Dinner at DC by Darren Chin

Great dinner during our group trip to KL. Wines were all served blind, and fell into serendipitous pairs

• 2005 Etienne Sauzet Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Combettes 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru

  A pretty nice one, even if not quite up there with best examples of Sauzet's Combettes. This had a little sense of tightness on the nose, with a little layer of funk that took awhile to blew off, only then opening up into a more fragrant bouquet toasted sweet corn, along with typical Puligny notes of white fruit, light florals and almond, a touch of peppery spice, and then something that reminded me of ginkgo nuts. Lots going on there. The palate came across a bit less complex than the nose; maybe a touch warm and lacking the nice cut and definition that Sauzet wines normally have in cooler vintages. All that being said, it still had a pleasant snap of Puligny purity to its white fruit flavours, as well as a decent lining of citrussy lemon acidity that led into a long, powerful spice-filled finish. Not perfect - this showed why the 2005 vintage was not the best for whites - but still a pretty good wine.

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• 2010 Domaine / Maison Vincent Girardin Meursault Les Narvaux 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault

  Really quite nice - this was a village that really punched above its weight. It had a lovely nose, blasting out of the glass with lovely wafts of flint, chalky mineral, white fruit and a touch of creaminess at the sides. The palate was still really young, tightly coiled as you would expect for a 2010, with big, fresh white fruit and citrus notes lined with a good bit of juicy acidity and fine minerality. A powerful wine, but nicely balanced and focused nonetheless, with a long, punchy finish at the end. Good, with a tons of potential ahead - this will last for a decade or more.

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• 1971 Charles Noellat Vosne-Romanée Les Genaivrières 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée

  Enjoyable, but this was a poorer bottle than one we had a couple of years back. This one really came across as an old wine, a touch too matured and oxidative for my taste, although still quite charming. The nose was redolent of sous bois and browned fruits and molasses, with a bramble, herby spice at the edges. Some florals came up with time. The palate had some of that rancio, browned fruited character to it as well, with red cherries and sweet dates starting to trend towards preserved, compote territory. Beyond that though, this was still remarkably deep and alive for a village of its age - a real testament to the strength of the vintage. Nice, fine finish too, tailing away with a touch of dried flowers and a kiss of Vosne spice. Altogether, a little tired, but still quite a charmer.

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• 1988 Hospices de Beaune Beaune Cuvée Brunet 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Beaune

  Aged and bottled by Mommesin, this was a really nice village Beaune at its age, especially for a 1988. The nose was really attractive, rising out of the glass in deep draws of earth, a bit of meat, then wafts of blueberry and blackcurrants wreathed in a garland of flower petals. Very perfumed, all fruity and floral. The palate was a touch less giving, with the slightly lean fruit and a prominent, bony structure of fine grippy tannins and bright acidity that was 1988. It had really pleasant flavours though, with bright, fresh black currant flavours trailing away into notes of earth and a bit of spice at the mouth-filling end. Altogether very enjoyable. That slight leanness aside, this was actually quite an elegant charmer.

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• 2008 Domaine de L'Arlot Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Clos des Forêts St. Georges 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru

  Still backward, but somehow significantly better than the last bottle I had just a few months back. The nose was still a little tight, but pleasant enough, with some toasty notes along with bits of herb and spice and earth, alongside blueberries, blackcurrants, and touch of NSG's typical minerality. The palate was still too young, with super firm tannins and bright acidity rather at the forefront; but there was tons of substance beyond that in the wines depth of dark cherries and berry flavours, earth and mineral. I thought this felt less lean and stingy than the last bottle we had - the couple of hours in an opened bottle before service may have something to do with it. Great length on the finish too, really grippy without being dry. This does need tons of time yet though, but there is quite a bit of quality to it. I would leave it aside for another 6-8 years at least.

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• 2012 Château Rayas Côtes du Rhône La Pialade 91 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône

  A neat little Cotes du Rhone. A lot of us thought this was a Burgundy at first when served blind, what with its elegant and silkiness. On reflection though, it bore its Cotes du Rhone character quite obviously - with drifts of garrigue, lavender and sweet cherries on the nose, leading into a chalky, mineral-led palate with more cherry notes on the midpalate, and then a noticeably green, herby note at the end. An enjoyable one. Still coated with fresh acidity and a chew of tannins, this was showing nicely enough, but will get better with a little bit of time.

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• 2002 Simon Bize Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Aux Vergelesses 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru

  A nice wine. A bit reserved at the moment, but with good quality on it. I did think this was a half-step behind another bottle I had about 6 months back though. The nose was very typical of a Savigny, with a drift of red fruit alongside a touch of earthiness, some meaty scents, and then wafts of green bramble and herb. The palate was clean, clear and very well-defined, with fine tannins and firm acidity forming a strong structure bedding flavours of red fruit shading into blackcurrants. Firm and chewy, slightly reserved, with a certain obdurate feel that some 2002s have at the moment. This was a nicely balance and rather complete wine, but I think it is slightly sleepy and needs a good long time in the bottle yet. I would set this aside for another 3-4 years to see how it grows.

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• 2002 Maurice Écard Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Narbantons 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru

  I had quite forgotten having had this wine about a decade ago. Like the 2002 Simon Size Savigny Vergelesses that we had alongside, this seems to have shut down a bit when we had it. The quality was still clear, but everything was a little tight. The nose was pleasant enough, and also showed a nice Savigny typicality, with curls of smoke around some blackcurrants, with edges of brighter strawberries, and then notes of earth, bramble and spice. This really smelt like a slightly smokier, but slightly less meaty cousin to the Size. The palate also shared some similarity with the earlier wine in its structural tightness, with a chewy structure and plenty of juicy acidity running through flavours of sour cherries lined with mineral, earth and another twist of thorny bramble into its long finish. Like many 2002s at this point of their evolution, this seems to have gone to sleep a bit. Would be interesting to try in another 3-4 years' time.

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