A mid-summer feast featuring stunning 1996 champagnes and elegant Romanée-Saint-Vivants

4 August 2017:

We were greeted with a glass of 1996 Selosse upon arriving at at Ephernité in Taipei. Chef Vanessa had created an exceptional menu, using excellent ingredients and her unique creative sense, to pair with the superb list of wines selected by our friend for this very special dinner, to celebrate the beginning of a new chapter for their family.

Vintage 1996 was chosen for the champagnes of the evening. As we tried them in pairs, there was one clear conclusion, that 1996 was indeed a great champagne vintage, and some of the wines were still so youthful and fresh that they would endure decades of cellaring.

1996 Selosse: very delicate mousse, so gently petillant, elegantly layered with intense ripe pear, marzipan and praline notes, lingering finish. Much better appreciated as a mature white Bourgogne. 16.5/20

Flight 1:

1996 Philipponnat Clos des Goisses: About 65% Pinot Noir and 35% Chardonnay. Compared to the Dom Perignon Oenothèque which followed, this showed a bright golden hue. Intensely aromatic with apple crumble and spicy pear notes, nuanced with almond and hazelnuts. The creamy texture and rich concentration showed off a vinosity balanced by vibrant freshness that made this wine a wonderful accompaniment to Chef Vanessa’s foie gras griotte mousse, a creamy ball of foie gras mousse delicately balanced by the acidity from the cherry fruit coating. 18/20

Watermelon ginger gazpacho and foie gras griotte mousse

1996 Dom Perignon Oenothèque: This seemed to have been trapped in a time warp. With its pale lemon colour and crystalline flavours and uncompromising minerality, this wine was full of tension and energy. Citrus peel and green apple notes, leading to a faint brioche character, and finally a saline finish. Amazingly youthful and finishing long. I would love to try this wine again in 10 years time to check its evolution. 18+/20

Salmon and caviar

Flight 2:

1996 Cristal Rosé: a beautiful light salmon colour. Fresh pinot fruit, raspberry and cherry, with a purity of expression, brilliantly balanced texture and acidity, with a crisp and long finish. A most refined rosé champagne, with such style and elegance. A very memorable experience when paired with Chef Vanessa’s visually and gustatorially extremely delectable local cherry tomato salad, flavoured with champagne vinaigrette and topped with flounder tataki, a dish bursting with summer freshness. I would score this wine 19/20

Tomato salad/champagne vinaigrette/flounder tataki

1996 Dom Perignon Rosé: a very different colour here, more orange-pink, more evolved. Savoury notes accompanied the ripe plum flavours. This seemed more loose-knit, less structured when compared with the Cristal in this rosé champagne pair. 16/20

Flight 3:

1996 Krug: I really liked the vinosity and richness of this wine. The savoury and nutty nuances, together with hazelnut shortbread and praline characters, were beautifully layered with ripe apple and pear notes. There was an elegant harmony that put this wine in a class of its wine. It could have earned a higher score, if only for the fact that it fell short of the lengthy finish and depth of flavours delivered by the Clos du Mesnil. 18.5/20

1996 Krug Clos du Mesnil: The freshness, pervasiveness of flavours, concentration were first-rate. This was a wine that delivered class and style with the opulence but balance from the 1996 vintage. A wine that appealed to the hedonistic senses. Spicy toffee apple, shortbread, toasted brioche characters with a thread of uncompromising minerality and purity that delivered an unequalled expression of Chardonnay from Champagne. 19.5/20

It’s so difficult to say which of the two wines was the better accompaniment to Chef Vanessa’s sublime creation of homard bleu served with passion-fruit flavoured beurre blanc. I might have to go for the Clos du Mesnil for the greater persistence of fruit.

Homard bleu/beurre blanc des fruits de passion

Flight 4:

1996 Montrachet, Bouchard: The first impression was a rich full-bodied wine that delivered great persistence. Creamy textured, with intense buttery, hazelnut and ripe pear notes, the acidity was well-woven into the rich complex flavours. There was a well-defined sense of place and expression of terroir. A big wine, perhaps not the most elegant example of its class, but it would certainly benefit from more years of cellaring before re-tasting. 17.5/20

1996 Montrachet, Lafon: Smokey, toasty and spicy nuances, with ripe pear notes. This wine attested to superior craftsmanship, with an elegance that belied the richness of this wine. This bottle however seemed more evolved than the Bouchard. I detected a faint oxidative note but the trace of volatile acidity might have appealed to others and it gave the wine a welcome lift in freshness. 17/20

Perhaps it was the citrus kumquat sauce in the dish for this flight, the Lafon Montrachet seemed the better accompaniment: garoupa in bamboo thick stock, served with organic wheat, okra and kumquat sauce.

Market fish/bamboo thick stock/organic wheat okra/kumquat sauce

1996 Meursault Les Gouttes d’Or, Leroy: One could detect the lovely materials that made this wine under the cork taint. A wine that deserves a re-trial!


To put the following two flights into context, a little history on the domaine and the vines, thanks to notes from Allen Meadows and Clive Coates. Sylvain Cathiard had been making wine independently since 1986, by renting the family vines. He eventually took over the control of the family’s vines when his father André retired in 1995. The Cathiard’s family wines had previously been labelled under Domaine Cathiard-Molinier. The farming of the particular Romanée-Saint-Vivant parcel, previously owned by André Galtié (a member of the Thomas-Moillard family) had been shared between Domaine Cathiard-Molinier and Domaine Arnoux since 1941. In 1984 Galtié decided to sell his inheritance of the Romanée-Saint-Vivant parcel, in total 68 ares (0.68 hectare), equally to Domaine Arnoux and Domaine Cathiard-Molinier, both having been sharecroppers. André Cathiard subsequently resold 17 ares back to the Thomas family. (This parcel of 17 ares was later sold to Wilf Jaeger in 2005, amongst other holdings of the Thomas-Moillard family and this Romanée-Saint-Vivant has since been leased to Domaine Dujac.) So the Cathiard holding remained as 17 ares (0.17 ha). Sylvain’s son Sébastien joined the domaine around 2005, after his various internships in Chablis, Bordeaux (Château Smith Haut Lafitte - the Cathiards in Bordeaux are distant relations) and New Zealand. The first vintage under Sébastien’s full control was 2011.

Flight 5:

1996 Romanée-Saint-Vivant, Sylvain Cathiard: This bottle showed a rather significant level of brettanomyces character and volatile acidity that made it far from enjoyable. It is worth trying another bottle at some stage. 15/20 for this bottle

1998 Romanée-Saint-Vivant, Sylvain Cathiard: There was again the brettanomyces character that made it less attractive, but not enough to detract our enjoyment of the well-delineated structure of the wine and the complexity from the savoury, mushroom notes underlying the charming cherry fruit. Still a lovely wine that showed elegance and class. 16.5/20

This flight was paired with Canard de Challans, fresh cherries and berries with porto sauce.

Flight 6:

1999 Romanée-Saint-Vivant, Sylvain Cathiard: It was hard to decide which of 1999 and 2002 we preferred, but I might slightly rate the 1999 a little above the 2002. There was just a little more delineation in the structure with the 1999 bottle, but the pure expression of fruit was very classy and testified to the hallmark of the winemaker.18.5/20

2001 Romanée-Saint-Vivant, Sylvain Cathiard: There was a hint of band-aid brettanomyces character in the beginning but it somehow managed to submerge into the pinot fruit, sauvage and sous-bois characters that dominated the nose after some aeration. A lithe and stylish wine. 17.5/20

2002 Romanée-Saint-Vivant, Sylvain Cathiard: Purity of pinot expression, smoothly textured, with well-defined ripe tannins, and a persistent finish. Very stylish and very moreish. 18/20

This flight was paired with Wagyu beef cheek stew, mashed potato and farm veggies, as well as a portion of home-made tagliatelle with girolles, which was a highlight worth saving room for!

Home-made tagliatelle/girolles

Wagyu beef cheek/mash potato/farm veggies

The final wine was paired with the cheese selection.

I had never tasted a Massandra before and this 1906 Al-Danil Tokay from the Massandra Collection (the oldest winery in the Crimea) was a very fine example of a perfectly matured lively dessert wine, with notes of dried figs, spicy fruit cake, caramel and balsamic, full-bodied, rich and concentrated, still brimming with vibrancy and energy. Such a rare treat!

Thank you very much to our generous hosts and friends, Iris and Joe, for all the memorable dinners we’ve had over the years. This dinner marked the beginning of your new journey and we look forward to sharing other memorable experiences with you soon, wherever they may be around the world!

And a note to Chef Vanessa and Restaurant Manager Claude - congratulations on your upcoming wedding!

Dessert of mango-peach crepe/lemon verbena jelly/passion fruit meringue

20 Years On...........checking on the 1997 vintage with Rousseau, Roumier, Lafon and Yquem

29 July 2017:
To commemorate this momentous event in 1997 that has shaped Hong Kong for the past 20 years, we pulled the corks of a few bottles from the said vintage to mark this historic date. We are pleased to report that while we would agree that there seemed no clear benefit in holding onto the 1997 bottles for extended cellaring, these bottles held up extremely well at our dinner!

The NV Krug Rosé and the delicious 1998 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne were not part of the 1997 line-up but helped get things started, and certainly with these gougères.

 

1997 Meursault-Perrières, Lafon: Shrouded in a golden robe, this gorgeously mature white Bourgogne delivered layers of ripe pear, marzipan and honeyed complexity with well-defined structure, and lingering finish. A remarkable wine with 20 years of age, with such elegance and class. 18/20

1997 Chambertin Clos de Bèze, Rousseau (magnum): This has also beautifully aged, with charming tertiary characters of sous-bois, truffle and prunes. The ripe fruitiness from the vintage was evident from the palate and finish. It was a charming wine with soft acidity, velvety texture and an almost sweet note on the finish, but compared to the next wine, it did not quite have the same precision or personality. 17/20

1997 Ruchottes-Chambertin, Christophe Roumier: There was a savoury and sauvage note in the character of this wine, together with better perceived acidity, giving this wine more personality than the previous wine. The structure was still well-defined, with an elegant litheness and a savoury long finish. 17.5/20

1997 Château d'Yquem: A gorgeous amber-gold colour. A perfect Sauternes, with measured balance of acidity, sweetness, with layers of complexity that kept inviting you to take the next sip. Apricot, tangerine, spicy caramel, honey, savoury rye characters with clear botrytis characters. A divine end to a delicious supper! 18.5/20


I am not sure some of these red Bourgogne wines would survive the next decade but I would be tempted to stage another 1997 tasting soon while memories of these are still fresh.

Natural Bourgogne wines served alongside coffee!

How refreshing to see these bottles of lesser-known appellations from Bourgogne being served in a coffee bar in Hong Kong! Irancy and Bourgogne Côtes d'Auxerre from Vini Viti Vinci, a micro-negociant with a focus on natural wines. Bravo for the selection!  

2014 Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet Les Ruchottes

28 July 2017: 

2014 Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet Les Ruchottes: Citrus fruit, almond, toasty and honeyed notes underscore the taut entry leading to a subdued complexity that tickles the palate while remaining somewhat austere and steely. If this is not very endearing at this youthful stage, this is a wine made with precision, showcasing a linear structure with concentration, subtle muscularity, purity and mineral core. 17.5/20

This came as a relief after a bout of disappointing recent encounters with various prematurely oxidised white Bourgogne wines, including a 2010 Corton Charlemagne!

We enjoyed this youthful Chassagne Premier Cru with roasted potatoes, topped with grilled Soumaintrain, ham, cornichons and a generous helping of mustard, as well as a beautifully matured Abbaye de Citeaux. Lovely Friday supper!

Exciting Portuguese White: Maritavora Vinho Branco Reserva 2008

19 June 2017:

Maritávora Vinho Branco Reserva 2008

What an impressive bottle of white wine, showing great expression of place and youthful vibrancy, finely textured, with nicely woven notes of minerality, zesty citrus fruit and herbal nuances, well integrated oak flavours. A handsome and sleek wine, leaving the palate with a clean, crisp finish.

Quinta de Maritávora is located in Douro Superior, very close to the border with Spain. This superb white wine was made from a field blend of varieties, including some vines of a hundred years of age. Codega da Larinho, Rabigato and Viosinho were planted amongst others. Fermented in New French oak barrel. Aged for 7 months, including regular battonage during the first 3 months.

Only 2,850 bottles made and that was my second last bottle! 

Great job, Manuel and Jorge. You should be so proud of it!

Beautiful Pommards that aged so gracefully

19 Jun 2017:

This week's focus was Pommard, such an under-rated commune. We compared 2 different climats of Pommard from the same vintage by Domaine de Courcel.

2002 Pommard Grand Clos des Epenots, de Courcel
A wine still showing a  masculine structure of firm but fine-textured tannins. The nose is still a little closed but layers of complexity await after aeration. 17/20

2002 Pommard Les Rugiens, de Courcel
A totally different style from the Grand Clos. Beautiful lush fruit, cherry stone, and warm spices fill the gorgeous bouquet, showing some sous-bois character. Harmoniously balanced with silky tannins and fresh acidity, delivering a suave mouthfeel, lingering finish with mineral-laden undertones. 17.5/20


If the Grand Clos could be described as masculine, then the Rugiens would be feminine.


On another evening, we compared two Rugiens from the 1985 vintage, one by de Montille and the other by de Courcel.

 

1985 Pommard Rugiens, de Courcel
This came from the Rugiens Hauts. It was absolutely delicious, with no signs of deterioration. Only gorgeous tertiary characters and a very silly palate and a long finish. This was a very pleasant mature wine, so graceful, so charming. 18/20


1985 Pommard Rugiens, Hubert de Montille
Unfortunately the wine had succumbed to slight unwelcome spoilage issues such as volatile acidity and a dirty wet rag aroma that seemed less disturbing on the palate. However underneath this, the wine showed noble lineage (from highly regarded Rugiens Bas) as one of the greatest wines from Pommard. There was a fine structure, depth of character and rich concentration that could have delivered an utterly exceptional experience. 17.5/20 for this bottle

Superman or Roger Federer, Santenay Impresses

31 May 2017:

Source: www.bourgogne-wines.com

Once a spa town of great renown in the mid 19th Century, Santenay’s waters with high lithium content were supposed to have superb healing powers. Amidst current discussions of reviving this attraction for the quiet village of Santenay, its wines are gaining increased recognition for their consistent quality, charm and ageability, while remaining relatively accessible for those with moderate budgets.

The lesser-known village of Santenay lies approximately 20 km south of Beaune, at the southern tip of the Côte de Beaune, abutting Chassagne-Montrachet on the northeastern side and Les Maranges on the southwestern side. From the panoramic vantage point atop the Montagne des Trois Croix (521 metres) at the western end, one can appreciate vinous Santenay being made up of three distinct groups of vineyards, each presenting different styles and altitudes, across the 320 hectares under production.

The prevalence of limestone has much to do with the style of wines from Santenay. The bedrock is predominantly oolitic limestone, same as in Gevrey-Chambertin in the Côte de Nuits. This well-drained limestone bedrock is mostly covered by marl, and overlaying the marl is a thin layer of scree and clay rich in iron oxide. Santenay is a landscape full of faultlines and crevices, as a result of numerous ancient geological shifts. This has enriched the diversity of its wines, with variety of soils, orientations and microclimatic conditions, giving unique organoleptic qualities to its 12 premier cru climats and numerous lieux-dits.

At the northern end near Chassagne-Montrachet, is a large group of vineyards rising from 200 metres at the foot of the hill to 360 metres, featuring the premier cru climats of La Comme, Les Gravières and Beauregard, amongst others. The famous windmill of Santenay is located inside Beauregard. The wines here are aromatic, full-bodied, elegant with a fine structure. The central part of Santenay, or the western part, is the home to two well-known premier cru climats, La Maladière and Beaurepaire, reaching the heights of almost 400 metres. A famous landmark in this part is the Château of Philippe Le Hardi (Philip the Bold) dating to the 14th Century, the height of Valois Duke rule. Here the wines are rich, aromatic, with great finesse. The southern part rises from 230 metres to an altitude of 450 metres at the lieu-dit of Les Bras, the highest for a village appellation in Bourgogne. We find the premier cru climats of Petit Clos Rousseau, Grand Clos Rousseau and Les Fourneaux here. The soil is deep, producing masculine style wines of great tannic structure and ageability.

Apart from being the seat of Philippe Le Hardi, Santenay boasts one other illustrious inhabitant – Jacques-Marie Duvault-Blochet who acquired the vineyard of Romanée-Conti in 1868 from the Ouvrard family.

Santenay largely produces red wine, with 79% of its production in red and the remainder in white. Of the 280 ha of red production, about 100 ha are planted for premier cru production. Of the 50 ha of white production, about 13ha produce premier cru quality white wine.

Santenay may be lesser-known in some export markets but judging by the quality of the wines featured at the live broadcast masterclass hosted by the Bourgogne Wine Board, the wines from Santenay are no shy violets. They deliver expression of terroir, sense of place, consistency, class, power in some cases, and complete with much charm, generosity and character. Antoine Olivier of Domaine Antoine Olivier described the whites of Santenay as Superman, discreet like Clark Kent during the day, but powerful and complex underneath. Frédéric Barnier, Technical Manager of Maison Louis Jadot, recalled the amazing youthfulness of a 1996 Santenay that he recently tasted from the winery cellar that attested to the ageability of Santenay.

We tasted the following wines:

2013 Santenay Clos de Malte, Maison Louis Jadot (white)

2015 Santenay 1er Cru Clos des Gravières, Domaine Bachey-Legros (white)

2014 Santenay, Domaine Jacques Bavard (red)

2014 Santenay 1er Cru  Les Gravières, Domaine Jessiaume (red)

2015 Santenay 1er Cru Clos Rousseau, Domaine Jean-Claude Regnaudot et Fils (red)

2015 Santenay 1er Cru Maladière, Domaine Lucien Muzard et Fils (red)


All the wines showed their characters beautifully, with a great sense of place. The 2013 white Santenay village from Maison Louis Jadot tasted particularly fresh, with delectable notes of quince, apple, citrus peel, and a crisp and mineral finish.

The 2015 Santenay 1er Cru Clos des Gravières was a totally different style with ripe fruit, apricot, truffle, rounded palate, and lower acidity. It would go very well with food now.

The two 2014 reds were very different in terms of style. The village Santenay showed purity and a linearity, with herbaceous notes and crisp red fruit. The 1er Cru showed more concentration, benefitting from the soil and location, and displayed quality fruit and subtle power.

The 2015 Santenay Clos Rousseau was a firm favourite amongst the reds for the group of trade professionals in Hong Kong at this masterclass. It was a very complete wine, harmoniously balanced between richness and freshness, fine tannic structure and elegance with delineation. The oak was well integrated. A very impressive wine, and a great example of Santenay 1er Cru and of the vintage 2015.

The 2015 Santenay Maladière showed a fuller-bodied, fleshy style, with lush ripe tannins and ripe red and black fruit, overlaid with floral notes. It bears some resemblance to a Côte de Nuits wine.


The consistency of quality and the great class and style of Santenay wines were evident from the selection of wines we tasted. Jean-Pierre Renard of Ecole des Vins de Bourgogne chose Roger Federer as an iconic symbol for Santenay reds, always showing great class, and always delivering consistent performance.

Superman or Roger Federer, the wines of Santenay have shown us what a lesser-known appellation is capable of. If we could be open-minded to cellar a few bottles, we could be rewarded with some exciting tastings 15, 20 years down the road.

Seeking brilliance in the class of 1973

30 April 2017:
Richard and I were invited to a birthday feast in Taipei. It was a veritable feast in every sense, food and wine, at Ephernité, one of the latest culinary sensations in Taipei, run by a Taiwanese couple with French background.  The name of the restaurant "Ephernité" is coined from two words: "éphémère" and "éternité", combining two contrasting temporal concepts in this cosy yet minimalist-decor space where we get to appreciate high quality cuisine in a relaxed atmosphere. Chef Vanessa spent her formative years at L'Astrance in Paris where she honed her skills, in particular her pastry skills, before she and Claude returned to Taiwan to incorporate local ingredients (as much as possible) into her fusion style of cooking. With his Taiwanese roots, Claude, born and raised in France, looked after the wine service with extreme professionalism and dexterity. Thanks to our generous host, aka birthday boy, the wine selection was curated exclusively to celebrate the class of 1973 (with a couple of outsiders!)

The class of 1973

The Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs was the most expressive of the 3 champagnes from the vintage. It showed biscuity and smokey mature character but retained a great balance, precision and persistence. I would score this 19/20.  The Taittinger Comtes de Champagne showed clarity and elegance but seemed a little subdued. The Krug flaunted nuances of hazelnuts, toast, coffee and caramel, perhaps a touch overly oxidative.

Of the 3 white Bourgogne wines, the DRC Montrachet was the most complete (white) wine of the evening, with layers of complexity, harmony, richness and weight but balanced by a gracefully mature level of energy. The finished lasted incredibly long.  I gave this wine 20/20.  The Meursault Perrières, Leroy was structurally very sound, and showed exceptional crystalline purity.  It still showed incredible citrus character overlaying an age-defying minerality and linearity. There was much less expression of the Meursault character which we were somehow expecting. I scored this 17.5/20. The Musigny Blanc unfortunately suffered from cork taint character.

The Petrus, though served from a magnum, failed to show greatness, class or structure. It was marred by a little too much volatile acidity and caramelised note for my preference. The Vega Sicilia Unico also showed mild level of volatile acidity, but that rather lent to its vibrancy.  It was a well-balanced wine with elegance but it lacked expression and character.

The La Romanée was unfortunately served in a pair together with the beautifully matured Chambertin Clos de Bèze which showed remarkable energy and character, with silky texture. We loved the sous-bois, soya sauce, cardamom and mushroom notes that layered the flavours.  This was one of my top two red wines of the evening.  Very happy to score this 18/20.

Of the three red bottles from DRC, the Romanée-Conti was the hands-down winner.  It had an elegant richness, complexity profile and persistence that the other representatives of the vintage failed to deliver.  On the palate, it was harmonious, wonderfully complex and lingered on the palate. I scored this 19/20.  La Tâche suffered from the same fate as the Musigny Blanc, ie cork taint.  The Romanée St Vivant smelt and tasted quite maderised, with copious level of volatile acidity and a dry finish which suggested it should have been drunk a long while ago. 

The olive brown-hued 1875 Sercial was a great pair with the cheese selection.  The oxidative character of liquorice, roasted nuts, coffee and balsamic worked very well with the aged Comté.

Finally, we finished with a 1949 Suduiraut, which showed an amber hue, with honey, apricot, rye toast notes, a lively acidity that balanced the richness but without the heavy cloying character.  Long finish. I scored this 19/20.

1973 is often a forgotten vintage in vinous speak.  Luckily for us, we have a generous friend who enjoys celebrating his birth year with his friends, giving us the opportunity to taste and re-taste this forgotten but not forsaken vintage.  The top performers from this vintage have remained some of our most memorable wine experiences.  

To our generous host, a big thank you for sharing such memories with us!!

We look forward to returning to this high quality neighbourhood restaurant, with relaxed atmosphere, on our next visit.  In the meantime, we wish Claude and Vanessa an enchanting wedding in France this summer!

Here is our menu and wine selection (with photos of some of the dishes):

1973 Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs

1973 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne

1973 Krug

Amuse- bouche

- crystal caviar 魚子醬

- tête de cochon 豬頭皮肉凍

- gazpacho de pastèque 西瓜冷湯

- mousse de foie de volaille 雞肝醬慕絲



Entrée 1:

Hokkaido scallops salad 北海道干貝沙拉

Hokkaido scallop salad

1973 Meursault Perrières 1er Cru, Leroy

1973 Musigny Blanc Grand Cru, de Vogué

1973 Montrachet Grand Cru, DRC


Seafood:

Grilled uni risotto with white asparagus 白蘆筍海膽燉飯

Grilled uni risotto with white asparagus

Fish:

market fish/ lobster/ pineapple mousse 市場鮮魚及薔薇龍蝦



1973 Petrus (en Magnum)

1973 Vega Sicilia Unico



Meat 1: Os à moelle Bordelaise 巴西里烤牛骨髓



Summer truffle and porcini Tagliatelle 松露野菇寛扁麵



1973 La Romanée, Albert Bichot

1973 Chambertin Clos de Bèze, Rousseau


Meat 2: Tealeaves smoked Pigeon/ foie gras/ farm vegetables 茶燻乳鴿/ 茶樹蜜鴨肝/ 時蔬

1973 Romanée St. Vivant, DRC

1973 La Tâche, DRC

1973 Romanée-Conti, DRC



Meat 3: Japanese wagyu ribeye/ sauce bourguignon

鹿兒島黑毛和牛肋眼/ 勃根第牛肉醬汁


Assortiment de fromage: 起司盤

truffled Camembert /crottin de chavignol/ Comté 18months/ Blue cheese/ Brie


1875 Sercial Madeira Reserva, d’Olivera

Desserts: 甜點

grilled fresh peaches/ thym/ dacquoise

So pretty ....and tasty too!

1949 Suduiraut 

Birthday cake: 生日蛋糕

chocolate raspberry birthday cake



Mignardises: 小茶點三式

Seasalt caramel macaron/ madeleine/ pâte de fruits

Celebrating Vintage 2002

7 May 2017: We picked the vintage primarily for the red Bourgogne that has shown so much class and style.

2002 Pommery Cuvée Louise

A well-structured champagne, beautifully integrated. A hint of sweetness laced the palate which was slightly distracting. An elegant wine that defined charm and harmony.  Long finish, lively bubbles, creamy texture, with an almost sweet finish. 17/20

2002 Montrachet, Marc Colin
Unfortunately this had rather come under the unkind attack of excess oxygen.  Caramelized, aldehydic, flabby and tired palate. This was a real shame because the original material was of such high quality. 15/20


2002 Ruchottes-Chambertin, Georges Mugneret
Vibrant, spicy, precise, elegant and stylish. The silky texture belied a subtle power and richness. The palate was upliftingly elegant and the finish exceptionally long.  Perfect to be enjoyed now, in fact almost irresistibly delicious.  This clearly displayed more elegance and finesse that totally contrasted with the slightly austere, richly concentrated style of the Clos de Bèze. 19/20


2002 Chambertin Clos de Bèze, Rousseau
Herbal, sous-bois, spicy notes. Yet opulent, rich, powerful, intense concentration underneath the velvety firm tannins that gave a mouthfilling impression. A big wine, still not fully resolved.  It would be interesting to wait another 3 to 5 years to retry it. 19+/20

1996 Roumier Corton Charlemagne and 2001 Gouges Les Saint Georges

13 May 2017:

1996 Roumier Corton-Charlemagne

This bottle of 1996 Roumier Corton-Charlemagne restored our faith in nicely matured white Bourgogne wine. Its rich texture and vigor delivered a wealth of mature oxidative notes of hazelnut, honey, beeswax and apricot that gave a well-honed balance to this 20-year-old bottle of Chardonnay. There were layers of complexity but the absence of aldehydic notes endeared us to this bottle. 17.5/20

2001 Henri Gouges Nuits-Saint-Georges Les St Georges
By stark contrast, the lush texture of firm tannins and concentrated richness belied a youthful vigor for a wine of over 15 years. Deep ruby core. Overwhelmingly smokey and slight barnyard notes masking the rather subtle black raspberry fruit. I would have preferred greater forest berry charm and intensity to enrich the fruity character.  It was nonetheless a vibrantly structured wine in its prime, unyielding during the first 3 hours and only started to show its more approachable self in the 4th hour. Long finish.  It would be interesting to see how this wine evolves with the softening of the tannic structure and if the fruity character would continue to remain elusive.....17/20 

1966 Leroy and 2002 Raveneau

22 Apr 2017:

2002 Chablis Valmur, Raveneau
Bright lemony robe. Mineral edge, focused, precise and linear dimensions, citrus, ripe pear. Beautifully balanced with age rounding out the raciness of youthful acidity, adding some mature spicy and honeyed nuances. A magnificent drop that testifies to superb craftsman, albeit showing some signs of age in terms of energy level.  I rather miss the crispness and vivacity that I love about Chablis.  Drinking very well now. For my enjoyment, I would not put this past next 3-4 years. 17/20

1966 Grands Echezeaux, Leroy
Animal, savoury, bacon fat, sous bois, wild mushrooms. VS creeping in but more as a source of freshness than a quality detraction at this point of its life. An elegant mature Bourgogne Grand Cru, silkily textured, still showing freshness and begging devoted appreciation, defying the oxidative effects of time. At peak now. 17/20 (Richard scored this 18/20)

A tasting of two halves

2 Feb 2017:

Two half bottles for a dinner for two:

2002 Domaine de l'Arlot, Nuits-Saint-Georges Clos des Forêts St Georges: An opulent bouquet of spice (clove and cinnamon), date, dried fruit, burnt cream, vanilla and cocoa notes. On the palate, full-bodied, with velvety texture, accompanied by weighty lush ripe fruit. Though not unpleasant, there was a slight bitterness at the finish.

2002 Marquis d'Angerville Volnay Champans: The classic bouquet of sweet spice, vanilla, cardamom, earthy, wet leaves and cherry stone.  Light-bodied. There was evident volatile acidity but not too much to be unpleasant. We should at some point soon taste a full bottle to check the drinking window of this wine.

30 January 2017: 

Another dinner for two when we also compared two halves:

​2010 Bouchard Beaune-Grèves Vigne de L'Enfant Jesus: the nose was spicy, vanilla, chocolate, violet, cherry stone, with a hint of sous-bois. Medium acidity enough to maintain freshness. Delicious ripe fruit. Can be enjoyed now and over the next 5 - 6 years in this format. Definitely a favourite of mine!

1993 Dujac, Clos Saint Denis: Unfortunately, I found this lacking in fruit and drying out in this format. It still has the structure of an elegant wine, but much less charming than it would have been 8-10 years ago.  Worth revisiting another half and a full bottle. 

2002 Vintage: A Year to Remember

29 January 2017: The vintage to celebrate was 2002. It was the year we established a number of friendships. It was the year a lovely young lady was born. It was a great vintage in Champagne and Bourgogne!

2002 ​Bollinger RD: It was probably the most closed prestige cuvée champagne from this vintage that we had tried (and it would be given its late disgorgement). There were notes of mushroom and brioche but the structure was very tight. Very promising for a few years down the road!

2002 Comtes Lafon Meursault-Charmes: compared to the next wine, this showed a precise structure, taut with minerality and finesse, lithe and elegant. Notes of citrus and apple. A beautiful wine.

2002 Leflaive Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet: this was quite advanced in terms of maturity, opulent and sumptuous, with well-integrated oak elements. The palate was rich, with pear and vanilla notes, ready to please but lacked the subtlety and finesse of the previous wine. 

2002 Armand Rousseau Chambertin: a wine with firm robust structure, nuances of sous-bois and violet but could do with more fruit notes. Acidity seemed slightly lower than the next wine. A great wine, but stylistically, a bit four-square.

2002 Armand Rousseau Chambertin Clos de Bèze: this was wine of the evening for me. A very complete wine, harmonious in every sense, with balanced acidity, rich textured fruit quality, and velvety tannins, starting to show some tertiary notes. A very fine wine, and a wine for the next 15 - 20 years! This would be a 19.5/20 wine for me!

2002 Leroy Corton-Renardes: A lush full-bodied Corton, with the signature Leroy aromatic profile and silky texture. Truffle and violet. Divine on the nose, gorgeous on the palate.

2002 Robert Arnoux Echezeaux: this was an elegant rendition of Echezeaux but the body seemed light against the Corton, and the finish was a little dry, lacking in fruit.  For drinking now!

Our generous hosts added a couple more bottles to satisfy the still thirsty guests:

1978 Remoissenet Chambertin: there was a bit too much volatile acidity for me

1964 Remoissenet Grands Echezeaux: interestingly this didn't quite taste like a typical Bourgogne wine.......but it had a sweet fruit quality to the palate, and an animal/savoury note.

1983 Cockburn's Vintage Port: alas, this was marred by a mild cork taint

And we washed all this down accompanied by a banquet of festive dishes generously prepared by our hosts and other guests: Patrick's spring-onion pancake, spicy carrot soup, Patrice's trio of dumplings, scallops in black bean sauce, minced smoked chicken on lettuce leaves, long beans with minced pork, roasted pork neck, spicy spare-ribs, Shanghainese Lion's Head meatballs (my modest contribution), Patrick's spring onion noodles and Eric's family heritage mousse au chocolat!  Enough protein to keep me going for days!!

2009 Les Climats du Coeur

17 January 2017:  We finally decided to crack open this beautiful case of 2009 Les Climats du Coeur. (I said 'we' but it was really Richard's birthday present!) A unique team of 8 top Burgundian producers got together for a charitable project in 2009.  Thanks to the bountiful and ripe vintage of 2009, a number of growers generously donated Premier Cru grapes from 4 communes, that were then vinified into wine, aged and bottled by this team of 8. Altogether 1,000 cases of 4 magnums were sold at EUR 1,200 per case, with the proceeds going to various charities in Burgundy.

The 4 magnums were:

Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru:
Vinification and élevage by Domaine Dujac and Maison Faiveley
Grapes donated by: Maison Faiveley, Domaine Dujac, Domaine Dupont-Tisserandot, Domaine Bruno Clair, Domaine Rebourseau, Domaine Geantet-Pansiot, Domaine Drouhin-Laroze and Domaine Rossignol-Trapet

Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru: 
Vinification and élevage by Domaine de la Romanée Conti and Maison Joseph Drouhin
Grapes provided by: Maison Joseph Drouhin, Domaine de la Romanée Conti, Domaine Méo-Camuzet, Domaine Michel Gros, Domaine Comte Liger-Belair, Domaine Robert Arnoux, Domaine Lamarche, Domaine Prieuré-Roch, Domaine Grivot, Domaine Confuron-Cotetidot and Domaine Bernard Gros

Meursault Premier Cru:
Vinification and élevage by Domaine Roulot and Maison Louis Latour
Grapes provided by: Maison Louis Latour, Domaine Roulot, Domaine des Comtes Lafon, Maison Deux Montille Sœur Frère, Maison Albert Bichot, Maison Bouchard Père et Fils, Maison Olivier Leflaive, Domaine Albert Grivault and Domaine Bitouzet Prieur


Puligny-Montrachet Premier Cru: 
Vinification and élevage by Domaine Leflaive and Maison Louis Jadot
Grapes provided by: Maison Louis Jadot, Domaine Leflaive, Domaine Henri Boillot, Domaine Sauzet, Domaine Duc de Magenta, Château de Puligny, Domaine Chartron and Domaine Pernot

The first magnum we tried was the Meursault Premier Cru. The quality of the vintage allowed these grapes an early harvest during the first two weeks of September, according to the website's vintage report.   I would describe it at the prime of its drinking window: golden yellow robe, rich and ripe fruit from the vintage, but balanced with a good level of acidity, well-developed for enjoyment now. It's a wine made from quality grapes but given the richness of the vintage, it didn't feel wrong to open it! 

Amongst distinguished company in the evening
- the half bottle of 1990 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne was a highlight!

It would seem logical to try the Puligny Premier Cru next!  

Les Climats du Coeur was such a wonderful idea!  Love to support it again!

1982 vs 1983 Margaux

26 January 2017: Despite the dropping out of our guest of honour who would have given special meaning to this dinner, a smaller group of us sat down for a cosy dinner and the comparison of two vintages of Château Margaux: 1982 vs 1983. 1982 was the great Bordeaux vintage and 1983 was the first vintage made by the late Paul Pontallier who had just arrived at the Château as the new régisseur in time for the vintage. In our small way, we paid homage to a great man who dedicated his life to a single estate. Not many of us could say that our professional work was our passion, but there was no question that Château Margaux was Paul Pontallier's passion.

We toasted with a glass of Krug Rosé. A very fine and elegant wine, with creamy mousse that delivered layers of brioche, toast and red fruit balanced by a savoury note, around the palate, ending with a beautiful crisp finish. This is a very classy rosé, without that sweet and overtly fruity character I sometimes find in some of the grande marque rosé champagne. Yes, pricey for a Non-Vintage champagne, but I guess the occasion justified it!

Our friend brought us a surprise wine to try - the surprise was how well it aged, how remarkably fresh it tasted, and the quality that seemed to surpass its appellation.  (We had all guessed it was a Grand Cru level wine!)

1989 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Vergers, Michel Niellon: There was not a hint of amber in the colour. The bouquet was smokey, nutty, vanilla, with notes of tinned corn, ginger, cardamom and hazelnut. The still fresh acidity beautifully balanced the slightly creamy rich texture. It finished long.  This went very well with our crushed avocado and pan-seared prawns. 18/20

1982 Château Margaux: A very attractive nose immediately welcomed us upon opening. There as an overt floral character underneath the mature notes of coffee, leather and cigar box. On the palate, there was a silky texture lifted by a freshness that gave the wine energy. A hint of volatile acidity was detected but it probably helped enhance that freshness. We all agreed that this was the more feminine style between the two vintages, and in some ways a more faithful representation of the qualities we typically expect to find in the wine Margaux. There is no hurry to drink this up, but then it's drinking so perfectly now that I would be inclined to recommend drinking within the next 5 - 6 years. 17.5/20 

I quote the vintage notes from the book on Château Margaux by Nicolas Faith, 2005 edition. "1982: It is extremely rare for such conditions to come together; a dry and hot April, a slightly stormy June, and a very hot summer, especially the first two weeks of September, which allowed the grapes to ripen remarkably.  Exceptional weather right up to the harvest.....A peerless vintage in terms of quantity and quality. The exceptional ripeness of the grapes occasioned very concentrated but nevertheless tender wines, with a very complex, rich and fruity aroma.  It begins to make delicious drinking."


1983 Château Margaux: This was on the contrary quite closed when first opened. It needed aeration in the glass to shake off the initial musky and earthy notes to reveal layers of ripe blue and black fruit, cigar box, sweet tobacco and leather.  The body was much more luscious, still showing some firmness of tannin, in the robust structure.  This was superior in terms of complexity, ripeness, richness and aftertaste, and it seemed to embrace a more hedonistic and powerful style.  Based on this bottle, I would give this wine a longer drinking window....but why wait???  It paired perfectly with our Bourguignon beef stew!  19/20

Nicolas Faith in his book wrote: "1983: Following a very rainy spring, June was hot and dry, thus creating excellent conditions for flowering.  The summer was hot and wet - almost tropical - and therefore problematic for plant health.  Once again, a splendidly hot, dry, and sunny late season encouraged remarkable ripeness for an abundant year.....A very great wine that certain tasters prefer to its predecessor, 1983 is certainly one of the most classic Margaux of the last twenty years.  The bouquet has developed well and become rich, complex and mature.  On the palate, it remains of impressive power, with tannins that are still firm but not hard."

There was high hope in the half bottle of 1953 Château Margaux that we opened to end the evening.  The half bottle would have seen better days probably 15 years ago.  Unfortunately, the volatile acidity caught up rather quickly in the glass.  1953 was one of the Châteaux's greatest vintages.  It would be interesting to see how a 750 ml bottle performs now.

We look forward to trying the 1947 Château Margaux in magnum that we promised a dear friend in celebration of his 70th birthday in a few days' time when only friends who contribute bottles from 1947 vintage are invited!  We expect there to be a room full of friends.  We should celebrate too the generous spirit of wine lovers!  

Festive Highlights 2016: 1959 La Mission Haut Brion and a 1969 Remoissenet Les Suchots plus others

December 2016: We saw off 2016 with the usual spread of highs and disappointments. Here were the bottles:

​1959 La Mission Haut Brion: A magnificent and utterly enticing bouquet of tobacco, leather and graphite. Velvety texture on the palate, with an admirable liveliness enhanced by a hint of volatile acidity. A rich and opulent classic Graves with layers of complexity, showing at its prime, with just a touch of dry sensation towards the finish. A wine to be enjoyed now and over next 5 years. 18.5/20

2013 Meursault Clos des Bouchères, Roulot: Very closed nose and very tight on the palate. Notes of citrus, lime, toast and a hint of vanilla. This is not ready yet. I would wait another 3- 5 years! 17+/20

1997 Clos de Vougeot, Leroy: Sadly corked and the whole bottle went into the Boeuf Bourguignon on 29th December. (Please refer to earlier blog "20 Vintages of Leroy Clos de Vougeot")

1969 Vosne-Romanée Les Suchots, Remoissenet: This came to the rescue after the corked bottle of 1997 Leroy Clos de Vougeot. A bouquet redolent of stewed black berries, leather, mushroom, damp forest floor. The wine still displayed plenty of energy, with the expected hint of volatile acidity for a wine of this age. Harmonious. Beautifully integrated. Silky mouthfeel. A wine that totally surpassed expectation! 17.5/20

A visitor at the table with the splendid Remoissenet Les Suchots

1966 Haut Brion: The cork looked unusually new.  Although it showed some degree complexity, it did not display the brilliance nor the depth or excitment which this wine has shown in past experience.  15/20

2002 Gevrey-Chambertin Clos St Jacques, Fourrier:  Unfortunately, this was corked too!  But Richard soldiered on......and left some to join the Boeuf Bourguignon pot.

1997 Vosne-Romanée Les Genaivrières, Leroy: A village appellation, at almost 20 years old. This delivered very fine elegance behind the tertiary flavours that testified to the domaine's excellence, and a structure that held the wine together in a most admirable manner for a wine of this age, and of this quality level. Bravo. 16.5/20


1999 Pommard Clos des Epeneaux, Comte Armand (magnum): There was a beautiful ruby hue. On the nose, it was pure red fruit, raspberry, cherry stone, sous bois, leather with some earthy notes. Vigorous, balanced, elegantly opulent, seamlessly integrated, with lengthy finish. There was none of the harshness or tightness that we sometimes expect of vintage 1999. A great example of Pommard at its best!  18/20

(On the same evening, we also opened a 1999 Chassagne-Montrachet Les Caillerets, JN Gagnard and a 1999 Corton Clos des Cortons, Faiveley.  The Chassagne was nicely matured but it did not show any of the nasty aldehydic oxidative notes.  I fear we did not spend enough time appreciating the Corton - but from what I tasted, it had all the makings of a great wine, but it was still quite closed and required more aeration time or just time!)