WORLD CUP FINAL BBQ - (18/12/2022)
A feast of food and wines for the World Cup final at Jason’s place, open theme of >S$100 and ideally above 15 years.
Champagnes and whites
With Chomp Chomp Hokkien Mee and Carrot Cake, chicken wings and anchovies
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2008 André Clouet Dream Vintage - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Quite heady for a 2008, the ripe yellow fruit is at the forefront rather than the acidity. We were evenly divided between house and grower on this so guess the style is in between. (90 pts.) -
2012 J.L. Vergnon Champagne Grand Cru Brut Nature Blanc de Blancs Hautes Mottes - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Seemed green and underripe, texture of the wine was thin and dilute. Liked the 2011 a lot more from this producer than this 2012 and a 2008 from a couple of months ago. Buy their off-vintages? (88 pts.) -
2012 Guy Charlemagne Champagne Grand Cru Mesnillésime Vieilles Vignes Blanc de Blancs - France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Fruit was clearly from a warmer vintage but still showing good tension and acidity. The darker hue made me think it had more age on it but probably was from the oak use. Thought this was a 2006 BdB. Probably the most balanced out of the champagnes today. (92 pts.) -
2019 Marc Colin et Fils Saint-Aubin 1er Cru Le Charmois Blanc - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Saint-Aubin 1er Cru
Think nobody liked this at the start, it was a little too ripe with too much alcohol showing. On revisiting a few hours later, it had settled down to be more like the classic 2014 that I tried last month. Still rather weighty but floral orchard fruit was more expressive. Think the En Remilly and Montceau might be the plots to go for instead for a more classic Burgundy white. (91 pts.) -
2019 Alain Hudelot-Noëllat Meursault Clos des Écoles - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault
Agree with previous notes about the weird mix of under and over-ripe fruits - reminded me of something like Kumeu River which always comes across as rather unbalanced to me since it doesn’t have a clear sense of identity - same impressions here. Was still disjointed after time in the glass. (87 pts.) -
2016 Weingut Willi Bründlmayer Grüner Veltliner Langenloiser Alte Reben Kamptal Reserve - Austria, Niederösterreich, Kamptal
Quite green and herbaceous on the nose that pointed towards the Gruner and not Riesling (given the person who brought this). Appealing citrus fruits, clearly from a warmer vintage but not excessive. Showed some good secondary development. (91 pts.) -
2015 Albert Boxler Pinot Gris Sommerberg Wiptal - France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru
Wanted to try a Boxler single vineyard so brought this as an extra. Dark golden in colour but no signs of premox, consistent with the previous review. Slightly sweet, quite rich and heavy, the acidity was there but not quite at the forefront which made it rather pedestrian. Slightly bitter finish. Not the biggest fan of this unfortunately. (89 pts.)
Reds
With lamb chops and steaks
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1997 Louis Jadot Corton-Grèves - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton Grand Cru
Clearly a larger-scaled wine but compared to my previous bottle which showed very youthfully, this was slightly advanced with plummy notes and less structure. Bad end of the stick for bottle variation? (89 pts.) -
2016 Rose & Arrow Pinot Noir The Point Chehalem Highlands - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Got the country and vintage right for this, clearly American with fresh cherries and strawberries on the nose but showed great restraint without any candied fruit. Quite a sensual and silky palate, not too earthy and dark unlike the Yamhill Close from the same vintage that I tried previously. (93 pts.) -
2012 El Enemigo Cabernet Franc Gran Enemigo Single Vineyard Gualtallary - Argentina, Mendoza, Valle de Uco, Gualtallary
Jammy, bubble gum nose with predominantly blue fruit that made me think new-world Shiraz. Palate was very rich with creamy red fruit, no greenness at all to this despite the grape. With this kind of winemaking I guess no matter the grape there would be the same end result since everything has been smoothed into a velvety, milkshake sort of texture. Marginally better after a few hours. (88 pts.) -
1993 Beringer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve - USA, California, Napa Valley
Vibrant red cherry fruit that got fuller and rounder with time in the glass. Quite a bit of sweetness but just about not overdone. No greenness at all to this, probably this was picked much riper than contemporary Napas of its time. (93 pts.) -
1998 Clarendon Hills Shiraz Brookman - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, Clarendon
Thought this was a new-world Pinot with age but after being told that this wasn’t a Pinot I thought this must be a Shiraz given that I made the same mistake with an old Astralis before. Sweeter and simpler than the Astralis but the difference in quality is much more marginal than the price differential. A pyrazine note emerged with time in the glass that made me think there was some Cabernet. (92 pts.) -
1990 Château Lanessan - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc
One of the two 1990s that I brought to do a comparison between Bordeaux and Loire. Beautiful perfumed nose, fruit on the palate is fading but still very pleasant with some sweetness. A lovely, understated traditional claret. (91 pts.) -
1990 Couly-Dutheil Chinon Clos de l’Echo - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon
One of the two 1990s that I brought to do a comparison between Bordeaux and Loire. More greenness and rough edges that then Lanessan alongside, some classic Loire funk that blew off. Almost no perceptible fruit, some balsamic notes but the structure is still quite formidable. Liked the 1996 that I tried before better which was more pleasurable. (89 pts.) -
2004 Château Lynch-Bages - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Cooler and more understated than the '05 Poyferre and '06 Clerc Milon, I liked the classicism on this. Took time for it to open up but this had greater depth and layers to the dark fruit than the other two wines. (93 pts.) -
2005 Château Léoville Poyferré - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Julien
Rather modern with an overt vanilla nose, showed the warmth but surprisingly not the structure of 2005. Quite soft and approachable albeit without much complexity. (91 pts.) -
2006 Château Clerc Milon - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac
Quite a high percentage of Merlot (44%) that might have contributed to the sweet fruit. Very soft and luscious fruit, tannins were quite smoothed out. Didn’t get a sense of place for this, thought modern right bank. (88 pts.)
POMMARD / NSG 1ERS - (16/12/2022)
Brought the Violot-Guillemard, de Montille, Boillot for friends and Launay-Horiot for myself which unfortunately didn’t show as well as the others.
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2005 Thierry Violot-Guillemard Pommard 1er Cru Les Rugiens - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Pommard 1er Cru
Started off slightly plummy but improved with air. Surprisingly soft and approachable for a 2005 Pommard, quite resolved with not much upside. (90 pts.) -
1990 François Parent Pommard 1er Cru Les Arvelets - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Pommard 1er Cru
Incredibly fresh for a 1990 with vibrant dark red fruit. Quite heavy-handed on the extraction, old-school Burgundy that is hard as nails. (90 pts.) -
2014 Domaine de Montille Pommard 1er Cru Les Pèzerolles - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Pommard 1er Cru
Took time to get going. Was quite similar to the Boillot on opening but this fleshed out to have more redcurrant fruit. An elegant and refined wine with only a slight hint of rusticity. Drinking well now and third on the night for me. -
2018 Domaine Launay-Horiot Pommard 1er Cru Clos Blanc - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Pommard 1er Cru
Wanted to try a new-school Pommard so brought this. Lots of kirsch and very jammy on the nose that reminded me of a Bojo. Had the ripe and dense fruit common to many 2018s and a chocolate note from the oak use which weren’t very enjoyable. (87 pts.) -
1999 Dominique Laurent Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru La Richemone - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru
Signature Laurent nose with toasted oak and cola that made the producer easily identifiable. Very silky texture for a NSG with delineated fruit. I liked this but some found it to be a little boring which I could understand since Laurent’s wines can be a little predictable with the producer’s signature. Second on the night for me. (92 pts.) -
1999 Domaine de Courcel Pommard 1er Cru Grand Clos des Épenots - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Pommard 1er Cru
Another wine from the 90s that showed quite youthfully, I thought this was from the 2000s. Slightly musky nose that blew off, very structured at the moment and only showed a glimpse of dark red fruit. Still needs time. (90 pts.) -
2013 Domaine Louis Boillot et Fils Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Pruliers - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru
Another wine that took time to get going but this was very good after an hour or so. Lovely balance to the wine with a good acidic backbone and pure, dark red fruit. Haven’t had many experiences with this producer or Barthod but will seek more of their wines out. Favourite on the night for me and a couple of others. (93 pts.) -
1993 Monthélie-Douhairet-Porcheret Pommard 1er Cru Les Fremiers - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Pommard 1er Cru
Guessed this to be from a structured vintage like 1995. Another old-school Burgundy that was showing very youthfully with sweet dark red fruit and a little spice on the palate. Similar to the 1990 Parent but this was more pleasurable and giving. (91 pts.) -
2017 Camille Giroud Santenay 1er Cru Clos Rousseau - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Santenay 1er Cru
Gift from Alex and he was right when he said this was a great wine. Fresh and juicy red fruit, very pleasurable now. Good contrast to the other more structured and dense wines on show tonight. Great value wine and another example of a 2017 that is open for business. (91 pts.) -
1996 Cullen Wines Cabernet Sauvignon - Merlot (Diana Madeline) - Australia, Western Australia, South West Australia, Margaret River
Wow everyone was in left-bank Bordeaux for this. Showed like a classic 1980s claret with greenness on the nose and good concentration of black fruit, nice velvety texture. Clearly a very good wine that a couple of us said this might have been a Las Cases. (93 pts.) -
2017 Domaine des Tours Vaucluse - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Vaucluse
Wanted to check in on this. Quite a natural, jammy nose with wild strawberries. Palate was quite one-dimensional with monolithic sweet fruit. Didn’t have the signature elegance that I expected from the Rayas stable. (86 pts.)
