Ric's Wine Journal

After having barely digested an excellent late lunch (with Yannick Champ in Pommard) on 27 September 2015, we drove down south to Chagny for dinner at the three-Michelin-starred restaurant Lameloise, located within the hotel of the same name, where it was very good to be welcome by the same familiar faces that I had met during my first visit in June last year. A long table for 13 pax had been set for us in its private dining room where we were joined by M. Jean-Paul Dumond of Joseph Drouhin as well as the true père et fil team of M. Pierre-Henry Gagey and his son Thibault Gagey, owners of Louis Jadot. The venerated chef Eric Pras had prepared a generous four-course meal (a relative bargain at EUR190, considering this is dinner) and all we had to do was to select some wines from the extensive carte de vin to go with it. KG did the honours with minimum fuss and, before we knew it, we were tasting the Champagne Henri Giraud Fut De Chene Ay Grand Cru (2007 disgorgement), highly complex on the nose, suggesting great depth with characters of toast, charcoal ember, yeast and sweet citrus with a mild attractive pungency, generously proportioned and balanced without being too dry. A very sophisticated champagne and an excellent start.

The first course of foie gras de canard et perche was paired with a 2007 Domaine Coche-Dury Meursault, the second such wine we had from the same producer within the same day (a 2009 was drunk during lunch). Coche-Dury always carries a hefty premium but, after having experienced it, one begins to understand what the fuss is about. Lifted aromas of almonds with overtones of honey and a trace of rock melons hinted at excellent depth of fruit, living up to its promise with delicate but intense citrus on the palate, enhanced immeasurably by the crisp acidity that cut effortlessly through the texture of the foie gras. I’ve never been truly enthusiastic about Meursault but I’m now a convert, provided it can be as good as a Coche-Dury. A superb effort.

Then an interesting incident occurred. A 1998 Domaine Louis Jadot Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru was served to go with the dorade grise et cazette du Morvan. The wine was clearly evolved with an unusual bouquet of magnolia and apricot, just a tad leaden, hinting at aged citrus, though still pretty robust on the palate, intense with cutting acidity. From the corner of my eye, I caught sight of Pierre-Henry raising an eyebrow with a muted frown. After a brief but animated conversation between himself and the sommelier in French, a second bottle of the same wine was immediately produced and popped. It turned out that Pierre-Henry had felt the wine to be a little corked, and he was absolutely right!! The new bottle was fresher on the nose and richer and creamier on the palate, topped with a caramelised note and finishing with a ferric trace. There were many experienced palates at the table but none of us had an inkling that the first bottle was amiss. This proved a couple of things: Pierre-Henry really knows his own wines and it really helps to drink in the presence of the winemaker.

A couple of reds were paired with the restaurant’s signature pigeonneau. The 1996 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Chambolle-Musigny 1er was an absolute beauty, displaying a deep ruby with an abundance of rose fragrance, still imbued with wonderful acidity, freshness, intensity and depth on the palate, easily one of the best wines I’ve had on this trip. Quite outstanding and will hold for many more years. In contrast, the 2008 Domaine Emmanuel Rouget Vosne-Romanée Cros Parantoux 1er, a relative rarity, carried a slightly forward balance of intense red fruits and cherries on the nose, somewhat lean initially, becoming weightier later but still dominated by vanilla and wood. The potential is immense but wasted this evening. A 1994 Château d’Yquem was served to round off the evening, a wine that always sailed Jean-Paul’s boat, displaying a powerful bouquet of honey and apricot and sweet medicinal notes on the palate, luscious with decent acidity. We were all properly hammered at the end of the long evening but this will go down as another memorable evening unlikely to be forgotten.

The pièce de résistance of my short tour in Burgundy, without doubt, was a visit to this most venerated estate of all in the world of oenology, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, on the morning of 28 September 2015 where, through a most fortuitous turn of affairs that I need not elaborate about, we were granted access into its chai, its cellars and a tasting within, in addition to a personal tutorial about technical aspects of its winemaking whilst standing right on the soil of the most expensive piece of real estate in oenology, Romanée-Conti.

As we stepped through the gates of the nondescript-looking mansion (that does not, in any way, state that it is D.R.C.) immediately to the right of the old church in the little square of Vosne-Romanée, we were warmly welcome by M. Bertrand de Villaine, nephew of Aubert (owner of DRC), a stout stocky gentleman who appears, to the casual observer, to be more at home with rugby than his role as the chief winemaker of D.R.C., overseeing the entire vinification of all the wines within the D.R.C. stable. Together, we took a walk up the gentle slope to the monopole plot of Romanée-Conti, traversing its low clos (normally forbidden), striding up to its vines basking in the glorious sunshine of this cool beautiful morning. D.R.C. has been biodynamic long before it became the fashionable byword, Bertrand saying that it was the sensible thing to do. It seems 2015 has all the trappings of a superb vintage, the Indian summer coming on earlier than usual such that practically every vineyard had completed harvesting by the first week of September, and it was no exception at D.R.C.. Only ripe bunches growing off the main stems are picked while isolated bunches hanging off side stems are left alone as these tend to contain too much acidity and less sugar. D.R.C. is also experimenting with plot densities with some vineyards pushing up to 14000 vines per hectare from the usual 10000. The average age of the vines are between 40-50 years and there is a continual process of vine renewal as old vines that are deemed to be past their prime are pulled, to be replaced by younger vines that will only begin yielding dividends more than ten years down the road. Here and there, particularly within the plot of Romanée-Saint-Vivant at this moment, one could see rows of greener vines indicating newer plantings.

The Richebourg grapes were being pressed that morning and as we entered its chai, one could feel some relative warmth and a certain mushiness in the air, by-products of the heat and carbon dioxide released during fermentation. The chai appeared extremely modest and functional, with all of the 2015 harvest contained in only a few vats, driving home the scarcity of D.R.C. wines and, in a quiet corner, sat vat number 11 containing Romanée-Conti. D.R.C. ages its wines mostly in new oak.

We then descended into its cellars, just a part that contained more recent vintages lying in bottle. Seeing the shelves of Romanée-Conti, La Tâche and Richebourg et cetera of various vintages was certainly orgasm-inducing. We finally arrived at the tasting room where Bertrand had brought two unlabeled bottles without telling us what they were, imploring us to taste them blind, and none of us dared to do otherwise. We began with a red, sporting a clear ruby with powerful floral aromas of red fruits and sweet dark berries. Red plums and tangerine dominate on the palate with a ferric trace, excellent in concentration and acidity but very controlled, producing a great mouthfeel, well balanced but still rather tight and not quite settled. Needs time. Bertrand quizzed us whether we thought it came from a cool or hot vintage, and we all thought the former, for there was absolutely no trace of heat stress nor any raisiny notes. I guessed quietly an Échezeaux and indeed it turned out to be a 2003 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Échezeaux Grand Cru, and I suppose the little blinded exercise was to drive home the point of expert vineyard management in dealing successfully with difficult vintages, 2003 being the hottest vintage in decades.

Next was an unlabeled white that we were already informed was a Bâtard-Montrachet, producing an effusive bouquet of white flowers, caramelized honey and  melons with a quiet intensity, displaying harmonious citrus and subtle minerality on the palate with fine delicacy, acidity and persistence with just a ferric trace. Again, Bertrand probed us to hazard a guess about its vintage. It turned out to be a 2005 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, the second warmest vintage after the 2003 but, like the previous wine, there was no indication at all on the palate that it was so. One doesn’t look for absolute fullness in a Bâtard-Montrachet and perhaps one shouldn’t, for it is never as full as a Chevalier-Montrachet, let alone Montrachet itself and, perhaps, this exercise demonstrates again the expertise of D.R.C. in managing its wines to reflect the terroir accurately. It has been a real honor and privilege, as an outsider, to have experienced such intimate hospitality from DRC and, besides being indebted to M. Bertrand de Villaine for his time, there are certain other people to be thanked but who prefer to remain anonymous and they shall not be forgotten.

After a leisurely breakfast on 27 September 2015, we drove down south of Beaune to the sleepy township of Puligny-Montrachet where it was very good, once again, to be able to walk up the gentle slope of the Côte de Beaune from the D113 secondary road and to tread gently at the skirting of Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet, followed immediately by Bâtard-Montrachet and then Montrachet itself, where the twin pillars of Marquis de Laguiche stood silently at a corner. Memories of the lovely Grand Crus that we have had over the past couple of days from these vineyards of Bouchard Père & Fils and Joseph Drouhin came flooding back. Harvesting for the 2015 vintage has concluded but, here and there, one can see forlorn bunches of grapes left untouched by the pickers, a poignant reminder about how absolutely fastidious the winemakers must be in choosing their grapes and how much hard work has been done by all these passionate individuals just purely for our pleasure.

As it turned out, lunch had been arranged that afternoon at a small lovely restaurant n Pommard, Auprès du Clocher, and waiting to meet us there was the good-looking young winemaker M. Yannick Champ of Domaine Prieuré-Roch. The first thing I noticed as I shook his hand were the deep purplish stains on his hands and the red inflamed knuckles. Apparently, Yannick has been up since 4.00AM to tend to his newly-pressed wines and he had evidently been hard at work right till it was time to meet us, for he was still wearing his soiled working clothes. Yannick certainly embodies the new generation of hardworking young winemakers driven by passion and it shone through in his wines that he had brought for lunch.

But first, we began with a 2009 Domaine Coche-Dury Meursault from the restaurant list. This displayed a light luminosity with lifted aromas of fig and apricot, marked by delicate clear citrus and intense minerality with great linearity, depth and persistence. Quite amazing for a village, easily outperforming many other classified wines. Superb. Following this was the 2000 Domaine Leflaive Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, displaying a luscious gold, considerably heavier with notes of apricot, peach, rock melon and a hint of caramel with excellent intensity, understated acidity and length. This can easily keep for many more years.

From here, we moved on to a series of Prieuré-Roch wines, all provided by Yannick himself:

2014 Domaine Prieuré-Roch Nuits-St-Georges Clos des Argillieres 1er. Direct from barrel. Dark with generous dark cherries raspberries. Rustic. Stern on the palate, receding quite quickly as the wine developed bright red fruits and some sweetness in the glass. Good potential though too early to pass judgement.

2014 Domaine Prieuré-Roch Vosne-Romanée Les Suchots 1er. Direct from barrel. Abundant red fruits, brighter and more open. Stern metallic notes on the palate, again replaced by more fruit and sweet tannins over time. Good potential.

2009 Domaine Prieuré-Roch Vosne-Romanée Les Suchots 1er. Brownish red. Dark plums, earth, some ferrous element. Good depth of fruit. Trace of sweet tannins but firm now, finishing with medicinal overtones. Needs more bottle time.

2006 Domaine Prieuré-Roch Vosne-Romanée Les Maizières. A village. Very open. Aromas of rose petals and cherries, some briar, wild berries and dark red fruits, medium-full, missing the complexity of higher classified wines but drinking well now.

2005 Domaine Prieuré-Roch Clos Vougeot Grand Cru. Lovely fragrance of rose petals and strawberries, open, earthy, displaying good depth. Very enjoyable.

2000 Domaine Prieuré-Roch Nuits-St-Georges Le Clos des  Corvées 1er. A 5.2 ha monopole. Dusty brown. Subdued fragrance, fairly intense with salty minerality, somewhat austere and minty at the finish. Came together very well. Beautiful.

This has been a remarkable afternoon and truly an honour and privilege to have spent time with Yannick and his wines. Merci beaucoup!

Today, 26 September 2015, marked another exceptional visit to one of the oldest names in Burgundy, the Domaine Joseph Drouhin. Founded in 1880 as a negociant, this estate now also owns more than 70 hectares of vines in Chablis, Cote de Nuits and the Cote de Beaune. We were welcome at the door, situated right next to the Collegial Notre Dame in Beaune, by its Sales Director M. Jean-Paul Dumond, a highly affable character who had spent several years of his youth in England that accounted for his excellent English and his love for rugby. We went straight to the cellars and, once again, we were all amazed by the extensive labyrinth of dark damp tunnels that, surely, must criss-cross a large part of Beaune. Farming is entirely biodynamic at Joseph Drouhin and the freshly-pressed wine is allowed to flow by gravity into its collecting vat. We then went into its tasting room where Jean-Paul had prepared a generous line-up, the whites having been aired the night before.

2012 Joseph Drouhin Chablis Bougros Grand Cru. Delicate, fairly intense notes of lime and citrus. Medium-bodied, slightly chalky, persistent. Very good.

2012 Joseph Drouhin Chassagne-Montrachet Morgeot Marquis de Laguiche 1er. Fuller, more fat, luscious, attractive oily texture, subdued minerality, slightly stern but lasting finish. Very good.

2012 Joseph Drouhin Beaune Clos des Mouches 1er. Lovely fragrance. Hint of apricot and nectarine with white pepper. Rounded and minerally. Lively, crisp and long.

2013 Joseph Drouhin Volnay Clos des Chenes 1er. Darker and bigger wine. Dark cherries, wild berries and earth. Accessible. Stern trace of brightness at the finish.

2012 Joseph Drouhin Nuts-St-Georges Proces 1er. Red fruits, earth and incense. Good intensity, very well integrated, structured. Excellent fruit quality and depth. Persistent. Powerful. Excellent.

2013 Joseph Drouhin Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru. Good color. Highly aromatic.  Ripe red fruits. Rounded, soft. Less structured. Dry finish. Elegant but lacks real layering.

2013 Joseph Drouhin Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru. Highly aromatic. Excellent acidity, depth and layering. Structured. Still a tad unsettled.

2013 Joseph Drouhin Chambertin-Clos de Beze Grand Cru. Lifted aromas of red fruits. Great depth and structure, layered. Superb balance. Already quite open in spite of its youth. Great linearity and definition. Great potential.  Superb.

2013 Joseph Drouhin Criots-Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru. Great bouquet. Full, oily and fat. Gorgeous creme de la crème and white flowers amidst subtle minerality, enhancing its complexity. Has great character. Already accessible. A great rarity: only 300 bottles. One can go on forever on the nose.

2012 Joseph Drouhin Montrachet Grand Cru. Enticing, seductive, gentle with complex citrus of controlled intensity. Velvety on the palate, displaying wonderful depth but it’s the supreme balance that holds everything today. Absolutely harmonious. A great wine made to last forever. Truly mesmerizing. Heavenly, yet humbling to know such sublimity is possible.

On that high, we made our way to Le Carmin for lunch where Jean-Paul had pre-arranged a simple yet delectable menu of delicate seafood starters and veal, accompanied by the smoothest mash potato I’ve ever tasted. The generosity of Jean-Paul knew no boundaries. As if the wines we’ve had weren’t enough, Jean-Paul provided another couple more bottles and settled the bill as well:

2003 Joseph Drouhin Montrachet Grand Cru. Perfect luminous gold. Utterly complex yet gentle in its entry on the palate, seductive and glowing with almonds, creme de la crème, complex citrus and perfect acidity, superbly balanced, excellent in concentration with a lightness of being. Ethereal.

1995 Joseph Drouhin Gevrey-Chambertin Combottes 1er. Medicinal and herbal aromas with sweet tannins and receding acidity. Slightly burly. An older and heavier style of burgundy but still drinking well

To have not one, but two supreme bottles of Montrachet Grand Cru in one afternoon is, indeed, an outstanding and unique experience, enhanced further by the spirit of friendship and camaraderie around the table. We cannot thank Jean-Paul enough for his kind hospitality and for making this visit possible. Joseph Drouhin has left an indelible mark on my mind with its outstanding quality and I shall forever remain grateful to have experienced such a wonderful opportunity.

Right after the outstanding visit to Domaine Faiveley, we made our way to Bouchard Pere & Fils late after 5.00 PM on 25 September 2015, highly respectable in the negociant business since 1731, which has also gone on to own its own vineyards, particularly the Grand Crus of Le Corton, Corton-Charlemagne, Chevalier-Montrachet and that Holy Grail of whites, Montrachet. We were welcome by Ms Viviana Jaimon who wasted no time bringing us down to its extensive centuries-old cellars that was originally a fortress in the 14th century, its extensive labyrinth of tunnels connecting five towers that guarded the old city of Beaune. No less than two million dust and mould-covered bottles lie peacefully within the cellars, some for well over a century, the oldest being a 1846 white. For that, we have to thank the owners for sealing up the cellar behind four walls during the War to prevent the Nazis from looting its contents. If every winemaking firm in Beaune owns a cellar, countless tunnels and corridors must, indeed, exist beneath the cobblestone streets of Beaune which, surely, must be the case. After trudging through the cellars and salivating over all the bottles that lay within, we emerged into the tasting room, tasting the wines in the order listed. While I found the reds to be underwhelming, the whites, on the other hand, were truly excellent. All wines had been aired in bottle for about 8 hours prior to tasting.

2012 Bouchard Pere et Fils Volnay Caillerets Ancienne Cuvee Carnot 1er. Dark cherries and other dark tones, earth and forest floor. Tight, not yielding much.

2012 Bouchard Pere et Fils Beaune Greves Vigne de L’ Enfant Jesus. Red fruits, darker wild berries, some vegetal trace, fair intensity, rounded. Short.

2012 Bouchard Pere et Fils Le Corton Grand Cru. Plums, tangerine, soft, fairly intense. Lacks layering and character for GC.

2012 Bouchard Pere et Fils Chambertin Clos de Beze Grand Cru. Structured, suggestion of power on the nose. Masculine and velvety on the palate but the fruit is rather shy and backward. Could do with more layering. Not distinguished for what is supposed to be on par with Chambertin.

2013 William Fevre Chablis Les Clos Grand Cru. Powerful nose of white flowers with a  hint of tropical fruit, crisp but very pleasant and easy with subtle minerality. Very elegant.

2012 Bouchard Pere et Fils Mersault Genevrieres 1er. Generous notes of white pepper and clear citrus but too generic. Lacks character.

2011 Bouchard Pere et Fils Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru. Aromatic, good concentration, layered with  tropical fruits and white flowers, well integrated with plenty of acidity. Lengthy.  Very promising.

2011 Bouchard Pere et Fils Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru. Racy ripe tropical fruits, pineapples, apricot, butterscotch and crème de la crème. Crisp with excellent concentration and intensity. Good complexity. Excellent stuff but still a notch below Montrachet (below).

2011 Bouchard Pere et Fils Montrachet Grand Cru. Powerful, glowing with notes of tropical fruits, intense citrus, enamel, vanilla and crème de la crème with a hint of steeliness. Lengthy and elegant. Not showy at all. Great mouthfeel. Already highly complex even in its youth but still tight. Quite outstanding.

I must thank Bouchard Pere et Fils for such a generous line-up of wines for tasting, and to FICOFI for making this visit possible. I’ll be certain to pay more attention to their whites in future.

Domaine Faiveley must surely count as one of the most famous names in Burgundy. From its origins as a negociant in the wine business, bottling wines from grapes bought from growers, Faiveley has evolved to become a domaine in its own right, now owning their own parcels and controlling every step of the winemaking from the cultivation of vines right down to bottling and marketing. Faiveley has certainly come a very long way although the problem, I suspect, is that there are still people who do not appreciate enough the quality of Faiveley and its enormous ability, drive and passion. It was, indeed, our good fortune to be welcome at the door of this famous domaine on 25 September 2015 by none other than Monsieur Erwan Faiveley, the seventh generation and current owner who hosted us to an wonderful morning of tasting from barrels in its cellars, followed by lunch and more wine within the cellars. It so happened as well that, on this day, Faiveley was pressing the 2015 harvest of its Musigny Grand Cru, and hearing that sent shivers of excitement through all of us, heightening the anticipation of what was in store. And as if he sensed that, Erwan wasted no time bringing us through to view its presses and vats, each bearing the name of famous plots of vineyard, reminding us instantly of the huge range of wines that Faiveley makes, following which we then descended to oenology heaven, its cellars. The following is the list of wines tasted straight from barrel:

2014 Domaine Faiveley Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Porets 1er. Fresh, succulent, savoury, weighty, good length, slightly earthy.

2014 Domaine Faiveley Gevrey-Chambertin Clos des Issarts 1er. A monopole. Only 20 barrels. Good concentration and fragrance, structured, subtle with quiet intensity, long. Great potential.

2014 Domaine Faiveley Chambolle-Musigny Les Fuees 1er. Powerful dark flavors with bright red fruits, some wood, fleshy, harmonious, feminine. Excellent.

2014 Domaine Faiveley Corton Clos des Cortons Faiveley Grand Cru. One of only nine grand cru monopoles in Burgundy, reminding us again of the importance of Faiveley. Very attractive, displaying bright red fruits and cherries. Slightly dry but neither lean nor vegetal. Surprisingly good for a Corton though a little short. Erwan related to us a long story about how this vineyard came into the family and the subsequent trials and tribulations as others tried to wrest control of it. This tasting has really changed my opinion of Corton.

2014 Domaine Faiveley Échezeaux Grand Cru. Good color ,fairly intense, smooth, good concentration, fleshy, masculine.

2014 Domaine Faiveley Clos Vougeot Grand Cru. Some cedar, sweet tannins, good density, touch of briar and earth. Not distinctive. Could do with more character. Not surprising, given that Clos Vougeot is largely second division grand cru.

2014 Domaine Faiveley Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru. Powerful, aromatic, sweet. Excellent purity, depth and length. Very well integrated tannins, rounded, already accessible. Excellent.

2014 Domaine Faiveley Chambertin Clos de Beze Les Ouvrees Rodin Grand Cru. From a parcel very special to Faiveley. Darker tones though rather restrained now. Lovely integration, not showy. Hint of coconut. Great purity. Rounded. Excellent.

2014 Domaine Faiveley Musigny Grand Cru. Here our hearts beat faster, knowing now that Faiveley has acquired its own plot in Musigny. Dark tones, striking notes of cocoa and mocha. Open velvety textures. Excellent concentration, well managed tannins, remarkable balance. Bit short now but should develop very well in bottle. Quite outstanding.

2015 Domaine Faiveley Corton Clos des Cortons Faiveley Grand Cru. Just pressed only two days ago!! We are told the 2015 is, in every way, an excellent vintage. Already showing ripe cherries ad raspberries with crisp acidity and generous proportions. Rounded. Good concentration. What a privilege!!

2014 Domaine Faiveley Bienvenues Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru. Lifted aromas of intense citrus, slightly creamy, very fresh, excellent acidity though not too crisp, displaying good linearity and definition. Excellent.

2014 Domaine Faiveley Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru. Beautifully lifted aromas of citrus, morning dew and some grassy elements. Good focus. Excellent concentration.

I can tell you I did not spit a single drop from any of the above. Moving on, we trooped to a dining area within the cellar for a delicious lunch hosted by Erwan, followed by more wine:

2010 Domaine Faiveley Mersault Les Charmes 1er. Clear citrus, good acidity and intensity, yet light and  delicate.

2008 Domaine Faiveley Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru. Lifted aromas of white flowers, very good concentration of fruit supported by flinty minerality, good delicacy, still tight. Should become even better.

2009 Domaine Faiveley Corton Clos des Cortons Faiveley Grand Cru. Poured from magnum. Monopole. Dark, earthy tones. Powerful with velvety tannins. Yet to develop. None of the usual gruffiness and burliness of Corton. Faiveley has really changed my opinion of Corton.

2000 Domaine Faiveley Gevrey-Chambertin Les Cazetiers 1er. Still intense and vibrant, fresh, gentle, bright and slightly spicy.

1998 Domaine Faiveley Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru. Still displaying a youthful intensity. Balanced and open but austere at the finish.

This visit has been a real eye opener with many of us developing a newfound admiration for Faiveley. We cannot thank Erwan Faiveley enough for his time and FICOFI for making this visit possible.

This article kicks off a series of visits by yours truly to various wine producers in Burgundy, made possible only through the auspices of FICOFI, its CEO M. Philippe Capdouze no doubt having a big say in getting the visits organised during this very busy time of the year when harvesting and the initial fermentation processes are all underway, and, of course the venerable Dr S S Ngoi without whom my wine experiences would have been a lot poorer.

However, prior to Burgundy, in the way of an overture, was a side trip to Maison Henriot, that famous champagne house in Reims, on 24 September 2015. Straight after arriving at Charles de Gaulle aeroport, as the French would say, we drove immediately to Reims, arriving at Maison Henriot couple of hours later, where we were welcome by Beatrice Brossier. Henriot began making champagne back in 1808, perhaps not as long a history as a few other producers but this maison prides itself in producing a much smaller quantity of top drawer wine without aspiring to be a global producer which is simply great for connoisseurs around the world. The trouble is sourcing it. For its champagne blends, Henriot uses only grand cru and premier cru pinot grapes, its pinot noir planted on the northern and southern slopes of Reims while its chardonnay vines are located in the eastern slopes of the Cote de Blanc, where the chalky topsoil is ideal in delivering rich mineralogy to the wines.

We began first with the Henriot Rose NV, a blend of 65% pinot noir and 35% chardonnay that was fresh, lively and fruity with a hint of ripe red fruits and peaches, quite understated in minerality, yielding a wine of remarkable balance and elegance with some mild yeasty pendency coming on later. This was a great start, setting the tone for the rest of the tasting line up. Next, the Henriot Brut Souverain NV displayed mild yeasty overtones, attractively sweet with understated intensity, very well balanced against the chalky creamy minerality, a welcome move away from the usual brazen dryness of most NV Brut. This is an excellent calling card for the estate.

Moving up, the Henriot Blanc de blancs was poured, displaying very lovely gentle citrus with slightly darker undertones, crisp, deep and complex yet easy and approachable and not too dry, drinking well now. Excellent. The 2006 Henriot, made from a 50-50 blend of chardonnay and pinot noir from grand cru and premier cru grapes, was somewhat restrained, its sweet clear citrus sat with a quiet intensity amidst understated yeasty notes. supported by firm minerality, slightly stern in its finish. Again the remarkable balance is striking, the wine developing greater intensity and length over time but this wine needs to be left alone for several more years, at least.

Then comes the special cuvees. The Henriot Enchanteleurs series, made only in exceptional years, is a blend of 50% chardonnay and 50% pinot noir, all from grand cru. The 2000 Henriot Enchanteleurs displayed a wonderful glow of yeast, toast and great complexity of citrus and depth, open, lasting, subtle in minerality and sweetness. Most alluring and elegant. Excellent as that was, the best was yet to come. The winemaker, M. Laurent Fresnet, honoured us with his presence and a visit to the cellars of Henriot, where dark mouldy verticals of Henriot lay in quiet rest as they have been for years and decades. There, Laurent pulled out a 1982 Henriot Enchanteleurs from its bin and proceeded to disgorge the wine. To our immense surprise, this wine was still amazingly fresh and youthful, producing a deep aromatic glow with a great display of crisp acidity, complex citrus and great balance, just a tad dry, ensuring decades of life ahead. Truly an unique experience.

And as if that wasn’t enough, the piece de resistance came in the form of two magnums of Henriot Cuvee 38, popped and poured over a delectable lunch at the two Michelin-starred Les Crayieres. Started from a visionary move in 1990, this cuvee is made only from 100% chardonnay from four grand cru sites, when a small quantity is set aside each year and added to similar wine from previous years in a solera system and disgorged. The Cuvee 38 is minerally with intense notes of lemon, clear citrus and pomelo, highly complex and dry with a creamy texture throughout its length with a mild yeasty pungency coming on later, slightly austere at the finish. Far from mature, but superb. This has been a great eye opener and I’ll be sure to drink more Champagne Henriot when I get home. Merci beaucoup to Beatrice, Laurent and FICOFI for their kind generosity and hospitality.

2014 Ochagavia Silvestre cabernet sauvignon, a glass of which over lunch at Catalunya, 03 Sep 2015. Notes of plummy red fruit proliferate amongst other notes of earth and forest floor, generous in body with well-managed tannins. Quite serviceable as a table wine.

2009 Maison Leroy Bourgogne blanc (courtesy of Li Fern), popped and poured after hours at S S ENT, 10 Sep 2015. This wine easily outperforms its classification, its quality fruit offering generous depth and body, soft and creamy, offset by some chalkiness and very well balanced on the whole.

2001 Maison Leroy Mersault 1er Blagny (courtesy of Li Fern), popped and poured after hours at S S ENT, 10 Sep 2015. Dull golden and relatively muted, medium-bodied, its clean citrus notes displaying clear delineation. Somewhat lean. Could do with more opulence

1999 Maison Leroy Puligny-Montrachet 1er (courtesy of Li Fern), popped and poured after hours at S S ENT, 10 Sep 2015. A definite step up in quality from the Mersault, much more evolved, displaying the lovely fragrance of white flowers and crème de la crème, still rather backward on the palate, not helped by the subdued minerality although there is some emerging complexity. Still has a long life ahead. Very fine.

2009 Maison Leroy Bourgogne rouge (courtesy of Li Fern), popped and poured after hours at S S ENT, 10 Sep 2015. Just like its white counterpart, this wine can easily stake its position as a top village or perhaps even outperforming the premier cru of some estates, offering an abundance of ripe raspberries and dark cherries imbued with mild earthy minerality, oozing with sweet tannins throughout its length. Quite excellent.

2003 Maison Leroy Savigny-les-Beaune Les Ratausses (courtesy of Li Fern), popped and poured after hours at S S ENT, 10 Sep 2015. This wine is well into its secondary development, displaying an attractive complexity of savoury characters and sweet cedar throughout its length without any trace of burnt nor burliness normally associated with this commune. Good stuff.

2002 Maison Leroy Chassagne-Montrachet 1er (courtesy of Li Fern), popped and poured after hours at S S ENT, 10 Sep 2015. One of the rare reds from Chassagne, this wine offers a gorgeous bouquet of camphor, red fruits, red roses and a hint of incense, highly attractive and complex, medium-bodied, displaying excellent depth, balance and well-defined minerality.  Almost approaching grand cru status. Excellent.

2014 Flametree chardonnay, at a Crystal Wines tasting, 12 Sep 2015. This Margaret River white took me by surprise with its delicate citrus, white flowers and crème de la crème, generous without being over-the-top, sensibly balanced and lengthy. A bargain at SGD48.

2014 Frankland Isolation Ridge Riesling, at a Crystal Wines tasting, 12 Sep 2015. Marked by a dominant and lifted note of petroleum, pleasant and fairly substantial on the palate but a tad short.

2014 Turkey Flat Butcher’s Block white, at a Crystal Wines tasting, 12 Sep 2015. Made in the style of a Rhone white, this wine offers notes of nutmeg and traces of spice from its blend of marsanne, rousanne and viognier, but somewhat lean and short.

2009 Misha’s Vineyard High Note pinot noir, at a Crystal Wines tasting, 12 Sep 2015. Highly aromatic with notes of rose petals, camphor and red cherries, fairly intense and assertive, ending on a minty note. Unashamedly New World but I’m not convinced by its balance.

2012 Flametree cabernet merlot,at a Crystal Wines tasting, 12 Sep 2015. This Margaret River red possesses an earthy pungency with a vegetal tone, far too one dimensional. Disappointing.

2012 Katnook cabernet sauvignon, at a Crystal Wines tasting, 12 Sep 2015. Not its Odyssey flagship. Plenty of ripe red fruits producing a velvety mouthfeel with vegetal and earthy overtones, rather dry at the finish. Lacks distinction.

2003 Secret Places Barossa Shiraz, at a Crystal Wines tasting, 12 Sep 2015. A fine shiraz in the Barossa tradition, medium-full, tight with plenty of plummy red fruit framed by lithe tannins. Needs time to unfold.

2013 Turkey Flat Butchers Block red, at a Crystal Wines tasting, 12 Sep 2015. Too much of vegetal and earthy forest floor character, generous proportions, almost dense but undistinguished.

1983 Silver Oak Napa Valley (courtesy of Li Fern), aired in advance at the grand opening of S S ENT, 19 Sep 2015. Poured from a double magnum, this beautiful wine is fully matured but still exciting, displaying a powerful glow that is slightly medicinal in character, leading to a complex of red plums, cinnamon, red fruits and overtones of sandalwood, absolutely harmonious, layered with great depth and opulence, developing an attractive pungency later on the nose. This is probably the finest example of a Californian cabernet that I’ve had. Outstanding.

1986 Ch Pape Clement (courtesy of Li Fern), aired in advance at the grand opening of S S ENT, 19 Sep 2015. Poured from magnum, this wine produced a powerful and intense bouquet of red fruit, dark berries, anise, ripe sweet plums and tangerine, highly promising but somewhat of a let down on the palate where it was smooth with traces of earth but lacking in weight and character.

2012 Cloudy Bay sauvignon blanc (courtesy of Li Fern), aired in advance at the grand opening of S S ENT, 19 Sep 2015. Poured from magnum, the wine possesses an unusual bouquet of intense lively citrus with notes of  longans, tropical fruits, grapefruit and a trace of nail polish, ending in a chromic finish amidst a hint of must and earth. I liked it.

1999 Maison Roche de Bellene Chambolle-Musigny (courtesy of Li Fern), aired in advance at the grand opening of S S ENT, 19 Sep 2015. Poured from magnum, this wine displayed racy aromas of red cherries and traces of enamel, let down, unfortunately, by a nondescript palate.

2004 Vega Sicilia Tinto Valbuena 5  (courtesy of Li Fern), aired in advance at the grand opening of S S ENT, 19 Sep 2015. Poured from magnum. Racy and plummy from the tempranillo but somewhat unsettled, yet to unfurl its full colors.

2007 Comte de Vogue Chambolle-Musigny 1er (courtesy of Hsiang Sui), popped and poured at the grand opening of S S ENT, 19 Sep 2015. Fresh with plenty of red fruits and some darker berries, subdued in minerality, ending with traces of spice and mint, lacking in opulence.

2013 Rockford Black Shiraz, (courtesy of Li Fern), aired in advance at the grand opening of S S ENT, 19 Sep 2015. Forward balance of dark cherries and raspberries but not in-your-face, well crafted and layered, the bubbles adding a further dimension to the sweet tannins. Will benefit from a few years of cellaring.

2011 Domaine de Marcoux Chateauneuf-du-Pape (courtesy of Li Fern), aired in advance at the grand opening of S S ENT, 19 Sep 2015. Fairly dense and weighty, as expected, with a solid core of ripe dark fruit and wild berries amidst other notes of earth, smoke and medicinal overtones, quite linear and focused. CdP lovers will appreciate this.

2005 Hestan Cabernet Sauvignon (courtesy of Li Fern), aired in advance at the grand opening of S S ENT, 19 Sep 2015. A big wine, no less, saturated with notes of tangerine and dark berries with a vegetal trace, still tight and structured but very well integrated and balanced.

2003 Silver Oak Alexander Valley, courtesy of Vic at his residence, 20 Sep 2015. This is a another beautiful wine from this estate, featuring a slight forward balance of red fruits and darker berries that is quite typical of the cabernet from Alexander Valley compared with its sister wine from Napa Valley, less structured, softer and more accessible with recessed tannins, just a tad stern at the finish but still very lovely, nonetheless.

1982 Ch Grand-Puy-Lacoste, courtesy of Kieron at Vic’s residence, 20 Sep 2015. Fully matured, this wine features the classic Pauillac character of dried tea leaves, mushrooms and wood shavings balanced against ripe dark berries and tangerine, the fruit still holding up well with sweet tannins trailing in its wake, very relaxed and open but neither as lush nor opulent compared with estates in the top tier for the same vintage. Unlikely to improve further.

2003 Barossa Valley E & E Black Pepper shiraz, popped and poured at Vic’s residence, 20 Sep 2015. The cork was truly desiccated, but the wine was, thankfully, still pristine with a forward balance of red fruits, tangerine and an exciting spark of lime in the middle, soft and plush with recessed tannins, open and layered.

2010 Ch Loudenne, at the SIA First Class lounge, Changi Airport T3, 23 Sep 2015. One of my favourite producers of the Medoc, once served on board SIA Business Class. Possesses an aromatic fragrance of ripe red fruits and dark berries but it turned out to be rather stern and monochromatic on the palate with dry dusty textures. Disappointing.

2012 Glaetzer Bishop, at the SIA First Class lounge, Changi Airport T3, 23 Sep 2015. Enticing nose recalling rich dark berries and blackcurrants. Full-bodied and warm interspersed with chocolate and spice, slightly vegetal. Lacks true complexity.

2004 Verve Clicquot, at the SIA First Class lounge, Changi Airport T3, 23 Sep 2015. Toast and yeasty overtones dominate, but far too dry and monochromatic for my liking.

2011 Joseph Faiveley Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoureuses 1er, from the restaurant list of Ma Cuisine in Beaune, 25 Sep 2015. Intense nose of red fruits and dark cherries, rather minerally and minty, well-integrated but slightly angular at the finish, not helped at all by the warm ambient temperature at this iconic restaurant. Yet to develop secondary nuances. A wasted bottle.

2003 Denis Mortet Gevrey-Chambertin En Champs, from the restaurant list of Ma Cuisine in Beaune, 25 Sep 2015. In spite of the significant bottle age, this wine is still dark with a raisiny quality, saturated with intense dark cherries amidst a spicy backdrop with trace of burnt. Lacks charm and elegance.

2010 Paul Jaboulet Aine Le Chevalier de Sterimberg, from the list of three-Michelin-starred Arpege in Paris, 28 Sep 2015. Beautiful luminous gold with rich aromas of seared caramel, buttery notes and crème de la crème, generous in the mid-body, chalky, lively with fair intensity and excellent concentration. Well-priced at EUR165.

2000 Louis Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin Clos St Jacques 1er, from the list of three-Michelin-starred Arpege in Paris, 28 Sep 2015. Dull red that belies a lovely effusive bouquet of red fruits and attractive earthy pungency, lively and vivacious, quite racy with a prominent minerally note, adding some tension that heightened the excitement. Wonderful. A relative bargain at EUR220.

2006 Kistler Hyde Vineyards “Carneros” chardonnay, courtesy of Li Fern at the soft launch of SS ENT, 11 Aug 2015. Possessing an almost cult-like following, this New World chardonnay is rich, minerally and creamy with a complex of citrus, melons, white flowers and traces of apricot and caramel, well-proportioned and balanced. Yet to peak, I suspect.

2006 Leflaive Mersault 1er Sous De Dos D’Ane, courtesy of Li Fern at the soft launch of SS ENT, 11 Aug 2015. An uncommon opportunity to taste an aged Mersault premiere cru, displaying fragrant aromas of fig and traces of plum, rewarding the palate with an aged sappy texture amidst a powerful glow of chalk and minerals, possessing lovely depth and balance.

2000 Ch Haut Bailly, courtesy of Li Fern at the soft launch of SS ENT, 11 Aug 2015.  This beautiful wine exhibits intense red plums and dark currants amidst traces of earth and forest notes, deep and glowing with sweet tannins and some early complexity, very smooth and well-balanced. I have a soft spot for the wines of Pessac-Leognan and this lovely example is still far from its peak.

1997 Silver Oak Napa Valley, courtesy of Li Fern at the soft launch of SS ENT, 11 Aug 2015. This iconic Californian cabernet has a forward balance of red fruits and dark currants of wonderful depth and concentration with textures that are open and layered, replete with arresting aromas of roses and red cherries. Excellent as it is, I don’t think this wine has hit its peak.

2001 Schloss Saarstein Serringer Saarsteiner riesling auslese, courtesy of Li Fern at the soft launch of SS ENT, 11 Aug 2015. As expected, this wine is imbued with the sweet intoxicating fragrance of nectarine, apricot and tropical fruits without being overbearing but, surprisingly, lacking in true complexity that usually comes most naturally with these Mosel whites.

2012 Follin Arbelet Aloxe Corton Clos du Chapitre 1er, courtesy of Vincent at Glen, 12 Aug 2015. This red from the southern end of the Cote de Nuits is rather straightforward with notes of  roses and raspberries amidst a faint trace of green, medium-bodied and somewhat short.

2012 JJ Chave Saint-Joseph Offerus, courtesy of Vincent at Glen, 12 Aug 2015. This Rhone offering displays an abundance of wild berries, earth and some vegetal trace, ultimately straightforward and four-square.

1995 Ch Boyd Cantenac, at a Glen tasting, 12 Aug 2015. At 20 years, this Margaux  lives up to expectations with a bouquet of perfumed incense and lovely fragrance, allied with a cool medium-bodied proposition of blueberries and some red fruits, slightly plummy.

2011 M Chapoutier La Bernardine, courtesy of Vincent at Glen, 12 Aug 2015. Medium-full with a racy blend of roses, red cherries and ripe wild berries with a mild herbal trace, supported by earthy minerality and sweet tannins. Very enjoyable.

2011 Schlossgut Diel Spatlese, popped and popped at Glen Arden, 25 Aug 2015. As expected, this wine posseses a lovely mix of nectarine, apricot, peaches and melons with an enticing sweetness, beautifully proportioned and controlled without any excess, underscored by traces of intense tropical fruit, lush and unassuming. Quite superb.

2009 Didier Dagueneau Blanc Fume De Pouilly (courtesy of Dr Wang KW), popped and poured at Glen Arden, 25 Aug 2015. This Loire Valley sauvignon blanc from a cult producer possesses an unusual but highly attractive profile of apricot, green melons and sweet citrus, medium-full with plenty of fat in the mid-body, supported by subtle chalky minerality. Fascinating.

2004 David Duband Chambolle-Musigny Les Gruenchers 1er (courtesy of Ooi CJ), popped and poured at Glen Arden, 25 Aug 2015. This wine is drinking very beautifully now, displaying arresting aromas of red cherries, camphor and fragrant rose petals allied with great purity on the palate, possessing power, finesse and elegance in equal measure. Very lovely. A great success.

2001 Ch Sociando Mallet, aired in advance for 3 hours prior at Glen Arden, 25 Aug 2015. I have read elsewhere that this particular wine is on par with premier cru grand vin on the palate. Indeed, this is no idle claim, for this wine is imbued with glorious ripe fruit recalling blueberries, dark currants, raspberries and a dash of dark cherries framed by lithe tannins, racy and exciting on the palate, displaying a level of richness and depth quite unprecedented for a Haut Medoc. Truly excellent, and may even rival the 2000 Sociando Mallet.

2004 Ch Ducru Beaucaillou, aired in advance for 3 hours prior at Glen Arden, 25 Aug 2015. Very dark. Filled with an abundance of black fruits and dark currants, displaying plenty of body, concentration and depth, oozing with sweet subtle tannins, producing a highly sophisticated mouthfeel without quite the usual dryness nor graphite quality of the Saint Julien terroir. Excellent and yet to peak, of course.

1996 Ch Calon Segur, aired in advance for 3 hours prior at Glen Arden, 25 Aug 2015. Displaying a dusky red with an evolved rim, this wine has a relaxed and open feel, featuring blueberries, ripe wild berries and a sprinkling of red cherries, noticeably dry with a hint of mushrooms and tea leaves, finishing with an after note of sweet tannins, licorice and sandalwood. At its peak, and would probably do better with proper food. You can hardly go wrong with this estate.

1990 Ch La Tour de By (courtesy of Li Fern), popped and poured at Glen Arden, 25 Aug 2015. Dusty and opague, but this wine is still well and alive, fully matured, its fruit recalling notes of raisins, cinnamon and roast with mild medicinal overtones, very mellow. Will not improve further.

2000 Robert Mondavi cabernet sauvignon, poured from magnum at Parkway Pantai Dinner & Dance, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, 29 Aug 2015. Dull dusty red, proffering some medicinal character initially that soon gave way to notes of raisins, cedar, red plums and a trace of wood, medium-full, decent in layering with ripe tannins. Unlikely to improve further although this bottle may not be entirely representative, its desiccated cork possibly implying less than pristine provenance.

Krug Grande Annee Brut, courtesy of Li Wei at her baby’s first birthday, 30 Aug 2015. Heavier in golden tint than usual for a NV, this champagne was ample on the nose and palate with notes of toast, yeasty overtones and crème de la crème, weighty with excellent concentration of fruit, forward in character, its bold dryness (typical of Krug) very well balanced against the cutting acidity from the intense citrus. Most attractive, inviting sip after sip. I couldn’t put it down. Excellent.

1996 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc (courtesy of WCY), aired in bottle for over an hour at Sichuan Dou Hua, Park Royal Hotel, 31 Aug 2015. Displaying a heavier tint with age, this wine possesses aromas of almonds, walnuts and cream with a sappy quality on the palate from the semillon component along with a hint of apricot and cinnamon, propped up by crisp acidity from the sauvignon blanc, ending on a metallic note.

2000 Domaine de Chevalier Rouge (courtesy of WCY), popped and poured at Sichuan Dou Hua, Park Royal Hotel, 31 Aug 2015. A perennial favourite of mine, this under-rated wine has mellowed considerably, its fruit and tannins more understated than before such that its classical poise, balance and quiet elegance is all the more striking, with a touch of earth. A red specially for true connoisseurs of claret.

2000 Ch Pape Clement (courtesy of WCY), aired in bottle for over an hour at Sichuan Dou Hua, Park Royal Hotel, 31 Aug 2015. Undoubtedly more exciting and fuller in body than the preceding Domaine de Chevalier of the same vintage, probably resulting from a longer hang time and higher fruit extraction, more forward in notes of blackcurrants and ripe dark berries, framed by velvety tannins. It was interesting that it mellowed considerably after another hour, regressing towards a very harmonious and homogenous balance not unlike the Domaine de Chevalier, topped with a sweet plummy glow, but not in any way superior. In fact, the Domaine de Chevalier was the more interesting wine as time went by.