DHONDT TASTING AT PARK90 - (3/11/2025)
Great tasting of Adrien Dhondt’s wines, personally find that they have improved leaps and bounds in recent years. Adrien mentioned that both the negoce and domaine wines receive the same winemaking treatment to express their individual terroirs, and so it proved as the Nogers from Cuis and Bateau from Cramant were richer and more oxidative compared to the Le Mesnil-sur-Oger wines. Overall thought the wines were finely poised with delicate balance, like champagnes with richness without sacrificing freshness.
- 2020 Adrien Dhondt Champagne Grand Cru Les Coullemets Le Mesnil-sur-Oger - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Disgorged Apr 2024, 1g/l dosage. Superb energy, both precise and rich at the same time. Most delicate wine of the tasting and overall my second favourite. (94 pts.) - 2020 Adrien Dhondt Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Les Plantes - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Disgorged Apr 2024, 1g/l dosage. Noticeably tighter with higher acidity compared to the other wines with a hint of cinnamon spice. Probably the only wine that wasn’t ready today. (92 pts.) - 2020 Adrien Dhondt Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Chetillon de Haut - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Disgorged Apr 2024, zero dosage. Similar to the Coullemets but with greater linearity and energy. Tensile and focused but still generous enough to not be austere. Still a little tight but great potential. (93 pts.) - 2019 Dhondt-Grellet Champagne Premier Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut Les Nogers - France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru
Disgorged July 2024, 1g/l dosage. Adrien said that ‘19 was his best ever vintage (although ‘25 also is shaping up to be an excellent one) and this wine showed why. Crisp linear fruit with a hint of oxidation, superb depth and length. Even better than the '18 I had a few months ago, my favourite in the line-up. (94 pts.) - 2018 Dhondt-Grellet Champagne Grand Cru Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Vieille Vigne Le Bateau - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Disgorged Nov 2023, 1g/l dosage. Very rich with nutty notes, probably the most oxidative of the lot today. The ripeness of fruit and alcohol levels betrayed the warm vintage, missing a little freshness compared to the other wines today. (92 pts.)
OPEN THEME AT ASTORIA - (3/11/2025)
Casual dinner at Astoria after the Dhondt tasting at Park90.
- 2022 Domaine aux Moines Savennières Roche aux Moines - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Savennières Roche aux Moines
Rich and tropical, thought warm vintage Chardonnay but when revealed to be Loire I guessed Joly due to the heavier, high alcohol, and honeyed style. A little advanced for its age in my view and would have preferred more acidity, but others liked this more. (90 pts.) - 2022 Comando G Navatalgordo - Spain, Castilla y León, Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y León
My extra. Popped to slow-ox at lunchtime as I find these wines need time, glad that it opened up to show well at dinner. Wild strawberries on the nose with dark cherries on the palate, interestingly a friend guessed this correctly to be a high-elevation Grenache because of some greenness and the tannin structure. Very restrained without any overt candied notes, one of the better Comando Gs that I’ve had (seems like that there is bottle variation as usual based on previous notes, so caveat emptor) . (92 pts.) - 2010 Château Bel Air-Marquis d’Aligre - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux
My contribution. Opened at lunchtime as this was another producer that needed a lot of air. Some pyrazines and probably Loire CF was the best guess as '10 Bordeaux would have much more protruding oak at this age like what a friend mentioned. Expressive with silky tannins, loved the restraint on this. Finally understood the fuss about this producer but again based on previous notes and consistent with my experience there is a lot of bottle variation. (93 pts.) - 2014 Luigi Oddero Barolo Vigna Rionda - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Knew the identity of this wine so didn’t guess, but could understand why others went for Bordeaux. Very unfriendly now with obtrusive oak use and tannins, the '11 I had previously was more open. Good underlying material though. (91 pts.) - 2016 Ramey Syrah Rodgers Creek Vineyard - USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
Another wine that was way too young with obtrusive oak use. Had a coconut note and sweet fruit that made me think young Ridge Zin. Needs many more years to integrate but not a fan of Syrah with new oak and black fruit. My first Ramey red and was a little disappointed as I am a big fan of his whites. (88 pts.) - 2021 Wagner-Stempel Siefersheimer Heerkretz Riesling Großes Gewächs - Germany, Rheinhessen
Thought this was an Austrian Riesling because of its off-dry and heavier nature, but interestingly someone said that a little spritz was a tell-tale sign for Germany. Citrus fruit opened up to show a nice minerality. Fresher with more air, not a crime to drink it now. (91 pts.) - 2022 Julian Haart Riesling Kabinett Old Vines - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
My leftovers from Saturday dinner. Light and refreshing citrus fruit, the right balance between sweetness and zinginess. An absolute bargain for S$45. (93 pts.)
