Ric's Wine Journal

2016 Clarendelle Blanc, at MEH Radiology’s quarterly function, 21 Sep 2017. Clean, fresh with faint grassy elements on the nose, essentially closed, though showing well on the palate where it is rounded with gentle minerality and understated acidity, nicely intense and linear but a bit short.

2016 Domaine Pierre Usseglio Chateauneuf-duPape, at MEH Radiology’s quarterly function, 21 Sep 2017. Gentle earthy tones with notes of morning dew, rather closed, imbued with a mild saline minerality but not much else.

2011 Coldstream Hills Reserve Chardonnay, at MEH Radiology’s quarterly function, 21 Sep 2017. Cool, clean and fresh with rich aromas of lime, lemon and clear citrus, glowing with gentle buttery characters, superbly layered with good detail, highly supple with a teasing quality that produced a most seductive mouthfeel, finishing with good length. Still youthful, definitely one for the long haul. Excellent.

2012 Jacques Boyd, at MEH Radiology’s quarterly function, 21 Sep 2017. This second label of Ch Boyd Cantenac is medium-full, rounded with good concentration of wild berries and dark cherries amidst earthy tones, cloaked in soft sweet tannins. Knows its place and doesn’t try too hard. Good table wine.

2013 Clarendelle Rouge, at MEH Radiology’s quarterly function, 21 Sep 2017. Closed on the nose, offering dark berries with a gentle softness that is awkward at best, not helped by a sudden mid-palate drop off.

Philipponnat Royale Reserve NV, over beehoon crab at Ming Kee Live Seafood, 23 Sep 2017. Generous tones of fresh lime and crisp citrus with stony minerals, dry at the finish with traces of bitter lemon.

1996 Domaine Paul Aine Jaboulet Domaine de Thalabert, after hours at Glen,  25 Sep 2017. Cracked from a sealed OWC of half-dozen. Highly evolved in colour, proffering notes of rhubarb and ripe aged plums with a fragrant exuberance of red fruits tinged with incense, clearly at full maturity on the palate but still commanding excellent presence with great acidity, highly supple,  finishing with a slight minty trace. Very fine but I wouldn’t wait any longer.

2005 Chateau de Villars Fontaine, popped and poured over dimsum at Asia Grand, 06 Aug 2017. This Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Nuits is still surprisingly tight with overtones of aged crème supported by a firm streak of stern flinty minerals and beeswax, notably deeper and more complex than before, opening up with further notes of preserved nutmeg. Quite attractive.

2007 Domaine Valentin Zusslin Pfingstberg Grand Cru, popped and poured at Song Garden, 07 Aug 2017. Effusive aromas of diesel and complex white flowers, quite dense, with a hint of nectarine, layered with gorgeous crème de la crème that added immeasurably to its supple intensity, finishing with stern ferrous minerals. Excellent, but still youthful.

1987 Jean Boillot Puligny-Montrachet Les Pulcelles 1er, popped and poured at Song Garden, 07 Aug 2017. Typical of Les Pulcelles, this wine is dominated by a strong minerally sheen that suggests paraffin, icing and beeswax with overtones of crème and white flowers, imbued with great concentration and vibrant intensity, just a tad stern at its minerally finish. Very fine.

2004 Ch Ducru Beaucaillou (courtesy of Hiok), double-decanted at Song Garden, 07 Aug 2017. This stalwart of Saint Julien is showing very well, exuding  a very lovely earthy pungency with abundant depth of dark currants, raspberries and rose petals, well layered with glorious fruit, sublime acidity and high-toned minerals that produced great tension across the palate, fleshy and rounded, finishing with ferrous elements that lent a trace of austerity at the finish. Still far from peaking. Excellent.

1989 Ch De Fieuzal (courtesy of KP), tasted blind at Song Garden, 07 Aug 2017. Well evolved in tone and colour, this wine opened with a lovely rosy fragrance amidst some mild attractive earthy pungency. Soft, seamless and feminine, somewhat short, developing a spicy after note at the finish. I was spot-on in picking out the estate.

2012 Meulenhof Wehlenur Sonnenuhr Auslese (courtesy of Jonny), popped and poured at Song Garden, 07 Aug 2017. Lifted with generous notes of lime, clear citrus, tropical fruits, nectarine and melons, already wonderfully complex in spite of its youth, teasing the palate with supple detail. Excellent.

1982 Penfolds Cabernet Shiraz Bin 820, courtesy of Hsiang Sui at his residence, 09 Aug 2017. Dusty red, fully evolved with weak aromas of aged dark fruits and some licorice, medium-bodied, producing further notes of tangerines amidst its mild port-like demeanour, tapering to gentle minty finish. Past its prime.

1991 RL Buller & Son Rutherglen Calliope Shiraz, courtesy of Hsiang Sui at his residence, 09 Aug 2017. Well evolved with mild characters of cedar and port, medium-bodied and open with good linearity and spicy tones though without much layering.

2014 Sea Smoke Southing Pinot Noir, courtesy of Hsiang Sui at his residence, 09 Aug 2017. Rather dark in tone, showcasing brilliant dark cherries with lovely intensity and vibrant acidity, yet gentle with some feminine character, well-integrated, just a tad short. Very fine.

1962 Marques de Murrieta Vinos de Rioja Ygay Etiqueta Blanca, courtesy of Hsiang Sui at his residence, 09 Aug 2017. There are distant aromas of misty red fruits in this wine largely dominated by stern medicinal herbal tones, dry and slightly spicy at the edges. Past its prime.

2004 Belle Epoque Perrier-Jouet, courtesy of LF at Glen, 11 Aug 2017. Attractive bouquet of toasty oak with some yeasty pungency, quite deft on the palate, displaying good definition with good presence of clear citrus supported by a lifted minerally spine, finishing well.

2013 Clos Mogador Nelin Priorat, courtesy of LF at Glen, 11 Aug 2017. White flowers with gentle rosy notes of red apples here, displaying good fullness and lovely acidity, finishing with dry gentle intensity. Very fine.

2011 Alejandro Fernandez Tinto Pesquera, courtesy of LF at Glen, 11 Aug 2017. Great lifted earthy pungency on the nose with a good expanse of rose petals, camphor and ripe cherries on the palate, slim in profile, well-structured with subdued tannins but short.

1982 La Rioja Alta S.A. Gran Riserva 904, courtesy of LF at Glen, 11 Aug 2017. Gentle open bouquet of red fruits and cedar that evoked a lovely feminine fragrance, highly supple, still retaining excellent concentration, acidity and length. Very fine.

1982 Faustina V Rioja, courtesy of LF at Glen, 11 Aug 2017. Good colour, exuding a gentle bouquet of cedar, cinnamon and other tertiary characters, displaying good presence with gentle sweetness and fine acidity, quite rounded and seamless but lacking in  character.

2000 Malescot St Exupery, courtesy of LF at Glen, 11 Aug 2017. Great colour, open with a lovely lifted fragrance along with some very attractive earthy pungency that immediately suggests a wine of subtle intensity, seamless with very fine detail and excellent depth of glorious dark berries, rounded and fleshy, finishing with excellent linearity. Excellent.

1996 Krug, popped and poured at Chef Kang’s on 18 Aug 2017, courtesy of the newly-anointed one-Michelin start chef himself !! Very lovely bouquet, boasting deep a yeasty pungency with toast characters as well as honeysuckle that produced some lovely intensity, filled with a broad expanse of crème de la crème, rich citrus and clear crystalline minerality on the open palate with good complexity, just a little short. Excellent.

2012 Joseph Drouhin Criots-Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru, courtesy of Vic, popped and poured at Chef Kang’s, 18 Aug 2017. Closed on the nose at this stage, though almonds, white flowers, incense and paraffin tease the palate with sublime acidity, fleshing out beautifully with superb fullness after some time, developing a further dash of ferrous minerals that produced a stern trace, finishing with exotic spices. Excellent. Drunk way too young now, of course, but it is great knowing there is so much wonderful potential from this highly limited bottling.

2001 Mount Mary Quintet, courtesy of Hiok, popped and poured at Chef Kang’s, 18 Aug 2017. Delicious dark berries and dark currants fill the nose and palate, infused with an attractive minerally tone and some gentle earthiness, open, rounded and fleshy, just missing in real complexity which is somewhat unusual for a mature Mount Mary. Also a tad short at the finish. Nevertheless, I’m still a great fan of what is probably Australia’s best cabernet blend.

2007 Ch Ducru Beaucaillou, courtesy of Professor F, popped and poured at Chef Kang’s, 18 Aug 2017. Deep in colour. Open and rounded with good concentration, becoming more plummy and fuller over time with a hint of tea leaves amidst dryish textures and a hint of enamel that left an impression of feminine intensity, its lack of opulence and layering betraying the weak vintage.

1990 Ch Lagrange, popped and poured at Chef Kang’s, 18 Aug 2017. Deep purple. Surprisingly reticent on the nose, taking a long time to develop just a mild complexity, though the abundance of dark currants and ripe wild berries on the palate is apparent right from the outset, open and rounded, slightly dryish, displaying good presence with sweet subtle tannins but underwhelming, lacking opulence and charm, finishing short. I’d expected more, really.

1990 Ch Les Ormes de Pez, courtesy of KP Hui, popped and poured at Chef Kang’s, 18 Aug 2017. Effusive lifted aromas of fresh dark cherries and dark fruits, well replicated on the palate with a smoky dry tarry quality, very lithe and supple, open and delicious with great presence and superb integration.

1989 Ch Brane Cantenac, courtesy of Jing Jih, popped and poured at Chef Kang’s, 18 Aug 2017. This wine exudes delicious cool ripe berries, gentle with open dryish textures and lovely presence, its feminine stance reinforced by silky tannins and subtle detail, very well integrated. Quite the epitome of a wine from Margaux commune.

1986 Ch Cos D’Estournel, courtesy of WCY, popped and poured at Chef Kang’s, 18 Aug 2017. Dark in colour and tone, still rich in dark berries and delicious black fruits at its core that produced some lovely intensity amidst textures of dry tea leaves, distinctly feminine now, still retaining excellent acidity, just a tad short. Excellent, by any standard.

2009 Rockford Black Shiraz, popped and poured at Chef Kang’s, 18 Aug 2017. Deep purple with lifted aromas of bold ripe Barossa fruit, layered with excellent presence and depth, displaying that characteristic liquored after-note that makes this sparkling shiraz so appealing. Excellent.

2012 Didier Dagaeneau Buisson Renard, from the list of Bistrot du Sommelier, Singapore, 22 Aug 2017. Closed with just the faintest hint of morning dew, developing more creamy tones over time before exploding with lovely complex of crisp white citrus and bright minerals with a generous sprinkling of bell pepper and gentle exotic spices, displaying excellent depth with great acidity and fine intensity, finishing with a minty glow. Excellent.

2012 Jacques Prieur Beaune Champs-Pimont 1er from the list of Bistrot du Sommelier, Singapore, 22 Aug 2017. Expectedly darker in tone from this source, this wine is generous in ripe dark berries, quite fleshy, eventually producing a wonderful plummy tone of great brilliance and intensity with superb acidity, finishing well. Great stuff!

2000 Ch Grand-Puy-Lacoste, decanted on-site at Bistrot du Sommelier, Singapore, 22 Aug 2017. Superb earthy pungency here, richly layered with evolving dark fruits and mocha, rounded and fleshy with a firm minerally tone amidst some cigar box dryness and gentle secondary nuances, slightly tarry, structured with supple svelte tannins. Still yet to peak. Excellent.

2009 Ch Bernadotte, popped and poured at Ka-Soh, 24 Aug 2017. Showing much better than a previous bottle tasted earlier this year, this wine carries good concentration of ripe dark berries, blackcurrants and cedar and some exotic spices, displaying good secondary development with some biting intensity towards the finish, well integrated, still showing traces of wood. A poor man’s Pichon Lalande.

2005 Carpineto Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva, popped and poured at Otto Ristorante, 31 Aug 2017. Deep ruby red, exuding mild earthy tones with layers of dark and red fruits, toast, violets and blackcurrants with a graphite trace of unprecedented richness, structured with tightly knit sexy tannins, showing some secondary development. Beautifully ripe and delicious, caught at a most exciting phase. Excellent.

These are the wines served by Singapore Airlines Business Class for September 2017, tasted on board their flights between Singapore-Shanghai and Singapore-London, as well as some of its offerings at the SilverKris lounge at Changi Airport Terminal 3. Its latest refurbishment to Business Class seats in their Boeing 777-300ER and some of its Airbus A380 has been highly successful, and it is good to see SQ maintaining its top-notch in-flight service, food and entertainment.

2014 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc, at the SilverKris lounge, 01 Sep 2017. Full bouquet of white floral aromas, pomelo and nutmeg, producing a most satisfying mouthfeel with attractive oily texture, creme and firm chalky minerals, complete with diesel overtones. I enjoyed it.

2013 Jean-Marc Brocade Chablis, at the SilverKris lounge, 01 Sep 2017. Aromas of white pepper, hot stones and chalk. Medium-bodied and rounded, infused with strong saline minerals with good acidity. Quite fine.

Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve NV, tasted on board. Deep nutty aromas with lovely yeasty tones along with some earthy pungency, displaying very good concentration and fullness with a forward balance of lime, yellow citrus and traces of bitter lemon, replete with crisp acidity and subtle chalky minerals. Very fine.

2015 Weinhaus Ress Kabinett Riesling, tasted on board. Closed on the nose with just a hint of petroleum, though it is refreshingly cool on the palate with a broad spectrum of tropical fruits and apricot with plenty of verve, depth and acidity.

2013 Joseph Drouhin Rully Blanc, tasted on board. This wine offers a creamy bouquet with complex floral aromas, rather minerally on the palate with good concentration and depth, well-integrated, finishing with defined chalkiness throughout its length. Quite fine.

2016 Wairau River Sauvignon Blanc, tasted on board. Classic characters of dried citrus, grassy elements and nutmeg amidst a herbal trace that some folks would say “sweaty armpit”, dry with a forward balance, displaying great intensity of flavours with plenty of vigour. Good stuff.

2016 Mud House Sauvignon Blanc, tasted on board. Compared with the Wairau River above, this came across as being rather flat, more subtle in its aromas of sweet white flowers, rounded and feminine but lacking zest and character.

2014 Stonier Pinot Noir, tasted on board. Dark cherries and raspberries dominate on the nose, displaying good ripeness with a tinge of forest floor, forward in balance, turning slightly plummy over time but short.

2012 Ch Siaurac, tasted on board. Predominantly woody on the nose with some earthy pungency whilst dark currants and wild berries dominate on the full palate with a mild delicious fragrance. Quite fine and certainly serviceable. From Lalande-de-Pomerol.

2013 Marchesi di Frescobaldi Castello di Nipozzano ‘Nipozzano’ Chianti Rafina Riserva, tasted on board. The nose is marked by earthy tones along with notes of undergrowth and forest floor, medium-bodied with an abundance of red fruits and dark plums that offered good complexity and lift with subtle acidity, finishing with a ferrous trace.

Thanks to the kind generosity of Dr Chiang-Yin Wong, I was able to partake in a lovely dinner at Wah Lok on 06 Sept 2017 hosted by the Singapore Medical Association featuring the wines of the family of Clarence Dillon, which owns Ch Haut-Brion and Ch La Mission Haut-Brion, in conjunction with a brief stopover by its Brand Ambassador M. Alexi Daste. With Ch Mouton Rothschild inconsistent in form (at least in the older days) and Ch Margaux temperamental at times, Ch Haut-Brion is where the smart money should be, consistent in its ability to deliver great quality at a significant discount from the top prices demanded by Ch Latour and Ch Lafite Rothschild. I have never had a disappointing Haut-Brion. Even in so-called “off years”, a Haut-Brion can still spring a few pleasant surprises. The delectable cuisine at Wah Lok is easily one of the very best in town with top-notch wine service to match. The waitresses had actually double-decanted the several bottles of grand vin well ahead of dinner. The wines are detailed in the order served.

2015 Clarendelle Blanc. Dry grassy elements on the nose with emerging white flowers and some nutmeg, displaying good concentration though the predominant bright stony minerals proved to be somewhat awkward on the back palate.

2014 Clarendelle Saint Emilion. Good colour, promising red fruits, dark currants and ripe wild berries. Bright and forward with good intensity to match the earthy pungency on the nose. Supple but nondescript.

2012 Clarence de Haut-Brion. Formerly the Bahans Haut-Brion, re-labelled as such from the 2008 vintage, comprising 52% merlot with the remainder split evenly between cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc. Glossy with a forward bouquet of vanilla, camphor and red fruits, matched by a palate of great concentration and intensity of fruit with elements of forest floor and earth though it lacks real layering, still relatively straightforward at this stage.

1999 Ch Haut-Brion. There is a great depth of dark currants and dark cherries on the nose, still remarkably tight and youthful on the glossy palate that recalled longans and varnish, layered with a hint of its signature tangerines at its core, highly supple with subtle tannins and seamless acidity. Previous tastings of the 1999 had impressed me with its velvety tone and detail which isn’t quite apparent here, but there is still plenty of life ahead. Keep.

2008 Ch La Mission Haut-Brion. Bright purple. Fleshy with an abundance of delicious dark currants and glorious fruit that produced great suppleness and concentration, its sublime acidity producing some lovely tension across the palate, rather seamless though not quite apparent in layering, developing some early secondary nuances. The La Mission of latter years is distinctly different from its rustic forebears of the 1980s, much more polished but a tad soul-less. Something has to give. Very very fine on its own, but its lack of detail is apparent compared with its premiere cru sibling across the road.

2008 Ch Haut-Brion. Tasted side-by-side with La Mission Haut-Brion of the same vintage, its sister premiere cru offers at once greater complexity, depth and layering. Dark currants and black fruits of excellent depth sear the palate with fabulous intensity and great suppleness, open with excellent detail, revealing some early tangerines with some soy. Gently structured with a deep vein of rich ripe berries, finishing with good length. Highly inviting and exciting. Outstanding.

2012 Clarendelle Amber. Open with rich tones of caramel and nectarine, yet surprisingly deft and agile, coating the palate with gentle sweetness and subtle acidity along with some stony minerality. Excellent.

Dr and Mrs Wang Kuo-Weng were absolutely generous in hosting a lovely dinner, for no good reason, at Shiraishi, Ritz Carlton Singapore, on 26 August 2017, promising, in addition, a 1996 Salon and a 1978 Ch Petrus. That being the case, a Cheval Blanc and Lafite Rothschild were thrown into the fray as well. As expected, the cuisine at Shiraishi was delectably delicate and Sakamoto-san, the favoured sommelier of Dr Wang, was on hand to take excellent care of us.

Champagne Egly-Ouvriet Rose NV. Aromas of apricot with the faintest of cinnamon and smoke. Lively with lovely presence and expanse, displaying excellent balance and sophistication with gentle intensity and fine minerality, just missing in further development, turning a tad stern as it finished with a graphite tone. Very fine.

1996 Champagne Salon Cuvée S de Salon, courtesy of Dr WKW. Served correctly in a chardonnay glass. Shy at first, offering only light citrus and green fruits amidst gentle yeasty tones, still tightly coiled with fine subdued bubbles. It opened after an hour with an explosion of lime and bitter lemon, searing the palate with a brilliant intensity of complex citrus, captured very naturally with superb balance and integration. Still yet to peak, I’d say. Outstanding.

2004 Domaine Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru. Initial deep bouquet of smoked meat with wild orchard, closing up quickly before easing with further notes of beeswax and raw nutmeg, layered with attractive fullness and lush oily textures, turning more minerally with ferrous elements to the fore towards its lengthy finish. Highly successful.

2002 Louis Latour Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, courtesy of Hean Meng. Closed at first, though the classic Puligny tone is quite unmistakable, surprisingly rich (for this negociant producer) in ripe citrus with a hint of paraffin, replete with a unique after note of peaches. It opened up very well after an hour, developing a lovely crystalline transparency and fullness with further notes of nutmeg and exotic spices, holding well. Caught at or very close to its peak. Excellent.

1996 Château Cheval Blanc, courtesy of Hean Meng. Displaying an evolved purplish red, this wine exuded a lovely glow of bright red fruits, cherries and camphor with a hint of earthy pungency that led to a superb presence on the palate, still rather tight with a deep streak of ripe fruit amidst attractive secondary nuances, seamlessly structured with fine acidity and subtle minerals, turning more plummy with a complex rosy glow over time as more of its cabernet franc emerged to the fore. Distinctly feminine, but still yet to peak. Lovely!

1978 Château Pétrus, courtesy of Dr WKW. Tasted with palpable anticipation, this wine is utterly complex in its hallowed bouquet, exuding an enthralling glow with a spectrum of earthy elements, still beautifully fresh and vibrant on the palate that recalls bold ferrous minerals and ash seamlessly integrated with mulberries and dark currants, absolutely rounded with great transparency and complexity, offering more mandarin on the nose as it sat in the glass with a further infusion of Chinese tea leaves. Truly the epitome of finesse and elegance. At its peak and will still hold. Outstanding.

1990 Château Lafite Rothschild. This stalwart of the Left Bank boasts a great exuberance of complex aromas that leapt from the glass, carrying glorious streaks of raspberries, blueberries and dark currants tinged with earthy minerals that exuded further notes of red fruits and plums, thoroughly sensuous with its velvety tone, sublime acidity, superb vigour and quiet intensity, rounded with sophisticated tannins. An absolute cool beauty that still appears to have decades of life ahead. Totally absorbing.

This has been a most memorable evening. Many thanks again, Wai-Kum and Kuo-Weng.

When I received an invitation from Simon Cheong, the name behind SC Global, to a casual dinner on 03 August 2017 at The Marq on Paterson Hill, Singapore, I knew it would be anything but ordinary. If you’ve had the chance to meet Simon, you wouldn’t have guessed that beneath his generosity, humility and genuine warmth lay a relentless ambition to produce the very best in luxury real estate projects that has propelled SC Global, a true home-grown Singaporean brand, into international recognition. Its flagship enterprise, The Marq, defines the design language and lifestyle philosophy that SC Global stands for. Comprising only 66 units within twin towers of 24 storeys set within lush and sprawling grounds atop the gentle mound of Paterson Hill, the dinner I attended took place at its show apartment on the 21st floor of the Signature Tower (the other being the Premier Tower).

Perfect for skinny dipping

When I arrived, the concierge was already expecting me and I was ushered to the elevator which I found myself sharing with the great Mr Oei Hong Leong, who was also headed for the same destination. As I stepped in, I found myself in a beautiful 6000 sq ft apartment occupying the entire floor. Double volume ceilings of 6.5 metres adorn each hall, exuding acres of space and airiness typically found only in good-class bungalows. Extruding externally into open space is your very own 15-metre lap pool (ending in an outdoor jacuzzi) cantilevered over the skyline of Orchard Boulevard, flanked on one side by a wooden sundeck while infinity awaits you at the other edge, thankfully guarded by a glass panel just enough to stop you from swimming off the edge in your drunken state. The whole apartment has been carefully anointed in tasteful modern décor by The French House of Hermés with every amenity imaginable for ultra-luxurious living: exquisite chandelier for the dining area, kitchen designed and equipped by Miéle (with the help of Chan Soo Khian, another Singaporean talent also responsible for the Soori Resort, Bali), spacious rooms, the master room especially inviting, complete with an unparalleled 360-degree panorama and concierge service to take care of your every need. In short, it’s everything a GCB has, and more, all laid out within an ultra-luxurious apartment. I caught sight of a violoncello standing at a corner of the living area. As if he’d read my mind, Simon came over saying it doesn’t belong to Yo-Yo Ma although the famous cellist had, in fact, performed some Bach inside this very apartment itself on his Stradivarius. Now that’s really something!! As we relaxed in the luxurious soothing ambience of this beautiful masterpiece in designer living, soaking in the majestic panorama enhanced by a pair of Wilson Alexia speakers (powered by Krell monoblocs, of course) that produced sounds of unforced clarity and natural balance, I found that Kok Hong had slipped me a glass of 2003 Champagne Dom Pérignon Rosé. Dull orange, this champagne exuded mild aromas of grapefruit, honeysuckle and aged mandarins, equally gentle on its entry, infinitely soft and feminine, opening up with great clarity and detail coupled with a stern minerally streak without the usual extreme dryness that usually accompanies rosé champagne. Very fine. I congratulated Kok Hong for being the sommelier of choice not only for FICOFI, but for some of the most powerful market movers in Singapore as well, for the small group of guests that Simon had invited were not only his close buddies; their names also read like a Who’s Who.

For this evening, Simon had arranged for a private chef, along with a team of requisite wait-staff, to prepare a delectable 5-course Chinese dinner from the apartment’s kitchen, proving that the Miele-equipped facility meets professional standards. The wines were supervised by Dr Ngoi, focusing on quality without sacrificing quantity, generously supplied by himself and Simon. My eyes almost popped when I saw the line-up; certainly only the most refined choices will suffice for such refinement in company and setting! We began with the solitary white of the evening, a 2011 Domaine Henri Boillot Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, poured from magnum. Proffering a deep exuberant bouquet of white flowers, brioche and creme de la crème with some early complexity, this wine was surprisingly gentle in spite of its beautiful concentration, acidity and depth supported by recessed limestone minerals, quite expansive at the finish with further notes of nutmeg and exotic spices. Very lovely.

Kok Hong pouring more D.R.C. for Dr Ngoi

The twin pair of reds that followed, hailing from the same estate and vintage, were drunk simultaneously, allowing one to focus purely on the element of terroir. The 1996 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Échézeaux Grand Cru (poured from a pair) showed a dull opague purple, proffering distinct elements of tangerines with a hint of lime on the nose and its core, medium-bodied, open and utterly seamless at this stage with recessed red fruits and plums, quite feminine, still retaining good acidity and tension but a tad short. Clearly at full maturity and will not improve further. In comparison, the 1996 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée-Saint-Vivant Grand Cru (poured from a pair) also showed a dull purple but with a stronger hue, again with that distinct note of well-defined tangerines amidst red fruits that appears to be the signature tone of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, displaying more depth and focus and expression with delicious blackberries and redcurrants, slightly distant, utterly seamless between its fruit, acidity and smooth recessed tannins. Distinctly feminine. Like the preceding Échézeaux, this wine has been caught at full maturity and will not improve further.

Simon Cheong in his element

Simon had also squeezed in a magnum of 2014 The Otazu Bond as a mystery wine, served blind. As I have alluded to last month, this is a blend of 60% cabernet sauvignon, 15% merlot and 25% tempranillo blended by yours truly (with two other FICOFI brothers) when we visited Bodega Otazu last year, limited to only 150 magnums, the fruit derived from the best of Otazu’s D.O.P. parcels and aged for 18 months in French barrels. Following our initial experience when we’d found the wine to be somewhat awkward, Simon had it decanted for 48 hours. That’s right! It paid off handsomely this time, the wine snapping into sharp focus, structured with understated tannins and well-integrated acidity amidst an abundance of blackberries and dark currants, fleshed out by the substantial tempranillo and merlot that added layering and early detail, drinking well. While its Spanish character was evident, it held its own very well against the exalted line-up, so much so that all were in agreement that this wine held great potential.

The Petrus king is seated left

Then came the pièce de résistance, a magnum of 1990 Château Pétrus courtesy of Oei Hong Leong, famous for his hoards of Ch Pétrus of which 1990 is his favourite. Displaying a deep garnet red, this wine threw up an initial tinge of brett that, thankfully, blew off very quickly, exuding earthy tones with a great concentration of dark currants, rich black fruits and soy-like characters, slightly dryish but fleshy, imbued with sublime acidity and lush presence, still very fresh, imparting an exciting opulence with lovely tension and earthy pungency, just a tad stern from ferrous elements at its minerally finish. Drinking superbly by any standards, considering that it was literally popped and poured. Truly outstanding.

1990 Château Pétrus

To close the evening, we had a 1998 Château d’Yquem, exuding complex aromas of apricot and nectarine shrouded within a thin veil of paraffin, dense and opulent, richly layered with controlled intensity. Excellent but still youthful, bringing the evening to a most satisfying and memorable conclusion. The Marq has truly lived up to its lofty promise that, nevertheless, wouldn’t have been possible without people who appreciate good company and Simon’s vision of the finest things in life. What can I do to improve The Marq? I can’t think of anything else, except that I’d install a classy turntable like a limited edition gold–plated Michell Gyro Dec with SME V tonearm. Yes, Simon…I know the Cipher CD player is great, but a turntable is truly for discerning connoisseurs, as is The Marq. Please visit http://www.themarq.com.sg or call +65 61002323 should you feel a sudden urge to live there.

Thank you once again, Simon.

Parkway Hospitals organised a lovely evening of Bordeaux tasting and dinner at the Grand Hyatt, Singapore, on 21 July 2017, co-hosted by Wine Clique, that featured the wines of châteaux Phelan Segur, Ferriere, La Dominique, Olivier & Grand-Puy-Lacoste. The event was made even more meaningful by the presence of the respective Bordelaise from each of these estates to explain about their wines and winemaking philosophy. Mlle Emeline Borie of GPL was surprised to learn that I had met her father, Francois-Xavier Borie, in person in Singapore some years ago.

Ric with Mlle Emeline Borie

We began with a promenade from the 2011 and 2013 vintages, quite appropriate as well as the wines from these challenging vintages are probably at their best during their youth, followed by another series of more mature wines that demand pairing with food. While some of these estates may not be the biggest names around, their wines are very well made and showing well, demonstrating good specificity of terroir, proving that quality can be found in abundance if you know where to look.

2013 Relais de la Dominique. The second wine of Château La Dominique, comprising 88% merlot and the rest cabernet franc, all from young vines. This wine displays absolute floral fragrance on the nose, carrying good weight and good concentration of red fruits, quite lifted and spicy at the finish. Very agreeable.

2011 Château La Dominique. Mostly merlot in its make-up, this Saint-Emilion grand vin exudes excellent aromas of red fruits with a heavier tint, well-structured with good length, presence and acidity with a hint of undergrowth, finishing with supple tannins. Drinking well.

2011 Château Ferriere. Highly perfumed with ample aromas of red fruits, quite glorious. Supple and gently structured with good concentration of raspberries and redcurrants. Distinctly feminine. Could well be that its winemaker is a woman but this wine speaks of its Margaux origin through and through. Excellent.

2013 Château Phelan Segur. Deep purple, displaying some early complexity on the nose, medium-bodied, structured with finely-grained tannins and good detail, very approachable now.

2011 Château Phelan Segur. Deeper and darker, ample in earthy tones, dried mushrooms and dark berries, gentle on the palate with good concentration, tannin structure and acidity but short, unable to disguise the inadequacies of the vintage.

2013 Lacoste Borie, second wine of Grand-Puy-Lacoste, not to be confused with Lalande Borie (which is a Saint-Julien). Closed, equally placid and quiet on the palate though gentle with fine supple acidity.

2011 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste. Lifted aromas of red fruits with a perfumed fragrance, distinctly medium-bodied, rather narrow in profile on the palate, displaying good linearity but rather lean and short. Quite similar to another tasting note the previous week at Crystal Wines’ sale.

2013 Le Dauphin d’Olivier Blanc. Second white wine of Château Olivier. Notes of nectarine and fig with good acidity and presence, quite subtle in intensity, finishing with good length and understated sweetness. Very attractive.

2011 Le Dauphin d’Olivier Rouge. Second red wine of Château Olivier. Red fruits and wild berries dominate, medium-bodied, displaying lovely intensity of fruit with earthy tones, framed by crisp acidity and svelte tannins. Good representation of the terroir of Pessac-Leognan.

Following the promenade, we moved on to the excellent buffet spread with a delectable line-up of grand vin from the same chateaux, importantly from the desirable vintages of 2009 and 2010.

2014 Château Olivier Blanc. Closed on the nose, though the palate is suffused with a fine body of nutmeg and white flowers, quite gentle and rounded, displaying very good acidity with further notes of clear citrus and raw minerals, a bit short.

2010 Château Olivier Rouge. Closed on the nose, though rounded with a soft focus of raspberries and red fruits, medium-bodied, establishing good grip with good integration and fine tannins, finishing with gentle intensity. Attractive.

Ric with Laurent Lebrun of Château Olivier

2010 Château Phelan Segur. Largely closed though one discerns dark flavours with quiet intensity, medium-bodied, rounded with good presence, already quite seamless, underscored by stern ferrous minerals that produced a higher tone over time. Very fine and very approachable.

2010 Château La Dominique. Deep purple, quite full with broad swathes of red fruits, dark currants and enamel, displaying good presence and intensity, finishing with firm tannins and stern minerals.

2009 Château Ferriere. Evolving well with lovely aromas of tangerines and kumquat on the nose whilst the palate is infused with excellent concentration of ripe berries, imparting  sweet supple velvety intensity, well-balanced and quite seamless, almost voluptuous. Every bit a Margaux wine. Excellent.

2009 Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste. Serving what is supposedly the best for last, this wine exudes a very sexy bouquet with good lift and lovely earthy pungency, medium-full, rounded and fleshy, absolutely seamless between the tannins, acidity and fruit, very subtly structured, finishing with traces of smoke and some marmite minerals. Not quite utterly Pauillac in expression, veering more towards Saint-Julien but that hardly bothers me when there is so much power, elegance and finesse on show here. Excellent, and will be outstanding in time.

My thanks to Parkway Hospitals for organising this event.

1999 Vieux Chateau Certan (courtesy of Vic), popped and poured at Glen after hours, 03 Jul 2017. Tasted blind but its Pomerol character is quite unmistakable. Deep garnet red with a hint of evolution at the rim, exuding deep dark plums, sandalwood and dark fruits with good lift, generous and fleshy with savoury overtones, displaying lovely acidity and excellent linearity, less complex than the best vintages, missing in charm and structure, slightly short. Still very fine, nonetheless.

Rockford Black Shiraz 2009 disgorgement, popped and poured over dimsum at Asia Grand, 09 Jul 2017. Lifted tone of rich dark chocolate with mint, licorice, black fruits, dark currants and dark cherries, rich in detail and layering, delightfully smooth with its fine bubbles adding a bit of welcome frisson, building up towards a lifted intensity with a characteristic liquered finish amidst developing complexity. Quite lovely, but will be even better in another 3-4 years.

Philipponnat Brut Royale Reserve NV, popped and poured over a late dinner at Otto Ristorante, 11 Jul 2017. This wine exudes a lovely yeasty pungency, not overwhelming, gentle with creamy textures, rich in yellow citrus, lime and ferrous elements, becoming more intense over time as it tapered to a dry minerally finish.

1996 Ch Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande (courtesy of John), decanted on-site at Otto Ristorante, 11 Jul 2017. Still deep in colour, exuding a very lovely earthy pungency with aromas of dark roses, dark currants and other savoury characters, fleshy and succulent, totally seamless between its high-toned minerals and sublime acidity. Distinctly feminine with absolute grace and elegance. At its best and will hold for many more years. Outstanding.

2015 Domaine Chatelain Pouilly-Fume, tasted at Crystal Wines Annual Sale, 15 Jul 2017. Nicely lifted on the nose with grassy elements and some beeswax, displaying crisp acidity and good concentration of citrus flavours with lovely intensity, slightly dry, finishing well. Very fine.

2014 Muller-Catoir Haardt Kabinett Riesling, tasted at Crystal Wines Annual Sale, 15 Jul 2017. The bouquet here is distinctly feminine with a soft focus, hinting at white flowers and citrus, quite alluring but not showing much. True to its usual character, this Muller-Catoir is much more revealing on the palate where strong overtones of tropical fruit dominate, medium-bodied, supple with good definition, just a tad short.

2011 Ch Grand-Puy-Lacoste, tasted at Crystal Wines Annual Sale, 15 Jul 2017. Raspberries and dark fruits dominate on the nose with mild earthiness and a dash of wood. Medium-bodied and fleshy but dryish, missing in layering, charm and opulence, betraying the lacklustre vintage. Not distinctive.

Mini-burgers at Iggy’s

2010 Parveil de Luze, tasted at Crystal Wines Annual Sale, 15 Jul 2017. Quite promising on the nose with aromas of earth and dark roses, quite full with good intensity and dryish textures but spoilt by acidity that’s too pronounced, falling off the palate. Not distinctive.

2002 Ch Du Tertre, tasted at Crystal Wines Annual Sale, 15 Jul 2017. Dark red, boasting red plums and wild berries, medium-bodied, structured with mild sweet tannins but short. Lacks distinction.

Iggy’s: absolutely mouth-watering

2015 Talenti Rosso di Montalcino, tasted at Crystal Wines Annual Sale, 15 Jul 2017. Deep red, packed with an abundance of distilled red fruits. Medium-bodied, displaying good concentration of ripe berries with mild intensity but far from being developed.

2009 Ch Bernadotte, popped and poured at South Union Park, 15 Jul 2017. Deep purple, exuding a weighty bouquet of licorice, powerful medicinal tones and ripe wild berries, gelling well after 30 minutes more seamless, displaying good body and depth of dark berries with gentle sweet tannins, though there isn’t much development.

Yen Yakiniku: charcoal grill

2001 Mount Mary Quintet, decanted onsite at Yen Yakiniku, 18 Jul 2017. Dark red, this wine exuded a generous rounded bouquet of dark berries and floral characters with a hint of bramble that was entirely Bordeaux-like though still tight on the palate with excellent concentration and fine intensity with a bit of high-toned acidity that provided some verve and exuberance. It gradually settled down, opening up well, more fleshy and seamless, taking on a plummy tone with traces of tangerine at its core supported by understated minerals. Yet to really peak though drinking very well, but make sure you give it a couple of hours at least to unfurl properly.

2004 Louis Roederer Cristal, courtesy of Sanjay at his residence, 22 Jul 2017. Full-bodied with excellent concentration of lime, pomelo and other citrus characters, supported by finely etched minerals with dryish textures that create firm tone throughout, finishing with overtones of red dates. Good stuff but it lacks definition of terroir.

2014 Bouchard Pere et Fils Montrachet Grand Cru, courtesy of Sanjay at his residence, 22 Jul 2017. Shy at first, displaying some icing, some floral notes and yellow citrus with gentle traces of nutmeg and lime with stern minerals, then opening up, developing greater fullness, rounded with fine intensity of flavours yet maintaining a certain deftness, finishing with great persistence. Yet to exude true elegance and finesse of a Montrachet Grand Cru, for I certainly wouldn’t have known if blinded.

Iggy’s

2012 Y d’Yquem, courtesy of Sanjay at his residence, 22 Jul 2017. Very beautiful bouquet of white flowers and floral fragrances with a dash of paraffin, highly enticing. Full-bodied, cloaked in lovely acidity, absolutely glowing with great clarity and detail with understated minerals that are slightly stern, finishing with overtones of ripe tropical fruit and spice. Delicious.

1996 Ch Margaux, courtesy of Sanjay at his residence, 22 Jul 2017. Still dark at its core with traces of vermilion, exuding ash, tea leaves, cedar and cinnamon on the alluring bouquet, fleshy and supple with lovely concentration of dark plums and other secondary characters, seamlessly structured, finishing on a minty note. Nevertheless, it seemed to me less expressive than another bottle tasted at FICOFI’s event in Bali in May 2017, for this wine had not been adequately chilled.

Iggy’s

2014 The Otazu Bond, courtesy of Sanjay at his residence, 22 Jul 2017. Poured from magnum. This is a blend of 60% cabernet sauvignon, 15% merlot and 25% tempranillo that you will never find anywhere, for it was created by a group of us (including yours truly) when we visited Bodega Otazu last year, limited to only 150 magnums, the fruit derived from the best of Otazu’s D.O.P. parcels, aged for 18 months in French barrels. Deep purple, this wine displays bright fleshy tones with a forward balance of ripe raisiny fruit with a deeper balance of dark currants, displaying very good presence on the palate but obviously yet to gel together. Will reserve judgement.

2013 Domaine Guillerault-Fargette Sancerre Facetie, from the list of 13% Gastro Bar, 25 Jul 2017. Quite attractive the nose, displaying mild tropical fruits with a nod towards lychees and a hint of nectarine, almost Alsatian in character. Rather full on the palate, displaying some lovely earthy pungency with bright tones of bold citrus and crisp acidity, finishing with vibrant intensity.

2014 Domaine du Clos Salomon Montagny Blanc Le Clou, from the list of 13% Gastro Bar, 25 Jul 2017. From the Cote Chalonnais, displaying some earthy characters with saline minerals and savoury tones on the nose. Medium-full. Rather bright and minerally with overtones of icing, quite crisp, displaying lovely intensity without being quite as layered as a Cote de Beaune. Very fine, nonetheless.

2013 Francois Gaunoux Pommard Les Rugiens 1er, from the list of 13% Gastro Bar, 25 Jul 2017. This wine opens with a lovely teasing earthy pungency, quite rich on the palate with a glorious streak of concentrated raspberries and other ripe berries of excellent depth with a hint of paraffin, displaying good purity, albeit a shade darker with some cedar and lovely dry intensity from the sweet tannins. Excellent.

2011 Albert Mann Pinot Gris SGN Altenbourg Le Tri, from the list of 13% Gastro Bar, 25 Jul 2017. Notes of apricot, nectarine, cider and aged tangerines abound with controlled sweetness and velvety intensity, just ever so slightly unctuous, promising great complexity towards its finish that should materialise with further ageing. Excellent.

2003 Ch Phelan Segur, popped and poured at Fort Canning Hotel, Singapore, 26 Jul 2017. Dark deep garnet red, exuding notes of dark currants and ripe blackberries with a slight tarry quality. Medium-full, quite fleshy and rounded with good acidity, turning more plummy over time with further notes of charcoal and ash. Drinking well.

2011 Patrick Javillier Meursault Clos du Cromin, a half bottle from the list of Iggy’s, 27 Jul 2017. From a producer well established in Meursault, this wine is relatively closed on the nose, though it is clearly imbued with very good concentration of gentle citrus and green fruit with traces of paraffin, displaying quite a lovely intensity of flavours.

2008 Domaine Dujac Morey Saint-Denis 1er, a half bottle from the list of Iggy’s, 27 Jul 2017. Deep in colour, this wine exuded great purity and intensity of red fruits and cherries with a lovely brilliance right from the first pour, supported by understated acidity and minerality. However, it turned a tad assertive and tough after some time, seemingly losing focus. Probably needs more time to sort itself out.

2004 Domaine Michel Lafarge Volnay Clos des Duc 1er, a glass from the list of Iggy’s, 27 Jul 2017. True to its Volnay roots, this wine is rather dark in tone, displaying dark fruit with some bright spots on the nose and palate, quite full with good tannin structure and acidity, masculine with fine acidity. Still has the legs to carry on.

2009 Ch Le Doyenne, decanted on-site at Osteria Art (only fine dining establishment in town that’s BYO on Saturdays), 27 Jul 2017. Attractive notes of earth, cedar and some lovely pungency arise from its deep inky darkness, medium-bodied, rounded and fleshy with copious notes of dark currants and blackberries, its limestone minerals and graphite elements imparting good tone with fresh acidity though it’s body is somewhat narrow in spectrum, slightly dryish at the finish. Tasted many times over the past 3-4 years and getting better on each occasion but still yet to peak. An over-achiever. Excellent.

Osteria Art: prawn salad

FICOFI upped the tempo again in Singapore with another informal event, a tasting of the wines of Vega-Sicilia, in particular its latest release, the 2005 Unico, amazingly twelve years after its harvest. Vega Sicilia really doesn’t need any introduction, thanks to the untiring efforts of its CEO Pablo Alvarez who has been associated with the estate since the 1980s. Although the winery, located in Valbuena de Duero in the Basque country of Spain, was founded back in 1864, its two most famous reds – the Valbuena No.5 and the Unico – were only first produced in 1915. Eighty percent of the plantings in Vega-Sicilia comprises tempranillo, with the remainder split between cabernet sauvignon, merlot and malbec. The Unico, of course, is famous for its long and complex ageing process prior to release, spending about 6 years in wood (a mix of new and used 225-litre French and American oak) after its fermentation in wooden vats plus another 3 years in bottle, while the Valbuena Tinto No.5 is normally aged for 5 years between wood and bottle after its fermentation in stainless steel tanks. For this tasting at the Four Seasons, Singapore, on 27 July 2017, FICOFI has also generously laid on the 2007 and 2008 to complete the mini-vertical, doing likewise for the Valbuena Tinto No.5 where its latest release, the 2012, was offered along with 2011 and a more mature 2004.

2012 Valbuena Tinto No.5. Made from 100% tempranillo. Bright purple. Very lively on the nose with aromas of raspberries, mulberries and a dash of wild berries, its feminine character reinforced by a palate that is bright, open and fleshy, layered with an exciting spectrum of flavours that lent some racy undertones, gentle in acidity, displaying good linearity throughout its length, finishing with minty tones. Excellent and drinking well. A favourite with many.

2011 Valbuena Tinto No.5. Made from 100% tempranillo. Darker in colour and tone. More substantial in proportion with stronger tones of dark currants and black fruits amidst stern minerals and a hint of undergrowth. Well structured and infinitely masculine. Not yielding much now, turning a tad sullen towards the close, staying this way throughout the evening even when I revisited a fresh pour much later. A bit tough now but may well turn out to be a dark horse. Best to lay down for another 5-7 years.

2004 Valbuena Tinto No.5. A blend of 90% tempranillo with a sprinkling of merlot. Displaying an attractive tint of purple, this wine is singing, open with a delicious floral fragrance, medium-bodied and fleshy, imbued with good concentration of bright red fruits and currants with fine detail and acidity, just a tad short. Superb value for those who had bought at its initial release.

2005 Vega-Sicilia Unico. Deep dark red, highly perfumed, exuding notes of abundant dark berries and red currants from fruit superbly caught at optimal ripeness, quite open and vibrant with exciting verve, yet utterly seamless between its layers and subtle acidity that imparted a distinct feminine poise, displaying great linearity and fine intensity. Quite outstanding.

2008 Vega-Sicilia Unico. Deep ruby, opening up with a lifted fragrance of red currants,  camphor and red plums. Bright, open and fleshy with fine acidity, turning a bit sharp towards its firm minerally finish. Far from ready but I think this is truly a hidden gem that will turn out to be highly rewarding. Lovely.

2007 Vega-Sicilia Unico. Poured from magnum. This wine displays a stern shade of red, appreciably leaner than its preceding counterparts, imparting some red fruits and appropriate fragrance but missing in charm and layering though it manages to compensate by finishing with good length and fine intensity.