BLOG, M.D.

Faiveley Corton Clos Des Cortons 2001

2009-11-11T14:05:00.004+08:00

Tasting notes > A deep colored red. Rustic flavors mixed with a melange of red and black fruits. Nice intensity on the mid palate, with acidity framing the flavors and providing bouyancy. Tannins fine, sweet and penetrating. Certainly one of the more approachable 2001 Grand Crus from Faiveley at this juncture.

Aubert UV Vineyard Pinot Noir 2006

2009-10-03T15:49:00.002+08:00

Tasting notes > Youthful, ruby-red in color. On the nose, rose petals with chinese red dates just soaring from the glass. A burst of flavors barrages the senses, encompassing polished red fruit flavors of rasberries, cranberries and plums. Royal tannins are finely integrated and balanced just perfect. The finish just goes on and on and......easily 60 seconds. Loved it!

Dumol RRV Syrah 2007

2009-09-16T12:17:00.002+08:00

Tasting notes > A dense purple. Whiffing it - roasted black fruits, cigar and beets. A broad mid palate reveals exotic flavors that encompass mushrooms, damp earth, violets and 'bah kuah' (chinese smoked pork slices). Great inner mouth strength, yet there is a certain lightness of foot. Tannins still a shade brisk at this point. The length was a bit truncated, which was rather disappointing given the great promise displayed on the nose and in the mid-palate.

Aubert Ritchie 2007

2009-09-16T10:24:00.002+08:00

Winemaker Mark Aubert, who cut his teeth @ Peter Michael Winery produces a stellar array of single-vineyard Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs and more recently a Cabernet Sauvignon blend under his own label, Aubert. All wines are sold via a private mailing list and are highly recommended!

Tasting notes > Pristine, clear, canary-yellow in color. A beautiful nose of whipped cream, lemons and pine nuts. The entry is silky smooth, with just a mouth-filling burst of aromas that include pineapple, mango, minerals and flowers; with just a touch of cinnamon and bitter gourd. The balance is impeccable, reminiscent of Pahlmeyer Chardonnay '94, which was just heavenly. Superb persistence, which just goes on and on......Just a fabulous bottle of wine!

Pichler Gruner Veltliner Smaragd 2005 Durnsteiner Kellerberg

2009-07-13T19:55:00.005+08:00

From one of the most respected wine estates in the Wachau region of Osterreich - FX Pichler. Noticed from a recent trip to NYC that there is an increasing trend towards offering Gruner Veltliner on restaurant wine lists in the city. I really like the stuff, because some of the best examples offer up lovely aromas of white flowers, peaches and white pepper. A shame we don't see more Gruner here in Singapore.

T-notes > Golden, copper-tone in color. In the mouth, bursting with complex flavors of cinnamon, white pepper, honey and kiwi fruit, pomelo, pink grapefruit and persimmons. Real verve in the mid-palate with just exquisite length on the finish. A great wine! :D

Bitouzet-Prieur Volnay Les Aussy 1er Cru 2005

2009-07-06T20:09:00.007+08:00

The boys at Woodland Hills Wine Company recommended the wines from this relatively unknown tiny producer from Volnay from the fab 2005 vintage. Picked up an assortment of their wines some 2 years ago, but have only recently come round to opening a bottle. Was pleasantly surpised by the quality, so I thought i'd share some tasting notes.

T-notes > Ruby red in color with wonderful aromas of pure red pinot fruit. In the mouth, elegant melange of sweet intense fruit flavors framed by lovely soft tannins. Mid-palate is chock a block full, with nice persistance on the finish. Really liked this quite a bit. Can't wait to get round to opening the Volnay Taillepieds and Volnay Caillerets! :-D

Sea Smoke "Southing" Pinot Noir 2004

2006-10-24T14:39:00.000+08:00

T-notes > My first taste of the Pinot Noirs from one of the bright shining stars of the Central Coast - Sea Smoke Cellars. Deep ruby red. Red fruits and violets on the nose. Lovely bing cherry and Pepsi on the palate, with a very rounded mouth feel. Overall impression was that of very cool pinot fruit, which i like. Can't wait to get around to tasting my bottles of Botella and Ten!

Weingut Nigl Veltliner PRIVAT 2001

2006-07-23T12:30:00.000+08:00

More Gruner Veltliner on tap this past week. Martin Nigl has become one of the top growers of white wine from his vineyards situated at the northern tip of the Kremstal. His PRIVAT label Gruner Veltliner is of Auslese quality, and I was fortunate enough to pick up a couple of bottles recently. When asked why his labels have dropped the word Gruner (meaning green in German) from his Gru-vey whites, his reply has been that there is nothing green about his wines.

Tasting notes > Golden yellow in color, almost Orangina. All red roses aromatically that preface palate coating flavors of nectarines, persimmons, honey, pepper and asian spices. Maple syrupy in texture but off dry. Distinctive.

Hiedler Gruner Veltliner 2004

2006-07-14T10:48:00.000+08:00

I've been in a Gru-vey kind of mood lately, and my most recent Gruner experience was from the house of Wiengut Hiedler.

Tasting notes > Color - a pale green yellow. Beautiful nose of white flowers segues into mouthfilling flavors of limestone, minerals, white pepper and apples. Great clarity and precision here. Liked that it had weight, yet drank like it was incredibly light on its feet. Persistent on the finish.

Available @ MOJO Wines t 6565 6328

Faiveley Bourgogne Passetoutgrains 2004

2006-07-12T22:30:00.000+08:00

Tasting notes > Youthful looking ruby red. Aromatics incorporate grilled sweet meats and violets. Once in the mouth, all sweet plums with grippy tannins which are still a little coarse. Liked the sappiness inherent in the juice. The backend was a little short, but for a bourgogne rouge, this offers great value. A very accessible young Faiveley.

If you're local, Faiveley wines are available from Culina @ Culina Parkhouse t 6737-6227 and Culina Bukit Timah t 6468-5255.

Labradoodle Likes His Vino Tinto

2006-06-28T12:49:00.000+08:00

Sorry Angel, no more Richebourg for you!

Wieninger Gruner Veltliner 2004

2006-06-25T18:33:00.000+08:00

Gruner Veltliner is a grape varietal ubiquitous to Austria, the way Zinfandel was to California, Shiraz is to Australia. Drinking this very quaffable white wine now, brings back lovely memories of time spent one carefree summer in Vienna with my wife T, over some lovely bottles of Gruner aka Gru-Vee.

Tasting notes > Pale green crystalline color. Wafting aromas of citrus with just a hint of petroleum. Mouth filling yet light on the palate, all flowers and white pepper. Great typicity for this varietal. Tenacious acid provides verve and razor sharp freshness. Great versatility as a day drink, perfect on its own, or a great companion to food. A shame that we don't see a wider range of Gruner on our shores.

Peter Michael 'La Carriere' 2004

2006-06-17T16:42:00.000+08:00

Tasting notes > Visually, a pale, straw yellow with the distinctive cloudiness of an unfiltered wine. Much like purulent urine. Limestone aromatics are woven in with a smorgasborg of citrus fruits and caramel popcorn. Peach, apricot and mango flavors dominate the very clean, bright palate. The mouthfeel - silky and velveteen. 14.6% alcohol here, but nary is it felt cuz of the incredible balance provided by the intense fruit profile and scalpel like acidity. Reminds me very much of Pahlmeyer 04 Chardonnay. Lots of class here. Has great presence. Of the more recent vintages of Peter Michael whites, this to date is my favorite.

Bordeaux 2005 - An Asian Perspective

2006-06-07T12:25:00.000+08:00

There has been a ton of hype surrounding the recent Bordeaux 2005 vintage, and expectations are that as the en-primeur campaign gets underway, prices for some of the most sought after wines will be stratospheric, even malignant.

In the introduction to his review of the 2005 vintage, Robert Parker, hands down the most influential wine critic today, suggests that the vintage is most similar to 2000, because of its overall consistency of both high end and minor wines.

Andy Tan (pictured above) is a good buddy of mine that has dedicated his entire life to his passion - wine. A sommelier by training, he began his career more than a decade ago with the Marina Mandarin Hotel, followed by a period that saw him rise to the ranks of Chef Sommelier of The Regent and Four Seasons Hotel in Singapore. In 1996, during his tenure in the renowned Maxims de Paris @ The Regent, his wine list won Decanter Magazine's "The Best Wine List in Asia".

In 1995, he was invited to be one of the twenty judges @ the annual Sonoma Wine Harvest Fair, and again the following year as an echo judge.

He also co-wrote a piece called "Wine Trends of the World" with Terry Copeland, Michael Hill Smith MW, Anthony Dias Blue MW, Kim Maxwell and Lim Hwee Peng, which won the "Wine Article of the Year Award" at the World Gourmet Summit 2003.

Currently, Andy is General Manager of Auric Pacific Fine Wines. He is the exclusive distributor for some of the world's most sought after wines - Harlan Estate, Colgin, Abreu, Au Bon Climat, Arietta, Kongsgaard, Martinelli, Pahlmeyer, Ramey, Quilceda Creek, Soter, Spottswoode, Williams-Selyem, Philip Togni, Aldo Conterno, Braida-Giacomo Bologna, Falesco, Fanti, Feudi di San Gregorio, Isole e Olena, Tua Rita, La Spinetta, Franz Kunstler & Didier Dagueneau, to name a few.

Andy was recently in Bordeaux tasting through the 2005s, and has filed an extensive report about the wines and his thoughts on the vintage. Read it here. To be added to his mailing list, email andytan@auric.com.sg.

MAD Pinot Noir 2004

2006-05-24T22:51:00.000+08:00

MAD pinot noir is the brain child of 3 buddies of mine who share a passion for wine. Together with Sandro Mosele of Kooyong fame, they have fashioned a wine from pinot fruit harvested from the Ferrous vineyard. Ferrous is one of three single-vineyard designated plots of pinot noir owned by Kooyong Estate. The other two being, Meres and Haven, each of which demonstrates a distinctive "terroir".

T-notes > Youthful looking ruby red. The nose > iron ore, minerals, and slate with a touch of strawberry cheesecake. The palate > cool, perfumed red fruit flavors with a hint of spice. Elegant and very nicely balanced.

Limited availability @ Auric Pacific Fine Wines t 65-6291-1947

Joseph Roty Marsannay Clos de Jeu 2003

2006-05-14T18:17:00.000+08:00

T-notes > Olfactory impressions - Full fledged toffee, caramel and Illy caffe' aromas. On the palate, very ripe blackish fruit with elegant layers of rich chocolate. Class personified. Superb quality @ this price point.

Have had all of Roty's Marsannays in 01 & 02 and loved them across the board. This 03 seems to me to have somewhat less structure but is hard to beat for immediate gratification.

Available @ Auric Pacific Fine Wines t 65-6291-1947

Gevrey with Grac(z)e

2006-05-14T18:12:00.000+08:00

Graze, The Restaurant, apparently the new hip and happening establishment @ Rochester Park, was the venue for a (by our standards) small tasting of Gevrey Chambertin 1er Crus.

The overwhelming consensus on the food was that it was half decent to average at best. Service was overall pretty weak.

The juice flowed as follows:

The 2002's >

Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Combe Aux Moines
Humbert Freres Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Les Poissenots
Joseph Roty Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Les Fontenys
Jean-Louis Trapet Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Petit Chapelle
Varoilles Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Clos des Varoilles
Varoilles Gevrey Chambertin 1er La Romanee

The 2003's >

Bruno Clair Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Clos St-Jacques
Lucien Le Moine Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cazetiers
Pascal Lachaux Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Lavaux st-Jacques

Tasting notes on the wine that made the biggest impression > Fourrier Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Combe Aux Moines 2002 > Youthful looking red hues with a hint of violet. Aromas of beetroot, rootstock, and a shading of lentil. On the palate, cool, clean pinot fruit flavors with a touch of watermelon even. Mid palate - floral notes do a pas de deux with a fine beef consomme. Very suave and elegant on the finish. Impressive.

Harlan 2000 @ The New Majestic

2006-05-14T17:53:00.000+08:00

Dinner @ The New Majestic was to the celebrate the trifecta of family birthdays in the month of May. So it was that we gathered one cool Friday evening @ the recently refurbished Majestic Hotel on Bukit Pasoh Road. It houses the once defunct, but very much alive again, Majestic Restaurant, helmed by chef Yong Bing Ngen, formerly from Hai Tien Lo @ The Pan Pacific Hotel and Jade Restaurant @ The Fullerton.

The food was at times good, at times excellent. The service was impeccable. The PDR, a wash of soft greens and beige, was perhaps too muted for my eyes.

Harlan Estate 00 tasting notes > Initially very closed despite an hour's decanting, it started to spread its wings 2 hours in to dinner. Probably one of the more tell tale California Cabernet noses on any Harlan, the palate - light to medium bodied (for a Harlan that is), espousing black plums, spice, and Hershey's hot chocolate. Fine, smooth tannins provide the platform for a very well wrought finish. A difficult year 2000 was, and yet Harlan Estate was able to produce a wine of great distinction. Quite impressive.

Side note - My favorite vintages of Harlan Estate to date - 1993, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2001, 2002

Auric Pacific Fine Wines is the exclusive distributor for Harlan Estate in Singapore. I would recommend begging if you even want to smell this wine, as each year's release is very tightly allocated.

Crimson Pinot Noir 2004 by Ata Rangi

2006-05-09T21:17:00.000+08:00

The 2004 vintage saw Ata Rangi release its first "young vines" pinot noir named Crimson. The wine is in support of Project Crimson, whose mission is to enable pohutukawa and rata to flourish again in their natural habitat as icons in the hearts and minds of all New Zealanders. Pohutukawa and rata are known as New Zealand's native Christmas trees because of the bright red blooms which decorate each tree. The wine label is a beautifully rendered painting of the pohutukawa bloom by artist Philippa Bentley.

T-notes > Starts off with aromas of Strawberry Fruitella. There is a ripe, red fruit profile with cola, figs, cranberry and a slight leafiness. Overall tannins are fine and smooth. Not the most complex of pinots, but there is typicity, which makes for a very decent glass of pinot noir. Reminds me of Calera from California.

My Labradoodle Boys

2006-05-02T21:17:00.000+08:00

Angel > 1 Year Old . Cafe Au Lait . Standard . 25kg . Our Keeper

Samson > 8 Month Old . Chocolate . Standard . 18kg . Sunshine & Smiles

Domaine Faiveley Tasting

2006-04-23T11:37:00.000+08:00

I segue-ed into the weekend by attending a tasting of Faiveley wines, one of many Wine Master Classes that were part of World Gourmet Summit festivities here in Singapore. Other wineries presented included Chateau Cos D'Estournel, Chateau-Figeac, Domaine Bonneau du Martray, Domaine Michel Gros, and Luciano Sandrone.

Christophe Voisin, Export Director @ Faiveley, gave his spiel on the estate and their incredible range of wines, and also moderated the tasting that followed. It was interesting to hear that 80% of their vineyards are domaine owned, as I had always had the impression that Faiveley was primarily a negociant. Surprising to me also, was that they produce about 50 bottles of Le Musigny each year!

The Tasting

> Mercurey 1er Clos du Roy 2002 - Youthful, ruby color. Simple red fruit flavors with a touch of violets, but overwhelmed by a rather underwhelming greenness. Stems galore.

> Beaune 1er Clos de l'Ecu 2003 - Deep, full red. Viscous and rich with lots of "over the top", "chao tar" (read as burnt), aromas of black fruits, bubble gum and grilled meats. Almost Rhone like. Someone mentioned that this would be a very interesting wine to serve at a blind tasting.

> Nuits Saint Georges 1er Aux Chaignots 1998 - This wine showed softer, very flavorful red fruits, with lots of mother earth and minerals. A little austere for me, but at that point in the tasting, a definite step up in quality.

> Nuits Saint Georges 1er Aux Vignerondes 1996 - A light, purplish red showing sensory elements of smoked salmon, violets and cherries. Still a little closed and shy for me on this day.

> Nuits Saint Georges Clos de la Marechale 1995 - Now we're talking Burgundy. Smelly socks and farmyard, with very clean, cool, elegant fruit. Fine tannins frame this nicely. Liked this NSG the best.

> Mazis Chambertin 1995 - Dominated by very effusive caramelized, soy sauce aromas. High tone flavors of raspberries, century egg, oyster sauce and flowers. Superb on the finish. A great wine.

> Latricieres Chambertin 1993 - Medium red with a rim of rust. Very rustic aromas of truffles and mushrooms. On the palate, all farmyard, earth and chicken shit. Charming.

> Corton Clos des Corton 1990 - Very nuanced, mature oak entry introducing mouth-filling plum fruit, cool steel, wet stones, and pencil lead elements. Liked that the palate had a very clean, uplifted fruit profile and still tasted very fresh. Alive and kicking. Still some way to go yet. A fellow attendee at the tasting mentioned he had a case of this stowed away in his cellar. Lucky dude!

Faiveley wines are represented in Singapore by Culina which has 2 gourmet store locations, Culina Parkhouse (t 65-6735-8858) & Culina Bukit Timah (t 65-6468-5255), where the wines are available.

Domaine Bonneau du Martray Tasting - Corton Charlemagne Vertical & A Pair of Cortons

2006-04-18T08:17:00.000+08:00

The week began with a bang! The World Gourmet Summit had just kicked off festivities, and I received an invitation to the Bonneau du Martray Vitner's dinner @ Equinox, Swissotel The Stamford. My thanks to my host, Simon Rock, Managing Director, Performance Motors Ltd, for a very enjoyable evening. Also in attendance, Jean-Charles le Bault de la Moriniere, Proprietor and Winemaker of the Domaine, who had flown in that very morning just for the event.

The juice flowed as follows:

Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru - <1976><1987><1993><1996><2000><2002>

Corton Grand Cru - <1998><2001>

Sensory Perceptions

Corton-Charlemagne 1976 > The color of Manuka honey and maple syrup. Olfactorily, marmalade and a hint of cinnamon. Not quite as much lift for me because of a touch of acid atrophy, but otherwise displaying beguiling flavors of preserved olives, "seng buay" (chinese cracked seed), white peaches and caramel. The sum of all its parts delivered a wine of great distinction. The finish - a good 60+ secs! A treat.

Corton-Charlemagne 1987 > Toasty popcorn aromatics make their way to a fairly simple, 4 square palate of lemons and pears. Rather disjointed and probably my least favorite of the whites tonight.

Corton-Charlemagne 1993 > Rather tight and closed. Tried coaxing it out over the course of dinner, but it still remained about as tight as a vacuum seal. Kept thinking that there was definitely something there, but overall felt the fruit and mid palate - lacking. Bottle variation?

Corton-Charlemagne 1996 > Initially, a blast of aromas - sweaty socks, honeysuckle and toasty oak. What followed was a well delineated flavor profile that included freshly baked dough, hazelnuts, ripe pears, white flowers and alas, lots of minerals, gravel, and wet stones. The sensory equivalent of walking around a tide pool along the California Coast on the edge of the Pacific O. A great wine!

Corton-Charlemagne 2000 > Very clean, fresh fruit profile with nuanced pear, candied apple, curry spice flavors. All the components in this wine were deftly balanced, and there was an uncanny focus to the way it was delivered. Surprisingly good.

Corton-Charlemagne 2002 > Nubile and young. Obviously great stuffing - hazelnuts, ripe fruit, fresh acid. Felt we were drinking this kinda young. Would be lovely to come back to this in a couple of years.

Corton 1998 > An austere nose of flower petals and iron shavings, the palate showed simple black fruits, spice, white pepper and a touch of chalkiness. Quite good, but not quite grand cru good.

Corton 2001 > Liked this better than the '98. Charming farmyard aromas of root, earth, game and fowl. The mid-palate stuffed with black fruits and mince pie. Tannins were soft and velvety; the finish - exemplary. A great finish to an awesome tasting. Fantastico!

Klein Optenhorst Pinot Noir 2003

2006-04-16T20:02:00.000+08:00

T-notes > Nose & palate exhibit simple red fruit flavors, cola, and a touch of spice. Quite straightforward and not the most complex creature this wine. The mid palate somewhat lacking, and the backend rather short. Having said that, there is typicity, which makes for a pleasant, albeit simple glass of Pinot Noir.

Pouring Pinotage

2006-04-10T20:39:00.000+08:00

First created in 1920s South Africa, Pinotage is the resultant cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault. The hope was to create a varietal that had the best characteristics of both grape types - classic elegant Pinot flavors married with the rugged Cinsault grape (spelt Cinsaut in the Cape). Initial results were patchy. It's only been in the last 10-15 years that the quality of Pinotage has improved and the wines have gained popularity from increased coverage in the international wine press.

As mentioned in my previous post, The Wine Company has an extensive array of wines from South Africa, and I was duly impressed by a bottle of Pinotage from Durbanville Hills that I chanced upon on a recent visit.

T-notes > Bright, ruby red. On the nose, distinct aromas of banana nut loaf and ash from a fine Cuban. Palate staining flavors incorporated fresh raspberries, fruit cake, cinnamon and clove. Really liked that the fruit tasted very clean, very cool, almost like you could taste/feel a fine, cool mist enveloping the vineyard. A very suave, persistent finish. My wife, T was really enjoying this, her only comment being simply, "Oishii ne". Ditto the sentiment.

Embrace Sauvignon Blanc South Africa 2005

2006-04-09T20:32:00.000+08:00

The Wine Company in the Dempsey Road area and more recently @ Evans Road, are purveyors of some very interesting bottles of wine from South Africa.

A recent impromptu visit led to the discovery of a lovely bottle of Sauvignon Blanc that is offered by the glass @ The Wine Co.

T-notes > Color - Pale, straw yellow. Aromas of nutmeg seguing to the palate with bright, clean passion fruit flavors framed by a crisp acidity. The dryness is almost aloof, yet is comforting and lends an elegance to the wine. Almost like licking evening dew off a rose petal. A very good food wine or just perfect on its own. Amazing value. Much prefer this delicato style of Savvy as opposed to the rather green, stemmy, "over the top" style, typical of some examples of this varietal from New Zealand.

Chateau Guiot, Costieres de Nimes 2004

2006-04-05T20:05:00.000+08:00

This has got to be one of the best value wines available -anywhere. The quality far outstrips the price, making the price-quality proposition literally, a no brainer.

Proprietors Francois and Sylvia Cornut make wine from this relatively unknown appellation of Costieres de Nimes in the Languedoc-Rousillon region of Southern France. The wine is predominantly Grenache based but with some Syrah.

T-notes > Deep full red with a purplish tinge on the edge. Very precocious, the nose espouses smoke, spice and lots of delicious dirt. Palate staining flavors of stewed cherries, fur, animal and bark. Tannins are a little sharp but that eases off with a bit of aeration. Quite impressive for the price point.

In Singapore, available @ Tanglin Marketplace. Stateside, a Robert Kacher Selection.

Ridge Lytton Springs 2003

2006-03-21T19:44:00.000+08:00

One of my favorite things is having long, meaningful conversations with my wife T, over a bottle of wine. I cannot say enough about how much I appreciate that 1. T - really enjoys her wine and 2. that she holds her alcohol better than most guys I know. Which is saying something seeing as that most of my drinking buddies throw back alcohol at a rate that would make the Surgeon General cringe!!

I am reminded of special moments we've shared over Kistler McCrea '94 @ Nobu, NYC; sipping D'Yquem '90 in a suite @ The Plaza overlooking Central Park; drinking a great bottle of Philip Togni '91 on the rooftop of her bohemian East Village apartment, whilst the familiar sounds of the city roared from the street below. Ahhh...the good life.....

Shared recently was a bottle of Ridge Lytton Springs 2003, which was a welcome departure from the Pinot-philic mode i've been in recently.

T-notes > Deep hues of black and blue, the wine was initially about as tight as an old wedding tux. Allowed some time to breath, it then really began to strut its stuff. The palate - an amalgamation of raw egg white, freshly ground white pepper and the finest dark chocolate. The tannins were firm, but provided grip to the bold, ostentatious flavors. Really enjoyed this.

Burgundy @ Oso Ristorante

2006-03-11T16:25:00.000+08:00

Impromptu plans led us to a "packed to the gills" Oso Ristorante for what turned out to be some great bottles of Burgundy paired with the equally wonderful food at this cosy Italian restaurant along Tanjong Pagar Road.

Part of the discussion that night settled around how these "shotgun" tastings invariably turned out better than some of the tastings that were meticulously organized. In my mind, it partly has to do with expectation, or lack thereof, and also that the number of bottles poured are usually more manageable than at our mega tastings where bottles tend to outnumber participants. This allows us to adopt a more relaxed posture with the tasting, and track the evolution of each bottle through the entire night. A most important exercise especially when tasting Burgundy.

There were 5 bottles that night, beginning with an interesting bottle of Fixin Blanc from Hubert Lignier. By the time I arrived, there was nary a drop of this left, so I assume it must have been pretty good for the boyz to have drunk it all up. My personal thoughts on the reds that flowed were as follows:

> Domaine Trapet Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Petit-Chapelle 2002 - Medium ruby red with a charming nose of century egg, meat and freshly broken branches. Lovely minerality on the palate dominated by red fruit and a sappiness which I really liked. Tannins were very fine and the finish proved persistent.

> Domaine Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin Combe aux Moines 2002 - Started off a little closed, dusty, and a touch austere for my liking. An hour later, though, the welcome mat was out! Olfactorily, like a freshly opened ampoule of Vitamin B complex injectable solution. The mid palate was jam packed with strawberries and the lift provided by the acid was invigorating.
Not sure if I really enjoyed this stylistically, though I suspect that during our current intense sojourn through the wondrous world of Burgundy, it may start to grow on me.

> Domaine Jacques Frederic Mugnier Chambolle Musigny Les Fuees 2001 - Bright, intense red fruits with ferns and bark, and even a touch of ginseng. Smooth as silk, and the purity quite something to behold. Slick ripe tannins complete the package very nicely. Excellent.

Peter Michael Ma Belle-Fille 2003 Redux

2006-02-24T22:55:00.000+08:00

Felt it was time to have a relook at this bottle of Peter Michael after it had had some time to rest in the cooler.

T-notes > Aromatics incorporate hazelnuts, orange rind and freshly whisked egg white. Very suave, texturally creamy entry on the palate, with flavors of groundnuts, nutmeg and honey, wet stones and minerals. Midway, feels very round and complete. Only complaint is it tastes a little warm and "firey", almost like you could light a match with its fumes. The finish, somewhat abrupt and premature.

Weingut Gesellmann Opus Eximium 2003

2006-02-21T23:27:00.000+08:00

From a relatively small 28 hectare estate on loamy, gravelly hills surrounding Deutschkreutz, Austria, Engelbert Gesellmann and his son, Albert are producing some of the most compelling red wines from their family run estate.

Most of the Gesellmann wine labels show paintings beautifully rendered by Angelika Krecht, Albert's older sister. See pic.

One of their primo cuvees is called Opus Eximium, a blend from native varietals of Blaufrankisch, St Laurent and Zweigelt, partially aged in new barrique casks.

T-notes > Aromas of burnt matchsticks with dried prunes and orange rind. Then, palate coating lush black cherries, cassis and exotic spice. Feels very round and polished, but not overly flabby. Flavors seem to echo back and forth as wine swirled in the mouth. Very alluring.

Campanaro Fiano Di Avellino 2004

2006-02-21T19:16:00.000+08:00

Campanaro makes a white wine made from Fiano, a richly flavored white grape varietal which is used to make Fiano Di Avellino in the Campania region of Southern Italy. The vines grow on the volcanic hillsides of Avellino, an area east of Naples. The wines produced are usually lightweight, of moderate to high acidity, and with aromas of ripe pears, honey and toasted hazelnuts.

T-notes > A slightly burnt ash character amalgamated with the aromas of guava fruit, rock melon, pear and limestone. Tastes very polished and light on its feet as a result of its nuanced acid backbone. Great food wine that pairs well with a nice salad or something more substantive in the fat department like salami, sausage, or triple creme cheese. Very yummy juice. Liked it a lot. Also dig the beautifully designed wine label, which is a study in quiet elegance.

Available @ Auric Pacific Fine Wines.

Leopard's Leap Winery

2006-02-12T08:59:00.000+08:00

Always on the look out for good value, daily drinking wines, I was recently recommended a Pinotage/Shiraz blend and a Chenin Blanc from Leopard's Leap Winery, South Africa. Verdict - Great wines @ at an even better price.

Leopard's Leap is a relatively new winery established by the powerful Rupert family, who's holding companies own international brands the likes of Cartier, Dunhill and Montblanc.

T-notes > Leopard's Leap Chenin Blanc 2005 - Fresh apple and pear flavors, with just a hint of pistachio nuts. Lively acidity provides a wonderful freshness to this juice. Lovely food wine. Highly recommended.

Greeting the "Year of the Dog" with Great Wine

2006-02-04T11:40:00.000+08:00

Chinese the world over celebrated the Lunar New Year and saw in the "Year of the Dog" last week. The obligatory New Years' Eve reunion dinners, visiting of relatives, overnight Mahjong sessions and giving of "hong bao" (red packets) are all part and parcel of these festivities. Of course the obligatory drinking of fine wine was not to be forgotten, and some of the juice was quite memorable......

> Ramey Ritchie Vineyard Chardonnay 2002 - Flavors of pomelo, pineapple and grapefruit. Fantastic mouthfeel with a lovely creamy texture on the palate. The balance was just about perfect. Drinking very nicely now. Time to drink up perhaps?

> Ridge Monte Bello 1992 - Still looking youthful, the 1992 was just singing on this night. The "out of this world" palate of black fruits, cigar box, dark chocolate and minerals, was magical. Kept coming back for more the entire night. Signs and symptoms of a great wine.

> Domaine Tempier Bandol Miguoa 2001 - This is one of three single vineyard cuvees produced by one of the oldest and most respected estates in Bandol. This bottling is usually 50-60% Mourvedre depending on the vintage, the rest being made up of Cinsault and Grenache. Distinctive nose of dried prunes, figs, and a touch of bird droppings. Intense black fruits, animal fur, gamey flavors accompanied by the smell of freshly laid tar. A fascinating drink. My thanks to Chee Wee for sharing the experience.

> Domaine Comte De Vogue, Chambolle Musigny les Amoureuses 1998 - This bottle had been opened some 3 hours by the time i arrived at the tasting, so my impressions should be taken with a pinch of salt. I guess I was expecting quite a bit from this bottle, yet what crossed the palate was fairly simple red fruits, texturally - velveteen, yet failing to plumb the depths of complexity. For me, a little disappointing. To be fair, many of the guys liked it a lot when first opened, so maybe it was my loss for not having been there earlier. Cest la vie.

Chateau De Puligny-Montrachet, Clos Du Chateau 2002

2006-02-01T22:19:00.000+08:00

T-notes > Opens with aromas of freshly crushed citrus fruit, segue-ing into a mouthful of grapefruits and lemons caressed by clean, well delineated acid. Actually had it with a bowl of udon and home cooked japanese curry, and it was lovely. No complaints from a price-quality standpoint.

Available @ Jason's supermarket and Tanglin Marketplace.

Colonia Las Liebres 2005, Altos Las Hormigas

2006-01-31T19:05:00.000+08:00

Produced by Altos Las Hormigas, an Argentinean estate conceived in 1995 by 4 Italian partners, Colonia Las Liebres 2005 is made of Bonarda (originally an Italian varietal) and had a production of 15,000 cases. Parker himself has remarked "Wow! Readers may be sure I will be buying these wines for my own cellar".

T-notes > Impressive nose of horse saddle, leather, game and root, introducing palate staining black fruits, smoke and tobacco. Finish is smooth and persistent. Wonderful food wine. This is really fantastic juice at this price (under S$30).

"Budget" Burgundy

2006-01-24T20:43:00.000+08:00

It's Vosne dude, not Gevrey!

Us boyz were at it again Saturday night, doing what we do best - imbibe! Andy decided that we should experience some "good value" burgundy - i.e. burg under S$70 equiv to approx US$40.

I counted 13 bottles of burgundy for 10 persons......ahhh, life is good.

Reds and whites flowed fast and furious >

Domaine Roulot Bourgogne Blanc 2004

Heritiers des Comtes Lafon Macon-Chardonnay Clos de la Crochette 2003

Coche-Dury Bourgogne Blanc 2002

Leflaive Bourgogne Blanc 2002

Claude Dugat Bourgogne Rouge 2001

Meo-Camuzet Frere et Soeur Fixin 2002

Roty Marsannay "Champs Saint Etienne" 2002

Hubert Lignier Gevrey-Chambertin 2001

Cecile Tremblay Vosne-Romanee VV 2003

Maurice Ecard Savigny Les Beaune "Les Narbantons" 1999 & 2002

Louis Jadot Beaune 1er Cru Cent Vignes

Marquis d'Angerville Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Ducs 1976

Sensory perceptions on the wines that made an impression:

> Guy Roulot Bourgogne Blanc 2004 - Fairly straightforward wine displaying flavors of fresh, green apples and lemon. What I really enjoyed was the scalpel-like precision of its acid profile, even if the finish was a little lacking. No complaints at this price though. Available @ Auric Pacific Fine Wines.

> Coche-Dury Bourgogne Blanc 2002 - No other descriptor came to mind other than the aroma of "Seng Buay" (chinese cracked seed) on the nose. The palate was voluptuous, with sweet, creamy fruit flavors, framed by a genteel acidity. Liked this best amongst the whites.

> Domaine Leflaive Bourgogne Blanc 2002 - More restrained than the Coche-Dury though it did begin to open up a little as the night went on. White peaches, flowers and minerals. Finishes a little bitter for me. Structurally very sound. May improve with a touch of bottle age?

> Maurice Ecard Savigny Les Beaune "Les Narbantons" 1999 - Olfactorily - wet earth, brush, spices. Fresh pinot fruit with a touch of caramel and sap. Our resident "Burghead" opined that the 99s are beginning to open up. If this one bottle is anything to go by, that may well be the case.

> Maurice Ecard Savigny Les Beaune "Les Narbantons" 2002 - Must say there is something quite distinctive about this bottling of Ecard's. Overall more reserved than the 99, with the fruit profile decidedly more candied. Flush with all the ingredients to be a great wine. A revisit in a couple of years maybe?

A Tale of 2 Chardonnays

2006-01-15T12:05:00.000+08:00

The boyz were together again Friday night at Crystal Jade Golden Palace Restaurant, Paragon for the always convivial atmosphere and needless to say - great vino.

Currently one of my favorite restaurants, Golden Palace serves refined Teochew and Cantonese cuisine.
The excellant food served in a warm, understated space, and the impeccable service, makes for a wonderful dining experience. Highly recommended.

The two whites poured were both chardonnays, from the same 03 vintage, but produced on 2 vastly different continents by different vignerons. Notes were as follows:

> Chateau de Puligny Montrachet, Mersault 1er Les Perrieres 03 - Not overbearingly ripe citrus fruit profile, with notes of grilled nuts and vanillin that transitioned nicely into a lengthy, polished finish. The winemaker is Etienne de Montille from the famed Domaine Hubert de Montille estate in Volnay. Jason's supermarket currently has this wine on offer. Domaine de Montille wines are represented by Auric Pacific Fine Wines.

> Peter Michael Ma Belle-Fille 03 - This is the second vintage for this bottling, which was named after Sir Peter Michael's daughter in law. Nutmeg, pistachio and orange peel on the nose. On the palate, ripe tropical fruits of pineapple and pomelo, with quite a hefty slab of butter. Would have preferred a lighter hand with the wood and a little more brightness with the acid, but otherwise, very good juice.

My drinking buddies know that I have always loved the white wines produced at Peter Michael Winery. In my opinion, they are one of the top tier producers of Chardonnay in California. I fondly remember drinking great bottles of Cuvee Indigene, Clos du Ciel and Mon Plaisir from the early 90s that were in a word - breathtaking. I loved the creamy textures, intense minerality, slate-like quality, and multidimensional fruit profiles. They always seemed to have just the right amount of french oak and acid lift, producing wines that were harmonious and finely balanced.

Recent vintages have displayed a somewhat worrisome stylistic change from the days when Helen Turley and Mark Aubert were the winemakers. Subtlety has given way to a rather more in your face, overipe, blowsy style, with an oak treatment that is a little heavy handed for my personal taste.

The Australian Labradoodle

2006-01-11T21:18:00.000+08:00

I've been wanting to write about this wonderful new breed - The Australian Labradoodle, which is a cross between the Poodle and a Labrador Retriever. The best examples of these are multigenerational, and originate from Australia, where they were first bred as guide dogs in the late 1980s. Rutland Manor and Tegan Park Labradooodles were the first to carefully select and document genotypes and infuse them in producing what is today, the much loved Labradoodle. The best qualities of the Labrador and Poodle are clearly evident - they are intelligent, smart, loyal, playful, and have a great sense of humor. Additionally, their fleece-wool coats are virtually fuss free, and hypoallergenic-ally non-shedding.

Samson, pictured above, is the newest addition to our family, and is a standard sized, chocolate brown, fleece-wool coat, male doodle. He was 12 weeks of age in that pic, but is now a rather rambunctious 5 month old, who is trying to assert himself in the "pack".

Angel, who is pictured with my darling girl, Summer, was the first doodle that we purchased from Tasmanian Labradoodles. He is a standard, fleece-wool, cafe boy, whom we truly believe to be an "angel in dood clothing", bringing much love and joy to our family.

My wife, T and I researched the breed extensively before deciding on the Labradoodle, and we can truly say that these are the best dogs that we've ever owned. As a proviso, we would advise that your dog be purchased only from a reputable breeder, and that one avoid the pitfall of buying a dog from a puppy mill just based on price alone. You really do get what you pay for. The Labradoodle Association of Australia would be a good starting point for references to responsible breeders.

Segue-ing to Que Pasa & Ornellaia '95

2006-01-08T21:50:00.000+08:00

As it turns out, the rather rude push-off at PS Cafe (see previous post) was to be a blessing in disguise. The boyz and I decided we wanted some real man's food, and swung round to Que Pasa (QP), where a warm welcome awaited us.

The grub has always been top notch at QP and is highly recommended. Chicken wings and a QP pizza washed down with a round of ultra cold beers was just about perfect. But wait, things were about to get even better. There was a bottle of Ornellaia '95 catching a breath in a decanter next to us. Ah... one of life's greater pleasures - the sharing of a great bottle of wine with the best of friends.

> Ornellaia 1995 - Ruby red, with a fragrant nose of red fruits, tree bark, ferns and tobacco. Lovely layers of lush, soft fruit in the mouth, entwined with minerals and a touch of animal. The exit was exemplary - elegant and very persistent. 4 thumbs way up!

Cheers!

PS Cafe - Come And Forget Eating

2006-01-07T20:46:00.000+08:00

P.S. Come And Forget Eating
-The PS CAFE Experience

The rains had come, and the late night air was soft, inviting. A pathway of candles coaxed us toward Singapore's new enigmatic dining experience- PS Cafe, Harding Road. The promise of an evening ensconced in lush, tropical gardens, vino, good food, and the best of friends lurked from behind the looming figure of the maitre d'.

Ah, the maitre d'.

Close up, he refused to acknowledge our presence. A make-shift sign declared that the restaurant was already full for the night. At 10:30pm however, we could see that there were a few empty tables, and that as it was Friday night, drinks were still being served until one.

One of us had to ask him politely- hello, do you work here.

Alas, we should have attempted a more direct and pointed approach.

When the maitre d' finally looked up, we were only greeted with rude, unacceptable service. As if to justify his stance in refusing us any service, he told us that 'shorts and sandals were not allowed'.

Side note- Only one of us was dressed in the above, offensive outfit.

PS- The 2006 January issue of Vogue featured resort and spring wear.

PPS- Singapore is a tropical rainforest of concrete and unflinching humidity. Most men live in the ubiquitous uniform of shorts and t-shirt, when not dressed for work.

PS Cafe- PS Can't Ask For Everything?

Some decisions in life come swiftly (never coming back again). Turning around, we Promptly Strode Convincingly Away From Evil, and spent the night at good ol' Que Pasa instead.

Grand Ol' Harlan 93 with Good Ol' Friends

2005-12-28T15:36:00.000+08:00

An impromptu get together with old friends last week was over a lovely array of wines which included Bass Phillip Pinot Noir Premium 2001, Kistler Kistler Estate Pinot Noir 2001, Harlan Estate 1993, to name a few.

What I've always appreciated about these bunch of guys is their unabashed, unpretentious love for great wine - and boy did we have some great stuff that night! Fighting through a fog of intoxication, my hepatic cells working overtime, I actually managed to pen down a few thoughts on the wines that really stimulated the senses.

> Kistler Kistler Estate RRV Pinot Noir 2001 - Sadly, Kistler Pinot has always been a disappointment on the handful of occasions I've been fortunate enough to share a bottle, but I was to be pleasantly surprised on this night. To the eye, a deep ruby. Impressive nose akin to a large basket overflowing with a cornucopia of red fruits. On the palate, fresh strawberries, cola (to borrow a term from "The Prince"), brush. Quite elegant. Best bottle of Kistler Pinot I've had to date.

> Harlan Estate 1993 - Always one of my favorite vintages of Harlan. Someone that night said this was like a fine Bordeaux, a St Julien. Reg, the claret lover amongst us, would have loved it. Still youthful looking, the nose gave forth minerals, cedar, pencil shavings, and a touch of smoke. Very refined, its fruit profile was multi-dimensional and the balance of acid and wood was intoxicating. Truly impressive. Reminded me very much of the 1999. We should all be so lucky to drink a great bottle of wine such as this.

Orgasmic Vertical of Harlan Estate 1995-2002

2005-12-20T22:16:00.000+08:00

A good buddy of mine, Andy Tan, currently General Manager of Auric Pacific Fine Wines first introduced me to the wonders of Harlan Estate some 15 years ago. Andy is the sole distributor for Harlan Estate in Singapore since the early 90s, and I therefore have had the privilege of drinking some of the finest Bordeaux-blend red wine produced in all of California. Recently, we had the distinct pleasure of meeting with Don Weaver, Director of Harlan Estate, during which a vertical tasting of Harlan Estate's wine from 1997-2002 was organized at the elegant Crystal Jade Golden Palace Restaurant, Singapore. There was the surprise addition of the 1995 and 1996 vintages courtesy of our always generous friend, David Ong, and so the stage was set for what was to be a memorable tasting of some very fine juice.

> Harlan 95 - According to Don, Bill Harlan's favorite vintage. I have had this bottle on a number of occasions, and must say that at this tasting, the wine was at its best. Having had the benefit of some time in bottle, there was wonderful integration of all elements, and a lovely mineral quality. Opaque to the eye, with lovely tobacco, smoke and dark fruit on the nose. Fruit was pure and seamless, backed up by fine tannins and a very endearing sweetness that proved uncloying. A treat.

> Harlan 96 - More restrained than the 95, but no less impressive. There was a sense of brooding in this one, a beast waiting to bare its fangs. The fruit profile as always, impeccable for a Harlan, but overall more closed for me on this night.

> Harlan 97 - Always one of the more talked about vintages of Harlan. This boy has never left any doubt as to how serious it is. Maybe it's just me, but I've always 'liked' the 97, but not loved it. The sweetness has always been a little cloying for me, even though one has to be in awe of the raw materials and gargantuan wine-making effort. I think it has to do with how I've been burg-ified recently by the recent pursuits of our wine table. I've started to look for elegance, femininity, balance and minerality in a wine.

> Harlan 98 - From a difficult vintage, Harlan gave birth to a healthy 9 pound baby boy! Crushed cherries and raspberries married with a lovely touch of oak and tannin. A very good wine, but lacks somewhat the usual verve and 'wow' factor that comes to mind with a Harlan.

> Harlan 99 - This I really liked tonight. Not as loud and brassy as some of the 'bigger' vintages of Harlan, there was a lovely sense of balance and class to this wine. Reminded me of the 1993, which I loved. Expressive, and assured in balance. Beautiful.

> Harlan 00 - From another difficult vintage, Harlan crafted quite a remarkable wine. Black currants, lead shavings and tobacco. Mid palate just a shade lacking, but the finish was smooth and long.

> Harlan 01 - My first look at this wine. In a word - remarkable, and already drinking incredibly well for a young Harlan. Reminds me of Ramey, Jericho Canyon 2001. There was wonderful depth and breadth to the juice which was all black fruits and Valrhona chocolate coming at you in waves. This wine simply had formidable presence. Can't wait to drink this again.

> Harlan 02 - Sneak peek at this wine, as it is not due for release till April 2006. My initial thoughts were "Whoa Big Boy!". This was a heck of a mouthful of wine. It had an almost candied fruit profile, with a good smothering of tannins, which were a little harsh for me at this stage of development. Can't complain about the obviously fine components of this wine though. Probably could use some time in bottle before a fair assessment is made. At this point in their evolution, much preferred the 01.

Discovering Austrian Vino

2005-12-14T14:11:00.000+08:00

Austrian wine to me has always been the dry Gruner Veltliner, (personally, great food wines), or sweet wines from the likes of Kracher in the Wachau. In my search for some everyday wines to drink at home, I chanced upon some interesting bottles of Austrian wine @ the lively Corduroy and Finch along Bukit Timah Road in Singapore. The following were noteworthy:

> Weninger Pinot Noir 2002 - Wafting aromas of dark fruit and chocolate on the nose. Lush, juicy fruit with fine tannins, and a scrumptious finish. Kept wanting more- always a good sign!

> Dinstlgut Loiben Weissburgunder Pinot Blanc 2003 - Kept thinking marzipan, with that sweet nuttiness, and a touch of tea on the nose. Palate opens with fresh flavors of green plums and pine nuts. Smooth, elegant finish. Really like this a lot.

> Dinstlgut Loiben Loibenberg Riesling 2003 - Japanese pear and citrus on the nose. Tropical fruits with just a hint of premium grade petrol. Great food wine.

> Sattlerhof Sauvignon Blanc 2004 - Grapefruit, pomelo and lemon flavors meet, supported by a firm acid backbone. No offense, but much preferred this to many a Kiwi savvy, that can sometimes taste overly green and tart.

"To die for" Burgundy Tasting - 2001 Gevrey-Chambertin Grand Crus

2005-11-30T10:49:00.000+08:00

Firstly, immense thanks to Henry aka "Burghead" and Andy aka "Jiu Shen" (Chinese "God of Wine"), for organizing this wonderful event. Andy, for his tireless sourcing and careful storage of the wines, and Henry for organizing all the "boyz", and for reproducing Allen Meadows's illuminating blurb on the Gevrey Grand Crus, and attendant tasting notes.

The juice flowed as follows:

>Chambertin, Armand Rousseau
>Chambertin, Phillipe Charlopin-Parizot
>Chambertin-Clos de Beze, Bruno Clair
>Chambertin-Clos de Beze, Frederic Magnien
>Ruchottes-Chambertin, Georges Roumier
>Mazis-Chambertin, Dugat-Py
>Chapelle-Chambertin, Loius Jadot
>Griotte-Chambertin, Claude Dugat
>Latricieres-Chambertin, Jean et Jean-Louis Trapet
>Charmes-Chambertin, Joseph Roty
>Mazoyeres-Chambertin, Perrot-Minot

Dinner was fine Cantonese cuisine at Jiang-Nan Chun Restaurant at the Four Seasons Hotel, Singapore. Wines were served blind and randomized. Careful double decanting was undertaken for all but two of the wines poured.

To begin proceedings, 2 whites were poured - Chandon de Briailles Corton Blanc 2002 and Rapet Corton Charlemagne 1998. Apologies- I was late to the tasting because I had to walk my labradoodle pups, so I rushed through the whites without being startled or impressed.

Bottle 1 > The tasting began with a real bang! "Bah kua" (barbequed meat) on the nose, very giving, effusive. No let up on the palate either, bright red fruits, fresh cut flowers, minerals, finishing long. James and I concurred that it was like rose petals swirling in a glass. Finesse with a capital "F". Impressive and classy. Frederic Magnien Chambertin-Clos de Beze

Bottle 2 > Rather closed and restrained. Brooding, like a fruit bomb waiting to explode. Maybe a couple of years in bottle would allow it time to fill out? Bruno Clair Chambertin-Clos de Beze Personally, Bruno Clair's style is not my favourite. Find his wines to be a little austere. Much prefered the Magnien's expression of Clos de Beze on this night.

Bottle 3 > Caramel and floral notes. Firm with lots of structure on the palate, with a nice acid frame. Not an "in your face" kind of pinot. Lots to like. Louis Jadot Chapelle-Chambertin

Bottle 4 > Grilled meats on the nose with stems thrown in. Quite green, bitter and dusty in the mouth for me. Christophe Roumier Ruchottes-Chambertin

Bottle 5 > In your face, new world nose. Overipe black fruit, big and bold. Very sweet, almost cloying. Reminds me of a Peter Michael Moulin-Rouge. Not meant to be a compliment. Don't think Henry would have liked this very much either. Dugat-Py Mazis Chambertin

Bottle 6 > Damp earth and the smell of rain. Lovely fruit infused with minerals and balanced by just the right amount of wood and acid. A thouroughbred. Loved it. Jean et Jean-Louis Trapet Latricieres Chambertin

Bottle 7 > Aromatically pungent. Tastes almost like medicinal cough syrup (Benadryl comes to mind). Presently, the wood is still a little overbearing for me. Strong elements are present, but very closed. We're probably drinking this a bit young. Joseph Roty Charmes-Chambertin. I have a great fondness for Roty's style as borne out in his village wines, so had high expectations for this bottle.

Bottle 8 > Liquorice. Very chewy and sweet. Not much elegance here and quite one dimensional at this tasting. Still think this is very fine though. Armand Rousseau Chambertin

Bottle 9 > Big nose of dark fruit and freshly brewed java. Lots of firm, yet fine tannins, sappy and well structured. Still young, but its fruit profile and depth, promises greatness. Claude Dugat Griotte-Chambertin

Bottle 10 > I know i liked this quite a bit, but at this point, had imbibed a substantial amount, and the neurons were a bit sluggish. Tasting notes simply say "beautiful". Charlopin Chambertin

Bottle 11 > Delicious red fruit lifted by an acid backbone. Needs a bit of time to shed its wood perhaps? Perrot-Minot Mazoyeres-Chambertin

My 3 favourites were as follows:

Magnien Clos de Beze
Trapet Latriceires
Claude Dugat Griotte

The wines were all great, but some were more equal than others on this night. It truly was a burg tasting "to die for"......

Awesome Williams-Selyem Tasting in "the OC"

2005-11-25T12:18:00.000+08:00

One of the more interesting wine tastings I attended was a massive vertical tasting of Williams-Selyem Pinot Noirs hosted by Rusty Gaffney, M.D. aka "The Prince of Pinot" in The OC, Fall 2004. Williams-Selyem has an almost cult-like following amongst lovers of the pinot grape. The magical Sonoma region, the garage-style of wine making, and the old-world, dare I say burgundian style of pinot they make, have all lent themselves to the mystique that is Williams-Selyem.

Rusty's crew gathered in the PDR at Mr Stox Restaurant, Anaheim, for what was to be a memorable tasting. The 4 vintages presented were 1991, 1992, 1994 and 1995 from both the Allen and Olivet Lane vineyards. In addition, there was a bottle of 1995 Rochioli vineyard, which is the most highly prized of the stable of pinots produced. These represented the best vintages for Williams-Selyem in the 90s. Sadly, many diehard fans feel the wines have never been quite the same since the winery was sold in 1997.

The aperetif for the night was Araujo Sauvignon Blanc Eisele Vineyard 2003, served with Chilled Lobster Sevruga Cavier Canapes. The pinots were served in 2 flights of 4. Allen and Olivet Lane vineyard's 1991s and 1992s were served with Porcini Dusted Salmon with Greens and Red Beet Emulsion. From a wine and food pairing standpoint, the beets in particular were lovely together with pinot. 1994s and 1995s, together with 1995 Rochioli Vineyard were served with Veal Tenderloin with Grain rice, Carrot Puree, and Thyme reduction. By the chef's own admission, he was nervous planning the menu because of the age of the pinots, which ranged 9-13 years. All bottles were from Rusty's personal cellar except for Olivet Lane 1994, which was from Joe Carpello, a good buddy of his.

Flight #1 - My favorite wine of this flight was the Allen 91. Lovely ruby red color. Fantastic complexity on the nose of waxy, red fruit, farm and shrooms. Given the promise of the nose, the palate was disappointing. The nose however, was amazing. Even after my glass was empty, lovely aromas continued to emanate from it for over an hour. The 92 Allen was slightly more subdued with the acid coming on a bit strong for me, but otherwise much to be admired stylistically. In general, the 91 and 92 Olivets had more structure, with brighter and fresher fruits. Overall however, lacked the complexity and finesse of the Allen bottlings.

Flight #2 - Again my favorites were the Allens. 94 was better on me than 95. The 94 being essentially softer, elegant, exuding more class. The 95, more brawny, with the alcohol searing through a little. As for the Olivets, 94 was unfortunately corked. Of all the Olivets, the 95 had the best nose, and the fruit/acid/wood balance was near perfect, with a super long finish. Next was the vividly colored Rochioli 95. On the palate, a " fruit bomb" as my buddy, Reggie, would say. Tannins were fine and it had lovely bones. Unfortunately, it began to collapse quickly, and the balance became disjointed within a half hour.

Things I think after attending the tasting:

1. California pinot from the finest producers do age and gain complexity, but should probably be drunk within a 7 - 10 year time frame, tops.

2. Williams-Selyem pinots of this era would satisfy even the most hardened of old world pinot-philes. Served blind (especially the Allens), one would be hard put to tell it apart from a burgundy.

3. The pursuit of drinking great pinot noir requires deep pockets, excellent storage, and an incredible amount of patience.

4. This tasting was a treat and would probably be difficult to replicate.

5. It sucks that these are Rusty's last bottles of Williams-Selyem pinots from these great vintages.

6. When pinot noir is on song, it is one of life's most pleasurable experiences.

In the beginning....

2005-11-24T17:07:00.000+08:00

For starters, the spiel on me is that of a medical guy who gets off on vino, architecture, food (yum), and more recently dogs, specifically - labradoodles. For the uninitiated, the best examples are a multigenerational cross between a labrador retriever and a poodle. More info about this amazing breed to follow. Plan on posting pics of my dogs as soon as I figure out how the heck to do that! Welcome, and if you are a dog owner, make sure to pet/hug your dog at least 5 times a day. Doctor's orders! Om, dudes.