Ric's Wine Journal

2021 Joseph Drouhin Bourgogne Rouge Laforêt from the list of Taverne du Passage, Brussels, 04 June 2024. Classic pinot tint. Medium presence of raspberries and wild berries, structured with well-delineated acidity though there is a slight stemminess. Fleshed out with keen attack and intensity with well-integrated rounded tannins, revealing a bit of inner warmth amid overtones of citrus fruits and soft rosy hues.

Pronol Cuvée No.56, at the Diamond Lounge of Brussels Airport, 06 Jun 2024. Pale luminosity. Airy nose of fig, green melons and leafy mint. Medium-weight, displaying refreshing zest with a dryish attack and intensity. Fine clarity.

Champagne Piper-Heidsieck Essentiel Brut NV, on board SQ303 BRU-SIN, 06 Jun 2024. Clear luminosity. Rounded nose of brioche and almonds. Very fine presence of citrus fruit, hazelnut and subtle minerally elements, well-integrated with good refinement and intensity. Not too dry. Flinty finish.

2022 Vickery Watervale Clare Valley Riesling, on board SQ303 BRU-SIN, 06 Jun 2024. Pale. Distinct nose of diesel. Medium weight, displaying an oily density laced with subtle acidity. Good balance. Modest finish.

2021 Joseph Drouhin Saint-Véran, on board SQ303 BRU-SIN, 06 Jun 2024. Luminous golden hues. Lovely nose of crème and chalk, a tad sweetish. Fleshy, medium presence of white fruits tinged with a dash of salinity, displaying good clarity. Modest finish.

2019 Château Croix-Mouton, on board SQ303 BRU-SIN, 06 Jun 2024. Deep garnet. Restrained bouquet of mulberries and sandalwood though the slender palate is open with a fleshy density of ripe fruit, replete with that classic Pauillac dryness. Highly integral. Modest finish. Drinking well. An astute choice.

2021 Teusner Wark Family Shiraz, on board SQ303 BRU-SIN, 06 Jun 2024. Impenetrable deep garnet, exuding classic tones of warm ripe Australian shiraz tinged with licorice and dry tobacco. Fairly integral and balanced, far from being hedonistic.

2016 Domaine Thibert Père et Fils Pouilly-Fuissé Les Ménétrères. Popped and poured at Crab At Bay, 08 Jun 2024. Pale greenish. Aromatic lift of cool melons and fig. Medium-bodied. Well-balanced and integrated, showing excellent Pouilly-Fuissé character of delicate intense citrus laced with lively acidity, finishing with a hint of minerally austerity.

1994 Château Latour. Aired in bottle for 150 minutes ahead of our 30th anniversary dinner at Imperial Treasure Great World, 09 Jun 2024. Brownish crimson. Lovely tertiary glow of mulberries, roasted walnuts, cinnamon, cedar and dark currants, imbued with lively acidity that impart exciting verve with a well-defined Pauillac character of tea leaves. Settled down quite quickly with clearer textures, morphing into a seamless entity with emerging sweet tannins that evoked some juicy succulence with a dash of delicious currants at its modest finish. Doesn’t quite possess the layering and additional dimension of the best vintages but this 1994 is still very very fine and will hold for many more years.

2013 Champagne Dom Pérignon. Popped and poured at Corner Grill for our 30th anniversary, 11 Jun 2024. Pale classic tone, proffering a generous bouquet of peaches, fig and melons. Equally ample on the full palate, dominated by a sheer density of clear citrus that impart crisp intensity and tensile acidity, layered with subtle minerally shades. Almost abrasive at this infantile stage, but clearly set for the long haul.

2019 Bernard Moreau et Fils Chassagne-Montrachet La Maltroie 1er. Aired in bottle for 150 minutes prior to dinner at Jade Palace, 13 Jun 2024. Pale. Attractive nose of vanillin and powdery white tones that is classic Chassagne. The medium palate is beautifully nuanced with icing and floral fragrance tinged with a distinct salinity, yielding fine clarity with a bit of brightness throughout its sleek length, finishing in a spicy peppery glow with a hint of green capsicum.

2020 HDV Hyde Vineyard Chardonnay, courtesy of Mr WB Tay at Jade Palace, 13 Jun 2024. Popped and poured. Pale luminosity. Rather restrained on the nose initially, only hinting at an oily density while the palate is imbued with a core of warm ripe fruit that exude a subdued lift. Gradually evolved with emerging white tones within smooth rounded satiny textures, yielding further notes of nutmeg and green capsicum as it unfurled with greater depth and layering, boasting controlled verve and elegant reserve. Highly burgundian, matching the preceding Chassagne every step of the way. Excellent.

2008 Château Haut-Bailly, courtesy of Vic at Jade Palace, 13 Jun 2024. Deep garnet. Warm bouquet of incense, heated gravel and earthy minerals. Medium-weight. Rounded and fleshy with early secondary characters, showing good balance and refinement, structured with subdued tannins that confer a certain delicate velvetiness. Drinking well.

2017 HDV Belle Cousine, courtesy of Mr WB Tay at Jade Palace, 13 Jun 2024. Deep garnet. This blend of cabernet sauvignon and merlot opens with sweet savoury tones that lead to a fleshy medium presence of dark fruits and currants, yielding fine detail within a sleek profile. Quite impeccably proportioned and balanced with a ripe supple moderate intensity, laced with sweet vanillin. Far from hedonistic. Highly successful.

2021 Coldstream Hills Chardonnay. Popped and poured at Eastern House Of Seafood, 15 Jun 2024. Pale. Cool minty lift amid intense delicate tones of clear citrus and green melons laced with high-toned acidity, yielding some inner detail. On par with a Pouilly-Fuissé.

2020 Turkey Flat Shiraz, aired in bottle for two hours prior to dinner, 16 June 2024. Deep purple. Richly imbued with ripe raspberries, mulberries, black cherries and currants on the nose and palate. Beautifully balanced and supple with a tinge of salinity, displaying controlled acidity and modest intensity amid overtones of licorice. Far from the unctuous hedonism commonly associated with Aussie shiraz.

2016 Domaine Hudelot-Noëllat Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Bas de Combes. Aired for ninety minutes in bottle ahead of lunch at Bedrock Bar & Grill, 17 Jun 2024. Dense velvety nose of ripe raspberries and mulberries. Rather fullish at first with keen acidity. Evolved into a sleeker lighter-textured proposition over time with moderate supple intensity, developing overtones of mandarins, red fruits and cherries with brighter hues. Approaching its drinking best. Punches above its station.

2009 Champagne Corbon Avize Chardonnay Grand Cru, courtesy of CJ at Putien (Kitchener), 19 Jun 2024. Pale luminosity. Effusive lift of dense yellow citrus with a lovely airiness. The fullish palate is infused with a distinct salinity amid moderate minerally elements, a little forward in its chiseled precision and dry intensity, yielding good clarity.

2012 Champagne Penet-Chardonnet Verzy Grand Cru Les Blanches Voies, courtesy of CJ at Putien (Kitchener), 19 Jun 2024. Pale luminosity, proffering a perfumed floral lift with a hint of rye and olives. Quite brightly lit with an initial focused intensity of white fruits, but it turned rather introspective and shy after some time, leaving a bit of minerally glare.

Champagne Larmandier-Bernier Rosé de Saignée Extra Brut 1er, courtesy of LF at Putien (Kitchener), 19 Jun 2024. Pale rosy hue of grapefruit and mandarins. Rather lightweight. More open over time with a trace of sweetness but it could do with more fruit.

2013 Antoine Jobard Saint-Aubin Sur le Sentier du Clou 1er, courtesy of Hock Foong at Putien (Kitchener), 19 Jun 2024. Dull golden hue, proffering early oxidative tones on the nose whilst the medium-full palate is marked by dominant high-toned acidity, leading to an intense reductive character. Became highly introspective and backward over time, leaving glacial overtones of icing and vanillin that created some glare.

2016 Domaine Daniel Rion et Fils Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Hauts Pruliers 1er. Aired in bottle for ninety minutes ahead of dinner at Putien (Kitchener), 19 Jun 2024. Good colour. Lovely nose of ripe raspberries and red cherries with a delicious lifted warmth. Medium-full. Open with supple intensity and smooth rounded tannins, underscored by a subtle plummy vein. Immaculate balance.

2017 Domaine Philippe Chéron Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Clos des Varoilles monopole, courtesy of LF at Putien (Kitchener), 19 Jun 2024. Bright crimson, showing a certain restraint with a cool velvety ripeness. The copious fruit is a little darkish, imbued with sleek acidity and a note of soy, cushioned again by that lush velvetiness that impart power and concentration. Deserves several more years of cellaring. Great potential.

2017 Domaine Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier Nuits-Saint-Georges Clos de la Marchale 1er, courtesy of CHS at Putien (Kitchener), 19 Jun 2024. Dull purplish tint, boasting a lifted elegance that carried subtle verve. Relaxed and open with that classic NSG earthiness. Medium weight. Very evenly proportioned with a fleshy delicious intensity though it faded towards its short finish.

2016 Domaine Bouchard Père et Fils Beaune Grèves Vigne de L’Enfant Jesus 1er, courtesy of Dr Ngoi at Putien (Kitchener), 19 Jun 2024. Good colour. This monopole of Bouchard boasts an excellent presence of ripe red fruits and cherries, slightly forward but undeniably delicious with a dash of sweetness. Well extracted with a focused cool intensity. Still youthful.

The usual suspects gathered at Buona Terra on 21 May 2024 on a theme of “burgs to impress”. The line-up turned out to be quite stunning where even a village could hold its ground against more exalted drops. All wines were blinded. Thank you all for your immense generosity, and to Gabrielle for the expert wine service.

2011 Domaine Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru. Pale. Nutmeg and intense clear citrus dominate amid a tinge of green capsicum that exude glowing freshness. Medium-full. Seamlessly integrated, blossoming later with exquisite intensity of dense pineapples and orchard fruit on a minerally base, settling eventually with a rounded warmth. Modest finish. A faithful representation of the vintage for burg whites.

2005 Domaine Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, courtesy of LF. Some age is evident from the dull golden hue. The lovely bouquet of cane sugar with a laidback chalkiness is most unusual for PYCM; in fact, it resembled a classic Leflaive nose! Beautifully integral, displaying exquisite intensity with a glazed creaminess of early maturity that extend all the way to a glowing finish of charcoal and ember. We tend to drink PYCMs way too young; will they all mature in this manner?

1991 Domaine Leflaive Bienvenue-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, courtesy of Sir Bob. Lovely luminosity. Unusual nose, rather distant and shy, just a suggestion of freshly struck matchstick. Distinctly reductive with a deep minerally vein supporting the structured white tones. Clearly mature but still wonderfully vibrant and full, evolving with fleeting intensity of nutmeg and green notes before moving on to longans and lychees, boasting excellent inner detail with aristocratic character throughout its length. Superb.

2020 Frédéric Cossard Morey-Saint-Denis Les Mont Luisants 1er, courtesy of Gabrielle. Bright crimson, opening with an illusion of fizz from the ample presence of juicy red fruits underpinned by a distinct earthiness. Very correctly nuanced. Bears a certain resemblance to a Prieuré Roch.

2021 Kei Shiogai Gevrey-Chambertin, courtesy of Anthony. Good colour. Alluring hues of rose petals and cherries with a vegetal tinge that taper with a focused soft intensity on the rounded medium palate, displaying an attractive fleshy presence with lovely balance and precise acidity tempered by an understated sweetness. Beautifully smooth and polished. From a Japanese who had done time at Armand Rousseau and Roulot.

2014 Domaine Comte Liger-Belair Vosne-Romanée, courtesy of Anthony. Lovely pinot tint. Focused bouquet of ripe berries and darkish rosy hues though there is considerable restraint. Softly contoured with an alluring feminine intensity, where its youthful freshness is tempered with a certain elegance. Very well-proportioned and balanced, displaying fine definition. Drinking beautifully. Easily on par with any premier cru.

2015 Domaine Georges Noëllat Nuits-Saint-Georges Aux Cras 1er. Dark in colour and tone. Effusive in black fruits with a splash of menthol and mocha. Powerfully structured though there is a certain supple warmth. Still tight and unyielding. Maxime Chuerlin may have overdone it somewhat for it resembles more of Vosne-Romanée to the north. Really took a long time to open up just a little. Not ready. The domaine’s NSG Aux Boudots 1er of the same vintage is much more persuasive.

2006 Domaine de Montille Vosne-Romanée Aux Malconsorts Christiane 1er, courtesy of Alvin. Classic pinot tint. Open with alluring soft textures where the excellent fruit is rooted by an earthy minerally vein. Rounded and elegant with very good refinement, yielding fine detail though the finish is modest. This special plot of de Montille actually slips into the southern end of La Tâche, separated from the grand cru only by a fault in the land. But it makes a difference.

2016 Domaine François Lamarche Grands Échezeaux Grand Cru, courtesy of Kieron. Darkish pinot tint, proffering a concentrated bouquet of intense dark berries with a tinge of green capsicum that carry well onto the medium-full palate, boasting precise definition of fruit, tannins and refined acidity that impart subtle intensity.

2014 Domaine du Clos de Tart Clos de Tart Grand Cru monopole, courtesy of Vic. Good colour. Very very lovely on the nose, boasting a glorious lift of top-drawer red fruits with a hint of nail varnish. Slightly velvety in texture from its detailed tannins and overtones of paraffin. Utterly beguiling and seductive. Highly elegant. Delicious.

1996 Domaine Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier Musigny Grand Cru, courtesy of LF. Dull opaque pinot tint, igniting the senses with a soft exquisite intensity of mature raspberries amidst an autumnal complex. Beautifully integrated and glowing with a certain richness and precision in its inner detail. Impeccably balanced, displaying a flowing noble elegance that is a reflection of the great man himself. Outstanding.

2018 Chain Of Ponds Adelaide Hills Morning Star Pinot Noir. Tasted from two different bottles on 01 May and 05 May, 2024. This single vineyard offering displays a slightly darkish hue for pinot though the nose and medium palate are quite correct with a fair abundance of dark cherries and rose petals, just slightly darkish in tone, tinged with a dash of plums that lend further weight, structured with smooth rounded tannins and refined acidity. Good balance. Has potential for further development. For those who are familiar with the area, this winery is just a stone’s throw from Gumeracha where the giant rocking horse is.

2010 Champagne Dom Pérignon, courtesy of Dr WKW at Imperial Treasure Great World, 08 May 2024. Displaying a lovely luminosity, this wine boasts an effusive lift of clear and yellow citrus. Appropriately tight and reductive with a coiled density of fruit that exude delicate intensity, beautifully detailed, seamlessly layered with distinct minerally elements and lemon bitters that impart a hint of austerity. Not quite as opulent as the 2002, 2004, 2006 or 2008 but its pedigree is obvious.

2018 Etienne Sauzet Puligny-Montrachet 1er Hameau de Blagny. Aired in bottle for more than two hours ahead of dinner at Imperial Treasure Great World, 08 May 2024. Pale luminosity. Gentle glowing floral fragrance, somewhat distant initially, showing a certain restraint in fruit and overall chalkiness. Took another two hours to flesh out with a slick oiliness, covering itself with glorious white tones that exert delicious intensity and exciting detail. Excellent, but patience is required.

2019 Cyprien Arlaud Vosne-Romanée Aux Réas. Aired in bottle for more than two hours ahead of dinner at Imperial Treasure Great World, 08 May 2024. Deep purple. Rose petals dominate with a hint of varnish on the nose. Highly integral at just the right level of extraction, producing a rich creamy tensile mouthfeel from the controlled intensity. Only village, but excellent.

2006 Fontanafredda Barolo La Rosa. Aired in bottle for four hours prior at the in-laws, 12 May 2024. Dull crimson. Lovely bouquet of red fruits matched by an open supple intensity, imbued with a plummy quality laced with exciting acidity. Very well balanced with refined tannins, yielding fine detail with a deeper darkish vein of fruit. No longer has that tough rusticity previously encountered.

2021 Peccavi Chardonnay. Aired in bottle for five hours prior to dinner at home, 19-20 May 2024. In spite of that, this Margaret River white was still tightly chiseled, quite intensely reductive in its minerality. It loosened up with food, becoming much broader and fleshy, boasting dense layers of white fruits and orchard with traces of vanillin whilst the nose took on an attractive floral note but still far from ready. One of my perennial favourites, I’d rate this on par with Leeuwin Estate’s Art Series Chardonnay (but at less than half the price), both requiring years of cellaring in order to do justice to their quality.

2022 Penfolds Rawson’s Retreat Chardonnay at Krisflyer Gold Lounge, Changi Terminal 3, 24 May 2024. Pale. Floral scents leading to a tight intensity of fresh citrus layered with ferrous minerals and cutting acidity amid light creamy overtones. Does its job.

2023 Peacock’s Heritage Chardonnay at the SAS Lounge, Copenhagen Lufthavnen, 28 May 2024. Pale golden hue. Keen nose of fig, nutmeg and clean white tones though the palate is only light-medium in weight, proffering some exotic spices laced with faint minerality that finished well in a peppery glow. Does its job.

2023 Vallado Duoro from the restaurant list of Cervejaria Pinóquio, Lisbon, Portugal, on 29 May 2024. Popped and poured. Pale greenish floral hues. Keen attack and intensity of green melons and fig underpinned by crisp acidity. Fleshed out with excellent body and gritty minerally subtlety after an hour. Great value at only €28.

A lofty theme of Grand Crus from producers or communes beginning with the letter “C” at a charity dinner in aid of A.B.L.E. on 17 May 2024 at Imperial Treasure Asia Square, Singapore. All wines were blinded. Dinner was preceded by a mini promenade of premier cru poured mostly from magnums. Many thanks, Sir K, for hosting!

2018 Julien Guillot Mâcon Cruzille Aragonite Clos Des Vignes Du Maynes. Poured from magnum. Pale with a musky opacity, proffering fresh pears and fig. The slightly stony palate is well integrated with subdued acidity, but a little awkward to me. Modest finish.

2021 Domaine Chavy-Chouet Puligny-Montrachet Les Ensignières 1er. Poured from magnum. Pale greenish. Aromatic lift of pineapples and honeysuckle though the fruit is rather backward and lean on the medium palate, resulting in a bit of minerally glare offset by cool acidity.

2021 Domaine Rossignol-Trapet Gevrey-Chambertin Petite Chapelle 1er. Poured from magnum. Classic pinot tint, exuding perfumed rosy aromas from the integral delicate presence. Very well proportioned and balanced, yielding superb clarity. Distinctly feminine.

2017 Domaine Jean-Claude Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet Clos Saint-Jean Rouge 1er. Poured from magnum. Good colour. Hint of varnish amid delicious detail of cherries and strawberries, exerting supple mouthfeel and intensity.

2012 Domaine Joseph Drouhin Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoureuses 1er, courtesy of Andre. Classic pinot tint. Darkish and distinctly austere. Equally dense in black fruits and minerally elements, the latter somewhat distracting even though the medium-weight palate is fairly integral. Probably a function of the vintage.

2016 Domaine Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Saint-Aubin Cuvée Marguerite 1er. Light golden. Effusive bouquet of brioche and floral elements, endowed with a generous density of clear citrus dripping with crisp acidity that impart a concentrated focused intensity, culminating in a long minerally glow.

2009 Domaine Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, courtesy of Kieron. Lovely luminosity. Abundant in rich yellow citrus, orchard fruit and pineapples that impart exquisite intensity, topped with overtones of icing and paraffin. Highly supple, underscored by superb subtle acidity that yielded fine transparency, finishing with a dash of coconut. Still far from full maturity.

2017 Domaine Comte Senard Corton Blanc Grand Cru. Restrained bouquet of white fruit. Rather understated on the whole, the fruit concentrated but pensive, displaying good clarity and integration with a lean focus. It gradually evolved with a lengthy presence of nutmeg and spices though its shy demeanour persisted.

2018 Domaine Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, courtesy of Ewen. Effusive in tropical fruits and yellow citrus, matched by a slightly reductive medium-full palate laced with a subtle ferrous tinge. More delicate and minerally over time, maintaining its lithe exuberance as it fleshed out with integral intensity. Excellent.

2014 Domaine Follin-Arbelet Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, courtesy of Barrie. Luminous golden hue. Resolutely shut even though the sleek fullish palate is endowed with a fine density of yellow citrus underscored by lively acidity that impart exciting verve.

2018 Philippe Chéron Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru. Deep purple. Delicious bouquet of dark currants and black berries that exude a dash of sweetness. The concentrated palate is darkish and structured with supple intensity, yielding youthful power with a further tinge of saline though yet to unfurl its potential layers. Well-extracted but not over the top. Not ready.

2011 Domaine Louis Jadot Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru, courtesy of Kieron. Some age is evident from the classic pinot tint. Beautifully integral, teasing the palate with elegant layers of darkish fruit imbued with refined minerality, exuding real finesse and controlled power in equal measure as its Chambertin character shone through with effortless grace. One cannot ask for more.

2001 Domaine Meo Camuzet Corton Clos Rognet Grand Cru, courtesy of Barrie. Some age is evident from the colour, though still quite robust though. The faint gentle rosy hues on the nose belies an open medium-full palate of vibrant intensity, highly integral and with exciting tannins that extend well beyond its supple length with tingling mouthfeel.

2017 Domaine Armand Rousseau Chambertin Grand Cru, courtesy of Kieron. Vibrant pinot hues, proffering a soft alluring fragrance from a velvety bed of red fruits, rose petals and ripe raspberries. Beautifully layered with great focus and definition, underpinned by a distinct minerally presence that exudes strength and refined intensity from sophisticated tannins that are perceived rather than felt. A wine that speaks to you about its terroir and vintage. Quite unbelievable that such a youthful Chambertin is already drinking so well. Superb, yet unassuming.

By now, most people may be aware that Rose & Arrow Estate began in 2012 as a collaborative effort between the late Mark Tarlov (a film producer who also started Evening Lands) and Louis-Michel Comte Liger-Belair of the eponymous domaine in Vosne-Romanée, looking to produce the best expression of Oregon pinot noir through a fastidious in-depth study of volcanic basalt soils of the Willamette Valley, largely conducted by Chilean geologist Pedro Parra along with fellow compatriot and winemaker Felipe Ramirez. By discovering the relative densities of various parts of the land through conductivity tests, Felipe has mapped out the best plots to plant their vines, each really an irregularly-shaped polygonal micro-cuvée with its own micro-terroir. While they own or farm over 60 hectares of land there, less than four percent goes into the prestigious Rose & Arrow cuvées. The estate has since ended its relationship with Comte Liger-Belair after its 2018 vintage; its viticulture and winemaking are now entirely in-house, led by Felipe Ramirez. However, the ties with Vosne-Romanée still exist in the usage of French barrels that are still flown in every year, of which about twenty-percent consists of new oak. The 2021 line-up below (the entire range of Rose & Arrow is much more extensive) was specially organised by one of the estate’s partners, Tristan Sjoberg, at Atout, Singapore, on 23 April 2024 where we were joined by Felipe himself as well as CEO Ian Lombard. After the masculine and assertive 2019s and the disastrous wildfire smoke-drenched 2020s (where only a total of 400 cases were produced), it is good to report that the 2021s appear to hark back towards the style of 2018, wines that are much more naturally balanced and elegant with unforced expression of pinot noir. The reds are largely de-stemmed, though one would never have guessed from the earthy warmth that characterised each wine. Patience is required. Many thanks, Tristan and Sir Bob!

2021 Rose & Arrow Estate Eola Springs Chardonnay. Lovely luminosity. Shut initially with just a whiff of diesel. That changed quickly into a lovely bloom of white tones and clear citrus laced with a distinct salinity, beautifully balanced with a soft feminine intensity, glowing with refined clarity amid a dash of reductive quality in its chiseled structure. Not surprising, considering that whole clusters are vinified in stainless steel tanks. From Eola-Amity at 600 feet elevation; only 125 cases (of twelve bottles) annually.

2021 Rose & Arrow Estate Riverline. Subtle darkish tones on the nose, leading to a softly contoured palate of red fruits that struck a lovely contrast against minerally undertones, displaying chiseled definition with refined energy and balance, finishing with lengthy persistence. It reminds me very much of a classic Nuits-Saint-Georges. From Chehalem Mountain at 700 feet elevation; only 99 cases annually.

2021 Rose & Arrow Estate Highland Close. Darkish tint of pinot. Rather tight on the nose though the medium-full palate is ample in raspberries and dark cherries, a little more forwardly placed but well juxtaposed against elegant tannins, morphing after some time into an integral seamless entity, stretching out with superb linearity and lithe intensity. Excellent. This should develop very well in bottle. From Chehalem Mountain at 700 feet elevation; only 138 cases annually.

2021 Rose & Arrow Estate Stonecreek. Touted as a Grand Cru equivalent, this wine opens with restrained darkish tones though it’s evident there’s plenty lurking beneath, taking its time to develop subtle layers of warm ripe fruit marked by a predominance of red plums and mulberries, structured with rounded tannins though the bracing acidity is slightly terse, developing further weight and controlled intensity with a seamless elegance. Modest finish. May need more time in bottle but it’s Highland Close that’s showing better at this stage. From Eola-Amity Hills at 450 feet elevation; only 99 cases annually.

2017 Rose & Arrow Estate Gathered Stones. Lovely colour. Very correct in every way, exuding a lifted feminine fragrance with a sense of warm gravel. Beautifully ripe and rounded, displaying exemplary balance with subtle verve and delicious detail without any hint of over-extraction, its refined tannins imparting effortless grace. Dare I say…very Vosne-like? From Eola-Amity Hills at 350 feet elevation; only 137 cases annually.

2019 Rose & Arrow Estate Gathered Stones. Darkish in colour and tone. Considerably more restrained than the 2017 though a gravelly warmth is discernible. A little more intense and fuller as well on the palate with a forward balance of darkish fruit, boasting lovely tannin structure. Distinctly masculine.

2021 Rose & Arrow Estate Gathered Stones. Good colour. Medium-full, imbued with ample depth of bright red fruits and refined acidity that impart supple intensity. Still primal but showing plenty of lovely detail and integral warmth, quite impeccably balanced without any hint of alcoholic heat. Huge promise here; will it be a 2017?

2010 Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Pruliers 1er. Aired in bottle for two hours ahead of dinner at Otto Ristorante, 02 Apr 2024. Displaying a classic pinot tint, this wine proffers a beguiling gentle fragrance of ripe strawberries and rosy hues tinged with rhubarb and floral bloom matched by brilliant red tones on the medium-full palate, boasting exciting verve from the sublime acidity and exquisite supple intensity. Very seamlessly integrated, developing more of the NSG ferrous minerality over time though still rather subtle, overshadowed by the lovely layered complexity. Highly enticing. Superb!

1999 Château Palmer. Aired in bottle for three hours ahead of dinner at Chef Chan Private Dining, 06 Apr 2024, on the occasion of M’s twenty-fifth. Deep garnet. This wine still exudes youthful intensity with some early complexity that recalled balsamic elements and cedar. Beautifully structured, vibrant and energetic, carrying layers of copious dark fruits that impart cool elegance within a frame of exciting tightly knit tannins supported by a subtle vein of minerally elements that lend an austere trace. Fairly lush, just missing that last ounce of opulence. Excellent.

2006 Fontanafredda Barolo La Rosa, aired in bottle for five hours ahead of dinner at the in-laws, 07 Apr 2024. Opaque crimson, proffering a gentle rosy fragrance of cherries and red fruits from a medium presence of velvety fruit laced with refined acidity, exerting mild supple intensity. Drinking well.

2018 Domaine Rapet Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Sous Frétille. Tasted after a brief aeration at home, 17 Apr 2024. Pale. Restrained white tones on the nose tinged with brioche. The medium palate is similarly backward, fleshing out only a little more in spite of persistent coaxing, finishing with distant overtones of nutmeg and white peppery spice. Could do with more fruit to the fore.

Champagne Louis Roederer NV at Atout, 23 Apr 2024. Pale. Bright clarity of clear citrus and lemon that exert focused dry intensity. Slightly reductive but highly inviting. Drinking well.

2021 Coldstream Hills Chardonnay. Popped and poured at Eastern House of Seafood, 26 Apr 2024. Pale. Rather reductive with a crisp chiseled tone, taking a long time to evolve eventual notes of fig, green melons and dense white citrus with a focused intensity, finishing with after notes of bitter lemon.

2020 Château Béchereau, from the list of Cafe Gavroche, 27 Apr 2024. Decanted on-site. Deep garnet. Ample in dark currants and black fruits, alluring on the nose while the gently oaked palate boasts a glowing lithe intensity laced with excellent understated acidity and unobtrusive tannins, briefly disrupted by a streak of austere minerals before morphing into a sleek integral medium-full presence, displaying lovely balance and refined intensity. Quite excellent. From the Saint-Émilion satellite of Montagne.

2018 Stags’ Leap Karia Chardonnay. Aired in bottle for two hours ahead of dinner at Yang Ming Seafood (Bishan), 30 Apr 2024. Luminous light golden hue, exuding slightly resiny tones with a hint of cinnamon. Generously proportioned with moderate depth and lithe presence, showing good refinement though the white fruits appeared to recede over time.

2018 Sandhi Patterson Santa Rita Hills Chardonnay, courtesy of LF at Yang Ming Seafood (Bishan), 30 Apr 2024. Pale. Faint nose of brioche though the palate is surprisingly full with a rounded tight intensity of citrus fruits imbued with high-toned acidity. Very refined and integral though narrow in spectrum.

2005 Müller-Catoir Haardter Burgergarten Spätlese Riesling, courtesy of Vic at Yang Ming Seafood (Bishan), 30 Apr 2024. Luminous deep golden hue. Effusive nose of white incense and paraffin. Open with moderate intensity and understated sweetness, showing lovely riesling character with an early caramelised tone.

2012 Occidental Running Fence Vineyard Cuvée Catherine, courtesy of Sir Bob at Yang Ming Seafood (Bishan), 30 Apr 2024. Forward nose of delicious raspberries, currants and mulberries. Medium-full, exerting youthful freshness and intensity.

2006 Château Léoville Las-Cases. Aired in bottle for two hours prior to dinner at Yang Ming Seafood (Bishan), 30 Apr 2024. Deep garnet. Powerful nose of early tertiary characters. Fullish with supple layers of lovely fruit that inpart sleek intensity. Highly integral, seamlessly structured with refined tannins that impart superb agility and glowing elegance thoughout its length. Excellent.

2000 Château Montrose, courtesy of Sanjay at Yang Ming Seafood (Bishan), 30 Apr 2024. Popped and poured. Deep garnet, exuding an elegant velvety fullness tinged with tobacco leaves. Generously proportioned with ample depth of black fruits that exert open supple youthful intensity, yet highly elegant and integral. Finished with glowing length. Very lovely but still far from peak maturity.

2013 Kosta Browne Keefer Ranch Russian River Pinot Noir, courtesy of LF at Yang Ming Seafood (Bishan), 30 Apr 2024. Ample presence of dark plummy fruit with pruny characters, laced with a distinct sweetness. Big and weighty, almost port-like.

A lovely dinner hosted by Sanjay at Shang Palace, Shangri-la Singapore, on 19 April 2024 on a theme of burgundy to go with the exquisite Cantonese cuisine. All the wines were showing well. As per Burgundian tradition, we drank the Montrachet last on its own. Many thanks and many happy returns!

2010 Champagne Corbon Les Bacchantes Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru, courtesy of CJ. Considerably drier and leaner than the preceding champagne, displaying a sleek high-toned linearity from the generous presence of clear citrus, imbued with subtle shades.

2008 Champagne A Margaine Villers-Marmery Blanc de Blancs 1er, courtesy of CJ. Effusive bouquet of dense yellow citrus amid gleaming chalky tones, leading to a vibrant complex of distant floral tones, incense and toast, laced with very fine ferrous elements and superb acidity that exert a lovely dry intensity, displaying refined verve and crystalline clarity. Perfectly balanced. Excellent.

2012 Champagne Dom Pérignon, courtesy of Jimmy. Pale. Clean lift of white fruits and clear citrus with airy after notes that added to its superb freshness, exerting fleeting dry intensity within a sheer sheen of delicate bubbles. Still very primal.

2009 Antoine Jobard Meursault Genevrières 1er. Lovely luminosity. Mildly reductive on the nose, exuding a whiff of pungent durians. Medium-full. Beautifully rounded and sleek, imbued with a very fine powdery texture of vanillin with a gentle splash of crème. Highly alluring and integral with lovely refinement.

1996 Domaine Robert Ampeau Père et Fils Meursault Charmes 1er, courtesy of LF. Luminous golden hue. Slightly steely and reductive on the nose. Appropriately incisive and fullish, displaying chiseled definition. Still amazingly fresh.

1999 Domaine Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, courtesy of Sanjay. Slightly heavier tint of gold, exuding rounded tones of glazed autumnal fruit with a recessed chalkiness. The medium palate is softly contoured, the fruit and acidity more subdued than anticipated, yielding excellent clarity and transparency with a relaxed, placid character. Very refined but evidently past its prime.

2014 Domaine Jean-Claude Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet Clos du Cailleret 1er, courtesy of CHS. This monopole opens with a luminous restraint, its floral white tones, nutmeg and distant chalkiness very well integrated with excellent clarity and transparency, yielding refined crystalline detail with cool aristocratic elegance.

1992 Domaine Robert Ampeau Père et Fils Volnay Santenots 1er, courtesy of LF. This wine opens with a delicate complex of mature fruit with overtones of tea leaves, cedar and savoury burnt ends. laced with a slight medicinal tinge. Still lively and fresh, elegantly structured though lean in definition with understated intensity.

2015 Domaine Georges Lignier Morey-Saint-Denis Clos des Ormes 1er. Good colour. Alluring presence of fresh strawberries and cherries that carried well on to the ample medium-full palate with gentle supple intensity, underscored by sleek acidity. Delicious. From a plot downslope of Clos de la Roche Grand Cru but on the “wrong” side of the Route des Grands Crus.

2013 Domaine Jean Grivot Vosne-Romanée Les Beaux Monts 1er, courtesy of Vic. Good colour, exuding a delicious bouquet of dark fruits. Softly contoured and feminine, displaying supple intensity with a bit of sharp attack from the pronounced acidity. A little short and straightforward, probably a function of the vintage.

2012 Domaine Dujac Vosne-Romanée Aux Malconsorts 1er, courtesy of Barrie. Classic pinot tint. This wine seduces with a sleek alluring fragrance of dark rose petals and cherries, delivering a classic rounded Dujac signature palate that is fleshy, velvety and luxuriant with understated supple intensity, imbued with seamless layers of ripe fruit underscored by a darkish vein of ferrous elements. Superb.

2002 Domaine A. F. Gros Richebourg Grand Cru, courtesy of CJ. Mature crimson. Highly aromatic in its profusion of cherries, haw, plums and peaches that seduce with elegant complexity. Fleshy but understated, boasting seamless layers of darkish fruit that flirt with fleeting intensity.

2007 Domaine Bouchard Père et Fils Montrachet Grand Cru, courtesy of Dr Ngoi. Luminous. Cool elegant veneer of white fruits and orchard, only hinting at early complexity in spite of its concentrated presence that teased with pointed sublime acidity and fleeting intensity, delicately weighted and agile. Not quite as opulent or ethereal as the 2011 or 2014 or 2017, but still poised with refined elegance, yielding fine detail. Evolving at a glacial pace.

1990 Château Suduiraut, courtesy of Sanjay. Darkly coloured. This mature Sauternes proffers an alluring sweetness with overtones of rye and medicinal malt, clearly autumnal in tone with understated acidity but still fresh, developing further notes of mature honey and apricot laced with medicinal undertones, becoming weightier over time. Ageing well.

It was back to Bordeaux and Bordeaux-blends for the usual suspects at Imperial Treasure Great World on 08 April 2024. While the wines were not as old as some of the best examples of mature claret that we’ve had in the past, the line-up that evening was drinking superbly across the different vintages. Nevertheless, evident from the pair of 1989s, they are at their best after more than three decades of careful cellaring. All wines were blinded. Many thanks!

2008 Champagne Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame, courtesy of LF. Lovely luminosity, exuding airy white tones to match the crisp acidity and intensity of clear citrus on the exuberant palate, structured with a dash of austere minerals throughout its glowing length, proffering crystalline clarity through the sheen of soft bubbles.

2005 Domaine de Chevalier Blanc. Dull golden hue, proffering a restrained chamfered chalkiness. Rather lean initially, very lightly oaked, displaying sleek refinement with excellent clarity and sublime acidity. Fleshed out over time with further undertones of caramel and roasted walnuts, developing sharper definition along with glowing white tones underscored by subtle minerally elements. Highly elegant and still rather youthful, showing only just a hint of secondary development after three hours in the glass.

2006 Dominus. Deep garnet. Restrained darkish hues permeate on the nose and medium-full palate. Generously endowed with warm ripe fruit laced with a dash of tell-tale sweetness that betrayed its New World origin. Nevertheless, its seamless integration, velvety tannins and a distinct note of soy got people into thinking Pomerol which isn’t really wrong, considering this was made by Christian Mouiex.

2000 Château Pavie, courtesy of Sir Bob. Very dark crimson. Expectedly full, generously endowed with ripe raspberries, mulberries and currants underscored by a deeper vein of intense black fruit. Morphed together very well with crisp acidity and elegant tannins but distinctly modern with a restrained exuberance, its vanillin oak still evident but subdued along with a hint of pochai pills. Still far from peak maturity.

1995 Château Margaux, courtesy of Kieron. Deep crimson. The fruit here is rather recessed, resulting in a fair degree of restraint on the nose, just faint whiffs of mature red fruits and dark berries. The medium palate displays good clarity with a lean relaxed presence, fleshing out a little better after some time though it lacks the refined opulence of the best vintages, finishing with a trace of sweetness.

1995 Château Ausone, courtesy of LF. Deep garnet core, proffering a subtle fragrance of dark currants and black berries. Fully mature. Highly supple and integral, generously endowed with seamless layers of fruit structured with detailed tannins. Still wonderfully fresh and youthful, carrying plenty of verve amid overtones of tertiary characters. This is tasting even better than before. At its best.

1989 Château Clinet, courtesy of Sir Bob. Deep crimson, proffering a delicious bouquet of currants and dark berries with a dash of crème de la crème. The fleshy palate is beautifully endowed with subtle shades of glorious fruit and tertiary characters tinged with tobacco leaf, exuding lovely definition and elegant vigour amid sublime acidity. Impeccably balanced and proportioned, and still amazingly youthful. Almost feminine. Truly a complete wine.

1989 Château Angélus, courtesy of Vic. Deep crimson at the core, proffering a distinct feminine fragrance from the superb complex of tertiary characters that exude the pure distilled essence of mature black fruits where every layer of detail may be traced with superb linearity throughout its length, yet utterly integral and seamless, underscored by elegant intensity and exquisite sweetness. Absolutely bewitching and complete. Very, very lovely, perfectly caught at peak maturity and will hold for many more decades. Truly a seminal vintage in more ways than one, for this was the year when Angélus dropped its article L’.

Madame Marie-Andrée Mugneret of Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg dropped in to Singapore (her very first visit!) where her sole agent, Alvin of Domaine Wines, wasted no time in organising a dinner at Jade Palace on 24 March 2024. Marie-Andrée still recalls our visit to her domaine in October 2018, and it was very good to see that she has not changed at all since. The wines of Mugneret-Gibourg hail from various holdings in Vosne-Romanée and Nuits-Saints-Georges totaling some 8 hectares, mostly de-stemmed during vinification. Made by an all-female team all from within the family after Marie-Andrée and her sister Marie-Christine succeeded their father Georges (who was also an ophthalmologist), one cannot help but notice that the wines tend to be a little more feminine: wines of great purity and elegance, well-proportioned with understated power and intensity. This was evident throughout the range that evening from village to grand cru. Like most burgundies, though, quantity is scarce and they command a premium. Thank you very much for visiting us, Marie-Andrée, and we hope to see you again soon.

2019 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Bourgogne Les Lutenières. Deep purple. Distant nose of raspberries and cherries. Exuberant presence of bright red fruits, displaying a warm ripeness with a hint of velvety tannins. Fairly integral with controlled intensity.

2019 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Vosne-Romanée. Good colour. More immediate in character than the preceding wine, proffering cherries and red fruits with a greater suggestion of verve. The palate displays refreshing purity of fruit with a glimpse of inner detail, carrying a moderate swell of intensity to its modest finish.

2019 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Vosne-Romanée La Colombière. From a single lieu-dit but still village, this wine is considerably deeper and darker, delivering a full bouquet of haw and rosy fragrances matched by a superb depth of glorious fruit on the busy palate, still tightly coiled but already lush and succulent, finishing with a trace of vanillin. Truly quite a special cuvée, imbued with plenty of promise.

2015 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Les Chaignots. Good colour. Soft red fruits and cherries dominate with a refined feminine intensity, though somewhat more fleeting on the medium-full palate, underscored by a deeper darker minerally vein entirely in keeping with the character of this commune. Quite vibrant and energetic, morphing together very well.

2015 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Échezeaux Grand Cru. This blend of two plots from the top slope is deep purple with an opaque darkish core, proffering a sharp lift of black cherries and currants from the ample depth of fruit that exert tremendous verve and exciting intensity, its seamlessly layered textures yielding fine inner detail with overtones of haw. Beautifully integral. Highly successful.

2011 Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru. Classic pinot tint, exuding a gentle rosy fragrance matched by a moderate presence of fruit. Well-integrated though the slick acidity is a little too distracting, shifting one’s attention away from the silky-smooth tannins. Somewhat detached and uninvolving.