Confrerie des Chevaliers du Tastevin Singapore, La Paulee

One year has shot by, and the mother of all BYOs rolls by again. Somehow not as crazy as last year, but boy, we had some great wines with some surprising hits. Sat on a really nice table with some old friends and new acquiantances - Alex, Michele, Leonard, Lawrence, Edwin, Chad, Jen, David and Helen. Food was soundly cooked traditional Italian fare as always, but the wines were definitely the main event. No menu with my notes this time.

• NV Vitteaut-Alberti Crémant de Bourgogne Brut Blanc 88 Points

  France, Burgundy, Crémant de Bourgogne

  Rather excellent for a Cremant. You would not confuse this for a Champagne, but it was an excellent aperitif that gave a lot of pleasure. Earthy nose with bread and dusty, mushroom notes. clean palate had cherry fruit, some earth and a frothy mousse. Nice balance throughout, moving into a dry, yeast and mineral finish. Very pleasant.

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• 2002 Domaine Roulot Meursault Les Meix Chavaux 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault

  An excellent way to start the day. Just a bit prematurely aged I thought, with a deep golden yellow colour and rather advanced flavours. Lovely nose, with tons of mushrooms mingling in with earthy, umami tones, some cream and a little layer of toast. As with most Roulots, rather gentle and far less in your face than some of the other wines around (e.g. the Coche), yet this was every bit as complex. Palate was rich, almost oily in texture, very honeyed, with dried figs, nutty tones, savoury soup stock and a touch of undergrowth. It would be almost fat, but for the fact that it was all laced through with with fresh acidity and a lovely mineral seam giving the wine a nice shape. Finish was long and savoury. Very nice. I liked this very much.

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• 2002 Coche-Dury Meursault 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault

  An excellent, excellent village - but that was only to be expected from a 2002 Coche-Dury. In fact, this stood out like a sore-thumb. On the nose alone, it could only be Coche. Lots of explosive aromatics, with gunpwoder, almond nuts, and aromatic white fruit in a package of great depth and concentration. Palate had some power and certainly some richness, but was not quite as explosive as the nose. What stood out though was precision and balance, with fresh acidity and nice flavours of ripe lemons, apples and pears in a seamless pull from attack into its long, clingy finish. Not super-c0mplex, but as always, full of character and very enjoyable.

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• 2002 Moillard Meursault Clos du Cromin 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault

  Good wine, but rather overshadowed by the other whites on the day. Rather low-toned nose showed biscuits, earth, a dusting of mushroom and some nuts floating around in a not altogether integrated whole. Lots of richness on the palate. Oily, creamy, very Meursault, with lots of acidity holding it up, almost sharp at points. Plenty of material here, but all a little buried at the moment, with bready tones, some wood and some spice along with seams of bittersweet extract on the finish at the fore. Needs time, but should be a nice wine in say 2-3 years.

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• 1994 Robert Ampeau & Fils Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières 94 Points

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

  Hooweeh! This was excellent. The wine has taken on the colour and aroma of age, but was still extremely young drinking, seemingly even more so than some of the post-2000 wines and much more so than the 1994 Ampeau Meursault Charmes. Golden yellow in colour. Gorgeous nose. Some funk, smoke, mushrooms, undergrowth, garlic skins, smoked asparagus, mineral and an almost Sauternes like honey and apricot tone. Palate was almost shockingly fresh. Mouthwatering acidity was threaded through an oily, creamy wine, with rich, buttery tones wed too fresh white fruit in the shape of apples and pears, more apricots, honeysuckle and a lovely minerality. Great balance here. Finish was fresh and alive, with little hints of bramble. Tons of character - this was white of the day by some distance for me.

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• 1994 Robert Ampeau & Fils Meursault 1er Cru Charmes 90 Points

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

  Some nice stuff here, but I thought this may have been marred by a touch of oxidation. Nose had dried yellow fruits and nuts. Palate was pretty much alive, but far less lively than the 1994 Perrieres. I got some bread notes, sweet, honeyed yellow fruit and touches of mineral. Oily, but balance. Finish was sticky and clinging with lots of quince flavours. Still more than enough here to give plenty of pleasure.

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• 2002 Louis Carillon Puligny-Montrachet 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet

  Good, but not as outstanding as some of Carillon's other vintages. Surprising given that its a 2002. Nose started out really tight, all smoke and buried white fruit. It opened up slowly to show touches of butter, some Roquefort cheese at one point, and slowly unveiling fruit tones. Palate had some lovely flavours of apples, ripe lemons and some sweet, almost peach-like tones. Not the most complex, but this had typical Carillon precision, focus and energy. Finish was nice and long, with touches of honey and mineral.

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• 2001 Arnaud Ente Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Referts 92 Points

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

  Very good inded. The vintage character really stood out after lots of fatter 2002s. Very tight on the nose, but with clear Puligny lines - smoked nuts, some dusty notes butressed with some oak tones. It really shown on the palate though. Rich and creamy for a 2001, but with bright acidity giving the wine a lovely freshness. Lots of sweet lemons and juicy apples rode alongside grippy mineral notes. Finish was very decent too, opening up nicely with time to show plenty of mineral and extract. Nice, sculpted lines througout. A very classy wine.

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• 2006 Domaine Michel Niellon Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos St. Jean 92 Points

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

  Excellent, and great typcity too. Picked this out as a 2006 Chassagne in the midst of the older Meursaults and Puligny. Nose had lots going on. Some grassy notes, flinty mineral, gunpowder, smoke, white fruit. Almost Chablis-like, until you hit the palate. Lots of sweet yellow fruit here, with more citrusy ripe lemons and green apples along with plenty of fresh acid zipping through what would otherwise be an almost fat, buttery body. Finish showed plenty of round, oily richness. This will age for a pretty long time, but it was already darned delicious when we had it.

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• 2000 Louis Jadot Corton-Charlemagne Domaine des Héritiers Louis Jadot 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru

  I thought this was just lovely. The Corton-Charlie has always been one of my favourite Jadot bottlings, and this wine was no exception. Delicious in a gentle, understated way. Golden yellow colour. Nose had lots of honey and caramel, along with fuzzy peach and flower tones. Nice and mature. Palate was rich and creamy, certainly Grand Cru richness here, yet very nicely balanced and well integrated. Again, fully matured flavours of honey, nuts, preserved lime and a layer of butter, wth some grippiness coated the palate gently. Finish just lingered tantalisingly before dissipating gently in the mouth. I really enjoyed this.

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• 2002 Domaine Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Cherbaudes Vieille Vigne 92 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru

  Very nice, but I am ferreting my lone bottle away for some time yet. Even after decanting, it showed rather tight. Certainly lots of quality though. Attractive nose, with mushroom, red fruits and flowers. Very typical Fourrier on the palate, with lovely purity in its sappy red fruits, along with some Gevrey meatiness and a touch of mineral. Still rather primary at this stage though, but this showed a nice richness wed to great balance and a very fine grip. Finish was impressively long as well, with another spirnkle of mineral. Very nice, but needs time.

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• 2001 Domaine Bruno Clair Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Petite Chapelle 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru

  Very nice, solid wine in Bruno Clair's fashion. High-toned nose, with nice cherries, some flowers and some powdery, granitic mineral. Plenty of lean structure on the palate, which was a good thing, given that it showed rather richly for a 2001, with some amount of glycerin weaving in and out of its pretty red fruit, bramble and meat tones. Not big, this was mid-weight actually, but just sappy and concentrated. Finish was long and grippy, with plenty of cherries filling the mouth. A really nice wine that could do with a good 5-6 years more in the bottle.

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• 1998 Serafin Père et Fils Charmes-Chambertin 94 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru

  Really excellent. This was quite the surprise of the day. Certainly the pick of the reds for me. Not exactly reserved, but this was delicious without ever being showy or overstated. A very classy wine. Nose showed dusky red cherries, earth, mineral and mushrooms. All in perfect proportions and very nicely integrated. I could say the same thing about the palate as well. Stylish, silky, almost slinky, with just the right amount of clean, fine tannins, fresh acid, ripeness in its pure dark cherry tones and complexity in its mushroomy undertones - a very complete, superbly integrated wine. Finish was nicely round and open, with a lovely length to it and litle lingers of spice just adding a little lift at the back-end. A very, very solid Charmes, showing just beautifully now.

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• 1985 Suzanne Thomas Mazis-Chambertin 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Mazis-Chambertin Grand Cru

  Woah - served blind, this one really stood out. Very nice. Labelled very old-school style as a "Mazy Chambertin", this was the only fully mature wine apart from the 1980 Leroy Amoureuses. Unlike the later though, this was very alive both on the nose as well as the palate. Stunning nose. Funky undergrowth, mushrooms, stewed tea, little dried red fruits, just a touch of raisins, sprinkles of spice - lovely complexity here. Really nice on the palate too. Impeccably balanced even at 24 years of age, with lovely sappy cherries, plenty of red fruit, little leathery notes and some earthy mineral tones. Very nice length on the finish, which gently dissipated at the very back of the palate. This really gave the 1998 Serafin Charmes a good run for its money as wine of the day. The later was a more complete wine all-round, but I thought this just had the greatest charm and character to it. Really clear Mazis typicity too. Excellent.

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• 2001 Fernand Lécheneaut et Fils (Philippe et Vincent) Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru

  Very nice, but not quite as impressive as either the 1999 or 2002. This was rather forward and great for drinking now though. Lovely nose, very Chambolle. Quite a rush of mushrooms, earth and flowers, along with some meat and quite a bit of toastiness. Palate was every bit a expressive, with bright 2001 acidity running through rich, sappy red fruits and wilted flowers into a round juicy finish with decent length and a touch of dried cherry fruit. Not the most complex of wines, but lots of sexy charm here.

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• 2000 Domaine Ghislaine Barthod Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Cras 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru

  From Magnum. I thought this was really nice. Sex-bomb nose. Red cherries galore, lovely flowers, exotic herbs and sandlewood and a little earth. Palate was not too far behind. pure red fruits, some haw flakes, Chinese herbs and a little woody note, all in a clean, lifted package. Mid-weight, but with plenty of concentration and a lovely sense of balance to it. Lovely finish too, with lots of red fruits and more haw flakes. A charming wine.

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• 1980 Maison Leroy Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru

  Still good, but just a bit over the hill. Disappointing, firstly because it was an Amoureuses, secondly because it was a Leroy and, thirdly, because it was from my birthyear. Nevertheless, it had an absolutely stunning nose. A veritable flower garden, with roses, violets, earth and a little meatiness, along with deep, perfumed, almost incense tones. Unfortunately, it kinda flattered to deceive. The palate started out promisingly enough, with a deep, rich, concentrated attack with plush red fruit. But it petered out inceredibly quickly, hitting an almost dried out note by the mid-palate, with muted notes of stewed tea and haw flakes along with plenty of fresh acid. More stewed tea on the finish, where the fruit had all but dropped off. Sad, but then again, the nose on this was enough to convert the most ardent Bordeaux fan.

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• 2000 Domaine de Montille Volnay 1er Cru Les Mitans 92 Points

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

  The first of a trio of 2000 Volnays. This was drinking beautifully. Lovely nose - earthy mushroom, wilted flowers, lots of undergrowth with nice savoury bits, some dried figgy fruit. Very advanced, almost prematurely so, but really nice. Same thing on the palate. Very open and giving, with a rich seductiveness in its red fruited cranberry and red cherry shades, along with more flower notes, all wrapped in a lush, juicy robe. Lovely finish showed more sappy cherries and a haw flakey tone. Yum.

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• 2000 La Pousse d'Or Volnay 1er Cru Clos des 60 Ouvrées 92 Points

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

  Very nice. Deep, gorgeous nose. Red fruits, wilted flowers, earth and deep meaty notes all melded in a seductive melange. Palate showed some maturity, with flavours of sweet dates, dried cranberries, haw flakes and some flowers. Still plenty of life though, with the wine showing a good sense of structure. Not the freshest of wines, but it had a good balance to it. Finish was quite impressive too, with more meaty notes and lingering hawflakes along with a minerally pull. I liked this.

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• 2000 Domaine Marquis d'Angerville Volnay 1er Cru Champans 93 Points

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

  Another real surprise. This was absolutely singing, beating out another two really good 2000 Volnays on the day. This is the fourth bottle of this wine I tried, and this was the best showing by some distance. The nose was just "wow". Tons of flowers, some mineral, savoury wild mushroom and whiffs of incense. Really seductive on the palate too. Lovely red fruits, more flowers, a little orange peel, all in a package of great poise and balance. Finish was longish and very perfumed, with more flowers just wafting away in the mouth. Boy, the slightly awkward, gawky adolescent of the first bottle has really transformed into a ravishing beauty in her prime.

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• 2002 Coche-Dury Meursault Rouge 89 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault

  How unsual. Not bad at all, but unfortunately overshadowed by just about every other red we had. Nose showed a hint of bisuits, a touch of meat and some red cherries. Palate had a good sappiness to it, along with a nice balance. Rather simple on the flavours though - cherries, flowers and a touch of stony mineral moving into a decent-lengthed finish. Nice enough, but all lacking a bit of complexity and oomph.

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• 1996 Louis Jadot Corton-Grèves 90 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton Grand Cru

  Good, but a bit disappointing. Even after three hours in an opened bottle and two in a decanter, this was far, far too young to drink. Not quite Grand Cru weight maybe, but lots of elegance and stuffing, just far too tight. Nose showed some eamt, some mushroom and earth notes, a nice ferrous minerality, some flowers. Quite lovely, if just a bit reticent. Palate was going nowhere though. Juicy, bright acidity, fine, firm tannins, some underlying richness, a pleasant roundness, but almost nothing flavour-wise. Just hints of dark cherries and a little toast. Finish was okay, more cherry hints and a little linger of dried fruit. Has potential, but needs another 5 years at least. I would give it a decade to be safe.

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