2004 Ch Grand-Puy-Lacoste
This estate of Xavier Borie is fabulous during great vintages (the 1986, 1989, 1996 & 2000 are firmly etched in my mind), but it can be tannic (2001 & 2003) or leafy (1998) at other times. I’ve had the 2004 Ch Grand-Puy-Lacoste twice thus far, both times decanted over an hour from magnum bottlings sourced from Wine Culture, but with varying results.
First tasted in February 2010 at Taste Paradise, ION Orchard, where I’d brought it straight from my cellar. Highly accessible. Ruby red, with a darkish hue, giving off a lovely bouquet of sweet roasted plums, cinnamon and that dry tobacco note that exemplifies the Pauillac terroir. Medium-bodied with good grip, fleshy, surprisingly soft and transparent, yielding good depth and layering, the fruit beginning to emerge from its shell, revealing structured sweet supple tannins, finishing with a bit of mouth-puckering intensity. Yet to develop further complexity, of course, but this wine has excellent balance and poise that’s almost feminine in quality. Elegant, like a tall beautiful woman in a long flowing gown. A classic claret in every sense of the word.
However, a second tasting, again straight from cellar to restaurant, at my departmental function at Ember on 17 November 2010 turned out to be somewhat disappointng. A deep violet hue, noticeably darker and more primal in character, dominated by notes of blueberries, raspberries and sweet cassis with just a hint of wild flowers and forest floor. Still rather tight and unevolved, no doubt rich in fruit intensity and velvety tannins on the mid-palate, but lacking in the Pauillac identity, tasting more like a generic red. Definitely needs more bottle time. To be honest, I’d expected far more character, and I’m at a loss to explain the variation between the two magnums. It’d be interesting to gain the impression of a standard bottle. In the meantime, I think I’ll keep my remaining magnum much longer in cold storage.
2004 Ch Malescot St-Exupery
The wines of Ch Malescot St-Exupery seldom feature in tastings, yet this estate is one of the first to be encountered as one negotiates the winding D2 road through the heart of the little town of Margaux. I’ve only had the 1995 a few years back (with Kieron and Daniel at Wild Rocket), which I remembered was huge and almost too tannic, hardly ready for drinking. However, with my experience that the 2004 wines of the Left Bank are drinking rather well now, I decided to try a bottle of the 2004 at Otto (with a couple of Residents) on 10 Nov 2010, its relatively inexpensive price of SGD100 being a further compeling impetus. 
I only had time to double-decant it for about 30 minutes at home before hurrying off to the restaurant, where Paolo and the chef were enthusiastically showing off the new arrival of white truffles from Alba.
The wine displayed a deep luxuriant shade of purple, quite open on the nose with notes of blueberries, fragrant roses in full bloom and a trace of vanilla, although in typical Margaux fashion, it was neither wildly exuberant nor powerful in any sense, firmly in the feminine camp on the quiet side. On the palate, the wine was gentle on the entry, medium-bodied and rounded with ripe cool berries, but a bit of hollowness on the mid-palate was quite evident, eventually replaced by a rich layer of salty minerality in the mid-body, not unlike a premier cru Burgundy, fleshing out with time without any oakiness. The overall impression was one of classicism, poise and elegance, drinking well as expected, a perfect accompaniment to the excellent cuisine of mushroom soup with foie gras, pasta, and wagyu beef, each topped with 2 grams of white truffles.
It’s amazing how fast time passes, as we found ourselves back at Ming Kee Live Seafood again on 29 Oct 2010 for a combined Wards 25/48/49 dinner. This time, John had volunteered to hunt for a very decent Pauillac, so some effort was made to do a white Burgundy/red Bordeaux lineup for the senior table.
We began with a 2007 Maison Kerlann Macon Uchizy village (courtesy of LW) to go with the restaurant’s signature beehoon crab and mussels. Pale and rather flat after the initial pour, displaying a light touch of delicate citrus, thin on the palate but acerbic and sharp at the finish. It corrected itself after some time in the glass – developing more body, becoming smoother at the finish, although it was still lacking in intensity and concentration. Expectations were a lot higher for the 2004 Domaine Marc Morey Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru “Morgeot” (courtesy of PS) and it did not disappoint. Displaying a stronger hue of lemon-green, this wine was much broader on the nose with a richer and more expansive mid-body, developing a creamy texture with time and an attractive layer of smoky minerality in the middle, rather complex, finishing with a touch of grapefruit and pomelo. Very fine, but I fancy a couple of bottles I had two years ago during Christmas was a bit more complete.
The pair of Pauillac reds that followed cannot really be compared side-by-side, as they differ significantly in terroir and vintage. Nevertheless, they provided great drinking pleasure.
The 2002 Ch Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, rather dark red for the vintage, was remarkably full on the palate although the Pauillac nose only came through much later. Smooth, rounded and gentle, drinking well, just lacking in real density and depth, although it managed to put on weight as well as some biting intensity with time. My best experience with this wine, definitely much better than samples tasted in May 2009 (SMA Annual Dinner) and May 2010 (at Moomba with the Residents). In contrast, the 2001 Ch Lynch-Bages (thanks to John sourcing for this wine specially for this dinner) had a more evolved hue of crimson, and was a lot more open on the nose compared to the Lalande, the classic Pauillac notes coming through readily. The vintage’s superiority is readily apparent, displaying far greater grip on the palate, greater fullness, depth and complexity without any greeness or tendency towards toughness that is becoming associated with latter-day Lynch-Bages. Very, very attractive. Beginning to loosen up somewhat, but it’d be prudent to let it sleep for another 5 years, if you’re patient enough.
Finally, I popped a rarity – a 2004 Inniskillin Cabernet Franc Ruby Reserve ice wine that I remembered buying for SGD213 from Changi Airport’s duty-free a few years back. The fashion nowadays amongst connoiseurs is to dismiss such Canadian offerings, but those were the days when I hadn’t quite learnt about German eiswein. True enough, it is ruby red, though not quite penetrating, but certainly its aromatics are quite persuasive – generously rose-scented, very fragrant, plenty of peaches and dried red fruits reminiscent of sancha, not at all heavy or cloying. I actually enjoyed it.
Notes in brief (October 2010): 2002-3 Cullen Diana Madeline, 2006-7 Egon Muller, 2002 Kay Bros Block 6, 2004 The Relic
2007 Wooing Tree pinot noir (courtesy of PS), over lunch at Moomba. Popped and poured. A slightly heavier pinot tint than usual from this Central Otago offering. Already very open from the first pour. The bouquet expanded further after 30 minutes, with notes of brandied cherries and raspberries leaping from the glass, with a touch of damp forest floor. Medium-full, rounded with excellent density, purity and length. Highly satisfying.
2005 Ch D’Aurilhac, over lunch at Prive. Popped and poured. Deep red, with a modest bouquet of dark berries that carried well onto the palate, settling very quickly to reveal excellent levels of ripeness, weight and intensity with a solid body of minerality, just very slightly metallic and salty towards the finish, rounded at the edges without any sign of astringency in spite of its youth. Compared to my first tasting note some 3-4 months back, this wine appears to have softened and developed slightly greater depth. Excellent value.
2007 Dog Point Section 94 sauvignon blanc, during a very impropmtu happy hour in the office on 7 Oct 2010. Thankfully, I had the good sense to put this bottle in the Dept refrigerator just hours before, in case any “event” arose. Light lemon-green. Powerful bouquet, rich in exotic fruits, particularly of coconut and macadamia. This gave way after a few minutes to a full-bodied wine with notes of bitter-sweet citrus and chalky minerality, expertly balanced, finishing with lively acidity imparting a very refreshing feel to the whole wine. A highly unique sauvignon blanc – I prefer this than the 2006.
2003 Cullen Diana Madeline, at the above happy hour event. Decanted for 30 minutes before tasting. Deep purple. Initially rather reticent on the nose, but it eventually blossomed with complex intense flavours of red and dark berries tinged with a trace of marmalade and graphite, producing an unmistakable New World signature that carried well onto the palate. The tannic structure is immediately apparent upon its entry, providing firm support to the rich fruit within without threatening to overwhelm, perhaps an early sign that the wine is beginning to soften. This is much preferable than a bottle tasted in 2007 at Victor’s place, where the tannins were far too astringent then. Excellent.
2007 Egon Muller Scharzhofberger Riesling Kabinett, a half bottle (courtesy of LW) shared with Vic over a black pepper crab at Long Beach Dempsey. Pale yellow with flavours of lemongrass, lime, green apples and other citrus and a dash of tropical fruits with understated sweetness and acidity. Perhaps not a great example of Egon Muller, the wine lacking in fullness and sweep, but it served its purpose well.
2006 Cesare Pavese Barbaresco DOCG, decanted for 2 hours at a happy hour afterwork on 13 Oct 2010. Dull rusty red with a significant degree of brownish tinge. Not much on the nose, except for a mild scent of rose petals. Soft at the edges, with more of red fruits and cherries representing the nebbiolo fruit, but it was barely enough to mask the 14% alcohol, rather one-dimensional and minty without any real depth. This is a disappointment, as my initial impression at the American Club tasting (see September 2010) had been rather positive. Not much point cellaring this.
2002 Cullen Diana Madeline, popped and poured right after the disappointing Barbaresco above. Dark red, with a deep powerful nose of dark berries and blueberries, displaying excellent concentration on the palate with a dash of earthiness. Yet to come together though, the fruit noticeably disjointed from the tannic frame, imparting a sense of austerity and backwardness. This is a firm, serious wine that’s probably best left alone for at least another 5 years, although one wonders whether will it ever evolve.
2003 Ch D’Aiguilhe, a half bottle that the staff of Imperial Treasure T3 carefully decanted, without prompting. Deep purple with a slightly brighter rim. It seemed to be more open and developed than before, although there is no mistaking the high level of extraction resulting in fruit-forward notes of blueberries, dark currants, kirsch, dark chocolate and raisins amidst some gravelly minerality, ending in a mild austere finish. My last bottle, shared with PS.
2006 Egon Muller Wiltinger Braune Kupp Riesling Spatlese, shared with the wifey on 15 Oct 2010 at Jade Palace (where we learnt that Fatty eats there thrice weekly without fail). Light golden in color. Notes of nectar, honey, kiwi fruit and a dash of apricot on the nose. Medium-full on the palate, where just the right level of alcohol and understated sweetness (always a good thing) struck a lovely balance against notes of pineapple, tropical fruits and bitter citrus, lively yet elegant. The fruit began to dominate after an hour, resulting in a wine that’s rich, even and fairlyintense. Quite similar in character to another bottle tasted some months back. Excellent, but it’s my last bottle.
2005 Ch De Fieuzal, over dinner at Imperial Treasure ION, 16 Oct 2010. Very deep dark red. Rather enticing on the nose when first poured, loads of delicious dark currants and ripe fruit with a dash of vanilla without any oakiness, settling eventually with more notes of earth and toast, ad none of the banyard pungency that sometimes accompanies Pessac-Leognan wines. However, it’s somewhat flat on the palate, where the predominance of minerals and a certain ferrous quality is evident, but missing the joie de vivre that the quality fruit is capable of. Keenly priced at SGD79 from NTUC Finest, but I don’t think I’m particularly drawn to this wine.
2002 Kay Brothers Amery vineyards Block 6 shiraz, over a superb Monster Burger with bacon at Foo House with the family. Popped from the Stelvin closure and poured right away. Typically very dark red with notes of plum and licorice. Initially disjointed on the palate, where the fruit seemed to be obscured by a faint layer of alcohol. But it came together quite well after 30 minutes, more homogenous, medium-bodied with good presence, surprisingly soft at the edges, littered with spice, black pepper, smoke and a tinge of greeness at the finish. Still rather four-square without any penetrating depth. The impression is that of the winemaker being careful to avoid any excesses in the end-product, with the result that the wine, perhaps, loses some of the distinctiveness that ought to be discernible from 110-year-old vines. I think D’Arenberg and Scarpantoni still hold the aces for McLaren Vale shiraz.
2004 The Relic, a single-vineyard Barossa blend of shiraz with a small percentage of viognier, produced by The Standish Wine Company (courtesy of TEK), drunk at a department function hosted by the three Chiefs on 22 Oct 2010. Decanted for 4 hours. Beautiful deep purple, with dense overtones of licorice, plum and a powerful herbal lift from the ripe warm shiraz fruit with a layer of the vanilla and creme de la creme coming from the viognier. A wine of immense proportions without being overwhelming nor unctuous, smooth and remarkably seamless with superb oak handling, leading to a somewhat austere and medicinal finish. I didn’t realise this was rated 99 points by RP, although it’s probably 92-93 by Ric…what am I talking about?!…RWJ does not score wines!!! It’s the tasting note that counts, man. So, this is obviously a very expertly crafted wine, but I’m beginning to move away from these monsters. Only for connoiseurs of Aussie reds.
2004 Petaluma Coonawarra, drunk at a department function hosted by the 3 Chiefs on 22 Oct 2010. Popped and poured. Deep dark purple. Full-bodied, noticeably extracted, dense and rather fruit-forward, which is a shame, as it tended to obliterate the limestone minerality, robbing it of a sense of the Coonawarra terroir.
2005 Ch D’Escurac, drunk at a department function hosted by the 3 Chiefs on 22 Oct 2010. Popped and poured. This is the complete opposite of the Petaluma, the unmistable terroir of the Medoc immediately apparent from the forthcoming bouquet, extremely rich in earthy minerality in the middle without any hint of greeness with overtones of dried leaves, wood shavings and cigar box. Remarkably well-integrated, displaying excellent concentration and intensity, ending in a slightly stern finish. A superb bargain at only SGD28 from Caveau’s sale.
2005 Episode One (Michel Rolland), aired in bottle for 45 minutes at Anne’s wedding on 24 Oct 2010 at the Meritus Mandarin. Dark red, medium-bodied, showing early signs of mellowing with notes of ripe red and dark berries and some transparency appearing on the mid-palate, revealing moderate depth. Drinking very well, with room for further improvement. This wine tastes better and better each time, with this current experience being the best. I have another 5 bottles to go, and another case yet unopened.
For the first time, the Department booked out the entire Moomba restaurant to host its dinner for the junior officers. A Chef’s menu was crafted, the staff rose to the occasion most commendably, and we all had a great time, starting the evening with 5 bottles of Domaine Chandon Brut NV from the restaurant list. Very pale. Bitter-sweet with a light touch of lively citrus, not too dry. Quite broad on the palate, slightly nutty with notes of almonds and a pungent glow in a positive sense, showing very good oak integration. Not much real depth though, but enjoyable. On top of this, I also brought a Billecart-Salmon Rose NV for my table, the second time I’ve had this within a week. Rather flat initially with more nutty and woody overtones, the commendable minerality coming on only much later, laced with sweet citrus. Not as impressive as the earlier sample a few days prior at Jade Palace, I’m afraid. Following this, we had the 2007 Joh Jos Prum Wehlener-Sonnenuhr Spatlese to go with the scallop and baked squid, a Moomba classic. 
Pale, but it exuded a very smooth layer of tropical fruits, lychees, nectar and fig and a hint of smoked salmon with just the right degree of sweetness, complete with a lovely rich vein in the middle, ending in a complex finish. Excellent.
We kicked off the reds with a 2006 Tignanello (courtesy of Gerard), typically a blend of around 80% sangiovese and 20% cabernet sauvignon. Deep purple. A complex bouquet of sweet cassis and a bit of plum, medium-bodied, developing sexy velvety tannins with time with very attractive biting intensity, the cabernet fruit providing an excellent stern structure with a minty after-glow and finish. Excellent.
The 2005 Ch Clerc-Milon (courtesy of Gerard), made by Mouton Rothschild, a deep garnet red, showed great consistency of character. Typically stern and austere in its youth although there’s no mistaking the Pauillac terroir of dried leaves and cigar box, with a fair degree of salty minerality within the excellent body, displaying great balance and concentration, more fruit forward with time. Leave it for another 10 years, at least. In contrast, the 1999 Ch Pichon Longueville Baron, the only red to be decanted for two hours, was drinking well. There was quite a bit of salty pungency that took some time to blow off, thereafter revealing a lovely nose of dried herbs, cherry-plums and other red fruits, slightly earthy. Not surprisingly, it developed a more Burgundian character after some time. This was much better than a previous bottle opened at Asia Grand a year back, which was very woody. Finally, we rounded off the evening with a 1996 Bahans Haut-Brion (courtesy of F), its label already badly effaced. Fortunately though, the wine, a dusty red, was lovely and seamless, rather full and plummy, displaying excellent concentration and freshness, not at all earthy, finishing long. Tasted more like a classified growth of the Medoc. Very fine indeed.
Le Musigny: 1990 Jacques Prieur & 1997 Comte Georges de Vogue
I met up with KG again for dinner on 18 Oct 2010. There was never any question what we’d be drinking – for sure it’d be Burgundy – the question was which? I suggested aloud that we should try Le Musigny Grand Cru, and the next thing I knew, KG emailed to say he’d procured the above two wines for just SGD1,000. That, surely, must be quite a bargain, considering the vintage and the producers we’re drinking. The choice of Jade Palace as our dinner venue was deliberate – I can’t think of another restaurant where superb Cantonese cuisine and impeccable wine service, inclusive of free corkage, go hand-in-hand. Even Imperial Treasure takes some beating. While waiting for the reds to be decanted, we began with a Billecart-Salmon Brut Rose NV from the restaurant list, dull rose-gold in color with a light-medium body that gained weight with time. There was some toasty oak and roast, seemingly promising on the nose but rather one-dimensional, straightforward and slightly flat initially on the palate, finishing short. Things changed an hour later, the wine developing a liquered complex finish, followed by a weightier and more complex body of green fruits amidst lively acidity, with more nutty and biscuity notes. Quite excellent.
Both reds were tasted simultaneously after about 45 minutes of decanting. The 1990 Domaine Jacques Prieur Musigny Grand Cru, an opague red with a brownish tint, almost murky, had the more fabulous nose of red fruits and cherries, absolutely fragrant and wonderfully rose-scented. 
On the palate, the wine was medium-bodied, soft and rounded on the entry, less intense than anticipated from the bouquet, but there was no mistaking the layering and complexity in the mid-body that was immediately apparent. It developed a characteristic salty note with time, gelling together into a broader, more homogenous wine with focused depth and complexity all the way to the finish.
In contrast, the 1997 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogue Musigny Grand Cru, displaying a beautiful clear ruby red, was less developed on the nose initially, much lighter in tone with notes of raspberries and mulberries, lightly rose-scented, almost feminine, which is not something normally associated with Comte de Vogue’s Musigny. However, compared to the Jacques Prieur, the latter is more expansive on the palate, yet lighter in concentration and milder in intensity, probably a reflection of the growing difficulties of 1997. Very refined and focused, the usual mid-body thickness of Comte de Vogue only coming though an hour later as the wine gained in weight, even developing a bit of biting intensity, yet retaining its lovely purity and elegance, just lacking in real depth, finishing with a bit of a stern demeanour. One gets the impression that this is an expertly crafted wine in a difficult vintage without resorting to gimmickry. Quite superb.
An evening at Lien Villa: 1988/1995-96 Pichon Lalande, 1989 Lafite Rothschild & more…
The non-professorial group made good its commitment to meet on 13 September 2010 at Lien Villa, courtesy of Chris, part of a 100,000 sq feet estate belonging to the Lien family. The family name of Lien in Singapore is absolutely unique. 
All members of this family can trace their roots to one singular and most extraordinary immigrant from China at the turn of the last century, who went on to found a bank, and the rest is history. Our group is, indeed, lucky to count one such family member amongst us. After the passing of the great patriach, the estate at Holland Park was re-developed into 5 bungalows and a cavernous Villa ( where a GPS would not be out of place in helping one navigate its interior) without any boundaries, known as the Lien Collective. The offer of an evening of private dining accompanied by truly fine wines was too good to pass, and we duly expended our energy on the planning. Karl, who had masterminded a previous private dining session in September 2006 (on the occasion of my promotion), was called upon to plan and execute the menu, and he found the Miele-equipped kitchen entirely up to his professional standards. 
I hit upon the idea of a mini-vertical and, after some deliberation, the wines of Ch Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande was decided upon. Along the way, Chris also offered a 1989 Ch Lafite Rothschild, and PS a mystery wine. And so the die was cast, with Kieron ensuring that all the reds were tasted double-blind so that none of us knew whose wine we’re drinking.
Lien Villa boasts a full-fledged bar that opens out onto the poolside, and so we kicked off the evening’s proceedings by the bar with a pair of 1999 Dom Perignon, courtesy of HPP and LW, while Karl brought out plate after plate of hors d’oeurves. Very light golden, a champagne with a light touch of young citrus and peaches and delicate fragrance without any of the usual heavy yeasty notes. 
Smooth and biscuity on the palate, revealing a great deal of minerality offset by just the right degree of crisp acidity. With time, it developed a coating with notes of white chocolate, although there wasn’t much depth to the wine at this stage. An excellent start.
A mini-series had also been planned for the whites, centered around the better-known premier cru of Puligny-Montrachet from the famous domaine of Leflaive (not Olivier). The 1997 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet “Les Combettes” 1er Cru (courtesy of Kieron), a dull golden, was served way too cold initially, resulting in a shy and reticent nose that, nevertheless, failed to mask the burnished tone – contributed, no doubt, by significant bottle age – that hinted desperately at its potential depth. Eventually though, the true colors were revealed – full of delicate fragrance on the open nose that belies a full-bodied wine stuffed with a characteristic oily texture in the middle, laden with lasting minerality that ran deep, gaining in intensity as it sat in the glass. Quite superb, better than the 2000 Les Combettes (see Aug 2009).
This was followed by the 2002 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet “Les Folatieres” 1er Cru (courtesy of David), the largest of the premier cru plots. Beautifully golden. As good as the Les Combettes was, the latter was even more engaging, hitting the correct notes right from the start. Flinty with excellent minerality, larger in body, broader and more expansive on the palate with a greater sense of cohesiveness, fairly intense with a faint hint of honey tapering to a long, complex bitter-sweet finish of pomelo and grapefruit. No doubt the outstanding vintage of 2002 helped. But the best was saved for last, as Hiok made up for arriving late with a dull yellow 1995 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet “Les Pulcelles” 1er Cru. Closed initially, but it gradually opened up after some coaxing to reveal rich, lovely flavours of nectar, fig, honey and white flowers of immense complexity, growing in depth and density, with the development continuing right till the end of dinner, amply demonstrating why Les Pulcelles is the most coveted of all Montrachet premier cru.
The reds were poured one-by-one, eventually allowing all five to be tasted simultaneously. Red #1 (courtesy of Edward) displayed an evolved red with a deep garnet core. On the nose, scents of wild flowers, sour plums, mushrooms, bramble and damp forest floor dominate. The entry revealed an obviously mature wine, rounded and soft at the edges, imbued with a fair degree of sur-maturite and balsamic character underlined by a trace of sweetness and scattered white pepper, still lively with a bit of biting intensity that became increasingly perfurmed with time, yet remaining very harmonious. What could it be? We were split down the middle between one of the Lalandes and the mystery wine. Most of us leaned towards the latter, given the earthy nose and relative masculinity.
Red #2 was quite similar in color as the first red, just a tad more transparent, but much more open on the nose, and quite different in character altogether. Highly perfumed with the Pauillac hallmark of dried leaves, pencil shavings and tobacco coming through, highly promising. It didn’t disappoint on the palate, caressing with deep, lush and velvety textures, imparting a lovely lift and glow at the finish, although it actually lacked the intensity of the former red. Slightly four-square with food, but it is definitely drinking very well. I thought it was likely to be a 1995 Ch Pichon Lalande, which I’d brought.
Red #3 (courtesy of Vic) had a bit of bottle stink that eventually blew off to display all the hallmarks of a mature Bordeaux, absolutely enticing on the nose with plenty of cedar-wood and ripe red fruits, almost Burgundian, but it was soft, mellifluous, less full on the palate and slightly short on the finish. It put on weight as it sat in the glass, becoming fuller and broader, taking its time to develop, but the balance was immaculate, the wood and alcohol having dissipated ages ago, leaving behind a seamless wine of stunning purity. I was reminded of the 1988 Ch Pichon Lalande that I had last year at La Tour d’Argent, Paris (see July 2009), and I was pretty sure I was tasting the same wine again.
When it came to Red #4 (courtesy of PS), I was pretty sure I was tasting the 1989 Lafite. How else could one explain the deep feminine bouquet coupled to a classic Pauillac signature with plenty of sur-maturite on the palate, immeasurably complex at the finish? Still somewhat tannic, though, and much darker than I’d anticipated, but having laid my cards for the other reds, I was sure this was a First Growth. Finally, we reached Red #5 (courtesy of Chris). Again very dark-red, tasting remarkably youthful, a wine of large proportions but immensely complex and layered. Solid in the middle, becoming softer and more yielding later, developing more notes of cherries, eventually becoming quite Burgundy-like. We’re unanimous in deciding that this was something outside of Bordeaux, probably the mystery wine.
So, what exactly did we drink?
Red #1: 1996 Ch Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
Red #2: 1995 Ch Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
Red #3: 1988 Ch Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
Red #4: 1985 Dominus proprietary red !!
Red #5: 1989 Ch Lafite Rothschild
Only 2 out of 5 hits…wow…that’s a real humbling experience. The ’89 Lafite is tasting so much better than the last time I had it in 2006 (at Iggy’s) and 2007 (SMA Annual Dinner), displaying so much more development and paradoxical youthfulness, whereas it had tended to fade previously after some time in the glass. And a ’85 Dominus!! I never knew it could be found in Singapore. It just shows how successful a totally different terroir could be managed under an outstanding winemaker. What a superb thematic lineup, what a fabulous dinner, and what a venue. THANK YOU.
Notes in brief (September 2010): 1998 E&E Black Pepper, 2005 La Dominique…
Verve Clicquot Ponsardin Brut NV, a bottle shared with the wifey at The Pump Room, Clarke Quay, on 8 Sep 2010. Toasty, nutty with notes of biscuits and malt with lots of vibrant acidity, very citrusy, almost sharp but not too excessively dry. A considerable “bargain” at SGD99++ for Wednesday Ladies’ Nite.
1998 Barossa Valley Estate E & E Black Pepper Shiraz, over dinner at Imperial Treasure Superduck, Paragon. Popped and poured. Still displaying a very deep garnet red in spite of its 12 years, exuding an intense bouquet of wonderfully ripe red and dark berries, highly complex with notes of soy, cinnamon and cassis with broad swathes of intoxicating sweetness, aided by a mild herbal, medicinal lift that adds an extra dimension to its depth and layering, without any trace of the 14% alcohol. 
Full-bodied yet velvety and easy on the palate, proving to be even more pleasurable than my previous experience of it (see May 2009). This can stand up to a Rockford Basket Press anytime. Superb.
2006 Domaine Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet “Les Boudriotte” 1er Cru, over lunch with the wifey at Imperial Treasure T3. One of the more affordable whites from Ramonet. Pale lemon grass in color, showing fairly intense chalky minerality initially but it seemed rather muted on the palate, dominated by green leafy characters, ending on a slightly austere note, perhaps as a result of it being served too cold, reminding me of the house style of Louis Latour. After an hour, however, as the temperature settled, it shed its greeness, becoming fuller and developing greater minerality and intensity, topped with a mild creamy coat, yet remaining remarkably smooth and well delineated. Went well with the excellent dimsum and truffle-meepok.
2004 Chapel Hill cabernet sauvignon, from a case bought from Ponti Wine Cellars for only SGD28 per bottle, drunk at a happy hour for Residents and house staff. Popped and poured from the Stelvin closure. 
Dark red with a bit of browning at the rim. Surprisingly open on the nose with a fleshy body exuding notes of cassis, blackberries, licorice and plums with just a hint of sweetness, showing excellent concentration and depth of body, every bit fresh and delicious. Superb value.
2005 Ch La Dominique, decanted for 4 hours and drunk at a happy hour for Residents and house staff. Deep garnet red, quite open on the nose, loaded with cassis and glorious ripe fruit with lovely lifted aromas of raspberries and blueberries within a medium-full body wrapped in finely-grained silky tannins, rich in earthy minerality. Very good indeed from an under-rated estate but I suggest it shouldn’t be touched for another 5 years, at least.
Mathias Dahlgren, Stockholm
Rated No.25 on the current list of S Pellegrini’s World’s Top 50 restaurants, Mathias Dahlgren is located immediately adjacent to the Grand Hotel, along the waterfront of Stockholm. I’d called three days prior for a lunch seating on 23 Sep 2010 at 1230h, to be told that only one seat was left, which was to be at the counter and which I took. I arrived much earlier at 10 minutes before noon, having wrapped up my business at Louis Vuitton, only to find it closed, for they’re open only from 1200-1400h. I killed some time at the Grand Hotel, but when I returned at 1210h, half the restaurant was already filled! The service staff is young, friendly and highly efficient (seemingly the norm at these top establishments nowadays), imparting a casual yet attentive atmosphere, and I was ushered to my seat at the counter. 
The place was decked out in red chairs with wooden tables, arranged for seating of two, four or six pax, with an open kitchen (separated from the dining area by just a sheet of glass) and a squarish-counter with seating along 3 lengths. I found myself being the only Asian there.
Each of us has a tray, on which was the one-page menu-cum-wine choices, as well as a small brown paper bag containing a few pieces of bread bark, onto which a round disc of butter was to be applied with an oversized wooden scoop. Instead of a fixed lunch menu, several ala carte choices are available, all priced between SEK150-250 (SGD29-49). After a quick discussion with the waiter within the counter, I opted for the fried duck, to be preceded by a platter of sashimi of salma salmon & reindeer with avocado, ginger, horseradish. 
Even though I’ve eaten more than my share of fine Japanese cuisine, this one certainly goes right to the very top of the list. I’ve not tasted salmon as fresh, tender and juicy as this, the nuances and subtleties beautifully brought out by the contrasting thin slices of reindeer and avocado that literally melts in your mouth. The serving portions were generous, and I took my time to savour this heavenly starter together with a glass of 2008 Dr Burklin-Wolf Weingut Wachenheimer Riesling trocken (SEK135 [SGD26]). This had a light golden, almost luminous quality, with an engaging nose of floral fragrance, light citrus and a dash of minerals. Balanced, revealing good depth of body and minerality on palate, very lightly scented with understated elegance and excellent purity. May not be that interesting on its own, but here is a classic pairing between food and wine that proved to be highly synergistic. Certainly a food wine, becoming broader and more intense as it warmed up, sharper in focus. Very lovely indeed.
The main course of fried wild duck (SEK225 [SGD44]), again a generous serving, was tender and yielding (I wouldn’t have known it was fried) with very natual flavours without being at all gamey, going perfectly well with a glass of 2008 Domaine Oliver Pithon Cuvee Lais Cote du Roussillon (SEK145 [SGD28])recommended by the waiter behind the counter, who’d felt that my initial choice of a 2005 Meo-Camuzet bourgogne rouge may not be entirely appropriate. He was absolutely spot-on. The wine, deeper in color with a raspberry tint, was undeniably fragrant with notes of red cherries and blueberries, medium-bodied and broad, displaying good density and minerality with substantial fat in the middle, ending in a long minty finish with just a touch of spice. Again, a perfect food wine that may not be quite as interesting on its own.
I concluded with a dessert of baked wild chocolate from Bolivia with sour cream, toffee ice-cream, nuts – the menu proudly proclaiming that 28,967 had been sold (and still counting) – quite heavenly, the toffee ice-cream being a particularly inspired choice. It was interesting to note that while the Swedes, generally friendly and highly approachable, clearly appreciate good food, they go about their lunch in a business-like manner and leave once they’re done (unlike the pretentious folks dining at Iggy’s who’d plant their asses there for three hours over lunch), such that a table could be turned over for a fresh seating within that two hours. I did likewise, paid up my bill of SEK905 (SGD176) and reluctantly left this restaurant that’s clearly deserving of its Michelin star.
Business Class with Singapore Airlines, September 2010.
The Business Class experience begins first, of course, at the Silver Kris Business Class lounge at Changi Terminal 3. The range of wines is nothing to shout about, really, but nonetheless, they mandate routine assessment. The 2007 Yalumba unwooded chardonnay is not unfamiliar, being the solitary white at the lounge for quite some time. Pale lemon color, showing some decent fragrance on the nose with steely minerality on the palate, simple and straightforward, ending in a slightly peppery finish. I didn’t bother with the Chilean red, going straight for a small pour of the 2008 Rubio San Polo Montalcino, showing a fairly deep red but not revealing much on the nose. Medium-bodied, soft, obviously made in an easy drinking style with just enough fruit to cover the alcohol without any lasting intensity.
On board SQ352/351 (Boeing 777-200, which doesn’t carry the ER Business Class seats) return trip to Copenhagen, there was a choice of champagne between the ubiquitous Charles Hiedsieck (which I avoided) and the Bollinger Special Cuvee NV, which I took. Light golden. Enticing nose of malt, rye, vanilla, maple and toasty oak, rich in minerality, conveying a sense of depth. Almost has a creamy texture. But it was disjointed on the palate, being too dry. A letdown. Next, I had the 2007 Clos Philippe Le Hardi Bourgogne Hautes Cotes De Beaune Monopole to go with the scallops. Pale yellow. Highly promising on the nose, suggesting a medium-bodied wine with vibrant acidity and substantial minerality, but it was rather slender on the palate. No doubt quite elegant, but it could do with more fullness on the fruit, coming across as rather one-dimensional. The alternative white, a 2008 Dr Loosen riesling, was rather restrained on the nose, a light-weight wine with just adequate levels of fruit with tropical notes and just a hint of sweetness. This wine could certainly do with more body, I feel.
I had both reds to go with the beef short-rib (and the penne pasta on the return trip). The beef was nice, but you wouldn’t have known that it was conjured specially for SIA by Gordon Ramsay. The 2005 Ch Lacombe-Noaillac, from the Medoc, was dark red, showing lovely fruit, ripe dark berries laced with a tinge of sweetness and layered with cassis and cedar, carrying reasonable weight. Surprisingly good. No doubt the outstanding vintage accounted for much of the quality. It seems the lesser growths of 2005 are beginning to enter their drinking windows. The 2007 Allegrini Valpolicelia Superiore, from Verona, very deep red, was substantially heavier than the Bordeaux, fairly dense with a gravelly quality, with elements of earth, licorice and plums. Lacking in real depth, and not quite interesting enough, I’m afraid. The 2005 Offley LBV Port that concluded the wine selection, deep purple in color, contained a strong medicinal quality with some hollowness towards the finish. It could do with more stuffing and certainly cannot be compared with a Warre. What happened to the good ol’ Dow?
Ric's Wine Journal 