Ric visits Domaine Yvon Clerget
Thibaud Clerget represents a select group of young winemakers set to dominate the world of burgundy in the near future, if it isn’t already happening. At only thirty-two, he has already made nine vintages of Domaine Yvon Clerget since 2015 (after completing several years of understudy at Henri Boillot and Hudelot-Noëllat under Charles van Canneyt). This domaine, named after Thibaud’s father, was established centuries ago in 1268 and has been with the family throughout this time. After Yvon’s retirement in 2009, the grapes were sold to Henri Boillot for the next few years until Thibaud was ready to assume leadership. When we visited this rustic property in Pommard on the morning of 25 September 2024, Thibaud had just completed the harvest, notable by now for its severely low yield. He is happy with the quality of whatever precious grapes that are available, now going through alcoholic fermentation where one could hear the quiet buzz of carbon dioxide being released from the open vats. It was good to learn that the domaine has increased its holdings to ten hectares, mostly in Volnay but there are Pommard Rugiens 1er and Clos Vougeot Grand Cru as well. Amiable and approachable, Thibaud exudes the quiet confidence of someone who knows his stuff. He trains his vines in high trellis in the style of Lalou Bize-Leroy and Charles Lachaux. His viticulture is organic but not biodynamic. He uses only 20-30% new oak. It all seems to work, for Thibaud has enjoyed considerable success right from the start. I find the wines of Domaine Yvon Clerget to be consistently pure, highly expressive and integral without calling attention to themselves, not only those that we tasted from barrel, but earlier vintages as well drunk from restaurant lists. We even tasted the newly-harvested 2024 Volnay Les Caillerets 1er undergoing alcoholic fermentation right now: it already tastes so correct even at such an infantile stage. It’s clear Thibaud has a good understanding of his methods and the results they are producing, and he is still improving year-by-year. If Thibaud can get this difficult vintage right, there is no barrier to his success. Volnay may not sound sexy but once you have experienced Domaine Yvon Clerget, you are likely to be converted. Prices are still decent but probably not for long. And, lest I forget, this is the first time I’ve experienced barrel tasting in the cellars using Zalto stemware. Yes, those must-have paper-thin glasses; thank goodness we didn’t smash any of them. Thibaud clearly sets very, very high standards for everything he does. Merci beaucoup, Thibaud!
2023 Domaine Yvon Clerget Volnay. Aromatic red fruits with darker shades on the nose. Medium-full tensile feel, structured with fine precision.
2023 Domaine Yvon Clerget Volnay En Champans 1er. Aged in new barrels. Classic pinot tint. Complex nose of rose petals tinged with ash and paraffin. Medium-weight. Lovely balance and elegance, structured with unobtrusive tannins. Bottled only in magnums.
2023 Domaine Yvon Clerget Volnay Clos du Verseuil 1er monopole. Classic pinot tint. Delicious highly expressive bouquet of rosy hues with a tinge of paraffin. Great balance, exuding delicate elegance and feminine character with harmonious warmth. Beautiful.
2023 Domaine Yvon Clerget Volnay Les Caillerets 1er. From low-yielding 95-year-old vines grown on limestone soils. Highly aromatic. Fleshy medium presence with a deeper vein of fruit. Highly integral. Delicious.
2023 Domaine Yvon Clerget Pommard Les Rugiens 1er. Grown on ferrous soil. Good colour, exuding a feminine glow of red fruits. Medium-weight. Structured with precise tannins that impart refined elegance and linearity. Good finish.
2023 Domaine Yvon Clerget Clos Vougeot Grand Cru. Lovely luminosity. Some reduction on the nose with overtones of spice and ash. Fleshy and elegant, structured with detailed tannins. Impeccably proportioned, showing great balance and linearity. Only 0.5ha.
Joseph Drouhin revisited 2024
It was a pleasure to re-visit Maison Joseph Drouhin for the third time on the morning of 23 September 2024, where we were received by no less than Monsieur Frédèric Drouhin, a highly amiable gentleman without any airs who is the current President of this prestigious domaine since it was founded by his great-great-grandfather Joseph in 1880, still located at 7 Rue d’Enfers in Beaune throughout all these years. Frédèric is highly hands-on in addition to his onerous administrative duties, evident by the fact that he had only just completed harvesting this year’s crop yesterday. The vintage of 2024 is dismal, marred by too much rainfall resulting in mildew that wiped out some 50-80% of vines throughout the Côte d’Or. Nevertheless, this sort of situation isn’t new to Frédèric, having been in the business for so long. We trooped down the steep stairs into the domine’s extensive cellars which are located directly beneath its offices. Originally constructed by the Romans two thousand years ago as a fort (an original Roman wall is still intact), the network of tunnels now holds thousands and thousands of unlabeled bottles covered in thick mould, some in very large formats, that have lain undisturbed for decades. Even Frédèric himself isn’t sure what’s inside them. Popping up again into its original chai where a huge wine press still stands, we proceeded to taste a selection of bottles from Drouhin’s extensive range. As always, the whites of Drouhin are very correctly poised, highly successful in expressing each individual terroir. Frédèric prefers a reductive style for Meursault. He would decant the Marquis de Laguiche Montrachet Grand Cru for 30-60 minutes in a long-neck wide base decanter sitting on ice. His wines are meant for those who appreciate; he doesn’t have time for fashionable young winemakers that charge an arm and a leg for a measly bottle. Merci beaucoup, Frédèric, for spending time with us and may you continue to enjoy further success at Maison Joseph Drouhin.
2019 Joseph Drouhin Côte de Beaune. Pale. Clean nose and palate of grassy elements and white fruits. Well balanced with fine intensity. A blend of declassified grapes of Clos des Mouches.
2019 Joseph Drouhin Meursault. Pale. Nose of fresh morning dew and distilled white fruit, delivering a medium palate of cool delicate elegance with refined acidity and intensity, veering towards a reductive quality. Beautifully linear, finishing with lingering mouthfeel.
2019 Joseph Drouhin Puligny-Montrachet Clos de la Garenne 1er. Pale. Highly aromatic. Slightly more fruit forward with a dash of nutmeg. Medium-full, imbued with a distinct minerally presence with sublime acidity, displaying lovely balance and freshness. Good finish. Highly elegant.
2019 Joseph Drouhin Beaune Clos des Mouches Blanc 1er. Pale. Some salinity is evident on the nose amid delicate floral elements. Very smooth on the entry, boasting a refined presence with teasing acidity that confer lovely freshness and tension. A blend of thirty-five parcels.
2018 Joseph Drouhin Pommard Chanlins-Bas 1er. Classic pinot tint. Already surprisingly open, exuding wonderful freshness with delicious rosy hues, aided by structured detailed tannins. Modest finish.
2017 Joseph Drouhin Chambolle-Musigny 1er. Good colour. Highly aromatic with a tensile fragrance though the palate is only medium-weight, rather subdued with soft tannins supported by a minerally spine. Good balance.
2017 Joseph Drouhin Beaune Clos des Mouches 1er Rouge. Classic pinot tint, proffering a highly integral glow of predominant red fruits already into secondary development. Medium-weight, boasting a concentrated elegance that exert controlled sweetness and intensity.
2016 Hospice de Beaune Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru Cuvée Maurice Drouhin. Slightly darkish in colour though there is a lovely lift of red cherries and rose petals to match an agile medium-weight palate structured with pliant tannins, tinged with a dash of salinity throughout its modest length. Distinctly feminine.
For clarets, one drinks the vintage as opposed to burgundy where one drinks the producer. This was clear when the Jürade de Saint-Émilion du Singapour convened at Buona Terra private dining on 05 September 2024 on a theme of Saint-Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé B lined up against Left Bank Second Growths. The supple silky textures of the Right Bank, always laced with a dash of sweetness, was easily identifiable, as was the deeper darker and more structured cabernet of the Left Bank. in the great vintages, both sides were equally superb. The wines, particularly those of the Left, also reflect well the less exalted vintages though the differences were less apparent in those of the Right. Through the extended passage of time, all of them still drink very well, each with its own individual merit. Many thanks, everyone.
2016 Les Cordeliers Brut, a Crémant de Bordeaux from Saint-Émilion, made from sémillon. Controlled intensity of delicate citrus fruit and fig tinged with a dash of sweetness. Rounded and well-balanced, though it could do with a bit more body. Does its job.
1986 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, courtesy of Anthony. Still quite deeply coloured, exuding a powerful bouquet of mature fruit amid distinct overtones of ash, mahogany and dried cherries. Fully developed on the beautifully proportioned palate where lead elements and bell peppers dominate, supported by a firm earthiness that imparted a masculine but relaxed tone, finishing well with a dash of pochai pills.
1999 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, courtesy of Marc. Evolved crimson, proffering a predominance of dark cherries and raspberries that leapt from the glass though it is rather narrow in spectrum on the slender palate, open with a certain dash of sweetness from its refined but gritty tannins that exert svelte intensity. Quite integral, just missing that extra dimension and opulence of the best vintages.
2008 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, courtesy of Ace. Crimson with a deep garnet core. This wine opens with an attractive reductive funkiness amid generous wafts of ripe dark berries, raspberries and violets Carried well onto the fullish palate, still coiled with plenty of verve that teasing intensity. Trace ferrous elements. Fullish. Sleek acidity tannins. Plenty of coiled energy. Teasing intensity.
1995 Château Troplong-Mondot, courtesy of Kieron. Displaying crimson hues, this wine is well into its secondary development, proffering notes of haw and medicinal elements on the nose while the medium palate is imbued with a lovely warm ripeness, softly contoured with glowing tones of mature red fruits that flesh out with superb integration. and understated elegance.
2005 Château Troplong-Mondot, courtesy of Russ. Deep purple, delivering its promise of copious velvety red fruits with a broad ripe expanse on a bed of plush tannins, perfectly balanced by a firm base of ferrous elements and refined acidity to cushion its youthful exuberance, displaying fine complexity and superb delineation throughout its length. Quite exemplary in every way.
2017 Château Troplong-Mondot. Deep purple. Restrained bouquet of dark fruits. Medium-full, the rounded tannins imparting some tension with controlled verve, displaying good balance between the ample of black fruits, understated minerality and refined acidity. Good sophistication.
1993 Château Clos Fourtet, courtesy of Jess. In spite of its brownish crimson appearance, this wine is still wonderfully fresh, exuding a very lovely complex of cinnamon, aged plums and savoury tones laced with ferrous elements within a sleek, highly harmonious medium-bodied proposition. Delicious. Not drying out. Superb!
2003 Château Canon-la-Gaffélière, courtesy of Barrie. Opaque crimson, opening with an attractive reductive funk though the fullish palate is showing well, generously endowed with ripe raspberries, wild berries and currants that exert understated intensity and acidity without any hint of the heat stress of that vintage. Highly harmonious.
2002 La Mondotte, courtesy of Raj. Deep crimson. This wine opens with a lovely complex of ripe wild berries and black berries tinged with a savoury warmth and sweetness. The masculine palate, though, is surprisingly restrained in spite of the bold layers of dark fruit, well-proportioned but rather introspective at this stage. One for the long haul.
2004 Château Rauzan-Segla, courtesy of Melvin. Deep crimson, boasting a full presence of darkish ripe fruit laced with slick acidity that teased with fleeting intensity, underscored by delicate minerality and a slight vegetal tinge that added further attraction, though one would have expected a greater extent of secondary development.
2003 Château Léoville-Barton, courtesy of Bowei. Crimson. Medium-weight. Well into its secondary development. Open with relaxed charm where the fruit, acidity and supple tannins are very evenly proportioned and integral, displaying excellent refinement and impeccable balance.
2008 Château Rauzan-Segla, courtesy of Dolly. Deep crimson, displaying youthful exuberance from its robust detailed tannins that added further dimension to its masculine but balanced proportions, teasing with cool fleeting intensity. Modest finish.
2005 Château Cos D’Estournel, courtesy of Sok Cheng. This wine opens with an elegant restraint in spite of its fullish presence, boasting deep layers of delicious dark fruit well integrated with refined detailed tannins. Very classically structured and proportioned. Highly harmonious without calling attention to itself. This will last for decades.
2011 Chapelle d’Ausone, courtesy of Kieron. Deep garnet core with a crimson rim, proffering delicious wafts of rose petals, haw and red fruits tinged with some sweetness. Well-layered with cool ripe darkish fruit, imparting supple intensity with a certain raciness tempered by a bit of pebbly brightness from its minerally depth. Worthy of sharing the same table as its grand vin, as always.
2019 Domaine William Fevre Chablis Montmains 1er, from the list of 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, 06 Aug 2024. Delicious lift of cool icing and floral fragrance. The fullish palate carries huge potential, still rather tightly coiled but there’s no denying the exquisite intensity of dense citrus laced with sublime acidity, displaying superb refinement amid some sweetish overtones. Excellent.
2018 Domaine Robert Chevillon Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Vaucrains 1er, from the list of 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, 06 Aug 2024. Dark crimson. Superb lift of red fruits and ripe dark cherries. Beautifully rounded and integrated, imbued with ample fruit that impart subtle intensity. Darkly delicious and wonderfully ripe, underscored by a slight earthy trace that became more prominent over time. A brilliant effort.
2020 Domaine Taupenot-Merme Chambolle-Musigny 1er La Combe d’Orveau, from the list of 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, 06 Aug 2024. Darkish tint of ripe dark berries that exude subtle fragrance. Beautifully rounded, richly layered with copious black fruits that gleamed with a hint of brilliant graphite beneath its rounded sheen of smooth tannins.
2022 La Vieille Ferme, at Changi Airport T2 Krisflyer Gold Lounge, 8 Aug 2024. Deep purple. Restrained nose of blueberries and dark currants. Medium-full. Good intensity of fruit, a little forwardly balanced, carrying lively acidity. Straightforward though.
2008 Château Maucamps. Aired for two hours ahead of dinner at the in-laws, 11 Aug 2024. Opaque purple. Earthy woody overtones dominate amid a fine concentration of darkish fruit imbued with vegetal elements. Good balance, though it misses the fleshy layering of the best Médoc wines.
2008 Château Larcis-Ducasse. Partially double-decanted at home followed by further decanting on-site at Cook & Brew, 19 Aug 2024. Deep garnet, proffering ripe plummy tones with mandarins amid delicious savoury overtones. Rather full and fleshy initially, the supple elegant tannins and sublime acidity exerting a very lovely taut tension that imparted excellent mouthfeel. Settled down after some time with cool intensity and emerging ferrous elements that lent a trace of austerity, morphing well with seamless integration. Approaching its peak.
2022 Stone Bay South Island Pinot Noir, from the list of Vineyard restaurant, 21 Aug 2024. Good colour. Classic nose of red plums, strawberries and cherries. Medium-full. Good balance and density ripe fruit, offering plenty of freshness and clean vibrancy without trying too hard, laced with refined tannins and acidity just bordering on terse tension.
2003 Champagne Dom Pérignon P2, courtesy of Dr WKW. Popped and poured at Jade Palace, 24 Aug 2024. Tasted blind. Pale golden. Fig, green fruits and pears dominate on the nose. The medium palate is dryish, proffering early notes of yellow citrus and pineapples with a crisp intensity, settling down eventually with fine clarity and precision, underpinned by a minerally tinge. Still wonderfully fresh and vibrant.
2017 Joseph Drouhin Chassagne-Montrachet Morgeot 1er Marquis de Laguiche. Aired in bottle for four hours ahead of dinner at Jade Palace, 24 Aug 2024. Pale golden hue. Seemingly reticent at first, taking its time to develop a glacial coolness followed by emerging creamy white tones that speak of Chassagne before unfurling a full integral palate of nutmeg, complex white fruits and slick acidity that teased with elegant intensity. Almost aristocratic.
2002 Domaine Georges Roumier Morey-Saint-Denis Clos de la Bussière 1er, courtesy of Dr WKW at Jade Palace, 24 Aug 2024. Tasted blind. Opaque crimson. Some age is evident from the slight bricking at the rim. This wine opens with deep dark plummy tones that exert a perfumed lift. The medium-full palate suggests a much younger wine, only into early secondary development where overtones of orange peel and cinnamon are seamlessly integrated with the subdued intensity of ripe dark berries, framed by elegant tannins that exude sleek acidity. Modest finish. Wonderfully harmonious.
2020 Xi Ge (西鴿) Estate No. 609, courtesy of George Wei at Jade Palace, 24 Aug 2024. Decanted on-site. A blend of cabernet sauvignon, malbec and cabernet gernischt (genetically identical to carménère) from the Helan highlands of Ningxia, China, and purportedly the preferred wine of President Xi Jinping. Deep purple, proffering a generous bouquet of raspberries and black fruits with overtones of damp pebble. Medium-full. Well crafted with warm supple intensity tinged with a bit of vegetal sternness and earthy undertones, showing good harmony and delineation. Delicious, though one would not mistake this for a Médoc. This estate, styled after Penfolds, owns a massive 2,000 hectares of vines.
2019 Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia, courtesy of George Wei at Jade Palace, 24 Aug 2024. Decanted on-site. Deep purple, proffering a generous bouquet of blueberries, violets and dark currants. Fleshy with rounded contours, imbued with ample fruit and sublime acidity that produced superb fleeting intensity with exquisite mouthfeel. Well balanced, just a tad more fruit-forward, settling down after some time with soft velvety tannins. Very expertly crafted.
1998 Château La Gomerie. Aired in bottle for four hours ahead of dinner at Jade Palace, 24 Aug 2024. Darkish purple. Dark currants and ripe wild berries dominate with an open suppleness, tinged with a dash of capsicum. Quite fleshy and generously proportioned, maintaining a darkish tone throughout its moderate length with a poised understated intensity. At its best but far from fading.
2016 Laurent Ponsot Gevrey-Chambertin Cuvée de l’Aulhe. Popped and poured over lunch at Imperial Treasure Great World, 25 Aug 2024. Displaying a very lovely ruby crimson, this wine exudes dark cherries, red fruits and ashes amid earthy balsamic elements. The medium palate is marked initially by a distinct salinity, giving way to cool elegant tones from the refined body of fruit dressed in rounded understated tannins. Totally unpretentious. Drinking well.
2019 Château de Fontenille. Aired briefly in bottle prior to dinner at San Shu Gong (New Bahru), 26 Aug 2024. Deep purple. Quite generously endowed in dark fruits and ripe wild berries with overtones of mahogany and forest characters, though the mid-palate is somewhat unresolved due to its attenuated depth.
2004 Champagne Dom Pérignon P2, courtesy of CJ at Morsels, 27 Aug 2024. Pale. Delicate lift of high-toned lemon and citrus fruit. Barely evolved on the palate, still wonderfully fresh and youthful, revealing excellent clarity as it fleshed out beautifully with a brilliant tone of elegant intensity underscored by faint ferrous elements.
2010 Domaine de L ‘Arlot Vosne-Romanée Les Suchots 1er. Aired in bottle for 150 minutes ahead of dinner at Morsels, 27 Aug 2024. Displaying an evolved pinot tint, this wine boasts an open minty tone on the nose well into its secondary development. The sleek medium palate is dominated by red plums and cherries tinged with paraffin, beautifully integral with elegant restraint and intensity within a sheen of silky smooth tannins throughout its superb length. Doesn’t quite plumb the depths but it is immensely satisfying.
2009 Domaine Pierre Damoy Chambertin Grand Cru, courtesy of John at Morsels, 27 Aug 2024. Very heavily coloured for pinot, delivering a darkish bouquet of black fruits and currants. Well extracted with a warm full ripeness though it doesn’t overwhelm the palate, exerting a supple restrained intensity of dark cherries underpinned by a minerally dash. Fairly harmonious after two hours in the glass but this is far from ready.
Kieron very generously hosted dinner at Shang Palace on 13 August 2024 on a main theme of Bordeaux where the wines, very remarkably, were still robust and singing right down to the 1966. In contrast, the Drouhin Bâtard, at ten years, was way too developed for its age in colour and tone, raising the question whether this venerable domaine is going down the same path of rapid oxidation as Leflaive. I wouldn’t have been alarmed if not for the fact that a recent bottle of 2009 Drouhin Montrachet Marquis de Laguiche had also fared poorly. You’re advised to pop and check your bottles. Many thanks, and many happy returns!
2006 Champagne Salon, courtesy of Kieron. Pale golden. This wine is still resolutely primal, exuding a superb lift of green fruits, fig and chalky elements with a crystalline tone in stark contrast to its crisp incisive intensity on the high-toned palate, underpinned by ferrous minerals. Wonderfully fresh and vibrant but probably best to refrain from popping another for the next decade.
2000 “Y” d’Yquem, courtesy of Sir Bob. Displaying a very lovely golden luminosity, this dry white proffers a medium presence of orchard fruit approaching early maturity, having shed its previous vanillin sheen to reveal a crystalline clarity beneath its burnished tone of toast and apricot, immaculately proportioned with restrained acidity.
2014 Domaine Joseph Drouhin Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru. Aired in bottle for two hours in advance. Surprisingly deep golden in colour for a ten-year-old from an outstanding vintage, raising questions about its provenance although this bottle came straight from FICOFI and has never been moved from my cellar. Consistent with its colour, this wine is more developed as well, opening with grapefruit and lychees amid weighty secondary overtones, not unlike a Leflaive. The slick medium-full palate is imbued with a prominent note of raw nutmeg that imparts a distinct spicy lift, settling down quite quickly with elegant restraint and understated verve before turning more agile with a focused intensity, finishing with muted moderate length. Are Drouhin’s whites oxidising faster than usual, like those of Leflaive?
2008 Domaine Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, courtesy of Vic. Pale. Gentle lift of honeysuckle and nutmeg on the nose. The fullish palate is very well integrated but somewhat reductive from its distinct body of highly refined minerals, proffering good clarity with delicate supple intensity that taper with fine linearity to a modest finish. Still incredibly youthful, brimming with controlled verve.
2004 Château Lafleur, courtesy of Vic. Deep crimson. This wine opens with an attractive earthiness amid overtones of warm gravel, laced with a dash of sweetness. Soft and highly pliant though there is a firm structured base of earthy tones supporting the darkish ample fruit that impart fine linearity, turning a little more intense over time.
1976 Domaine Robert Ampeau et Fils Volnay-Santenots 1er, courtesy of LF. Distinctly mature in appearance and feel, displaying an evolved pinot tint with a distant rosy fragrance, boasting a palate still remarkably full and robust, the fruit a little rustic in its autumnal ripeness, producing a gentle sweetness with overtones of lychees. Almost racy.
1982 Château La Mission Haut-Brion, courtesy of Kieron. Crimson core with some bricking at the rim, opening with a hint of capsicum amid a darkish complex of tertiary characters. Beautifully rounded and integral, its tannins much more elegant and refined compared with the 1975, boasting superb verve and plush succulence from its fleshy depth of darkish fruit that glowed with a bit of orangey brightness.
1975 Château La Mission Haut-Brion, courtesy of LF. Good colour. Rather restrained on the nose. The palate is still pretty robust, fairly crisp and somewhat angulated with an open rasping intensity on a floor of raspberries and wild berries, supported by an understated vein of stern ferrous elements. Distinctly masculine, almost rustic, still carrying plenty of verve. Far from drying out.
1966 Château Latour, courtesy of Sir Bob. Good colour. Slightly minty on the nose where dark currants, capsicum and blackberries dominate. The palate is surprisingly full and vibrant, superbly delineated and structured with elegant tannins that exert youthful intensity and fine precision. Richly layered and utterly delicious, exuding darkish overtones laced with lively acidity without any hint of dryness. This could certainly go on for a few more decades, giving the impression that it has not even peaked. Unbelievable!
2000 Château Sociando-Mallet. Aired in bottle for ninety minutes ahead of dinner at Bedrock Bar & Grill, 01 July 2024. Still quite deeply coloured, exuding a lovely glow of mature Médoc. Medium-weight with fleshy contours, imbued with a soft presence of cedar and dark currants. Well-balanced and lively, displaying fine definition with understated acidity and elegance, finishing in a mild spicy lift with a distinct salinity. Highly rewarding but will not improve further.
2005 Château Duhart-Milon. Aired in bottle for three hours with further decanting on-site at Cook & Brew, 06 July 2024. Deep crimson. Lifted bouquet of red plums and dark currants. Medium-full. Rather sleek and slender at first, gaining more weight and depth as it became more open with a hallowed glow of green capsicum, cedar and snuff box. Morphed together very well with delicious understated verve, veering a little towards some savouriness.
2021 Coldstream Hills Chardonnay. Popped and poured at Eastern House of Seafood, 20 July 2024. Pale. Green fruits, melons and fig dominate with refreshing zest from the open concentrated intensity of fruit, displaying a chalky glow with chiseled precision. Good balance and finish.
2019 Domaine Roc des Boutires Pouilly-Fuissé Aux Bouthières. Partially decanted for ninety minutes ahead of lunch at Asia Grand, 21 July 2024. Lovely luminosity. Well-integrated with gleaming chromatic tones from its excellent chalky precision. Fairly intense at first though not the reductive sort, eventually settling down with a refined cool elegance, developing a glowing finish tinged with a dash of spice. Quite classy. One can see why this plot is now 1er cru within the newly-classified Pouilly-Fuissé.
2000 Domaine de Chevalier Rouge. Partially decanted for about two hours ahead of dinner at Otto Ristorante, 24 July 2024. Beautifully perfumed nose of black fruits, dark currants and distinct capsicum with a ripe warmth. Medium-full. Subtly nuanced within its soft fleshy contours, underscored by great acidity and understated minerally and medicinal elements, developing an intense succulence over time. Nearing its peak.
2019 Château Thieuley Cuvée Francis Courselle, tasted at Vintage warehouse, 29 Jul 2024. Green fruits, fig and distant tropical fruits on the nose. Clean and refreshing with good intensity of fruit, recalling lychees. Quiet finish. A blend of sauvignon blanc and semillon made by pair of sisters.
2018 Sebastien Carreau Le Terrier Malbec, tasted at Vintage warehouse, 29 Jul 2024. This Blaye-Côtes de Bordeaux displays a deep crimson with a ripe plummy savoury nose. Subtly structured and soft though it is packed with ample fruit that impart very good intensity with a minty finish.
2020 le Puy Emilien, tasted at Vintage warehouse, 29 Jul 2024. Deep crimson. Perfumed lift of red fruits leading to a soft medium palate. Perfectly balanced with refined acidity and earthy tannins that impart a slight bitter note. Drinking very well. No new oak here.
2019 le Puy Barthélemy, tasted at Vintage warehouse, 29 Jul 2024. Deep crimson. Considerably weightier on the nose than the Emilien, matched by a layered palate yielding good detail with chewy gritty tannins that impart robust intensity.
2014 Château La Gaffélière, tasted at Vintage warehouse, 29 Jul 2024. Good colour. Lovely aromas of darkish fruit entering early secondary development, evoking feminine characters. Seductively supple with refined intensity and acidity. My second tasting of this wine in as many weeks.
2017 Les Fiefs de Lagrange, tasted at Vintage warehouse, 29 Jul 2024. Highly aromatic with a forward nose of currants and dark fruits, displaying good power with structured intensity.
2017 Château Giscours, tasted at Vintage warehouse, 29 Jul 2024. Dusky red. Powerful nose of ripe velvety fruit laced with a trace of sweetness, delivering well on the structured palate with supple intensity and attractive mouthfeel.
2014 Château Pontet Canet, tasted at Vintage warehouse, 29 Jul 2024. Richly imbued with black fruits and dark currants that impart darkish tone and colour with a brooding quality. There is a trace of sweetness on the supple medium-full, subtly structured with a lovely tensile presence though the Pauillac signature isn’t quite apparent.
2014 Château Ausone, tasted blind at Vintage warehouse, 29 Jul 2024. Crimson with a bit of evolution. The nose is a little forward but few will complain given how well the fruit blends with attractive savoury characters offset by a dash of haw and sweetish oak. Softly contoured with a rounded cool elegance, this wine exudes subtle intensity. Highly supple and integral. Doesn’t proffer much inner detail though its pedigree is unmistakable. Modest finish.
1990 Château Figeac, courtesy of Dr Ngoi at Yang Ming Seafood (Ubi), 29 Jul 2024. Poured from magnum. Brownish. Restrained nose of mature fruit with overtones of lychees. Still quite wonderfully sleek, the fruit distinctly autumnal but still fresh, dressed in silky smooth tannins with supple acidity that produced a bit of spicy lift towards its modest finish. Unlikely to improve any further.
2018 Mondot. Aired in bottle for three hours ahead of dinner at Summer Hill, 30 Jul 2024. Opaque purple. Attractive nose of blueberries and dark currants. Medium presence. Quite fleshy with slightly dryish textures initially, producing terse mouthfeel. Developed a surprising juicy intensity after some time that went well with the overall cool ripeness, proffering fine detail. Fairly delicious. Drinking well.
La Fête Nationale du Singapour 2024
This black-tie event, jointly organised by several food and wine commanderies in Singapore, took place on 15 July 2024 at Riviera restaurant to commemorate Bastille Day, where the French Ambassador was in attendance. A broader agenda was to celebrate L’Art de Vivre, loosely interpreted as the French way of living where the arts, its exquisite cuisine and its wines are pivotal cornerstones of French culture. The food was good and the wines were drinking well, leading to a gradual swell in riotous banter punctuated by several rounds of ban bourguignon as well as proclamations of the slogans of each commanderie, proving beyond doubt that the French really know how to live it up. Many thanks, Nicola, for organising.
Champagne Nicholas Feuillate Réserve Exclusive Brut NV. Light golden, proffering a lovely complex of cool icing, vanillin, fig and melons with a plush crystalline quality, displaying excellent body and presence that impart refreshing zest. Not too dry, developing further overtones of lime with exquisite intensity.
2011 Jean-Marc Brocard Chablis 1er Vau de Vey. Poured from magnum. Pale luminosity. Notes of olives, nutmeg and baked apples on the nose, underscored by a trace of earthiness as well as early secondary characters. There is a sense of fizz on the medium-full palate, dominated by a fine presence of evolved citrus laced with a minerally edge.
2014 Domaine François Gaunoux Pommard 1er Les Grands Epenots. Darkish in tone and colour, marked by raspberries and dark wild berries. Medium weight. Quite fleshy and assertive, the robust acidity imparting a tinge of menthol with some bright spots within its rustic character, proffering a glimpse of its inner layers.
2014 Château Malarctic-Lagravière Rouge. Deep garnet. Ample presence of juicy black berries and dark fruits topped by a smooth sheen of créme de la créme. Developed further cool ripe plummy tones with an elegant supple intensity. Classically structured and integral.
2014 Château La Gaffélière. Deep garnet. Some restraint on the nose though the full palate is ample in black fruits, well extracted with terse acidity that add up to a structured tensile presence. A lot more reflective of the vintage after a couple of hours, settling down with better balance and cool elegance. Still infantile.
2018 Château Bastor-Lamontagne. Golden luminosity. Hint of petroleum on the nose. The firm palate is imbued with glazed citrus and peaches, displaying moderate sweetness and intensity with distinct ferrous undertones.
Domaine de Pellehaut Ugni Blanc Armagnac, 30 ans d’Age. Clean powerful lift on the nose, leading to a sharp attack of cutting intensity and acidity. Strictly for connoisseurs.
Hiok marked his auspicious completion of the cycle of five zodiac elements with a lovely dinner at Imperial Treasure Great World on 09 July 2024 with a great line-up to match the superb cuisine. All wines were blinded. The clarets were all drinking their vintages superbly while the 1990 Sociando-Mallet stood up to the First Growths. Many happy returns!
2004 Williams Selyem Allen Vineyard Chardonnay, courtesy of Pipin. Dull golden, slightly opaque. Some oxidation is evident, exuding notes of preserved orange peel and apricot with overtones of diesel. Distinctly mature. The fruit is clearly receding, barely hanging on, giving way to a glazed minerally palate with a domineering acidity that tapered to a spicy finish.
2000 Henri Boillot Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, courtesy of Sir Bob. Golden luminosity. The bouquet is quite sublime, where distilled white tones combine with secondary chalkiness in precise fashion to produce a very lovely glow. The medium-full palate is superbly integrated across the fruit and acidity, yielding refined depth and detail with a bit of minerally finish. Beautifully proportioned. Has breed and pedigree.
2009 Joseph Drouhin Montrachet Grand Cru Marquis de Laguiche, courtesy of Kieron. Dull golden. Somewhat funky on the nose where a damp pebbly note is evident. Surprisingly more developed as well on the palate where the fruit is distinctly backward, giving way to a bright glazed tone. Not quite the usual Montrachet of Drouhin. Probably bottle variation. May not be representative.
2015 Château Mouton Rothschild Aile d’Argent, courtesy of Vic. Lovely luminosity. Powerful nose of green fruits and lychees entirely consistent with the blend of sauvignon blanc-sémillon, just a little oxidative, tinged with a note of petroleum. The fruit, however, appears to be fading off towards the finish on the medium-weight palate though there is an accentuated lift of smooth acidity with notes of vanillin and peppermint to provide enough distraction.
1990 Château Sociando-Mallet. Still fairly deep in purple. Lovely complex of mulberries, raspberries and sweet plums on the nose amid overtones of dark rose petals. Beautifully soft and rounded, imbued with moderate layers of darkish fruit within its melted tannins. Still vibrant and fresh, laced with sublime acidity. Fleshed out with near-magisterial presence, yielding fine detail and subtle nuances entirely consistent with its northern Médoc origin. Finished well. More than just a poor man’s Lafite, just missing the opulence of a true premier cru.
1986 Silver Oak Bonny’s Vineyard Napa Valley, courtesy of LF. Deep crimson. Delicious presence of mature red fruits and berries underscored by darkish earthy elements. A little forwardly balanced though offset by excellent detail and layering, fleshing out with ample depth of black fruit and currants on a bed of subtle velvety tannins laced with a trace of sweetness.
1998 Château Mouton Rothschild, courtesy of Kieron. Deep crimson. Good lift of dark currants and red fruits though the soft fleshy palate carries only medium weight, structured with smooth tannins that are a little sweet, layered with ample fruit amid subtle nuances of green capsicum. Modest finish.
1996 Château Margaux, courtesy of Vic. Deep crimson, proffering a dark plummy bouquet. Rounded and fleshy, displaying a predominance of haw and mature red fruits that coat the open medium palate with a dash of sweetness underscored by subtle minerally elements. More accentuated over time, yielding refined power within its velvety texture. At its peak and will hold.
2001 Château Mouton Rothschild. Deep crimson. Distant dark fragrances amid rosy hues on the nose, displaying medium presence of fruit with overtones of dried mushrooms. Still rather youthful, wonderfully fresh and fleshy, yielding good definition. Highly integral and unassuming.
2004 Château Latour, courtesy of Hiok. Bright purplish crimson. Profusion of red fruits on the nose and palate, still laced with traces of vanillin. The tannins have softened considerably, allowing a distinct stoniness to emerge that exude a bright pebbly quality though there is a certain aloofness that is classically Latour. Entering its drinking window, but best to cellar another 8-10 years.
1970 Château Lynch-Bages, courtesy of Sir Bob. Opaque dull red. Fleshy with a juicy succulence of mature red fruits and mandarins. Still incredibly fresh, replete with very fine acidity, displaying excellent definition throughout its length. Not drying out at all. A complete wine.
1982 Château Haut-Brion, courtesy of Pipin. Mature orangey-crimson. The wine defies all logic, its layers of darkish fruit has not lost any of its glorious tone, still amazingly fresh with a classic core of kumquat supported by sublime acidity that exude lovely verve and agility with superb definition and precision. Immaculately proportioned without calling attention to itself. Wonderfully elegant, and likely to continue to hold its station. Outstanding!
1954 Cosecha Vina Real Compania Vinivola Del Norte, courtesy of LF. Opaque brownish, exuding a pervasive but faint sweetish tinge from characters of plums, peaches and haw that emanate from the mature fruit. Still quite amazingly fresh, displaying fine clarity but the finish is short. Strictly for afficionados of old Rioja.
2019 Château Rieussec. Luminous, proffering a controlled sweetness on the nose lightly sprinkled with malt and lychees. Concentrated and slightly luscious, yet never really domineering, allowing the essence of noble rot to come through, recalling tropical characters of durian and moi chee.
The Jürade de Saint-Émilion du Singapour gathered only for the second time this year at Shang Palace on 02 July 2024 to peruse through a Château Pavie vertical, bringing back memories of our visit to this Premier Grand Cru Classé “A” in June 2019. Thrust into the spotlight largely after being bought over by Gerard Perse in 1998, the evening’s line-up, most appropriately, began from that seminal vintage. From the tasting, it is clear that the current identity of Pavie only really took off from 2000 onward, coinciding with a change in bottle shape that same year. The modern style of Pavie tends to polarise opinions but every bottle will have its eventual day. Patience, as always, is key. A big merci beaucoup to all, and to Kieron for organising.
Nyetimber Classic Cuvée, from the restaurant list. Pale. Fig, green melons and longans dominate with biscuity overtones, revealing some inner detail of tropical fruits underscored by a minerally prominence that conferred a certain austerity. Brightened up after some time with a powerful controlled intensity of lime and clear citrus, attaining a crystalline quality within a sheen of soft bubbles.
2011 Château Pavie, courtesy of Marc. Deep purple. Somewhat upfront with a bold presence of sweet vanillin and dark currants though the fleshy palate is only medium-full, softly contoured with a fair bit of velvety detail. Surprisingly mellow and elegant, firming up with a tinge of mocha and mint after some time. Well proportioned. Yet to develop secondary characters but this is quite promising.
2008 Château Pavie, courtesy of Dolly. Bright purple with a crimson core of bright plummy fruit laced with vanillin, opening with a tinge of spice on the fleshy palate before settling down with a quiet tensile presence. Very evenly proportioned, gaining further structure and power as it firmed up with exciting tannins. Good length. Very promising; may turn out to be a classic.
2006 Château Pavie, poured from a pair courtesy of Mel and Sok Cheng. Opaque purple. Lovely glow of ripe raspberries and dark currants, displaying faint secondary characters of earth, cedar and cinnamon. Medium weight, where its soft fleshy contour belies a wine still quite tightly structured across its robust tannins, refined acidity and depth of fruit.
2005 Château Pavie, courtesy of Kim Leng. Displaying a bright crimson, this wine is noticeably more developed than expected, exuding a deep funky pungency though the medium-weight palate is imbued with a controlled intensity of predominant red fruits, suitably ripe with a rounded warmth. I would say its character is consistent with my observations of the 2005 vintage on both Banks, sleeker and more developed than the 2000, as evidenced below.
2003 Château Pavie, courtesy of Kieron. Very deep garnet. This wine opens with a quiet restraint, almost brooding, though it is highly supple and mellow at the right level of ripeness. Very well proportioned and balanced, structured with very refined tannins without any hint of the intense heat stress of that vintage. Highly successful.
2000 Château Pavie, poured from a pair courtesy of Bowei (aired since 0800h!) and Russ. Opaque crimson, proffering a lifted glow of mature plummy fruit. Open and irresistibly delicious, imbued with transparent velvety textures that exude subtle fragrance from the glorious depth of fruit. Very correctly nuanced, almost to the point of being ethereal. However, it grew tighter over time, developing further layers of fruit. Compared with the 2005, the millennial vintage seems almost unevolved. Truly one for the ages.
1999 Château Pavie, courtesy of Jess. Opaque crimson. Alluring lift of haw, red fruits and rosy hues. Surprisingly taut and tensile on the palate, caressed by lovely fruit that impart disarming elegance and charm, underscored by a dash of menthol. Highly successful.
1998 Château Pavie. Opaque brownish red. Already into early tertiary development where complex dark fruits and currants are interlaced with characters of capsicum and sandalwood and overtones of Chinese medicinal elements. Medium-full. Evenly proportioned with lovely tension, exuding an exquisite controlled intensity. Aristocratic.
The usual suspects convened at Imperial Treasure Great World on 25 June 2024 for an excellent Haut-Brion vertical comprising wines mostly from the previous century. If there is an irrefutable truth, it would be that there is no such thing as a bad Haut-Brion, as borne out by that evening’s line-up and all those glorious drops I have had over the years. Merci beaucoup, gentlemen!
Champagne Ullens Brut NV. Luminous gold. Cool lift of gentle yeasty tones and white incense. Good balance. Dryish with crisp refined intensity, developing chromatic chalky tones over time with a minerally tinge.
2008 Champagne Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill, courtesy of LF. Lovely golden hue, exuding a lovely rounded bouquet matched by a crisp clear expanse of white tones within a sheen of very soft bubbles, glowing with a distilled chalky intensity. Highly refined, boasting aristocratic breed.
2018 Domaine Marc Morey et Fils Puligny-Montrachet Les Pucelles 1er, courtesy of Vic. Pale. Delicate lift of faint white floral bloom, slightly tropical, with a lovely rounded presence that offers fine clarity. Better in definition over time, well balanced with seamless white tones and cool icing.
2018 Hubert Lamy Chassagne-Montrachet Le Concis du Champs, courtesy of Kieron. Pale luminosity, proffering a general restraint with a distant salinity on the medium palate. Distinctly reductive, though it opened up with greater detail and more yellow fruits to the fore. Good balance, not heavy at all. Drinking well.
2006 Château Haut-Brion, courtesy of Sir Bob. Aired for six hours prior with further decanting on-site. Deep purple. Highly enticing bouquet of deep dark delicious currants amid traces of vanillin. Rather fullish, entering into its secondary development with early notes of kumquat, structured with svelte tannins and sublime acidity that impart sweet juicy succulence and supple intensity. Highly integral, but still youthful. Huge potential here.
1998 Château Haut-Brion. Aired in bottle for almost three hours. Deep crimson. Very inviting nose of red currants, mulberries and dark fruits, still laced with a hint of vanillin. The medium palate is open and highly supple, its sleek acidity and smooth unobtrusive tannins imparting refined intensity with a delicate lift, developing further plush textures with a characteristic inner core of kumquat. Superbly integral, though probably yet to attain peak maturity.
1995 Château Haut-Brion, courtesy of Kieron. Lovely crimson. The bouquet is absolutely stunning in its highly aromatic feminine fragrance coupled with a certain pebbly warmth. Utterly beguiling, though the open medium-weight palate is considerably more restrained, very beautifully integrated across the superb depth of fruit, slick acidity and silky tannins into an irresistible svelte succulence, maintaining a controlled verve and intensity throughout its glorious length. Probably out-drinking the 1996 at this stage. Outstanding!
1994 Château Haut-Brion, courtesy of Vic. Evolved crimson. Somewhat funky on the nose at first though the fleshy palate is absolutely pristine in every way, still rather fullish, boasting immaculate balance with an open intensity of ripe blueberries and dark currants that offer superb detail and refinement. It turned much more minerally after several hours with a prominence of earthy ferrous elements, the fruit distinctly darker in tone. Doesn’t quite possess that plush succulence of the best vintages but it is always a pleasure to re-visit this cult vintage of Haut-Brion. At its best but will not improve further.
1990 Château Haut-Brion, courtesy of Sir Bob. Displaying beautiful translucent hues of crimson, this wine opens with fragrant rosy tones that merged seamlessly with the subtle earthiness and tertiary characters caught at full maturity. Highly integral and agile, displaying elegant verve within the fluid layers of fruit. Still wonderfully fresh and vibrant. At its best and will continue to hold for many years.
1988 Château Haut-Brion, courtesy of LF. Orangey-crimson. Rather restrained at first though it evolved quite rapidly with an irresistible earthy pungency. Very elegantly agile, subtly layered with great fluidity that tapered with a bit of svelte intensity towards its fine finish. Still remarkably fresh. Doesn’t yield that much inner detail but it is highly integral, avoiding any hint of vegetal burliness that is often a symptom of this vintage.
Ric's Wine Journal 