2019 A.-F. Gros Bourgogne Rouge, aired in bottle for two hours prior to dinner at Imperial Treasure Great World, 07 Apr 2025. Good colour. In spite of its “lowly” classification, this wine is quite excellent in every way, opening with a lovely bouquet of savoury sweet meat, red plums and haw, matched by a medium-full tensile palate stuffed with quality raspberries and blackberries that exert exquisite acidity and intensity. Impeccably balanced with unobtrusive tannins, becoming more placid after some time before fleshing out further with greater weight and layering, finishing well. This is easily village quality. It’s really true that the producer matters most for burgundy. A steal at SGD58…from the supermarket!
Champagne Jacquesson 742, courtesy of South Bridge Reserve, 11 Apr 2025. Pale golden. Good presence of citrus, olives and nutmeg underscored by crisp acidity and yeasty undertones, tapering to a tight minerally finish.
2012 Gilbert et Christine Felettig Chambolle-Musigny 1er Les Charmes, courtesy of South Bridge Reserve, 11 Apr 2025. Poured from magnum. Lovely pinot tint. Gentle hues of baked apples and red plums on the nose that belie its racy fullness and exciting intensity. Wonderfully fresh and succulent, imbued with lively acidity that settled with controlled verve. Excellent.
2020 Domaine Morey-Coffinet Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Clos Saint-Jean Rouge. Popped and poured at Asia Grand, 15 Apr 2025. Rather darkish for pinot. Very fine density of ripe raspberries and mulberries, structured with assertive tannins and firm acidity that exert focused intensity though somewhat one-dimensional.
Champagne Charles Heidsieck Brut NV, on board SQ318 SIN-LHR, 17 Apr 2025. Clear golden luminosity, proffering creamy overtones of almond, buttery notes and grapefruit matched by a lovely dry chalky intensity on the medium-full palate, tinged with green fruits and crisp yellow citrus without being abrasive. Decent finish of bitter lemon.
2023 Craggy Range Te Muna Sauvignon Blanc, on board SQ318 SIN-LHR, 17 Apr 2025. Displaying a gentle luminosity, this Marlborough white opens with a predominance of diesel, earthy tones and morning dew. Surprisingly lean, though it makes up for its medium weight with a focused concentration of olives and nutmeg that stretched with lithe agility all through to its glowing finish of exotic spices.
2023 Deep Woods Chardonnay, on board SQ318 SIN-LHR, 17 Apr 2025. Pale luminosity. Morning dew, white notes and chalk dominate with enticing presence, the fruit just a tad backward in favour of crisp dryish acidity.
2021 Sons of Eden Marschall Shiraz, on board SQ318 SIN-LHR, 17 Apr 2025. Deep garnet, exuding a classic shiraz warmth laced with vanillin and licorice. Medium-full, imbued with excellent fleshy ripe fruit without being overly dense, boasting lithe vibrancy and refined balance with a supple tensile mouthfeel. A good choice.
2018 Le Château Loudenne, on board SQ318 SIN-LHR, 17 Apr 2025. The first bottle was distinctly corked (my first such encounter at 40,000 feet !!). The second bottle boasts restrained dark berries from its impenetrable deep garnet, displaying remarkable balance between its excellent concentration of fruit and pliant tannin structure, turning more darkly delicious over time with controlled verve. Drinking well.
2022 Domaine Michel Bouzereau et Fils Meursault Les Grands Charrons, courtesy of Mr Thio from the list of UMU, London, 18 Apr 2025. Displaying a clear golden luminosity, this wine exudes delicious cool glacial tones topped with créme de la créme, subtly nuanced with refined precision and understated intensity in spite of its generous proportions. Very lovely.
2002 M Chapoutier Ermitage L’Ermite, courtesy of Mr Thio from the list of UMU, London, 18 Apr 2025. Deep crimson, delivering deep leathery and velvety textures from the copious presence of red fruits well into their secondary development, structured with silky smooth tannins that fleshed out well with refined detail and proportion.
Champagne Laurent Perrier Brut NV, courtesy of Mr Thio at Claridge’s, London, 19 Apr 2025. Pale luminosity. Very cleanly focused and refreshing with incisive cutting acidity amid distant orchard fruit. Fanned out well.
2019 Domaine Pascale Martrot Puligny-Montrachet 1er Combettes, courtesy of Mr Thio at Claridge’s, London, 19 Apr 2025. Pale with a rounded elegance. A little restrained initially, proffering just a hint of pineapples before opening up with more effusive chromatic tones whilst the usual chalkiness is reined in with lovely subtlety, blossoming into a classic Puligny. Drinking beautifully.
2017 Domaine Bertrand Bachelet Maranges 1er La Fussière, courtesy of Mr Thio at Claridge’s, London, 19 Apr 2025. Good colour. Rounded with subtle shades of top-notch raspberries and dark plums dressed in smooth tannins. Darkly delicious at just the right level of extraction with understated intensity and cool ripeness. An absolute gem for the discerning connoisseur.
2021 Domaine Dureuil-Janthial Rully, courtesy of Mr Thio at Canton Blue, The Peninsula London, 20 Apr 2025. Luminous gold, opening with a restrained chalkiness tinged with saline minerals that carried well onto the palate with refreshing crispness, displaying controlled verve and intensity, veering towards a reductive precision as its distinct salinity took hold of the palate.
2020 Domaine Pierre-Yvés Colin-Morey Saint-Aubin 1er Les Champiots, courtesy of Mr Thio at Canton Blue, The Peninsula London, 20 Apr 2025. Pale luminosity. There is a very slight reductive pungency amid cool glacial notes that blew off to reveal restrained layers of saline minerals within its fullish rounded elegance, fleshing out eventually with gleaming tones.
2022 Thomas Morey Chassagne-Montrachet, courtesy of Mr Thio at Scott’s Mayfair, London, 21 Apr 2025. Displaying luminous golden hues, this wine opens with some restraint amid stony overtones tinged with a dash of salinity. The creamy smooth palate boasts an almost luxuriant feel where every element of fruit, acidity and minerals is precisely in place, stretching out with understated glowing intensity.
2023 Tamellini Soave Veneto at The Vault, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, 21 Apr 2025. Pale luminosity. Sharp lift of flint and crisp citrus. Quite engaging on the medium-full palate. Refreshing and lively.
Champagne Moët Chandon Imperial Brut NV at The Vault, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, 21 Apr 2025. Pale. Full presence of lime and citrus fruit that cut through with incisive acidity and brazen intensity.
2015 Hattingley Valley Blanc de Blancs at The Vault, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, 21 Apr 2025. Pale. This Hampshire sparkling wine is full-bodied, a little forward in lime and clear citrus but well balanced with good refinement, traversing the palate with even intensity.
2022 Monteleccio Castello di Argiano Sesti at The Vault, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, 21 Apr 2025. Good colour. Predominance of supple red fruits within sweetish smooth tannins, proffering chamfered detail with subdued intensity. Evenly proportioned. Drinking well.
2020 Peller Estate Vidal Blanc Icewine at The Vault, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, 21 Apr 2025. Deep golden. Effusive fragrance of apricot cinnamon and honey. Good acidity and intensity though offering much in terms of potential complexity. Canadian.
2019 Domaine de Montille Saint-Aubin 1er En Remilly. Aired for two hours ahead of dinner at home, 28 Apr 2025. Pale greenish. Fairly effusive in white flowers and orchard fruit. Still rather tight on the medium-full palate, turning more reductive and minerally over time, yielding some inner detail of green fruits and icing.
1990 Château Léoville Las-Cases. Aired in bottle ahead of dinner at Otto Ristorante, 30 Apr 2025. Deep purple. Accentuated lift of red roses, dark cherries, blueberries and earthy balsamic elements. Medium-full. Still amazingly fresh and lively, boasting slick acidity and structured tannins smoothened through the passage of time. Slightly velvety with a tinge of exotic spice, developing the classic Saint-Julien glow of dry cassis and iron filings throughout its moderate length. Far from drying out. Excellent.
2011 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 1er Clavoillon. Pale golden luminosity, proffering clear citrus and floral bloom with a hint of morning dew on the nose. Utterly delicate and agile, boasting sublime acidity underpinned by fleeting ferrous minerals and balsamic spice though one would be hard-pressed to call it Puligny; more like a lean reductive Meursault. Is it because the fruit has begun to recede? Nevertheless, this wine is beautifully poised and elegant, still wonderfully fresh, finishing with a lasting understated glow. An atypical Clavoillon, for sure; certainly not the style of Anne-Claude Leflaive. The only way to ascertain would be to pop another bottle.
2019 Caroline Morey Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Les Vergers, courtesy of LF. Pale luminosity, opening with a mild reduction amid its lovely floral lift. Medium-full. Rounded with refined clarity, laced with a dash of enamel that imparted some racy sweetness before firming up to a steely finish.
2017 Domaine Roulot Meursault, courtesy of Kieron. Pale luminosity. This straight village proffers restrained white tones from its delicate chalkiness, delivering a rounded fullish palate with lean detail and lithe agility that fleshed out with glacial coolness and emerging delicate complexity. Very classy.
2020 Domaine Bachelet-Monnot Puligny-Montrachet 1er Les Folatières, courtesy of Vic. Pale luminosity. Classic Puligny nose, exuding distant floral and minerally notes in equal measure. Very classy on the rounded palate, boasting exquisite intensity from the faultless integration of distilled green fruit, lithe acidity and pronounced minerally base, imparting exciting verve and mouthfeel.
2005 Domaine Jean-Claude Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Clos Saint-Jean, courtesy of LF. Classic pinot tint. The enticing bouquet here is wonderfully fragrant in its dense rosy hues, leading to a medium-full focused concentration of fresh red fruits tinged with haw and vanillin. Utterly seamless, not drying out at all. A good reminder that Ramonet makes excellent Chassagne reds.
2015 Lucien Le Moine Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru, courtesy of Kieron. Displaying an opaque pinot tint that hinted at some age, this medium-bodied proposition is imbued with good concentration of velvety fruit shorn of excesses, imparting distilled notes of rose petals supported by a certain earthiness. A convincing effort from this négociant.
2013 Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux Échezeaux Grand Cru, courtesy of Vic. Very deep tint of pinot. Big and structured, infinitely masculine with a certain rustic minerally detail, cushioned by a rounded velvetiness bordering on gruffness. Snapped together with better focus after some time though its darkish demeanour remained rather unyielding.
2007 Domaine des Lambrays Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru. Classic pinot tint. Delicately poised with a certain restraint of haw and rose petals. The fleshy medium-full palate features decent depth of fruit imbued with a distinct salinity, perfectly integral with lithe elegant tannins and fresh acidity. Not showy at all. Drinking the vintage, probably at its best.
2000 Château Pavie, courtesy of Sir Bob. Decanted on-site. Deep purple, proffering exuberant swathes of delicious black fruits amid the hallowed glow of a maturing claret. Expectedly masculine but well-proportioned, cushioned by pliant chewy tannins that produced a degree of lushness within its fleshy seamless layers, the enamel from new oak still discernible with a tint of cigar box. Still far from peak maturity.
2017 Domaine Yvon Clerget Volnay 1er Carelle sous la Chapelle. Popped and poured at Imperial Treasure Great World, 12 Mar 2025. This unassuming wine opens with attractive plummy red fruits laced with a dominant salinity, beautifully crafted with sublime acidity and subtle tannins that convey great clarity and clean precision within its fleshy freshness, exerting palpable tension. Impeccably proportioned and integral. Only his third vintage then, but Thibaud Clerget’s precocious talent was already evident.
2022 Jean-Marie Fourrier Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru Vieilles Vignes, courtesy of SC at Gordon Grill, 13 Mar 2025. Very pale. Effusive bouquet of straw, summer hay and lemongrass that blossomed with elegant grace and roundedness. Medium-full, the fruit turning more backward in favour of a refined clarity, laced with pointed acidity to distract from its distinct austere minerality.
2022 Jean-Marie Fourrier Pommard 1er Les Saussilles Vieilles Vignes, courtesy of SC at Gordon Grill, 13 Mar 2025. Deep plummy red, imbued with generous swathes of ripe raspberries and cherries that exude overtones of haw and varnish, imparting plenty of presence and power though, rather surprisingly, it doesn’t quite plumb the depths, limited as well by a mid-palatal brightness from emerging notes of malt and gravel.
2012 Château Rayas Blanc, courtesy of SC at Gordon Grill, 13 Mar 2025. Dull golden. Superb on the nose, boasting an irresistible complex of apricot, cinnamon and mandarin peel with a hint of diesel. The medium-weight palate is beautifully proportioned with a teasing intensity of pears and pineapples, displaying great definition, peppered with minty overtones throughout its glowing length, finishing on a dominant note of preserved orange peel.
2010 Château Rayas Rouge, courtesy of SC at Gordon Grill, 13 Mar 2025. Dark, big and brooding, slightly medicinal on the nose and rounded palate that boasts sleek acidity and smooth intensity, taking on a surprising reductive pungency as it developed greater suppleness. But this is far from ready, yet to evolve into the seductive rosy temptress that command top dollar.
2018 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Musigny Grand Cru, courtesy of SC at Gordon Grill, 13 Mar 2025. Impenetrably deep garnet. There is obviously plenty beneath the dark brooding reluctance at this stage, the wine infinitely masculine and dense, simply austere and unyielding. Likely to outlive most of those at the table.
2019 Domaine Larue Saint-Aubin 1er En Montceau. Aired in bottle for almost two hours ahead of dimsum lunch at Wah Lok, 16 Mar 2025. Clear luminosity. Very lovely on the nose where an oily density of white floral hues and tropical fruits exude exciting detail, underpinned by slick acidity that conferred great verve. Settled down with cool glacial overtones, taking on a refined minerally presence. Highly integral. Excellent.
2017 Domaine Yvon Clerget Pommard 1er Les Rugiens. Aired in bottle for three hours prior to dinner at Bedrock Bar & Grill, 17 Mar 2025. Classic pinot tint. Some secondary development is evident where the concentration of raspberries and dark cherries is giving way towards more plummy characters set against a plush velvetiness tinged with minty spice and a certain minerally brightness and salinity, its gruff tannins offset by a dash of sweetness. Speaks of the terroir but Volnay is where Clerget truly comes into its own.
Rockford Black Shiraz (2012 disgorgement). Popped and poured at Liang Kee, 22 Mar 2025. Classic tones of warm ripe Barossa shiraz replete with liquorice and earthy herbaceous characters laced with lively acidity, finishing with a dash of liquor. Perhaps just past its prime, missing the layered dimensions of the best examples of Rockford’s famous sparkling red.
1996 Champagne Billecart-Salmon Le Clos Saint-Hilaire, courtesy of Kok Hiang at Atout, 27 Mar 2025. Displaying a deep golden luminosity, this wine boasts a rich glowing complex of creme de la creme and mature chalkiness amid yeasty undertones. Still amazingly full and fresh, underscored by gorgeous acidity superbly integrated with refined ferrous elements that impart great precision within the delicate sheen of very fine bubbles, developing a brilliant intensity over time. Outstanding!
1996 Domaine Robert Ampeau et Fils Meursault-Charmes 1er at Atout, 27 Mar 2025. Golden luminosity, exuding faint citrus and orchard fruit. Still imbued with lively acidity that conferred superb freshness on the medium-full palate underpinned by very well-integrated minerality, blossoming with glowing detail and intensity.
1995 Domaine Louis Jadot Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru, courtesy of LF at Atout, 27 Mar 2025. Opaque reddish brown. Quite effusive in mature red fruits with herbaceous overtones. The robust fleshy palate is distinctly masculine in its dense tensile velvety textures imbued with balsamic elements that impart a hint of rusticity. Still far from drying out. This is old school grand cru, built to last.
1990 Domaine Faiveley Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru, courtesy of Jason at Atout, 27 Mar 2025. Still deeply coloured, proffering generous layers of dark plums, currants and black cherries with delicious detail and amazingly youthful intensity. Highly agile and integral. At its peak and will easily hold for another couple of decades. One is truly drinking the vintage.
2021 Peccavi Chardonnay. Popped and poured over lunch at Imperial Treasure Great World, 29 Mar 2025. Luminous pale greenish. Delicate floral hues, citrus and kiwi dominate on the nose with a hint of petroleum. Very well integrated and refined on the medium-full palate, layered with fine density of fruit and lithe acidity that impart an illusion of oiliness.
An all-too-infrequent gathering of the Glen boys at Imperial Treasure Great World, 03 March 2025, that included some who were formerly FICOFI, which seemed an appropriate occasion to pop a D.R.C. from our allocation. Many thanks, everyone, and especially to CJ for hosting.
2009 Champagne Dom Pérignon Rosé, courtesy of CJ. Rose petals and ripe cherries dominate with alluring presence, complementing the crisp incisive intensity that’s almost brutal from its masculine proportions. Not ready.
Champagne La Closerie (Jérôme Prévost) Extra Brut NV, courtesy of LF. Pale. Full-bodied, exuding a clean pointed lift of crisp clear citrus and olives amid medicinal overtones, turning more minerally over time.
2012 Domaine Joseph Drouhin Puligny-Montrachet 1er Pucelles. Dull golden. Notes of yellow citrus and dried orange peel dominate, entering its secondary development with some early apricot. Fullish and sleek though only medium-weight. Probably best to drink now before the onset of autumnal characters.
2010 Domaine Coche-Dury Meursault, courtesy of CHS. Light golden. Delicate lift of lime and clear citrus from its focused depth and velvety concentration, still laced with vanillin within its rounded chalkiness. Superbly balanced and understated, wonderfully fresh with subtle verve, teasing the medium palate with an elusive quality before turning a little dryish even as it fleshed out with richer tone and infinite layering. Outstanding. Do note that it was still a domaine wine in those days, whereas its village Meursault nowadays contains a substantial portion of buy-in grapes.
2017 Domaine Michel Noëllat Vosne-Romanée 1er Les Suchots. Opaque plummy core of supple red fruits gently layered with delicate intensity amid soft pliant tannins, wonderfully fresh and delicious, exuding feminine overtones of rose petals with lovely understated tension. Quite the distilled essence of burgundy. This domaine was founded in the nineteenth century by Felix Noëllat, now run by fifth generation family members Alain and Jean-Marc Noëllat, and the sixth generation of Sebastien Noëllat and Sophie Noëllat-Sirugue.
2014 Domaine du Clos de Tart Clos de Tart Grand Cru monopole, courtesy of Vic. Good colour. Red fruits and strawberries dominate, somewhat lean but highly supple, imbued with fine definition within its soft tannins. Very naturally balanced. Highly integral and unassuming.
2019 Charles van Canneyt Échezeaux Grand Cru, courtesy of Sanjay. Good colour, boasting deep rosy hues from the abundance of delicate red fruits. Medium-full. Softly contoured with a luxurious velvetiness that evoke seductive alluring tension though any notion of inappropriate exuberance is kept at bay through its restrained verve. Drinks very much like an Alain-Hudelot Noëllat, for Charles van Canneyt used to be the winemaker there.
2013 Domaine Anne-François Gros Échezeaux Grand Cru, courtesy of LF. Deep pinot tint. Good lift of delicious fragrance from the darkish palate of ample fruit lit with bright spots, proffering juicy succulence from structured well-defined tannins, developing an energetic biting intensity that conferred thrilling mouthfeel.
2014 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Corton Grand Cru, courtesy of Vic, Sanjay, MH and yours truly. Good colour, exuding a velvety complex of soft red fruits, strawberries and haw on the nose and cultured palate, dressed in silky smooth tannins that is the epitome of noble elegance and superb refinement. Just entering the cusp of secondary development, yet this is every bit the grand cru that it is, and perhaps more, for such is its degree of restraint and control that its pedigree is never in doubt. This is the finest Corton I have tasted. Ex-domaine direct from FICOFI.
Feb 2025: 2021 Sangreal By Farr Pinot Noir, 2015 Fontanafredda Serralunga Barolo, 2021 Peccavi Chardonnay…
2021 M Chapoutier Crozes-Hermitage Blanc. Popped and poured at Crab At Bay, 08 Feb 2025. Luminous. Fullish, imbued with longans and chalky white tones that impart dryish intensity, underscored by a firm minerally line. Drinking well.
2016 Domaine Thibert Père et Fils Puilly-Fuissé Menetrières. Tasted over dinner at home after some brief aeration, 10 Feb 2025. Pale golden. Concentrated presence of clear and yellow citrus imbued with sleek acidity that exert palpable tension with exquisite intensity, finishing with a dash of understated ferrous elements.
2021 Sangreal By Farr Pinot Noir. Aired in bottle for an hour ahead of dinner at the in-laws, 21 Feb 2025. Classic pinot tint with a brownish hue. Very lovely bouquet of red plums, lychees, haw and rose petals, showing fine precision and supple intensity with a ripe warmth on the medium-full palate, veering towards a tad of sweetness. Highly burgundian. Difficult to place in a blinded tasting.
2015 Fontanafredda Serralunga d’Alba Barolo. Popped and poured from magnum at the Wild Rice Ball, Shangri-la Singapore, 22 Feb 2025. Displaying a clear ruby transluscence, this wine exudes feminine rosy hues and bright cherries, softly contoured with cool restraint and fine acidity that lend a bit of supple intensity. Almost burgundian in character, drinking superbly. Very lovely.
2014 Château La Gaffélière. Popped and poured at the Wild Rice Ball, Shangri-la Singapore, 22 Feb 2025, courtesy of Herr Knut Unger. Fairly deep garnet, proffering a fleshy presence of mulberries, raspberries and dark currants within a sheen of créme and smooth velvety tannins. Classically proportioned and balanced with restrained acidity. Entering its drinking window but still a little tight.
2021 Peccavi Chardonnay. Popped and poured at Kam Boat, 28 Feb 2025. Very pale greenish, exuding a white floral fragrance with a suggestion of oily density. Quite full, generously imbued with notes of orchard and tropical fruit laced with slick acidity and sweetish undertones, imparting a lovely tensile mouthfeel. Huge potential here.
2017 Domaine Montille Corton-Charlemagne 2015 Domaine des Lambrays Clos Lambrays 2014 Domaine Dujac Clos de la Roche
As I’d mentioned in my last post, we encountered another example of Ramonet’s Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Clos du Caillerets monopole, from supposedly an ex-domaine OWC purchased from FICOFI, that was way over-developed for its age. Another bottle that was similarly affected that evening, 17 February 2025 at Imperial Treasure Great World, was the Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru. It may be prudent to drink your burgundy whites before ten years of age. Many thanks, Vic, for hosting.
2017 Domaine de Montille Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru. Pale. Quite effusive in orchard fruit and pears with understated minerals. Quite full, displaying greater depth over time with a teasing intensity underscored by slick acidity, turning a tad reductive though maintaining its structured elegance and linearity, oozing a trace of sweetness at the end.
2015 Domaine Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, courtesy of Kieron. Looking quite developed in its deep golden hues with overtones of ferrous oxide, marmite and musty pochai. Quite slick and supple, displaying a distilled clarity with fine focus, supported by a firm minerally spine that lend a distinct austerity, made even more pronounced by its recessed chalkiness. Fleshed out with greater body and richness over time, though its finish remained modest. I still managed to pick it out as Corton-Charlemagne though its unexpectedly rapid development (last tasted in 2022) is rather alarming.
2017 Domaine Pierre-Yvés Colin-Morey Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Les Chenevottes, courtesy of Vic. Pale. Shut on the nose, while the fullish palate is distinctly reductive, almost austere. Fleshed out well after some time with a sleek rounded profile, more chalky and perfumed in orchard fruits with understated minerals.
2014 Domaine Jean-Claude Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Clos du Caillerets monopole, courtesy of Winfred. Another example of a white that has developed far more rapidly than expected, displaying mature golden hues. Not showing much on the nose though the rounded palate is beautifully proportioned, seamlessly integrated with great definition but the dense autumnal tones still weigh quite heavily. Winfred said other bottles from the same case had tasted similarly. Again rather alarming.
2014 Domaine Dujac Clos de la Roche Grand Cru, a unique bottling specially made for FICOFI, courtesy of Winfred. Classic pinot tint, proffering a superb pointed rosy fragrance from the ample layers of darkish fruit and currants, underscored by terse acidity that imparted lovely tension and supple intensity, yet understated on the whole. Wonderfully balanced and delicious, oozing breed and pedigree.
2014 Domaine Tawse Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru, courtesy of LF. Darkish pinot tint. Displaying some evolution with a quiet restraint of cherries and mature red fruits though open with inviting presence, structured with masculine tones that imbue the palate with nervous energy and rasping intensity.
2006 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Chambolle-Musigny 1er, courtesy of Sir Bob. Darkish in colour and tone, exuding a dense racy bouquet of enamel, varnish and heated gravel. Equally concentrated and unyielding on the masculine palate, structured with massive power and presence. Made from younger vines of Musigny Grand Cru, fed on steroids.
2015 Domaine des Lambrays Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru, courtesy of Kieron. Opaque crimson with a predominance of red fruits. Generously proportioned, richly imbued with red fruits laid on velvety textures, structured with masculine tones and supple power. One for the long haul.
1996 Domaine Louis Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Clos Saint-Jacques, courtesy of LF. Opaque brownish crimson, exuding a gentle reductive earthiness that belies the outstanding freshness emanating from the ample density of mature red fruits that exude overtones of haw and velvetiness with an elusive quality, underpinned by sleek acidity. Modest finish.
2008 Domaine du Clos de Tart Clos de Tart Grand Cru, courtesy of Vic. Some age is evident from the evolved bright crimson, exuding a delicious lift of rosy hues and red fruits with savoury characters. Generously layered with fine density of fruit, still wonderfully fresh and intense though there is an element of gruffness, probably a function of the vintage. Good length.
1993 Leroy Savigny-les-Beaune Narbontons, 2008 Liger Belair Vosne-Romanée Suchots, 1999 Domaine Ramonet Bâtard-Montrachet, 2000 Domaine Leroy Clos de Vougeot
A gathering of usual suspects and other generous guests at Chef Chan Private Dining on 05 February 2025, very kindly hosted by Anthony, that kicked off with a decadent yusheng comprising thick slabs of toro and unagi topped with dollops of caviar. The vinous line-up was equally outstanding although I must report that this is the second example of Ramonet’s Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Clos du Caillerets monopole (the other was a 2014 tasted a week apart) that is over-developed for age. You are advised to check the quality of your bottles if you have any of this. Many thanks, gentlemen!!
2015 Domaine Henri Boillot Puligny-Montrachet 1er Les Combettes. Pale. Balsamic cool tones on the nose. Fullish with vibrant acidity, boasting good focus and precision, imbued with a certain reductive stoniness to its lingering finish of spicy white pepper.
2015 Domaine Jean-Claude Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Clos du Caillerets monopole, courtesy of Kieron. Slightly darkish shade of gold. Very Leflaive type of honeyed toast with early autumnal characters on the nose. Its reclusive fruit results in a dryish reluctant palate that is more minerally and acidic, tapering to a glowing finish of ginger bitters. This has developed faster than expected.
1999 Domaine Jean-Claude Ramonet Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, courtesy of Anthony. Luminous. Sulphuric nose of damp earth and wet pebbles. Medium-full. Superbly harmonious in its dense minerally detail, seamlessly integrated with the ripe warmth of mature white fruits throughout its excellent length and linearity, underpinned by a trace of salinity. Outstanding.
2001 Bass Philip Au Jardin Les Amis, courtesy of Sir Bob. Deep reddish-brownish core, somewhat opaque, though the nose is quite beguiling in its delicious rosy fragrance, matched by superb acidity that is seamlessly integrated with refined tannins. Still impressively dense and fresh, underpinned by a sandy earthiness not unlike a Nuits-Saint-Georges. Specially bottled for Singapore’s three Michelin-starred Les Amis restaurant.
1993 Maison Leroy Savigny-les-Beaune 1er Les Narbontons, courtesy of Sir Bob. Clear ruby, proffering a restrained rosiness. Medium presence and somewhat slender with slick pointed acidity as if all excesses have been trimmed off, leaving a distinct note of saline. Undeniably elegant. Still amazingly fresh and youthful.
2000 Domaine Leroy Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru, courtesy of Anthony. Considerably evolved pinot tint, slightly opaque, but absolutely delightful on the nose where the seductive fragrance of rose petals, haw and complex red fruits work the senses into overdrive. Open with supple succulence, seamlessly layered with ripe fruit and cherries still bright and fresh that boasts superb purity with understated power in spite of its growing stature in the glass, remaining supremely elegant all through to its sweet lingering finish. This is probably the vinous definition of beautiful sex.
2001 Domaine Hubert Lignier Morey-Saint-Denis 1er, courtesy of Vic. Purplish. Deep bouquet of dark cherries and raspberries. Still tight, youthful and intense, structured with tensile presence, its tannins oozing a trace of sweetness. Wonderfully fresh, making up for the somewhat attenuated finish.
2014 Domaine Nicholas Rossignol Pommard 1er Chanlins. Purplish crimson. Nose of cotton candy with a hint of reduction. Generously proportioned with dryish tannins that exert terse intensity. Considerably more open after some time, fleshing out with cool focus and inner detail underscored by a dash of salinity.
2006 Domaine François Lamarche La Grand Rue Grand Cru, courtesy of Alvin. Very dark, generously imbued with the concentrated warmth of ripe darkish fruit amid overtones of heated gravel, producing excellent attack of striking acidity with a spicy lift though the finish is a little abrupt and distinctly austere.
2009 Domaine Philippe Charlopin Chambertin Grand Cru, courtesy of Aaron. Some age is evident from the colour and nose, layered with bright red fruits that impart delicious lift with supple intensity. Highly harmonious within its sheen of silky smooth tensile tannins. Modest finish.
2009 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru, courtesy of Kieron. Deep pinot tint. Sharp lift of ferrous ore and red fruits. Medium-full. Fairly exuberant but impeccably harmonious with velvety textures, dressed in sweetish silky tannins that impart a bit of taut tension.
2008 Domaine Comte Liger Belair Vosne-Romanée 1er Les Suchots, courtesy of Sean. Evolved crimson. Good lift of darkish fruit, slightly accentuated. Medium presence. Highly harmonious and integral, very seamlessly structured with smooth sweetish tannins that exert terse supple intensity with superb precision and refined power. Impeccably proportioned and balanced, exuding a certain elusiveness. This is beyond reproach. Outstanding.
2025 La Paulée de Singapour
The ninth edition (seventh actually, excluding two virtual editions during the Covid-19 pandemic) of the La Paulée de Singapour took place at Capella Hotel, Sentosa, (where Trump met Kim in 2018) on 07 February 2025. It was good to meet up again with winemakers Jacques Devauges, Gregory Gouges, Vincent Bouzereau, Arthur Clair as well as Yannick Champ (who still remembered our last pre-pandemic meeting in Singapore at a private whisky library at Duxton Hill in the wee hours of the morning) whose Domaine Prieuré Roch must surely be a coup for Christophe Cazaux and his boys at Vintage Singapore. At the tasting promenade, almost everyone featured their barrel samples of 2023 which I found to be even better than the already excellent 2022: uniformly generous, integral and superbly balanced with lovely energy and freshness for both reds and whites throughout the Côte d’Or. Despite starting promptly at 1700h, it was still not possible to finish by 1930h, a testament to the quantity and quality available. With the new French ambassador in attendance, dinner quickly got off to a riotous start, punctuated by several rounds of ban burguignon and traditional songs, with a standing ovation for Stéphanie Rigourd’s rendition of Beyond’s Cantonese hit 海闊天空 (Boundless Oceans, Vast Skies). The Capella scored on several fronts: spacious, cool ambient temperatures, proper large stage and excellent stemware though the staff at last year’s Mandarin Oriental showed greater familiarity with wine service (they had decanters). The kitchen had some trouble keeping up with the pace but that failed to dampen the spirit. Vintage must be congratulated for another excellent La Paulée. The next edition in 2026 ought to be even more special, being its tenth, but the dismal yields of 2024 may be challenging for the tasting promenade. I suggest you load up on the abundant 2023s before prices skyrocket. Merci!
2023 Domaine des Lambrays Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Clos Baulet. Classic pinot tint, exuding restrained rosy hues. Open with fullish supple intensity and understated minerality. Great balance. Modest finish. This plot of brownish clay lies right outside the domaine.
2023 Domaine des Lambrays Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Clos Sorbé. Purplish core. Rosy fruit laced with substantial vanillin. Fullish as well, though a little more earthy. Warm and energetic, underscored by firm minerality. Good tension. Also lies directly outside the domaine next to Clos Baulet, comprising reddish iron-rich soils.
2023 Domaine des Lambrays Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er La Richemone. Good colour. The NSG terroir really comes through with distinct sandalwood and earth on the nose while the palate boasts cool ripe raspberries and dark cherries. Well-balanced with poised elegance. About 20% of the vines here were planted in 1924.
2023 Domaine des Lambrays Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru. Good colour. Aromatic perfumed lift amid overtones of malt and paraffin. Medium presence, boasting layers of cool ripe fruit and slick acidity, structured with supple tannins. Very well balanced, finishing with fine linearity and length. Showing a certain restraint now, but likely to flesh out further in bottle.
2022 Domaine Prieuré Roch Ladoix Le Cloud. Pale golden. Intoxicating nose of glue and diesel though only medium weight. Rounded with fine clarity and understated minerality. Exudes quiet energy.
2023 Antonio Quari Ladoix Les Briquottes Puro. Opaque pale red. Very lovely bouquet of red fruits and haw. Medium presence, displaying a relaxed clarity with fine acidity. Antonio Quari is the winemaker at Domaine Prieuré Roch under the tutelage of Yannick Champ.
2022 Domaine Prieuré Roch Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Clos des Varoilles. Purplish. Utterly beguiling bouquet of rosy floral hues and soft red fruits. Medium weight. Very seamlessly integrated with fine clarity and supple tension. Modest finish. Compared with the efforts of Philippe Chéron (the previous owner of this monopole), this wine is now more expressive and precise but much more expensive as well.
2022 Domaine Prieuré Roch Nuits-Saint-Georges Vieilles Vignes. Poured from magnum. Good colour. Aromatic lift of red fruits. Supple with lovely tension, underpinned by a dash of salinity within its slender profile. Modest finish.
2023 Domaine Bruno Clair Savigny-les-Beaune 1er Les Jarrons. Good colour. Nose of heated wet gravel and malt. Surprisingly generous, structured with sweetish tannins and slick acidity that impart good attack and focused intensity with a trailing note of tobacco.
2023 Domaine Bruno Clair Chambolle-Musigny 1er Les Charmes. Good colour. Distinctly feminine in its rounded contours of soft tannins with plush red fruits. Very elegant and focused. Modest finish.
2023 Domaine Bruno Clair Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru. Good colour. Highly aromatic in red fruits, currants and floral hues, superbly integrated with imperceptible tannins. Impeccably balanced. Good finish. A feminine Clos de Bèze with distinct breed and pedigree.
2023 Domaine Bruno Clair Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru. Good colour, leaping out of the glass with effusive exuberance, boasting superb integration and defined focus with soft tannins. Superbly balanced. Modest finish.
2023 Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er La Perrière. Pale. Effusive bouquet of malt and warm summer hay. The aromatic medium palate is layered with cool ripeness, displaying lovely tension and balance. Good finish. A great pinot blanc.
2023 Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-Saint-Georges Village. Great colour. The excellent presence of fruit here is more forwardly balanced, laced with a tint of tobacco, lending superb energy and tension to the fullish palate. Good refinement and balance. Hard to believe this is village.
2023 Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Clos des Porrets monopole. Good colour. Rosy hues dominate. The slender palate belies the nervous tension and energy that pervades throughout its sleek length.
2023 Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Les Pruliers. Great colour. Highly aromatic with a tinge of tobacco. Fullish with very lovely fruit, showing good sophistication and balance. Modest finish. Has power and elegance in equal measure.
2023 Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Les Saint-Georges. Great colour. There is a certain restrained fullness, well layered with refined balance and delicious cool ripeness in a most elegant manner. Modest finish. Rather understated on the whole.
2023 Domaine Yvon Clerget Volnay. Classic pinot tint. Aromatic lift of raspberries and roses. Medium-weight. Well integrated with refined tannins and acidity. Very naturally balanced. Doesn’t try too hard.
2023 Domaine Yvon Clerget Volnay 1er Clos du Verseuil monopole. Classic pinot tint. Very gentle on the nose, exuding a feminine rosiness tinged with tobacco. Absolutely enticing. Equally delicate on the medium palate, boasting great balance and integration with effortless grace and linearity. Modest finish. Highly successful. Even better than a previous tasting from barrel at the domaine six months ago. Totally de-stemmed, vinified in 30% new wood.
2023 Domaine Yvon Clerget Pommard 1er Les Rugiens. Good colour. Effusive with a focused deeper vein of delicious dark fruit. Highly integral, boasting impeccable balance between the fruit, acidity and imperceptible tannins, contained with restrained power.
2023 Domaine Ferrand et Laurent Pillot Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Vide Bourse. Pale. Intoxicating nose of glue and nail varnish. Open with excellent density of white fruits, displaying fine detail all the way to its glowing finish.
2023 Domaine Ferrand et Laurent Pillot Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Grandes Ruchottes. Very pale, exuding beautifully perfumed floral hues with a tinge of coconut matched by a linear density of fruit that impart excellent mouthfeel and clarity. Modest finish.
2023 Domaine Ferrand et Laurent Pillot Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Morgeot. Pale. Nose of morning dew, floral tones and dryish tropical fruits, extending to the medium-full palate where a sense of wet gravel persists amid a lovely density of distilled white tones entirely consistent with its terroir.
2023 Domaine Ferrand et Laurent Pillot Pommard 1er Clos des Verger. Good colour, proffering an aromatic rosiness that belie the dominant acidity on the terse tight vibrant palate. Modest finish.
2023 Château de Chamirey Mercurey 1er La Mission monopole. Pale. Heated wet gravel and summer hay on the nose. Medium-full, imbued with some salinity amid the fine density of fruit supported by a refined minerally spine. Understated and elegant.
2023 Château de Chamirey Échezeaux du Dessus Grand Cru. Good colour. Blueberries and raspberries dominate. Generously proportioned, layered with a deeper vein of dark fruit beneath the taut tension produced by masculine tannins and refined acidity.
2023 Domaine du Roc des Boutires Pouilly-Fuissé 1er Aux Bouthières. Densely perfumed on the nose. Well-balanced with a tight warmth on the medium-weight palate, displaying fine clarity with a dash of glycerin. Good refinement.
2022 Domaine Vincent Bouzereau Meursault. Warm dryish floral tones with a hint of wet gravel. Very good presence of fruit and acidity. Modest finish.
2023 Domaine Vincent Bouzereau Meursault 1er Les Poruzots. Pale. Explosive bouquet of complex citrus and dense floral hues matched by excellent density of white fruits, layered with sublime acidity and undertones of nutmeg, imbued with tremendous verve and power. Highly integral and certainly not the overtly reductive sort, producing sophisticated attack and finish. Outstanding!
2023 Edouard Delaunay Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Aux Argillas. Good colour. Cool ripe tones of cherries and dark currants layered with mint and fine acidity, its terse tannins imparting nervous energy.
2023 Edouard Delaunay Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Aux Combottes. Classic pinot tint. Cool ripe tones of cherries and raspberries. Fullish. Structured with taut intensity supported by a distinct minerally spine, imparting great verve and attack. Huge potential here but needs plenty of time to settle.
2023 Edouard Delaunay Clos Vougeot Grand Cru. Classic pinot tint. Highly aromatic. Medium presence. Fleshy with cool restraint, layered with understated tannin structure. Good power.
And at dinner…
2021 Jerome Galeyrand Gevrey-Chambertin En Billard, courtesy of Edmund. Great colour. Highly aromatic in delicious red fruits. Excellent presence, layered with soft tannins that impart lovely refined tension underscored by a distinct salinity.
2017 Château de Chamirey Mercurey 1er La Mission monopole, courtesy of Kieron. Poured from magnum. Cool glacial tones and floral hues dominate with overtones of nutmeg, boasting sublime acidity and distilled layers of pure white fruits. Excellent.
2019 Domaine des Lambrays Puligny-Montrachet 1er Folatières, courtesy of winemaker Jacques Devauges. Poured from imperial. Wet floral bouquet with some early chalky complexity. Somewhat restrained though the palate is open, very naturally balanced with lovely delineation, underscored by a deeper vein of fruit and chalky tension. Highly elegant.
2020 Domaine des Lambrays Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Les Loups, courtesy of Vic. Good colour, exuding cool ripeness with restrained elegance. Great balance.
2016 La Forge de Tart Morey-Saint-Denis 1er. Glorious deep ruby. Exuberant rosy fragrance of red fruits and cherries. Imbued with great verve. Lovely balance. Made from three plots of young vines within Clos de Tart grand cru (replanted in 1999, 2005 and 2011), declassified as 1er. Tasted together with winemaker Jacques Devauges.
2014 Domaine Jacques-Frédèric Mugnier Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Clos de la Marechale Rouge. Bright crimson. Rather closed though there is a medium presence of soft red fruits with gentle tannins, laced with some salinity. Good balance.
2022 Domaine Yvon Clerget Volnay 1er Santenots, courtesy of Juliette Wahl. Poured from magnum. Clear ruby. Good presence of red fruits, very beautifully proportioned with fine precision and excellent acidity.
2017 Domaine Yvon Clerget Volnay 1er Carelle sous la Chapelle, courtesy of Kieron. Strong note glycerin and varnish on the nose. The palate, though, is wonderfully full and supple, exuding lovely verve and freshness. Highly integral. Good finish.
2005 Domaine de Montille Puligny-Montrachet 1er Les Caillerets, courtesy of Stéphanie. Poured from magnum. Pale. Rather minerally with reductive tones amid a full presence of white fruits and nutmeg, imparting fine attack and glorious mouthfeel. This plot of de Montille lies immediately across the road from Montrachet Grand Cru Marquis de Laguiche.
2011 Domaine de L’Arlot Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Clos des Forêts Saint-Georges, courtesy of LF. Bright crimson, lit with ripe red cherries and earthy minerals, showing some age on the nose though still robust and youthful on the palate, slightly leafy (in the positive sense) with fine intensity. An early effort of Jacques Devauges.
2011 Domaine Prieuré Roch Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Clos des Argillières, courtesy of winemaker Yannick Champ. Opaque pinot tint, proffering an earthy nose of iron ore that came through readily. Medium-full. Seamlessly integrated with some salinity, laced with robust acidity. Quite masculine. Has character.
2014 Domaine Alain Hudelot-Noëllat Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Les Murgers. Bright crimson. Rounded with smooth velvety tannins with a bit of minerally shine around its darkish fruit. Highly integral.
2008 Domaine des Lambrays Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru, courtesy of Jacques Devauges. Poured from imperial. Beautiful colour, exuding an irresistible fragrance of rose petals, red fruits and cherries with some early complexity amid overtones of incense. Medium-full, boasting lovely fruit and sublime acidity, gently structured with lovely tension. A superlative effort from Thierry Brouin.
2017 Château de la Tour Clos Vougeot Grand Cru, courtesy of Liz Lin. Beautiful ruby. Feminine rosy hues dominate on the nose and palate, dressed in smooth tannins and sublime acidity. Highly integral. Absolutely beguiling.
2007 Domaine Dujac Vosne-Romanée 1er Aux Malconsorts, courtesy of Martin. Evolved pinot tint. Delicious fullish velvety presence though only medium-weight, boasting great refinement and clarity with impeccable balance.
2019 Domaine Henri Gouges Hospices de Nuits Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Les Saint Georges, courtesy of Kieron. Good colour. Good concentration of red fruits, exuding cool ripeness with lovely tension and youthful intensity.
2021 Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Les Saint-Georges, courtesy of Gregory Gouges. Poured from magnum. Deep ruby. Restrained bouquet of red fruits and dark cherries that carried well onto the palate with lovely concentration, layered with understated minerality. Exudes tensile verve. Huge potential here.
A bumper crop of tastings to kick off the New Year…
2021 Château La Gamaye Cuvée Prestige. Popped and poured over dinner at the in-laws, 05 Jan 2025. Deep purple. Surprisingly good fleshy presence of quality fruit for a table wine, displaying refined acidity and well-managed but slightly dryish tannins, marked by undertones of wood shavings. Really serviceable.
Champagne Chartogne-Taillet Sainte Anne Extra Brut NV, courtesy of Mr Soo Hoo at Park 90, 08 Jan 2025. Pale. Good lift of yeasty overtones, boasting lovely depth of dense minerally elements and refreshing complex citrus in equal measure within smooth creamy textures. Modest finish.
2009 Domaine Armand Rousseau Clos de la Roche Grand Cru, courtesy of Mr Soo Hoo at Park 90, 08 Jan 2025. Some age is evident from the evolved purple, exuding a highly perfumed bouquet of floral rosy hues and other feminine characters. Medium presence. Highly integral and agile, its utterly seamless layers underscored by striking acidity that impart a touch of exuberance though there isn’t much inner detail beyond its classy elegance. Modest finish.
2021 00 Wines VGR, courtesy of Mr Soo Hoo at Park 90, 08 Jan 2025. Evolved purple. Slightly darkish for pinot, tinged with raspberries and chocolate, displaying controlled restraint though a tad more structured and masculine than the preceding Clos de la Roche. Open with refined clarity and transparency within a slender frame, bringing its dark cherries into greater focus, tempered by ferrous undertones.
2021 00 Wines EGW, courtesy of Mr Soo Hoo at Park 90, 08 Jan 2025. Poured from magnum. Pale, proffering gentle wafts of lime, citrus crème and fig. Creamy smooth and velvety, underpinned by sublime acidity with a tinge of coconut. Fleshed out gradually with excellent concentration of subtle white fruits and polished minerals within its seamless layers, developing a bit of stony chalkiness as it stretched out with subtle persistence. Superbly integral and elegant, so much so that I’d thought it was a Bâtard-Montrachet from the Chassagne side.
2022 Jean-Marie Fourrier Puligny-Montrachet, courtesy of Mr Soo Hoo at Park 90, 08 Jan 2025. Pale. Cool glacial tones amid floral fragrance and green fruits. Quite sharply delineated, accentuated by its high-toned acidity against velvety textures and minerally undertones. Almost reductive.
2017 Roagna Barbaresco Montefico Vecchie Viti, courtesy of Mr Soo Hoo at Park 90, 08 Jan 2025. Evolved crimson. This Barbaresco is highly burgundian in character, proffering delicious red fruits and haw on the nose and medium palate underpinned by refined acidity that impart fine clarity though it’s a tad straightforward, finishing with trailing notes of incense.
2021 Maxime Cheurlin Noëllat Chambolle-Musigny 1er Les Feusselottes, courtesy of Monsieur Bernard Delmas at Park 90, 08 Jan 2025. Popped and poured. Rather dark for pinot with a deep crimson core, proffering a forward bouquet of cedar, currants and dark cherries. Well-extracted with a savoury richness and ripe concentration underpinned by a firm minerally spine and pronounced acidity, displaying a controlled restraint in spite of its outsized potential.
2021 Penfolds Max’s Shiraz-Cabernet, aired in bottle for two hours ahead of dinner at the in-laws, 12 Jan 2025. Deep purple. Well-endowed in dark currants and blackberries that offer excellent freshness and fleshy presence with soft tannins and well-integrated acidity. Drinks well.
2021 Domaine Jean Chartron Puligny-Montrachet 1er Clos de la Pucelle monopole. Aired in bottle ahead of dinner at Otto Ristorante, 13 Jan 2025. Pale golden. Pears and tropical fruits dominate on the nose while copious citrus fruits oozed with explosive bloom, painting the concentrated palate with lush density and just the right degree of acidity, developing a bit of chalky shine some time later. Finished with lengthy persistence.
2004 Champagne Dom Pérignon P2, courtesy of MH at Otto Ristorante, 13 Jan 2025. Golden Luminosity. Quite glorious on the nose, boasting fresh citrus and chalky complexity. Beautifully layered with a darkish minerally depth amid dryish yeasty tones, developing an intense expanse of fruit with a rich minerally undertow that stretched with glowing persistence and regal elegance, stamped with impeccable pedigree.
2016 Domaine Pierre-Yvés Colin-Morey Meursault Charmes 1er, courtesy of LF at Otto Ristorante, 13 Jan 2025. Pale, exuding cool glacial tones of white fruits and clear citrus. Quite lush and velvety, caressing the palate with understated intensity and subtle depth. Not as reductive as expected.
2014 Domaine Louis Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Clos-Saint-Jacques, aired ahead of dinner at Otto Ristorante, 13 Jan 2025. Classic pinot tint. Warm bouquet of red fruits and cherries, wonderfully ripe with a lovely perfumed intensity. There is a bit of earthiness beneath its youthful intensity, layered with a sense of oily density that added further dimension to its refinement. Beautifully balanced with subtle vigour. Moderate finish.
2016 Domaine Clos du Moulin Aux Moines Pommard 1er Clos Orgelot monopole, courtesy of Jimmy at Otto Ristorante, 13 Jan 2025. Purplish pinot tint, proffering a delicious lift of bright cherries and red fruits that matched the forward balance on the tensile medium weight palate. Very well-integrated though on the lean side, structured with velvety tannins that impart understated intensity. I’ve never heard of this producer but it is very good, indeed.
2017 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Chambolle-Musigny 1er, courtesy of CHS at Otto Ristorante, 13 Jan 2025. Rather dark and shy on the nose though the medium-full palate is quite lush and lively with refined acidity, giving way after some time to structured dryish tannins tinged with enamel and vanillin.
2012 Domaine François Lamarche Vosne-Romanée 1er Aux Malconsorts, courtesy of Vic at Otto Ristorante, 13 Jan 2025. Classic pinot tint. Fairly full with a lovely warm ripeness, the darkish fruit tinged with earthy characters within a frame of structured dryish tannins that impart a hint of gunmetal flint.
2014 Domaine du Clos Frantin Vosne-Romanée 1er Aux Malconsorts at Otto Ristorante, 13 Jan 2025. Classic pinot crimson. There is some restraint on the nose though the open medium-weight palate boasts lithe agility with a refined intensity of red fruits and fine acidity. Finished well with a dash of medicinal overtones.
2011 Domaine Hudelot-Noëllat Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru, courtesy of Ngoi at Otto Ristorante, 13 Jan 2025. Bright crimson. Very lovely cherries and rosy floral hues on the nose along with other secondary characters. Wonderfully fresh, boasting a delicious intense succulence from the lush layers of fruit that impart superb mouthfeel all the way to its perfumed finish.
1996 Château d’Yquem, courtesy of Sanjay at Otto Ristorante, 13 Jan 2025. Displaying a deep golden lustre, this Sauternes is still remarkably youthful, imbued with tertiary characters of apricot, cinnamon and mandarins that impart a lascivious concentrated intensity amid medicinal overtones. May not have peaked.
2020 Domaine Marc Roy Marsannay Les Champs Perdrix, courtesy of Damien at Jade Palace, 19 Jan 2025. Pale. A high line of delicate citrus and pomelo cuts through the cool glacial tones on the crisp reductive palate, tightly concentrated with a hint of steely austerity. Very cleanly delineated with subtle depth, giving way to a gentle creaminess throughout its unassuming length.
2019 Domaine de la Vougeraie Vougeot 1er Le Clos Blanc de Vougeot. Aired in bottle for three hours ahead of lunch at Jade Palace, 19 Jan 2025. Delicate lime and citrus on the nose. Medium-full, boasting a rounded bloom of white floral tones, structured with sublime acidity that impart focused intensity with excellent verve.
1998 Daniel Moine-Hudelot Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru, courtesy of Brian at Jade Palace, 19 Jan 2025. Darkish tint of pinot, delivering a forward bouquet of beguiling fragrance. Highly agile and lithe, still imbued with lovely sweetish fruit at the core with a saline tinge, the superb acidity producing smooth attack. Impeccably balanced. Quite splendid.
2016 Henri et Gilles Remoriquet Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Les Damodes, courtesy of Daniel at Jade Palace, 19 Jan 2025. Deep purplish core, some crimson, producing a fairly sharp lift of plums and abundant red fruits tinged with paraffin. Medium weight and fleshy with structured supple tannins, showing good concentration and detail. Modest finish. Good refinement, but its NSG character doesn’t quite come through.
2003 Château de Fonsalette, courtesy of Alvin at Jade Palace, 19 Jan 2025. Decanted on-site. Evolved crimson. Big and well-developed on the nose with a distinct sweetness. Open with soft tannins, developing supple intensity and lovely tension from the fine acidity with a dash of savouriness.
2013 Domaine Anne Gros Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Les Damodes, courtesy of Alvin and tasted in the presence of Madame Anne Gros at Jade Palace, 19 Jan 2025. Classic pinot tint. Some spice and capsicum amid blueberries and raspberries. Medium presence. Quite fleshy with a distinct salinity though the NSG terroir remains elusive. Modest finish. Only three vintages were produced from 2013-5 before the plot was sold.
2019 Weingut Markus Molitor Graacher Himmelreich Mosel Pinot Noir***, courtesy of Daniel at Jade Palace, 19 Jan 2025. Good pinot tint. Effusive in red fruits and rosy hues with a pointed lift. Medium presence. Quite integral, the fruit unmistakably pinot in character with a dash of minty coolness though one can tell it isn’t a burgundy, not showing much inner detail.
2020 Weingut Markus Molitor Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Kabinett, courtesy of Daniel at Jade Palace, 19 Jan 2025. Decanted on site. Pale golden. Effusive with a distinctive note of diesel. High-toned delicate palate though only medium weight, imbued with fairly crisp acidity and fine definition within a slender profile. Good balance. Fleshy, and not too dry. 10.5% abv.
2007 Kistler Sonoma Coast Les Noseliers, courtesy of Alvin at Jade Palace, 19 Jan 2025. Deeply coloured. Predominance of apricot and medicinal characters on the nose. Distinctly autumnal, where the honeyed overtones are still unable to conceal the fact that the fruit has begun to recede although the acidity is still intact, becoming increasingly dominant in intensity.
2016 Bass Philip Premium Pinot Noir, courtesy of Yvonne at Jade Palace, 19 Jan 2025. Aged pinot tint. Gentle rosy fragrance. Lively with sublime acidity. Fullish and vibrant, displaying lovely restraint and ripeness of raspberries and cherries with a bit of tensile quality within its soft tannins, underscored by an increasing salinity.
2007 Henschke Cyril Henschke, courtesy of WCY at Jade Palace, 19 Jan 2025. Evolved opaque purple, opening with broad swathes of black cherries and dark roses tinged with sweet eucalyptus. The cool fruit is expressed at full ripeness with controlled hedonism on a bed of elegant velvety tannins that impart understated structure and intensity. Modest finish. A Bordeaux blend of 75% cabernet sauvignon.
2012 Domaine Joseph Drouhin Puligny-Montrachet 1er Folatieres. Aired for an hour ahead of the family’s CNY lunch at Imperial Treasure Great World, 25 Jan 2025. Luminous. Mandarins and copious citrus fruits dominate with an oily density amid a distinct salinity. Quite sleek and fullish, becoming more minerally over time with a trace of stoniness along with further notes of mature apricot. Drinking very well.
2020 Le Puy Emilien. Popped and poured at the in-laws, 26 Jan 2025. Fairly deep garnet, opening with an unusual reductive earthiness on the nose that didn’t quite go with the weighty palate of raspberries and black cherries underscored by striking acidity. Robust and rustic.
2017 Kenzo Estate Rindo. Aired in bottle for about two hours ahead of dinner at Bedrock Bar & Grill, 27 Jan 2025. Deep garnet. Cool, ripe and delicious with a slightly accentuated nose of red plums and cherries. A tad forward and savoury on the medium-full palate, offering fleshy chewy detail within a framework of smooth refined tannins.
2005 Prince of Hearts, courtesy of Melvin at Bedrock Bar & Grill, 27 Jan 2025. Deep garnet, showing a controlled restraint of dark plums. Fullish with silky smooth textures, beautifully balanced and nuanced with just the right degree of ripeness, developing dryish tones of charcoal ember towards its finish. Almost feminine.
1995 Ridge Monte Bello, courtesy of Russ at Bedrock Bar & Grill, 27 Jan 2025. Deep crimson, exuding a lifted warm earthy pungency expected of a mature cabernet. Very sleek and open with a relaxed gentle presence, dressed in silky tannins that impart a certain plushness. Superb.
2004 Rockford Basket Press Shiraz, courtesy of Kieron at Bedrock Bar & Grill, 27 Jan 2025. Popped and poured after some aeration. Deep garnet. Broad swathes of cool ripe plummy Barossa fruit dominate on a firm base of stony minerals that impart overtones of pochai pills, still laced with substantial vanillin and enamel. Undeniably big and forward but showing controlled hedonism and intensity. Still youthful.
2005 Episode One (Michel Rolland), courtesy of Kieron at Bedrock Bar & Grill, 27 Jan 2025. Decanted on-site. Deep garnet. Came across more like a New World cabernet, displaying an accentuated lift of cedary currants and evolved plummy fruit that lit the open palate with sharp focus, boasting a controlled tensile presence of wonderfully ripe fruit structured with sweet subtle tannins. Highly integral and delicious, its understated intensity adding further sophistication as it evolved with more inner detail. This is the inaugural vintage of a limited production made from a plot within Château d’Arsac (Margaux), each vintage being vinified by a celebrity vigneron.
2020 Château Laffitte Carcasset. Aired in bottle for 3-4 hours prior to dinner at the in-laws, 28 Jan 2025. Deep garnet. There is a huge abundance of deep dark plummy fruit and black currants imbued with a distinct minerally tone that firms up the medium-full palate with a slight austerity, tempered by reasonably supple tannins. Made by the same team from Château Angélus, this is a serious claret that demands years of cellaring.
1998 Penfolds 707 Cabernet Sauvignon & 1988 Henschke Hill of Grace
An impromptu gathering at Kam Boat on 21 January 2025 without any specific theme…
2019 Domaine Jean-Philippe Fichet Meursault Les Gruyaches. Aired in bottle for about two hours prior. Light golden, exuding dense floral hues with minerally elements in equal measure, laced with traces of vanillin. Quite richly textured, almost opulent, in lychees and complex citrus from the excellent concentration of ripe fruit, structured with a tad of oiliness that lend exquisite teasing intensity. Finished with superb length. Certainly not the reductive sort of Meursault.
2018 Domaine Durueil-Janthial Rully, courtesy of Kieron. Pale golden. Lovely restraint of floral hues amid cool glacial tones. Slightly reductive, its minerally spine lending a chiseled structure to the concentrated white fruit, turning a little more buttery over time though it still retained excellent clarity and linearity.
2000 Domaine Didier Dagueneau Pur Sang, courtesy of LF. Deep golden. This Pouilly-Fumé is effusive in lychees with a distinct sweetness though only medium weight, delicate enough to convey fine clarity within its smooth contours. Very well integrated and balanced.
2001 Kistler McCrea Vineyard Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, courtesy of Sir Bob. Fairly deep golden, showing some cool restraint from the fine density of fruit, teasing the palate with refined intensity. Still fresh and lively with understated acidity, stretching out with good length and astonishing intensity over time.
2015 Domaine Jean Grivot Vosne-Romanée 1er Les Rouges, courtesy of Vic. Darkish pinot tint. Dark plums and currants dominate with a warm fleshy salinity. Somewhat forwardly balanced, producing fine attack though the generous expanse of fruit still retains Grivot’s signature elegance and refinement.
2004 Sine Qua Non Covert Fingers, courtesy of LF. Evolved crimson, producing an unmistakable note of eucalyptus form the full-bodied tensile presence of plummy red fruits on a bed of sweet velvety, stretching out with minty length. Not for the faint-hearted.
1998 Penfolds 707, courtesy of Kieron. Displaying an opaque deep garnet, the estate’s flagship cabernet is still bold and massive, concentrated in currants, black fruits and raspberries that impart a very ripe warmth with tertiary overtones of cocoa and dark chocolate within a frame of sweet supple tannins, producing an intense near-monolithic density underpinned by a firm minerally line. This has barely evolved since a previous tasting in November 2018, also courtesy of Kieron.
1988 Henschke Hill Of Grace, courtesy of Sir Bob. Opaque deep brownish-red, imbued with mature red plums and raisiny fruit amid earthy overtones. The fleshy well-endowed medium-full palate is still remarkably fresh and agile, layered with autumnal but vibrant fruit that belies its thirty-seven years. Modest finish. Very elegant. Probably at its best, and likely to hold on for many more years.
Ric's Wine Journal 