Schlossgut Diel
These are notes from a dinner at Jade , Fullerton Hotel Singapore, on 7 June 2013 organised by Grand Vin with the estate’s proprietor, Herr Armin Diel, in attendance. We began with a free flow of champagne, followed by various wines from Schlossgut Diel in the order listed below, astutely paired with an exquisite cuisine showing off Jade at its best.
Louis Roederer Premier Brut NV. Lifted aromas of white flowers and yellow citrus supported by chalky minerality on the palate. Excellent body, displaying significant depth and complexity after some time. Not much of toasty oak nor yeasty notes.
2010 Schlossgut Diel Grosses Gewachs Goldloch. Single vineyard. Dash of apricot, light to medium bodied, clear and refreshing with a hint of nectarine appearing at the finish. Took on a greater intensity with food (braised birds’ nest with truffle egg white) with an explosion of flavors and tropical fruits. Good on its own, though a bit too light for me.
2007 Schlossgut Diel Cuvée Victor, a blend of 55% pinot gris and 45% pinot blanc. Lovely note of burnt caramel on the nose. Grassy, green citrus, light to medium bodied, mild gravelley finish. More harmonious as it warmed up in the glass.
2011 Schlossgut Diel Riesling Kabinett Goldloch. Lifted notes of green apples, pears and tropical fruits with a lovely sweetness. Great balance.
2011 Schlossgut Diel Riesling Spatlese Goldloch. Served bit too cold initially. Big, beautifully rounded, an abundance of nectar, apricot and honey, absolutely seamless and harmonious. Superbly balanced. A complete wine. We bought a case.
2000 Schlossgut Diel Riesling Auslese Goldloch. Deep golden, its acidity waning slightly. Deep complex bouquet with notes of nectar and honey coming through. Liquid gold on the palate with a burnished tone and a petroleum quality. Perfumed. Outstanding.
Sept 2013: 1982 Talbot, 1990 Boyd-Cantenac
2009 Vincent Girardin Gevrey-Chambertin, popped and poured at Bistro 103, 4 Sep 2013. For sure, the ripeness of the fruit in this outstanding vintage eventually emerged later, but it continued to struggle behind a veil of new wood and notes of earth and forest floor that added to the overall sense of a darker tone, whereas bright cherries with greater fat and suppleness would have served this wine better, which lacks distinction and identity at this stage. Needs more bottle time.
2010 Domaine Denis Mortet Bourgogne Cuvee de Noble Souche Rouge, popped and poured at Ming Kee Live Seafood, 6 Sep 2013. In spite of its generic status, it ticked many of the right boxes, displaying a good deal of red fruits and cherries imbued with substantial salty minerality and fat in the mid-body, weighty enough, yet delicate in balance. Possesses a lot more identity than the Bourgogne of Vincent Girardin. A steal, I’d say, at SGD48.
2004 Ch Preuille, decanted at Bedrock Bar & Grill, 9 Sep 2013. This cru bourgeois was served on board Singapore Airlines Business Class not too long ago. Didn’t seem too promising initially with substantial bottle stink. This eventually gave way to notes of cedar, blackberries and violets underscored by a fair bit of graphite minerality, carrying decent weight and depth of fruit, supple and fleshy without real complexity. A good table wine, but one is spoilt for choice at this price range.
1993 Carpineto Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, yet another two bottles popped and poured at Otto Ristorante separately 10 and 18 Sep 2013. Interestingly, each came from a different lot. One was noticeably darker and more earthy compared to the other. 
Plum, some licorice and pruny characters dominate, just lacking in sparkle and vibrancy compared to its twin, although both eventually gelled very well with further aeration and food.
2009 Domain Road pinot noir, popped and drunk over 4 hours at Jade Palace, 14 Sep 2013. It took its time to unfurl its true colors, but when it did, it was well worth waiting for, displaying an abundance of dark cherries and raspberries with lifted aromas, possessing a good deal of oiliness in the mid-body that is usually associated more with Old World burgundy from better estates, fleshy and supple, though probably just a shade more forward, betraying its New World origin. Excellent stuff for sure, but make sure to give it ample time in the glass.
2011 Wynns Coonawarra shiraz, aired in bottle for 30 minutes prior to serving at Jade Palace, 14 Sep 2013. Sometimes, I actually prefer cool climate shiraz over its warmer Barossa cousins and this bottle is a good case in point. Inky red with a hint of vermillion at the edge, generous with notes of licorice, aniseed, earth, herbs and forest floor with excellent depth of fruit without any spicy edge nor alcoholic trail in spite of its youth. Good stuff.
2006 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet (courtesy Hiok), popped and poured at Tomi (specialising in sushi), Millenia Walk Singapore, 18 Sep 2013. Saturated with chalky minerality, cream and vanilla, well-balanced against notes of white roses and delicate citrus with an added depth on the palate that is the hallmark of Leflaive, although, at this stage, it is still a tad unresolved in the mid-body, yet to develop any real complexity.
1990 Ch Boyd Cantenac, popped and poured at Tomi , 18 Sep 2013. Fully-matured, soft, medium-bodied, fleshy, the dryish tone of Bordeaux offset by notes of violets, cedar, blueberries and dark currants with substantial depth, rather more masculine than usual for a wine from Margaux. Stayed the course throughout dinner with a quiet intensity. Unlikely to improve any further, but will continue to remain at its peak for many more years. Very fine.
1982 Ch Talbot (courtesy John), aired in bottle for some time at Tomi, 18 Sep 2013. A great pleasure to finally taste a particular wine that I’ve read a lot about, for Talbot in its youth can be stern and discouraging whilst a well-aged one, not to mention from its finest vintage, is the complete opposite. A full-on assault of sweet earthy aromas is equally matched by the charm of glorious ample fruit on the palate, unashamedly old-fashioned with plenty of cedar, cinnamon and old leather in full measure, warm and expansive. No hint at all that it may drop off the cliff anytime soon. Delightful.
2007 Dog Point Section 94 sauvignon blanc, popped and poured at Choon Seng Punggol Seafood, 21 Sep 2013. Highly generous at the first whiff with effusive notes of enamel, coconut, yellow citrus, lime and a peculiar sweet pungency not unlike durian, something that I’d previously noted about this wine. Most of these passed after some time, though the wine didn’t really quite settle, the minerality a tad overwhelming almost to the point of hardness, obscuring the fruit beneath, tapering towards a hint of bitter lemon and pomelo towards the finish. My last bottle. I used to like this wine, but it seemed rather superficial now.
2009 Redvale shiraz cabernet, popped and poured at Imperial Treasure T3, 25 Sep 2013. As expected, this Aussie red is saturated with notes of enamel, varnish, vanilla, peppermint and menthol, so much so that whatever fruit lurking beneath had little chance of emerging. Smells and tastes exactly like cough syrup, just managing to avoid being outright unctuous in texture. Avoid.
2006 Seppelt Salinger pinot noir chardonnay, popped and poured at Ben’s BBQ, 27 Sep 2013. Usual notes of white citrus, green apples and pomelo in this sparkling wine, weighty and dry, the pinot noir no doubt contributing to a darker shade of smoke and steeliness in the mid-body, the wine coming across as bold but square without much complexity.
2007 Seppelt Original Sparkling Shiraz, popped and poured at Ben’s BBQ, 27 Sep 2013. Notes of dark plums, raspberries and forest floor. Carries good weight, but it would be idle to pretend that this is, in any way, equivalent to Rockford’s Black Shiraz. Straightforward, lacking in complexity, but it served the medium-rare Grade 9 marbling Kobe beef nicely.
2008 Inniskillin riesling ice wine (courtesy Jeannie), popped and poured at Ben’s BBQ, 27 Sep 2013. Very attractive dull golden hue, saturated with notes of apricot and honey with a sweet intensity that was somewhat overwhelming. Lacks the complexity and layering of its German counterpart.
Singapore Airlines Business Class Aug 2013
Some short notes about the wines served on board SQ600 Business Class on 30 Aug 2013 between Singapore and Seoul.
Bollinger Special Cuvée. Sweet lifted aromatics, a dash of honey tempered by toast, yeast, cream, vanilla and walnuts. Bright, slightly brazen and dry on the palate but possesses excellent depth and body. A lot better than Piper Hiedsieck red label. Very good.
2010 Weinhaus Ress Rheingau Riesling. Promises more on the nose than palate — apricot and caramel, nectar and a hint of sweet incense — but disappointing on the palate, only light to medium-bodied and lacking in real complexity.
2011 William Fevre Chablis. Vanilla, creme de la creme, firm flinty minerality. Medium-bodied. Could do with greater fullness and body. Good finish, though.
2009 Ch Loudenne. Saturated with dark fruits and blueberries with notes of violets, full yet highly supple and lithe in the manner that can only come from the unique terroir of Bordeaux. Very good.
2011 Torbreck Woodcutter’s Shiraz. Notes of licorice, redcurrants, forest floor, plum and fresh enamel, though milder than the usual full-bodied Barossa shiraz, finishing with the usual dash of spice and pepper.
2003 La Mission H. B., 1994 Haut Brion, 1982 Grand Puy-Lacoste, 1990 Lynch Bages, 2001 & 1985 Mouton Rothschild
These are notes from a dinner hosted by Ms Angelina Teh of Bordeaux Index in April 2013 at Jade Palace, where Angelina had kindly proferred a 1985 Mouton Rothschild, which meant that the rest of us had to up our ante as well. All reds were decanted on-site. Daniel started us off with a 1994 Bonneau du Martray Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru that seemed rather flat and angular initially as a result of being served at too cold a temparature, though one could discern the delicate citrus and flinty minerality beneath all the superficial restraint, topped by creme de la creme. 
The wine seemed to broaden over time and with food, developing greater depth along with some attractive intensity at the sides, finishing with a trace of sweetness although it could certainly do with greater fruit density and concentration to overcome the opague sheen that stubbornly remained.
Next came a pairing of the stalwarts of Pessac-Leognan. The 2003 Ch La Mission Haut-Brion (courtesy Pipin) displayed an abundance of ripe dark berries, smooth and rounded, laced with sweet velvety tannins without any trace of burnt, drinking absolutely well, very well-balanced but just coming up a bit short at the finish, and lacking in layering at this stage. The rusticity of La Mission of old has now been replaced by an unprecedented level of sophistication but at the expense, I fear, of losing its identity. However, no fear about that when it comes to its big sister Ch Haut-Brion, where the 1994 (courtesy PS) turned out to be very open and surprisingly aromatic, medium-full, vibrant with sparkling minerality, superbly harmonious and positively glowing with sexy tannins and overtones of tobacco and dried leaves, refusing to fade away long after its finish. Beautiful.
Next up came a pair of Pauillac that may qualify as the poor man’s First. The 1990 Ch Lynch-Bages, dark inky red, is still a tightly-knit wine offering a superb bouquet of graphite minerality and notes of rich black fruits, mocha and dark chocolate, displaying great intensity and layering, cloaked in sweet seductive tannins that ensured a superb mouthfeel. Utterly complex, opulent and powerful, supremely confident without the fireworks. Still yet to peak and will match up to any premier cru. Outstanding. Not to be outdone, the 1982 Ch Grand-Puy-Lacoste (courtesy John) offers any top-flight Bordeaux a run for its money, imbued with an abundance of mature ripe fruit possessing attractive sweetness, velvety tannins,
superb richness and concentration, a wine that remained open without any danger of fading, absolutely wonderful and lovely by the end of dinner.
And, finally, the piece de resistance, a pair of Mouton Rothschild. The 2001 Ch Mouton Rothschild (courtesy Kieron) was, predictably, hedonistic and full-bodied at this stage, the vanilla note from its new wood still very much in evidence, still undifferentiated and youthful but saturated with mocha, dark chocolate, toffee and graphite that led to a bittersweet finish, mellowing a little over time but still quite unyielding at this stage. In contrast, the 1985 Ch Mouton Rothschild (courtesy Angelina) is a prime example of Mouton at its best, beautifully balanced with notes of old Chinese tea leaves, dried tobacco and cigar, underscored by lovely sweetness and a dash of prunes, this bottle being much livelier than I remembered it to be when I last had a 1985 Mouton at Hiok’s place about 8-9 years ago. A tour de force to bring this beautiful dinner to a close, and my heartfelt thanks to everyone for their outstanding contributions, and to Angelina for dinner.
August 2013: 1989 Domaine de Chevalier, 1986 Leoville Poyferre, 2000 Clos Fourtet, 2000 Malartic-Lagraviere…
2005 Ch Bernadotte, popped and poured from magnum at Hsien Chieh’s wedding, 3 Aug 2013, at The Fullerton Hotel. Saturated with notes of ripe dark berries, slightly savoury with a hint of toast, prunes and mulberries on the nose, seemingly relaxed and medium-bodied on the palate initially, underscored by a dash of sweetness, before firming up with a tannic sharpness towards the end of dinner. At less than SGD100, this is a magnum that I’ll keep buying to drink.
2010 Grosset Polish Hill Riesling, popped and poured over dinner at home, 5 Aug 2013. Generous notes of citrus, lime, pomelo with a lovely lift, medium-full on the palate with a sweet intensity supported by flinty minerality, vibrant and lively. But it turned more austere and steely a few hours later in spite of refrigeration, not helped by further warming in the glass. For sure this Clare Valley riesling is capable of ageing well (a memorable 2000 comes to mind); perhaps that’s just what’s needed.
2007 Ch Macay, a Cotes de Bourg presented to me couple of years ago and stored in my office since. Popped and poured at Imperial Treasure T3, 7 Aug 2013. This label is usually marketed as a supermarket wine, but its quality blew me away. Showing a tint of vermillion, it presented highly attractive aromas of tobacco, Chinese tea leaves and toast, backed by a ripe mix of supple red and dark fruits of good concentration without any hollowness nor greenness, most remarkable for its excellent balance. Forget about Potensac. This is a real sleeper, and I’m going to hunt around for a 2005 or 2009.
2005 Ch Villars de Fontaine Les Jiromees, popped and poured at the in-laws, 10 Aug 2013. Much deeper in color now, a lovely golden hue, compared to a previous tasting four years ago, and more forthcoming as well with notes of creme de la creme, vanilla, caramel and a dash of apricot supported by clear minerality, no longer as cutting nor as crisp as before. There’s still a bit of unresolved steeliness, but there is no doubt this wine is evolving very nicely, likely to gain further weight and complexity with time. One for the long haul.
2012 Karri Oak chardonnay, at the RiSE Awards, Singhealth, 15 Aug 2013. Straightforward with tangy citrus, peach, green apples and pears, lively and refreshing. Does its job.
1986 Ch Leoville-Poyferre, decanted on-site at Keystone restaurant, 16 Aug 2013. This bottle is a lot better than a previous one, from the same case, that wasted tasted at Hiok’s residence at the start of the year. Dark vermillion in color, offering quite an abundance of cassis, plums, licorice, mocha and a dash of orangey citrus on the nose. On the palate, this wine posseses much more depth than I ever recalled with plenty of body, coupled with very fine supple tannins and acidity that is clearly receding, the wine growing in breadth and intensity over time, proving that there is still plenty of life left in it. Excellent.
2003 Ch Lagrange, over dinner at GPP’s residence, 17 Aug 2013. Popped and poured. It occurred to me that I’ve not tasted any of this St Julien estate for at least two years. Compared to some other Left Bank estates, Lagrange does not seem to betray any signs of heat stress from this terribly hot growing season. The usual notes of blueberries and dark currants dominate, the wine gelling very well on the palate, nicely structured, firm but expansive, coming across as a very correct wine. I enjoyed it, but perhaps the heat did rob the wine of much of its St Julien terroir, leaving it rather inconspicuous and characterless.
2009 Frank Phelan, at Jade Palace, 20 Aug 2013. Decanted on-site. I didn’t realise, but this is the second wine of Ch Phelan-Segur. Already highly accessible at this stage. Instead of the usual solid dense texture of young wines from ripe vintages, this wine is soft and rounded, offering notes of blueberries, violets, briar and raspberries with good transparency, layering and concentration, dryish in texture, its mild tannin very much recessed into the background. It firmed up over time, developing a quiet intensity on the palate although it remained muted on the nose. Highly-recommended.
1989 Domaine de Chevalier, decanted on-site at Otto Ristorante, 21 Aug 2013. Fully matured. Glowing with notes of orangey citrus, cherries and other red fruits with distinct salty minerality on the palate, medium-bodied, totally seamless and harmonious, still displaying very good concentration and depth of fruit, growing in intensity and weight over time, though I wouldn’t say that it is, in any way, lush nor opulent. But it is truly a connoisseur’s red, perfectly balanced, brimming with finnesse and elegance. Almost Burgundian. Has more character than a previous bottle (from the same lot) tasted two years ago. Very lovely.
1993 Carpineto Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, decanted on-site at Bedrock Bar & Grill, 23 Aug 2013, and again at Otto Ristorante, 26 Aug 2013. Regular readers will know that I’m drinking through a case of this, and I must say, in spite of full maturity, this wine is still holding up very well. Some patience is required, for it can seem rather earthy and dull at the first pour. It opened up 30-45 minutes into the meal, lightening up in texture and broadening on the palate with notes of plummy fruit and tangy orange, with darker notes of blueberries and violets adding further depth and weight, medium-full and fleshy, tapering to a lasting finish. Very good indeed.
2010 Vincent Girardin Bourgogne Cuvee St-Vincent, popped and poured at Asia Grand, 24 Aug 2013. Consistent with its house style, this wine is heavier in tone for a pinot, but the notes of dark cherries, raspberries and rose petals are unmistakably burgundian, along with some salty minerality that combined to produce substantial body, fleshing out very well. At SGD37, I’m happy to pour this anytime.
2006 Peccavi chardonnay, at The Edge, Pan Pacific Hotel, Singapore, 27 Aug 2013. Popped and poured. Compared to previous tastings 1-2 years ago, this wine has evolved significantly, a lot softer now after having lost its stony edge, delicious with generous notes of tropical fruits, yellow citrus topped by a creamy texture that added to its allure, replete with excellent depth of fruit and supported by flinty minerality. Really surpasses itself.
![20130827_202914[1]](https://winebyric.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/20130827_2029141.jpg)
2008 Louis Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin, poured from magnum at The Edge, Pan Pacific Hotel, Singapore, 27 Aug 2013. This has everything in the right place and proportion though somewhat shy on the nose, medium-bodied with notes of cherries, strawberries and other red fruits, displaying some perfumed aromatics with a touch of earth, gaining more body and depth with further aeration, slightly dry at the finish. Nothing really cerebral but definitely most enjoyable.
2003 Ch Du Tertre (courtesy John), poured from magnum at The Edge, Pan Pacific Hotel, Singapore, 27 Aug 2013. Decanted on-site for over an hour. Very lovely with lifted aromas, carrying a fine mix of red and dark fruits with excellent weight and depth of fruit, fresh and lively without any trace of burnt, perhaps a tad more masculine than usual for a Margaux but all the better for it. Du Tertre is a grossly under-rated estate, which is great for us. At less than SGD110 for a magnum, this is a no-brainer.
2000 Ch Malartic-Lagraviere (courtesy John), poured from magnum at The Edge, Pan Pacific Hotel, Singapore, 27 Aug 2013. Decanted on-site for over an hour. Quiet on the nose although the earthiness of Pessac-Leognan is unmistakable, tempered by a trace of sweet tannins, generous in body and quality, lovely in balance and temperament, on the verge of developing further complexity. Quite the perfect claret to go with any meal. Yet to peak. Very fine.
2000 Ch Clos Fourtet, at The Edge, Pan Pacific Hotel, Singapore, 27 Aug 2013. Aired in bottle for over an hour. Notably darker and heavier than the Malartic-Lagraviere above, along with tannins that are much sweeter with a pre-dominance of dark fruits and soy and a dash of cedar and sweet meat. 
Much more integrated than a previous bottle tasted some 3 years ago, though yet to peak. Hard to place in a blinded tasting, I’d imagine.
2009 Grace Vineyard cabernet sauvignon (courtesy F), off the restaurant list at The Edge, Pan Pacific Hotel, Singapore, 27 Aug 2013. Yes, it hails from one of the better-known vineyards of China (that’s right!) but don’t get your hopes too high, for this wine tastes more like a “generic” red from your Christmas hamper, a bit too light and fruit forward for it to be taken seriously as a cabernet, although it is definitely well crafted, clear and clean with aromas that are quite agreeable. Perhaps its vines need more time to gain further maturity. Will reserve judgement.
You’ve read about famous manuscripts being chucked away, hopelessly lost, only to be discovered centuries later. Well, something similar happened at RWJ, where a fully written-up account of a memorable evening by renowned oenophile and gastronomist , Dr Chiang-Yin Wong, was re-discovered this evening, buried amongst thousands of files, from the Editor’s hard drive. Read on…
The Cast
Kieron Lim: Gastronomic and Gastroenterology Registrar
Richard Chen: Consultant Male Performance Clinic (sounds a lot sexier than “Viagra Peddler”)
Victor Lim: Heart Plumber, Acting Head, Cardiology, for 2 hours (long story)
Daniel Tan: Medical Trainee, Oncology, aka ‘squirt’, passed MRCP 2A, the reason for our proceedings
Wong Chiang Yin: Recently retrenched Ag CEO
Quotes of the Night
“I think Hiok will slit his wrist when he reads about this”
“Dr Tan, your son has collapsed in a pool of First Growths!”
Introduction
The Wine List was unabashedly Burgundian (my kind of list). And since we were told that corkage would be waived on a one-for-one basis, Victor decided to get a bottle from the list. It would have to be a white (as you would soon see why) despite the protestations of Squirt “Do we need a pansy white?”. The list was dominated by Vincent Girardin, which frankly I don’t like. His wines are too manipulated and terroir doesn’t show well. Iggy concurred “it’s almost New World Burgundian. Its perfect winemaking but all his wines taste the same. But we stock a lot of it because his bottles never get sent back by the customers, especially the business people” Basically, its wines with no personality, manufactured rather than bred – but very well manufactured. We then rattled off the four Bordeaux that we had brought along for the wine. Ian was a bit stressed and got Iggy to come over and sort out the vinous conundrum that awaited. He stood there for a full two minutes, juggled the wines to and fro 3 times before settling down to a sequence on how his food would go with the wines. We sat there in silence. Never disturb a man at work. All the wines were opened at about 7:30pm and decanted and served between 8:30pm and 10:30pm. Dinner lasted four hours from 8pm till midnight.
Act 1: A Leflaive BBM off the starting blocks….
Wine #1: But something stood out from the mass of Girardins Grand Cru Whites (it has to be a GC, as you would soon see why) – a sole Domaine Leflaive Bienvenues Batard Montrachet Grand Cru 2000, the smallest GC in Puligny, but certainly no weak link in the Montrachet family of four GCs. The nose was stupendous – a symphony of yellow fruits, honey and lest you think it new worldlish, it is not. 
Reining in all this power was great minerality, acidity and a certain transparent almost ethereal structure. And this was in the nose, folks!The wine was equally mesmerizing in the mouth, a certain weight, silkiness that entwines impeccably with the fruit and acidity. Still has some way to go, notwithstanding it’s a 2000. At SGD415 (off the restaurant list of Iggy’s back in 2006, mind you – Ed), it was a bargain, thanks to Victor, our heart plumber. He now has to plumb a lot over the next few weeks. This was no pansy white. In fact, the only thing pansy at the table was Daniel’s liver (Please read on…).
Food #1 to #4: We started off with a trio of starters: a semi-cooked yolk topped with a slice of black truffle. It was heavenly stuff, the yolk was described as “a kiss on your girlfriend’s lips” by Iggy (wonder why not ‘wife’?). There was also a foie gras pate on a block of silken tofu. Refreshing approach. 
The last was somen topped with black caviar which I thought was disappointing – the somen was too sour which sort of blacked out the intricacies of the caviar (pun intended). The Tuna Carpacio topped with a drizzles of mayo and sliced aged parmesan was an elegant expression of simplicity and harmony. The freshness of the maguro was well accompanied by the salty bite of the aged parmesan and the creaminess of the mayo. Heavenly! Then we came to prawn meat steamed in dashi and shiso stock. I wasn’t too impressed with this one (probably biased because it was essentially quite easy to do, from my point of view). 
The last dish that completed our starter line-up was a pan fried snapper on a bed of miso concoction (normal plus moromi miso, I think). Again, I wasn’t too impressed but it was a good rendition of the extremely fresh snapper.
Act 2: Tweety Bird Meets Maximus
Wine #2: As usual, I brought my favourite chateau for the evening – a 1986 Ch La Mission Haut Brion. The nose was indisputably Pessac! Powerful farmyard aromas which slowly gave away to the classic La Mission description of wet granite nose. The nose leapt out at you even if you nose was a few inches away from the rim of the glass. In the mouth, power and finesse in a glass. The huge fruit and large tannins had mellowed with time into a wine of regal proportions. Only the ’82 La Mission was better, a ’76 I tasted recently was sublime but less powerful. Still very young and not at peak, at least another 10 years easy. And RP gave it only 88 points (idiot). The palate was just forever, a big wine that was lithe and luscious at the same time. As the night went on, the wine did not falter and went from strength to strength. In fact the nose got better after an hour and had the sweet tertiary notes reminiscent of the Lafite. Best of all, I have another 5 bottles.
Food #5 (Tweety Bird on Strings of Pasta): This was accompanied by roasted quail on a bed of pasta. The quail was seasoned well with spices but still not as good as the quail at Yubar at New Asia Hotel. The pasta was good, had shades of truffle oil cooked al dente. An excellent dish, simple, unpretentious and the gaminess of the quail went well with the weight of the La Mission.
Act 3: Narcotic High in a bottle. Then a Obtund Number
Wine #3: 1989 Ch Lafite Rothschild (courtesy of moi – Ed). The nose was ephemeral. A sweet anise-seed tertiary nose coupled with just the right balance of red and black fruit. So seductive it brings a man to his knees. The type of nose that makes you unknowingly want to lean back and rock the chair, only to realize Iggy’s chairs didn’t permit rocking. A certain stream of sweet note hits the back of the throat that gives you something like a narcotic high. “Gives you goose bumps” was how Kieron described it (the benefit of an English Public School Education, I suppose). We were truly waxing lyrical about this one. In the mouth, the wine was at most medium bodied, a contrast to the monolithic La Mission that preceded it. Amid the cedar and anise-seed notes, the tannins flirted with the fruit flawlessly while the acid pirouetted at the tip of the tongue. A moderately long finish. Elegance defined. This bottle was showing a lot better than the one I had opened two weeks ago after the SMA dinner (either that or I was pissed drunk two weeks ago and had no idea what I was drinking). But a note of caution here. At about 11pm, we all agreed that the wine was fading a bit in nose and flavour.
Wine #4: 1995 Ch Leoville-Las-Cases. The nose was dark fruits, toasted oak typical of the chateau. But we had opened this wine 10 years too early, quite closed, impenetrable if not inadmissible. But Iggy’s comments at the end of the dinner was instructive – he liked this best because it is an extremely well made wine with enormous potential, although the ’86 La Mission was drinking best that night. I am supposed to take some vicarious responsibility for this wine brought by Kieron. I had originally intended to bring a ’79 Margaux but thought that we should open when Hiok is back from Kimchi-Land (see what friends are for, Hiok?) You owe me at least one angio, 3 stents and an ultrasound FOC. Then I thought of the ’95 Cheval Blanc. But I thought that was too young, so I brought the ’86 La Mission. Kieron brought the ’95 Las Cases to pair with my ’95 CB but he said “I played him out”. What the heck, I stand by my choice – the La Mission was right on target that night.
Food #6: The next course was a lamb filet dish. The lamb was excellently accompanied by what I was thought was bone marrow rosemary sauce. What was exceptionally thoughtful I thought was the stuff under the lamb – the tempura-style zucchini, its lightness a perfect foil for the opulent lamb.
Act 4: Detour for VD (Victor & Daniel, Not Venereal Disease)
Our conversation turned to what makes a good white Burg. We said that often a Leflaive Village or even a Bourgogne (witness NK’s [the venerable Dr NK Yong – Ed] ’99 Bourgogne served at the SMA Wine Chapter dinner) was better than other makers’ wines of higher grade. Victor wasn’t too convinced and Daniel continued with his ‘pansy white’ rhetoric. At this juncture, the others asked me to share with them my retrenchment benefits (there are none). I asked for the wine list and alamak (colloquial language, Singapore – Ed), 1er Cru and Village lists don’t have no Leflaive….. Only Girardin….(*&^%$#@!…..) We called Iggy and asked for any Leflaive off the list (we will not be denied). Ian the sommelier was happy to report they have a bottle of 2003 Les Pucelles stashed away. Wow. What the heck, I was feeling generous.
Wine #5: Domaine Leflaive Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Les Pucelles 2005. The nose was ripe++ with honey, melon and ripe pears. Not quite as powerful and complex as the BBM of course. An almost unctuous weight with a velvety mouthfeel supported by good minerality. A long, rich finish. An atypical Les Pucelles but meant for drinking young, no doubt a result of the 2003 heatwave. Lacks acid for the long haul though but outright delicious right now. A very classy wine accessible despite its youth
Food #7: Angmoh Haemee Dry (literal translation: the Englishman’s prawn noodles without soup – Ed). Kieron then asked for Iggy’s signature Shrimp Capellini Pasta. This was true fruit de mer stuff with the shrimp leaping out at you in flavour. 
I have only tasted one version better than this – a hedonistic version at NK’s done by his wonderful wife Melina, but that’s not for sale, folks. This was a more restrained version with a linear flavour structure which blended remarkably well with the Les Pucelles. Possibly the best pairing of food and wine for the night, I thought.
Act 5: Long Live Femininity and Serving Kong Bak Sauce to Kong Bak King!
Wine #6: 1983 Ch Margaux. This was Daniel Tan’s contribution for passing MRCP 2A. (Well, actually a contribution from his father, Dr Tan Chue Tin, my ex-colleague in SMA Council. Dr Tan will forever be remembered by us as the man who left Council a few years ago and left behind a bottle of 1990 DRC Echezeaux for the rest of the Council – which sort of showed how desperate he was to get out of the rut life of a SMA Council member). Just for info, the ’83 Margaux is widely recognized to be a better wine than the ’82. And this was probably the most highly rated wine of the night. The nose was classic Margaux, supremely elegant and feminine, with notes of spice (I call that ‘fresh cut chilli’ nose, typical of the commune). Red fruit with tertiary notes of sandalwood and figs that fans out to a wide expanse on the back palate. A wine that caresses and not coats the palate and tongue. Imperceptible tannins yet possessing a clean well defined structure. Still fresh and vibrant with good acidity. Can go a long way still but why wait? An Audrey Hepburn of a Bordeaux. This was when Richard said “I think Hiok will slit his wrist when he reads about this”.
Food #8: Wagyu Beef on Kong Bak Sauce. The wine was accompanied by two thick strips of Aussie Wagyu grilled to perfection. The beef was frankly not as soft as some of the top grade Wagyu I have eaten but good enough. It was accompanied on the side with a stuffed spinach parcel. What intrigued me was the double glaze that lined the plate. Holy smoke, there was cinnamon stick and star anise in this stuff! 
It was kong bak sauce. I called Ian over – “is this kong bak sauce?’. He said “er, it’s a pinot noir reduction”…
“But got star anise and cinnamon, yes?”
“Yes, there is. Your palate very sharp”
At first, I was a bit nonplussed if not irritated. Gee, World’s No. 98 restaurant serving me kong bak sauce? I can make this by the tub. After all, I am the kong bak man (not bak chor mee man). But then again, I thought about it, the acidity of the reduced pinot and the spicy attack of the star anise and cinnamon did cut through the oiliness effortlessly like a katana through toro. At this juncture, Daniel aka “Squirt” sort of collapsed and said he was too full and can’t take the beef. Thanks kid. He had held out for as long as he could until his Margaux was served and he had finally reached the rather shallow ends of his pansy liver. 
Now, he was gone, listing against his chair like a happy penguin after a big meal and genuinely stoned. I picked up the phone and called his dad, ““Dr Tan, your son has collapsed in a pool of First Growths!” Fathers, as fathers go, panicked “Does he need me to pick him up?” What, the boy can pass MRCP 2A and cant find his way home. Naarh.
Act 6: Let’s get cheesy
Food #9: Cheese Souffle. At this juncture, we were honoured to have Iggy at our table. We revisited all the red wines we had and see how they had developed. The cheese soufflé was incredibly light and savoury, a relief of sorts from the relentless barrage of heavy flavours we have had from the last 4 main courses. Iggy polished his off like in one minute flat!
Bordeaux Wine Summary: We all concluded that it was meaningless to choose the best wine of the night. The Lafite nose in the beginning was without peer, the Margaux was a complete wine in every sense of the word and the La Mission was lusciously hedonistic that got even better and better with time. All three were grand vin – to borrow a term from Clive Coates. The ’95 Las Cases will be one too, given time.
Act 7: Driven Sweetly off the Cliff
By now, Daniel was truly gone. But we were not done yet. Kieron’s 1989 Ch Riesseuc beckoned. The half bottle was showing beautifully, – the normal acrylic nose of young Sauternes had given away to complex notes of honey, lychees and even hints of grapefruit and ginger. It was a magnificent sample of what a sauternes could be – a unctuous wine yet not cloying, refreshingly acidic at the end with complex gripping minerality.
Dessert was a again a trio of sweet bites: A scoop of vanilla ice cream that went well with the sweet pudding and a really sinful liquid centre chocolate torte (as good as Ember and Hiok’s Spinal Needle Chocolate Torte).
Epilogue
These two photos – ipsa loquitur
Barolo & Barbaresco
Bacchus kept up its steady stream of dinners with yet another gathering in the private sanctum of Garibaldi, 30 May 2013, with a bespoke menu expertly crafted by maestro Roberto. Barolo and Barbaresco aren’t exactly the most exciting wine themes one could conjure up but Bacchus, being Bacchus with its members having “been there, done that”, can afford to do away with exotic themes, preferring to concentrate on the pleasures of fine wine and great company.
We began with a 1996 Antinori Cervaro (courtesy Kieron), displaying a dull plummy color and lowish acidity with mild overtones of lacquer and laid back apricot, some nectar creeping in as it gradually warmed up, though it was just a tad too lightweight on the palate for my liking, exposing the stony minerality beneath with a fair degree of dryness. One could tell that the 1967 Ditta Giacomo Conterno Barolo from the restaurant list that followed was badly oxidized, a weird orangey-peachy color that was quite indescribable on the nose, an overwhelming powdery musty odour, the wine tasting like rust or motor oil (not that I’ve ever had those before but I’d imagine they’d come close).
Thankfully, no such further abomination was in store for the rest of the evening. The 2000 Bruno Giacoso Barbaresco, despite its alarming lightness in color, turned out well, fully matured with a soft glow of strawberries and red fruits, distinctly medium-bodied and gentle, carrying decent weight but short. It gained further weight over time, becoming beautifully developed by the end of dinner. 
Interestingly, its pairing, a 1999 Gaja Costa Russi (courtesy Pipin), was significantly darker in color and tone than the Giacoso in spite being older, generous in mint, spice, raspberries and dark cherries that added up to an attractive weightiness, exuding a lovely perfumed fragrance offset by undertones of saddle and leather. Lovely.
A pairing of Barolos brought the evening to a most satisfying conclusion. The 1985 Gaja Sori Tildin (courtesy Kieron), suitably aged and glowing with rose petals and all manner of supple red fruits, exuded a distinctly feminine character, absolutely seamless and beautifully developed although there was no mistaking the weight that comes from a Barolo. The best was saved for last, for how could one go wrong with a 1997 Gaja Sperrs (courtesy LiFern). This wine was the darkest of the lot, remarkably sweet on the nose, promising ripe sweet berries and currants and superb depth of fruit that came through on the palate, beautifully rounded and seamless, developing further notes of rose petals and licorice with a touch of forest floor, earth and a trace of smoke, framed by lithe supple tannins. Outstanding.
Prosecco di Valdobbiadene, Rizzardi, NV, at Senso Ristorante, 3 June 2013. Expectedly reliable as an aperitif, fairly generous with notes of green melons, kiwi fruit, citrus and apples, slightly grassy, supported by clear minerality that tapered to a mild metallic finish. Lively and rather inviting, I must say.
2009 Darien Crianza, from the list of Ola Cocina Del Mar, 3 June 2013. The nose was rather off-putting, the notes of kirsch, licorice, earth and burnt coming quite squarely at your face with a superficial quality that has “cheap” written all over it. However, it was saved by a decent showing on the palate, the wine’s racy and peppery character proving enough of a distraction from grapes that seemed to betray some degree of heat stress, raisiny and disjointed at times.
2001 Ch Ducru Beaucaillou, decanted on-site at La Barca, 7 June 2013. This wine is drinking perfectly well now, having hit full maturity (faster than I’d anticipated for a 2001) without shedding too much of its character. Bright vermillion with notes of red fruits, kumquat, cedar and earth on the nose, medium-bodied, dominated by an attractive salty minerality on the palate that further enhances the visceral pleasure, the wine soft and rounded, its tannins having dissipated long ago. Doesn’t quite plumb the depths, but its balance and integration is well-nigh perfect with excellent definition. A feminine Ducru (does it really matter?). Very lovely indeed.
2004 Clonakilla shiraz-viognier (courtesy Hiok), decanted on-site at Bedrock Bar & Grill, 10 June 2013. This wine has evolved quite significantly, displaying an excellent mix of racy bright shiraz – licorice, raisins, raspberries, dark currants with a hint of white pepper – tempered by traces of vanillin, citrus and perfume clearly contributed by viognier, the wine soft and fleshy with an easy feel about it, yet possessing good depth and layering. Expertly crafted, and highly successful indeed.
2005 Bruno Desaunay-Bisset Echezeaux Grand Cru, popped and poured at Crepe-des-Art, 15 June 2013. Dusty in color and feel, displaying more of salty minerality than real fruit quality, earthy and austere. I didn’t get any sense of depth, layering nor the substantial oiliness that one would expect of a Grand Cru bordering on Vosne-Romanee. Disappointing.
2010 La Puerto, a glass from Bedrock Bar and Grill, 17 June 2013, to go with its generous lunch offering of a 200g ribeye. This wine is nothing more than a straightforward malbec, typically earnest in character, fruit-forward with notes of raspberries and dark cherries, fairly intense, ending with an austere metallic note.
2010 Ch Pey La Tour, popped and poured at Imperial Treasure T3, 18 June 2013. No doubt a supermarket wine, but I was curious to find out why Decanter had lavished praise on this estate’s 2010, and the answer was clear right from the first pour. Very attractive on the nose with notes of tarry black cherries, mulberry and a dash of red fruits that carried well onto the palate with enough depth of fruit, though the graphite minerality and vanilla was enough to prevent the latter from shining, ensuring a fairly narrow body. Didn’t improve with further aeration. But it is not bad at all, considering it is only SGD18.
2009 Ch Haut Maillet, popped and poured at Porta Porta (Stanley St), a restaurant that’s extremely quaint and cosy now that its makeover has been completed, along with a revamped classy, competitive menu and excellent stemware and free corkage (for me, at least). Deep purple, weighty with forward notes of raisins, ripe berries, soy and dark currants against a warm earthy background, soft and supple at the edges and reasonably well integrated at this stage although the oak is still in the way, tapering towards an austere finish. Nothing quite distinguishing about this Pomerol, but this is the kind of petit chateaux one should seek out, particularly in fine vintages, that define the heart of Bordeaux.
Rockford Black Shiraz 2004 disgorgement, popped and poured at Ming Kee Live Seafood, 21 June 2013. At nine years, this is one of the oldest examples of this sparkling shiraz I’ve ever had, and it was just as well that I chose to pop it today, for the wine appeared distinctly matured as evidenced by the relative lack of fizz, whilst some faint bricking was already present with dominant medicinal and herbal characteristics at its core, replete with the usual licorice, steeped plums and prunes of a Barossa shiraz. It loosened up over time, lightening up in texture and filling up at the sides, striking up a good balance between the depth of fruit and the fizz, becoming more like the famous Black Shiraz that I knew and loved. Very good, but do start drinking up.
2010 Marabino Noto, off the list of La Barca, 25 June 2013. Popped and poured. 100% Nero D’Avola. In spite of it being obviously a table wine, it was surprisingly satisfying. Deep clear ruby with plenty of forward notes of red cherries and strawberries along with a bit of enamel and wild berries and spice box, displaying very good presence and weight. Obviously one doesn’t look for complexity here. Does its job.
2007 Reserve de la Comtesse (courtesy of Ben), at Imperial Treasure T3, 28 June 2013. Popped and poured. Deep purple, distinctly masculine where dark berries and black cherries are matched against a graphite minerality that gave the wine a tight and lean demeanour, though its inner core is appropriately soft and the tannins gentle. Nothing very distinctive. Can still hold for several more years.
1993 Carpineto Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva, popped and poured at Salta, 29 June 2013. Dark, with a hint of vermillion. Dense and tannic with initial medicinal and herbal notes. This eventually gave way to a more open wine characterised by plums, licorice and a tinge of orangey citrus, displaying good depth and concentration. Nothing very special and I wouldn’t bother to keep it further. Another eight bottles remaining.
Ric's Wine Journal 