Ric's Wine Journal

2016 d’Arenberg Dead Arm Shiraz. Popped and poured at the in-laws, 04 Feb 2024. Deep crimson. Profusion of cool shiraz at just the right degree of extraction that coat the palate with a ripe plummy warmth. Good balance with well-managed tannins.

2021 Domaine Florent Garaudet Monthelie Blanc Sous le Cellier. Aired for ninety minutes ahead of dinner at GEMMA, 07 Feb 2024. This wine opens with abundant fresh tangy citrus that impart zesty focused intensity with a teasing quality, trailed by gentle overtones of raddish and vanillin. Gradually morphed into a seamless crystalline entity with cool glacial tones tinged with a distant chalkiness and nutmeg, becoming almost Puligny-like, developing a further note of saline with emerging ferrous elements amid early floral characters and nectarine. Plenty of promise here, and certainly great value.

2019 Henschke Keyneton Euphonium. Popped and poured on 10 Feb 2024. Deep purple. Full presence of warm ripe plummy fruit, firmly structured in equal measure with a trace of astringency in its lively intensity amid overtones of licorice, warm gravel and menthol. Not given enough time and aeration on this occasion.

2018 Mondot. Aired in bottle for three hours ahead of dinner at Bedrock Bar & Grill, 12 Feb 2024. This Saint-Émilion Grand Cru opens with a fair amount of restraint on the nose, proffering only distant notes of dark roses, cherries and currants though the juicy medium-full palate is wonderfully engaging, quite generously endowed with supple intensity and well-integrated acidity, displaying more ferrous elements over time that eventually lent a slightly austere steely edge. Made entirely of merlot from a separate 10-ha plot (therefore not a “second wine” of declassified grapes), this is worthy of further cellaring.

2018 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet, courtesy of Mr Nasrat at Jiang-Nan Chun, 15 Feb 2024. Pale. This wine opens with overtones of cool distant morning mist, leading to a focused gentle intensity of delicate clear citrus tinged with bitter lemon. Grew in stature with fleeting notes of tropical fruit, still maintaining fine clarity with a distinct acidity but it stopped short of further layering.

2015 Domaine Bouchard Père et Fils Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru, courtesy of Mr Nasrat at Jiang-Nan Chun, 15 Feb 2024. Pale. Opens with a mild reductive pungency amid cool rounded white tones, delivering excellent mouthfeel from the superb density of distilled peaches and white fruits that impart focused intensity with an ethereal elegance, fleshing out well. Distinctly feminine. Still relatively tight but utterly irresistible.

2016 Domaine des Lambrays Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru, courtesy of Mr Nasrat at Jiang-Nan Chun, 15 Feb 2024. Classic pinot tint. Subtle plummy fruit and mulberries on the nose, somewhat restrained. The medium palate is fairly integral with a deeper core of kumquat laced with a distinct acidity, showing early secondary characters. Snapped into focus after an hour with further notes of fresh cherries on the nose, eventually fleshing out with supple succulence, becoming very beautifully developed with layers of fruit underpinned by a dash of darkish elements. Highly consistent with a barrel sample tasted at the domaine in November 2017.

2017 Domaine Prieuré Roch Nuits-Saint-Georges Le Clos des Corvées 1er monopole, courtesy of Mr Nasrat at Jiang-Nan Chun, 15 Feb 2024. Opaque dusky reddish-brown, exuding mulberries and wild raspberries on the nose initially, giving way to a brilliant cherry fragrance after some time. The fullish palate is rather velvety, laced with a pronounced acidity laid on a firm ferrous base that lent a distinct rusticity, developing an attractive supple succulence with moderate intensity though the finish is somewhat untidy. Closed down to become even more acidic and reductive over time.

2018 Domaine Comte Senard Corton Clos des Meix Grand Cru, courtesy of Chee Wee at Jiang-Nan Chun, 15 Feb 2024. Classic pinot tint. Rather restrained on the nose in spite of a medium-full density of wild berries, bush and vegetal characters that impart a distinct rusticity. Rounded with a dominant acidity.

2014 Château d’Yquem, courtesy of Mr Nasrat at Jiang-Nan Chun, 15 Feb 2024. Dull golden. Gleaming tones of emulsion, vanillin, crème and nectarine dominate with superb presence, tinged with a dash of incense. Beautifully rounded and elegant, stretching out with a balanced luscious intensity underscored by gorgeous acidity.

2018 Champagne Marguet Verzenay Grand Cru, courtesy of LF at Gleneagles, 16 Feb 2024. Clear golden hue, proffering a lovely lift of red apples and tensile nectarine. Superbly integrated. Wonderfully agile and slick with dry supple intensity, exuding overtones of iron filings. Excellent.

Champagne Pascal Agrapart Complantée Extra Brut NV, courtesy of LF at Gleneagles, 16 Feb 2024. Pale with an attractive reductive pungency, easing into a cool understated palate with relaxed charm and clear crystalline quality, the white fruits set a little backward.

Champagne Pascal Hénin NV, courtesy of LF at Gleneagles, 16 Feb 2024. Comprises 100% chardonnay grand cru from Chouilly. Lifted nose of fresh morning dew and light floral fragrance, gleaming with yellow citrus and cashews on the refreshing medium palate, underpinned by some salinity.

2014 Occidental SWK Vineyard, courtesy of LF at Gleneagles, 16 Feb 2024. Slightly darkish for pinot. Generously endowed with a keen supple presence of dark cherries and red plums but rather measured with cool precision and lean definition, structured with effortless grace. Highly integral.

2015 Antikythera Pinot Noir, courtesy of LF at Gleneagles, 16 Feb 2024. Good colour. Raspberries, cherries, and rose petals dominate with a tinge of salinity. Medium-full. Seamlessly integrated with lovely freshness, exuding a gentle rosy fragrance with relaxed charm.

2005 Kapçsandy Family Winery State Lane Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, courtesy of LF at Gleneagles, 16 Feb 2024. Dark purple, boasting a glorious depth of ripe berries and currants laid on lush velvety textures, developing early secondary characters of sandalwood and earthy spice with a trace of sweetness in its subtle tannins. Rounded with fine sophistication. Delicious!

2020 Château Laffitte Carcasset at Gleneagles, 16 Feb 2024. Aired in bottle for four hours prior. Deep garnet. This Saint-Estèphe opens with a certain restraint though there’s plenty of darkish fruit lurking beneath. Medium-full. Well integrated, though there is a bit of minerally brightness as the fruit turned a little backward after some time, revealing dryish detailed tannins with a trace of sweetness. Needs time to flesh out in bottle.

2010 Cayuse Vineyards Syrah Walla Walla Valley Armada Vineyard, courtesy of LF at Gleneagles, 16 Feb 2024. Crimson. Effusive glow of haw and ripe red fruits with a focused intensity on the firm medium-full palate, underpinned by menthol and medicinal tones. Structured with subtle tannins.

2015 Almaviva, courtesy of LF at Gleneagles, 16 Feb 2024. Deep crimson. Quite effusive in darkish fruit with sweetish overtones. Fullish with cool ripeness, displaying moderate depth with deft agility.

2015 Sena, courtesy of LF at Gleneagles, 16 Feb 2024. Dark. Fleshy and highly supple. Well integrated with darkish easy charm. Somewhat nondescript.

2018 Gran Moraine Willamette Valley Chardonnay, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, 21 Feb 2024. Pale greenish hue. Fairly effusive in delicate floral scents. Medium weight, displaying an agile teasing quality amid cool glacial tones with good cohesion and refined acidity. Finished well with traces of bitter lemon.

2016 Château Chasse-Spleen, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, 21 Feb 2024. Deep garnet. Some restraint initially, proffering just a hint of vanillin with a certain lightness and cool introspection on the medium palate imbued with darkish fruit and currants, tinged with an unusual trace of barnyard earthiness towards the finish. Seemingly lacking in vigour though things snapped into focus after thirty minutes with a bit of furred intensity, the fruit a little deeper and more plummy with detailed tannins. Probably going through an awkward phase.

2009 Domaine Meo Camuzet Échezeaux Les Rouges du Bas Grand Cru, courtesy of John at Gleneagles, 23 Feb 2024. Tasted after overnight aeration in bottle. Deep crimson. Restrained glow of dark plums with faint overtones of emulsion. Medium weight. Ample in dark fruits and black currants, well extracted with a rich glossy sheen. Structured with sophisticated tannins and refined acidity. Dark, weighty and masculine, exuding controlled intensity with a slight tartness at the finish (opined Sir Bob, which I agree).

2005 Roc de Cambes, decanted on-site at Cook & Brew, 24 Feb 2024. Deep crimson. Profusion of dark plummy fruit with a dash of sweet currants on the nose, slightly savoury. Medium-full, displaying lively acidity with exciting verve imparted by very fine tensile tannins. More lush and voluptuous over time with characteristic savoury tones underpinned by a distinct note of mocha, stretching out with understated minty length. From Côtes de Bourg, but one may be forgiven for thinking Saint-Émilion. Drinks like a classified growth.

2017 Domaine de Montille Puligny-Montrachet Les Cailleret 1er. Aired in bottle for six hours ahead of dinner at Origin Grill, 28 Feb 2024. Straw coloured. Attractive aromas of nutmeg, chives, almonds and clear citrus. Medium-full. Softly contoured with teasing plush intensity that impart distilled clarity and lovely tingling mouthfeel with a distinct salinity. Not the reductive sort.

2011 Château Canon, courtesy of Kieron at Origin Grill, 28 Feb 2024. Popped and poured. Deep purple. The nose suggests a big wine, still tinged with emulsion and varnish, though it came across as highly supple and agile on the medium-weight palate, very smoothly delineated with a concentrated warmth and refined balance.

2010 Le Dôme, courtesy of Russ. Aired well ahead of dinner at Origin Grill, 28 Feb 2024. Deep crimson. This garagiste effort opens with a gravelly warmth leading to a fairly full rounded velvety palate, evenly delineated with structured supple intensity in spite of its masculine proportions.

2005 Jasper Hill Shiraz, courtesy of Melvin at Origin Grill, 28 Feb 2024. Popped and poured. Dark opaque purple. Rather funky on the nose with licorice and powerful medicinal overtones. Big, ripe and juicy, structured with chewy tannins that ooze with sweetish eucalyptus. Far from ready.

The usual suspects and friends met on a theme of Old and New World pinot noir and chardonnay at Summer Pavillion on 25 February 2024. All wines were blinded. While the yardstick still remains with the burgundies, the New World pinots (which happened to be all American in our case) measured up very well, their contemporary style being highly sophisticated with great refinement. Many thanks, everyone!

2017 Domaine Benoit Ente Puligny-Montrachet. Pale. Delicate lift of peaches, pears and light citrus with fresh floral scents amid cool glacial tones. Subtly layered with fine clarity, turning more reductive over time with a distinct salinity as it teased with fleeting intensity, eventually developing a fine density of orchard fruit that finished with a harmonious glow of nutmeg.

2007 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Meursault Clos de la Barre, courtesy of Sir Bob. Luminous gold. Resolutely shut at first, gradually developing an emerging dense oiliness on the nose whilst the stern medium palate of ferrous minerals gave way to a concentrated presence of intense white fruits still laced with a dash of vanillin, fleshing out with rounded lean definition. Lifted finish.

2021 Cullen Wines Kevin John Fruit Day Chardonnay, courtesy of Alvin. Dull golden. Shut initially, showing just a hint of recessed chalk before unfurling a dense bouquet of intricate floral detail that contrasted beautifully against a racy palate of rounded white chromatic tones, taut with fine definition and precision. The unusual hint of diesel at its lengthy finish gave away its New World origin, but it was still very difficult to place. Not the usual creamy buttery style. Excellent!

2020 Domaine des Lambrays Puligny-Montrachet Folatières 1er, courtesy of Vic. Pale. Shut on the nose though the medium-weight palate boasts excellent density of fruit and ferrous elements, taut with delicate intensity along with a bit of minerally glare, proffering only a glimpse of inner citrus and nutmeg beneath the sheen of white tones. Huge potential here.

2019 00 Wines EGW Willamette Chardonnay, courtesy of Kieron. Pale golden. Nose of fresh floral scents, the fruit a little reluctant initially. Generously proportioned with a high-toned tensile presence, becoming more harmonious over time, gelling together with excellent refinement.

1985 Chalone Vineyard “Estate Grown” Pinot Noir, courtesy of LF. Opaque purplish-crimson hues, imbued with the distilled presence of red fruits tinged with a distinct salinity that exude clean minty overtones. Still holding up well.

1993 Calera Jensen Mount Harlan Pinot Noir, courtesy of LF. Evolved pinot tint, boasting a mature complex of red fruits, apricot and tangerines amid racy overtones of saline, smoke and gum. Concentrated yet open with tremendous verve and refinement from the sweetish tannins, each sip bringing on even greater intensity and sweetness. Very well balanced and proportioned in spite of its size. Superb.

2021 Ostia Tempore Honoris Pinot Noir, courtesy of Anthony. Deep purplish core, proffering a forward balance of fresh dark berries of moderate intensity. Very cleanly structured with refined purity and lean definition, finishing with, perhaps, just a hint of match-stick smokiness. An effort by Domaine de la Romanée-Conti in Willamette Valley, Oregon.

2018 Rose & Arrow Hopewell Hills. Deep purple. Lifted bouquet of fresh wild berries and black cherries. Very clean in feel and delineation. Exudes quiet sophistication with smoothly contoured subtle tannins that yield good definition with a distilled dry intensity underscored by a deep dark vein of fruit, finishing well. Delicious. Not surprising that everyone thought it was burgundy as this estate began as a joint collaboration between the late Mark Tarlov and Comte Liger-Belair, using barrels from Vosne-Romanée.

2008 Domaine Arnoux-Lachaux Vosne-Romanée Les Chaumes 1er, courtesy of Vic. Fairly deep core of crimson, exuding early secondary characters with some earthiness. Medium weight, the darkish plummy fruit well developed with overtones of bramble and undergrowth, imparting a bit of gruffness that thinned out a little towards the finish.

2010 Domaine Georges Roumier Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru, courtesy of Anthony. Classic pinot tint. This wine opens with an attractive bouquet of fresh cherries and red fruits tinged with a dash of sweetness, exuding a clean relaxed charm on the medium palate, underpinned by subdued acidity and structured with understated tannins. A demure Bonnes-Mares rather than the usual exuberance.

2002 Domaine Emmanuel Rouget Échezeaux Grand Cru, courtesy of Sir Bob. Good colour. Delicious expanse of ripe wild berries and cherries that impart excellent concentrated presence, quite seamlessly integrated with a rasping dry intensity from its chiseled definition and precision. Modest finish.

2009 Christophe Roumier Ruchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru, courtesy of Kieron. Good colour. Benefitting from the impeccable pedigree of Domaine Roumier, Christophe’s own effort is imbued with a delicious supple intensity of fresh berries and mandarins that display lean definition with lovely purity and structured precision. Superb.

Sir K ushered in the Year of the Dragon on 17 February 2024 with an impromptu dinner at his bespoke residence where Chef Joseph Yeo was called upon, once again, to display his culinary art on the V-ZUG equipment. In great demand now, Joseph delivers his modern European set pieces with a dash of Oriental influence, allowing the natural flavours to do their work, matching the specially curated line-up of wines served in Zalto stemware by sommelier Marcus. The 2006 Ghislaine Barthod and the 1988 Pichon Lalande were the stars of the evening, proving once again that it’s the producer that matters most. Thank you!!

2008 Champagne Thiénot Cuvée Stanislas Blanc de Blancs, courtesy of Kieron. Luminous. Gleaming tones of dense yellow citrus and chalk in equal measure, imparting excellent fullness with a steely structured sweetish intensity. Not too dry. Very satisfying.

2018 Domaine Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Chassagne-Montrachet Abbaye de Morgeot 1er, courtesy of Kieron. Tasted blind. Lifted bouquet of floral fragrance and light summer warmth, matched by a tight focused intensity of delicate citrus with a bit of oily density. Highly integral with lovely length, underscored by a gentle minerally tone. Not overtly reductive for a PYCM; neither does it blaze with the classic white tones of Chassagne.

2017 Domaine Joseph Drouhin Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru. Golden luminosity. This wine opens with a fair degree of restraint before blossoming with a polished chalky sheen amid traces of diesel. The medium-full palate is subtly layered with various shades of citrus and nutmeg superbly integrated within an understated chalky density, taking its time to unfurl its rounded gentle intensity. Excellent, but patience is required.

2006 Domaine Ghislaine Barthod Chambolle-Musigny Les Cras 1er, courtesy of Kieron. Good colour. This wine opens with a distant fragrance of warm ripe berries and cherries tinged with a dash of mocha, leading to a masculine darkish palate of solid weight and density, already well-developed with secondary characters. Slightly austere but beautifully refined and wonderfully balanced in spite of its proportions. Almost voluptuous.

1998 Domaine Faiveley Gevrey-Chambertin Les Cazetiers 1er, courtesy of Kieron. Good colour. Dark plums and roses dominate with a distant fragrance. Much more expressive and lifted on the medium-full palate, displaying plenty of vigour and exquisite intensity with supple detail. Highly integral and elegant.

1988 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, courtesy of Kieron. Tasted blind. Deep core of crimson. Highly effusive, glowing with a most attractive earthy pungency tinged with capsicum and distinct vegetal overtones (a hallmark of Pichon Lalande), absolutely mesmerising. Still incredibly fresh and voluptuous in spite of its thirty-six years, its rounded lush density imparting superb mouthfeel and vigour. Beautifully integrated with melted tannins. Drinks like a premier cru. Caught at optimal maturity and will hold for many more years. Outstanding!

1988 Château Mouton Rothschild, courtesy of Kieron. Tasted blind. Deep crimson. Rather restrained on the nose in spite of its full maturity although the dryish Pauillac signature is quite readily discernible, further re-affirmed on the open palate imbued with cool dark plummy fruit that impart fine definition and supple intensity though surprisingly lean, the fruit almost a little too backward. A fine drop in its own right but a tad underwhelming for premier cru. Put in the shade by the Pichon Lalande.

2000 Rochioli Estate Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, courtesy of Rama. Opaque brownish red. Considerably bolder and weightier on the nose than usual for pinot, exuding a dominant lift of menthol, licorice and a mild earthiness amid the generous presence of dark plummy fruit and ripe wild berries that saturate the palate with a sharp concentrated intensity underscored by a distinct ferrous density. May not actually have hit peak maturity in spite of its twenty-four years.

The sixth edition of La Paulée de Singapour took place of 02 February 2024 at the newly-renovated Mandarin Oriental, Singapore. For once, we have an excellent venue with plenty of space for the walkabout tasting and for dinner with excellent food and service to match. It was a pity, therefore, that I had to be highly selective during the tasting promenade as only ninety minutes were allocated which was totally inadequate (from past experience, 150 minutes is the bare minimum), especially when there was so much good wine to explore, particularly as Vintage has secured the agencies of the excellent new domaines of Yvon Clerget and Fernand et Laurent Pillot. The pricing was also a lot steeper at SGD498 nett. In spite of that, the French community turned out in force, as did the French Ambassador, and it was really good to welcome again Grégory Gouges, Aurore Devillard and Jacques Devauges to our shores. The promenade featured the current release of 2022, which appears to be uniformly excellent; it is evident the winemakers have managed to come to grips with climate change, for all the wines seemed to be expertly crafted. Dinner got underway with a raucous start straightaway, punctuated by several rounds of the obligatory ban burguignon along with other traditional Burgundian songs. Christophe and his team are to be congratulated again for another successful edition. Nevertheless, something needs to be done to keep the pricing attractive. Apart from early bird registration and “Club” members, perhaps Christophe and his boys can consider packaging the La Paulée (at a special price) along with certain wine purchases (either existing stocks or en primeur). Merci!

2022 Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-Saint-Georges La Perrières 1er. Luminous light golden hue, proffering lovely floral aromatics with a trace of sweetness. Medium weight. Appropriately feminine in its rounded acidity and mild intensity. A great example of how good pinot blanc (not chardonnay!) can be, from its leading pioneer.

2022 Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-Saint-Georges Clos des Porrets 1er monopole. Good colour. Very lovely aromas of fresh raspberries and cherries, carrying its fragrance all the way on to the sleek palate, structured with slightly dryish tannins entirely characteristic of Nuits-Saint-Georges. Highly integral.

2022 Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Pruliers 1er. Good colour. Restrained fragrance of raspberries. Well-structured sophisticated tannins that impart plush supple intensity, laced with refined acidity, displaying fine clarity.

2022 Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Saint-Georges 1er. Good colour. Seductive bouquet of ripe cherries and rose petals. Superbly agile with effortless grace. Very impeccably balanced and seamlessly integrated with understated acidity, showing great refinement, its tannins barely noticeable. Only its modest finish sets it apart from a grand cru, but this has real aristocratic breed.

2022 Domaine des Lambrays Morey-Saint-Denis. Restrained fragrance. Sleek medium presence, showing good definition and balance with modest proportions.

2022 Domaine des Lambrays Morey-Saint-Denis Clos Sorbe 1er. Good color. Unusual dryish overtones of post-rain wet gravel. Good concentration of raspberries and mulberries laced with ferrous elements, showing fine attack and intensity. Good balance. Sold decades ago, the domaine has re-acquired its former holdings in this plot.

2022 Domaine des Lambrays Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru. Purplish tint of pinot. Highly perfumed bouquet of rosy fragrance. Very expertly crafted with subtly layers of fruit that produce fleshy verve, its imperceptible tannins imparting effortless grace and elegance. Impeccably balanced and proportioned. An aloof beauty at this stage, but likely to be legendary.

2022 Edouard Delaunay Puligny-Montrachet Les Referts 1er. Good clarity. Transparent hues of summer hay and grassy elements. Cleanly structured with great acidity, imparting fine energy with a distinct note of nutmeg. Very successful.

2022 Edouard Delaunay Nuits-Saint-Georges Aux Argillas 1er. Purplish pinot tint. Softly contoured. Effusive in perfumed fruit, showing clean fresh lively acidity without the usual dustiness of Nuits-Saint-Georges.

2022 Edouard Delaunay Clos Vougeot Grand Cru. Good colour. Ripe raspberries and violets dominate with slick acidity, tightly coiled with controlled intensity within a sweet tannin structure. Excellent refinement. Glowing finish.

2022 Domaine Yvon Clerget Volnay Clos du Verseuil Monopole 1er. Good colour. Darkish fruit amid overtones of haw in a lovely glowing complex. Rather full and fleshy, very generously layered with sublime acidity, imparting refined verve. Well balanced. Highly successful.

2022 Domaine Yvon Clerget Pommard Les Rugiens 1er. Good colour. Lovely aromatics. Medium weight, displaying fine concentration of fruit underpinned by slick acidity, imparting a teasing intensity.

2022 Domaine Yvon Clerget Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru. Good colour. Exudes an effusive fragrance matched by a fullish energetic palate dressed in smooth tannins and sublime acidity, poised with excellent refinement and elegance. Great balance. A superb effort.

2022 Domaine Fernand et Laurent Pillot Chassagne-Montrachet Grandes Ruchottes 1er. Pale. Effusive bouquet of yellow citrus and olives amid chalky tones, leading to a cool ripe medium palate laced with understated acidity, yielding fine inner detail with a further note of nutmeg.

2022 Domaine Fernand et Laurent Pillot Chassagne-Montrachet Vide Bourse 1er. This is the real discovery of the evening. Displaying luminous golden hues with morning dew and subtle grassy elements, the palate is imbued with a glorious complex of white fruits that exude superb detail with an oily density. Wonderfully lifted with excellent verve all the way to its persistent glowing finish with unprecedented sophistication and pedigree. But it may not be too surprising, given that Vide Bourse directly abuts Bâtard-Montrachet on the eastern side.

2022 Domaine Bruno Clair Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru. Deep purple. Rather bold presence of ripe raspberries, well extracted at the right level that impart ample fleshy layers of darkish fruit with lush velvety textures. Well integrated and energetic without undue exuberance.

2022 Domaine Bruno Clair Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Grand Cru. Good colour. Prunes and raspberries dominate with a focused concentrated intensity without overwhelming the palate which remains seamlessly integrated with harmonious tannins and sublime acidity, displaying elegant verve and power. Good finish. Highly successful.

2022 Château de Chamirey Mercurey La Mission 1er. Luminous. This excellent monopole opens with attractive notes of grassy elements and summer hay tinged with a dash of salinity and nutmeg whilst the medium-full palate boasts lovely density of ethereal fruit laced with sublime acidity, imparting refreshing zest and layered detail. Modest finish. Probably just half a step behind the legendary 2014 and 2017. Truly made for those who know; not for label drinkers.

And at dinner…

Vincent Bouzereau Crémant de Bourgogne. Pale. Refreshing density of mixed citrus that exert a full-bodied intensity of fruit and minerally elements in equal measure. Very good.

2017 Domaine Bruno Clavelier Chambolle-Musigny La Combe d’Orveaux 1er. Good colour. Restrained bouquet of predominant red fruits. Open and slightly forwardly with lean supple definition though its balance and refinement are beyond reproach, structured with pliant tannins. Fleshed out with greater weight and intensity over time, but it remained distinctly feminine.

2014 Domaine de L’Arlot Nuits-Saint-Georges Clos des Forets 1er, courtesy of Vic. Darkish colour and tone from the glorious abundance of raspberries and mulberries, concentrated with focused acidity and intensity. Settled down with a cool refined elegance. Excellent. Tasted in the presence of its winemaker, Jacques Devauges.

2020 Domaine Jean-Marc Pillot Chassagne-Montrachet, courtesy of Andrew Coop. Pale. Resolutely shut on the nose though the fullish palate is generously endowed in white fruits and citrus, wonderfully ripe with refined intensity, eventually settling down with relaxed charm amid cool glacial tones.

2018 Château de Meursault Meursault Charmes-Dessus 1er. Poured from jeroboam. Pale. Lifted in delicate citrus, seamlessly layered with a cool ripeness and understated chalkiness that impart some restraint.

2018 Domaine des Lambrays Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatières 1er. Poured from magnum, courtesy of Jacques Devauges. Pale. White fruits and nutmeg on the nose amid classic overtones of Puligny chalkiness, carrying well onto the dryish palate with further notes of tropical fruit underpinned by a dash of salinity. Structured with fine clarity.

2018 Domaine Bruno Colin Chassagne-Montrachet Les Chaumes 1er, courtesy of Douglas Doherty. Lovely luminosity. Excellent presence of delicate white fruits that exert mild intensity with a dash of nutmeg. Rounded with understated verve, showing some early complexity.

2014 Jean-Marie Fourrier Chambolle-Musigny Aux Echanges 1er, courtesy of Weida. Surprisingly shy with considerable restraint though the medium palate is open with cool darkish fruit. Good balance.

2019 Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits-Saint-Georges Les Saint-Georges 1er, courtesy of Grégory Gouges. Poured from magnum. Darkish pinot tint. Full presence of raspberries and dark cherries, highly aromatic, structured with superb acidity and exciting tannins without losing control of its impeccable proportion and balance. Finished well. Very lovely.

2008 Domaine des Lambrays Clos des Lambrays Grand Cru, courtesy of Jacques Devauges. Poured from jeroboam. Lovely pinot pint. Early secondary characters are evident amid raspberries and mulberries, structured with fine tannins that impart lovely svelte intensity. Very well balanced, finishing with just a hint of rusticity.

2017 Domaine Chandon Beaune Clos des Fèves 1er monopole. Good extraction. Balanced with a cool ripeness of fruit, displaying modest intensity.

2018 Château de Chamirey Mercurey 1er Les Cinq. Darkish pinot tint. Darkish fruit dominate with a peculiar note of burnt ends on the nose. Medium-full with a focused intensity of ample raspberries and mulberries, underpinned with lovely acidity.

2015 Château de Chamirey Mercurey 1er Les Cinq. Good extraction of darkish fruit, displaying lean definition with very fine acidity and detailed tannin structure. Drinking well.

2017 Remoissenet Père et Fils Gevrey-Chambertin. Good colour. Darkish characters dominate with a dash of salinity. Rather full and energetic. Good balance

2009 Domaine Faiveley Gevrey-Chambertin Les Cazetiers 1er, courtesy of Cheryl. Good colour. Nose of overnight rain and wet gravel. Fullish presence of raspberries and dark fruits, structured with refined tannins and acidity, developing early secondary characteristics.

A late dinner for a small group at Chaleur (the private dining arm of Chapter 1) on 01 February 2024, generously hosted by SC, where the focus is always about quality than quantity. All wines were popped and poured. Thank you!

1996 Champagne Dom Pérignon Rosé, courtesy of SC. Deeply coloured but surprisingly restrained, proffering just a hint of earthy reduction. Softly contoured with a medium diffuse presence of tangerines, the fruit somewhat distant with a restrained intensity, imparting a distinct feminine stance. Very well-balanced, eventually gelling together with lovely bloom.

2006 Etienne Sauzet Montrachet Grand Cru, courtesy of Boon. Surprisingly evolved for a grand cru of this age, displaying a rather heavily tinted dull golden hue, distinctly autumnal in its bouquet of glazed caramel, apricot and honeyed toast. Medium-full, the fruit rather shy and backward initially, resulting in a slightly tensile glare on the mid-palate. It gradually fleshed out with a fine intensity of glowing white tones, developing a certain note of barley as the mature chalkiness became more apparent though it remained somewhat lean. Perhaps not the most pristine example of a Montrachet from this excellent estate; a bottle with impeccable provenance and adequate aeration is more likely to be what it ought to be.

2008 Domaine Joseph Drouhin Musigny Grand Cru, courtesy of Boon. Lovely pinot tint, exuding a beguiling rosy fragrance tinged with mint and mocha. The medium-full palate is beautifully structured with a supple intensity of raspberries and dark cherries picked at just the right degree of ripeness, ample in breadth and subtle depth yet delicate enough, laced with integral slick acidity throughout its minty length. Excellent.

1990 Château Mouton Rothschild, courtesy of SC. Any potential reservation about this particular vintage of Mouton (thanks to its “low” Parker score) is swept away by this magnificent magnum. Appropriately mature, this wine opens with a superb glowing complex of sweet dark berries, cherries and black currants underpinned by a sublime earthiness, utterly beguiling and seductive. Cool and slightly darkish, seamlessly layered with copious fruit and ferrous minerals amidst broad swathes of cinnamon and peaches that boast lithe supple intensity, the fruit and acidity still wonderfully fresh beneath its outward relaxed charm. Moderate finish. One of the best examples of Mouton I’ve had.

1955 Bodegas Toro Albala Don PX Convento Selección, courtesy of John. Opaque dark reddish brown. Rather port-like in its sweet medicinal tones. Appropriately dense and viscous yet balanced with a velvety intensity, imbued with overtones of balsam and tumeric.

The usual suspects kicked off the New Year with a Lafite Rothschild vertical at Chef Chan’s private dining on 24 January 2024. The oft-quoted “quintessential” Lafite is a complete wine marrying effortless layers of glorious fruit with refined acidity and elegant tannins, impeccably presented with aristocratic breed, power and feminine grace as an inseparable whole. Indeed, the 1996, 1990 and 1985 that evening bore testimony to that. But, like all great clarets, be prepared to wait at least thirty years before they are ready. Many thanks, guys!

2015 Domaine Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Meursault-Perrières 1er, courtesy of LF. Nose and palate of smooth sophisticated crème de la crème tinted with capsicum and nutmeg, displaying a sharply focused exquisite intensity coupled with superb acidity and precision. Highly agile in spite of its ample density. Very evenly balanced, finishing with superb length and mouthfeel.

2008 Champagne Billecart-Salmon Nicolas François, courtesy of Vic. Pale. This wine opens with distant yeasty overtones leading to a structured expanse of distilled citrus and green fruits, laced with crisp acidity that cut through with tight intensity almost to the point of serious austerity, developing further notes of pomelo and bitter lemon. Far from ready.

2000 “Y” d’Yquem, courtesy of Sir Bob. Profusion of dense emulsion and vanillin on the nose. Open with understated intensity in spite of the bold presence of white fruits underpinned by traces of stony minerals, its subtle layers imparting lush viscosity with a polished elegance. Highly integral. Very lovely.

2012 Château Lafite Rothschild. Deep crimson. This wine opens with an effusive sexy pungency in contrast to the masculine palate, a little stern in spite of the soft contours and understated tannins. Impeccably balanced, the deep swathes of currants and raspberries with a tinge of crushed fruit exerting a controlled subtle intensity. Came together very well, developing a bit of juicy succulence though yet to show real complexity.

2002 Château Lafite Rothschild, courtesy of Vic. Deep garnet. Surprisingly restrained with just a hint of reductive earthiness. The fleshy palate is nicely open with a distinct note of soy and green capsicum laid on dusty tannins, showing great balance and lovely integration though it doesn’t quite plumb the depths. Nevertheless, its pedigree still comes through. Probably at its best. One is truly drinking the vintage.

1996 Château Lafite Rothschild, courtesy of LF. Deep, darkish characters dominate, a little stern and backward initially before fleshing out with more fruit to the fore, morphing into a velvety expanse with structured silky tannins, the fruit caught at optimal maturity, still wonderfully ripe and vibrant. Very beautifully integrated with seamless layers of cool suave understated verve throughout its entire length, each sip revealing fresh enticing detail, culminating in a tinge of menthol at its finish. Truly a complete wine.

1990 Château Lafite Rothschild, courtesy of Sir Bob. Displaying a translucent crimson, this seminal vintage of Lafite exudes a feminine exuberance from the hallowed glow of complex currants and layers of glorious supple fruit caught at optimal maturity, still holding on without any hint of fading. Medium-full, boasting superb mouthfeel from the lush density of fruit, sublime acidity and finely-honed tannins that exert controlled intensity and lithe agility. Utterly integral with exemplary balance and impeccable proportions. A complete wine with an added dimension of flair and confidence.

1989 Château Lafite Rothschild, courtesy of Sir Bob. Crimson. Open with a highly refined glow of raspberries, mulberries and violets whilst the medium palate shows a tinge of mandarins as well, distinctly more ferrous and minerally, imparting a somewhat subdued and austere feel even though it is fairly integral and well proportioned. However, compared with a previous tasting just over a year ago, this wine appears to have lost some of its lustre. Put in its place by the 1990.

1985 Château Lafite Rothschild, courtesy of Kieron. Deep crimson. This wine exudes a gentle earthiness, its supple autumnal fruit still fleshy and layered, tinged with a distinct note of capsicum. Very smooth, elegant and placid with melted tannins. Absolutely harmonious, evoking a relaxed charm entirely consistent with its thirty-nine years without any sign of fading. The very epitome of a mature claret.

2021 Domaine Sylvain Cathiard Bourgogne Aligoté, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, 5 Jan 2024. Translucent greenish. Preserved pineapples and mangoes on the sweetish nose, developing further notes of dried plums. Medium fruit presence with predominance of slick acidity that impart teasing intensity, displaying fine clarity and crisp freshness. More lean and acidic over time.

2020 Domaine du Mont Épin Mâcon-Péronne L’Etoile, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, 5 Jan 2024. Clear greenish-golden hue. Highly reticent on the nose, matched by an unresolved medium-full palate of recessed lemongrass and distant apricot, not helped by a measured acidity that produced a distinct hardness.

2021 Coldstream Hills Chardonnay, tasted over 6-7 Jan 2024 at Eastern House of Seafood. Popped and poured. Clean, fresh, deliciously floral and full with a fairly reductive quality, imbued with intense delicate citrus and crisp acidity supported by understated minerally elements.

2008 Château Maurac, popped and poured at home over 8-9 Jan 2024. Still showing a fairly deep garnet, this Haut-Médoc exudes aromas of dark plums and wild berries with a trace of licorice. Medium-full, imbued with fine acidity and well-managed tannins that fill the palate with rounded smoothness, displaying good balance, the persistent trace of mint and licorice trailing the fruit all the way to its moderate finish. Another bottle tasted at KP’s residence on 22 Jan 2024 showed distinct ferrous elements amidst ripe wild berries and well-integrated tannins, imparting cool darkish characters. Highly integral. Tasted blind, but its Médoc character came through easily. A real steal at SGD34 all in.

2017 Domaine de Montille Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru, aired for two hours ahead of dinner at GEMMA, 10 Jan 2024. Pale golden, exuding delicate floral scents and clear citrus with cool rounded vanillin. Quite regal on the palate, developing an attractive controlled intensity of tropical fruits superbly integrated with sublime acidity and saline minerals, maintaining a reserved demeanour throughout the evening.

1999 Domaine Jacques Prieur Corton Bressandes Grand Cru, courtesy of KP at GEMMA, 10 Jan 2024. Deep purple. Delicious bouquet of dark rose petals and cherries. Quite integral and fleshy, the fruit wonderfully fresh and vibrant, beautifully balanced against elegant tannins and understated acidity with traces of graphite, exuding gentle intensity. Rather feminine for Corton. Excellent.

2013 Ceretto Barbaresco Vernadot, courtesy of Hiok at GEMMA, 10 Jan 2024. Clear ruby. Rather shut on the nose though the elegant medium palate is imbued with a cool ripeness of predominant red fruits, displaying lean textures. Feminine.

2020 Domaine Bruno Colin Saint-Aubin 1er Sur le Sentier du Clou, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, 11 Jan 2024. Deep greenish gold. Cool floral scents amid an understated chalkiness, tinged with a distinct note of saline. Medium-full. Good even presence and acidity with a restrained intensity, not too crisp, developing more cinnamon on the nose with time.

2017 Domaine Dubois Bernard et Fils Aloxe-Corton Les Brunettes, by the glass at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, 11 Jan 2024. Darkish pinot tone. A little racy, laced with a hint of warm gravel. Somewhat lean in definition for a Corton, displaying fine purity and verve with a delicious dark rosy fragrance, structured with refined tannins.

2021 Domaine Bernard Defaix Chablis 1er Vaillons, courtesy of Alan at Kyoten, 20 Jan 2024. Pale. Resolutely shut though the lean palate is imbued with high-toned acidity from the intense concentration of clear citrus, structured with minerally elements that lend a reductive quality.

2018 Domaine Robert Sirigue Bourgogne Aligoté, courtesy of Dr Ngoi at Kyoten, 20 Jan 2024. Very pale. Way too backward on the nose and palate, resulting in a rather empty palate.

2016 Domaine Henri Boillot Puligny-Montrachet Clos de la Mouchere 1er monopole, courtesy of Sanjay at Kyoten, 20 Jan 2024. Pale. Nose of muted tangerines. The palate is too lean and backward in yellow citrus, giving way to a pronounced acidity. Not quite on par with Boillot’s high standards.

Champagne Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru, courtesy of KP at his residence, 22 Jan 2024. Pale. Distant green fruits and clear citrus on the nose. Rather lean with dry tight intensity.

2014 Sine Qua Non Grenache, courtesy of Hiok at KP’s residence, 22 Jan 2024. Tasted blind. Deep purple. Hint of warm gravel tinged with saline on the nose, boasting ample presence of crushed cherries, raspberries and red currants with a dash of juicy succulence that impart lovely freshness and energy. Very well crafted, but still identifiably American.

1976 Château La Croix, courtesy of KP at his residence, 22 Jan 2024. Very well aged, displaying an evolved crimson that threw a sharp perky pungency. Very open, utterly seamless and integral with subtle sweet melted tannins.

2000 Kalin Cellars Sonoma County Pinot Noir, courtesy of Chris at KP’s residence, 22 Jan 2024. Tasted blind. Brownish red. Obviously well-evolved, proffering a distinct sweetness with a pronounced plummy tone. Turning autumnal, showing more acidity than fruit. We all thought Spanish. Past its prime.

2014 Domaine Paul Pillot Saint-Aubin Les Chamois 1er, courtesy of KP at his residence, 22 Jan 2024. Pale. Backward at first, fleshing out gradually with a rounded moderate presence, displaying cool glacial tones with a distant minerally glow, proffering a glimpse of inner detail.

2020 Vincent Bachelet Maranges La Fussière 1er, from the list of Atout, 25 Jan 2024. Dark purple. Restrained darkish tones on the nose tinged with saline that belies the structured masculine presence on the palate. Well balanced but a little stemmy.

2012 Château de Fieuzal, from the list of Atout, 24 Jan 2024. Deep purple. Surprisingly restrained, displaying dusky tones with characters of forest floor from the darkish fruit.

2020 Domaine Louis Jadot Beaune Clos des Ursules 1er, 375 ml at 67 Pall Mall, Singapore, 26 Jan 2024. Fairly deep purple, exuding an enticing bouquet of fresh raspberries, rose petals and cherries. Softly contoured and supple with a fair degree of detail and verve, structured with understated tannins and well-integrated minerals. Drinking beautifully.

Barrie very kindly hosted an evening of Vosne-Romanée 1er for a small group at Imperial Treasure Teochew, ION Orchard, on 19 January 2024. All wines were blinded. Given the exorbitant pricing of grand crus and the often inconsistent form of Flagey-Echézeaux (purists don’t even consider it as part of Vosne-Romanée), it makes sense to drink premier cru instead as many of these lie at good altitude or actually abut other illustrious plots of 1er or grand cru. Many thanks to all!

2017 Thomas Morey Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, courtesy of Barrie. Pale golden. This wine opens with cool distant floral tones marked by a fairly pronounced acidity. Very lively on the full palate where white truffles and dried plums dominate, exerting a tight reductive delicate intensity that shone with refined purity, veering towards Meursault in expression rather than Puligny. Modest finish.

2017 Domaine Bouchard Père et Fils Beaune 1er Clos Saint-Landry, courtesy of Kieron. Luminous gold. This monopole is correct in every way, teasing the senses with a soft vanillin sweetness leading to a detailed glowing intensity of distinct ferrous elements before settling down with great clarity and transparency, exuding an even rounded presence with early secondary characters that is the epitome of cool elegance, finishing with lingering persistence. I guessed a Saint-Aubin but this plot is unheard of. Very classy. An astute buy.

2015 Domaine Sylvain Cathiard Vosne-Romanée En Orveaux 1er, courtesy of Andre. Good colour, exuding a lovely cool ripeness of red fruits and haw amid traces of paraffin. Open and deliciously layered with ample fruit and sublime acidity that confer exquisite intensity and grip, finishing with persistent length. Highly integral. Shows tremendous breed and sophistication.

2015 Domaine Jean Grivot Vosne-Romanée Les Beaux Monts 1er, courtesy of Vic. Deeply coloured, proffering an effusive reductive earthiness to match the voluptuous depth of delicious black fruits and currants. Very sleek and beautifully nuanced, its superb purity further enhanced by the slightly forward balance but only medium-weight in spite of its ample tone. A wine of great power and breed. Superb.

2015 Domaine Georges Noëllat Vosne-Romanée Les Petits Monts 1er. Deeply coloured. Rather bold on the nose, boasting a delicious fragrance of black cherries, dark plums and currants though the sleek palate is only medium-weight, rather cool with distilled layers of fruit underpinned by a muted minerally presence, promising potential power.

2016 Domaine Georges Noëllat Vosne-Romanée Les Beaux Monts 1er, courtesy of MH. Deep purple. Concentrated presence of ripe raspberries, mulberries and sweet currants that impart darkish tones punctuated by occasional spots of bright cherries. A little racy in its excellent verve and controlled power.

2011 Domaine Dujac Vosne-Romanée Aux Malconsorts 1er, courtesy of Kieron. Classic pinot tint. Rather shy on the nose, proffering just a hint of gravelly warmth. The medium-weight palate is generously layered in warm red fruits laid on a deeper darker vein with a pronounced acidity. Highly cohesive and open with a controlled intensity, tinged with a dash of malt. Doesn’t quite possess the usual leathery richness of a Dujac but this is still highly persuasive.

2014 Domaine Bertrand Machard de Gramont Vosne-Romanée Les Gaudichots 1er, courtesy of Barrie. Lovely pinot tint. Open with an exquisite racy intensity of red fruits and kumquat, exuding an integral cool ripeness with understated verve. Quite brightly lit with lovely purity of fruit. Impeccably balanced with a distinct feminine stance though not short of power. Excellent.

The Jürade de Saint-Émilon du Singapour kicked off 2024 with a vertical of Château Troplong Mondot at Otto Ristorante on 17 January. Founded in 1745, this Premier Grand Cru Classé B truly came into its own under the stewardship of Christine Valette from 1980 till her last vintage of 2013. Her efforts of 1989 and 1990 are legendary, while memories of a 1988 tasted at Eleven Madison Park are still fresh. Key to Troplong Mondot’s success lies in its terroir, sited on a gentle mound 110 metres above sea-level where there is a substantial deposit of clay covering the usual limestone. This elevation facilitates even drainage during wet months while the clay helps to retain moisture during the hot months, preventing heat stress. The harder clay also forces the roots of the vines to dig deeper, resulting in greater power and complexity to the wine. Quality and sophistication has taken on a new dimension ever since Aymeric de Gironde (moving from Cos D’Estournel) took over as CEO and winemaker in 2017. I wouldn’t be surprised if Troplong Mondot makes the cut to Premier Grand Cru Classé A at the next classification.

Champagne Ruinart Brut NV. Pale. Cool reductive pungency. Structured with chunky detail amid a moderate intensity of pears and white fruits. Drinking well.

2019 Virginie de Valandraud Blanc, courtesy of Kieron. Pale. Soft gentle tones of tropical fruits with a peculiar hint of durians. Rounded with refined clarity, turning a little velvety over time with emerging notes of passion fruit. Distinctly feminine.

2015 Château Troplong Mondot. Very deep purple. Restrained bouquet of very dark inky fruit and currants, perhaps even a little pruny, delivering an appropriately ripe and masculine palate structured with unobtrusive tannins, lighting up with a gentle glowing sweetness as it took on a further note of soy. Very generously proportioned and smoothly delineated. Very well balanced, showing lovely acidity. Just needs time in bottle to come together. Plenty of promise.

2014 Château Troplong Mondot. Very deep garnet. Resolutely shut though the medium-full palate is imbued with cool ripe darkish fruit tinged with a trace of sweetness, underpinned by distinct ferrous elements that confer a generally lean, austere character. Less dense and imposing than the 2015. Ready to drink soon.

2011 Château Troplong Mondot, courtesy of Mel. Deep purple garnet. This wine opens with a cool elegant restraint, matching the ample layers of glorious fruit dressed in silky-smooth sophisticated tannins. Wonderfully vibrant but beautifully balanced, displaying perfect phenolic ripeness. Superb, in spite of the under-rated vintage.

2008 Château Troplong Mondot, courtesy of Sok Cheng. Deep garnet with a bare rim of crimson, proffering a bit of warm ripeness with traces of sweet vanillin. Very sleek medium presence, boasting a focused plush intensity from the rich layers of delicious black fruits and currants dressed in sophisticated velvety tannins, finishing with superb length. Thoroughly superb.

2007 Château Troplong Mondot, courtesy of Jess. Opaque dull purple. Open with a cool velvety ripeness, darkish in tone with overtones of licorice and menthol. Slightly rustic, not helped by a dogged tinge of brett. Probably an isolated bottle problem. Will reserve judgement.

2009 Château Canon-la-Gaffelière, courtesy of Bowei. Deep crimson, showing a hint of early evolution with a slightly vegetal nose of rhubarb and wild berries. The medium palate is fairly dense in darkish crushed fruit and vibrant acidity that impart supple intensity with a medicinal trace, adding to its rustic feel. Not quite ready.

I had the distinct privilege of lunching again with Mr Pablo Alvarez at Iggy’s on another of his frequent visits to Singapore on 13 January 2024…

Champagne Laculle Frères Le Petit Point Rouge Brut Nature Rosé NV. Light orangey-red hue, exuding a distant rosy fragrance with fine clarity and intensity of grapefruit. Very well balanced with a smooth rounded easy charm, not too dry. The winemaker married a Singaporean woman. Hence, the name (meaning Little Red Dot) refers to Singapore, the map of which is shown on the label.

2005 Domaine Rollin Père et Fils Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru. Poured from magnum. Dull golden. Secondary nose of glazed characters, gradually revealing excellent presence of cool citrus tinged with early secondary characters of grapefruit, walnuts and cashews, displaying youthful freshness and deft agility along with measured restraint and elegant intensity. Very subtly layered, developing a sheen of smooth emulsion whilst maintaining its lithe transparency. I must admit not having encountered this producer before but it is superb!

2011 Vega Sicilia Tinto Valbuena 5^o. Deep purple. Highly delicious nose of crushed red fruits, cherries and currants that went fairly deep on the medium-weight palate. Very smoothly delineated with lithe transparency, developing further notes of mocha and cocoa but this wine is all about the nose.

2008 Château La Mission Haut-Brion. Tasted blind along with the 2008 Vega Sicilia Unico below. Very deep in colour, highly alluring in red fruits tinged with capsicum, displaying superb integration with a lovely glowing clarity, structured with cool sophisticated tannins. Very naturally balanced, growing in weight and stature over the next hour with an eminent Graves signature of earthy vegetal tones.

2008 Vega Sicilia Unico Gran Reserva. Tasted blind, but this is obviously an Unico through and through. Opaque deep purple, proffering an enticing bouquet of cherries, raspberries, other red fruits and currants amid overtones of paraffin. There is plenty of depth and intricate detail on the medium-full palate, still not quite entirely resolved but the refined acidity and velvety tannins are already so beautifully integrated with a lush cushioned succulence, imparting plenty of verve. This will turn out to be legendary.

2007 Vega Sicilia Unico Gran Reserva. Deep purple, slightly crimson at the rim. Distant warmth of red fruits and crushed cherries on the nose. The sleek medium palate is very well delineated, imbued with sublime acidity that exert moderate intensity. Highly integral and elegant, finishing with good length. Made from very low yields due to September frost, this wine has entered into an early phase of maturity compared with its youthful exuberance nine years ago, also tasted then in the presence of Pablo Alvarez.

2002 Vega Sicilia Unico Gran Reserva. Poured from magnum. Deep crimson. Exuberant bouquet of fresh red fruits, rose petals and haw. Very sleek and lithe, open with exalted refined intensity, yet distinctly feminine. Still amazingly youthful. Another great Unico in the works.

1962 Vega Sicilia Unico Gran Reserva. Tasted with palpable anticipation. Still showing quite a deep purplish-crimson tint, this septuagenarian proffers a lifted bouquet of capsicum and kumquat with a tinge of earthy pungency, boasting the trademark lithe agility and amazing freshness. Absolutely integral, the fruit and acidity still very lively without any sign of fatigue or dryness though it did fade just a little after about ninety minutes. Memories of the 1968, 1967 and 1942 came to mind, proving that Unico still trumps most clarets when it comes to longevity.

Vega Sicilia Especial (blend of 1994, 1995, 2000). Deeply coloured. Full sweet nose of very ripe berries and currants that carried onto the palate with a tinge of banana, almost hedonistic in its tremendous verve and vibrancy from the deep layers of fruit. Superbly fresh and agile, imbued with sublime acidity, structured with unobtrusive tannins. Impeccably balanced, not at all heavy.

Tempos Vega Sicilia Oremus Tokaji Aszú Puttonyos 6^o. Fairly dark. Delicate tones of nectarine dominate with deft agility and lightness, boasting a balanced sweetness underscored by superb understated acidity. Not at all weighty nor cloying. A study in effortless grace.