Dinner at Asia Grand

A few of us headed to Asia Grand after the first day of Wine For Asia for a BYO dinner. The table consisted of William, Lawrence, Alex, Fiona, Kelvin, Lynn and our guests, Rossano Terrazzano and Luca Furlotti and his partner. Each person was supposed to bring a blinded bottle. The amazing thing was that the night turned out to be have an impromptu Burgundy theme, with us somehow covering the major red wine communes of the Cote de Beaune. An excellent evening, great company, good food and really decent wines.

We had a mixed appetiser platter of fried crispy fish skin, fried silverfish, grilled cuttlefish and roast pork. Luca brought the Gavi, William the Meursault.

• 2007 Broglia Gavi Villa Broglia 91 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Gavi

  Awarded Te Bicchieri by Gambero Rosso. Yellow gold colour. Nose was biscuity, yeasty, bready with some amount of yellow fruit, but rather neutral for all that. The palate was absolutely well delineated. Bright, palate cleansing acid, lemon custard and a little candied tone that all came together in a superbly focused packaged. Nice little bit of mineral and a touch of sweetish yellow fruit on the finish. This was a brilliant food wine that went very well with the fried fish skin, grilled cuttlefish and fried silver fish.

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• 2004 Jean-Philippe Fichet Meursault Les Gruyaches 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault

  Really pleasant to drink wine. Great quality for a village and very good sense of typicity - both Lawrence and I could quite confidently place it as a Meursault. Yellow gold in colour. The nose showed mineral, buter and white flowers along with pear and dusty earth. Rich and creamy on the palate, with a touch of peppery spice augmenting fragrant Chinese pear and lemon flavours. While certainly not flat, I would have liked just a little more freshness. Nice seamless transition into a medium-length finish which was pleasant round and had a little touch of spice. I thought this went well with the fried silver fish.

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My contribution

• 2000 Domaine Marquis d'Angerville Volnay 1er Cru Champans 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru

  This was my BYO, but I thought it was the poorest showing of the night. Not a bad wine by any means, but a little disappointing for a d'Angerville 1er Cru. Reddish core with a garnet rim. Nose was perfumed and flowery, leading William to guess either Volnay or Chambolle, along with a dusty swirl and an underlayer of wet earth along with a slight ferral edge. Quite big at 13.5%, which threw everyone off, most guessing Gevrey in the end. In spite of its size though, the palate was clean and fresh with high acid, spritzy cola and bright cherries and flowers along with a little dusty, woody accent. There was a little heat on the palate and the finish had a little surge of acid that made the wine seemed just a little imbalanced. It certainly went nicely with the Peking Duck, but I think this really could have used a little more time in the bottle or awhile in a decanter. It will get better when it integrates more.

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Roasted duck thigh and beggar's chicken. Kelvin donated the Leroy, Alex the Corton Grand Cru.

• 2004 Domaine Leroy Bourgogne 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Bourgogne

  Garnet colour with a brownish murkiness and a brickish rim - most of us called it a Leroy Burgundy from the colour alone. The wax sealed bottle was another telltale sign. The nose seemed to confirm that, earth. mushrooms, orange peel, haw flakes, Giam Chye (preserved slated vegetables). It just somehow lacked the meaty gaminess that I usually associated with Leroy, especially since most of us have had this bottle before. The palate showed great weight with its sweetish cherries, black chicken soup and slight spritzy cola flavours, along with a decent balance from the acid. The long and densely lingering finish showed some cherry cola and a touch of oak. I was a bit thrown off by the sweetness on the palate and guessed Bass Philip before coming back to a Leroy Bourgogne when told it was old world. Fantastic pairing with the baked chicken dish of course.

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• 1996 Comte Senard Corton-Clos des Meix 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton Grand Cru

  Clearly a Burg, but we were completely bamboozled when it came to its age. Only the garnet colour told of its age. Otherwise, the nose was fresh and pretty with fresh cherries, earth, ash and smoke, along with touches of soy and just a hint of nail varnish. If anything, the palate was even more youthful, showing sweet, candied cherries, some spice, a little wash of alcohol and a touch of greeness along with lots of fresh acidity. In spite of the freshness, I thought it was just starting to go a little downwards in terms of fruit. There was otherwise good weight on the palate though and a sense that the wine was well delineated and nicely concentrated. The finish was qite Corton indeed, with dry, woody tannins. Very dry in fact. I am a bit concerned about the fruit, but I think this should do well with another few years in the cellar at least.

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Lawrence's wine

• 2005 Hospices de Beaune Pommard Cuvée Raymond Cyrot 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Pommard

  This was made be Pierre Andre. Dark core, pink rim, nose showed sweet cherry, mocha-ish and buttery oak, loam and rather lifted flowery tones. Most of us called it Burg 2005, but no one got the commune right. I thought Gevrey. Strange on hindsight though, because it did show Pommard through its palate showed some grip through its tannins. It was a little savoury, with a touch of iron and pepper on top of some sweet candied fruit. Nice fresh acid, very 2005. Bittersweet tannins and a wreath of smoke in the finish which was a little watery. Otherwise, a nice wine.

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Luca's wine again

• 2003 Tenute Sella Bramaterra I Porfidi 91 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Northern Piedmont, Bramaterra

  Another Gambero Rosso Tre Bicchieri. Garnet coloured. Fragrant nose showed hibiscus, rose, some wet earth and a wreath of smoke. Nice clean acid on the palate, along with fresh cherries and smoky ash. Dry tannins on the finish, which was fresh and vibrant. Very nice indeed, and not at all out of place amongst the Burgundies and in the midst of a Chinese meal. In fact, it showed better with the food than the bottle I tasted by itself earlier in the day.

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