Ric's Wine Journal

Some short notes on the current lot of wines served on board Singapore Airlines Business Class. The non-stop service on the brand-new Airbus A350 between Singapore and San Francisco is fabulous and the latest Business Class seats offer acres of space with luxury and comfort to match. The only downside is the quality of wines where I have noticed that, in recent years, its Old World reds are no longer quite as attractive. As usual, do avoid ordering beef on board: it simply cannot be done right.

Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve NV. Yeasty tones with a powerful earthy pungency, bursting with brilliant yellow citrus and lime, displaying excellent dry intensity with emerging floral tones and tropical fruits, finishing with stern ferrous minerals.

2016 Mud House Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough. Green tones and morning dew dominate on the nose with delicate white citrus, very good in concentration, very clean and slightly crisp, gentle on the palate as it wound towards a tight finish.

2014 Wild Horse Winery & Vineyards Chardonnay. From Central Coast, USA. Exotic Asian spices and white pepper dominate with cool mint, displaying some lovely crème and subdued chalkiness.

2012 Ch Peyrabon. This Haut-Medoc has an attractive bouquet of dark fruits and wild berries, dry and earthy with woody dusty tannins that detract from the fruit even though its acidity is quite seamless, a tad stern at the finish. It drank fairly well on my away trip but on the return flight, the dusty character weighed in too heavily.

2013 Robert Oatley Shiraz. From McLaren Vale, South Australia. An abundance of warm ripe wild berries, briar, sweet blackberries and dark currants cover the nose and palate, fleshy with excellent concentration of licorice with a mild herbal tone, rounded and well integrated though its finish is short.

These are wines drunk during a week spent in San Diego, USA, whilst attending a conference there. Mostly American, of course. I note that prices on restaurant lists as well as at retail shops have gone up compared with my last visit five years ago.

2014 Flowers Sonoma Coast Chardonnay, from the list of Greystone Steakhouse, 08 June 2017. Popped and poured. Closed initially though very attractive on the palate with a gentle entry of white flowers, creme and chalk, medium-bodied with dry intensity and lovely concentration, becoming very well-integrated with high-toned citrus that tapered to a lasting finish. Very Old World in feel. Excellent.

2012 Heitz Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, from the list of Greystone Steakhouse, 08 June 2017, decanted on site. Redcurrants and dark berries dominate with a lovely earthy pungency, rich in detail and layering  with further notes of bright red fruits, displaying great structure and biting intensity, still a tad unresolved.

2014 Indaba chardonnay, 09 June 2017, the house pour of Seasons 52. This South African wine is medium-bodied with a  general chalkiness, fleshing out well but undifferentiated and straightforward with overtones of vanilla.

2014 Chateau de Parenchere, 09 June 2017, the house pour of Seasons 52. There is some earthy pungency here on the nose with notes of dark berries, forest floor and bramble on the palate, dry and simple at the finish.

2013 Francis Coppola Black Label 1910 Type Claret, drunk over a late dinner at Operacaffe, 10 June 2017. Dense dark fruits and dark plums dominate with a bright tone, somewhat earthy, medium-full with traces of spice amidst a sweet tannin structure, turning darker with a mild tarry quality before coming together very well about an hour later.

2014 Duckhorn chardonnay, from the list of Water Grill, 11 June 2017. Clear chalky minerals of excellent concentration and acidity with overtones of paraffin, glycerin and white pepper, slightly spicy at the finish. Not the most refined of chardonnay, but cuts through the salty tanginess of seafood perfectly.

2014 Pahlmeyer Jayson Red Wine at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, 11 June 2017 with the wifey to celebrate our 23rd anniversary. Somewhat shut but this Bordeaux blend is imbued with blueberries, ripe raspberries, sweet dark currants and cherries on the palate, rounded and soft, very good in concentration and acidity with emerging graphite elements, drinking well even at this early stage.

2014 Wine Spot Monterey Chardonnay at Silver Kris lounge, San Francisco International airport, 14 June 2017. Chalky with green fruits and creme, quite full with good concentration and intensity but lacks complexity.

2014 Wine Spot Carneros Pinot Noir at Silver Kris lounge, San Francisco International airport, 14 June 2017. Ripe raspberries with some cherries, slightly earthy with burnished tones, displaying good intensity but straightforward.

Drinking the wines of Château Margaux in Bali sounds absolutely divine and it really came through on 27 May 2017 at the super-exclusive Soori Resort, masterminded by FICOFI, of course, with the château’s young owner M. Thibault Pontailler in attendance.  The setting was almost perfect, open-air beachfront serenaded by the thunderous waves of the Indian Ocean crashing ashore, dinner by candlelight and a live band to get everyone in the party mood. The only downside was the balmy weather at 30 degrees Celsius, and we’d not anticipated that we would be competing with water flies (naturally attracted at night to any light source) trying their best to sip the wines too but FICOFI had done well to make sure the wines were kept properly chilled.

Following the untimely passing of his father Paul last year (who was General Manager and Winemaker at Château Margaux), Thibault has been thrust as Brand Ambassador for Château Margaux since March 2017. However, Thibault is no stranger to the business as his education and upbringing has always been focused on his eventual role at Château Margaux. For this evening, Thibault has also revealed another side of him that is probably unknown to most: this young man is perfectly at home fronting a live band as he is in the wine cellar.

Champagne Jacquesson 735. Gentle green fruits and green apples with abundant lime and pomelo, forward in balance but slightly muted, broad though without much depth nor complexity, veering towards dryness. 

2012 Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux, poured from magnum. Rather full and creamy with overtones of vanilla icing, very fresh and clean, yielding good power with understated minerality, tapering towards a cool minty finish. Yet to develop.

2006 Pavillon Blanc du Château Margaux, poured from magnum. Much more developed with excellent depth on the nose and palate, displaying complex characters of paraffin, white flowers in full bloom and recessed notes of green fruits that fleshed out with broad expanse and body, again finishing with its signature cool minty flourish. Excellent.

2005 Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux. Poured from magnum. Wild berries and dark cherries dominate on the nose with dusty smoky tones, slightly tarry on the palate with a bit of Pauillac-like dryness, displaying fine acidity and good concentration with some early evolution though shorn of fat. Still youthful and likely to flesh out with further cellaring. Keep.

1996 Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux. Poured from magnum. Very lovely on the nose, filled with an alluring complex of sweet dark cherries and redcurrants with a gentle fragrance. Still quite full and fresh, highly seamless with understated structure, exuding further notes of blueberries, ash and dark plums over time, finishing with good length. Excellent.

2003 Château Margaux. This wine exudes a lovely floral fragrance filled with redcurrants, ripe wild berries and dark cherries amidst some earthiness. Silky and highly supple on the palate with understated tannin structure, quite seamless, still youthful with very good concentration and vigour, getting better in definition with time as it turned slightly dryish with further notes of ash. Very well crafted without any hint of heat stress. Excellent.

1996 Château Margaux. Caught at its absolute peak, this wine exudes a full complex fragrance of smoke and tobacco characters amidst ripe red fruits and dark berries, very similar in character with the 1996 Pavillon Rouge but more substantial with better definition and depth, gorgeous in acidity and balance with lively intensity though still a little backward, imbued with a bit of Pauillac-like dryness. Superb, and will hold for many years to come.

2005 Château d’Yquem. Ubiquitous by now at these FICOFI functions but I’m not complaining although, on this occasion, the overly warm ambient temperature is to blame for its muted display, the usual abundance of luscious nectarine, apricot, brioche and honeysuckle curiously restrained, failing to sparkle with complexity and depth.

Pablo knows how to slice a piggy too

One of the lasting memories of our trip to Spain last September was that outstanding lunch we had at Etxebarri that was so generously organised, and paid for, by Pablo Alvarez of Bodegas Vega Sicilia. So when we heard that Pablo would be dropping by Singapore again on a whistle stop, we took the opportunity to reciprocate with a luncheon at Tunglok Signatures, Orchard Parade Hotel, on 31 May 2017 that Dr Ngoi was only too happy to organise and sponsor. Naturally, with Pablo around, Vega Sicilia must be drunk. The wines were all generously supplied by Dr Ngoi, unless otherwise stated.

​Verve Cliquot Brut NV. Refreshingly full-bodied with aromas of white flowers, green fruits, lime and yellow citrus, displaying great body and presence with subtle acidity, not at all dry, finishing with sweet gentle intensity.

2014 Ch Chamirey Mercurey La Mission 1er monopole. Lifted floral fragrance, very full on the nose though distinctly medium-bodied on the palate with good concentration of fruit with well-defined creamy tones and chalky minerals. Yet to develop.

2014 E. Guigal Condrieu La Doriane (courtesy of CW), made from 100% viognier that produced its signature recessed tone of grassy elements and barley with a hint of paraffin, distinctly feminine and graceful, fleshing out with rounded acidity, great clarity and detail. Excellent.

1987 Vega Sicilia Unico Riserva. Displaying quite a fair bit of evolution, this wine appears to have turned the corner compared with a previous tasting two years ago (also in Pablo’s presence at Nicolas), now much more attractive with a lovely bouquet of red fruits, dark berries, redcurrants and lifted camphor with very good presence and acidity on the palate, structured with sweet gentle tannins, though it receded somewhat into a shell of high-toned red plums after some time. Still very fine, but ought to be drunk.

2004 Vega Sicilia Unico Riserva. Imbued with an abundance of dark cherries, blackberries and dark currants, fleshy on the palate, slightly tarry with lovely understated concentration, remarkably seamless, glowing with fine gentle intensity and finishing with further notes of dark chocolates. Still youthful, of course, and already superb but will be even better.

1981 Ch Petit Village. My first experience with a claret of this vintage. Contrary to expectations, this “minnow” exuded a great lovely earthy pungency, medium-bodied and naturally mellow but still retaining good concentration of predominant red fruits and dark wild berries without any hint of dryness with further notes of mocha. Incredible as it may seem, but I think this wine is likely to hold for another few more years though it is just nice to drink up now.

2004 Domaine Francois Lamarde La Grande Rue Grand Cru monopole. Good color with distinct aromas of menthol, icing, red fruits and dark plums, highly seamless and fleshy with understated concentration, displaying very fine acidity with lovely tension across the palate amidst traces of green and earthiness.

Thank you Pablo, and thank you, Dr Ngoi.

As readers may have gathered by now, 2015 has been hailed in both Bordeaux and Burgundy as the greatest vintage yet of the 21st century, undoubtedly assisted in part by the recent phenomenon of global warming that has helped to ripen the grapes optimally before harvesting. Across the world, vintners are busy promoting what is likely to be a sell-out vintage and, indeed, M. Erwan Faiveley took the opportunity of a scheduled visit on 21 March 2017 at The Four Seasons, Singapore, to show off the 2015 wines of Domaine Faiveley.

With holdings of 120 ha across all sectors of Burgundy, it is almost impossible for anyone who likes wine not to have encountered a Faiveley before. Established in 1825, Faiveley has increasingly acquired its own plots in recent decades, becoming a full-fledged domaine in its own right. This can be seen from the wines tasted at the evening’s 2015 masterclass, all of which belonged to Domaine Faiveley. Erwan, the current seventh generation owner who, at the age of 25, took over from his father Francois Faiveley back in 2007, has continued on the expansionist path, acquiring plots in the all-important grand crus of Bâtard-Montrachet, Bienvenues Bâtard-Montrachet as well as Musigny itself. Erwan has also just completed the rebuilding of Faiveley’s new cellars in Nuits-Saint-Georges, a firm commitment to the continuing excellence of this important domaine. Certainly, I have noticed that the reds of Faiveley have changed considerably over the past decade — richer, more opulent and fleshy with better definition and precision, no doubt benefitting from the longer periods of cold maceration and vatting first espoused by Francois. As for the 2015 wines, Erwan has likened them to those of 1990, perhaps with the added advantage of better viticultural understanding and craftsmanship compared with 25 years ago. If that’s the case, and if you have been a long-time admirer of Domaine Faiveley, I don’t have to tell you what to do.

The wines tasted at the 2015 masterclass are listed according to tasting order:

2006 Champagne Comtes Taittinger Blanc de Blancs. Deep, full-bodied aromas of ripe clear fruit with overtones of yeast and cigar box that led to a broad expanse of complex citrus and sweet pomelo on the palate with traces of cinnamon, displaying excellent presence and crisp acidity, culminating in an exciting finish.

2015 Domaine Faiveley Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru. Lovely glow of white citrus with overtones of lemongrass while the palate is filled with exotic Indian spices and stern minerals, quite rich in layering and concentration with lovely acidity, superb in balance and proportion but, on the whole, still relatively closed, not showing much now though the potential is enormous.

2015 Domaine Faiveley Bienvenues Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru. Supposedly lower than Batard-Montrachet in the pecking order, but far more exuberant at this point of time with a minerally glow, crisp on the palate with notes of earth, creme and chalky elements, turning a little grassy after some time, wonderfully layered, finishing with great persistence. Excellent potential.

2015 Domaine Faiveley Gevrey-Chambertin Les Cazetiers 1er. Highly aromatic with a heady glow of raspberries and blueberries, quite fleshy with very good concentration of fruit, more forward with traces of earth, displaying good balance and refinement but lacking in structure.

2015 Domaine Faiveley Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru. Deep ruby. Well extracted, rich in redcurrants and red fruits, possessing excellent presence and acidity, forward in fruit balance with overtones of camphor and incense. A wine of substantial proportion but not much structure.

2015 Domaine Faiveley Corton Clos des Cortons Faiveley Grand Cru monopole. Very deep color, rich in dark berries and red fruits with a forward balance but sophisticated in feel and handling through its subtle layering, excellent depth, supple tannins, great balance and integration supple tannins. Very classy.

2015 Domaine Faiveley Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru. Deep generous aromas of red fruits, tangerines and cinnamon, displaying great concentration and acidity with supple velvety tannins that are very well managed, again favouring a forward balance, a tad short at the finish.

2015 Domaine Faiveley Latricières-Chambertin Grand Cru. Deep ruby, richly extracted but showing great character, substantial in proportion with fine detail and textures that are slightly gritty, layered with lovely earthiness and incense with exemplary balance. Drinking superbly and the wine of the night for many.

2015 Domaine Faiveley Chambertin-Clos de Beze Grand Cru. Lovely clear ruby. Richly layered with glorious ripe fruit yet deft and highly subtle in every way, superbly balanced and integrated, its opulence never at all intrusive, finishing with fabulous length. Like all the finest top growths, this wine doesn’t call attention to itself. Will be absolutely glorious when it unfurls its full potential two decades later.

Following the extensive masterclass, we moved on to dinner where the exquisite cuisine of Jiang Nan Chun was paired with some back vintages:

2012 Domaine Faiveley Bienvenues Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru. Served a little too cold initially, gradually warming up with generous aromas of crisp white floral characters and raw nutmeg, ample with good concentration and acidity that held some lovely tension across the palate, finishing with good linearity but a tad short.

2011 Domaine Faiveley Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru. This wine has begun to shut down, reticent with subdued citrus and minerality with an unique tone of nutmeg within a fairly narrow spectrum, balanced with well-integrated characters of crème and chalk, finishing well but not spectacular. Needs time to unravel.

2007 Domaine Faiveley Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru. Slightly opaque, revealing some lovely early secondary nuances, floral with aromas of rose petals and dark cherries, really excellent. There is a mild medicinal sweetness on the palate that was quite understated, dominated at this stage by crisp acidity, tapering towards a minty finish. Needs time to unravel further.

1999 Domaine Faiveley Gevrey-Chambertin Les Cazetiers 1er. From a stellar vintage, this fruit here is still slightly backward, its bright red fruits dominated instead by persistent earthiness and mild medicinal tones, slightly attenuated and lacking structure but still retaining good acidity.

2009 Domaine Faiveley Corton Clos des Cortons Faiveley Grand Cru. Displaying a glorious clear crimson, Faiveley’s monopole from this outstanding vintage is beginning to open up, revealing early secondary nuances with a deeper streak of predominant red fruits on the nose and body, laced with great acidity, finishing with good length and understated intensity. Should turn out to be the modern equivalent of the 1996 (below) in another decade. This is the only Corton Grand Cru worthy of rivalling that of Domaine de la Romanee-Conti.

1996 Domaine Faiveley Corton Clos des Cortons Faiveley Grand Cru. Made by Francois Faiveley, this monopole from an earlier age has developed beautifully, now displaying an enticing complex of red fruits, incense and earth, fleshy with excellent depth, body and acidity still, yielding superb definition and precision on the palate. Seemingly yet to peak. Absolutely glorious.

1995 Château d’Yquem. Luscious with overtones of seared caramel, smoke and sweet incense, lovely in concentration with some mild viscosity that added further to the understated intensity of tropical fruits, nectarine and apricot. Quite divine but, I suspect, still yet to peak.

2003 Pavillon Rouge du Chateau Margaux, popped and poured at Bedrock Bar & Grill, 01 May 2017. This is a bottle that I’ve cellared since purchasing it from Carrefour in 2006. This wine opens with an abundance of chocolate, mocha, dark cherries and black berries on the nose, displaying excellent presence and fresh acidity with plenty of brio, structured with subtle minerality, fleshing out further with a gentle earthy pungency, finishing well with a lasting glow. Quite gorgeous, on par with classified growths but yet to peak. Excellent.

2002 Louis Latour Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru, popped and poured at Famous Kitchen, 06 May 2017. Generous in peaches and yellow citrus on the nose, rather  recessed and backward on the palate which is typical of this producer with a tone of aged honey, developing crisp acidity amidst a powerful minerally glow over time. Very fine but lacks ultimate distinction.

1999 Ch Palmer, decanted on-site at Iggy’s, 09 May 2017, to celebrate the wifey’s big round number. Deep purple, this wine exuded ample aromas of ash, ember, plums, redcurrants and ripe dark berries with a lovely glow of dry tobacco and incense. Medium-full with a fleshy mouthfeel, it opened up rapidly, revealing excellent definition and gorgeous acidity with discrete supple tannins, culminating in fine intensity and lovely refinement. Still yet to peak. Superb.

2004 Carpineto Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Vigneto di Poggio Sant’ Enrico, decanted on-site at Pasta Brava, 13 May 2017. An abundance of ripe raspberries and dark fruits coupled with gentle aromas of earthy minerals on the nose with supple biting tannins, subtle intensity and fine definition that produced a very lovely mouthfeel, slightly stern towards the finish. More settled and developed compared with a previous tasting two years ago.

1982 Jean Bourdy A Arlay (courtesy of Hiok), popped and poured at Bedrock Bar & Grill, 15 May 2017. Very light in color, a transluscent vermilion. Generous complex aromas of gunsmoke, ferric minerals and tangerines. Medium-bodied, highly supple and open with good concentration without plumbing the depths, still laced with good acidity but not overtly complex on the palate in spite of its age.

2010 Hacienda Monastero (courtesy of KP) popped and poured at Bedrock Bar & Grill, 15 May 2017. Deep dark brooding, a wine of large proportions. Full-bodied and tight with an abundance of dark plums, prunes and dark currants, finishing with firm tannins marked by an alcoholic trail.

2011 La Pouisse d’Or Volnay En Caillerets 1er, a glass from the list of Corner House, Singapore, 18 May 2017 over lunch. Effusive aromas here with a deeper tone of red fruits, dark cherries and dark roses. Bold with substantial proportions on the palate, displaying crisp cutting acidity and stern minerals. Not quite settled.

2014 Domaine du Pelican Arbois chardonnay (courtesy of LF), drunk at the opening party of Oncocare’s new clinic, 20 May 2017. Generous bouquet of crème, vanilla and chalk with some icing. Gentle on its entry onto the palate, quite full with good acidity and mouthfeel, finishing well. I enjoyed it.

2014 Domaine du Pelican Arbois poulsard (courtesy of LF), drunk at the opening party of Oncocare’s new clinic, 20 May 2017. The nose is gamay-like, light in colour and tone with a nod towards red fruits, slightly bright, but straightforward and uninspiring.

2012 Bollinger La Cote Aux Enfants (courtesy of LF), drunk at the opening party of Oncocare’s new clinic, 20 May 2017. Second time that I’ve had the chance to taste this unusual red of Bollinger from a 70-ha plot in the heart of the Cote aux Champenois, produced only in exceptional years. The nose is rather shy with subdued aromas of dark roses but it is really singing on the palate, seamless with gorgeous acidity and lovely concentration of bright red fruits and dark berries. Even finer than the 2008. Excellent.

2009 Farnito Camponibbio, drunk at the opening party of Oncocare’s new clinic, 20 May 2017. Made by Carpineto. Bright with a hint of ripe dark berries on the nose, excellent in concentration and acidity with stern minerals that are well integrated, rounded and fleshy. Very fine.

2014 Henri Bourgeois Pouilly-Fume En Travertin, drunk at the opening party of Oncocare’s new clinic, 20 May 2017. Light grassy tones with morning dew. Light-medium, open with good acidity and detail, finishing with a dominant note of sour citrus.

1981 Contino Rioja (courtesy of LF), drunk at the opening party of Oncocare’s new clinic, 20 May 2017. Marked by a lovely complex of tangerines, raspberries and blueberries on the nose, most alluring. Still retaining excellent concentration and acidity, finishing with very fine supple tannins. Excellent.

1991 Domaine Paul Aine Jaboulet Domaine de Thalabert, decanted on-site at Bistrot du Sommelier, Singapore, 24 May 2017. Wild berries and tangerines with gentle sweetness, still retaining excellent concentration and biting intensity. Structured, masculine and fleshy. More delicious as it sat in the glass, developing traces of ferrous minerals.

2001 Fery Meunier Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru (courtesy of KP), popped and poured at Bistrot du Sommelier, Singapore, 24 May 2017. Gentle tones of malt, beeswax aged crème and dried flowers on the nose. Ample with good concentration and understated chalky minerals, more minerally over time, well-structured at the finish with gentle minty overtones. Excellent.

1983 Emidio Pepe Montepulciano D’Abruzzo (courtesy of Jonny), popped and poured at Bistrot du Sommelier, Singapore, 24 May 2017. Sweet aged medicinal tones with some tangerines, quite masculine, still fresh with good acidity with good linearity right up to its powerful finish.

1990 Ch Gazin (courtesy of John), popped and poured at Bistrot du Sommelier, Singapore, 24 May 2017. Last tasted 4 years ago, this wine is still inky dark, dense with a firm impression of soy, dark plums and blackberries, very good in concentration, rounded and full, finishing with understated structure and lithe supple tannins.

2009 Clos Saint-Jean La Combs des Fous Chateauneuf-du-Pape (courtesy of Kenny), popped and poured at Bistrot du Sommelier, Singapore, 24 May 2017. Deep dark red. Not too much on nose save for some dark currants and dark cherries that exuded mild medicinal sweetness. Quite full and substantial on the palate but rounded and accessible, layered with gorgeous acidity, finely structured. Not ready, but excellent potential.

1970 Vina Albina Bodegas Riojanas Cenicero Gran Riserva (courtesy of Hiok), popped and poured at Bistrot du Sommelier, Singapore, 24 May 2017. Sweet medicinal tones, quite effusive, medium-bodied with receding fruit, held together by dominant acidity with fine tension but over the hill.

2010 Sant’ Emiliano Barbera D’Asti (courtesy of Tom King) at the NUSS Guild House at Suntec City, 26 May 2017. Deep dark red, generous in sweet aromas of black berries, dark cherries and raspberries. Fleshy with good concentration, firm tannins and crisp acidity but fruit quality is hollow, generic in feel, lacking real succulence.

2014 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc at the Krisflyer lounge, Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 2, 27 May 2017. Loaded with crisp citrus amidst delicious creamy tones, exuding sweet aromas with a hint of tropical fruits, good in concentration, slightly dry.

Some notes from a conjoint presentation of the wines of 2015 from Maison Joseph Drouhin and Domaine Prieure-Roch organised by FICOFI at The Four Seasons, Singapore, on 4th April 2017 where it was wonderful to catch up, once again, with M. Jean-Paul Dumond (Sales Director of Drouhin) and the youthful-looking M. Yannick Champ, winemaker and co-geriant of the latter, who naturally exudes magnetic charm amongst the female species. With almost constant regularity every year around this time at the start of the en primeur campaign, we keep hearing about vintners and merchants proclaiming the latest vintage to be the “best ever”. Global warming has certainly played its part in ensuring more days of constant warm temperatures during the ripening period, so much so that in Burgundy, the delicate pinot noir grapes are now harvested 2-3 weeks earlier than usual compared with, perhaps, just 3-4 years ago. Having tasted the wines, I can say with certainty that 2015 is truly magnificent for the reds, structured and richly layered with lovely fruit, gorgeous acidity and great definition, already drinking very well at this stage which is always a good indicator of longevity in bottle. Even the reds of Domaine Prieure-Roch, normally sullen and awkward in its infancy, were remarkably opulent, already accessible and singing. The whites are excellent too, though they do not surpass the efforts of 2014 which remain supreme, just missing the very last ounce of brio or effortlessness.

2007 Delamotte Blancs de Blanc. Rich in crème, chalky minerals and vanilla, tight and closed on the palate for now although there is no doubting the fullness in concentration, firm tannins and excellent acidity.

2015 Joseph Drouhin Chassagne-Montrachet Morgeots 1er Marquis de Laguiche. Lifted aromas of grassy elements with whiffs of mint and white flowers, displaying great concentration, creamy richness and lovely acidity, very well integrated. Excellent.

2015 Joseph Drouhin Criots-Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru. Absolutely gorgeous bouquet of white flowers and complex citrus, rich and fleshy with crème and dense minerals in equal measure, displaying great supporting acidity, linearity and balance. Always a pleasure to re-visit this rarity from Drouhin, limited to only 300 bottles annually.

2015 Joseph Drouhin Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoureuses 1er. Glorious bouquet of dark berries, dark roses and dark cherries with a rather bright tone on the palate where there is excellent fullness, acidity and depth, almost masculine, subtly structured with fine tannins.

2015 Joseph Drouhin Grands Echezeaux Grand Cru. Gorgeous notes of rose petals and dark cherries emerge from a deep abyss of contrasting earthiness, fleshing out with great loveliness, acidity and elegance. Beautifully proportioned, quite full but still retaining good delicacy. Not at all overbearing. Excellent.

2015 Domaine Prieure-Roch Nuit-Saint-Georges Clos des Corvees 1er. Don’t be fooled by the uninviting dusky redness, for this monopole is exceptionally full, recalling dark roses and cherries touched by high toned minerals and traces of salt that created some lovely tension across the palate. Rounded, fleshy and feminine, replete with a streak of complex minerals amidst a deeper vein of fruit, just a little short and missing in structure. Still very fine.

2015 Domaine Prieure-Roch Vosne-Romanee Les Suchots 1er. The bouquet here is exceptionally deep and alluring, ample in dark cherries and rose petals with lovely poise and wonderful purity of fruit, open with gorgeous acidity and superb definition, just a tad short now but will correct in bottle with time. Excellent.

2015 Domaine Prieure-Roch Clos Vougeot Grand Cru. Considerably darker with a forward balance of dark cherries and rose petals, this much maligned grand cru is most lovely on the nose but tight on the palate with crisp acidity where its remains unresolved, losing definition towards the finish.

2015 Domaine Prieure-Roch Chambertin-Clos des Beze Grand Cru. Under Yannick Champ, the very best of the Cote de Nuits is a wine of masculine proportion, ample in earth, dark berries, red fruits and dark cherries supported by fine supple tannins with subtle minerality and acidity, its quiet intensity and power controlled with absolute precision, already very open and accessible and superbly balanced, revealing a rich deeper vein of pure fruit as it sat in the glass. Glorious stuff.

If you have visited Chambertin, you would surely have come across a little white hut just by the side of the famous Route des Grand Crus that proudly proclaims “CHAMBERTIN CLOS DE BEZE” in bold block letters on its wall with a second line that reads Domaine Pierre Damoy, leaving you in no doubt as to your exact location (no GPS needed here) and on whose land you are standing on. Indeed, this domaine owns the largest plot of Clos de Beze, some 5.4 ha out of 14.7 ha, that has remained undivided within the family ever since M. Pierre Damoy’s great great grandfather founded the estate back in the 1920s. Utilising minimally invasive viticultural methods, Pierre prefers to harvest his grapes at maximum ripeness as far as possible (why not?), evident in the richer darker tones of his wines particularly in generous vintages.

Ric was there

On this occasion of his visit to Singapore on 18 April 2017 at The Inter-Continental Hotel, Pierre was showcasing the 2014 and 2009 wines of Gevrey-Chambertin, pairing them accordingly. It is evident that these wines share a common trait of good extraction and richness without sacrificing subtlety and typicity, certainly not an easy feat to pull off, thus affirming the excellent craftsmanship of this domaine. Pierre himself is a most unassuming gentleman, friendly yet a tad shy, preferring to let his wines induce the slew of superlatives from members as we went through the tasting. So what actually goes on inside that little hut made famous by all wine publications? Oh nothing, said Pierre. No barrels or winemaking equipment. I thought he mentioned something about vineyard workers using it to answer nature’s call, but I’m sure that was Pierre’s mischievious side talking. The wines are described in the order served.

2006 Champagne Taittinger Comtes de Champagne. Delicate bouquet of white flowers and yellow fruit precede a lovely expanse of ripe pomelo and green fruits on the palate, matched by attractive chalky minerality and crisp acidity, never too dry, building up to a sweet intensity at its rounded finish. Excellent.

2014 Domaine Pierre Damoy Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Tamisot monopole. A village, but you’d never have guessed it. Displaying a darker tint, this wine was quite reticent, but sprung a great surprise on the palate with its irrepressible quality, stuffed with raspberries, dark fruits and dark roses of excellent concentration and depth, seamlessly supported by gorgeous acidity and understated minerality that exuded lovely intensity though shorn of fat, just a tad stern at the finish. A poor man’s Chambertin, perhaps, but worthy of a place on any table. Superb!

2009 Domaine Pierre Damoy Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Tamisot monopole. Also displaying a darker tint, a longer stint in bottle has opened up this wine, more fleshy and structured with a great concentration of warm ripe fruit, slightly brighter and tighter than its younger counterpart but sharing the same quiet intensity, depth, suppleness, mild ferrous minerality and seamless integration. Equally superb as the 2014 but likely to last the distance better.

2014 Domaine Pierre Damoy Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru. Essentially closed on the nose, just a hint of dark berries and tangerines whilst reasonably structured and fleshy with good concentration of red and dark berries, matched with crisp acidity, finishing with gentle overtones of enamel. Not the best of Chapelle-Chambertin but drinking well now.

2014 Domaine Pierre Damoy Chambertin Grand Cru. Displaying a darker tint than the Chapelle-Chambertin, this wine has shut down at this stage, closed on the nose although there is no doubting the richness and great intensity of fruit still tightly coiled within. Short and missing in structure now, but may turn out to be something fabulous once it has time to unravel and flesh out. Pierre Damoy owns only a tiny plot of Chambertin Grand Cru, just 0.5 ha, and it is clear that there isn’t much room for him to bring out the full potential that Chambertin can offer.

2014 Domaine Pierre Damoy Chambertin Clos de Beze Grand Cru. Whereas Clos de Beze is generally regarded as being the equal of Chambertin itself, in Pierre Damoy’s case, the former is clearly superior in every aspect, a fact that M. Pierre Damoy himself admits as his large holdings allow him to grasp the full potential of this terroir. First planted in the 1920s, this wine displayed a darker tint of ruby, exuding a rich exuberant bouquet of rose petals and red fruits, surprisingly open at such an early age in spite of the great concentration and depth of fruit, layered with excellent detail, definition and great purity, so very precise in its balance and proportion that its fruit, acidity and subdued tannins are seamlessly merged with great subtlety and sophistication, finishing with quiet intensity and wonderful length. Truly a wine for the ages. Outstanding.

2009 Domaine Pierre Damoy Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru. Notably darker in tone and colour, this wine sports a rich mouthfeel of sweet dark plums and dark berries with a forward balance, open and rounded with good concentration and integration, drinking well now but yet to hit its full stride.

2009 Domaine Pierre Damoy Chambertin Grand Cru. Dark as well, this is a wine of large proportions, rich with oily textures and a great deal of succulence, underscored by a deep vein of glorious ripe warm fruit, well-extracted but entirely befitting of this well-endowed vintage, displaying good integration of fruit, acidity and fine tannins elegant enough to tease the palate of its full potential though, like the 2014, not quite as structured as one would expect of Chambertin. Showing well, but far from ready.

2009 Domaine Pierre Damoy Chambertin Clos de Beze Grand Cru. Dark as well, the Clos de Beze is consistently better than Chambertin, relatively closed at this point of time with only aromas of sweet dark berries but the stage is set for future greatness as broad swathes of delicious fruit impress with fabulous concentration and great acidity, culminating in a rich velvety intensity that manages to be gentle at the same time. Very well-balanced and proportioned, subtly structured. Will be absolutely glorious.

2005 Ch D’Yquem. FICOFI appears to carry endless stocks of this wine, highly consistent at each tasting. Notes of seared caramel and burnt sugar dominate on the nose, infusing the palate with a rich burnished tone of nectarine, white fruit, apricot and sweet incense, bright with lovely intensity and great acidity. Huge potential.

As I have mentioned before, one should drop everything whenever the great Dr Ngoi summons you to dinner, even at the eleventh hour. This happened again on 02 May 2017, this time at his residence to honour a personal friend, pulling no punches with the wine proffered from his cellar. You know that the evening simply cannot go wrong when a 1999 Domaine Leflaive Bienvenues-Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru is served as the aperitif. Even after 18 years, this wine is still tightly coiled, displaying a gentle nose of white flowers, yellow fruits and bananas with barely a hint of complexity whilst a deep minerally streak runs through the palate, replete with crisp acidity, pomelo and some mild sweet grassy notes, rich but delicate in balance, yet to unravel but I’m not complaining.

The 2009 Chateau Grillet was poured at the dinner table, where Grace had gone to great lengths to ensure that the home-cooked food was on par with Cordon Bleu. This Rhone white has achieved a cult following and is extremely difficult to procure. On this occasion, however, it was essentially closed, offering just a peep of icing and white flowers on the nose though the palate is clean and stern-edged, loaded with a great expanse of dense marsanne and roussanne fruit with a character that recalled beeswax, somewhat recessed but well-structured, tapering to a long cool minty finish. Very fine. Most people zoom in on burgundy whites but I feel that Rhone whites are under-valued and under-rated.

Next, we drank a pair of reds concurrently. The 1998 Chateau Rayas displayed generous feminine aromas of gentle rose petals with traces of camphor, appropriately soft with lovely depth, rounded with great detail and definition on the palate, open with a great minerally streak against red fruits set a little backward, topped with briar and mild herbal tones. This wine is all velvet with concealed power. Beautiful.

Next to it, the 2012 Domaine Faiveley Chambertin Clos de Beze Grand Cru Les Ouvrees Rodin was almost as effusive on the nose, showing off soft red fruits, strawberries and bright cherries with a hint of tangerines, highly perfumed. The palate was most unusual in character, highly streamlined and silky smooth, narrow at first with a stern follow-through, taking its time to open up which eventually it did with growing intensity and precision, though not overtly structured nor masculine. One for the long haul and best to lay down for several years, at least. This special tiny plot measures only 0.32 ha, located at the southern end of the Clos de Beze vineyard, containing the oldest vines of the three or four parcels owned by Faiveley of Clos de Beze. Needless to say, production is extremely limited.

For good measure, a 2004 Ghislaine Barthod Chambolle-Musigny Aux Beaux Bruns 1er was popped as well, immediately darker with a firm masculine tone of dark roses, tangerines and dark cherries, making its presence felt right from the bouquet, layered with excellent concentration and fine intensity, slightly brooding in character. One would have thought a 2004 would have hit full maturity but this wine appears to be developing still. The evening concluded with a generous sip of Remy Martin Louis XIII cognac under the evening stars. I wouldn’t try to comment on this great stuff, save that it costs SGD90 per millilitre, thrice the amount one would pay for Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Romanee-Conti at retail.

Thank you Dr Ngoi, and thank you again.

2005 Ch La Tour Haut Brion, decanted on-site at Osteria Art, 01 Apr 2017. Still quite reticent on the nose, though eventually notes of high-toned plums, tangerines, dried roses and earth did emerge, leading to dark currants that coat the palate with gentle intensity, fleshing out over time with subtle velvety tannins and fine acidity, gaining in further depth with darker tones. Very fine, but not really quite settled yet. This was the last vintage of this estate that is now defunct, its grapes now absorbed into La Mission Haut-Brion.

1999 Ch Ducru Beaucaillou, popped and poured at Asia Grand on the occasion of M’s 18th, 02 Apr 2017. Substantially evolved in tone and color, exuding a complex bouquet of licorice, exotic spices, thyme, cinnamon, cassis, black pepper and dark plums with a lovely pungency, quite full on the palate where tea leaves and black fruits dominate amidst dryish textures, quite weighty with well-managed tannins, finishing with the faintest trace of graphite. Excellent.

2014 Sigl Gruner Veitliner, from the list of the Goldener Hirsch Hotel, Salzburg, 09 Apr 2017, after a performance of Mahler’s Ninth by the Staatskapelle Dresden under Franz Welser-Most. This wine is surprisingly lovely, exuding apricot, creme, faint nectarine and tangy citrus though it began closing down after some time, becoming quite reticent whilst bitter lemon and stern minerals dominate with good acidity on the palate. Very enjoyable.

2013 Grassl St Laurent Reserve, from the list of the Hotel Sacher, Salzburg, 11 Apr 2017 after a performance of Bruckner Fourth by Christian Thielemann and the Staatskapelle Dresden. Dark currants, black fruits and traces of dark plums caress the palate with quiet intensity, displaying very good weight, acidity and structure. Just missing in real complexity but very fine, nonetheless.

2015 Birgit Eichinger Kamptal Gruner Veltliner, from the list of Zirkelwirt, Salzburg, on 12 Apr 2017 after a performance of Mahler Sixth by Simon Rattle and the Berliner Philharmoniker. Highly aromatic, recalling deep citrus, creme, chalk and white incense, matched by very good concentration, refreshing acidity and length. Very fine.

2010 Rockford Black Shiraz, popped and poured over dimsum at Asia Grand, 14 Apr 2017. Rather woody on the nose, replete with dark plums, black fruits and a medicinal herbal tint. Quite full, oozing sweet black currants with reasonable depth but missing the characteristic streak of liqueur and complexity. Ultimately, somewhat nondescript. Disappointing.

2007 Valentin Zusslin Pfingstberg Grand Cru, popped and poured at Wah Lok, 22 Apr 2017. Aromas of pollen, wild grass, pomelo and stern delicate citrus dominate on the nose, growing bolder over time with a lovely glow. Gentle on its entry onto the palate in spite of its fullness, very minerally but slightly backward with understated sweetness, subtly structured with seamless acidity and quiet intensity, finishing with graphite and ferrous element. A wine of subtle power and elegance. Very lovely, and yet to peak.

2000 Philipponnat Clos des Goisses, courtesy of LF and tasted at his residence, 22 Apr 2017. This perennial favourite exudes a lovely earthy pungency with yeasty overtones, medium-full, still youthful, displaying a gentle earthiness with mild ferrous elements that imparted a bit of a stern demeanour, remarkably smooth and well-balanced. Doesn’t quite match up to the 1999 in complexity, though.

2013 Peter Michael Ma Belle-Fille, courtesy of LF and tasted at his residence, 22 Apr 2017. Closed, though undoubtedly rich on the palate with smooth creaminess and traces of ferrous elements, seamless, displaying good linearity.

2008 Kistler Pinot Noir (Kistler Vineyard), courtesy of LF and tasted at his residence, 22 Apr 2017. Weighing in at 14.1% abv, this wine possesses a racy balance with forward characters of mint, red fruits, dark currants, camphor and incense, crisp with good concentration, oozing with sweet tannins but slightly awkward towards the finish that betrayed some alcoholic dominance.

2012 Jean-Marc Pillot Chassagne-Montrachet Les Vergers 1er, courtesy of LF and tasted at his residence, 22 Apr 2017. This wine has everything in right balance and proportion, generous in crème, icing and vanilla, open with great definition and gorgeous acidity in spite of its fullness, finishing with excellent linearity and subtle minerality, confirming once again that you can’t go wrong with the burgundy whites of 2012. Excellent.

2004 Christophe Perrot-Minot Chapelle-Chambertin Grand Cru, courtesy of LF and tasted at his residence, 22 Apr 2017. Displaying a dark evolved tint, this wine opens with great classic aromas of ripe aged plums and dark fruits, displaying great acidity but perhaps jus a bit too much of that. It became more settled after some time, more open with better integration, but will benefit from another few more years of cellaring.

2002 Muller-Catoir  Mussbacher Eselsbaut Riesling Auslese, courtesy of LF and tasted at his residence, 22 Apr 2017. Luminous gold, opening with characteristic diesel tones, rich in delectable nectarine yet open with a delicate lightness on the palate, still remarkably youthful, yet to develop real complexity, just a tad short. A demure beauty.

1998 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Buffer-Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese, courtesy of LF and tasted at his residence, 22 Apr 2017. This wine exudes oily luminous textures imbued with dense citrus and tropical fruits that offer lovely complexity, yet open with characteristic lightness and delicacy that is, somehow, only possible with German riesling, finishing with after-tones of smoke and incense. Quite superb.

2004 J J Christoffel Erben Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Eiswien, courtesy of LF and tasted at his residence, 22 Apr 2017. Closed on the nose, though the palate is unashamedly rich in luscious apricot, peaches, pineapples and other exotic fruits, displaying lovely concentration and intensity all the way to its glowing finish. Excellent.

2007 Delamotte Blancs de Blanc (courtesy of C J), popped and poured at Shinzo, 25 Apr 2017, where chef Lawrence Chia is doing very well. Generous spread of sweet citrus, clear fruit and raw nutmeg, displaying good concentration and excellent acidity with good linearity, supported by broad flinty minerals but it lacks inner definition, veering towards dryness.

2006 Dom Perignon, popped and poured at Shinzo, 25 Apr 2017. More sophisticated at once compared with the preceding Delamotte with a broad expanse of stony minerals, veering towards dryness amidst high-toned dense citrus, lime and cool ripe fruit that produced excellent depth and richness. A waste to open now. Needs time.

2003 Domaine Paul Aine Jaboulet Hermitage La Chapelle, popped and poured at Shinzo, 25 Apr 2017. Medium-bodied. Tight and narrow initially in spite of having aired for some time in bottle, becoming beautifully rounded and gentle in the glass, generous in red plums and tangerines with overtones of orange peel, open and relaxed, displaying good definition. Not the best of Hermitage La Chapelle but drinking well if you give it time.

2009 Dingac (courtesy of Hsiang Sui), popped and poured at Shinzo, 25 Apr 2017. Highly distinct nose of tobacco and cigarette ash tobacco, carrying well onto the palate where it is medium-full with an abundance of warm ripe fruit evolving towards red plums, lit with traces of spice at the edges. Very unique.

2006 Perrier-Jouet, popped and poured at Shinzo, 25 Apr 2017. Broad expanse of sweet complex citrus amidst dense ripe white fruits and clear citrus, delicious with textures that are slightly dry, yet to peak.

2005 Ch Reignac, popped and poured at Ka-Soh (College Road), 29 Apr 2017, a no-frills Chinese diner that carries a Bib Gourmand recommendation from Michelin. Dark with traces of evolution at the rim, this is a well-extracted claret with a trace of jamminess, exuding characters of very ripe dark berries, prunes and raisins, slightly resinous, with mild medicinal tones bringing up the rear, ending on a spicy note. A little too big for its own good, I feel.

2000 Ch Chasse-Spleen, popped and poured at Huat Kee, 30 Apr 2017. This came from the same batch as another bottle drunk previous month. Showing some evolution in color, this wine was tight and angular at the beginning, requiring almost two hours to loosen up with dominant plummy tones and raspberries on the nose, medium-full with good concentration and attack of dark cherries and wild berries, still imbued with plenty of verve, suppleness and acidity, finishing well. Approaching its peak and will hold for many years to come. Very fine.

Spot Eagles’ Nest atop Mount Kehlstein, Hitler’s favourite holiday lair just outside Salzburg