Ric's Wine Journal

I was privileged to be amongst the very first people in Singapore to taste the new releases of Delamotte and Champagne Salon at the biennale of the Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne at the Four Seasons, Singapore, on 24 May 2018. As readers may know, Delamotte is the sister estate of Salon, producing some 320,000 bottles annually while Salon only produces about 60,000. The 2008 vintage for champagne, just beginning to be released by a number of producers, has long been heralded as the greatest ever of the new millennium, so much so that Salon itself will only be released solely in magnum bottling. That certainly says a lot!

But, before that, as an overture we have the 2008 Delamotte Blanc de Blancs, poured from magnum this evening and served in a chardonnay glass. Exuding a soft glow of yeasty tones and earthiness with a lovely depth, this wine is gentle on the palate, rounded with traces walnut and almonds, striking an excellent balance with remarkable depth and layering as more of its glorious citrus emerged to the fore over time with great acidity and persistence. In spite of the fabulous intensity of fruit, this wine was never out of proportion, staying superbly balanced throughout its length. Really excellent.

And while we await the 2008, the first bottle of 2007 Champagne Salon in Singapore was popped, poured from magnum and served in chardonnay glass as well.  Immediately effusive on the nose with delicate notes of green apples and green melons tinged with some earthiness, it shut down a little like a shy debutante before gradually opening up with broad crystalline tones and lighter textures conferred by its fine gentle bubbles and understated minerals laced with traces of sweet amidst sublime acidity, very lithe on the palate, striking a wonderful balance. This is truly a distinctly feminine expression that is most apt for champagne and Salon has, once again, aced it perfectly.

Looking ahead, I can tell you as well that Champagne Salon will not be declared for 2009, 2010 and 2011. With all the anticipation building up to its 2008 release in a year’s time, after which we will all be starved, I’m afraid we will have to brace ourselves for the stratospheric prices to come. I must really thank all the guys at Vintage Club for this wonderful opportunity. Merci !

These are notes from a dinner at Imperial Treasure Great World City, Singapore, generously hosted by the great Dr S S Ngoi on 28 April 2018 to honour the visit of Don Weaver, Director of Harlan Estate, and his associate Francois Vignaud on their whistle stop. I have forgotten how tall Don is and it was really good to be able to welcome him back to Singapore again as memories of last year’s Harlan lunch at Tunglok remained fresh in my mind. Looking none the worse for wear despite his hectic tour of the Far East, Don had generously proffered the 1993 and 2006 grand vin of Harlan while Dr Ngoi had sponsored most of the remaining line-up. It is easy to dismiss some Napa wines as “upfront blockbusters” but, until one has tasted Harlan Estate, you won’t realise that Harlan has so successfully crafted wines of immense transparency, detail, linearity and precision with concealed power. These are wines of great sophistication and elegance, and the two vintages this evening, along with the 2011 Promontory, are testimony to the stylistic refinement of Harlan Estate. Thank you Don, Francois and Dr Ngoi for such a wonderful evening of great friendship, great food and stunning wines.

Champagne Veuve Clicquot Brut NV, courtesy of Dr Ngoi. Generous in smoky and yeasty overtones on the nose, while there is a fine expanse of complex clear citrus and soft cinnamon on the palate supported by stony minerals, producing good presence and intensity, tapering towards a bitter sweet finish of pomelo and lemons. Very fine.

2003 Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-Saint-Georges La Perrière 1er. Notes of glue and lychee dominate with good depth on the nose, well-aligned with lifted concentration of longans, white flowers, paraffin, lemon and yellow fruits on the palate, rather dry and firm at its minerally finish. Would be hard-pressed to tell that this is made from 100% pinot blanc, not chardonnay, if I hadn’t known.

2001 Domaine Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, courtesy of Dr Ngoi. Shut initially, just proffering a dash of tropical fruits and coconut though hinting at quiet intensity of fruit beneath. Took a while to hit its stride with an excellent fullness of white fruits with characters of rye and malt amidst stony minerals, displaying excellent linearity and early detail, dry but fleshy, finishing with overtones of hot gravel. Very fine.

2010 Domaine Henri Boillot Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, courtesy of Dr Ngoi. Already showing some early complexity with a deep bouquet of oily diesel tones, this wine possesses a full presence with a dry intensity of rich white citrus supported by firm stony minerals, tightly coiled with early detail and definition, gaining in attractive oily richness over time. An excellent expression of the Chassagne aspect of Montrachet vineyards. Outstanding.

2012 Domaine Prieuré Roch Vosne-Romanée Les Suchots 1er PURE, courtesy of Dr Ngoi. This PURE bottling, where there is zero oxygen contact during bottling, possesses an incredible freshness in its lift bouquet of complex red fruits tinged licorice, tangerines and dark plums, very open and fleshy, its highly supple tannins imparting superb mouthfeel and persistence, showing well the highly unique Prieuré Roch character. It’s a huge privilege to be able to keep enjoying Les Suchots PURE ever so often, all courtesy of Dr Ngoi.

2011 Domaine Roger Belland Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, courtesy of C J, poured from magnum. This wine exudes a great lift of white fruits and dense minerals in its lovely open bouquet, matched by a wonderful fullness of complex spices, mint and nutmeg on the palate with a trace of ferric sternness, highly fabulous in its intensity, depth and detail of fruit, finishing with great persistence. Two superb examples of Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet in a single evening surely cannot be too much of a good thing, and I simply can’t get enough of this.

2006 Harlan Estate, courtesy of Don Weaver. Deep dark purple, exuding characters of cool blueberries, blackberries and violets, very ripe, full and fleshy without being overly extracted, covering the palate with a broad expanse of silky textures laced with exciting acidity amidst traces of sweet vanillin, highly generous and ample, seamlessly integrated with great linearity throughout its fabulous length which is always a hallmark of Harlan. Consistent with a previous tasting in March 2017 during Don’s last visit to Singapore. Superb now, and will be outstanding in time to come.

1993 Harlan Estate, courtesy of Don Weaver. With the benefit of significant bottle age, this wine has snapped into sharp focus, proffering a pointed earthy pungency from its glorious depth of dark rose petals and dark cherries, open with fleshy detail and very fine gritty tannins on a palate swathed in velvety textures, finishing again with superb linearity and glowing persistence. Beautiful, but still yet to peak, I think.

2011 Promontory, courtesy of Dr Ngoi. Promontory is a young label made by Harlan Estate since 2008 from a 900-acre plot in Napa Valley situated at an elevation of 500-1200 feet that features cool micro-climates with metamorphic rocks, comprising a blend of cabernet sauvignon with some malbec and petit verdot. Boasting deep dark tones and rich minerals, this wine exudes a lovely open hallowed glow of warm ripe raspberries and dark cherries amidst some mild earthiness, rich with creamy textures amidst spicy tones, yet amazingly transparent in spite of the concentration and density of fruit, imbued with great supple freshness, never overly extracted nor hedonistic. Superb.

2009 Domaine d’Eugenie Échezeaux Grand Cru, courtesy of Winfred. Good colour, displaying some early evolution with an open full palate of cool ripe fruit, structured with supple pliant tannins and fine acidity, featuring darkish tones within a relatively narrow spectrum. Made with a modern feel but undeniably delicious, though it still needs plenty of time in the cellar.

2010 Château Guiraud, courtesy of Dr Ngoi. Notes of nectarine, ember and cider dominate on the nose and palate, gently structured with a lovely luminosity, already quite seamlessly integrated at this stage, rounded with excellent presence and finishing with great length.

2002 Penfolds St Henri Shiraz, popped and poured at Wah Lok, 05 Apr 2018. I’ve cellared this bottle for about ten years. Opague purple, proffering an enticing complex of toffee, mocha dark, chocolate and licorice camphor on the effusive nose, matched by a good attack of peppery spicy tones on the palate, full-bodied, structured with well-mannered tannins on a background of delicious dark currants, finishing with emerging notes of ferrous minerals. Excellent.

2007 Delamotte Blanc de Blancs, popped and poured at LF’s birthday bash, Pistacchio Grill, 06 Apr 2018. Imbued with strong minerally and ferrous tones amidst crisp citrus and bitter lemon that imparted some degree of sternness, displaying excellent presence and concentration of fruit with controlled intensity, finishing with sweet tannins. Quite excellent.

2006 Domaine Joseph Roty Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru, courtesy of Vic, popped and poured at LF’s birthday bash, Pistacchio Grill, 06 Apr 2018. Displaying some evolution with earthy tones, medium-bodied, proffering gentle notes of raspberries and red fruits underscored by dark undertones with fresh acidity but missing in opulence and charm.

1968 Vega Sicilia Unico, popped and poured at LF’s birthday bash, Pistacchio Grill, 06 Apr 2018. Still remarkably full in colour, opening with distinct characters of earth and iron filings, very open and rounded with the distilled essence of red fruits, still amazingly fresh and layered with inner detail, going on to develop a lovely bloom of rose petals and camphor, finishing with great lift. Perfect for the birthday boy. Outstanding!

2003 Dominus, popped and poured at LF’s birthday bash, Pistacchio Grill, 06 Apr 2018. This wine displays a profound depth of structured red fruits and cherries, richly layered with chiselled detail and concentration, infinitely masculine, filled with glorious abundance, still yet to peak. Excellent.

1996 Domaine Louis Remy Chambertin Grand Cru, courtesy of Sanjay, popped and poured at LF’s birthday bash, Pistacchio Grill, 06 Apr 2018. Quite well evolved, exuding a powerful earthy pungency matched with delicious notes of camphor, rose petals, complex plums and orangey tangerines, perhaps a tad short.

2010 Domaine Etienne Sauzet Puligny-Montrachet Les Combettes 1er, courtesy of Sanjay, 07 April 2018 at Sofitel Sentosa. Clear golden hue, exuding a superb complex of dense diesel fumes, earth, concentrated white fruits and clear citrus, highly structured on the stern minerally palate with a hint of bitter lemon. Superbly layered with notes of white flowers in bloom, citrus, cinnamon and cool vanillin icing laced with crisp acidity, already developing some early complexity, finishing with a suggestion of fine white pepper. Simply outstanding.

1995 Domaine Paul Aine Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle, popped and poured at Otto Ristorante, 14 April 2018. Earth, licorice, old leather and mild medicinal tones dominate on the nose, leading to a medium-bodied proposition of cool dark fruits and raspberries before evolving with further notes of camphor, redcurrants, plums and tangerines underscored by stern minerals, becoming more open and fleshy with time. Drinking well.

2015 Maison de Montille Saint Romain, popped and poured over a meal at home, 16 Apr 2018. This unassuming sleeper displays a rich presence of green fruits and melons with chalky undertones supported by understated crème, vanillin and icing, displaying fine acidity and intensity, very well balanced and integrated, finishing with excellent mouthfeel. Superb value.

1970 Coto de Imaz Riserva Privada, courtesy of LF at Yan, 20 Apr 2018. Good color. Obviously well-evolved, producing an effusive fragrance of aged mint tinged with earth, orangey tones and plums, still showing good acidity though the fruit is clearly receding. Still drinking well.

1968 Bodegas Marque de Murrieta Cadtillo Ygay Logrono, courtesy of LF at Yan, 20 Apr 2018. Sharper than the preceding wine with better definition on both nose and palate, exuding a highly lifted bouquet of camphor, rose petals and grapefruit, still rather rich in fruit quality and acidity, highly supple and seamless, finishing with traces of burnt. Excellent.

2006 Philipponnat Clos des Goisses, courtesy of Sanjay at Yan, 20 Apr 2018. Lovely bouquet of sensuous smokiness and yeasty pungency, quite gentle and placid on the palate with graphite minerals that imparted a slightly stern demeanour, quickly developing a dry searing intensity from the tight concentration of dense citrus and melons. Great potential.

2005 Ch d’Yquem “Y” Ygrec courtesy of Sanjay at Yan, 20 Apr 2018. Luminous glow of tropical fruits, peaches and durians (yes!) with creamy textures and overtones of paraffin. Very rich, almost luscious, growing steadily in intensity as it sat in the glass. Still tight.

2014 Charles van Canneyt Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru, courtesy of Dr Ngoi at Yan, 20 Apr 2018. Excellent purity of red fruits on the nose and palate, displaying good concentration, layering and depth with early complexity, highly controlled in fruit intensity, very finely balanced with velvety tannins and crisp acidity that produced superb mouthfeel. Excellent.

2002 Domaine Armand Rousseau Chambertin Clos des Beze Grand Cru, courtesy of MH at Yan, 20 Apr 2018. Very dark, displaying very tight concentration of dark cherries and raspberries with traces of vanillin on the nose and palate, exuding an air of cool nonchalance with quiet intensity, still remarkably youthful, structured with fleshy silky tannins, superbly integrated, very finely proportioned and balanced, tapering to a minerally finish.  Not overtly opulent nor succulent, yet there is never any doubt that this wine has so much more in reserve, but simple contented to reveal a little at a time. A cool dark beauty, not showy at all. Outstanding.

1990 Ch d’Yquem, courtesy of Sanjay at Yan, 20 Apr 2018. Quite heavily tinted, proffering powerful aromas of aged apricot, nectarine, rye and malt, superb in concentration and intensity that excites the senses with its stunning complexity, leaving behind a stony minerally glow long after it has left the palate. Outstanding.

2001 Ch Lagrange, popped and poured at Otto Ristorante, 25 April 2018. Unexpectedly sullen at the start, rather unyielding with tough graphite tones within narrow confines. It took on a totally different character when it did finally open up after an hour, developing the classic hallowed glow of a maturing claret, fleshy with good depth of redcurrants and dark berries, laced with understated acidity that drew exciting tension across the palate, growing with intensity over time. Very fine.

2015 Domaine Bernard Defaix Chablis 1er, courtesy of host Hsiang Sui at the wedding lunch of Eryn & Seng at Capella, 29 Apr 2018. Delicious buttery and chalky tones topped with creme de la crème, highly generous, with further notes of icing whilst raw nutmeg and exotic spices traipse across the palate with delicate detail, only to lose a bit of focus towards its gentle finish. Very fine.

2013 Domaine Roger Belland Santenay Gravueres 1er, courtesy of host Hsiang Sui at the wedding lunch of Eryn & Seng at Capella, 29 Apr 2018. Dark plums and wild berries dominate on the nose, though somewhat tight and lean on the palate with earthy undertones and understated intensity.

2004 Mount Mary Quintet, popped and poured from magnum at the wedding lunch of Eryn & Seng at Capella, 29 Apr 2018. Lovely aromas of dark cherries and dark plums fill the nose whilst the fleshy palate displays good detail and precision layered with mild saline minerals, ripe wild berries, raspberries and dark currants, gently structured.

2013 Williams Selyem Foss Vineyard Russian River Vineyard, courtesy of LF at the wedding lunch of Eryn & Seng at Capella, 29 Apr 2018. Notes of cool ripe raspberries and dark cherries dominate on the palate with good lift and focused concentration, still primal in tone, yet to develop but it clearly holds great potential.

2010 Silver Oak Alexander Valley, courtesy of Sanjay at the wedding lunch of Eryn & Seng at Capella, 29 Apr 2018. Quite an unique lifted bouquet of heated stones and savoury curry, gentle and open with good concentration and definition of delicious dark currants structured with sublime acidity and supple tannins, gorgeously rich, fleshing out with supreme confidence. Superb.

2013 Sea Smoke Southing Pinot Noir, courtesy of LF at the wedding lunch of Eryn & Seng at Capella, 29 Apr 2018. Good colour, very clear and well-defined in its bouquet of ripe red fruits and dark berries, highly focused, showing very tight intensity and concentration though without the opulence and expanse. Needs further cellaring.

2001 Ch Rieussec, from a half bottle courtesy of host Hsiang Sui at the wedding lunch of Eryn & Seng at Capella, 29 Apr 2018. Effusive notes of apricot, ember, cider and sweet incense dominate in equal measure on the nose and palate, full-bodied and fresh with lovely acidity and beguiling presence. Still not quite ready if you are looking for complexity but it is so delicious now.

2003 Domaine Paul Aine Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle, decanted on-site at Gattopardo, 30 Apr 2018. Deep purple. Generous in aromas of fresh dark cherries, raspberries and blackberries. Highly supple and fleshy on the open palate, rounded with gentle herbal and medicinal overtones topped with balsam and licorice, finishing with a blaze of youthful intensity amidst a cool minty structure without any trace of its 14.5% alcohol.

These were the wines of Domaine Georges Comte de Vogue tasted at a dinner at Jade Palace, 13 Jan 2018, that took place after a masterclass (of the 2009 wines) presided by Jean-Luc Pépin, Commercial Director of the estate. The line-up was supposed to be 1999 but (as alluded to in my preceding post) as there were quite a few bottles that turned out to be corked, these were replaced by wines from other vintages. The stalwarts of 1999 are developing very well at a glacial pace, truly wines of character and substance though the real revelation that evening was actually the 2010 for burgundy red, truly a cut above 2009.

2009 Domaine Georges Comte de Vogue Bourgogne Blanc. Vinified in only 15% new oak, max. Gentle notes of dew and white truffles dominate on the nose with an unique trace of steamed kaya bread, whilst the palate is suffused with an oily presence, quite rich, verging on opulence as subtle characters of creme and soft complex minerals emerge over time, carrying tremendous drive to produce an exciting back palate before finishing with great persistence, thoroughly seamless throughout its length. Great stuff !

2004 Domaine Georges Comte de Vogue Bourgogne Blanc. With the added benefit of bottle age, the 2004, very lovely in colour, displays delicate tones in spite of its rich body of clear citrus, yellow fruit, peaches, melons and tropical fruits, superb in concentration and focus with fine intensity, the recessed chalk and minerals lending an aged feel of orange peel. Excellent.

2010 Domaine Georges Comte de Vogue Chambolle-Musigny. Having tasted the excellent 2009 just a few hours prior, the 2010 raised the bar further, proffering a superb lift of soft red fruits, plums and earth that led to a medium-bodied fleshy palate with plush textures, oozing with gentle acidity and supple tannins that delivered great verve, detail, elegance and understated power. This may be a village but what a complete wine, outstanding in every way, proving as well the superiority of 2010 over 2009.

1999 Domaine Georges Comte de Vogue Chambolle-Musigny 1er. Beautiful colour, showing some evolution, exuding a deep generous bouquet with an exuberant lift of complex red fruits and red currants that produced a ripe, opulent fleshy palate of great succulence  amidst traces of tangerines and earthy minerals, topped with great acidity though a tad short. Excellent, nevertheless.

1996 Domaine Georges Comte de Vogue Chambolle-Musigny 1er Les Amoureuses. Still deep in colour, from which arose a dense solid core of fleshy ripe dark fruits brimming with quiet intensity, solidly structured and layered but still tight after all these years, eventually softening after some time as it broadened with generous sweet tannins though still undoubtedly masculine, reflecting well its vintage characteristic.

1999 Domaine Georges Comte de Vogue Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru. Ever the extrovert, this wine is highly exuberant, proffering lifted tones of red fruits, dark plums, camphor and tangerines with bold presence as its excellent depth and concentration of fruit took grip,  displaying excellent linearity as well though it still came up a little short at the finish.

1999 Domaine Georges Comte de Vogue Musigny Grand Cru. Superb colour, exuding a deep intense bouquet of ripe dark fruits, blackberries and camphor, richly layered with great concentration of glorious fruit that evoked cedar, cinnamons and some earth, very fleshy and balanced, cloaked in velvety sweet tannins. Slow to evolve, this wine is still remarkably youthful with plenty of power held in check. Outstanding.

In what is becoming a serious tradition, Alvin Seah of Domaine Wines would host Jean-Luc Pepin, Commercial Director of Domaine Georges Comte de Vogue, in Singapore every January. This year’s event on 13 Jan 2018 at Jade Palace consisted of a masterclass of the wines of 2009 followed by dinner. Needless to say, it was a great success, the 2009s all drinking very well with plenty of well-proportioned fruit, detail and acidity, powerfully structured as one would expect from this esteemed producer. The tasting (and subsequent dinner) was marred by a few faulty bottles, not enough to spoil the party but worrisome enough considering they all occurred within the same sitting, not to mention the fact that these things are still happening even for recent vintages. It is really time for  major producers to seriously consider alternative closures. Tradition is great, but if it cannot guarantee that these wines will remain impeccably bottled, then it’s time to move on.

2009 Domaine Georges Comte de Vogue Chambolle-Musigny. This village hails from a 1.8 ha plot sitting on Comblanchien limestone, and usually the first wine of this domaine to be bottled. The 2009 exudes a superb intense bouquet of lifted rosy fragrance matched by an attractive earthy pungency, full-bodied, delivering very fine acidity, concentration and depth of fruit with dark spicy tones. Still youthful, yet to develop.

2009 Domaine Georges Comte de Vogue Chambolle-Musigny 1er. I hadn’t realised, but Jean-Luc was quick to point out that, since 1995, the domaine has self-consciously declassified all young vines (arbitrarily stipulated as below 25 years) of Musigny Grand Cru as premier cru. In other words, each time you pop a Chambolle-Musigny 1er, you are actually drinking a young Musigny Grand Cru! Indeed it shows, as this superb example of 2009 exudes lovely deep aromas of rose petals and red fruits from its purplish tint, stuffed with cool ripe fruit infused with graphite minerals that imparted tremendous verve and vigour in spite of its slightly stern demeanour, better in depth, layering and definition over time, displaying subtle intensity with well-integrated acidity as it tapered to a quiet lengthy finish. Excellent but priced at a premium.

2009 Domaine Georges Comte de Vogue Chambolle-Musigny 1er Les Amoureuses. From soils of 99% limestone, this perennial favourite proffers a deep bouquet of dark cherries, red fruits and raspberries from its deep purple abyss, highly lifted, coiled with dark plums and tangerines of substantial power, depth and freshness, almost masculine in its structured tone though it mellowed considerably after some time, turning more velvety and feminine before receding back into its shell. Unlike the openly flirtatious Les Amoureuses of Robert Groffier, this is a mystic beauty not to be trifled with. Excellent.

2009 Domaine Georges Comte de Vogue Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru. From a sizeable 2.7 ha, this wine proffers a lovely exuberance of warm ripe strawberries, red fruits and preserved cherries with a faint streak of vanillin, excellent in concentration and bold masculine power with superb linearity underscored by a deep minerally streak, structured with pliant tannins. A warm extrovert that everyone loves to hang around with but this chap also knows how to behave, sitting in the glass with quiet intensity when left alone. Absolutely true to its terroir characteristic. Superb.

2009 Domaine Georges Comte de Vogue Musigny Grand Cru. Owning 7.2 ha of this hallowed plot and 100% of neighbouring Le Petit Musigny, Comte de Vogue has always been the point of reference for Musigny. From soils that contain more clay than limestone, this pinnacle of Musigny exudes a superb lift of earthy minerals and smouldering ember marked by some early complexity, medium-bodied, fleshy but subtly layered with glorious dark fruit and sweet tannins amidst highly-understated acidity, impeccably proportioned. Possesses that extra added dimension on top of great finesse and elegance without being showy. Outstanding.

2014 Domaine Jean-Claude Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet, popped from the list of Ma Cuisine, Singapore, 02 March 2018. Lovely glow of white flowers in bloom with overtones of vanillin, displaying fine concentration of fruit with crème and stony minerals that reflected well the terroir of Chassagne, growing in weight and expanse with fine detail and biting intensity though without the richness and layering of the best of Ramonet, finishing with echoes of white pepper amidst early complexity that produced excellent mouthfeel. Very fine.

2014 Otazu Bond, popped and poured at Asia Grand on 03 March 2018 to celebrate M’s great success. This limited edition magnum (only 150 bottles globally), blended by yours truly at Bodegas Otazu, boasts generous aromas of smoke and mocha tinged with licorice that matched very well with the broad savoury expanse of barbequed meat, sweet dark currants, ripe wild berries and mild cedary characters amidst spicy peppery tones on the palate, excellent in weight and concentration, supported by a rich earthy base without any heaviness, rounded with good balance, finishing with structured sweet tannins. This wine is only just beginning to turn the corner.

1994 Ch Leoville Las-Cases, popped and poured at Otto Ristorante, 06 Mar 2018. After shaking off some bottle stink, this wine exudes a powerful earthy pungency with overtones of forest floor and cedar, carrying a deep streak of ripe raspberries and dark cherries with a rounded plummy tone on the palate. Medium-bodied, fleshy with fine intensity of fruit and sharply delineated acidity, displaying good transparency but lacking in opulence and charm which is quite typical of the vintage.

2001 Ch Sociando Mallet, decanted on-site at Braci, 8 Mar 2018. Tasted blind. Deep garnet red. Reticent at first, proffering only dark berries, graphite and bitter earth, utterly shorn of fat. It began putting on weight rapidly after some time, developing really excellent concentration with gentle biting intensity that grew in power and depth as it sat in the glass, showing good length and linearity although it remained rather tightly focused within a narrow spectrum of flavours, still youthful. I’d read somewhere that the 2001 Sociando Mallet resembled a First Growth in its youth in blinded tastings. Well…not quite, but it definitely belongs amongst the classified growths. Very fine.

2000 Ch Palmer, courtesy of Nicolas Laurent, decanted on-site at Braci, 8 Mar 2018. Tasted blind. Very deep dark core with just a hint of rim evolution, exuding a sharp earthy pungency that complements beautifully the great expanse of fleshy savoury palatal succulence, displaying superb integration between its well-defined acidity, tight svelte tannins and rich dark plummy fruit, rounding off with a dryish velvety feel as it finished with superb length and precision. Barely evolved, this is a wine for the ages. I guessed correctly. What a masterpiece!

2001 Ch Rauzan-Segla, courtesy of Alexandre Olmedo, decanted on-site at Braci, 8 Mar 2018. Tasted blind. Slight vegetal traces on the nose, but the palate displays lifted tones of ripe dark fruits of excellent depth and richness, quietly intense, structured with great opulence and length with finely-chiselled ferrous minerality that tapered towards its glowing finish with a hint of gunsmoke amidst sweet gentle tannins. Rauzan-Segla has seldom tasted so good. Superb!

2004 Ch Pichon Longueville Baron, popped and poured over dimsum at Imperial Treasure Teochew ION, 11 March 2018. Lifted Pauillac signature, glowing with aged plums and dried Chinese tea leaves. Expectedly opulent, opening up well to reveal rich deep tones of dark currants and blueberries, superbly ripe and delicious, seamlessly structured with highly detailed tannins and understated streak of bright minerals. Excellent.

1979 Domaine Louis Trapet Pete et Fils Chambertin Grand Cru, courtesy of Robert Kwok at La Cala, 12 Mar 2018. Pale vermilion, this wine has evolved most beautifully, evoking bright red fruits and sweet plums with traces of lychees and glycerin, still imbued with abundant fresh acidity that imparted great suppleness and tensile intensity, staying par for the course without fading away. Lovely!

1995 Domaine Robert Ampeau Puligny-Montrachet Les Combettes 1er, courtesy of LF at La Cala, 12 Mar 2018. Lovely golden hue with a certain restraint on the nose though it is quite ample and well developed on the medium-full palate where aged creme and chalky minerals dominate in an easy laissez-faire manner before being gradually overwhelmed by a growing intensity of gentle tropical fruits, turning a little sappy and luscious. Probably at its best.

2002 Domaine Coche-Dury Meursault, courtesy of Robert Kwok at La Cala, 12 Mar 2018. This wine bears all the classic hallmarks of a Coche-Dury: reticent at first, eventually developing more of crystalline tones on the nose and palate with a soft focus, rather gentle and delicate in spite of its fullness, proffering superb definition, depth and detail, gently layered with understated intensity, finishing with great linearity and persistence. Brilliant.

1976 Domaine Robert Ampeau Volnay-Santenots, courtesy of LF at La Cala, 12 Mar 2018. Showing a well-evolved vermilion, this medium-full wine is still oozing with bright plummy fruit underscored by a deeper streak of dark fruit with herbal tones and licorice, utterly seamless, exuding brilliant intensity from its fresh acidity. Quite amazing.

1993 Domaine Leroy Nuits-Saint-Georges, courtesy of Robert Kwok at La Cala, 12 Mar 2018. This wine is imbued with excellent tone and purity of fruit that exude great aromatic fragrance, layered with earthy textures and tangerines at its core, producing fine gritty detailed tannins that shouts out the unique terroir character of this under-rated commune, very open and lovely in its suppleness and controlled intensity, finishing with great persistence. Outstanding.

2004 Ch Bernadotte, popped and poured at Ka Soh. Full-bodied, exuding dark plums and fresh black currants, expressing supple tannins with excellent presence and intensity marked by earthy minerals and great acidity without any burliness or vegetal tones, becoming softer and more feminine over the course of dinner. This is the best bottle of 2004 Bernadotte thus far, and I’ve gone through quite a number over the years. Excellent.

1987 R Lopez Heredias Vina Tondonia, at La Barca, 21 Mar 2018. Dark murky red with pungent musty old medicinal aromas, distinctly faded on the palate where only bare traces of old plums and tangerines remain.

2009 Maison Roche de Bellene Richebourg Grand Cru at La Barca, 21 Mar 2018, courtesy of Kenny. Red fruits and cherries dominate on the nose and palate, showing good purity. Medium-full, rounded and supple with crisp acidity, quite rich and forward in balance but lacking in real depth and layering, turning a tad spicy at the finish.

2001 Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve at La Barca, 21 Mar 2018. Deep garnet red, exuding a rich bouquet of black currants, dark plums and dark cherries. Nicely rounded with warm ripe fruit, highly supple, showing good detail amidst seamless structured tannins against a backdrop of slight dusty textures, positively glowing at the finish. Excellent.

2013 Ornellaia, courtesy of Hiok at La Barca, 21 Mar 2018. This cabernet-based Bordeaux blend cultivated in Tuscan soils exudes a powerful earthy pungency amidst overtones of ripe dark berries and blackcurrants, distinctly masculine in its stern uncompromising structure that inevitably lends an air of aloofness before mellowing to some degree over time as its tannins took on sweet velvety textures with peppery tones topped with traces of graphite, finishing strongly. Excellent, but best to lay down for another decade.

1995 Ch Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande (courtesy of John) at La Barca, 21 Mar 2018. Deep crimson, exuding a superb glowing pungency and lovely earthiness in its complex bouquet, medium-full, stuffed with excellent concentration of ripe dark berries laced with very fine subtle tannins and seamless supple acidity that produced near-opulent textures, imbued with a bit of the classic Pauillac dryness as it turned more feminine over time. Highly seductive. Quite outstanding, yet nowhere near its peak.

1988 Ch Calon Segur, courtesy of KP at La Barca, 21 Mar 2018. This wine exudes red fruits with some lovely earthy pungency, medium-bodied, displaying good transparency and purity with great suppleness though the fruit is set a little backward, developing a deeper minerally streak over time that imparted a darker overall tone. Could do with greater fullness, though. Very, very fine, nonetheless.

1974 Vega Sicilia Unico Riserva, courtesy of Kenny at La Barca, 21 Mar 2018. Still remarkably dark in color, proffering a nose of sweet dark fruit and small ripe wild berries, still amazingly good on the palate where the fruit is still very lively with good presence, great transparency and deftness, enhanced by crisp acidity that enhanced further detail and delineation, finishing with a spicy minty trail. Excellent. What a privilege!

2010 Weingut Vollenweider Wolfer Goldgrube, courtesy of Jonny at La Barca, 21 Mar 2018. Highly attractive bouquet of faint diesel tones and nectarine, saturated with dense tropical fruits on the open palate that boasts truly gorgeous acidity and fabulous intensity of ripe pineapples and lychees, beautifully layered, lingering with great persistence long after its finish. Superb.

2014 Domaine Bernard Moreau et Fils Chassagne-Montrachet, popped and poured on 29 Mar 2018 at Famous Kitchen. Shy at first, revealing only restrained notes of cool icing and vanilla. Took an hour to blossom with floral notes complemented by delicate chalky tones amidst traces of white pepper, excellent in concentration and intensity, finishing with sharp precision. A gross over-achiever. Great buy.

These notes stem from a FICOFI event at Forlino’s, One Fullerton Singapore, on 26 February 2018 with Pablo Alvarez in attendance. It was just as well that we did not drink any Vega Sicilia when we hosted Pablo to a private lunch the day before, for the lineup this evening was quite generous, offering a mini-vertical of successive vintages of the Unico as well as two bottlings of the Especial, which is seldom encountered. It goes without saying that Unico needs plenty of bottle age, two to three decades being the norm at least. Therefore, it’s not surprising these wines are still tight at this early stage though they certainly hold plenty of promise. Let them sleep.

1998 Dom Perignon P2. This Second Plenitude of D.P. displays green fruits, melons and pomelo with a dash of bitter lemon on the nose though shy at first, gradually yielding more yeasty tones and earthiness, opening up with fine depth, acidity and balance. Excellent.

2012 Vega Sicilia Tinto Valbuena no.5. Made of 100% tempranillo, this wine showed an impenetrable deep dark inky red, proffering dark currants and raspberries on the nose, slightly forward in fruit intensity and balance, layered with excellent depth and detail of graphite minerals, dark chocolate and licorice with a certain raciness. Very fine. Consistent with a previous tasting in July 2017.

2004 Vega Sicilia Tinto Valbuena no.5. Equally deep in tint with just a hint of evolution, stuffed with dark fruits, raspberries and bright red plums with a prominent core of tangerines, fleshy and deft with open textures amidst early complexity though not showy at all. A study in understated elegance. This is a blend of 90% tempranillo with a sprinkling of merlot, highly consistent with a previous tasting in July 2017.

2007 Vega Sicilia Unico Riserva. Deep impenetrable red, proffering a darkish tone of mocha and licorice, slightly racy, densely layered with dark red fruits, excellent in ripeness and detail, underscored  by understated acidity and earthiness, structured with chewy tannns. More masculine now compared with previous tastings in July 2017 and 2015. Great potential.

2006 Vega Sicilia Unico Riserva. Unique bouquet, more of earth, toffee and mocha, open but narrower in profile on the medium-bodied palate. Quite seamless with gentle tones and sweet tannins that became more pronounced and accentuated over time but essentially primal, yet to develop further.

2005 Vega Sicilia Unico Riserva. This wine exudes a heady fragrance of dark cherries, red currants and cinnamon, displaying excellent presence and depth of glorious fruit with rounded velvety tannins, highly seamless in its impeccable balance between fruit and sublime acidity that combined to produce a superb mouthfeel of immense succulence. Absolutely delicious. No wonder Vega Sicilia took such a long time to release this beauty. Lots of great potential ahead. Consistent with a previous note in July 2017 when it was first released. Outstanding.

2017 Unico Riserva Especial. Very dark and essentially shut, though the palate is lit by dark roses and cherries with a lovely lift and depth, rather understated in acidity and intensity that exuded a gentle and elegant demeanour, finishing with a dash of earthiness. Plenty of promise here but yet to unfurl its true beauty.

2016 Unico Riserva Especial. More open than the preceding wine, proffering feminine tones of cherry blossom, dark roses and red currants, highly lifted, layered with gentle tones of mocha and licorice, displaying great fluidity and fine gritty detail with understated intensity, finishing well with a long minty glow. Excellent.

2005 Ch D’Yquem. Dense overtones of nectarine and apricot amidst an air of heavy petroleum fumes, displaying superb concentration of fruit that recalled smouldering ember and cider supported by firm stony minerals, culminating in a stern lengthy finish.

This is a superb event organised by FICOFI at Nicolas, Singapore, on 27 February 2018 at very short notice, presumably to take advantage of a whistle stop by Xavier Sanchez, Marketing Manager of the AXA Millesimes group of vineyards that include all the estates tasted this evening where the star, no doubt, belonged to Château Pichon Longueville Baron where three outstanding vintages each separated by five years were featured generously in double magnum format. And as if that wasn’t enough, a very fine 1957 (my second bottle in two months!) was offered as well. The food at Nicolas, as usual, never disappoints, ensuring that the wine pairing hits all the right notes. For me, the 2010 Pichon Baron would be the new 2000 while the S de Suduiraut, Petit Village and the Quinta do Noval Porto were all superb as well in their own right. An outstanding evening.

2016 S de Suduiraut Vieilles Vignes. Rich expressive palate preceded by overtones of dry grassy elements, hay and summer heat on the nose. Very good concentration and lovely intensity of white fruits with understated acidity, revealing fine detail with faint echoes of white pepper, tapering to a quiet finish. Great finesse and refinement throughout from this dry white of Sauternes. Excellent.

2014 Château Petit-Village, poured from double magnum. Subdued tones of earth, dark berries, black fruits and graphite. Medium-full. Sits quietly with fine concentration and intensity, framed by highly supply tannins that confer velvety textures, becoming more rounded, warm and open over time. Sexy stuff from a most unexpected source. Excellent.

2010 Château Pichon Longueville Baron, poured from double magnum. Aromas of dense black fruits and dark currants amidst graphite and ferrous minerals with traces of vanillin that produced a subdued masculine fragrance. Opened up very well with food to reveal great concentration of gloriously ripe fruit on the fleshy palate, superbly layered and integrated even at this very early stage, structured with highly supple mouth-puckering tannins that imparted sensational mouthfeel and intensity, underscored by understated acidity throughout its length. Still primal but already such a complete wine. Outstanding.

2005 Château Pichon Longueville Baron, poured from double magnum. Very dark, proffering dense earthy ferrous minerals on the nose. Just beginning to open up on the palate that is still generally tight, infinitely masculine with raw intensity of dark currants, relaxing a little more over time as it developed some degree of suppleness before receding into its minerally shell. Huge potential but awkward and somewhat unresolved at this stage. Give it time.

2000 Château Pichon Longueville Baron, poured from double magnum. Superb hue of deep purple, exuding a deep delicious glow of gloriously ripe dark berries, currants and black fruits amidst overtones of tobacco ember, producing excellent concentration with a gentle searing intensity on the palate, structured with ferrous minerals. Just beginning to hit its stride and will stay the course for decades. Absolutely on song. Superb.

1957 Château Pichon Longueville Baron. Light crimson. Still showing well with a lovely glow of peaches and plums amidst a great earthy pungency, still lively with great acidity, concentration and depth of fruit, utterly seamless, naturally structured and layered with good transparency that revealed its distilled essence of dried tobacco dried leaves, finishing with great length and suppleness. If only we can age just as well. Outstanding.

1997 Quinta do Noval Porto Vintage Nacional. Very dark. Highly supple, possessing a great natural unforced quality with gentle depth and understated acidity, producing a lovely minty glow amidst light medicinal touches. Superb.

It was good again to catch up with M. Erwan Faiveley, seventh generation owner of this famous domaine, on his annual visit to Singapore at the Four Seasons on 26 March 2018 during a FICOFI event where there was a promenade of selected wines of 2016, followed by a sumptuous dinner paired with several back vintages. By now, most of the 2016 has been bottled although those that were tasted this evening are still barrel samples, as one can see from the corner of the labels. Re-visiting them re-affirmed my impression of the 2016s during my recent extensive tasting in the cellars of Faiveley last November. Certainly, the whites of this low-yielding vintage are excellent, displaying fine detail and precision while the grand cru reds are gorgeous, almost stunning in their succulence and structure. When a wine has the concentration, purity of fruit, great acidity, structure and balance right from the start, it cannot go wrong and that certainly holds true for the 2016 wines of Faiveley. Moving on, Erwan was especially excited about the 2017 still sitting in barrel, where it seems the whites are turning out to be exceptional although Erwan has advised that one will need to be selective about the 2017 reds.

2016 Domaine Faiveley Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru. Lifted tones of sour plums and floral characters with lovely bloom, displaying superb expanse of fresh lime and citrus and cool rich vanilla icing, sporting excellent acidity, precision and linearity on the medium-full palate. Excellent.

2016 Domaine Faiveley Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru. Grassy elements on the nose with overtones of nutmeg, exotic spice and a perfumed floral fragrance, displaying excellent fullness of citrus fruit with a hint of bitter lemon, all still rather tightly knit, not revealing much. There is no denying that this wine will eventually blossom very well but the Corton-Charlemagne is the one to drink now.

2016 Joseph Faiveley Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Saint Georges 1er. Darker tone and tint, more of earthy minerals and ripe raspberries on the nose, consistent with a high-toned minerally palate, showing good detail and structure, finishing with a persistent spicy glow. Not overdone. Faithful to its terroir, though the 2015 below is actually quite lush and opulent, something not usually associated with this commune.

2016 Domaine Faiveley Clos-de-Vougeot Grand Cru. Distilled pervasive essence of dark cherries and sweet dark roses, rounded and fleshy with excellent presence and fine acidity that is superbly integrated, very natural in feel, balance and proportion without trying too hard. Excellent.

2016 Domaine Faiveley Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru. Rich abundance of ripe dark cherries and red currants that caressed the palate with creamy fullness and lovely raw intensity amidst earthy elements suffused with superb acidity, imparting a sense of velvety power. Excellent, and may be outstanding over time.

2016 Domaine Faiveley Corton Clos des Corton Faiveley Grand Cru monopole. Generous aromas of red fruits, full-bodied yet gentle on the palate, displaying earthy minerals amidst the ripe fruit with superb precision, acidity and understated intensity that produced a lasting mouthfeel. Always a perennial favourite. Huge uncoiled potential.

There were more wines to be drunk at dinner (everyone was unanimous that the European cuisine served was outstanding) where it was clear that the 2013 whites can be rewarding even in their youth whilst the reds from the great vintages have stood the test of time. The last decade has seen Faiveley attaining the level of refinement, character and understanding of terroir that has, hitherto, been somewhat elusive.

2013 Domaine Faiveley Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru. Complex deep bouquet of crisp citrus with a great lift that led to a medium-full high-toned minerally palate of ferrous elements and delicate citrus with fine seamless acidity, becoming crisper and more layered as it took on proper grip with emergent notes of creme de la creme. The 2013 whites appear to be evolving faster than either the great vintages of 2012 and 2014.

2014 Domaine Faiveley Bienvenues Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru. Generally shut, rather backward on the nose, proffering just gentle citrus whilst an abundance of white fruits dominate on the palate with fine understated acidity, superbly integrated, building up towards a lovely gentle intensity over time. Poised, elegant and unflustered. Usually more approachable than Bâtard-Montrachet, this further supports my view that one should drink the 2013s while waiting for the 2012 and 2014 to come around.

2013 Domaine Faiveley Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru. Displaying some early evolution, this wine exudes a mild earthy pungency with a layered soft core of white fruits and tempered citrus that opened up well, tapering to a cool gentle finish. Drinking well, but the 2016 is superior in every way.

2015 Joseph Faiveley Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Saint Georges 1er. Deep color, proffering a glorious bouquet of early cinnamon and superb ripe fruit, highly inviting. Equally stunning on the open palate where the great concentration of fruit is layered with gorgeous acidity that added immeasurably to the fabulous mouthfeel, already showing some early inner detail, finishing with a trace of austerity. Makes the 2016 seem reductive.

2014 Domaine Faiveley Clos-de-Vougeot Grand Cru. Deep in color, showing just a faint whiff of earthy pungency with traces of graphite minerals though the palate is well layered with very fine acidity, definition and detail, displaying good linearity all the way to its glowing minty finish, becoming more delicate over time.

2010 Joseph Faiveley Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru. Most alluring in its bouquet of dark red fruits and dark roses amidst earthy tones, matched by a deeper streak sweet dark currants laced with sublime acidity, exuding lovely feminine fragrance, purity and elegance. Gorgeous, re-affirming what we already know about the 2010 Côte de Nuits: just buy everything.

1999 Joseph Faively Volnay Santenots 1er. Effusive in cedary tones with further notes of truffles coming on later, proffering a generous spread of succulent ripe dark berries layered with great acidity, excellent in refinement and complexity without any burliness or vegetal tones. For many, this was the wine of the night and the least expected. Great stuff.

2009 Domaine Faiveley Pommard Les Rugiens 1er. Dark tones of dark currants and berries pervade this wine, carrying excellent weight, acidity and concentration. Very fleshy, oozing with sweet supple tannins, never at all heavy, reminding us again why Les Rugiens is considered by many to be ripe for re-classification into grand cru.

Ever the generous soul that he is, CJ very kindly threw a grand dinner at Yan on 24 March 2018 for the usual suspects. This time, though, we knew the raison d’tre behind it. The manager Shek rose brilliantly to the occasion with the wine service while the restaurant has maintained its very high standard of cuisine. Contributed by people who know what they are drinking, the highly curated line-up was simply outstanding. Thank you everyone and especially to CJ; please do journey more to the east.

2006 Champagne Salon, courtesy of CJ. Luminous tint, exuding a lifted floral bloom with fine concentration of green fruits, lime and bitter lemon that shone through its dry textures with excellent clarity, possessing a deeper minerally vein with an emerging trace of early layering. Still tight. Highly consistent with my initial impression at its worldwide launch back in April 2017. Excellent now, but will be outstanding in time to come.

2008 Champagne Deutz, courtesy of Sanjay. Slightly heavier tint with a sharper nose of attractive yeasty pungency amidst traces of burnt. Expansive on the palate, its crisp citrus imparting good attack, concentration and intensity with further notes of creme and dark green fruits after some time, smooth with excellent linearity, distinctly more feminine over time, exuding lovely floral tones.

2004 Champagne Salon, courtesy of Sanjay. Compared with the 2006, this wine is more open and relaxed with a restrained quality though equally luminous, glowing with gentle yeasty tones on a palate of lush white citrus, nutmeg and stern minerals, just a tad dry with some early complexity coming on. Excellent.

2002 Piper Heidsieck Rare, courtesy of KG. This wine exudes pungent yeasty tones amidst a complex bouquet, quite superb, open and delicate enough on the dry finely detailed palate with further notes of snuff and high-toned citrus, slightly stern, that yielded some attractive gentle tension. Pretty consistent on the whole with a previous tasting note in Nov 2017. Excellent.

2005 Domaine Roulot Meursault Les Tessons Clos du Mon Plaisir. Displaying a slightly evolved hue, this wine is rather reserved, proffering quiet gentle tones of aged crème with reserved intensity and understated acidity, quite minerally and delicate on the whole with traces of sweet as it tapered to a neat finish, revealing better inner detail over time. This is a wine that cannot be hurried on the table.

2004 Domaine du Comte Ligier-Belair Vosne-Romanee Aux Reignots 1er, courtesy of Dr Ngoi. Well evolved, proffering a fine bouquet of plummy red fruits with gentle tones of earth and mint that preceded a fleshy core of tangy citrus, soft and rounded with very fine acidity, focus and weight, just a little short.

2005 Domaine Robert Groffier Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoureuses 1er, courtesy of KG. Very correct in color and tone, generously effusive in dark cherries and dark roses, displaying superb balance, poise and elegance with excellent focus, definition and purity, opening up with deeper growing intensity over time, highly persistent in its complete finish. As good as the 2006 from the same producer that was tasted at this year’s La Paulée, if not better. A complete wine. Outstanding.

2014 Domaine Roger Belland Criot-Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru, courtesy of CJ. Shut on the nose though there is quite a bit going on on the minerally palate where grassy elements and cool icing dominate initially with a soft focus that eventually gained better definition as other characters of mint, white flowers and incense emerged. Plenty of potential here but this isn’t the right time to pop it.

2001 Domaine Remoissenet Pere er Fils Le Montrachet Grand Cru, courtesy of Grace. Very relaxed feel. Layered with lovely concentration of fruit and minerals but somewhat reserved, developing well in the glass as it gained richer tones of creme, icing and complex minerals, very subtly layered. Excellent but not exceptional, missing the inner detail and ethereal delicacy of the best Montrachets. Highly similar in character to the Montrachet of Baron Thenard, which used to sell its Montrachet grapes to Remoissenet in the past (as stated on the label) before the former began bottling Montrachet on its own. Baron Thenard has the second largest holdings of Montrachet Grand Cru in two plots, all on the Chassagne side.

2002 Domaine Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin Clos-Saint-Jacques 1er, courtesy of John. Racy with an exciting deep streak of dark fruit and raspberries, ripe and fleshy with excellent concentration, slightly forward in balance, just managing to keep its raw intensity under control with matching sublime acidity that ensured lovely suppleness with a special lightness. Quite fabulous.

2006 Domaine Armand Rousseau Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru, courtesy of LF. Great colour and purity that promised rose petals and bright cherries, wonderfully open with a fabulous richness that produced great intensity, depth and verve, impeccably balanced. This is a wine of utter elegance and sophistication. Still youthful but drinking fantastically well. What a superb treat for the senses!

1999 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogue Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru, courtesy of MH. Rather dark, as expected from this source. There was an initial whiff of faint cork taint that blew off quite quickly, thank goodness, to reveal notes of deep dark berries on the nose and open palate, infused with a deep core of tangy citrus that produced some understated intensity, still remarkably youthful and shy. Quite unlike usual extroverted character of Bonnes-Mares. Perhaps best to lay down a little further.

Larmandier-Bernier Rose 1er, courtesy of LF. Grapefruit and aged tangerines dominate on the bone-dry palate with scorching intensity. Needs to be washed down with food that is equally robust.

1961 Ch Gilette, courtesy of LF. Vinified in concrete vats and usually released many years (even decades!) post-vintage, this unique Sauternes displayed a hypnotic deep golden orangey colour with notes of aged apricot, nutmeg and balm on the nose and palate, still retaining fresh acidity and body, quite luscious, though the fruit is just beginning to recede a little. Still showing very well.