deep dark pinot. Gently delicious. Fleshy and very evenly toned, exuding a highly-refined intensity. Harmonious with lovely detail. Highly elegant. Its impeccable pedigree is evident.

2014 Maison Leroy Chorey-les-Beaune, courtesy of Sir Robert over a long lunch at Alma, 28 Feb 2020. Superb clear ruby but shut at this stage, though the palate is open with a very even tone, layered with lovely acidity.

2005 Ch Barde-Haut, popped and poured at Rubicon, 29 Feb 2020. Deep garnet red, lighting up the palate with rich tones of dark currants, cedar and ripe berries with a brilliant sparkle. Shows excellent concentration of fruit with very fine depth and acidity, turning more savoury over time. Still brimming with youthful intensity. Delicious.

This horizontal of anything 2003 was inspired by memories of our fight at the frontline against SARS back then, a situation as difficult as the current Covid-19. Jade Palace was the venue on 03 March 2020 with all the usual suspects. Surprisingly, the intense heat wave of that vintage didn’t seem to have had any negative impact on the wines tasted, apart from one or two that were betrayed by a tad of shortness at the finish.

Champagne Larmandier-Bernier Longitude NV, courtesy of LF. This wine opens with a gentle yeasty pungency, almost shy, with overtones of malt. Rounded with full presence, developing a lovely burnished tone that led to a dry gleaming finish though, essentially, it is still wound with tight intensity.

2003 Champagne Dom Pérignon, courtesy of CHS. Poured from a pair. Light clear golden. Bit more fruit forward on the nose, displaying green fruits and pomelo while distinct graphite and ferrous elements dominate on the palate, imparting a stern demeanor. Became more open over time, developing more toasty presence with a mild yeasty pungency amid chalky undertones. Good balance, finishing with dry intensity.

2003 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande. Deep purple. Good lift of dark fruits and currants that dominate on the nose with a hint of capsicum, displaying excellent concentration and suppleness. Fleshed out with more soy and mint amid darkish undertones before opening up with other notes of mulberries tinged with forest green (from the petit verdot, no doubt), considerably softer and rounder. Quiet finish. Delicious. Drinking well.

2003 Domaine Jean Griviot Clos Vougeot Grand Cru, courtesy of Dr Ngoi. Poured from magnum. Much darker than usual, proffering sweet currants and dark cherries, displaying excellent fullness with very fine tension and acidity, finishing with dry tannins.

2003 J Rochioli East Block, courtesy of LF. This Russian River pinot noir is equally dark in colour with a bolder tone of haw, cedar and licorice, rather bright with a full concentration of ripe dark fruits and currants, forwardly balanced, structured with sweet rounded tannins.

2003 Château Léoville Poyferré, courtesy of John. Deep garnet red. Gentle lift of dark currants and black fruits, displaying excellent concentration and ripeness with a lovely suppleness and open glowing intensity though it turned more placid over time. Darkly delicious. Drinking superbly.

2003 Château La Conseillante, courtesy of Vic. Deep garnet red. Lifted savoury characters. Rather open on the medium-full palate, revealing good definition with subtle acidity that is very well integrated. Very genial in character, imbued with superb balance and freshness. Excellent.

2003 Château de Beaucastel, courtesy of LHF. Wild berries and dense forest characters dominate. Fleshy and concentrated with taut intensity. Gently delicious.

2003 Alain Brumont Château Montus “La Tyre”, courtesy of LF. This interesting wine comes from Madiran in southwest France, comprising mainly of the grape tannat with some other red varietals. Displaying a deep impenetrable black, this wine exudes black pepper, spice and capsicum with a massive presence of dense dark fruits, though supple enough as it opened up with good detail and sweet tannins. Not for the faint-hearted.

2003 Château Cos D’Estournel, courtesy of MH & JL. Poured from magnum Deep garnet red, exuding an gentle hallowed glow with warm smoky tones. Fleshy and open with very fine detail and intensity, developing some early complexity. Highly harmonious. Excellent.

2003 Château Lafite Rothschild, courtesy of Grace Ngoi. Deep garnet red. Very deep intense bouquet of black fruits and dark currants. Superbly ripe. Darkly delicious. Open with lovely suppleness, exuding a youthful intensity that carried a certain feminine fullness and warmth with some early secondary characters coming on over time. Highly harmonious, just a tad short which is probably a result of the very hot vintage.

Weingut Markus Molitor has been around for eight generations, the present one since 1984 when Markus took over from his father. With vineyards located amongst some of the steepest slopes in the world in the Mosel region, harvesting has to be done laboriously by hand under difficult conditions. Yields are naturally low. If the tasting at Jade Palace, Singapore, on the evening of 25 February 2020 in the presence of the estate’s Sales Director Daniel Kiowski is anything to go by, it would seem that the wines are lovingly made, displaying great harmony, precision and balance. The bottles are colour coded according to the taste category of the wine. The dry wines have a white cap. The off-dry wines are capped in greyish-green while the naturally sweet and botrytis wines proudly display a gold cap. While the reds are decent, it will be the superb whites that Markus Molitor will be highly sought-after for.

2015 Weingut Markus Molitor Ürziger Würzgarten Kabinett Riesling Green Cap. Pale. Fairly dense oily aromatics of diesel exhaust. Medium-bodied. Good inner detail, layered with a gentle deeper streak of tropical fruit amidst some earthiness underscored with a trace of pungent sweetness. Good finish. Grown on soils rich in iron.

2014 Weingut Markus Molitor Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Spatlese Riesling Gold Cap. Clear golden. Effusive bouquet of petroleum characters. Medium-bodied. Warm expanse of oriental fruit and peaches. Gently proportioned and harmonious, tapering to a smooth quiet finish. From very low-yielding vines aged more than 80 years.

2014 Weingut Markus Molitor Erdener Treppchen Riesling Auslese** Gold Cap. Lovely luminosity. Fairly dense chiselled aromatics. Medium-bodied but rather plump in the mouth. Rounded with lovely proportions, very seamlessly integrated with excellent controlled sweetness. Exudes a certain feminine quality. Finished with good persistence. From blue and grey slate soils.

2015 Weingut Markus Molitor Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett Fuder 6 White Cap. Pale luminosity. Exudes even high-toned petroleum and white flowers. Very well replicated on the medium-bodied palate, displaying crisp acidity with clean precision. Quite excellent in clarity, definition and presence. Not too dry. Unlike the preceding three wines, this is a dry white, aged in 1000-litre barrels. Excellent.

2016 Weingut Markus Molitor Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese** White Cap. Pale luminosity. Quite an effusive bouquet of distilled white fruits amid traces of smoke with a fair illusion of fizz. Good gentle depth of clear citrus, pomelo and ferrous elements with subdued acidity on the palate, showing good transparency and harmony. Not too dry; actually has a trace of sweetness in its finish.

2014 Weingut Markus Molitor Brauneberger Mandelgraben Pinot Noir*. Cloned from Chambolle-Musigny. Classic pinot tint, proffering haw, charred elements and red fruits tinged with tangerines. Light-medium. Good acidity and suppleness though the fruit isn’t quite expressive. Bit too crisp.

2013 Weingut Markus Molitor Brauneberger Klostergarten Pinot Noir**. Classic pinot tint. Considerably deeper tone of haw, cherries and strawberries. Medium-bodied and fleshy, showing good concentration and presence with very fine acidity. Good balance. Developed even deeper and darker shades over time. Gentle finish.

Covid-19 has certainly disrupted lives and businesses but life must still continue, for we cannot allow ourselves to be paralysed into a downward spiral. Those of us from the Professorial team that had dealt successfully with SARS seventeen years ago gathered again on 18 February 2020 at Jade Palace (good to see the place still teeming with life) to commemorate our inaugural dinner that had taken place back in 2003. The theme was supposedly Bordeaux 2000 but, in the end, nobody really cared.

2012 Joseph Drouhin Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatieres 1er. Lovely luminosity. Glowing gleaming tone, imbued with delicate chalky minerals and faint overtones of crème de la crème. Developed further notes of raw nutmeg and exotic white fruits over time as it grew in intensity with better definition and focus, laced with sleek acidity. Very fine.

1998 Ch Cos D’Estournel, courtesy of CY. Deep crimson. Powerful bouquet of mature red fruits that exude glowing plummy tones with a lovely gentle earthiness amid very fine understated graphite elements. Medium-bodied. Fleshy and rounded with good transparency and suppleness, well layered with dark cherries and ripe wild berries that are neither gruff nor succulent. Drinking well.

2000 Domaine de Chevalier Rouge. Deep crimson, proffering just a subdued earthiness at first, almost shy. Medium-bodied. Sleek but somewhat narrow in spectrum. Rounded with good harmony, balance and proportion. Not showy. Developed some early medicinal characters after some time, eventually finishing with lifted plummy tones. A little underwhelming compared with a previous tasting two months ago.

2000 Ch Pichon Longueville Baron, courtesy of V. Deep garnet with some evolution, exuding a deep velvety plummy glow. Fleshy with very good concentration and complexity, structured with exciting tannins though it was a tad narrow in body. Still youthful.

2000 Ch Leoville Las-Cases, courtesy of the Professor. Deep purple with some evolution. Its impeccable pedigree is immediately apparent at the first whiff where velvety dark fruits and berries abound on the nose, matched by excellent concentration of fruit with a fleshy suppleness on the palate amid traces of varnish and herbs, its quiet intensity and sophisticated tannins imparting a certain aloofness. Almost aristocratic, as if it knows that it belongs amongst the best. Still not quite ready, I feel, for it may need another decade to develop an additional dimension in complexity.

Blinded Red #1. Deep crimson. This wine opened with a hint of capsicum on the nose amid gravelly tones with a faint delicious trace that lit up with exuberant bright red cherries and sweet red plums on the medium-full palate, layered with cedary characters on the floor. It tasted familiar but certainly not quite Bordeaux though I couldn’t quite place my finger on it. No wonder…it turned out to be the 2000 Parker Estate Terra Rossa First Growth, courtesy of Kevin H. What a spoiler.

Blinded Red #2. Deep crimson with vermilion at the rim, delivering soft floral fragrances with understated characters of sweet incense. Fleshy and open with fine definition and inner detail that traverse the palate with excellent linearity, culminating in melted tannins that still conjure tantalising excitement and intensity. We were right in deducing it to be an ’80s Left Bank….a 1983 Ch Margaux, no less, courtesy of Tall Man. Superb.

The Jürade de Saint-Emilion du Singapour kept its promise of bi-monthly meetings with a theme centering on the three Léoville estates of Saint Julien on 15 January 2020 at restaurant Nicolas. Derived originally from a very large piece of land under Domaine de Léoville back in the 18th century, it was eventually divided into three: firstly in 1826 when Hugh Barton purchased a part that became Château Léoville Barton (47 ha, now still within the Barton family), then in 1840 when a family feud caused the remainder to be subdivided into Château Léoville Poyferré (60 ha now under the Cuvelier family) and Château Léoville Las-Cases (97 ha now under the Delon family). The latter, with its vines seamlessly abutting those of Ch Latour, has always clearly been a notch above Barton in the pecking order with the easy-going Poyferré something of a wild card, as exemplified by the 1996 horizontal below. To me, Las-Cases is on par with premier cru and, in the best vintages, it probably offers the best value if one really wishes to get an outstanding claret at a relative bargain. The tasting that evening threw up one lovely surprise, a 1991 Barton that was truly beautiful. Many thanks to Marc for the organisation, and to everyone else for their contributions.

2014 Domaine Michel Caillot Meursault Clos du Cromin. Essentially shut, proffering just faint glimpses of tropical fruits though the minerally palate is delightfully delicate, imbued with excellent presence of lime and clear citrus, fairly expansive and open with fleeting intensity and superb acidity that traversed with unbroken linearity all the way to its delicate finish. Excellent.

2009 Château Léoville Poyferré. Deep impenetrable purple, still cloaked in enamel on the nose amid savoury hints though it is already quite open with gentle intensity on the palate, displaying great subtlety and acidity with its understated presence. Quiet finish. Still tightly coiled. Best to lay down for another decade.

2002 Château Léoville Poyferré. Dark. Slightly earthy with characters of forest floor on the nose amid ripe wild berries and blackcurrants. Good concentration of fruit that recalled briar and wild berries, softly supple with sharp acidity and intensity but lacking layering and detail.

1991 Château Léoville Barton. Dull purple with some evolution. Lovely earthy glow on the nose amid ripe raspberries while the open palate is generously endowed with succulent red fruits and strawberries. Fleshy with plenty of structure, detail and fine acidity, finishing with a persistent earthy tone. Faded somewhat towards the end of dinner but this wine far exceeds all expectations. Excellent, really.

1998 Château Léoville Barton. Deep impenetrable purple with a rim of crimson. Shut on the nose. The palate is open with excellent presence of black fruits and currants though, surprisingly, it is not yielding much in detail and layering in spite of its age, finishing quietly.

1999 Château Léoville Barton. Dark musty crimson, exuding a gentle glow of herbs and dried mushrooms with good presence and subtle acidity, fleshing out with fine seamless intensity but lacking in charm, detail and layering, which appears to be consistent with all the clarets of 1999 that I’d come across at this point of time. Quiet finish.

Nicolas

1983 Château Léoville Las-Cases. Evolved mature purple. Open with a soft gentle glow of distilled red fruits and cherries with characters of fresh charcoal and ferrous ore. Sweet and delicious, still imbued with fine presence and intensity though distinctly relaxed in feel.

2004 Château Léoville Las-Cases. Deep crimson. Soft distant glow of red fruits with a lovely faint floral fragrance along with a hint of malt. Delivers well on the palate with fine supple presence and intensity underscored with graphite elements, distinctly understated in structure. Drinking well.

2006 Château Léoville Las-Cases. Deep impenetrable darkness, proffering mocha and chocolate with a hint of dry malt. Classically structured. Quite fleshy, showing good refinement and understated intensity. Perhaps not quite ready.

1996 Château Léoville Poyferré. Deep crimson. Slightly forward with a subtle lift of distilled red fruits and strawberries along with complex earthiness and ferrous elements whilst the soft fleshy palate is imbued with ripe wild berries amid brambly tones and herbs that lent a touch of austerity, not revealing much detail.

1996 Château Léoville Barton. Deep crimson, exuding complex tertiary flavours with a lifted sweetness amid broad swathes of gentle dark fruits, haw, dark currants and earth, most beguiling. Very refined in structure and acidity, seamlessly integrated with great suppleness. Highly elegant, which says a lot for a claret. At its absolute peak. Superb.

1996 Château Léoville Las-Cases. Very deep crimson. This estate stamps its impeccable pedigree with rich warm hues of ripe dark plums and currants that show superb concentration and layering with open dryish textures, displaying excellent intensity and acidity, structured with exciting yet harmonious tannins. Has real sophistication and aristocratic power. Like all 1996 of the Left Bank, this wine has turned the corner and is approaching its peak. Quite outstanding.

2000 Château Léoville Poyferré. Dark crimson. Delicious bouquet of rich dark currants and black fruits. Open with a relaxed suppleness, displaying early secondary characteristics with real sophistication. Appears to have evolved faster than expected.

2000 Château Léoville Barton. Very dark, exuding a complex of complex red and dark fruits and currants still touched with a faint dash of emulsion though the palate seemed strangely detached, rather distant and aloof in spite of abundant cool ripe fruit that is seamlessly integrated.

2016 Bénédicte & Stéphane Tissot En Barberon Blanc. This Jura displays great luminosity and purity of fruit, exuding a clear crystalline minerality with gentle white floral notes. Excellent in concentration but rather tight and austere, its minerally balance conferring a dry chiselled quality.

2016 Maison Leroy Bourgogne Blanc, popped and poured over dimsum lunch at Asia Grand, 01 Jan 2020. Luminous light golden. Fairly dense minerally nose, displaying a clean chalky profile with sleek acidity whilst the light-medium palate is open with very fine presence and lovely deftness.

2015 Artadi Vinas di Gain Blanco, courtesy of Dr Ngoi at Crystal Jade Takashimaya, 04 Jan 2020. Notes of gunmetal cordite and white citrus on the nose though the palate is dry with steely minerality. Bright and open with very good concentration of fruit, developing a mild salinity with time.

Champagne Krug Brut Rosé NV, courtesy of MH at Crystal Jade Takashimaya, 04 Jan 2020. Magnum. Grapefruit, dates and aged tangerine skins dominate with an orangey bloom. Brightly lit and dry, subtly balanced with good concentration. Grew in sweet intensity over time with further tones of smouldering ember.

2017 Domaine Jean Chartron Saint-Aubin Murgers des Dents de Chien 1er, popped and poured from magnum at Crystal Jade Takashimaya, 04 Jan 2020. Pale. Emerging notes of tropical fruits, highly attractive. Good open transparency and concentration with a deeper vein of white floral tone, highly subtle throughout as it tapered to a gentle expansive finish.

2014 Château Cos D’Estournel Blanc, courtesy of Dr Ngoi at Crystal Jade Takashimaya, 04 Jan 2020. Notes of seared icing, vanillin and lychee on the nose with a powerful white floral sheen, displaying bold intensity with a marked salinity on the palate amid diesel overtones. Not ready.

2014 Kistler McCrea Vineyard Chardonnay, courtesy of LF at Crystal Jade Takashimaya, 04 Jan 2020. Superb clear luminosity. Rather full and forward in chalky characters and crème amid traces of salinity. Excellent open intensity, finishing with distinct vanillin and white floral tones.

2008 Champagne Pol Roger cuvée Sir Winston Churchill, courtesy of CJ at Crystal Jade Takashimaya, 04 Jan 2020. Lifted yeasty earthiness, open with very fine concentration of white fruits and grassy elements, displaying dry intensity though yet to develop true complexity.

1979 Emile Bouley Volnay Santenots, courtesy of Dr Ngoi at Crystal Jade Takashimaya, 04 Jan 2020. Magnum. Lifted earthy pungency with mature tones of plums and orangery tangerines while the passage of time has left just enough of recessed red fruits on the palate though its acidity is still intact, still imbued with fair intensity.

1990 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Musigny Grand Cru, courtesy of Dr Ngoi at Crystal Jade Takashimaya, 04 Jan 2020. Still rather dark, proffering cedar, cinnamon and old leather on the nose. Deeply intense, fleshy and supple with vibrant plummy tones amid a very slight herbal trace, seamlessly integrated with very fine acidity, showing some early complexity though it still feels somewhat unresolved at the finish. Evolving at a glacial pace. May be a good idea to lay another ten years.

2003 Domaine Jean Grivot Vosne-Romanée Aux Brulées 1er, courtesy of Dr Ngoi at Crystal Jade Takashimaya, 04 Jan 2020. Magnum. Dark with some early evolution. Sandy plummy medicinal nose with dryish overtones of malt and rye. Highly supple and fleshy palate, showing concentrated focus with very fine intensity amid earthy traces though a tad short, becoming more astringent with time.

2009 Domaine Nicolas Rossignol-Trapet Chambertin Grand Cru, courtesy of KG at Crystal Jade Takashimaya, 04 Jan 2020. Dark with some evolution. Highly refined in delicate currants, mulberries and red fruits with a tangerine core, structured with understated elegant tannins that confer excellent open intensity with subtle feminine grace. Quite superb.

1998 Château Cheval Blanc, courtesy of Dr Ngoi at Crystal Jade Takashimaya, 04 Jan 2020. Deep garnet core. This wine opens with a classic Bordeaux glow, promising maturing red fruits, raspberries, currants and haw that are delivered with excellent fullness on the palate, tinged with traces of graphite and bell pepper, structured with smooth rounded tannins. Still youthful.

1989 Château Suduiraut, courtesy of Dr Natalie Ngoi at Crystal Jade Takashimaya, 04 Jan 2020. Magnum. Clear golden hue. Fine density of apricot, nectarine, smoke and diesel fumes on the nose while the medium-bodied palate has a certain aged feel, showing good transparency and concentration of fruit.

Champagne Jacques Selosse Initial Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru, courtesy of Vic, 08 Jan 2020 at Imperial Treasure Paragon. Good colour. Dense deep earthy and yeasty characters with a resinous tone. Brightly lit with excellent concentration and intensity, displaying plenty of zest within the sheen of very fine bubbles that teased the palate with infinite sparkle, finishing with a hint of ferrous minerals.

2001 Weingut Beucher Riesling Trocken, courtesy of Vic, 08 Jan 2020 at Imperial Treasure Paragon. Lovely luminosity. Poised elegant bouquet of complex tropical fruits with a very fine, lithe and supple quality. Good inner clarity in spite of its mild diesel overtones, revealing excellent depth of complex citrus, pomelo and grapefruit that conferred some degree of sternness.

1996 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Chambolle-Musigny, courtesy of Sir Robert, 08 Jan 2020 at Imperial Treasure Paragon. Still deep ruby in colour, displaying deep dark plummy tones, red currants and cherries. Fleshy and supple, open with very fine intensity and acidity within a slim defined profile, a tad short. Excellent village.

1995 Domaine Louis Jadot Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru, courtesy of LF, 08 Jan 2020 at Imperial Treasure Paragon. Classic evolved pinot tint, exuding delicious soft aromas of red fruits and currants, highly enticing, matched by an open relaxed tone on the palate, displaying mild intensity and gentle depth with gritty earthy undertones. Excellent.

1989 Domaine des Lambrays Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru, courtesy of Sir Robert, 08 Jan 2020 at Imperial Treasure Paragon. Effusive bouquet of mature dark currants and berries. Still imbued with fleshy concentration of fruit and stern complex minerals, displaying fairly tight intensity that gradually opened up over time to reveal soft gentle aromas of sour plums. Caught at its peak. Excellent.

1989 Château Montrose, decanted on-site at Imperial Treasure Paragon, 08 Jan 2020. Brilliant deep garnet red with a lifted teasing earthy pungency, very lovely. Open and fleshy, displaying supple depth of cool ripe fruit caught at its prime amid overtones of cedar and cinnamon. Utterly seamless. Almost delicate. Excellent.

1976 Château Ausone, courtesy of Kieron, 08 Jan 2020 at Imperial Treasure Paragon. Still deep crimson in colour, proffering a very gentle earthy pungency on the nose with deeper notes of black berries and dark currants. Medium-bodied. Fleshy with good concentration of fruit with a lovely maturity, displaying complex characters amid tertiary tones of capsicum. Finished well with good linearity though it turned slightly dryish.

2002 Château Cos D’Estournel, decanted on-site at Peach Garden, OCBC Centre, 11 Jan 2020. Deep garnet red with some evolution, exuding a deep glowing bouquet of dark plums and mulberries with traces of licorice. Excellent fullness and ripeness, underscored by dryish textures tea leaves, structured with smooth tannins. Very well integrated, turning more plummy over time with more blackcurrants to the fore, developing superb lively acidity that added exciting biting intensity. Quite excellent. Peach Garden now charges SGD30++ for corkage while food is fairly ordinary – not recommended.

2003 Rockford Basket Press Shiraz, decanted on-site at Pasta Brava, 18 Jan 2020. Opaque purple. Effusive in menthol and liquorice with traces of graphite and smoky elements whilst the palate is imbued with dark plummy tones, tangerines, dried mushrooms and ferrous elements, open with fleshy suppleness and intensity on a cedary floor. Still youthful.

2009 Carpineto Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva, popped and poured at an early reunion dinner at Mak Hong Kee, 21 Jan 2020. Opaque dark purple, featuring dusty tones, dark wood and bramble. The initial gruffness gave way to a sweeter note after an hour with a greater intensity of emerging ripe fruits, laced with lively acidity. Needs plenty of time.

2000 Champagne Dom Pérignon P2, popped and poured over Lunar New Year Eve lunch at Otto Ristorante, 24 Jan 2020. Lovely luminosity. Dense aromas of complex citrus, green fruits, melons and pomelo intertwined with a delicate chalkiness and understated crème. Quite full. Rounded and open with fine detail on a base of ferrous undertones. Not the most profound of Dom but this wine is very lively and well balanced, gaining a bit of biting intensity towards the end as it finished with a minerally tinge.

2016 Château Peyrabon Lagravette, popped and poured from magnum (only SGD90!) at home on Lunar New Year, 25 Jan 2020. Red fruits, cherries and mulberries dominate with darkish tones, excellent in ripeness with a supple presence. Rounded with fine intensity and understated acidity amid ferrous undertones, tempered with a trace of minerally glare. Very good value.

2016 Penfolds Max’s The Promise, popped and poured at Dorothy’s place, 26 Jan 2020. Very dark. Excellent ripeness and concentration of blackcurrants and dark fruits tinged with early cedar amid subtle layers of liquorice and medicinal characters, displaying superb depth and lovely supple intensity. Great refinement, sophistication and balance, structured with rounded sweet tannins. Excellent, really.

2003 Domaine de Chevalier Rouge, decanted on-site over lunch at Bedrock Bar & Grill, 27 Jan 2020. Deep red with some evolution. Distinctly rosy on the nose though dark fruits, blackberries, briar and wild berries dominate on the palate, its ripeness tempered with stern saline minerals. Opened up with lovely suppleness, developing gentle sweet structured tannins with a minty glow.

The fourth edition of the La Paulée de Singapour, organised by The Vintage Club, was held on 17 January 2020 at the Grand Hyatt, Singapore. This time, Christophe and his boys have nailed it down quite perfectly: the tasting hall was spacious enough, the ambient temperature was perfectly cool, the excellent Burgundian cuisine was authentic and ample (no need to order extra fried rice) while the participation by winemakers and wine lovers was superb. The only bit of downside was the lack of a proper stage (nobody could see who was leading the ban bourguignon) and a proper sound system (the hotel’s one is poor). It was very good to see Stephen Follin-Arlebet again and, for me personally, to welcome Gregory Gouges, who still recalled my visit to Domaine Henri Gouges two years ago, on his first trip to Singapore. In spite of dinner being pushed back to 2030h, I still could not complete the tasting promenade, a testament to the copious volume and range available. Dinner got off to a riotous start straightaway which is the way it ought to be. As the evening wore on, my note-taking rapidly deteriorated, meaning I have absolutely no recollection of several other wines tasted at dinner. What a glorious orgy. Stick with the Grand Hyatt again for 2021, Christophe. Merci beaucoup!

Gregory Gouges (R)

2017 Domaine Lucien Muzard et Fils Santenay Champs Claude. Pale. Good clarity. Pepper and nutmeg on the nose with overtones of wild flowers. Excellent fullness and concentration, producing superb mouthfeel.

2015 Domaine Lucien Muzard et Fils Chassagne-Montrachet Morgeot 1er Blanc. Pale. Great bouquet, an alluring complex of dense summer hay and white flowers. Good transparency and layering on a backdrop of classic Chassagne minerality. Great charm and easy balance. Excellent.

2017 Domaine Lucien Muzard et Fils Santenay Vieilles Vignes. Soft glow of delicate rose petals and red fruits with a lovely floral fragrance. Medium-bodied, displaying very fine transparency and sleek acidity. Produced from 70 year-old vines.

2016 Domaine Lucien Muzard et Fils Santenay Maladiere 1er Rouge. Alluring rose petals and cherries. Medium-bodied. Delicate balance, showing very good refinement and acidity. Has a certain femininity and controlled power. Very fine.

2016 Domaine Lucien Muzard et Fils Santenay Clos de Tavannes Rouge. Red fruits and strawberries dominate with lovely feminine charm, displaying delicate balance and great acidity though less layered.

2017 Domaine Vincent Bouzereau Meursault. Full bouquet of white floral tones, imbued with delicate flinty minerals and fine concentration of clear citrus on the palate. Good subtle intensity and transparency.  Quite excellent.

2017 Domaine Vincent Bouzereau Meursault-Charmes 1er. Lovely delicate bouquet of wild flowers, grassy elements and nutmeg, all very subtle with understated power. Has a very natural unforced balance. Great refinement. Excellent.

2017 Domaine Vincent Bouzereau Meursault-Gouttes d’Or 1er. Pale. Powerful bouquet of complex yellow citrus and chalky minerals. Open with highly transparent textures that confer great delicacy.

2017 Domaine Vincent Bouzereau Meursault-Poruzots 1er. Pale. Closed on the nose though the palate is taut with tight intensity of wild grass and complex citrus, showing clear definition and delineation. Good finish.

2017 Domaine Vincent Bouzereau Corton Clos des Fietres Grand Cru. Clear and yellow citrus dominate with glowing charm on the nose though the open palate is distinctly more minerally, imbued with sleek acidity and some sweetness at the side. Very fine.

2014 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Échezeaux Grand Cru. Good colour. Powerful bouquet of cherries, raspberries, red fruits and roses. Open on the palate, beautifully ripe and supple. Gently layered with excellent refinement on a charcoal floor amid traces of earth, structured with highly refined understated tannins. Finished well with fine linearity. Excellent.

2017 Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-Saint-Georges. Great colour. Effusive bouquet of rose petals and red fruits, showing good purity with subtle power and intensity. Laced with very fine acidity but not overly taut. Open finish. Highly refined.

2018 Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-Saint-Georges. Effusive nose of rose petals. Considerably tighter and fuller, displaying superb balance and acidity. Structured with supple pliant tannins. Very lively. Persistent finish. Distinctly better than than the 2017. Great potential. Excellent.

2018 Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-Saint-Georges Clos Des Porrets 1er monopole. Great colour. Powerful exuberance of ripe cherries, red fruits and currants. Excellent presence with sublime acidity. Structured with seamlessly integrated supple tannins, showing very good definition and refinement. Excellent.

2018 Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Vaucrains 1er. Superb glow of delicious rose petals, cherries and strawberries, proffering a lovely perfumed fragrance. Open with refined suppleness, almost velvety, showing excellent depth and intensity of fruit with controlled power. Minerally finish. Excellent.

The beautiful Aurore Monot-Devillard of Château de Chamirey

2018 Château de Chamirey Mercurey La Mission 1er. Lifted effusive bouquet of nutmeg, wild grass and complex citrus, very inviting. Softly rounded with an easy charm, showing great clarity and transparency, finishing with traces of white pepper. Consistently good, but the unbeatable 2014 and 2017 score better on the palate.

2014 Château de Chamirey Mercurey Clos du Roi 1er. Dense powerful bouquet of sweet red fruits and glycerine. Medium-bodied, carrying very good concentration and acidity with open transparency and refined elegance.

2015 Château de Chamirey Mercurey Les Cinq 1er. A blend of the best five premier cru sites of Mercurey, hence its name. This wine opens with a sweet nose of glycerine, tightly structured with very good concentration and layering. Not at all overwhelming. Good refinement.

2018 Château de Chamirey Mercurey Les Cinq 1er. Great colour and clarity, exuding rose petals and raspberries with a hint of malt and rye. Imbued with great power though this wine is distinctly more restrained with a controlled intensity compared with the 2015. Highly refined delicate balance, finishing well.

2017 Domaine de la Ferte Givry. Effusive in red fruits and cherries with a forward easy balance, though somewhat thin on the palate.

2017 Domaine du Roc des Boutires Pouilly-Fuissé. Pale. Effusive in grassy elements, morning dew and clear citrus with overtones of raw nutmeg. Remarkably lithe and delicate with fine presence, poised with sleek refinement and great elegance. Good finish. Highly attractive.

2018 Domaine du Roc des Boutires Pouilly-Fuissé Aux Bouthieres. Great bouquet of complex fruit and lifted floral tones, highly detailed in spite of the dense aromas. Medium-full. Imbued with excellent concentration of fruit that seemed to impart oily textures with a white peppery glowing mouthfeel, very evenly toned with controlled power, displaying great balance and length. As good as the 2016, if not better. Excellent.

2018 Domaine du Roc des Boutires Pouilly-Fuissé En Bertilione. Dense full bouquet of white flowers and citrus, imbued with a delicate chalkiness amidst ample concentration of fruit, yielding fine definition and cutting acidity that seemed just a little sharp at the edges.

The Dean getting a pour from Stephen Follin-Arlebet

2017 Domaine du Château de Meursault Meursault Les Charmes Dessus 1er. Jeroboam. Mint, icing and white pepper dominate with good lift whilst the palate is imbued with a distinct salinity amid excellent presence of raw nutmeg and citrus, imparting great verve with superb racy tension, minerally depth and intensity. Excellent.

2017 Domaine du Château de Meursault Meursault-Perrières 1er. Lovely nose of saline minerals, white flowers and delicate chalk matched with excellent concentration and superb acidity that conferred taut tension and intensity. Highly exuberant and racy, finishing with great persistence. Excellent.

2017 Domaine de Montille Puligny-Montrachet Le Cailleret 1er. Cool refined aristocratic nose of complex white fruits, tangy citrus and grassy elements with a suggestion of depth, displaying very fine concentration of fruit with a distinct salinity, fullness, layering and depth that add up to a very correct sense of plumpness, revealing fine inner detail and great balance as it tapered to a lasting finish. A wine of impeccable pedigree which is, perhaps, not surprising as Le Cailleret directly abuts Montrachet Grand Cru along the same longitude (just separated by a small lane), and Montille’s plot is sited nearest.

2017 Domaine Tollot-Beaut Chorey-les-Beaune. Red fruits dominate on the nose with a forward balance. Has good concentration, acidity and intensity but still very tightly wound. Not ready.

2017 Domaine Tollot-Beaut Corton Bressandes Grand Cru. Powerful layered bouquet of red fruits and summer hay. Open with intense concentration of fruit on a base of ferrous minerals, structured with pliant tannins.

2018 Domaine Bruno Clair Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru. Deep ruby. Open with lovely suppleness, displaying very fine concentration and intensity of fruit with sleek acidity. Slightly forward and exuberant though quite seamlessly integrated. Gentle finish.

2018 Domaine Bruno Clair Gevrey-Chambertin Clos-Saint-Jacques 1er. Bright crimson, proffering a distilled essence of red fruits and cherries with superb purity. Open with highly refined concentration and intensity. Poised with supple elegance. Good integration but a tad short.

2018 Domaine Bruno Clair Gevrey-Chambertin Les Cazetiers 1er. Red fruits and dark cherries dominate with fine concentration and taut acidity, brimming with bright intensity as it tapered to a linear finish.

2014 Domaine Leflaive Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, courtesy of Kok Hong. Pale. Restrained on the nose but the palate is imbued with fabulous concentration of white fruits and white floral tones, openly layered with excellent depth though rather understated in intensity. Superbly poised with refined elegance. Excellent.

1996 Domaine Robert Ampeau Puligny-Montrachet Les Combottes 1er, courtesy of Vic. Deep golden lustre. Very good concentration of citrus and white fruits, still laced with great acidity that ensured a lithe presence with remarkable freshness, poised with elegant complexity. Superb.

2009 Joseph Drouhin Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, courtesy of David Tan. Rather full. Great concentration of citrus fruits showing a bit of early maturity that danced across the palate with lovely deftness on a velvety backdrop of chalky crème de la crème, exuding tremendous but controlled power. Still youthful. Excellent.

2014 Domaine Arnaud Ente Meursault. Closed. Delicate. Great presence of white fruits and chalky minerals poised with delicate balance, displaying great clarity and lift.

2010 Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Pruliers 1er. Good colour, showing some early evolution. Great concentration of serious dark fruits and currants that convey wonderful verve and biting intensity against a backdrop of velvety textures, delightfully deft. Excellent.

2006 Domaine Louis Jadot Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru, courtesy of LF. Jeroboam. Dark. Great presence of warm dark fruits and currants, showing excellent ripeness and great tension across the palate, yet rather lithe in spite of its fullness. Excellent.

2009 Domaine Dujac Clos de la Roche Grand Cru, courtesy of David Tan. Dense warm bouquet of delicious red fruits, beautifully ripe with excellent concentration. Rounded and fleshy, imbued with a certain salinity, very seamlessly integrated. Superb.

2011 Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Saint Georges 1er, courtesy of Kieron. Lovely abundance of cool dark fruits, ripe and rounded with excellent fullness and great acidity, deeply layered with subtle saline ferrous elements. Excellent.

2014 Domaine Pierre Damoy Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Tamisot, courtesy of Akhil. This over-achieving village exudes a distinct plumminess within an even tone of red fruits tinted with ferrous minerals. Structured but accommodating. Very fine.

1949 Domaine Chanson Beaune Clos des Mouche 1er. Beautiful bouquet, distinctly mature with a refined sweetness, imbued with velvety red fruits. Still amazingly fresh with superb sleek acidity. Receded a little after some time but still astonishingly present and alive, finishing well. Amazing!

2010 Domaine Meo Camuzet Vosne-Romanée, courtesy of Sanjay. Dark. Effusive in sweet red fruits and cherries on the nose though the fruit is surprisingly backward on the palate within a narrow spectrum, dominated more by sleek acidity and saline minerals.

2012 Domaine Michel Noellat Vosne-Romanée Les Suchots 1er, courtesy of CHS. Dark. Sleek. Effusive in red cherries and mulberries, excellent in concentration with a youthful intensity though not the opulent sort.

1996 Domaine Trapet Père et Fils Chambertin Grand Cru, courtesy of Sir Robert. Dark. Excellent presence of sweet dark currants and tangerines, rounded with lovely depth. Delicious.

1998 Domaine Louis Jadot Corton Grand Cru, courtesy of Sandy. Magnum. General reductive tone of aged tangerines, apples and pears with an overall chalkiness though the fruit has receded far too much. Rustic and somewhat gruff.

2014 Domaine du Château de Meursault Pommard Clos des Epenots 1er. Jeroboam. Dark. Ripe wild berries and dark currants dominate with great concentration and striking acidity, conjuring up a finish of searing intensity. Far from ready.