Ric's Wine Journal

I was truly privileged to have been invited to a dinner on 22 March 2018 that was so exquisite in culinary taste and creation that it would easily have belonged to a multi-Michelin-starred establishment, except that it took place at home, prepared by the hostess herself. Paired with a short but excellent line-up of wines, not to mention yet another 1957 Ch Pichon Baron,  it was truly an evening to remember. The pictures do really say it all. Thank you very much for your kind generosity!

1995 Champagne Dom Pérignon Rosé. Dominant notes of grapefruit and peaches on the nose with a lovely lift, well replicated on the palate with additional notes of bitter lemon supported by stony saline minerals, rather dry, leading towards some degree of austerity at the finish.

2005 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatières 1er. Reticent with faint whiffs of white flowers on the nose. Quite minerally on the palate, showing cool tones of icing with traces of vanillin, very relaxed in feel. I’d expected more from this producer but the reserved demeanour is probably a function of the vintage which requires extended ageing.

1957 Château Pichon Longueville Baron, courtesy of Dr Ngoi. Astonishingly, this is my third bottle of this particular wine in as many months, and the best of all three. Absolutely beautiful in its ruby brilliance and great purity of fruit, highly effusive in red plums and complex tangerines with a lovely lift while its entry on the palate is relaxed and gentle, its acidity still sublime amidst soft minerally textures, displaying good concentration, linearity and length. Perhaps neither quite as deep nor as complex as Pichon Baron from the best vintages but it’s freshness is amazing.

1996 Château Haut-Brion. Beautiful in color, glowing with dried mushrooms and herbs amidst a peppery bouquet, most lovely. Rounded and soft, tinged with camphor and exotic spices on the palate, fleshy with good detail, focus and linearity. Superbly balanced and relaxed, finishing with velvety svelte tannins. Excellent. Based on my recent experiences, the 1996 clarets, once so backward, have rounded the corner and are drinking superbly now.

Dr Ngoi threw a surprise dinner at Nicolas on 20 March 2018 that was paired entirely with an astounding vertical of Château d’Yquem. It transpired later that this dinner had been in the works for several months, inspired by a similar dinner back at Château d’Yquem itself last year attended by the man himself. With the help of Tsun-Yan, Peter, Winfred and Ted, a vertical had been carefully assembled while Grace worked with Nicolas to plan a menu that would match a whole evening of Sauternes. Tsun-Yan had also brought a pair of 2002 Dalle Valle Maya to pair with the delectable beef. All were poured from 750 mL bottles with the exception of the 2011 and 2001. Needless to say, it all panned out beautifully, proving that it is, indeed, possible to drink Sauternes throughout your meal. All the gleaming liquid gold on the table made us the envy of all the other guests at the restaurant. Thank you very much, Dr Ngoi, for your generosity and to everyone for your presence and wonderful contributions.

2006 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs. Fresh clear crystalline tones, displaying fine body and excellent clarity, detailing white flowers in bloom with full presence of green fruits, eventually exuding lovely earthy tones with an yeasty pungency whilst developing further dry gentle intensity. Excellent.

2011 Château d’Yquem, courtesy of Winfred. From a pair of half bottles. Superb bouquet of dry intense nectarine and paraffin, very lovely detail in its intoxicating aroma. Smooth and luscious with excellent layering and depth, displaying great freshness, balance and superb refinement, yet almost delicate. Outstanding.

2001 Château d’Yquem, courtesy of Peter Tan. From a pair of half bottles. Considerably evolved with a deep golden hue, heavier in tint and tone. Resinous with great lifted notes of honey and apricot whilst stony minerals and medicinal tones dominate on the palate at first, gradually growing in majestic breadth and regal nobility as the rich concentration of glorious fruit took on its grip, becoming stunningly complex on the bouquet which never ceased developing throughout the whole evening, proffering further notes of dried flowers and malt. I’d imagine this wine would be developing at a slower pace if tasted from 750 ml bottles. A complete Sauternes. My wine of the night.

2008 Château d’Yquem, courtesy of Winfred. Lovely rounded bouquet of honey and rock melons, the fruit and acidity producing a peculiar peek-a-boo teasing intensity on the palate before gradually gaining weight though it still came across as slightly veiled and a tad gruff with overtones of the wilderness.

2005 Château d’Yquem, courtesy of Ted. Quite subtle on the nose, actually restrained. Rather understated in acidity and richness on the palate, allowing the full concentration of nectarine to take on some deftness. A tad pensive on the whole compared with numerous previous tastings at FICOFI functions. Is it receding into its shell?

1996 Château d’Yquem, courtesy of Peter Tan. Well evolved, offering apricot and cinnamon on the nose. Medium-bodied, not heavy at all, displaying good delicacy with characters of spice and orange peel, turning a bit stern towards the short finish with overtones of graphite.

1989 Château d’Yquem, courtesy of Tsun-Yan. Dull golden hue though the palate sees lush luscious nectarine with superb acidity and fluidity that produced a certain lightness, distinctly feminine as it flowed to a long glowing finish marked by overtones of ash. Excellent.

1988 Château d’Yquem, courtesy of Tsun-Yan. Drunk side-by-side with the above, the 1988 is just a shade heavier in tone, carrying more weight with lovely tones of tangerines and mandarins, fairly rich in texture though the 1989 is distinctly fresher.

1992 Dalle Valle Maya, courtesy of Tsun-Yan. Deep impenetrable red, exuding a high-toned minerally bouquet with overtones of vanillin amidst a powerful earthy pungency, almost hedonistic. Open with surprising lightness on the palate, displaying a spectrum of flavours savoury tones, mint, spicy black pepper, dry mushrooms and herbs, its acidity and tannins leaving behind a mouth-puckering sensation long after its finish. The only gripe is the relative lack of fruit to match the supporting structure, for this wine could certainly do with greater fullness and depth.

1957 Château d’Yquem, sourced directly from the château by Dr Ngoi. Only one of three bottles remaining, it seems. I have never seen a Sauternes looking so dark that it’s almost unrecognisable. Nevertheless, this wine is amazingly fresh on the nose, throwing up notes of fruitcake, old honey and caramel, displaying good lift with traces of gun smoke, still imbued with fresh acidity that imparted fine presence on the palate although the fruit has receded quite a bit, characterised by toffee and burnt orange. Still holding on, ageing gracefully but clearly past its prime. Still, what a privilege to have tasted it!

Following an extensive promenade of outstanding wines (2001 Comte de Vogüé Musigny, 2012 Aubert, inter alia…see post in Nov 2017) at his clinic opening on 08 Nov 2017 attended even by Iggy himself, Kieron ushered us to Imperial Treasure Peking Super Duck at Paragon to continue the wining and dining, this time on a theme of Pomerol. We ought to have been properly hammered by the time we staggered over but, surprisingly, everyone was still on form. The line-up certainly did not disappoint and every drop was polished off. Pomerol is tight, dense and stern in its youth but offers a truly outstanding experience after more than twenty years in bottle, as one can see below. Thank you very much, Kieron.

2004 Château L’Evangile, courtesy of Pipin. Deep crimson with some brightening at the rim, displaying good depth of dark cherries and redcurrants honed by a high-toned acidity that created lovely tension across the minerally palate, finishing on an austere note, yet to develop true secondary nuances. Excellent.

1999 Château L’Evangile, still showing a deep crimson with some evolution. Highly reticent, not showing much on the nose and palate where the fruit is set rather backward, dominated more by firm acidity and earthy minerals that imparted a stern minty finish.

1998 Château L’Evangile, courtesy of David Tan. Great color, exuding lovely Chinese herbal notes, tea leaves and dried mushrooms with complex earthy tones that leapt out of the glass. Open and fleshy with superb concentration of dark fruits and currants, finishing with ferrous minerals amidst fine acidity and intensity. Excellent, and yet to peak.

1995 Château L’Evangile, courtesy of  Dr Ngoi. Deep red with a lovely bloom of fragrant red fruits and dark cherries. Soft, fleshy and seamless with subtle nuances, showing good delineation but short.

1986 Château Lafleur, courtesy of Vic. Obviously well evolved but still showing a beautiful deep red with an equally beguiling bouquet of lovely floral fragrance, still imbued with a superb presence of deep dark berries and dark cherries, displaying great acidity and fullness amidst complex minerals, very subtly structured, developing an attractive earthy pungency over time but a tad short at the finish. Quite outstanding.

2000 Vieux Château Certan, courtesy of Andre. Dark red, exuding a deep lovely fragrance of dark cherries and currants, soft and open with excellent concentration and acidity, seamlessly integrated with further emerging notes of soy. Developing well, just a tad short. Excellent.

1997 Vieux Château Certan, courtesy of Hiok. Glorious crimson with a lovely nose of red cherries, fleshy with good presence though the fruit is a little recessed with more acidity at the fore.

1989 Château La Conseillante, courtesy of LF. Well evolved with a bouquet of lovely sweet fragrance, displaying excellent depth of ripe dark berries with gentle silky smooth tannins and fine acidity, utterly seamless, showing great focus, turning more minerally over time as the fruit receded. Still holding on well.

1989 Château Clinet, courtesy of David Ong. Drunk rather quickly after a brief aeration, this wine exuded a deep fragrance of predominant red fruits, open with a deep core of understated tangerines and complexity, displaying gorgeous acidity that is seamlessly integrated with silky velvety tannins, tapering towards a cool quiet finish. Excellent.

1995 Château Pétrus, courtesy of Kieron. Displaying a beautiful deep ruby, this wine exuded a great lift of hot stones with a suggestion of great clayey minerality, rounded and open with a distilled presence of dark fruits and blueberries of superb depth and richness, thoroughly seamless between the intensity of fruit and sublime acidity, finishing with excellent linearity. Thoroughly outstanding.

1972 Château Pétrus, courtesy of LF. Tasted blind. Distinctly evolved, this wine exuded quite a lovely fragrance of camphor and gentle red fruits amidst delicate notes of nectarine, almost ethereal upon its gentle entry onto the palate where there is still good concentration of fruit, still remarkably fresh in acidity with tannins that have long melted. Excellent.

2015 Domaine Roulet L’Etoile (courtesy of The Vintage Club) popped and poured at Ming Kee Live Seafood, Feb 9, 2018. Not to be confused with the much sought-after Domaine Roulot of Meursault, this wine offers generous tones of chalk, crème and green fruits with good concentration and presence, developing some earthiness with minerally tones after some time, becoming more transparent though, essentially, this is a straightforward wine.

2007 Val di Suga Brunello di Montalcino, popped and poured at Osteria Art, Feb 10, 2018. Vermilion, proffering bright red fruits, plums and dark currants on the nose, ripe and fleshy on the palate with well-integrated chewy tannins, displaying good concentration and detail, developing some gentle intensity over time as it built towards a long glowing spicy finish. Quite excellent.

2001 Ch Cos D’Estournel, decanted on-site at Bedrock Bar & Grill, Feb 12, 2018. Deep inky black. Restraint at first, though its layers of rich black fruits, black currants and dark plums are evident, opening up eventually to reveal superb depth and layering amidst subtle acidity, framed by delicious sweet tightly-knit supple tannins supported by a cedary floor, almost savoury with growing intensity, finishing with a dark minty glow. Superb but still yet to peak. From a half dozen imported from Bordeaux Index London.

2012 Carpineto Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva, popped and poured at Imperial Treasure Fine Teochew Cuisine, 14 Feb 2018. Dark purple, exuding heavier tones of dark plums, raspberries and dark wild berries amidst earthy textures and dusty tannins, showing very good concentration and structure, just slightly gruff in character. Needs further cellaring.

2004 Domaine Paul Aine Jaboulet Chevalier de Sterimberg, popped and poured at Otto Ristorante, Feb 15, 2018. Aged crème, icing and recessed chalky notes with earthy minerals on the nose, quite rich, lighting up the palate with a gleaming tone, showing good concentration, fine intensity and detail with good transparency amidst overtones of paraffin, producing an unique lift at its dry glowing persistent finish. Rhone whites are value buys. Excellent.

2010 Chateau du Moulin, at the family Reunion Dinner on the eve of Lunar New Year, Feb 15, 2018. This wine from Puisseguin, Saint-Emilion, possesses ripe dark berries with traces of burnt amidst overtones of cedar, wood and undergrowth. Agreeable but unremarkable.

2012 Merryvale cabernet sauvignon (courtesy of the late Jenny Tan Bin Hwee), Feb 16, 2018 over dinner with the family on Lunar New Year. Deep purple. Rich in ripe black fruits and dark currants on the nose and palate, layered with understated intensity, just a shade forward in balance which actually works very well for this Californian. Very fine.

2006 Ch Malartic Lagraviere, popped and poured at Gattopardo, Feb 19, 2018. Dark delicious aromas of cedar, dark currants and ripe berries. Open, rounded and fleshy with fine acidity and subdued minerals, hinting at tea leaves with a bit of dark plums amidst earthy textures and very fine gritty tannins, revealing some early complexity. Excellent.

2009 Domaine des Comte Lafon Meursault Genevriere 1er (courtesy of Roger Lum), popped and poured after some aeration at Imperial Treasure Great World, Feb 21, 2018. Superb generous bouquet of crystalline minerals, creme and chalky notes, matched by wonderful depth of fruit and layering on the palate amidst gentle saline tones and understated intensity that produced a most lovely bloom, finishing with a powerful glow of stony minerals that lingered with great persistence long after the finish. Utterly sophisticated. Outstanding.

2006 Domaine Anne Gros Clos-Vougeot Grand Cru Le Grand Maupertui (courtesy of Fatty) poured after some aeration at Imperial Treasure Great World, Feb 21, 2018. Darkish with some evolution, this wine exuded a delicious ripe bouquet of predominant dark fruits and berries, quite racy in its focused intensity, tightly structured with attractive sweet tannins, revealing some emerging complexity as it drew to a lengthy spicy glowing finish. Superb.

2007 Domaine Pierre Amiot Clos-Saint-Denis Grand Cru, poured after some aeration at Imperial Treasure Great World, Feb 21, 2018. The bouquet here is most attractive where deep delicious notes of camphor, rose petals and strawberries dominate. Somewhat narrow on the palate at first but it eventually opened up well with good purity of bright red fruits amidst dominant saline tones though lacking true depth, finishing with traces of graphite.

2010 Lucien Le Moine Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru (courtesy of Alvin Seah), poured after some aeration at Imperial Treasure Great World, Feb 21, 2018. Delicious, proffering generous aromas of dark cherries and dark currants, slightly earthy with overtones of paraffin, excellent in presence and acidity with some early development, turning brighter in tone over time as it opened up to reveal excellent depth and layering with predominant saline minerals emerging.

2009 Domaine Louis Jadot Chambolle-Musigny Les Feusselottes 1er (courtesy of Fatty), poured after some aeration at Imperial Treasure Great World, Feb 21, 2018. Very correct in pinot tint with a lovely soft core of red fruits and tangerines amidst earthy textures topped with gentle ferrous minerals, still rather tightly coiled as it caressed the palate with gentle raw intensity.

Ruinart Blanc de Blancs NV (courtesy of LF), tasted 23 Feb 2018 at SS ENT. Full-bodies, dry with abundant lime, pomelo and bitter lemon, displaying good lift and bloom.

2008 Louis Latour Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru (courtesy of LF), tasted 23 Feb 2018 at SS ENT. Shy. More minerally on both nose and palate, proffering high crystalline tones with recessed notes of tropical fruits, displaying good presence and balance with early complexity amidst stony minerals and traces paraffin, tight towards the finish with fine intensity.

2009 Kistler Sonoma Coast Kistler Vineyard (courtesy of LF), tasted 23 Feb 2018 at SS ENT. Classic New World bouquet of gentle paraffin and icing with a hint of cinnamon and skins, showing good presence and layering with transparent textures amidst overtones of tropical fruit though without true depth.

2004 David Duband Chambolle-Musigny Les Gruenchers (courtesy of LF), tasted 23 Feb 2018 at SS ENT. In spite of its opaque dirty red, this village is simply quite effusive its feminine fragrance of rose petals, showing great fluidity and acidity from a fine presence of dark cherries and earthy minerals, still tightly coiled. Could do with better resolution.

2007 Sylvie Esmonin Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint Jacques 1er (courtesy of LF), tasted 23 Feb 2018 at SS ENT. Probably the most restrained of all the five producers of Clos-St-Jacques, this wine is undoubtedly feminine in poise and elegance, though somewhat darkish in colour and tone imparted by the ripe dark fruit, displaying fair intensity but missing in detail and opulence.

2009 Kistler Sonoma Coast Kistler Vineyard Pinot Noir (courtesy of LF), tasted 23 Feb 2018 at SS ENT. Dark deep colour, notably heavier on the palate with a rich tone of ripe dark berries and currants, structured with masculine firm tannins that produced some lovely biting intensity.

2005 Ch Pichon Baron Longueville (courtesy of LF), tasted 23 Feb 2018 at SS ENT. This wine possesses an abundance of ripe dark berries that proffered lifted aromas of dark currants with superb depth of fruit, carrying lithe supple tannins that teased the palate with focused detail amidst earthy tarry tones, glowing with sublime acidity and fine intensity throughout its length. Quite outstanding.

2013 Peter Michael L’Esprit Des Pavots (courtesy of LF), tasted 23 Feb 2018 at SS ENT. Dark deep purple. Medium-full, rounded with ripe sweet berries and attractive earthiness amidst some vegetal trace. Caught at an awkward stage.

2015 Domaine de Montille Saint Romain, popped and poured at Jade Palace, 23 Feb 2018. This wine opened with tentative notes of nutmeg and ginger before unfurling its full canvas of exotic fruit, melons, green fruits and understated minerals with stupendous detail and transparency. Keen finish. Superb value!

1976 Ch Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, tasted at Daniel Tan’s residence, 25 Feb 2018. Dark in colour with some mild bottle stink amidst some vegetal trace that is a classic hallmark of this estate, still retaining good concentration and acidity, clearing up after some time to reveal notes of cedar, old leather and heated stones with a plummy glow.

1995 Ch Leoville Barton, tasted at Daniel Tan’s residence, 25 Feb 2018. Deep color. Accents of Chinese tea leaves, earth and mushrooms on the nose, undeniably attractive, quite bold and forward in its excellent concentration of dark fruit. Rounded, open and supple with dry textures, just a tad short.

Nuits-Saint-Georges is a bit of an ugly duckling within the Cote-de-Nuits. Bereft of grand cru climats and sandwiched between the kings of Vosne-Romanee to the north and the celebrated whites of the Cote-de-Beaune not far off in the south, this appellation is unfairly overlooked. This is all the better for wine lovers, for there are true gems to be found if one knows where to look, evident from a tasting organised by FICOFI on 08 March 2018 at the Four Seasons, Singapore. Far from being nondescript, I found these wines to be highly attractive, imbued with very fine pinot character and purity whilst rooted to its Nuits-Saint-Georges terroir which imparts its own unique imprint. Enjoy.

2015 Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-Saint-Georges La Perriere 1er. Made from 100% pinot blanc, this unusual white possesses a rich bouquet of ripe bananas, white flowers and intense tropical fruits with traces of morning dew amidst some nutty characters, coming together with explosive impact on the palate with its rich tension amidst superb intensity of fruit, icing and understated crème de la crème, rounded with great elegance and linearity. Outstanding and, naturally, very limited in quantity. I bought some.

2015 Joseph Faiveley Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Saint Georges 1er. Lovely hue of ruby, exuding delicious bright rosy characters of ripe cherries, rounded and fleshy with good concentration and presence, displaying great acidity amidst some characteristic earthiness, quite seamless, finishing well.

2011 Joseph Drouhin Nuits-Saint-Georges Proces 1er. Quietly poised on the nose with the glow of deep dark cherries on the approach along with some camphor. Highly poised as well on the medium-full palate, displaying excellent presence and purity with a deep intensity of fruit framed by supple tannins. Excellent.

1995 Joseph Drouhin Nuits-Saint-Georges Ronciere 1er. Poured from magnum. Given its age, this wine is expectedly more evolved, supple and fleshy with advanced characters of cedar, earth, light licorice with a hint of sulphur, showing fine intensity with understated acidity, finishing well.

2012 Domaine Hudelot Noellat Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Bas de Combes. Don’t let this village fool you. From its very correct pinot tint to its great bouquet of red fruits that foreshadowed its great allure, expanse and purity, this wine defines burgundy by example, highly refined and elegant with everything held in proportion without being showy. Outstanding.

2015 Domaine Prieure-Roch Nuits-Saint-Georges Clos des Argillieres 1er. Slightly opague with notes of dry malt and recessed dark fruits and currants on the nose, though compensated by a lovely palatal lift that exuded excellent freshness with an attractive deftness coming from its sublime acidity. Difficult to source and expensive.

1999 Domaine Prieure-Roch Nuits-Saint-Georges Clos des Corvees 1er. This monopole is distinctly evolved, displaying good depth of ripe dark fruits and wild berries with gentle medicinal tones framed by sweet tannins, medium-full, slightly dense in its textures. Very fine.

It is always a big thing for us whenever Pablo Alvarez of Bodegas Vega Sicilia steps into Singapore. The big man hardly says much during meals, even with friends and close acquaintances, but it is clear that this is a man with a big heart. Who else would go to the extent of arranging lunch for you at Etxebarri (normally impossible to obtain), supply all the wines to go with your lunch (including a 2005 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Montrachet Grand Cru) and paying for lunch as well without himself being there?? Therefore, whenever Pablo arrives on our shores, Dr Ngoi makes it a point to push the boat out and spend time with a dear friend. Fresh off the plane from London on 25 Feb 2018, Pablo was ushered to Garibaldi for lunch, where Roberto had specially customised a menu loaded with caviar to go with all the wine brought by Dr Ngoi, including a pair of 1996 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti La Tache Grand Cru generously contributed by Simon Cheong. For once, we did not drink any Vega Sicilia in the presence of Pablo. Sometimes, the man himself needs a break. What a lovely way to spend a glorious long Sunday afternoon.

2004 Dom Perignon. Gentle creamy textures, lime and green melons dominate on the full palate, excellent in concentration, weight and intensity with superb detail and fine bubbles, delicious with understated acidity. One could go on sipping flute after flute.

2014 Domaine Jean-Claude Ramonet Saint-Aubin Les Murgers des Dent de Chien 1er. Shut initially on the nose though the palate is suffused with mild salinity from the dominant minerally  tone amidst sophisticated creamy textures, quite excellent in concentration, eventually developing a cool glowing icy tone with good linearity all the way to its lengthy finish. Huge uncoiled potential.

2009 Bouchard Pere et Fils Beaune Greves Vigne de L’enfant Jesus 1er. Compared with a previous tasting last year, this wine appears slightly heavier in tint with a darker tone of dark roses and currants though its aromas are still undeniably lovely with a feminine attractiveness, displaying good concentration and purity on the palate with an even tone.

2009 Domaine Francois Larmande La Grand Rue Grand Cru. One of nine monopole grand cru of all Burgundy, this wine displayed a darker pinot tint, imbued with a weighty tone of fresh red fruits and dark cherries that exudes a great floral fragrance, layered with gorgeous acidity and early nuances with a mild earthy tone, its excellent concentration of fruit framed by supple tannins. Almost sublime.

2001 Domaine d’Auvenay (Lalou Bize Leroy) Auxey-Duresses Les Boutonniers, courtesy of Ellen Wu. Rather deep in colour and tone, displaying some emerging complexity at this stage with exotic tonal flavours and notes of nutmeg, rich in layering supported by stony minerals but lacking in structure. Very fine, nonetheless.

2011 Domaine Prieure-Roch Vosne-Romanee Les Suchots PURE 1er, poured from magnum that had been aired in bottle overnight. Showing an opague dusty red, this wine displays good complexity of dark plums and dark rose petals amidst earthy tones and gentle saline minerals that is almost rustic in its unadulterated reflection of terroir, seamlessly integrated between its excellent tonal presence and understated acidity, just a tad short. A true connoisseur’s wine, Prieure-Roch may be off-putting to those who are new to Yannick Champ’s uncompromising approach. Excellent.

1996 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti La Tache Grand Cru, courtesy of Simon Cheong, poured from a pair. Well evolved in colour, this wine exudes a powerful glow of aged red fruits, plums and currants with a deep core of tangerines amidst a great swathe of classic saline minerality with excellent concentration of fruit on the palate, brimming with gentle exuberance while its seamless acidity imparted great suppleness and freshness to its understated structure, finishing with minty overtones. Wonderful, and will hold for many more years. Thanks, Simon!!

2010 Ch Rieussec. Quiet tones of nectarine and apricot on the nose, quite placid on the palate with lovely glow and excellent presence, highly subtle in its nuances, finishing with an attractive afterglow that lingered. Excellent.

Timothy Goh of Vinum Fines Wines, Singapore, was very kind to invite me for dinner at Imperial Treasure Great World on 22 Jan 2018, where we were joined by Vinum’s Vice-Chairman Lindsay Hamilton, formerly of Farr Vintners. The theme was Saint-Emilion nineties and we ended up with an outstanding line-up, notwithstanding an out-of-place L’Evangile and a youngish L’Arossee.

1999 Ch Cheval Blanc, courtesy of Kieron. Displaying a deep ruby, this wine exudes a lovely deep fragrance of red fruits, cherries, currants and red plums amidst earthy undertones. Somewhat awkward on its initial entry but it opened up to reveal bright tones on the fleshy palate, imbued with saline minerals amidst a rich presence of ripe fruits though it turned rather stern quite quickly as firm tannins exerted their presence. Good stuff, but requires more cellaring.

1998 Ch Figeac, courtesy of Tim. Gorgeous deep color with some evolution, showing a lifted deep fragrance of red and dark fruits, excellent in concentration and layering with fresh well-mannered acidity and good linearity, jus a tad short.

1998 Ch Clos Fourtet, courtesy of Tim. Deep crimson. Slightly reticent with just a hint of hot stones, displaying dark palatal tones with a firm note of licorice, gravel and early shades of cedar, well-structured with fine underlying intensity.

1998 Ch Tertre Roteboeuf, courtesy of Pipin. Deep crimson, proffering generous savoury tones with an expansive palate of mocha and ripe dark berries, layered with smooth sweet velvety tannins and understated acidity. Excellent, yet to peak.

1996 Ch Angelus. This wine leaps out of the glass with a deep complex bouquet of ripe dark berries, dense fruit, dark currants and cedar, its wonderful lift producing a superb thrill for the senses. In spite of that, the full-bodied palate is open and placid, poised with very fine detailed tannins suffused with sublime acidity amidst a rich minerally core that imparted great opulence and succulence, still amazingly youthful, fresh and vibrant. Absolutely stunning with arresting impact, very different from another bottle tasted back in 2012 which had seemed lean and reticent. Purists may prefer a more traditional approach with better definition of terroir but this bottle is undoubtedly delicious and highly attractive.

1995 Ch L’Evangile, courtesy of Dr Ngoi. This wine exudes a beautiful deep fruity nose dotted with a delicate perfumed fragrance, full but placid, layered with superb detail and depth of fruit amidst high-toned minerals. Excellent.

2005 Ch L’Arossee, courtesy of Robert Kwok. Brilliant purple. Not showing much on the nose but the palate is imbued with a full tone of ripe berries and medicinal notes framed by sweet dark tannins, exuding a lovely rich presence. Excellent, but perhaps best to lay down further.

2002 Veuve Fourny et Fils Cuvee du Clos Notre Dame 1er, over dimsum lunch on New Year’s Day, Jade Palace. Forward balance of zesty lime and citrus, showing good expanse with a dry deep tangy presence, rather stern initially as stony minerals dominate, exuding greater elegance with understated tones over time, glowing with lovely depth and toasty characters. Excellent.

2010 Bodegas Lan Reserve, plucked from the list of La Taperia over dinner, 05 Jan 2018. Shut on the nose though the palate is infused with dark cherries, raspberries, charcoal, earth and plums. Soft, rounded, fleshy and open, carrying good weight and balance. Very attractive.

Delamotte Blancs de Blanc Brut NV, poured from jeroboam, courtesy of Kieron at his clinic opening party, 06 Jan 2018. Open with good concentration of green apples, lime and clear citrus supported by crystalline minerals, displaying fine presence with some degree of delicacy. Drinking well.

1989 Ch Cos D’Estournel, poured from double magnum, courtesy of Kieron at his clinic opening party, 06 Jan 2018. Displaying a deep crimson with some evolution, this wine exudes dark plums, cherries and dark currants amidst dry earthy textures on the nose and palate, beautifully open and fleshy, still laced with fine acidity, structure and freshness that indicates plenty of life still ahead for this under-rated vintage of Cos. Not the most profound in terms of complexity but highly compelling as a whole, inviting sip after sip. Excellent.

1995 Ch Leoville Poyferre, poured from double magnum at Kieron’s clinic opening party, 06 Jan 2018. Still dark. The bouquet here is ruined by a mild but distinct whiff of cork taint that imparted a plasticky note though it seemed fine on the palate, robust with good concentration of black fruits, blueberries and dark currants, well structured with fine acidity and pliant tannins but lacking in that extra compelling dimension shown by the Cos D’Estournel above.

2005 Domaine Faiveley Chablis Le Clos Grand Cru, courtesy of Kieron at his office after hours, 09 Jan 2018. Quite evolved in colour, showing good concentration of clear citrus with flinty minerals held together in fine balance and delicacy, almost crisp, somewhat narrow in spectrum but its tone and character is unmistakable for Chablis. Very fine.

2012 La Clarte de Haut-Brion, courtesy of CW at Jade Palace, 11 Jan 2018. Closed, showing just a hint of sweetness while ferrous minerals, grassy elements and icing dominate on the palate, creamy rich with crisp acidity and cool quiet intensity, finishing over overtones of spicy nutmeg. Quite excellent.

2010 Didier Dagaeuneau Blanc Fume de Pouilly, courtesy of Tristan plucked off the list  at Jade Palace, 11 Jan 2018. Glorious bouquet of fresh lychees, glowing with raw nutmeg and rich minerally tones on the palate, tightly coiled with cool quiet intensity, opening up gradually to reveal great suppleness with a persistent minerally streak. Excellent.

2012 Domaine Georges Noellat Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Aux Boudots, courtesy of CW at Jade Palace, 11 Jan 2018. Deep colour with an abundance of intense dark fruits on the nose and palate. Tight, brooding, tense and angular. Not ready.

2013 Araujo Eisele Vineyard, courtesy of CW at Jade Palace, 11 Jan 2018. Deep impenetrable red. Expectedly, this is a big tannic wine with fine detail and biting intensity of dark fruits and blackberries on a backdrop of graphite minerals, quietly hedonistic, displaying wonderful depth and weight, oozing with dark sweet tannins, finishing on a stern dark medicinal tone.

2005 Ch Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, tasted at the re-opening party of GI Associates, Gleneagles Medical Centre, Singapore, 13 Jan 2018. Dark and brooding, reserved on the nose though the palate is imbued with a rich tone of dark plums, carrying excellent weight and concentration, structured with firm tannins and pliant acidity. Best to lay down.

2014 Domaine du Chateau de Meursault Meursault Les Charmes-Dessus 1er, tasted at the re-opening party of GI Associates, Gleneagles Medical Centre, Singapore, 13 Jan 2018. Shy with a hint of creme and chalk. Far more expressive on the palate, though, where rich clear citrus and earthy minerals vie for attention, displaying good delicacy and purity. A perenial over-achiever. Excellent.

2009 Ch Pontet Canet, tasted at the re-opening party of GI Associates, Gleneagles Medical Centre, Singapore, 13 Jan 2018. Very dark. Rather reticent and brooding in character though there is a good lift of dark plums on a palate dotted with excellent detail, structured with pliant supple tannins that culmibate in a long velvety finish. Yet to evolve any Pauillac signature. Enormous potential here but truly one for the long haul.

2012 Christophe Vaudoisey Volnay 1er Les Caillerets, tasted at the re-opening party of GI Associates, Gleneagles Medical Centre, Singapore, 13 Jan 2018. Dark in tone and rather reserved. Equally denser in tone on the palate with a forward balance of ripe dark fruit and wild berries, exuding powerful plummy tones with fine intensity amidst supple seamless tannins, showing good linearity through to its lengthy finish. Excellent.

2010 Domaine Chanson de Brialles Corton Les Bressandes Grand Cru, tasted at the re-opening party of GI Associates, Gleneagles Medical Centre, Singapore, 13 Jan 2018. Correct pinot color and tone, open with excellent presence of succulent red fruits amidst earthy tones, seamlessly integrated with fine acidity and subtle intensity. Excellent.

2007 Domaine Grand Veneur Chateauneur-du-Pape,  tasted at the re-opening party of GI Associates, Gleneagles Medical Centre, Singapore, 13 Jan 2018. Opague rusty red, exuding powerful characteristic earthy tones amidst plummy red fruit, fleshy and rounded with some medicinal hint and licorice amidst sweet supple tanins, culminating in a gentle long spicy finish. Highly enjoyable.

2007 Poggio Antico Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, tasted at the re-opening party of GI Associates, Gleneagles Medical Centre, Singapore, 13 Jan 2018. Showing some evolution of colour and secondary nuances of cedar, red currants and dark fruits, quite sublime in acidity, finishing with a long fabulous intensity of flavours. A Brunello in technicolor.

2012 E Guigal Chateauneur-du-Pape, tasted at the re-opening party of GI Associates, Gleneagles Medical Centre, Singapore, 13 Jan 2018. Mild earthy cedary tones with sandalwood, deliciously open with good intensity, displaying a lovely feminine elegance.

2012 Ch La Mission, a wine from Lalande-de-Pomerol, popped and poured over dinner at Asia Grand which, IMHO, serves the best Peking duck in Singapore, 20 Jan 2018. Displaying a deep crimson, this wine exudes aromas of dark plums, black fruits and dark currants, well-structured with fine concentration and gentle graphite minerals in spite of its fullness, oozing with delicious sweet tannins. Very fine.

2009 Domaine Etienne Sauzet Puligny-Montrachet Les Perrieres 1er, from the list of Ma Cuisine, Singapore, 24 Jan 2018, just newly-opened by Mathieu Escoffier, son of Fabien of the same famous Ma Cuisine in Beaune. Fabulous bouquet of fresh morning dew and grassy elements that led to great concentration and depth of citrus and lime, caressing the palate with a lovely fluid intensity, displaying superb layering and length with an absolutely gorgeous lingering mouthfeel, turning more delicate over time with emerging chalky tones. Has that added intangible dimension that places this wine right up there at the very top. Outstanding.

2007 Domaine Jacques-Frederic Mugnier Nuits-Saint-Georges Clos de la Marechale 1er Blanc, from the list of Ma Cuisine, Singapore, 24 Jan 2018, just newly-opened by Mathieu Escoffier, son of Fabien of the same famous Ma Cuisine in Beaune. Grassy elements dominate on the nose with a sharper minerally tone, displaying good acidity and zest from the excellent concentration of fruit though it is slightly narrow in spectrum.

2014 Domaine Anne et Hervé Sigaut Chambolle-Musigny Les Sentier 1er, from the list of Ma Cuisine, Singapore, 24 Jan 2018, just newly-opened by Mathieu Escoffier, son of Fabien of the same famous Ma Cuisine in Beaune. Deep ruby. Rather shy though the palate is lit by generous swathes of bright red fruits and cherries, rounded with good concentration and a hint of tangerines amidst traces of raw intensity that eventually turned a little too astringent as the ambient temperature warmed up. Huge potential but I don’t think we did it justice.

Mathieu Escoffier of Ma Cuisine, Singapore.

2011 Domaine Armand Rousseau Clos de la Roche Grand Cru, from the list of Ma Cuisine, Singapore, 24 Jan 2018, just newly-opened by Mathieu Escoffier, son of Fabien of the same famous Ma Cuisine in Beaune. As usual with Armand Rousseau, this wine proffers a glorious plummy tone of ripe red fruits and dark cherries, beautifully rounded and fleshy, saturating the palate with a lovely deep searing intensity. Excellent.

2015 G D Vajra Barbera D’Alba, tasted at the 15th anniversary party of Asian American Liver Centre, Gleneagles Medical Centre, Singapore, on 25 Jan 2018. Good concentration of red fruits with dark plummy tones, a little too dry and earthy and vegetal though imbued with fine acidity, finishing with a spicy glow. Unremarkable.

2016 Monte Del Fra Soave Classico, tasted at the 15th anniversary party of Asian American Liver Centre, Gleneagles Medical Centre, Singapore, on 25 Jan 2018. Good concentration of clear citrus with light grassy elements and subtle chalky notes. Highly serviceable.

2011 Les Tours de Charmail (courtesy of Dr Lee KH), tasted at the 15th anniversary party of Asian American Liver Centre, Gleneagles Medical Centre, Singapore, on 25 Jan 2018. Deep inky color, rather muted on the nose, showing good concentration of black fruits and ripe wild berries on the palate with dryish textures along with early cedary characters and graphite minerals.

2008 Carpineto Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva, decanted on-site at Otto Ristorante, 27 Jan 2018. Bright purple, rather muted initially but imbued with very good concentration of raspberries, dark wild berries and black currants on the palate with overtones of ash and stern earthy minerals, showing good focus and definition, growing brighter over time with fine intensity though lacking in outright opulence.

2002 Champagne Salon (courtesy of Peter Tan), over lunch hosted by Dr Ngoi at Garibaldi to honour the visit of Jean-Charles Cuvelier of Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, 30 Jan 2018. This wine exudes a clear crystalline tone with gentle toasty characters, open with lifted notes of lime and citrus amidst smoky tones and subdued minerality, displaying fine definition, finishing with traces of bitter lemon. Excellent.

2014 Chateau Chamirey Mercurey La Mission 1er monopole (courtesy of Dr Ngoi), over lunch hosted by Dr Ngoi at Garibaldi to honour the visit of Jean-Charles Cuvelier of Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, 30 Jan 2018. Good colour. Quite reserved on the nose although one discerns delicate tones, layered with superb concentration of fruit on the palate that recalls cinnamon and peaches with subdued chalk and crème de la creme. Huge potential here. A perennial favourite of mine.

2014 Blanc de Lynch Bages (courtesy of Dr Ngoi), over lunch hosted by Dr Ngoi at Garibaldi to honour the visit of Jean-Charles Cuvelier of Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, 30 Jan 2018. Complex lifted bouquet of smouldering ember, longans and exotic tropical fruits amidst gentle earthy tones and grassy elements, showing great concentration of fruit and detail with superb transparency. Quite unique and outstanding.

2009 Ch Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande (courtesy of Dr Ngoi), over lunch hosted by Dr Ngoi at Garibaldi to honour the visit of Jean-Charles Cuvelier of Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, 30 Jan 2018. Deep purple, exuding lifted tones of earth and ripe wild berries, superb in concentration, highly supple with a slight vegetal trace towards the back palate that imparted some degree of sternness. Elegant but aloof. Most regal. Not ready at all.

1998 Ch Angelus (courtesy of Dr Ngoi), over lunch hosted by Dr Ngoi at Garibaldi to honour the visit of Jean-Charles Cuvelier of Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, 30 Jan 2018. Deep crimson, proffering lovely tones of earth and aged leather with lifted notes of delicious dark currants and dark cherries, excellent in concentration, layered with early complexity and gritty details. Excellent.

2010 Ch Rieussec (courtesy of Dr Ngoi), over lunch hosted by Dr Ngoi at Garibaldi to honour the visit of Jean-Charles Cuvelier of Domaine de la Romanee-Conti, 30 Jan 2018. Copious notes of nectarine and apricot are evident but, on the whole, rather reserved with quiet acidity.

Jean-Charles Cuvelier

Wine tasting with high art always works well, and the boys from The Vintage Club duly obliged with a tasting of Egly-Ouriet at the Art Porters Gallery, Singapore, on 13 Feb 2018.  A movement once scorned by those who were used to the grand marqués but now rightly championed by the cognoscenti looking for the Next Big Thing, Egly Ouriet is now one of the leading lights of Grower Champagne, made by Francis Egly who is continuing the tradition begun by his great-grandfather in Ambonnay. Certainly, the lineup tasted here is right on par with the best champagne: wines with power, delicacy and depth of fruit.

Chateau Minuty Rose D’Or. Notes of dried apricots, dates and perfumed grapefruit on the nose, decidedly light and delicate in tone partly contributed by its recessed tonal palate, showing more of gentle minerals than fruit, distinctly feminine and shy as it tapered to a glowing finish.

Egly-Ouriet Brut Rose Grand Cru. This wine spent 58 months on lees, displaying densely perfumed aromas with good lift, considerably lighter in tonal spectrum on the palate with dryish textures. A rosé that will go well with Asian cuisine.

Egly-Ouriet Les Vignes de Vrigny 1er, comprising 100% pinot meunier, aged 36 months on lees prior to bottling. Deep icy bouquet with a superb lift of delicate green fruits and citrus lime, forward in balance with excellent concentration and suppleness, finishing with traces of bitter lemon, understated minerals and toasty overtones. Very fine. Talking to a few people there, I realised pure pinot meunier may not be everyone’s idea of traditional champagne but I liked it.

Egly-Ouriet Brut Tradition Grand Cru. A blend of 70% pinot noir and 30% chardonnay, this wine exuded a wonderfully deep bouquet of dense citrus and gentle toast with some lovely gentle complexity, opening up with a good expanse of crisp citrus and fresh acidity matched by excellent depth of fruit, finishing well. Excellent.

2007 Egly-Ouriet Brut Millesime Grand Cru. Again blended with majority pinot noir and the rest chardonnay after spending 96 months on lees, the benefit is evident by the generous bouquet of yeasty overtones and toasty characters, rounded with supple mouthfeel enhanced by fine bubbles, poised and elegant with good focus and balance, showing good linearity all the way to its  lengthy glowing finish. Excellent.

Egly-Ouriet Vieillissement Prolonge (V.P.) Grand Cru. The V.P. designates prolonged ageing on lees, 84 months in this instance, translating into delicious deep minerally tones on the nose, exuding a mild yeasty pungency with recessed white fruits though I found the wine to be rather backward on a palate largely dominated by dry graphite minerals, well-balanced though a tad underwhelming on the whole.

Barely two days after the Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Gala came the annual La Paulée de Singapour organised by The Vintage Club on 02 February 2018 at the brand-new Andaz Hotel, Singapore, masterminded by M. Christophe Cazaux-Maleville with his partners Gilles Herr and Antonin Pon. The La Paulée may trace its roots back almost a century ago to Meursault where workers in the vineyards would gather to celebrate after the end of a back-breaking harvest with plenty of food and wine. In particular, it seemed the vignerons would each bring a bottle to best the efforts of rivals. The tradition still continues but, of course, the event in Singapore was simply a good excuse to indulge in a mad evening of wining. This time, the French Ambassador could not join us but the local French community still showed up in force. The free-for-all promenade that preceded dinner began on time at 1730h but, in spite of the 150 minutes till dinner, I still could not sample all the wines available. All the domaines represented by The Vintage Club were present to show off the 2015 vintage which, I must say, is excellent for both whites and reds in equal measure (though the 2014 whites are still peerless) and it was good for me to be able to catch up again with M. Etienne de Montille soon after my visit to his Domaine last November. The Andaz did a great job in its organisation and service although the hall for the promenade was too small, I feel, and the ambient temperature way too warm though the ballroom was quite perfect. Things became rather loud and riotous quite quickly, which is how it is supposed to be, punctuated by several rounds of the mandatory ban bourguignon. At the end, forty-nine wines in one evening was a little too much for my palate but it was great fun and I’m already looking forward to the 2019 edition where the outstanding reds of 2016 will be featured.

2015 Domaine du Chateau de Meursault Puligny-Montrachet Champs-Canet 1er, poured from jeroboam. Lifted tones of clear citrus with good transparency, presence and focus on the palate, showing fine acidity and intensity with good linearity.

2015 Domaine du Chateau de Meursault Pommard Clos des Epenots 1er. Clear purple but closed on the nose. Equally reserved on the palate where notes of earth and wild berries dominate with good acidity, somewhat short at the finish.

2015 Domaine du Chateau de Meursault Volnay Clos des Chenes 1er. Darker in tint and tone, displaying good attack and intensity of raspberries, dark currants and earthy tones with a spicy glow, somewhat short.

2015 Domaine du Chateau Meursault Beaune-Greves Les Trois Journaux 1er. Good color. Deep aromas of dark roses and raspberries, full-bodied and rounded, showing excellent intensity and layering of fruit with seamless acidity, finishing with excellent linearity and definition. Very lovely.

2015 Domaine du Chateau de Marsannay Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru, poured from magnum. Clear purple with an abundance of raspberries, dark cherries and earth, fleshy with good concentration and fine acidity, seamlessly integrated.

2015 Domaine du Chateau de Marsannay Marsannay Les Favieres. Deep purple, this village exudes sharp intense aromas of sweet ripe berries with a herbaceous trace, forward in balance with excellent acidity and concentration, finishing with splashes of spice though somewhat short.

2014 Domaine Pierre Damoy Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Tamisot. Good colour. Highly effusive with clean forward notes of rose petals, ripe cherries and red fruits. Fleshy and open, showing fine detail, excellent presence and acidity, just a tad short. An over-achieving village. Worth every penny, and more.

2014 Domaine Pierre Damoy Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru. Deep colour, exuding notes of rose petals and red currants. Rounded with subdued intensity. Distinctly feminine. Highly beguiling and elegant. Excellent.

2014 Domaine Pierre Damoy Chambertin Grand Cru. Good colour, displaying an intense bouquet layered with dark currants and dark roses, highly effusive. Excellent in concentration and poise, hugely understated, subtly structured with superb acidity. Excellent.

2014 Domaine Georges Noellat Grands Echezeaux Grand Cru, poured from magnum. Brilliant bright colour, displaying superb intensity of glorious ripe fruit on the bouquet with great succulence and purity on the palate, glowing throughout its length with supreme elegance in spite of its fullness. Wonderful stuff. A must-have wine.

2014 Domaine Georges Noellat Vosne-Romanee. Correct pinot tint. Superb bouquet with a forward balance of gorgeous ripe fruit amidst gentle saline minerals, highly poised and rounded, displaying great presence and purity. Utterly charming. Beautifully crafted.

2012 Domaine Georges Noellat Nuits-Saint-Georges Aux Boudots 1er. Darker in hue with earthy tones and textures, very correct for Nuits-Saint-Georges, supported by glorious ripe fruit with darkish tones, superbly integrated, tapering to a long glowing finish. Excellent.

2015 Domaine de Montille Volnay En Champans 1er. Highly delicate bouquet, beautifully lifted, showing great colour, purity and ripeness, structured with supple sweet tannins amidst sublime acidity. Superb.

2015 Domaine de Montille Volnay Les Brouillards 1er. Deep color and tone, displaying good lift of raspberries and dark cherries. Rounded with fine detail and concentration, just a tad short.

2015 Domaine de Montille Volnay Les Taillepieds 1er. Deep in colour and tone. Fleshy with excellent earthiness, laced with fresh acidity and fine detail brought about by ripe dark berries with a gentle biting intensity. Plenty of velvety power though lacking in structure.

2015 Domaine de Montille Puligny-Montrachet Les Cailleret 1er. Sharp lifted bouquet, stuffed with clear yellow citrus amidst a superb minerally base with mild saline tones, displaying good depth, layering and potential complexity. Excellent.

2015 Domaine de Montille Saint-Romain en Jarrons. Attractive lifted aromas of earthy minerals, showing excellent fruit quality with superb layering and freshness, very well balanced, teasing the palate with great verve and fleeting intensity. Excellent.

2015 Domaine de Montille Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru. Superb bouquet of complex white fruits, strongly perfumed, layered with excellent fullness, concentration and detail on the palate, producing superb mouthfeel. Excellent.

2015 Chateau du Moulin a Vent Moulin-a-Vent. Deep colour. Big, dark and tannic with a rich abundance of dark plums and currants that is quite unexpected of gamay, brimming with biting intensity.

2015 Ch du Moulin-a-Vent Champ de Cour. Coming from a single vineyard gamay, this wine is dark in colour, displaying high extraction of fruit that translates into licorice, wild berries and ripe dark fruits with substantial earthiness, coating the palate with raw biting intensity.

2015 Ch du Moulin-a-Vent La Rochelle. Very dark and full, well extracted with a great concentration of spicy earthy tones.

2015 Chateau de Chamirey Mercurey La Mission 1er monopole. Well-developed bouquet of complex citrus and morning dew with a fabulous palate, superbly layered with lovely richness and purity of fruit underscored by understated minerality. I’m reminded of the outstanding 2014 and, in fact, would be fascinating to compare both side-by-side in a blinded tasting. Superb.

2015 Domaine Comte Senard Corton Grand Cru Blanc. Superb bouquet of complex white flowers and delicate chalk, layered with great transparent textures in spite of the rich tone of fruit and minerals, displaying great elegance and sophistication. Outstanding.

2015 Domaine Faiveley Puligny-Montrachet Champs Gain 1er. Clear grassy elements with a hint of rye, showing good intensity of flavours amidst stern minerals with excellent potential for further complexity.

2015 Domaine Faiveley Corton Clos des Corton Faiveley Grand Cru monopole. Dark in colour with abundant fruit, very ripe, marked by an earthy edge with graphite minerals. Very full, rich and tight, almost opulent.

2015 Domaine Faiveley Gevrey-Chambertin Les Cazetiers 1er. Dark in colour. Rich in ripe dark berries and currants, well-extracted with overtones of licorice, slightly dry.

2015 Domaine Faiveley Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Porets Saint Georges 1er. Saturated with dark chocolate, black currants and ripe dark berries, well-extracted, tight and full with searing intensity, ending in a spicy finish. Still primal.

2015 Domaine des Perdrix Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Aux Perdrix Cuvee Les 8 Ouvrees. Beautiful colour, exuding a lifted bouquet of dark rose petals with a perfumed fragrance, highly focused on the palate, displaying great concentration and searing intensity of fruit, well-structured at its spicy finish. Excellent.

Etienne de Montille loves a good party

Delamotte Blancs de Blanc Brut NV, poured from jeroboam. Rich in toasty yeasty characters, displaying excellent tone of fresh green melons and deep clear citrus to match its dry finish. Quite excellent.

2015 Domaine Vincent Bouzereau Meursault Les Charmes 1er. Poised with great restraint, concealing rich white fruits but absolutely lovely on the palate, displaying gorgeous acidity and concentration with very fine detail, striking a great balance between delicacy and delivery of power. Excellent.

2015 Domaine Vincent Bouzereau Meursault Goutte d’Or 1er. Powerful aromas, rich in melons and lifted ripe citrus and lime on the nose and palate, well balanced against a minerally floor, highly supple with lovely acidity and mouth feel. Excellent.

2015 Domaine Vincent Bouzereau Meursault Les Poruzots 1er. Delicious tones of cider and subtle yellow citrus, laden with cool minerals upon its gentle entry onto the palate, showing good transparency.

2015 Domaine du Chateau de Meursault Meursault Charmes-Dessus 1er, poured from jeroboam (courtesy of Christophe). This wine shows great restraint on the nose though the palate is imbued with great concentration and intensity with lifted clear tones, layered with sharp acidity, finishing with notes of bitter lemon. Excellent, though I feel its 2014 counterpart is more expressive.

2014 Domaine de Comtes Lafon Meursault-Charmes 1er (courtesy of David Tan). Pale in colour, showing great restraint as well though it is quite superb on the palate, very full and tight with a great concentration of clear citrus and white fruits laced with sublime acidity.

2011 Domaine de Comtes Lafon Meursault-Charmes 1er (courtesy of Pipin). Displaying a superb clear golden hue, this wine was just as reticent on the nose, rich in white fruits and citrus on the palate marked by minty overtones with very fine acidity, more expansive towards the finish.

2008 Domaine Bouchard Pere et Fils Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru (courtesy of Vic). Great delicacy here with wonderful depth of primarily clear citrus with other subtle nuances of jackfruit, cedar and a hint of durians, quite understated in intensity with overtones of incense, structured with crisp acidity that imparted great freshness and mouthfeel, finishing well. Excellent.

2007 Joseph Drouhin Montrachet Grand Cru Marquis de Laguiche (courtesy of David Tan). Showing great restraint with clear cool fruit on the nose with recessed chalky tones, offering a glowing palate rich in ripe fruit that displayed great sophistication and balance with transparent textures throughout its lovely lengthy. Superb.

2003 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet, poured from magnum (courtesy of LF). Surprisingly reticent and backward on the nose, compensated though by very good concentration of fruit with a rich tonal palate amidst dryish textures and some early complexity, highly supple.

1990 Domaine Marquis D’Angerville Volnay Champans, poured from magnum (courtesy of LF). Opague rusty red, exuding a lovely earthy pungency with a bit of discreet sweetness, displaying excellent fullness of dark plums and currants with a rich fabulous intensity, laced with superb acidity that is still remarkably fresh, ensuring that this wine still has the legs to last the distance. Excellent.

2010 Domaine Anne Gros Echezeaux Grand Cru (courtesy of Hsiang Sui). This wine is imbued with a glorious tone of red fruits, dark berries and dark currants, superbly ripe with exemplary purity, underscored by stern graphite minerals on the full palate laced with crisp acidity and lovely tannins that are remarkably rich and supple. Simply outstanding.

2006 Domaine Robert Groffier Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoureuses 1er (courtesy of CJ). Utterly stunning in its glorious tone of red cherries and fresh rose petals, marked by a beguiling feminine fragrance with wonderful richness, depth and purity. Supremely elegant and seamless in its integration and delivery of power. Should you ever need to understand what the fuss is about concerning Les Amoureuses, go for this wine.

1966 Antonin Rodet Bourgogne (courtesy of Thomas). Murky, but still alive with a remarkably full tone of aged red fruits, still showing excellent ripeness and intensity of flavours. Ageing most gracefully.

1964 Domaine Chanson Beaune Clos des Mouches 1er. Ripe red plums, distinctly aged in character though still retaining excellent concentration and intensity of flavours with fine acidity.

2007 Domaine Georges Comte de Vogue Chambolle-Musigny 1er (courtesy of Kieron). Made from young vines (below 25 years) of Musigny grand cru, this wine exudes great colour with a lovely complex of fresh ripe cherries, smoke and sweet incense, a little forward in balance, displaying excellent presence and structure with fine intensity and integration. Excellent.

2011 Domaine Georges Lignier Clos-Saint-Denis Grand Cru. This wine proffers a predominance of abundant raspberries along with fresh ripe cherries and strawberries amidst earthy tones and sweet incense, showing good typicity of the Morey-Saint-Denis terroir in its rasping intensity and darker tone of fruit. Excellent potential but still raw.

2011 Domaine Francois Bertheau Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoureuses 1er. Quite sublime in its delicate tones of ripe red fruits with overtones of hot stones and open on the palate with delicious succulence and richness of fruit, yet remarkably gentle and subtle in intensity. A superb expression of this famous terroir.

2009 Domaine Mugneret Mugneard Grands Echezeaux Grand Cru. Excellent depth of ripe red fruits, full-bodied with a darkish tone but vibrant with subtle intensity, showing good representation of terroir.

2014 Domaine de Montille Nuits-Saints-Georges Aux Thorey 1er. Well-extracted with abundant ripe dark berries with dry earthy textures, showing good concentration and intensity.

2006 Domaine Robert Groffier Chambolle-Musigny 1er Les Hauts-Doix. Quite glorious on the nose with generous dollops of ripe wild berries and raspberries that exuded a beautiful hallowed glow, delivering on its promise with superb concentration and intensity of fruits supported by earthy minerals, finishing with a stern ferrous trace.