Ric's Wine Journal

One of the most wonderful sights when heading up north on the D2 highway in Bordeaux must be the view from the gentle hilltop just after passing the lion’s gate of Château Léoville Las-Cases, where its vines merge seamlessly with those of Château Latour on the right, followed by the sight of Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande yonder while its “sibling” Château Pichon Longueville Baron lies directly opposite across the road. To see such great estates within such close proximity to one another really sets the pulse racing. The greater wonder is the fact that the grand vin of each of these estates is still able to exert its own unique identity even though they share virtually the same microclimate. In fact, I remembered during a visit to Pichon Lalande in 2008 that a small plot of vines within the estate right in front of its office actually belonged to neighbouring Latour! An intriguing theme, therefore, would be a comparison of these estates side-by-side vintage-for-vintage, and we hit upon Baron versus Lalande across the road at a dinner of the Jürade de Saint-Emilion du Singapour on 31 October 2019 held at the private dining of Karl and Eugenia at Kheam Hock. In spite of advanced planning, though, it turned out when the line-up unfolded that evening that we had only two vintages – 1996 and 2003 – that fit the plan, for a proposed pairing of 2000 failed to materialise when a Léoville Barton (!) was brought instead of a Baron. And, incredibly, there was another Barton on the table as well. Nevertheless, in spite of having been blinded, it was almost always possible to correctly identify a Baron from a Lalande, the former more masculine, structured and denser while the latter was consistently softer with a vegetal touch from its petit verdot. My thanks to everyone for their generosity.

2007 Champagne Henriot Millésime, poured from magnum. Gentle notes of cream, icing and green melons. Good crisp fullness with traces of dry toast at the sides. Dry with fine acidity and tension, finishing with a faint white floral bloom.

2006 Le Sillage de Malartic (courtesy of Stephen). Tasted blind. Light greenish hue. Deep bouquet of diesel petroleum. Distinctly lighter on the palate with a deep streak of white fruits, showing good density of fruit with some minerally glow. Excellent freshness. Exuded more floral bloom on the nose after some time, developing a brighter minerally tone at the same time. Excellent.

2004 Vintage Tunina (courtesy of Stephen). Light greenish hue, proffering tangerines and citrus on the nose with fair complexity on the palate, slightly forward in characters of aged nectarine and incense. Highly aromatic with a sappy quality, layered with fine depth. Finished with a touch of sternness. Very fine.

2015 Domaine de L’Arlot Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Clos de L’Arlot, courtesy of Russ. Quite full. Exudes a perfumed floral fragrance, distinctively feminine, textured with lovely depth. Very fine presence and elegance, displaying excellent depth and transparency with a faint minerally glow amidst overtones of tropical fruit, becoming more minerally over time.

2008 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande. Deep purple core. Lovely floral bloom and fragrance tinted with a hint of soy, snuff and haw on the nose. Excellent presence, intensity of fruit and linearity, finishing well with a touch of green. Still quite primal.

1997 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, courtesy of Marc. More evolved but still dark. Quite effusive and open on the nose, featuring capsicum with some dark cherries. Surprisingly full and open with lovely suppleness. Distinctly feminine and fleshy with a certain deftness, developing further notes of soy with overtones of green pepper, finishing with lasting intensity and persistent afterglow. Quite superb!

2003 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande. Deep garnet core, exuding a gentle deep perfumed fragrance. Supple with taut acidity and intensity though open enough to reveal excellent depth. Quite sensuous, finishing with a vegetal trace from the petit verdot that is the hallmark of this estate.

2003 Château Pichon Longueville Baron. Deep crimson, glowing with deep dark plums. Open with lovely suppleness and intensity, amply endowed with ripe raspberries amid discernible traces of varnish and enamel that added to its sweet lengthy finish. Still highly youthful.

1996 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, courtesy of Kieron. Poured from magnum. Deep crimson, proffering a classic Pauillac nose of tobacco and snuff. Good density on the palate with a dryish quality, imbued with red plums, gentle dark currants, cherries and capsicum. Very rounded and wonderfully supple with very well-integarted acidity, finishing with a bit of earthiness. Delicious.

1996 Château Pichon Longueville Baron. Deep crimson, slightly evolved. Distinctly dryish with a predominance of snuff on both nose and palate. Medium-bodied. Rather fleshy, generously imbued with fruit that is considerably darker in tone and more structured than Lalande of the same vintage, underscored by a deeper vein of currants.

2000 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, courtesy of Sandy. Bright crimson. Seductive feminine bouquet with some capsicum, slightly spicy. Open and supple, displaying excellent fruit quality with faint overtones of snuff tinged with a dash of Pauillac dryness, dressed in velvety tannins. Still youthful.

2000 Château Léoville Barton, courtesy of Melvin. Deep crimson. Closed on the nose though the palate is generously proportioned with mulberries, violets and wild berries framed within a velvety tannin structure. Still not quite ready.

2003 Château Léoville Barton, courtesy of Baron. Dark, dense and tight. Reluctant. Not ready.

2017 Domaine Louis Moreau Chablis, a half bottle at La Taperia, 02 Nov 2019. Excellent richly detailed bouqet, gleaming with finely chiselled chalky expanse amid excellent depth of white fruits. Very good concentration and presence, layered with deep streak of saline minerals that revealed fine inner definition. Lovely rounded elegance and transparency, developing greater intensity of citrus over time. Persistent finish of white pepper. Quite excellent, proving that you cannot go wrong with any 2017 Burgundy white.

2016 Henri Magnien Gevrey-Chambertin, popped and poured at Otto Ristorante, 09 Nov 2019. Very dark for pinot. Lovely fragrance of ripe raspberries, mulberries dark berries and haw amid traces of smoke. Medium-bodied. Well-structured with lively acidity and understated ferrous elements, softly cushioned with abundant delicious dark fruits and currants. Almost velvety in its inner detail with a dark intensity but not imposing, developing a more effusive glow of red fruits over time with a little more salinity. Gentle finish. Quite fine.

2016 Ch Ducasse, from the list of restaurant Wolfgang on 14 Nov 2019. Dark deep purple. Nose of warm gravel and dark currants with some earthiness, slightly savoury. Good concentration of ripe dark fruits and wild berries underscored by gravelly minerals, with a cleanly defined intensity, not too tight, finishing on a note of distinct ferrous elements.

2017 Albert Morot Beaune Les Aigrots 1er, at a GEH party on 22 Nov 2019. Luminous, exuding a high-toned gentle chalky creaminess. Medium-full. Very good concentration of fruit with characters of spiced pear, opening up with fine minerality and intensity, finishing well with a white floral bloom.

2017 Chardonnay by Farr at a GEH party on 22 Nov 2019. Faint greenish hue, displaying dry chalky tones with good definition and focus. Very good in density and concentration, spiced with traces of white pepper.

2017 Cervaro by Antinori, at a GEH party on 22 Nov 2019. Good colour. Fresh faint minty hues. Fleshy, showing very fine concentration of fruit and acidity amid traces of green capsicum and nutmeg. Good definition. Full but open.

1995 Château de Beaucastel (courtesy of Annabelle), at a GEH party on 22 Nov 2019. Deep garnet core with evolved rim, proffering a distant earthy medicinal nose amid ample tones of dark cherries, raspberries, wild berries and currants. Open, fleshy and rounded with a relaxed feel, showing good concentration and acidity with tremendous verve on  a minerally floor, finishing with spicy length. Quite excellent.

2016 Ch Peyrebon Lagravette, poured from magnum at a GEH party on 22 Nov 2019. Shut, proffering only glimpses of mulberries, bramble and  briar with a faint earthiness. Darkly intense. Ample in dark fruits and blackberries with just a vegetal trace, structured with taut acidity and sophisticated sweet supple tannins. At only SGD90 (for a magnum!) off the shelf, this is great value though it will benefit from another few more years of cellaring.

Putien

Champagne Egly Ouriet Blanc de Noirs Grand Cru, courtesy of Ooi CJ at Putien (Kitchener Rd), 22 Nov 2019. Sharp definition of grapefruit, aged tangerines and apricot with a dense floral fragrance on the nose. Dry, displaying intense clear and yellow citrus with overtones of burnt toast amid hints of dark fruits and longans. Finished with a superb lift of stern ferrous minerals.

2008 Champagne Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill, at Putien (Kitchener Rd), 22 Nov 2019. Green fruits, fig and nutmeg dominate on the nose, exuding subtle intensity and lift with a suggestion of early complexity. Open with lovely dryness though somewhat stern and narrow in white fruits and dense minerally tones. Needs to flesh out.

2010 Domaine des Comte Lafon Meursault-Groutte d’Or 1er, courtesy of Vic at Putien (Kitchener Rd), 22 Nov 2019. Shut, proffering just faint notes of green fruits. The palate is dominated by a fairly rich minerally tone, open with dry intensity. Best to re-visit after another five years.

2006 Kistler Vine Hill Vineyard, courtesy of CHS at Putien (Kitchener Rd), 22 Nov 2019. Fullish creamy chalkiness on the nose. Very well layered on the palate with a slight dominance of green elements, showing good transparency with very fine inner detail, fleshing out over time with excellent tone of pomelo and stern citrus.

2014 Williams Selyem Eastside Road Neighbors Pinot Noir, courtesy of LF at Putien (Kitchener Rd), 22 Nov 2019. Deep impenetrable purple. Deep intense bouquet of blackberries and currants that led to a pronounced tone of cherries and mulberries on the palate, richly layered with fine intensity. Open, soft and rounded. Yet to develop complexity.

2000 Ch Haut Bailly, at Putien (Kitchener Rd), 22 Nov 2019. Deep garnet red with some early evolution. Effusive glowing earthy pungency, imbued with rich layers of black fruits and currants, laced with sleek acidity and very fine ferrous elements. Beautifully open.

2012 Ch Pichon Baron Longueville, courtesy of MH at Putien (Kitchener Rd), 22 Nov 2019. Impenetrable deep purple, imbued with dense concentration of sweet dark berries, black currants and early cedary characters. Open with the classic Pauillac dryness but far from ready.

2005 Domaine de la Solitude Reserve Secrete, courtesy of CHS at Putien (Kitchener Rd), 22 Nov 2019. Deep garnet red, layered with very fine concentration of sweet blueberries that exude fabulous dry intensity.

Putien

Champagne Bollinger RD 1996, courtesy of CW at Jade Palace, 25 Nov 2019. Lovely luminosity. Distinct diesel fumes on the nose, lifted with clean precision on a palate of solid chalky tones with scattered fig, displaying superb freshness, intensity and complexity amidst attractive oxidative notes, finishing with good linearity. Excellent.

2009 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, courtesy of Dr Ngoi at Jade Palace, 25 Nov 2019. Faint light grassy elements on the nose. Equally restrained on the palate with subdued acidity and subtle graphite minerals that produce a certain translucency. It snapped into focus much later with more detail and delicate citrus to the fore along with a greater depth of jackfruit. Best to lay down further.

2006 Anne et Jean-Francois Ganevat Cotes du Jura Cuvée Prestige Savagnin, courtesy of CW at Jade Palace, 25 Nov 2019. Powerful pronounced note of malt, peat and kerosene that pervaded throughout its length. Still incredibly full, tight and frighteningly intense, underscored by striking acidity. Not for the faint-hearted.

2014 Chateau de Marsannay Chambertin Grand Cru, at Jade Palace, 25 Nov 2019. Deep plummy colour with a dominant tone of red cherries. Highly supple with very good concentration and fullness, displaying excellent purity, smoothness and definition though without the opulence and plumpness, layered with subtle minerals. Grew in brilliance over time as it began gelling together. Great value.

1997 J Rochioli East Block Pinot Noir, courtesy of CW at Jade Palace, 25 Nov 2019. Made from vines planted at the northern edge of Russian River Valley in the late 1960s. Dark reddish-brown. Powerful minty nose of medicinal tones, dark plums and menthol. Full, rounded and supple. Displays greater immediacy and warmth than usual for pinot with lovely purity of fruit, layered with deeper streaks of dark currants. Still remarkably youthful. Excellent.

2001 Ch Cheval Blanc, courtesy of Dr Ngoi at Jade Palace, 25 Nov 2019. Deep impenetrable purple, exuding some earthy pungency amid abundant dark fruits and currants that is well-replicated on the palate. Full with ripe open intensity, infused with darker notes of soy and bramble. Rounded with lovely suppleness, displaying some early maturity with a slight earthiness towards the finish but this is still a young wine. Don’t waste it.

2001 Ch Margaux, courtesy of CW at Jade Palace, 25 Nov 2019. Deep impenetrable crimson, exuding fabulous aromas amid herbal undertones of dried mushrooms. Rounded with great fleshy suppleness, very seamlessly integrated though it lacks inner detail and opulence. Nevertheless, this is a classic claret in every way, taking on a great hallowed glow as it sat in the glass. Excellent.

2004 Ch Leoville Poyferre, popped and poured at restaurant Ibid, 26 Nov 2019. Deep impenetrable purple, proffering a lovely glow of cinnamon, mulberries, raspberries and dark currants. Beautifully ripe. Very good concentration of fruit, rather darkish in character with a deep plummy tone, structured with dryish dusty tannins on a cedary floor, developing with fine acidity and intensity over time. Drinking well

Bruno Paillard Cuvée Premium NV, served at the preview of 67 Pall Mall, 27 Nov 2019. Dry toasty characters on the nose, matched with a juicy palate of intense lime, citrus, apricot and grapefruit that imparted a bit of stern demeanour though there is a distinct sweetness at the finish.

2015 Domaine Pierre Labet Meursault Les Tillets, served at the preview of 67 Pall Mall, 27 Nov 2019. Effusive in sweet tropical fruits, pineapples and apricot. Unashamedly forward with great presence, detail and acidity, developing a glazed quality on the palate after some time.

2016 Domaine Leflaives Macon-Verze, served at the preview of 67 Pall Mall, 27 Nov 2019. Lovely aromatics with a forward balance of green fruits and melons, generously layered with tropical fruits and pineapples on the palate, displaying fine presence with subdued acidity against a backdrop of recessed minerals.

2014 Domaine Pierre Labet Beaune 1er Coucherias, served at the preview of 67 Pall Mall, 27 Nov 2019. Darker shade of pinot, exuding an attractive lift of delicious dark fruits and berries with a lovely floral fragrance. A little more forward in dark cherries on the palate but the overall balance is quite impeccable, opening up after some time to reveal excellent concentration and intensity but never threatening to overwhelm. Good refinement.

2011 Ch Gazin, served at the opening of AVHC, 30 Nov 2019. Quite brightly lit with characters of warm gravel, plummy fruit, dark currants and wild berries. Fleshy and rounded though without much detail nor complexity.

2010 Ch Phelan Segur, served at the opening of AVHC, 30 Nov 2019. This wine opens with a lovely lifted earthiness, imbued with layers of ripe dark fruits, berries and black currants that impart excellent fullness and presence, highly detailed with a graphite sparkle. Very seamlessly integrated with sleek acidity and fine intensity, finishing with velvety sophisticated tannins. Excellent.

These are notes from a recent trip to Cape Town, South Africa – highly recommended for its stunning beauty, rich cultural heritage, beautiful people, wildlife, excellent food and, of course, its wines. I must admit I’ve not really been exposed to South African wines but my day trip on 10 December 2019 to the regions of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek was a real eye-opener. The vineyards and estates are beautifully managed with real sophistication, and it appears that almost every wine estate comes with a full-fledged classy restaurant. I can certainly vouch that the quality of the wine produced is extremely high at prices that are very friendly although I doubt the latter will stay this way forever. Vines have been grown in South Africa since the Dutch first arrived in the 17th century. Because of that, the locals tend to think of their wines as Old World but, to me, they are distinctly New World as there are no laws governing viticulture and production. Irrigation is allowed, amongst other things, and, as such, the actual characteristics of terroir struggle for identity. Nevertheless, one should not hesitate to delve deeper into South African wines for there is much to enjoy and partake. Just be sure to allow for some bottle age and aeration. The following wines were all tasted at their respective estates, unless otherwise stated.

2018 Paul Cluver Elgin Riesling, 09 Dec 2019 at Two Oceans restaurant, Cape of Good Hope. Pale. Delightful bouquet of peaches and tropical fruit with very good concentration of fruit with an illusion of fizz on the palate, producing excellent mouthfeel. Has a certain crystalline quality layered with a deeper streak of refined earthiness and ferrous minerals, displaying good balance, precision and lively acidity. Not too crisp, finishing with sweet overtones. Quite excellent.

2018 Meerlust Chardonnay. Aged in 50% new French barrels. Hint of oiliness on a nose dominated by white floral tones along with some creamy chalkiness. Very fresh and clean, displaying good concentration, definition and acidity on a palate underscored by ferrous minerals. Very fine.

2017 Meerlust Pinot Noir. Darker in colour and tone, recalling ripe raspberries and cranberries. Good definition and integration with fine acidity, though rather narrow and tight. From 21 year-old vines, aged in 50% French Allier barrels.

2016 Meerlust Merlot. Actually a blend, containing 10% cabernet franc and 5% petit verdot. Deep garnet red. Some lovely earthiness amid a hint of capsicum with a vegetal trace. Concentrated with clean tight acidity that confer great power and structured tannins. Distinctly masculine.

2016 Meerlust Cabernet Sauvignon. Aged 16 months in French oak. Very dark with a distinct phenolic nose of black fruits. Medium-full. Exudes a very natural unforced presence, very well balanced with subtle acidity and intensity, finishing with sweet undertones. Very fine.

2016 Meerlust Rubicon, a blend of 49% cabernet sauvignon, 28% merlot, 20% cabernet franc and 3% petit verdot. Lifted aromas of very dark velvety fruit, mocha and dark chocolate that led to a classic cabernet palate of earthy dark fruits that oozed with lovely juicy sweetness, quite seamlessly structured with fine acidity and dark intensity, finishing well.

2016 Jordan MCC Blanc de Blancs. Fermented in 70% wood and 30% in stainless steel vats and aged for 36 months on lees. Lovely colour tinged with green, proffering gentle notes of yeast and distant green fruits and citrus. More intense on the palate with a forward balance of lime and citrus tinged of bitter lemon, showing very clean precision with fine detail and linearity within a body of very fine bubbles, not too dry. Very attractive.

2018 Jordan Barrel Fermented Chardonnay. Aged in 50% new French burgundy barrels. Good colour. More buttery on the nose with overtones of lavender, white floral notes and spices. Very good in concentration, glowing with lovely intensity of fruit, revealing fine inner detail underscored by a subtle trace of ferrous minerals. Very well balanced. Very fine.

2018 Jordan Nine Yards Chardonnay. Made from  29 year-old vines with a limited production of 10 barrels max. Seems Richard Branson had a hand in the naming of this wine. Deep yellowish-greenish tinge, proffering green fruits, butterscotch and incense on a nose that is almost Puligny-like. Quite open, layered with good concentration of fruit, crème, traces of nutmeg, green elements, spice and subdued chalk with a bit of plumpness. Very well-integrated and balanced with a very natural unforced feel. Very Burgundian in character. Excellent.

2016 Jordan The Long Fuse Cabernet Sauvignon, grown from vines grafted with Californian cuttings. Dark deep purple. Ample in dark cherries and dark plums with a hint of spice and capsicum, tinged with dark chocolate. Good balance. Drinking well.

2015 Jordan Cobblers Hill. A Bordeaux blend aged in 100% new large French barrels. Displaying a brilliant deep crimson, this wine exudes generous aromas of black currants, cassis and black cherries tinged with chocolate and mocha. Richly layered with dark plummy tones on a classic cabernet palate with sweet velvety tones. Seamlessly integrated and well proportioned, structured with highly refined sophisticated tannins.

2014 Jordan Sophia. Only 900 bottles annually, available only at auction. A blend of 58% cabernet sauvignon, 29% merlot and 13% cabernet franc, this is only the second release after 2013, aged for 28 months in large French barrels. Deep garnet red. Reticent now, hinting at some red capsicum. Open, fleshy and rounded with good concentration, displaying balanced lively acidity with an understated subtle tannin structure. Quietly poised with excellent refinement without betraying its 14.5% abv. Very elegant.

2019 De Morgenzon DMZ Chenin Blanc. Fresh morning dew with grassy elements. Very good concentration of pears with a hint of longans, imparting excellent crisp freshness and zest with fine intensity. Drinking well.

2017 De Morgenzon Reserve Chenin Blanc. Aged in 30% new French oak. Quite open. Excellent crisp freshness with a dash of morning dew and a bit of creamy buttery character. Rounded with very good concentration and inner definition of green melons, fig and smouldering ember. Very well structured. There’s a lot going on in there waiting to be resolved through the passage of time. Excellent potential.

2018 De Morgenzon DMZ Chardonnay. Fresh morning dew, nutmeg with some crème on the nose. Very good concentration of fruit underscored by the classic chalkiness of chardonnay with overtones of green capsicum., showing good definition. Not plump. Easy on the palate.

2018 De Morgenzon Reserve Chardonnay. Good colour. Richer in delicate minerals than the DMZ above. Rounded with notes of spiced pear and raw nutmeg, almost burnished in tone. Excellent concentration and balance, finishing with great refinement. Very correct. Quite excellent.

2016 De Morgenzon Maestro Red. A Bordeaux blend of 39% cabernet sauvignon, 38% merlot, 13% cabernet franc and 10% malbec. Displaying a deep garnet red, the wine exudes dryish nose of malt, rye, dark fruits and dark chocolate with a suggestion of iron ore. Rounded and fleshy. Quite open with a predominance of deep black fruits with a hint of green capsicum and bell pepper, showing very good integration between the fruit, acidity and velvety tannins. Good sophistication. Quite excellent.

2017 De Morgenzon Maestro Blue, a blend of 58% syrah, 26% grenache noir and 10% mouvedre. Deep garnet red. Shut on the nose, proffering just glimpses of dark fruits and blackberries with a trace of forest characters. Excellent fullness, displaying dark spicy tones on a bed of sweet velvety tannins. Highly harmonious and open. Very successful.

At De Morgenzon, the vines enjoy serious classical music 24/7

2017 Kanonkop Kadette Pinotage. Made from 30 year-old vines, aged in 2-3 year-old oak. Darkly coloured, proffering deep dark currants on the nose. Excellent in concentration with a sharply defined accentuated palate, rather spicy in its lively acidity. Full but soft enough at the edges. Accessible.

2017 Kanonkop Estate Pinotage. From 55 year-old vines, aged for 16 months in 75% new oak. Very dark. Less forward than the Kadette but generously endowed with abundant warm ripe fruit that is overshadowed by lively acidity. Rather dark in tone, showing good detail, structured with velvety tannins at its spicy finish.

2018 Kanonkop Kadette Cabernet Sauvignon. Made from 24 year-old vines. Deep garnet red, exuding characters of earth and forest floor with bright plummy tones. Good fullness. Very fine in concentration, acidity and intensity, underscored by distinct ferrous elements and earthy minerals.

2015 Kanonkop Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. From 24 year-old vines, aged in 50% French oak. Impenetrably dark. Concentrated nose of medicinal characters and licorice. Full, fleshy but tight. Ample in cool ripe fruit that exude darkish tones. Boldly structured with lively acidity. Still tannic at this stage.

2016 Kanonkop Paul Sauer, the estate’s flagship, a blend of 67% cabernet sauvignon, 24% merlot and 9% cabernet franc. Deep dark ruby, displaying ripe dark cherries and currants on the nose with good early complexity. Open and fleshy with excellent presence, imbued with an intense streak of deep dark fruit amid fleeting subtle acidity. Highly supple. Excellent.

2017 Kanonkop Black Label Pinotage. A cross between pinot noir and hermitage coming from a 2.5 ha plot planted in 1953, producing only 5000 bottles annually. Very deep impenetrable purple, hinting at very dark sweet currants, black fruits and dark cherries with traces of rye. Concentration, rounded and supple, amply layered with dense black fruits and fine acidity, displaying great balance and control in spite of its ample proportions, finishing with highly refined dryish tannins that reveal gritty detail amid traces of sweet.

2019 La Motte Sauvignon Blanc. Pale. Attractive bouquet of grassy elements with the intensity of wild flowers and nutmeg on the nose amid some earthiness. Concentrated with dry crisp cutting acidity and sharp intensity, lit with bright minerally tones.

2018 La Motte Pierneef Sauvignon Blanc. Unwooded, aged for 11 months in stainless steel tanks. Grassy elements dominate with spicy tones of green capsicum, chilli and raw nutmeg. Rather full. Plenty of vibrant acidity and detail on a floor of dry earthy ferrous minerals.

2017 La Motte Millenium. Mainly merlot and cabernet franc. Dark, intense phenolic characters. Full presence of dark fruits and wild berries, endowed with great acidity that impart sharp intensity and attack before tapering to a dry crisp finish.

2017 La Motte Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark fruits, mahogany, ripe wild berries and strawberries on the nose. Open and lithe, rather full, imbued with very fine intensity and acidity on a backdrop of dry dusty tannins with traces of vegetal forest floor, finishing with a dash of spice.

2018 La Motte Franschhoek Chardonnay. Aged in both wooded and unwooded sources. Distinctly more buttery and creamy on the nose. Full-bodied. Crisp with very good concentration, showing clean precision and sharp acidity with overtones of green chilli and white pepper. Very taut at this stage, not yielding much detail.

2017 La Motte Franschhoek Syrah. Dark. Abundant in ripe wild berries with a classic warm syrah character. Supple, clean and tight, imbued with raspberries, spices and some early development of cedar, finishing on a hot spicy note.

2016 La Motte Pierneef Syrah Viognier. A Northern Rhóne blend containing 5% viognier. Dark. Ample in warm dark fruits and currants amid traces of vanillin. Full but slimly defined with a firm acidic spine that imparted sharp attack and intensity. Unyielding.

2016 Grande Provence TGP White Flagship, comprising 60% chenin blanc, 30% viognier and 10% chardonnay. Good colour. Shy with a slight earthy pungency. Rather unusual palate where creamy tones are offset by sharper note of raw nutmeg, bell pepper and spice. Taut and narrow in spectrum, underscored by ferrous minerals.

2016 Grande Provence TGP Amphora, comprising 99% chenin blanc topped with 1% muscat. Fermented in clay pot. Clear golden lustre. Shy, proffering white floral tones and dense chalk on the nose. Medium-full. Spicy with a lean acidic spine, almost austere. Not enough fruit balance.

2015 Grande Provence TGP Red Flagship, comprising 60% merlot, 30% cabernet sauvignon and 10% malbec. Very dark. Full presence of dark fruits, black cherries and currants. Warm, ripe and acidic with overtones of licorice and charcoal. Powerfully structured but tight and unyielding.

Venue: Jade Palace, Singapore, on 02 December 2019 with the usual suspects – thank you!!

Wine theme: OLD BUT NEW. Is that young Old World or old New World? Or Old World that’s seldom tried? Or an entirely new experience? Use your imagination!

2011 Champagne Pierre Peters Les Chetillons. Poured from a pair. Pale. Good depth of light toast with yeasty overtones. Well-integrated with crisp acidity on the palate, fleshing out with more weight and juicy citrus amid bright minerally tones, grapefruit and pomelo, finishing in a powerful glowing intensity of white flowers. Drinking well though it doesn’t quite possess the extended depth and complexity of the best vintages.

2017 Château de Chamirey Mercurey La Mission 1er. Poured from a pair. Reticent at first, proffering just distant chalk though its excellence was immediately apparent on the palate, exuding a certain regal elegance with a very Puligny-like rich gleaming tone that imparted superb mouthfeel, displaying great presence and early complexity from the deep layers of chalk and white flowers with overtones of raw nutmeg that culminated in a controlled gentle lift of white pepper at the finish. Outstanding in every way.

2006 Champagne Salon, courtesy of CJ. Pale with restrained notes of delicate clear citrus, displaying cool tones with some early complexity of ash and sweet incense amid some feminine fragrance, cloaked in very fine bubbles that yielded good detail. Excellent potential but best to refrain from popping any of these for another 5-6 years.

2000 Domaine de Chevalier Rouge. Poured from a pair, decanted on-site. Deep ruby. This wine exudes a superb pungent earthiness that can only mean Pessac-Leognan while delicious dark currants, cedar and the hallowed glow of aged plums dominate on the palate with well-defined proportions amid overtones of ash and incense, fleshing out well with highly refined exciting tannins and sublime acidity. Excellent.

2015 Domaine Pierre-Yves Colin Morey Meursault Les Nauvaux, courtesy of LF. Superb bouquet of truffles, complex citrus, earth and floral fragrance. Equally arresting on the palate with a vivacious display of tremendous drive, freshness and superb intensity from a great body of fruit that hinted at pineapples and apricot with some early complexity amidst lovely floral tones, all superbly balanced without being overwhelming. Outstanding.

2013 Kistler Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, courtesy of Sanjay. Deep pinot tint. Intense vibrant nose of raspberries and dark cherries that carry over to the medium-full palate with tremendous verve, deeply layered with sweet ripe fruit that recall longans, unashamedly masculine though very well balanced throughout, structured with sophisticated tannins. Very unique.

2014 Peregrine The Pinnacle, courtesy of MH. Lovely tint. This New Zealand pinot from Central Otago opens with a superb gentle bouquet that led seamlessly to a velvety palate, very well-proportioned and balanced with excellent presence, warmth and depth. Distinctly elegant and feminine without any hint of over-extraction, finishing with a delicious glow of raspberries, currants and mulberries. Would have been very difficult to place had we been blinded. Superb.

1989 Three Rivers Dry Grown Shiraz, courtesy of CHS. Deep purple, exuding a glossy bouquet of varnish and enamel with a great abundance of dark fruits and currants lurking beneath. Still remarkably full and fresh after 30 years, richly imbued with blackberries tinged with licorice, camphor and other tertiary characters that titillate with youthful intensity. Amazing.

1988 Wynns John Riddoch Cabernet Sauvignon, courtesy of CJ. Displaying a glorious deep purple, this great Coonawarra classic proffers an attractive smoky earthiness on the nose alongside cedary characters and the dark plummy tones of mature dark berries that carried well onto the palate, displaying excellent concentration, density and great acidity with a deep core of tangerines, superbly balanced. Caught at its absolute peak and will hold for many more. Quite outstanding. Along with the Three Rivers above, it looks like these brawny wines really need 30 years to mature!

1964 Ch Leoville Poyferre, courtesy of Vic. This wine exudes a gentle hallowed earthiness on the nose that belies its amazing freshness and verve on the palate. Still astonishingly full with vibrant fruit and lively acidity, imbued with very fine concentration of ripe cherries, raspberries and mulberries that still appears to be far from over the hill. Outstanding.

1969 Ch Pétrus, courtesy of LF. Poured from magnum. Delicious lift of dark cherries and currants with an earthy tertiary glow of soy and dark plums. Still incredibly vibrant and fresh though distinctly mellowed, layered with an evolved complexity along with sublime acidity. Highly elegant and still remarkably youthful. Outstanding.

2010 Alois Kracher N°10 Scheurebe Trockenbeerenauslese Zwischen den Seen, poured from a couple of half bottles that I’d carried over from Salzburg many years ago. Glorious deep golden lustre, exuding a complex bouquet of dense nectarine, honeysuckle, brioche and fig, its sweetness on the palate perfectly balanced with superb acidity, density and purity of fruit that produced a great even tone and structure, finishing with excellent linearity amid persistent traces of smouldering ember and deep earthy minerals.  This is the best example of Kracher I’ve had. Outstanding.

1989 Ch Suduiraut, courtesy of Dr Ngoi, poured from magnum. Deep golden lustre with an equally deep burnished tone. Open with dense diesel and petroleum overtones on the nose whilst layers of apricots, cinnamon, honey and mature peaches dominate on the palate with lovely transparency and wonderful lift, still imbued with fine acidity and intensity as it finished with undertones of ember, fig and traces of earthy detail. Excellent.

2003 Ch Lagrange, over lunch at Jade Palace, 05 Oct 2019. Dark. Shut at first, though the palate is layered with a minerally earthiness topped with dark fruits and currants, very fine in concentration with a trace of sternness. It opened up over time to reveal some velvety detail along with some lovely succulent intensity of red fruits, subtly structured. Another bottle popped at Ka Soh on 27 Oct 2019 was highly consistent, quite effusive in sweet dark currants, mulberries and raspberries with rounded plummy tones and lively acidity that finished in a slight mentholic lift. Perennially under-rated, but Lagrange is truly excellent value.

2002 Louis Roederer Cristal, courtesy of CJ at Pistacchio, 11 Oct 2019. Deep golden lustre. Exudes some sharp yeasty pungency with lovely glowing depth. Quite brightly lit with a full presence of clear and yellow citrus infused with flinty minerals that produced excellent tension and dry intensity towards the back palate, mellowing a little over time with recessed chalkiness. May not have peaked.

1993 Dom Perignon, courtesy of Vic at Pistacchio, 11 Oct 2019. Deep golden lustre. Distinct note of gunmetal flint, pomelo and traces of bitter lemon on the nose, smoothly layered with fine concentration of glazed aged citrus on a palate that was rather placid and decidedly subdued, finishing in a persistent white floral glow.

2009 Domaine de Montille Pommard Les Pezerolles 1er, courtesy of Sanjay at Pistacchio, 11 Oct 2019. Slightly dark pinot tint. Open with notes of orchard in full blossom, tangerines, plums. Medium-bodied. Settled quite quickly with more dark cherries to the fore, traversing the palate with teasing intensity and sublime acidity amid darker undertones of raspberries, finishing gently. Another bottle at Jumbo Seafood (also from Sanjay) on 22 Oct 2019 was equally consistent, open fleshy and supple, yielding good inner detail. Delicious.

2000 Heitz Martha’s Vineyard, at Pistacchio, 11 Oct 2019. Impenetrable deep garnet red, proffering a fairly dense bouquet that hinted at diesel fumes. Smooth and fleshy. Quite full and concentrated, rather bright and evenly toned with a faintly sweet medicinal quality that may pass as eucalyptus.

2014 Occidental Bodega Headlands Vineyard Cuvée Elizabeth, courtesy of LF at Pistacchio, 11 Oct 2019. Deep purple. This Sonoma Coast pinot noir possesses a lovely concentration and presence, almost velvety, imbued with an open supple intensity of sweet dark cherries amid dusty traces, finishing with mild mentholic tones. Quite excellent.

2005 Opus One, courtesy of MH at Pistacchio, 11 Oct 2019. Impenetrable deep garnet red. Open, supple and fleshy. Softly rounded with excellent concentration of sweet dark fruits, nicely warm and ripe with a hint of mocha and dark chocolate. Finished with youthful intensity. Not quite ready yet.

2002 Carmes de Rieussec, courtesy of Jimmy at Pistacchio, 11 Oct 2019. Notes of burnt cider, smouldering ember and tropical fruits on the nose along with a gentle dose of nectarine. Possesses good intensity. Satisfying without being cerebral.

2014 Ch d’Yquem ‘Y’ Ygrec, after hours at GEH, 18 Oct 2019. Generous notes of vanillin, cool icing and almonds amid dense aromas of white flowers that permeate all the way onto the palate, still tightly wound with fabulous acidity and concentrated intensity of fruit, deeply layered with exquisite minerally characters with just the right degree of sweetness that culminated in an explosive finish. Brilliant!

2015 Domaine Ponsot Clos des Monts Luisants 1er VV monopole, after hours at GEH, 18 Oct 2019. Rich, highly aromatic bouquet of delectable crème de la crème, white flowers, clear citrus and tropical fruits. Generously layered with great concentration and acidity. Very well balanced, not overtly plump. Excellent.

2016 Domaine Michel Niellon Chassagne-Montrachet Clos de la Maltroie 1er, after hours at GEH, 18 Oct 2019. Good lift of clear citrus and grassy elements. Medium-full, displaying excellent fullness and concentration with a distinct minerally streak. Very well-balanced and integrated with understated verve and subtle acidity, finishing well. Excellent.

2016 Laurent Ponsot Chambolle-Musigny Les Charmes Cuvée du Tilleul, after hours at GEH, 18 Oct 2019. Darkish in tone and colour, imbued with abundant dark berries, blueberries and raspberries that imparted excellent ripeness, acidity and balance. Superbly integrated with a very fine open intensity. Has tremendous vigour. Finished with great linearity. Excellent but still undeveloped.

2017 Château de Chamirey Mercurey Blanc, off the list of Brasserie Gavroche on 18 Oct 2019. Good colour. Effusive aromas of peaches, apples, apricot, fig and honeysuckle. Very lively on the palate with good density and concentration, underscored by a deeper streak of intense tropical fruit that imparted a lovely floral bloom as it finished with great linearity. Hard to believe this is just a village, given the superb ripeness, layering and potential for complexity. Incredibly great value.

Bruno Paillard Reserve Privé Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru NV, popped and poured at Crab At Bay, 20 Oct 2019. Attractive oxidative nose with some yeasty pungency. Dry with concentrated lime and citrus without much depth nor layering, finishing gently as it became more open over time.

2017 Ashton Hills Piccadilly Valley Pinot Noir, popped and poured over dinner at Asia Grand, 21 Oct 2019. Slightly intense shade of pinot tint, exuding intense savoury characters of roast and smoked leather with very good concentration of red cherries and rose petals on the palate, imbued with sleek acidity amid overtones of rye, loosening up with more earthiness over time as it gained further rounded suppleness and intensity. Very fine.

2017 Domaine Jean Chartron Saint-Aubin Murgers Des Dents de Chien 1er, popped and poured from magnum at Jumbo Seafood on 22 Oct 2019. Took quite a while for this wine to open up with dense white floral tones on the nose, leading to a full minerally palate layered with racy acidity and lovely density of fruit that produced plenty of zest and exciting mouthfeel, finishing with good linearity. Quite excellent.

2016 Schubert Block B Pinot Noir, courtesy of LF at Jumbo Seafood on 22 Oct 2019. Considerably deeper and darker in tone and colour but highly attractive, filled with an abundance of ripe blueberries and dark currants on the nose and palate. Medium-full, rounded with good levels of ripeness without being overly extracted, laced with understated acidity on a raspberry floor amid overtones of smoked meat. I enjoyed it.

2008 Champagne Dom Perignon, courtesy of Jimmy Lim at Jumbo Seafood on 22 Oct 2019. Lifted bouquet of clear citrus, lime and pomelo tinged with green apples. Well replicated on the palate with fine concentration and sharp definition, very well layered and balanced, its very soft fine bubbles exuding a highly refined gentle intensity as it finished with a hint of bitter lemon. Excellent.

2009 Peter Michael La Carriere, courtesy of LF at Jumbo Seafood on 22 Oct 2019. Pale luminosity, marked by clear citrus that exuded a very clean feel at first. It fleshed out over time with a greater presence of almonds and malt against a backdrop of recessed crème de la crème and general chalkiness underscored by shades of wild grass and darkish tones whilst maintaining understated depth and acidity. Distinctly feminine. Excellent.

2015 Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret Echezeaux Grand Cru, courtesy of MH at Jumbo Seafood on 22 Oct 2019. Darkish. Very good concentration and intensity of blueberries, raspberries and dark currants, openly supple, showing good sophistication with rounded sweet tannins that hinted at a feminine stance. Yet to develop though.

2017 Grant Burge Benchmark Sauvignon Blanc Semillion, on 23 Oct 2019 at the NUSS Guild House. Faint nose of light grassy elements. Lively with good presence of clear citrus and minerals. Inoffensive. Nondescript finish.

2015 Wynns Cabernet Sauvignon, on 23 Oct 2019 at the NUSS Guild House. Dark impenetrable purple, proffering a classic cabernet nose of tobacco and dried mushrooms, layered with very good concentration of plumny red fruits and cherries that offer good inner detail. Structured with sweet tannins, adequately supple. Very fine.

2015 Domaine Hudelot-Nöellat Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Murgers 1er, popped and poured at Bedrock Bar & Grill, 28 Oct 2019. Darker shade of pinot, exuding radiant red fruits and cherries with very good concentration, presence and layering underscored by a distinct earthy base, displaying rounded intensity. Structured with pliant understated supple tannins, slightly darkish at first before turning brighter as more of red fruits dominate. Excellent.

Founded in 1872, Château Lafleur is a tiny 4.5 ha property in Pomerol adjacent to the estates of La Fleur-Pétrus, Vieux Château Certan, Pétrus and Hosanna. Château Lafleur has always been rated very highly by insiders even as far back as the late nineteenth century, but it was only in the 1980s when a certain highly-influential American critic began heaping praise on two sisters there who were making the wines that interest picked up and prices began soaring through the roof. The two sisters were Therese and Marie Robin, whose father Andre Robin had purchased Lafleur from its previous owner in 1915. They cleared away malbec in favour of merlot and cabernet franc in 50:50 proportion. After the last of the sisters passed on in 2001, the estate was re-acquired by the Guinaudeau family, descendants of Henri Greloud who had previously sold the château to Andre Robin. So everything has come full circle. Located quite centrally in Pomerol where the land shapes into a gentle mound of iron-rich deposits, the soils are largely gravel at the top which facilitates excellent drainage, probably the reason why people tend to collect Lafleur of so-called “off” vintages. For this FICOFI event at the one Michelin-starred Iggy’s in Singapore on 15 November 2019, the estate’s winemaker Omri Ram was on hand to provide further insights into the wines made by the Guinaudeau family. The trio of Ch Lafleur that evening certainly lived up to their reputation: the potential for tremendous complexity was clearly evident in the 2005, the 1995 was on track towards greatness while the 2007 proved that Lafleur exceeds all expectations even in weaker vintages.

Photo by FICOFI

2005 Champagne Henriot Cuvée Hemera. Notes of light toast and yeast along with green apples and fig that impart a distinct feminine fragrance. Very fresh on the medium-bodied palate, possessing great energy and concentration of tangy citrus with a clear crystalline quality tinged with pomelo though it doesn’t reveal much inner detail. Well-balanced with good intensity and acidity, not too dry. Not necessarily better than its workhorse Millésime, I feel. There was considerable bottle variation, the second pour from a freshly popped bottle distinctly more vibrant and fresh.

2015 Les Champs Libres. Made from cuttings of old vines of sauvignon blanc from Sancerre now planted on limestone soils near Château Grand Village. This is the third vintage, fermented and aged in Burgundian barrels. Displaying a light clear golden, this wine proffers an arresting bouquet of mangoes, tropical fruits and dense glycerol whilst the well-balanced medium-bodied palate is imbued with refreshing acidity and fine intensity of fruit that carries plenty of zest and energy, imparting a lengthy tingling persistence even long after it has left the palate. Very enjoyable. All bottlings from 2016 onwards are 100% sauvignon blanc.

2013 Guinaudeau G Acte 5. Made from cuttings of old vines of Château Lafleur now grown on shallow clay over limestone cliffs in Fronsac. This inaugural vintage displays a very deep crimson, generously proportioned with dense dark plums and dark currants laced with attractive acidity that impart excellent open intensity of fruit, very evenly balanced. Not at all overwhelming.

2013 Pensées de Lafleur. Not to be mistaken for a second wine, as it is made from a 0.7 ha plot of merlot grown in a valley of clay soils between two banks of Château Lafleur. Deep red, this wine opens with an attractive glow of warm pebbles and ripe cherries above distant tones of wild berries and subtle grassy elements. Very open on the palate with great suppleness, excellent presence and concentration. Darkly attractive with subtle charm and intensity. Those who know should go for this.

2007 Château Lafleur. Deep garnet red, exuding an attractive earthy pungency with effusive recessed tones of sweet dark currants. The palate is quite amply endowed with wild berries amid traces of green elements, open with a great fleshy suppleness, very well-integrated with well-defined acidity and clean precision, finishing with lovely warmth. Drinking well.

1995 Château Lafleur. Deep crimson. This wine displays a beautiful hallowed glow of complex dark plums, currants and camphor on the nose with a sense of warm pebbles and earth. Highly supple and open with a delicious lift of ripe dark berries, exuding striking acidity and fabulous intensity even though the fruit may seem slightly recessed, subtly structured with exciting tannins. Quite sublime. May still not be ready even as it mellowed further in the glass. Excellent.

2005 Château Lafleur. From the depths of its very impressive impenetrable garnet red arose the distant glow of rich dark plums and soy, the fruit searing the palate with an open flaring intensity, still tight but not closed, developing characters of warm gravel and pencil shavings that are seamlessly integrated with highly detailed but subtle ferrous minerals, maintaining an overall darkish tone as it traversed the palate with excellent linearity. Far from ready but this will eventually morph into a definitive Lafleur. Superb.

1958 Blandy’s Madeira Bual. Fully mature opaque brown, exuding a sharp mentholic lift on the nose though tight and narrow in body, marked by powerful tones of licorice and glycerine. For connoisseurs only.

Dr Wang, without any reason, offered a Coche-Dury that we could not refuse. With Angie whipping up some truffled capellini topped with generous dollops of caviar plus chunky pieces of aged USDA wagyu, Meng and myself had to measure up with some matching wines as we gathered at the Wang residence on 23 November 2019.

2000 Champagne Krug Brut, courtesy of Dr WKW. Nutty deep toasty notes amid lovely oxidative tones with a full palate of intense clear citrus, displaying excellent concentration, fullness and acidity with a dry minerally depth though not quite possessing the complexity of the best vintages. At its drinking best.

2014 Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-Saint-Georges La Perrière 1er. Very pale. Shut initially with a light acidity, revealing glimpses of cool white fruits with traces of sweet, slightly tropical in quality. Very good in concentration with quite a refined presence and elegance, layered with a very fine crystalline quality, finishing in an expanse of white pepper. Quite excellent, though I must say the unique pinot blanc tends to elude description.

1992 Denis Mugneret Richebourg Grand Cru, courtesy of Meng. Mature but still darkly coloured, exuding a delicious gentle fragrance of ripe raspberries and dark currants. Still showing good concentration of dark plummy characters with briar and wild berries on a bed of soft tannins, laced with dense ferrous minerals amid some earthiness, still fairly intense, finishing with gentle complexity.

2006 Nicolas Potel Échezeaux Grand Cru, courtesy of Meng. Good colour, exuding soft aromas of red cherries and rose petals, showing good concentration and purity on the palate, very well-balanced and integrated.

1995 Domaine Coche-Dury Meursault-Perrières 1er, courtesy of Dr WKW. Displaying an aged golden lustre, this wine exudes perfumed aromas of honeysuckle and fig on the nose along with elements of hazelnuts, almonds and caramel, rather elusive on the whole. Unlike younger vintages of Coche-Dury that explode with a wealth of inner detail, the palate here is gently rounded with relaxed mature charm, well balanced with fine linearity as it fans out with a mild gentle floral warmth, finishing with a gentle peppery glow. At its best and unlikely to improve further.

2014 Joseph Drouhin Montrachet Marquis de Laguiche Grand Cru. Aired for five hours in bottle, this wine is still relatively shy, showing only a delicate floral bouquet with quite an ethereal charm though it has greater impact on the palate, producing a sensual mouthfeel that yielded very fine detail, appropriately full, superbly balanced with a highly refined elegance that merged seamlessly with a quiet glowing minerally finish. Doesn’t call attention to itself. Far from ready but it holds tremendous promise.

How often have you received an exclusive invitation from a three Michelin-starred restaurant for dinner with a superlative wine line-up? Les Amis of Singapore did exactly that on 13 November 2019. Started in 1994, this restaurant has consistently maintained its lofty standards of food, wine and service in the most discreet manner, avoiding all distraction and superficiality as it built up a loyal following through hard work and meticulous attention to detail, re-innovation and derring-do in realising its vision. Still located at 1 Scotts Road and helmed by Sebastien Lepinoy since 2013, it was only a matter of time before Les Amis was conferred the ultimate recognition in September 2019. To mark the occasion, a group of us was invited by Timothy Goh (Director of Sales, Vinum Fines Wines) to partake in a celebratory dinner in La Paulée style that would coincide with the visit of Jacques Thienpont and his wife Fiona Morrison, MW, where the couple would be providing wines from their estates Le Pin and Vieux Château Certan. It goes without saying that this sort of opportunity was not to be missed and I think we all did very well to reciprocate in kind by digging deep into our reserves. No wine theme was planned but when we all showed up at the restaurant’s private dining salon that evening, the line-up that unfolded spoke volumes of our deep understanding of Les Amis and the people behind its success. Along with Desmond Lim (Chairman, Les Amis Group), Lindsay Hamilton (Vice-Chairman, Vinum), the Thienponts and Matthew Hemming (also Master of Wine) and, of course, Tim, the wining and dining that evening reached a level that occurs only too rarely, transcending all barriers where there were no airs between everyone and anyone; only true appreciation and enjoyment of great food, immaculate service, outstanding wines and wonderful company, knowing well that such transient experiences, once past, cannot be re-captured again. In particular, Jacques and Fiona are both such cultured party animals there was never any moment that we were reminded of who they are. And when nothing less than a Montrachet Grand Cru was poured to get things going, you knew the evening simply cannot go wrong. We cannot thank you enough Tim and everyone at Les Amis Group for having us in mind, and to Jacques and Fiona for your friendship and generosity. This has been an unforgettable evening. The wines are described in the order served.

1995 Champagne Bruno Paillard Nec Plus Ultra, courtesy of Tim. Deep dull golden hue, proffering quite a marked oxidative note of gun smoke, mushrooms, marmite and iron filings that is quite firm on the nose whilst the palate is still remarkably fresh and structured, underscored by deep darker tones with a hint of mineral brightness, superbly balanced. Caught at its best. Declared only in exceptional vintages, the 1995 is only the second example of N.P.U. ever released, the first being the 1990 (in 2002), a blend of 50% chardonnay and 50% pinot noir sourced from grand cru vineyards.

Jacques Thienpont of Le Pin

2008 Henri Boillot Montrachet Grand Cru, courtesy of Vic and myself. Poured from magnum after having been aired for more than 8 hours. Light golden luminosity. Took its time to unfurl its beauty, yielding at first only gentle tones of white flowers, yellow citrus and chalk, softly rounded with a recessed ethereal elegance. It seemed to turn deeper in colour after three hours in the glass, taking on a distinct phenolic note with a great concentration of crème de la crème on the palate, layered with rich minerally tones in equal measure and laced with sublime acidity that revealed infinite detail with clean definition. Yet one senses that it hadn’t really revealed its full glory, like a beautiful woman who is not in any hurry. Superb, but real patience is required.

1999 Domaine Leflaive Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru, courtesy of Desmond. Poured from magnum. Lovely golden hue. This wine exudes a cool complexity of very finely detailed chalky notes with mature crème de la crème on the nose trailed by distant notes of diesel. Still amazingly fresh, displaying great suppleness and zest with fleshy seamless acidity and integration, glowing with gentle brilliance on the mid-palate before finishing with a gentle bloom of white flowers. At its absolute peak and will hold. Superb.

2012 L’IF, courtesy of Jacques Thienpont. The name means Yew tree in French, not unlike Le Pin which is a nod towards the lone pine tree situated at the estate. Located in Saint-Emilion near Ch Troplong Mondot, the vines were bought over by Jacques in 2010 and re-planted with 70% merlot and 30% cabernet franc, now expanded to 8 ha. Deep purple, this third vintage proffers a deeply effusive floral fragrance with a lifted complex of pungent earthiness that is simply uniquely gorgeous, leading to a rounded supple presence of ripe cherries and raspberries that traverse the palate with fine linearity, length and controlled intensity. Yet to develop but it holds great promise, considering the vines were still young.

2001 Vieux Château Certan, courtesy of David Ong. Deep purple with an effusive lifted earthy pungency. Softly structured and fleshy, displaying very good concentration and depth of dark fruits and currants that are seamlessly layered with earthy minerals, finishing with just a bare trace of green undertones that doesn’t detract from its overall elegance and pleasure. Excellent.

2009 Vieux Château Certan, courtesy of Jacques Thienpont. Deep purple with some early evolution at the rim. There is some reticence here compared with a previous tasting just two nights ago (also with Jacques), surprisingly mellow, soft and fleshy with understated structure. Highly seamless with a hint of enamel amid the broad expanse of ripe cherries and raspberries, revealing good inner detail though that trace of green element is, again, discernible. May flesh out better with further aeration.

1988 Château Lafleur, courtesy of Kieron. Still an unbelievably brilliant deep crimson, this wine possesses an open gentle earthiness that went very well with the rather full but relaxed presence of cherries and red currants, still imbued with sleek acidity and fine intensity with a touch of ginger, finishing with remarkable freshness and vigour. Absolutely on song without any sign of flagging. Superb.

1996 Château Margaux, courtesy of Pipin. Deep crimson, this premier cru glows with overtones of violets and dark currants with a hint of warm pebbles, open with great suppleness within a rather slim cleanly-defined profile. Classically structured though it doesn’t quite possess that velvety opulence of 1989 or 1999.

1998 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Musigny Grand Cru, courtesy of LF. Poured from magnum. Showing a glorious darker shade of pinot that is usual from this estate, this wine opens with a lovely intensity of enamel, camphor, red fruits and cherries that snapped together with superb focus, wonderfully supple as layers subtle forest characters and delicious dark fruit streaked across the palate with superb acidity and tension. Still remarkably fresh and youthful, even better than a previous tasting also from magnum in February 2016. May not even have peaked. Excellent.

2001 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Musigny Grand Cru, courtesy of Kieron. More developed than the 1998 (probably a function of the latter’s large format bottling), this wine displays a lovely fragrance of red fruits and currants with a fine open presence on a delicate ferrous floor, showing good integration and depth but it is upstaged by the preceding 1998, neither quite as opulent nor complex although it would have been thoroughly satisfying on its own. At its best.

1995 Domaine Leroy Vosne-Romanée Les Brulées 1er, courtesy of Sir Robert. Great colour, matched by a superb lift of red fruits and cherries that exude dazzling purity and concentration dotted with traces of capsicum amid darker shades of fruit, softly structured with gentle sweet tannins. Utterly seamless and delicious. Amazing!

2005 Le Pin, courtesy of Jacques Thienpont. Deep purple with a trace of evolution, this wine glows with a hallowed complex marked by a sharply lifted note of pines – how apt! – whilst the palate is imbued with lovely tension and fabulous intensity of fruit that conferred great freshness and wonderful exuberance, cushioned by soft gentle velvety textures. Absolutely irresistible. Will develop further complexity down the years but this is already such a complete wine. Outstanding!

2001 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche Grand Cru, courtesy of Desmond. Great colour. This famous monopole is absolutely mesmerising on the nose, generously endowed with gorgeous red fruits and currants that fill the palate with fine density and concentration, imbued with refined acidity and structured presence that may still yield further detail had it been aired longer, holding sway with delicious verve though I thought it began to recede a little towards midnight (yes, we ended really late!). Quite a complete wine. Outstanding.

2009 Joseph Drouhin Montrachet Marquis de Laguiche Grand Cru, courtesy of Kieron. Lovely colour. The distilled essence of Montrachet is present in abundance, displaying a controlled gentle bloom of floral characters, fig, icing, green capsicum and chalk that blossomed with very fine early complexity and detail, wonderfully layered and structured with refined acidity as it finished with further notes of pomelo, white pepper and traces of bitter lemon that produced a trace of sternness. Quite ethereal, as expected, though a little more forward in fruit compared with the preceding Henri Boillot. Quite marvellous but yet to truly develop.

2004 Weingut Egon Müller Scharzhofberger Auslese, courtesy of Lindsay. Firm distinct tones of diesel petroleum and exhaust, superbly lifted, that I found rather intoxicating and attractive. The palate is richly layered with delicate fruit of great clarity and agility, displaying great freshness, precision and detail, yet so wonderfully balanced without any heaviness, finishing with glowing gentle intensity and persistence. Outstanding.

Even Fiona can’t resist taking a pot shot

Thanks to an invitation at short notice from Philippe Capdouze, I found myself seated next to Ms Fiona Morrison, Master of Wine, on 11 November 2019 at Summer Pavillon, Ritz Carlton Millenia Singapore. No stranger to Singapore, Fiona was back to visit some old friends and to promote her new book: 10 Great Wine Families – A Tour Through Europe. Hers is a name familiar to oenophiles who have browsed through the pages of Decanter or, in the case of FICOFI members, Le Magazine de FICOFI. Disarmingly cheerful and bubbly as she engages everyone in easy banter over anything that matters about wine, Fiona speaks with a natural eloquence that finds its way into her writing. Indeed, throughout the evening, Fiona would introduce each wine with an astonishing depth of knowledge only possible through her personal involvement at every level of winemaking, marketing, research and networking, never failing to include a personal anecdoctal experience here and there. The first thing Fiona talked to me about was not Bordeaux nor Burgundy, but Henschke’s Hill of Grace (!!) for which, to my pleasant surprise, we both share a soft spot. For sure, she is someone who drinks broadly across all price points, not just the big names. She takes discreet notes about each wine every now and then, half a minute of concentrated scribbling into a little black notebook (from Penfolds, if you must know). If only one could peep at her choice of vocabulary. With her husband Jacques Thienpont in tow, naturally there is bound to be Vieux Château Certan and Le Pin in the line-up, courtesy of the couple themselves. The wines were expertly prepared by sommelier par excellence Tan Kok-Hong who earned high praise from none other than Fiona herself. A big thank you, Fiona and Jacques, for your time and generosity and to Philippe as well for a most memorable evening.

2012 Champagne Pascal Agrapart Avizoise Extra Brut. Very pale. Effusive in delicate tones of pomelo and citrus amid light delicious overtones of dry toast and yeast, displaying bright minerally characters on the palate that yield excellent transparency with a certain lightness, layered with a lovely depth of icing, honeysuckle and white fruits that proffer fabulous detail, becoming more concentrated and accentuated with time. Superb.

2013 Gaja Barbaresco. Displaying an almost pinot-like tint with superb clarity, this wine exuded a lovely feminine glow of dark plums and currants with a dash of dark cherries marked by a floral fragrance, while the palate is layered with great acidity and purity of fruit amid traces of earth, revealing good early complexity and length with a gentle intensity. Excellent.

2011 Château de Beaucastel Hommage à Jacques Perrin. Poured from magnum. Deep dark impenetrable purple with an arresting bouquet of deep medicinal tones and haw. Equally intense on the palate, marked by a broad even expanse of sweet dark fruits and understated tannins that exuded overtones of new leather, wonderfully warm and ripe, rather full, yet beautifully balanced and layered, finishing with subtle youthful intensity and length. Excellent.

2009 Vieux Château Certan. Deep purple, proffering a hallowed glow of deep dark currants, mulberries and raspberries, beautifully ripe with a dash of soy amid overtones of smoldering ember. Highly seamless, smooth and agile on the palate, imbued with very fine depth and fabulous sleek acidity that danced with superb deftness, finishing with great linearity in a blaze of open intensity. Still youthful. Will be long lived. Superb.

1997 Le Pin. Still bright crimson at the core with some evolution, this wine exuded a lovely glow of evolved red currants amid faint overtones of dried wood, somewhat earthy with an easy complexity. Medium-full. Utterly seamless and fleshy, carrying great energy and acidity though without quite really possessing inner detail, finishing with good persistence. I hadn’t realised that Le Pin, since its inception in 1979, has always been labelled without the prefix “château”, very much like Tertre Roteboeuf. No 2003 was made. Jacques, who told me that he sold the inaugural 1979 vintage for only 80 French Francs per bottle, opined that Le Pin does especially well in wet vintages, since it is essentially merlot grown on gravel, which drains well.

2017 Weingut Egon Müller Scharzhofberger Spatlese. Pale. Classic effusive nose of dense diesel tones that led to gentle notes of apricot and recessed nectarine on the light-medium palate, open with good definition and clarity, finishing gently with good length. Very elegantly poised, perhaps a tad too reserved.

Comprising some 15,800 growers, of which 4,400 are producers and of which 306 are established champagne houses, the cold-climate region of Champagne is one of the most difficult to understand, complicated further by the fact that most bottlings are blends of meunier and pinot noir, with or without chardonnay, and the grapes may come from a myriad of multi-district parcels. For those with the appetite and aptitude to understand all the intricacies, good for you but for simpletons such as moi, I prefer to concentrate on enjoying the wine itself. For starters, may I be allowed to enter a simple plea that it is high time we start drinking champagne with food rather than relegating it as a pre-meal aperitif which is a total waste of the vignerons’ efforts, not to mention already the sheer scarcity of stuff like Salon and Philipponnat Clos des Goisses. The tasting on this occasion was hosted by FICOFI on 19 October 2019 at 11.00 AM at the Four Seasons, Singapore, guided by Michael Hill-Smith, MW. With generous well-thought pairings that included the fabulous vintages of 2002 (allowing a fascinating side-by-side comparison between sister estates Delamotte and Salon, no less) and 2008 as well as a couple of far older vintages, coupled with Michael’s insightful commentary, this was an excellent way to spend a Saturday morning. Merci FICOFI.

Champagne Krug Grande Cuvée Brut NV. Pale luminosity. Lovely deep yeasty and oxidative tones on the nose with a suggestion of zesty lime and citrus. Has that classic Krug dryness, dense concentration and intensity of fruit underscored by a distinctive deeper darker streak of meunier buttressed with great acidity. Good potential complexity. An excellent calling card for this cardinal estate which sources its grapes from more than 240 different parcels to supplement those from its own 20 ha in Aÿ, Le Mesnil and Trépail.

Champagne Egly-Ouriet Brut Tradition NV. Clear luminosity. Compared with the Krug, this wine has a softer, finer and more detailed bouquet with a lifted light floral tone. Shows excellent open concentration and dryness, imbued with delicate minerality, fine acidity and definition throughout its length, finishing with good persistence. Egly-Ouriet’s holdings are all grand cru: 9.5 ha in Ambonnay (79% pinot noir, the rest chardonnay), 3 ha pinot noir in Verzenay and 2 ha pinot meunier in Vrigny. Francis Egly prefers a practical approach to his winemaking, neither biodynamic nor truly organic. Dosage is low.

2008 Champagne Agrapart & Fils Minéral. Very pale, exuding a delicate but layered bouquet. Good depth of clear citrus and lime with a yeasty oxidative trace. Quite seductive. Lovely intensity, structured with well-defined acidity and very fine bubbles. Good gentle finish. A wine of great elegance and finesse. Excellent. The brothers Pascal and Fabrice Agrapart own 12 ha of grand cru mainly in Avize within the Côte des Blancs, comprising 90% chardonnay, 10% pinot noir.

2008 Champagne Louis Roederer Cristal. Good colour. Smooth rounded bouquet, slightly smoky. Excellent concentration of clear citrus, pomelo and white fruits, rather bright with taut lively acidity, complemented with rounded smooth bubbles. Finished with superb youthful intensity. Phenomenal potential. First fashioned for Tsar Alexander II, Cristal quickly became the emblem for flashy jet-setters. Louis Roederer is the first Champagne maison to move into biodynamic viticulture. It is staggering to note that in spite of owning some 240 ha of vines, it still needs to buy in another one-third of grapes in order to fulfil its annual output.

2002 Champagne Delamotte Blanc de Blancs. Still quite light in colour with a floral bouquet. Gently layered. Very fine concentration of delicate green fruits and citrus, highly harmonious and rounded with a sheer sheen of fine bubbles, never too dry. Excellent refinement. May not have peaked. Easily held its own, and more, next to its sister estate Salon of the same vintage. Unfairly snubbed by snobs who only drink Salon, Delamotte may turn out to be a most astute buy in those vintages where Salon is not declared, as the latter’s grapes will be poured into Delamotte.

2002 Champagne Salon. Good colour. Lovely bouquet, slightly toasty, displaying beguiling complexity with a very delicate lift matched by an explosive expanse of pears, green apples and complex citrus seamlessly merged with very fine bubbles that traverse the palate with open transparency on a bed of highly refined subtle creamy chalkiness, revealing excellent precision, inner detail and definition. Has superb poise and power, all wonderfully proportioned and balanced. Truly a Salon for the ages. Outstanding. Making only one single cuvée, the S de Salon, only 42 wines have been released between 1905 and 2008.

1996 Dom Perignon Rosé P2. This Second Plenitude seduces the senses with a beautiful soft glow of delicate red fruits that leapt from of the glass, distinctly feminine and rounded with a high-toned dryness. Still has a rather full presence though it doesn’t quite plumb the depths, finishing with good persistence.

1989 Champagne Henriot Rosé Millesime, poured from magnum. Beautiful deep golden lustre, proffering aged red fruits and grapefruit amid recessed chalkiness with an unique savoury trace, showing very good concentration and depth of fruit on a bed of understated ferrous minerals and oxidative characters. Still imbued with great intensity and a high-toned acidity. At its best and will still hold for many more years.