A Napa evening (followed by the suffering)
This entry sure took a long time in coming, but more of that later. The opening of the the brand-new Imperial Treasure flagship restaurant at Paragon had long been eagerly awaited by its legion of loyal fans (ie. people like us), so much so that when we finally did manage a private seating there on 14 January 2010 with a Napa theme, we were ready to whip out all superlatives in anticipation of a heavenly meal. Lester, decked out gaily in pink pin-stripe with matching pink (and white polka dots) tie and looking way too busy, seemed barely able to contain his excitement as he suggested a few specials and we were set. Kieron had been dying to showcase a Napa ‘special’ which he had arranged to be shipped back from his cache with Bordeaux Index, hence the theme and, to try to prove that Napa wines are worth their every cent, the wines were blinded.
We began with yet another 2006 Kistler McCrea Chardonnay (unblinded; courtesy PS…who’s complaining?), which lived up to its lofty expectations. This was pale lemon yellow, producing a very complex bouquet full of buttery notes, roasted cashews and almonds, brimming with rich minerality that ran deep. Dry, weighty, broad and intense, developing a creamy texture with time, ending on a slightly grassy austere finish, maintaining its poise and wonderful balance throughout. Beautiful, as expected. As good as this was, though, side-by-side comparison with a 1998 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet “Les Clavoillon” (unblinded; courtesy David) immediately revealed why the top white burgundies are so special: the lovely fragrance of white flowers in full bloom, the lifted aromas of sweet vanilla – rich, creamy and buttery. On the palate, however, this wine was less concentrated and expansive than the Kistler, offering more of stony minerality than sheer fruit. Overall, its elegance cannot be faulted, a cardinal feature of Old World charm. Excellent.
Red #1 (courtesy Don), sporting a bright red, exuded a dominant nose of varnish (…yes…), rosewater syrup and red fruits. Heavily scented, almost Burgundian in character. A young wine, undoubtedly, judging from the primary flavours on the palate. Well balanced, its velvety tannins gripping the palate firmly, showing good depth and concentration, but rather short on the finish and yet to develop further complexity. I must say I liked it.
Red #2 (carried back by Hiok from a cellar door purchase), deep inky red with a bright rim, displayed the strangest bouquet of all – a thick metallic note, reminding me of emulsion and, even more strikingly, of anti-parasitic syrup (albendazole comes to mind) that parents love to force on their kids in the good ol’ days. Huge, monolithic, obviously a wine in its infancy, dense and weighty, full of primary fruit flavours, ending in a sweet finish. It seemed disjointed and short initially, eventually becoming more focused with time and food. Still, however, its harsh bouquet didn’t agree with some of us. If a wine can make one recall instantly of anti-parasitic syrup, that’s a serious repulsion. A pity.
I had decanted Red #3 hours ago at 12 noon at home, allowing it to air for 6 hours before pouring it back into the washed bottle, the reason being that I remembered my last impression of this wine some 3 years ago was that it’s a huge tannic monster. I had an initial sip just after it was popped. It tasted downright metallic and horrible, to be honest. By the time we had it, the wine had had another 3 hours of airing in bottle. By then, it had mellowed, perhaps in fact way too mellowed, for it was surprisingly muted on the nose, the flavours of raspberries and sweet licorice coming through only on the palate. Rich and concentrated, but unfortunately not distinctive, lacking in depth and secondary development in spite of almost 10 years of bottle age. Quite a bit of a disappointment. Perhaps I shouldn’t have aired it for so long.
And so, finally, we moved on to Red #4 that Kieron had brought. Indeed this was something quite special from the first whiff. An evolving red, with lovely lifted aromas of red fruits and other worldly fragrance, almost Burgundian right down to its character on the palate – quite harmonious, good depth and definition, weighty yet elegant, beautifully balanced with plenty of Old World charm, finishing long with tightly-knit tannins. A wine of great finesse and class, from a Brit in Napa. Kieron loves to relate the story of how he’d chanced upon the winemaker Sir Peter Michael at The Vineyard at Stockcross, Newbury in Berkshire, the latter’s private hotel-cum-spa. Ahh…some folks seem to have all the luck.
The lineup that evening was obviously rather uneven. The key question was: would we have recognised them as Napa, if double-blinded? To be honest, the character of the terroir of Napa Valley still remains elusive, as evidenced by the fact that Napa wines can be outright fruity, or moulded into something almost Burgundian (viz. Red #1 & Red #4) or almost Old World (Dominus easily come to mind). I suppose we can’t always be drinking the same old grand cru classe. An occasional foray into the New World would be welcome, warts and all.
And how about the food?? Not great, I’m afraid. The pig’s ears (gelatinous and served cold) wasn’t special, the beef rather ordinary, and the Peking duck not particularly inspiring. Worse was to come. After two episodes of watery GE that night, I tried going to work the next day with my whole body racked with chills, myalgia, and a splitting headache. The nausea finally got the better of me mid-morning, and I had to retire, literally. The GE continued for all of Friday and Saturday, ensuring that my misery for the weekend was complete. Must be the century egg, which didn’t seem quite right. That’s it. I’ve had enough pairing of chardonnay with century egg. I’m not gonna do that again in future.
Red #1: 2004 Meyer Vineyard
Red #2: 2005 Regusci cabernet sauvignon
Red #3: 2001 Beringer Private Reserve cabernet sauvignon
Red #4: 1997 Peter Michael “Les Pavots”
2002 Leeuwin Art Series, 1994 Clinet, 1998 Moss Wood @ Moomba
I was back at Moomba today with friends for what turned out to be a lovely meal over scallops and braised short ribs. Moomba is fantastic for excellent food at reasonable prices, as evidenced by a full crowd, and, of course, its BYO policy for Fridays and Saturdays, which is a great draw. Why can’t everyone do the same??
The 2002 Leeuwin Art Series chardonnay (courtesy K) was an absolute stunner right from the first pour. Beautifully golden, a touch heavy in color, exuding a very lovely and complex bouquet of nectarine, apricot, cinnamon, roasted cashews, creme de la creme , complete with a very deep minerality with an overlying yeasty character that we’ve only encountered from the wines of Corton-Charlemagne, principally from Bonneau du Martray, but which was present in great abundance in this Leeuwin, giving it a very sophisticated and aromatic lift. Great body, density and richness on the palate with lots of acidity still, ensuring that the wine remained fresh and lively right down to its lingering finish. It held on right till the end of the meal. I don’t think we’ve ever encountered such Old World charm and utter sophistication in any Leeuwin before, nor in any other Aussie chardonnay. Even Giaconda would take some beating. This is definitely the best example of Leeuwin Estate that I’ve ever had, and one of the best New World chardonnays. Truly memorable.
The 1994 Ch Clinet that followed was darker in color than the previous example I had in June 2009, displaying a bouquet of aniseed and dried herbs, the fruit beginning to dry out a bit. Medium bodied, smooth, but lacking in richness, depth and concentration, still a little tannic and hollow on the finish in spite of its age and having been decanted for more than an hour. My last bottle, and my third tasting over the past 18 months. It showed better today than six months ago, but it’s not going to improve further. Would have been quite perfect with more delicate cuisine, such as Japanese, but it didn’t quite match up to the excellent braised beef short rib.
But a surprise was in store…Augustine Kum of Moomba happened to chance upon us and very generously poured for each of us a glass of 1998 Moss Wood cabernet that had been opened for 8 days. It is amazing that this wine is still alive and kicking. Dark red, very open on the nose, producing a superb bouquet of tertiary flavours – cedar, ripe red and dark fruits, leather, sweet liquorice, and soy. Full-bodied, structured, rich without being unctuous, revealing good depth and density, its tannins suitably tamed, tapering to a long minty finish. Excellent stuff!
Today’s tasting seemed to demonstrate that the best Aussie wines possess longevity in abundance and are perfectly capable of superb results with careful cellaring whereas the French, true to its roots, couldn’t really care about how things would end up.
Notes in brief (January 2010)
2002 Ch Montrose, over a quick but efficient lunch at Moomba. Plummy red. Seemed alarmingly thin and disjointed at first, but it gained weight after 30 minutes with more fruit to the fore, becoming more rounded. However, it’s still quite backward, as expected of Montrose, with most of the mulberry and blackberry flavours lurking very much in the background, and it doesn’t appear to be developing further depth or complexity anytime soon. Nevertheless, a very decent effort for a weak vintage.
2005 Domaine Louis Latour Beaune Vignes Franches 1er Cru (courtesy PS), at W48 dinner at Ming Kee. A heavy color for pinot. Hint of cherries but it is just too bland and heavy on the palate. Monotonous, in fact. Not at all like pinot. Disappointing.
2005 Domaine Bruno DeSauney-Bissey Gevrey-Chambertin, at W48 dinner at Ming Kee. Only Le Benaton carries this small producer. Quite a rich color for pinot. Lovely fragrance of sweet red fruits and cherries. Medium-bodied, rounded with well-managed tannins, but not showing any depth or complexity. A pleasant, decent effort.
2007 Heritiers du Comte Lafon Macon-Milly-Lamartine, at W48 dinner at Ming Kee. Very pale yellow. Promising nose full of lime, citrus, and melons, but a letdown on the palate – dry, tight, rather austere (most unlike previous examples from this source), short on substance and finish. Slightly more open after an hour, with more minerality coming through, but still unattractive. Diasappointing.
2005 Ch Reignac, over an excellent dim sum lunch at Golden Peony with K and D. My first tasting of this wine, which has been lying in my office ever since it was delivered to me after en primeur in 2008. Popped and poured. Deep garnet red, immediately exuding a lovely bouquet of rich dark berries with sweet plums, nicely ripe. Rather full-bodied, as expected, but it’s surprisingly gentle on the palate and soft at the edges, displaying great concentration with a nice layer of fat in the middle and just the right amount of extraction (unlike D’Aguilhe which is over-the-top), revealing excellent definition and structure, finishing with superbly-managed tannins. No gimmickry here. This is definitely on par with a grand cru classe. Has great legs that will last the distance. Excellent.
2007 Roche Wines Tallawanta Hunter Valley shiraz, bought direct from the cellar door for AUD25; drunk over dinner at Crystal Jade T2. Double decanted for about 90 minutes. Very deep red with a purplish rim. Muted nose. On the palate, primarily fruit-driven – loads of dark berries, raisins and raspberries carried by an alcoholic bed that tried to stay out of the way. There’s a charred quality to the wine, no doubt due to the extreme Aussie heat these days, but the fruit quality is undeniably very good, suitably dense but not unctuous, finishing with svelte tannins. A nice, easy table wine. Just don’t ask for depth or complexity.
2004 Ch Gruaud Larose, at Imperial Treasure T3, a wine that has benefitted immensely from Parker’s lowly rating of 87 (with an insulting question mark to boot), keeping current prices well below SGD100. Purplish red, with a bright red rim and an attractive nose of red and dark fruits, with a lovely lift of sweet cherries, leading to a soft entry, a wine that’s medium-full with a good grip but mellowing on the mid-palate, the excellent fruit quality readily apparent, producing a hint of sweet meat. It’s still unresolved on the finish, rather cluttered and tannic, although this softened considerably after an hour. It seemed to be evolving faster than other 2004 clarets. Overall, a good wine, actually. I enjoyed it.
Happy New Year!!
My New Year started off with quite a bang, but also hit a bit of a tragic note, literally. For the second year in a row on New Year’s Day, we met at Kome (again!!) for a LONG SLOW lunch in the kaiseki style that began at 1.00PM, ending only at 6.30PM as the sun was setting and the dinner patrons were arriving, far exceeding last year’s event (which had ended by 4.50PM). Lawrence had set us up in a long row with our WAGs and we settled down to enjoy the afternoon, starting off with a Billecart-Salmon NV Brut Reserve (courtesy K), served from a 3L double-magnum. This was dull golden in color with a solid body of cutting acidity and yeasty undertones, very dry on the finish, serving its purpose well.
The 2004 Mischief & Mayhem Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru “Les Referts” that followed was light golden, with a nose dominated by far too much citrus and lime, the acidity cutting through sharply. It was noticeably hollow on mid-palate, only gaining some fullness towards the finish. Although it took on some caramel note with time, becoming more even, it didn’t really carry much complexity nor depth. The overall character was similar to another “Les Referts” (2006 JM Boillot) that I had last month: a sharp predominance of citrus, promising on the nose but somewhat of a letdown on the palate. In contrast. the 2004 Joseph Drouhin Puligny-Montrachet (courtesy PS), a tad lighter in color, was a better wine with a lovely floral nose, revealing a good balance between fruit and minerality, with flavours of melons and pineapple. Well balanced, not at all heavy, maintaining its delicate poise throughout. This is a classic instance where a village wine from a good producer can easily outshine a premier cru from lesser hands.
Thrown into the fray was, once again, the ubiquitous 2004 The Moorooduc chardonnay (that’s what happens when everyone buys the same thing to slosh around), a product of Victoria, Australia. Surprisingly though, it held up well against the French competition, slightly fuller than the Joseph Drouhin, very even and well balanced, very pleasing without trying too hard. Probably my best experience with this chardonnay.
But the afternoon’s choice of white belonged to the 2003 Marc Morey & Fils Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru “Virondot” (courtesy Damien). Even lighter in color than the Drouhin, almost pale, but possessing the best bouquet. Bigger, fuller, yet floral and delicate, generous on the palate, revealing good depth and concentration, with great minerality. Has a sense of place…the terroir is communicating with you, not the winemaker. And that’s what a good wine is all about. Excellent.
At long last, we moved on to the reds, beginning again with a Mischief & Mayhem, the 2003 Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru, darker red than usual for a pinot, with hues of red fruits, cherries and red currants, showing good concentration and grip, smooth and even on the palate, but not terribly complex, lacking in real richness and depth. Very agreeable, neverthless. In fact, drinking very well on its own, a bargain Chambertin grand cru, its deficiencies only shown up when compared to the 2002 Domaine des Lambrays Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru (courtesy K), served from magnum, that was drunk alongside. This is the real deal – a touch lighter but truer in color, exuding a classic nose of lifted cherries and raspberries, revealing great depth and concentration, very importantly with that crucial “fat” in the middle adding that extra ounce of richness and complexity that’s to be found only in great burgundies. Very classy, as always with Clos des Lambrays, never ever disappoints. Keeps drawing you to it, getting better and better with each sip. I could just keep drinking this happily. Great stuff.
At 4.30PM, we relocated to the counter to enjoy Lawrence’s selection of delectable sushi, polishing them off with a magnum of 1999 Ch La Mission Haut Brion that I’d sourced from Bob Rees of WEA. The wine displayed an evolving red that gave off earthy notes, blueberries, dark chocolate, and smoke with aromas of charred leaves (from K, I agree!), revealing excellent concentration and depth without any hint of wood, just developing its secondary flavours of cedar and gravel (here resembling the graphite of St Julien) with the right degree of intensity, possessing a slightly rustic feel compared to the polished effort of its sister estate Haut Brion across the road, but entirely consistent with its traditional Graves character, providing a wonderful sense of place. With time, it became totally seamless and harmonious, soft and very inviting. I was surprised that this magnum bottling wasn’t at all tough or disjointed, given that large formats usually evolve slower. Who’d have guessed a ’99?? A wonderful wine, reinforcing my soft spot for the wines of Pessac-Leognan.
So what was so tragic about the above? Well, I discovered the next day that I’d accidentally discarded my little red leather-bound notebook containing almost all of 2009’s tasting notes into my condo’s trash. It was gone by the time I realised what I’d done. Boomz…that’s it. At least I had the good sense to blog everything online. Now I’ll need another notebook:)
I must thank K for organising the event, and to all concerned for their generosity in contributing the wines, and to Lawrence and the Kome staff for the great effort.
Ric’s Most Memorable Wines of 2009
From everything that I’ve tasted in 2009…
Best Unaffordable Red: A tie between 2002 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Grands Echezeaux Grand Cru, as well as 2003 Domaine Armand Rousseau Chambertin Grand Cru. Now I understand why the best burgundies blow everything else.
Best Affordable Red: 1995 Ch Figeac, wonderful old-fashioned Saint-Emilion.
Most Memorable Red: 1988 Ch Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, a beautiful wine drunk at a most memorable venue – La Tour D’Argent, Paris. And I suppose 1988 Ch Le Pin as well, for it was the first time, and probably the last, I got to taste this unaffordable label.
Best Value Red: 2005 Ch D’Aiguilhe, followed closely by the 2005 Les Hauts de Smith, both at similar price points.
Most Disappointing Red: 1997 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Richebourg Grand Cru, reminding us again that label isn’t everything.
Worst Red: 1993 Ch Rauzan-Segla, an empty wine, unacceptable for a grand cru classe.
Best Unaffordable White: 2001 Domaine Leflaive Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru…expensive bastard.
Best Affordable White: 2005 Talbott Diamond Estate Monterey County chardonnay, followed closely by 2005 Leeuwin Estate Art Series chardonnay.
Most Memorable White: I’ll opt for a bubbly here, the 1999 Philipponnat Clos des Goisses, memorable for its inviting draw and supreme elegance at an equally memorable dinner, sharing the stage with DRC and Petrus.
Best Value White: 2007 Jean-Marc Boillot Bourgogne Aligote, and 2007 JJ Christoffel Erben Uziger Wurzgarten Riesling Kabinett, both performing way above their status.
Most Disappointing White: 2003 Maison Louis Latour Puligny-Montrachet. Not worth even the SGD20.
Worst White: None, really.
I must thank all friends and contributors who had so unselfishly made available these wines for tasting. Bon vin et merci beaucoup!
Notes in brief (December 2009)…
1999 Ch Leoville Barton, which turned out to be my last wine of 2009, at New Year’s Eve dinner at Moomba. What a lovely choice…deep dark red, exuding a fairly intense nose of rich dark fruits, chocolate, smoke, and that elusive graphite note of St Julien. Medium-full on the palate, showing well the secondary flavours of a maturing claret – cedar, sweet liquorice, raisins. Great depth and concentration, finishing with sophisticated velvety tannins. After 90 minutes in the decanter, it morphed into a medium-bodied smooth seamless wine, without any rough edges. Who’d have guessed a ’99? This is entering its peak drinking window and will probably hold for several years more. Definitely much better than a Pichon Baron, and more accessible than a Leoville Las-Cases, of the same vintage. Excellent stuff. I remembered buying this from Carrefour for SGD133. Grab if you spot any for around SGD150.
2003 Ch Branaire-Ducru, at a New Year’s Eve happy hour in the office, with some finger food. Dark red. Quite a lovely nose of rich dark fruits and blackcurrants, with a discernible trace of alcoholic heat. Full-bodied, good concentration, slightly toasty, rather austere and tannic finish, consistent with an early St Julien, although the wine softened considerably after 90 minutes of decanting. Quite unlike a ’03 Lagrange which is more toasty but has a smoother finish. Leave this for another 5 years.
1995 Ch Haut Bailly, decanted for 4 hours at the Dept dinner at Kome (see below), which unwittingly turned out to be a Graves theme. Deep red. Attractive bouquet of rich, dark fruits, with a gradual lift hinting at raspberries and cherries . Medium-full, the scorched earth quality producing good weight and intensity. Some complexity on the mid-palate, but it’s not terribly deep. Slightly rustic. The Bahans has a more sophisticated feel, but the Haut Bailly is drinking better. Good, but not memorable.
2000 Bahans Haut Brion, at Kome. Deep but bright red. Definitely sweet on the nose, of glycerin, cherries and red berries. Earthy. There’s more fruit to the fore now compared to a previous tasting in 2005, where it was rather dry. Good transparency. It lacked weight and power initially, coming across as a bit lean. However, it snapped into focus after 4 hours, becoming more well-integrated and richer, but never attaining power nor depth. F kept raving about it (even though he didn’t bring this wine), sounding like a broken record but I don’t think I’ll miss this wine.
2004 Domaine de Chevalier (courtesy F), at Kome. Deep red with a bright purplish rim. Oaky nose. Primarily fruit-driven at this stage – loads of blackcurrants and redcurrants, some earthy notes so typical of Graves, with a touch of undergrowth. Yet to integrate; rather wood-dominated. Best to leave untouched for another 3 years, at least.
2007 Dr Loosen Wehlenur-Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese (courtesy PS), at Kome. Straw colored, exuding citrus, lime, mandarin orange and apricot. Great acidity, imparting a wonderful freshness. Initially seemed to lack weight and intensity, but this corrected after some time, although the finish probably bordered almost on being cloyingly sweet. Very good.
2006 Domaines Leflaive Macon-Verze, at the Dept dinner at Kome. Light golden, very muted on the nose, barely a hint of minerality. Coming after a Hunter’s Marlborough sauvignon blanc (I can’t recall the vintage), this was disappointingly lacking in weight and body. Rather weedy. Didn’t improve even after sitting in the glass at the correct temperature.
2005 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Spatlese, a gift from a German elective student some months ago, drunk at Long Beach Seafood. Mix of nectarine, apricot and peach, with a bit of green apples. Good body and acidity, imparting zesty feel, finishing with understated sweetness. Not as rich or concentrated as a Muller-Catoir or a JJ Christoffel Erben, but sometimes you can do without the over-the-top character of some of these German rieslings. I enjoyed it.
1996 Domaine Jean-Marc Boillot Volnay 1er Cru “Carelle Sous La Chapelle”, bought for only SGD21 at Auric Pacific’s megasale, where even the maitre’d of Gunther’s was also grabbing some for himself. Dark murky brown (urghh…), rather heavy on the nose and palate, notes of soy and liquorice with a medicinal edge without any real depth or complexity, the fruit drying out even though it was quite even and smooth. A rather poor wine.
2004 The Moorooduc Chardonnay, half a bottle over a Christmas dim sum lunch at Imperial Treasure ION. Straw yellow, with citrus and some butter and cream on the nose, fair amount of minerality, but somewhat grassy if served too cold. Not as chunky as a previous tasting at Ming Kee a few months back. The second half of the bottle tasted the next day was better, immediately more complex with more intense citrus and a bit of caramel surfacing on the nose, finishing with a faint yeasty note, living up to its back label which read “Wild Yeast” (not sure whether that’s a nickname or it refers to the type of yeast used for fermentation). However, it still cannot match up to a Giaconda or Leeuwin. I’d rather drink up.
1989 Ch Clerc Milon, also at the X’mas Eve happy hour. I decided to share this with AW after he had managed to procure a dozen Rockford Black Shiraz for me. The cork partially disintegrated at the top, and I feared the worse as the initial note (after decanting) wasn’t encouraging: dull red with a tawny rim, a restraint nose of cassis, saddle, old leather and dried leaves that didn’t quite live up on the palate, the wine seemingly lacking in body, the fruit drying out. However, after two hours of aeration, it gradually fleshed out, gaining weight with more fruit coming to the fore, all the time remaining soft and rounded, finally at its best after 3 hours. This is much better than the first time I had tasted it at a charity dinner two years back (Hiok), where it had seemed angular and disjointed, refusing to budge. Clerc Milon has a reputation for requiring plenty of bottle time, and my experience with it seems to bear testimony. The 1989 is clearly a wine that has hit the plateau well within its drinking window. Will probably hold on for a few more years. Very good.
2005 Le Fleur de Bouard (courtesy LW), from Hubert de Bouard de la Forest, owner of Ch Angelus, drunk alongside the Dog Point below. Deep red, predominant dark fruits and blackcurrants. Full-bodied, good depth and concentration (but not quite as huge as D’Aiguilhe), just the right level of extraction with very well-managed tannins, smooth and even on the palate. Will be even more rewarding with careful cellaring. Excellent.
2006 Dog Point Section 94, a Marlborough sauvignon blanc supposedly made by the former winemaker of Cloudy Bay, drunk on a Christmas Eve happy hour over cheese and crackers. First tasted just two months back at Ming Kee (see October). Straw colored, rich in pear, green apples, lime, a faint hint of durian (or perhaps the proverbial pungent “sweaty armpit” masquerading as durian) with a lovely floral lift. Good concentration and minerality, ending on a dry but persistent note. Not as chunky as before. Very good.
2006 Domaine Christian Moreau Chablis 1er Cru Les Vaillons, a half bottle drunk just before the Potel below at Jaan. Light straw colored. Lovely floral bouquet, delicate citrus notes. Good body and minerality, with the right level of acidity. Not terribly complex at this stage, but will be immensely rewarding down the road.
2002 Domaine Nicolas Potel Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Pruliers, over an impromptu but excellent lunch at Jaan, perched 70 floors up at the Swissotel. From the evolved dull red arose a most gorgeous bouquet of flavoursome red fruits and berries, cinnamon, chives, and a bit of toast, hinting at a wine that would be rich and deep. Indeed, the fruit and acidity and wood were superbly integrated and balanced, soft and open, without the quasi-New World density that sometimes dominates a Potel, revealing excellent depth and concentration, very rounded without any edginess. Highly sophisticated stuff. A half-bottle, from the restaurant list. Superb!
1998 Turkey Flat shiraz, over lunch at Imperial T3. My last bottle, and my third tasting. Dark red with an early tawny rim. Powerful bouquet of dark fruits, rich, deep, some soy and liquorice. Excellent concentration, full bodied but not unctuous, laced with peppery tannins, meaty and savoury, opening up after 30 minutes, becoming softer and rounder, showing early signs of the wine mellowing, ending on a slight medicinal note. This is better than a bottle tasted in July at TL’s wedding, and definitely drinking much better than a sample tasted some 4 years ago at Romanee’s.
2002 Penley Estate Reserve cabernet sauvignon, over lunch at Imperial T3. Popped and poured. Very dark purplish-red. Dominant notes of graphite, loads of soy and a bit of plum. Initially very tight, intense and tannic. Softened after 30-45 min, revealing deeper flavours of dark berries, ripe fruit, more velvety tannins although on the whole, it still had a great deal of intensity. Well crafted. Yet to develop secondary flavours after 7 years. Pity we didn’t give it enough time.
2007 Grosset Polish Hill riesling, drank a glass over simple wraps for lunch at home, then the remainder 6 hours later at the in-laws. Pale straw color, loads of citrus and lime with cutting acidity, minerality very much in the background, very crisp, fresh, hint of lemongrass, a bit of the “kerosene” quality, yet to develop real depth and complexity, finishing on a dry, musty, austere note.
A trip to Hunter Valley
I’ve never really had a very high regard for the wines of Hunter Valley, and my trip there 16-17 December 2009 confirmed my impression. Apart from Brokenwood (even then, only its flagship wines command attention), I feel that the wines in general suffer from a lack of distinction, unlike the rusticity of McLaren Vale, the rich unctuous quality of Barossa shiraz, the plummy structure of Coonawarra, and the tightly-knit fine tanins of a Clare Valley shiraz. Like most wine-growing regions in Australia, Hunter Valley produces too many varietals. The Aussies may rave about that region’s semillon, but this grape has never rocked my boat. If at all, it is the lighter-textured, more transparent quality of its shiraz that gives Hunter Valley some identity. And so, a quick review of some stuff I tasted…
Lakes Folly Chardonnay 2008 –pale straw. Light. Citrus, lemongrass, some minerals. Not memorable. Lakes Folly 1999 cabernets – cab, petit verdot, merlot & 10% shiraz, tasted in presence of the owner-cum-winemaker. Very dark red, ripe dark berries and raspberries. Bold bouquet dominated by smoke, liquorice, alcohol, slightly warm. Very good body, quite well integrated, beginning to develop secondary fruit flavours, still primarily fruit driven though, but I don’t think it commands AUD120. Roche Wines Tallawanta Hunter Valley shiraz 2007(AUD25) – dark, rich, medium-full, fruit driven, layered, red fruits, without the usual pepper/spice notes. Very good. Great value. I bought it.
Tyrrell’s Vat 1 Semillon 2009 (AUD46) – very pale straw, grassy, lemongrass, light lime, not much body. Tyrrell’s Vat 1 Semillon 2002 (AUD48) – slightly heavier, but still not significantly different from the 2009. Honeydew, melons. Too lightweight for my liking. Tyrrell’s Vat 1 Semillon 1998 (AUD100) – beautiful clear yellow. Lovely bouquet – floral, creamy, quite rich but doesn’t quite live up on the palate, although weightier. Guess semillon isn’t my cuppa. Tyrrell’s Brokenback shiraz 2007 (AUD25) – dark dusty red, medium, French oak, well-integrated, easy, relatively straightforward. Tyrrell’s Vat 9 shiraz 1998 (AUD100) – dark, rich, spicy, peppery, leather, saddle, lliquorice, layered, quite complex, full, great mouthfeel. Excellent but expensive.
Brokenwood varietal shiraz 2007 – dusty red, light medium, good density but rather simple and straightforward. Brokenwood Wade 2 shiraz 2005 – single vineyard shiraz from McLaren Flat. Dusty red, medium, cassis, liquorice, some spice. Good but not distinctive. Brokenwood Rayner shiraz 2005 (AUD75) – single vineyard shiraz, also from McLaren Vale. Darker red, heavier but deeper aromas of ripe dark berries, resinous, not unctuous, some complexity, peppery texture but the spice doesn’t dominate. Very good. Not cheap. AUD75 from cellar door. Brokenwood Mistress Block shiraz 2007 – true Hunter Valley single vineyard shiraz. Not available at retail. Nice ruby red, deep aromas of plum, cassis, leather, with subtle oak lift. Great mouthfeel, superbly integrated, not at all heavy, good depth and transparency. Very similar in style to the Graveyard (not available for tasting). Excellent. At AUD60, much better value compared to the Graveyard (AUD140).
Tulloch E.M. Chardonnay 2007 – very pale straw. But possesses good body and minerality, well balanced against the limey citrus, ending with a floral lift. Lacking in complexity and depth, but good value at AUD28. Tulloch Pokolbin shiraz 2007 – too simple with nose of alcohol-dominated red fruits.
Tower Estate chardonnay 2007 – light-bodied, too citrusy. Tower Estate shiraz 2007 – simple and straightforward. Not enough body and fruit. Tower Estate sparkling shiraz 2003 – again quite simple, lacking in complexity in spite of bottle age. Poles apart from a Rockford Black Shiraz.
1986 Ch Gruaud Larose
At Absinthe. Things didn’t get off to a good start when I arrived to find that my reservation could not be found. But to the staff’s credit, an additional table was set up immediately adjacent to the restaurant’s entrance, and things got better as the wine was uncorked and decanted, with the manager and the maitre’d enjoying a pour each.
This must be the third time I’ve had the 1986 Ch Gruaud Larose over the past 5 years. Certainly I do remember first tasting it at St Julien restaurant on the occasion of a professorial some years back, courtesy of Hiok, when I was only just beginning to understand Bordeaux. And there was another occasion 3 years ago when I gatecrashed a Gastro dinner at Les Amis bearing this wine as my raison d’tre, as well as another time at home. On both occasions, I recalled it being open, fleshy and succulent.
This wine showed a mature red that was beginning to develop a tawny rim. The initial whiff was full of smoke, saddle, and old leather that leapt of out the glass, as well as flavours of aniseed and dried leaves of classic aged Bordeaux. Medium-bodied. Soft, rounded. Very good grip, though just a little thin on the mid-palate initially, with a bit of a tannic finish. It fleshed out most impressively after an hour, adding more weight and intensity, developing a more generous body, becoming fuller, more expansive and velvety. Quite rich, with good concentration and excellent depth. Structured, but not opulent or outright lush, finishing long. I didn’t catch any graphite note. Would have been difficult to place. Excellent. Only one more left.
The perfect dinner at Iggy’s
It was difficult to imagine how the last dinner at Iggy’s could have been surpassed, where the food and service had been outstanding, the wines (’02 DRC Grands Echezeaux & ’94 Petrus, inter alia) utterly sublime, and the entire experience unforgettable. But just as records of all kinds could be re-written, we took a quantum leap with our gazetted dining experience on 9 December. There is simply no other outfit in Singapore to better Iggy’s at present, and the miracle was that this restaurant could even better itself on this occasion, fully deserving of its No.2 spot in the 2009/10 Miele’s Guide to Asia’s Finest Restaurants, and to be counted amongst S Pellegrino’s World’s Top 50. How it was done I know not, but I suspect it is only through hard work, the continuous search for inner inspiration, driven by a passion for perfection without fear of boundaries, that the unachievable was attained: we had the perfect dinner.
I arrived on time to find proprietor Ignatius Chan himself, ever humble and jovial, engaged in relaxed banter with K and DT at the Chef’s Table, the wines carefully decanted, and soon we were joined by the usual suspects, bearing wines, obviously of immense value, that had been double-decanted and blinded. So familiar were we at the Chef’s Table that we settled into our usual positions, not unlike Arthur’s RoundTable, sipping the 1990 Krug (courtesy K) that flowed freely, as commanded by Bacchus. Light golden, full-bodied, dry (but not to the extent of Salon), with the ripe yeasty note of Krug complementing the lovely deep fragrance of white flowers and malt. As the bubbles dissipated, the wine softened, revealing a complex deeper core topped with caramel, slightly toasty with a smoky afterglow. A complete wine, unquestionably. Wonderful.
I stared at the customised menu. There were 11 items, plus an impromptu kurobuta pork thrown in along the way for good measure, making it 12 items altogether, plus 2 huge blocks of white Alba truffles that were meant to be shaved down completely just for this dinner. Never have I encountered such an extensive menu at Iggy’s. This was really serious stuff. No wonder Iggy himself was on hand!
The 1990 Domaine Leflaive Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru (courtesy K), which accompanied the first few courses, shared some similarities with the Krug. A luminous pale marble yellow, quite restrained on the nose, giving away some light minerality. On the palate, the low acidity wine was ultra-smooth, seamless and harmonious, revealing some mild yeasty flavours and deeper notes of limestone after some time. Excellent depth and body. This wine may have been derived from the “bastard”, but it was on its best behaviour: quiet, understated, unassuming, not showy at all, yet multi-dimensional and aristocratic. Caught at its peak. It takes people of similar character to appreciate such qualities…ahem. Lovely.
The first red was poured. Showing a beautiful deep ruby, it produced a superb fragrance, most intoxicating and sensual, yet delicate and not too sweet on the nose, combined with a great body of red fruits and cherries, rounded at all the right places, silky, possessing good weight and intensity, yet absolutely harmonious, very inviting and seductive. The Armand Rousseau Chambertin (courtesy K) was like a beautiful woman that you really shouldn’t be seen with but you’re helpless, and it was hard to believe that a 2003 Grand Cru could be so supremely effortless at this stage. This is the epitome of finesse and elegance. Just misses the power of a DRC, but that might upset the balance. Truly fantastic!
Red #2 (courtesy Hiok), blinded and double decanted, showing an evolving red, was strong on pencil lead, but the entry was gentle, the wine soft and fragrant on the palate with predominantly red fruits, imparting a very feminine feel (but not resembling a Margaux), deeply layered with complex tertiary flavours, structured and superbly integrated. The table was unanimous that this was a quintessential 1990 Lafite Rothschild, but we were brought to our feet when it was unblinded: a 1988 Ch Le Pin!!! We were absolutely flabbergasted. None of us had had any previous experience with Le Pin, only with the exception of Iggy who felt that this vintage of Le Pin was somewhat rustic, but I thought it was beautifully poised at its peak drinking plateau. There was no clue at all that this was a Right Bank, only that it was a mature Bordeaux, but I suppose the lesson is that Pomerol is truly the master of disguises in blind tastings. Outstanding!
Compared to this, Red #3, also blinded and double decanted (courtesy Hiok), was almost a non-event. The bottle shape, combined with the deep purple as it sat in the glass, gave away that this was a New World and, not only that, it was likely a Harlan Estate. True enough, from 2005. Huge, saturated with ripe fruit, svelte and sweet but not overtly exuberant, showing some restraint, well-controlled with very good balance, revealing deep notes of soy and raisins, obviously still primal with sizzling intensity. Definitely a hedonistic and very sophisticated wine, but, I feel, not distinctive.
My palate must have taken some beating from this last red, for the concluding Sauternes, a 1983 Ch D Y’quem (courtesy K) took me a while to adjust to. Deep orangey in color, still containing good levels of acidity and intensity, the nectarine flavours nicely balanced and persistent without any edginess, still as fresh as the morning dew, bringing the entire line-up of wines to a beautiful finish.
But that wasn’t all. Word was out that had it not been for this evening’s dinner, I would have dined the following evening at Iggy’s for my birthday. The restaurant surprised me with a lovely birthday cake at the end, concluding an extraordinary evening of dining and wining. Along the way, we’d consumed 89 grammes of white Alba truffles that went along with re-invented classics such as cappellini pasta, egg and bacon done the bourgogne way (oeuf meurette), fresh inspirations such as the delectable French toast that Iggy dreamt up with the chef from Jaan, as well as the obligatory wagyu beef, and we had drunk wines that cost 3 times as much as the food. It took a steady hand to sign my share of the food bill which read SGD707.
This has been the finest evening in the history of Bacchus. We had taken our wining and dining experience to levels hitherto unheard of, including the price. On the other hand, tonight’s dinner was also something of a bargain, considering that my simple lunch at La Tour D’Argent in Paris already cost about SGD545, and definitely nowhere as extravagant or sublime as this evening’s. Certainly I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to taste these wonderful wines if not for the sheer generosity of these friends, to whom I’m infinitely indebted, and I leave the reader to enjoy these lovely photos that say more than words.
2006 JM Boillot Puligny-Montrachet “Les Referts” & 1991 Comte de Vogue Bonnes-Mares
Through SL’s sheer generosity, I found myself at his place, with JJ and YW, sipping these wonderful wines on a Tuesday evening while the kids amused themselves noisily in the background.
The 2006 Domaine Jean-Marc Boillot Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru “Les Referts”, clear light golden, had an absolutely fabulous bouquet that leapt right out of the glass, heavy with limestone, minerals, with penetrating lime and citrus, almonds, wafer, caramel, cinnamon, wave after wave of these wafting over your nose, deep, intoxicating, heavenly. On the palate, the wine was equally penetrating, sharp and pointed with cutting acidity, full-bodied, much more citrusy, somewhat chunky and one-dimensional, steely and austere on the finish. Yet to unravel itself, but clearly will be excellent in another 10 years. Right now, this wine is all about its bouquet. In fact, it kept me so occupied that I kept smelling it for a good 10 minutes without tasting the wine at all.
Pretty much the same could be said about the 1991 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogue Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru. Showing a beautiful deep ruby, it gave off a huge, deep intense bouquet of glycerin, sweetened liquorice, dark red berries and brandied cherries, highly liquered (someone was reminded of Chinese medicine – pi pa gao especially, which I agree) all the while hinting strongly of a wine that would be rich, concentrated and lush, in spite of its age. In fact, if blinded, I would have called this a New World shiraz, given the powerful liquorice flavour. Burgundy would have been last on my mind. I have noted this particular quality of “heaviness” about the Chambolle-Musigny wines of Comte de Vogue, very different from the open, lush concentration of a Domaine Romanee-Conti. On the palate, however, there seemed to be some sort of a disconnect, the medium-full wine coming across as quite mellow, not as deep, nor as rich, as one would have anticipated from the nose, quiet, rather soft, but possessing very good definition nonetheless, seamless and long. It became slightly more intense and weighty after some time in the glass, but I wouldn’t say it’s elegant. Very masculine. But I’m not complaining, especially when someone has so generously opened it for a casual evening. I’m infinitely grateful.
Ric's Wine Journal 