4/23/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Drank this at Crystal Jade Palace with my wine mates. Theme of the evening: Wines that start with the letter Z.

Straw green-yellow in colour. Wine was pumped up and ready to go from the start. Shedding its fruit bomb image, this wine is more lean, focused and sharp. Diligent and does a good job delighting the guests and matching with the food.

If you need a go-to wine to start a party, this is the wine.

4/23/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Drank this at Crystal Jade Palace with my wine mates. Theme of the evening: Wines that start with the letter Z.

Beautifully perfumed nose and sense of calm and charm on the palate. Did not decant this wine and it took a while to spring into action. Rich plums, black spices, dark coffee, with lots of berries in the finish.

One of the most underrated and undervalued wines.

4/19/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Brought this to Kai Garden for dinner with my old friends to celebrate a birthday. We ordered the Crackling Pork Belly, Signature Crispy Peking Duck, Sautéed Hong Kong Kai Lan with Dried Fish, and Poached Tofu and Pork Belly with Cabbage.

Bottle breathed for an hour before drinking. Lush, homely, flavourful. The rich ripe plums in this wine shines brightly like a lighthouse, giving it direction, focus and purpose. Finish is fruity, fresh and vibrant.

Was pleasantly surprised how nice this wine turned out to be. But that truly is one of the pleasures of tasting wines which we are not so familiar with, isn't it?

4/19/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Brought this to Kai Garden for dinner with my old friends to celebrate a birthday. We ordered the Crackling Pork Belly, Signature Crispy Peking Duck, Sautéed Hong Kong Kai Lan with Dried Fish, and Poached Tofu and Pork Belly with Cabbage.

Salmon pink in colour. On the whole, the Merlot did a good job holding intensity and balance in this rose. Mildly flavourful, it complemented every dish we ordered, providing a lush cover and the acidity cut through the richness of the food, leaving the plate clean, crisp and fresh.

Couldn't have asked for more from this rose. Ideal when paired with food, perfect to be drank on its own on a warm summer day. Served chilled.

4/13/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Tasted this at New Ubin Seafood (Stevens) over lunch with my best friend and a special guest. The Champagne was on the house. We ordered a Smoked Burger, Mee Kia Char Siew, Babi Pongteh, USDA Galbi Beef Short Ribs, and the Boss Fried Rice (White version).

Fresh toasty notes with zest. Crisp, clean with a refreshing finish. A notch or two above the commercially available big house brand champagnes.

4/9/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Brought this wine to Pudgy Grill to celebrate a birthday with my army buddies. We ordered the Wagyu Ribeye, Grilled Pork Jowl, Grilled Chicken Leg, Unagi (eel) and Grilled Cabbage.

Dark purple in colour. Notes of ash, and burnt flint on the nose, giving way to rich ripe fruits and savoury plums. Blackcurrant, spices and cigar box completes the profile of the wine.

A mouthwatering wine that leaves your palate wanting for more. Complexity and balance of the elements is amazing, bearing resemblance of a Bordeaux wine with its unique South African signature.

At this price point, I think this wine is a good bargain. Do consider getting some if it comes your way, and cellar it for the next couple of years before opening a bottle.

4/9/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Brought this wine to Pudgy Grill to celebrate a birthday with my army buddies. We ordered the Wagyu Ribeye, Grilled Pork Jowl, Grilled Chicken Leg, Unagi (eel) and Grilled Cabbage.

Pure gold in the glass. On the nose the fresh ripe plums were amazing, followed by fresh acidity, butter, cream and vanilla. The balance between the acidity and fruits were delicate; similar in style to the Aussie Chardonnays, less the power and energy, closer to the New Zealand style of modern Chardonnays.

If you like Kiwi Chardonnays, this may be the wine for you. Make sure the wine is served at the right temperature to ensure the wine is sufficiently chilled for the alcohol to be subdued, but not too cold so that the flavours are evolved.

4/5/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Brought this to a wine mate's place for a wine session over BBQ. Theme of the evening: Barolos from a pre-determined list from the 04/06/08/10 vintages.

Decanted for 2.5 hours before consumption. Brick-red in colour, with notes of spices (cinnamon, pepper, cloves), cut flowers, cherries, black tea, iron, and rust, on the nose. On the palate the wine is smooth and elegant, with a slow evolution into a multi-dimensional finish.

Time slowed down quite substantially when tasting this wine. Sensational!

3/31/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Brought this wine to New Ubin Seafood (Stevens) for dinner with my in-laws to celebrate a birthday tonight. We ordered the green dragon vegetables, prawn paste chicken, spam fries, oyster omelet, ribeye steak with wedges, garlic baked crab, salted egg crab, carbonara, fried hokkien mee and kaya toast.

Beautiful, beautiful fizz with a astute gold colour. Lovely aromatic lychee on the nose and palate, followed by honey, lime and syrup.

One of the better value-for-money Moscato from Italy. Lovely on its own, wonderful when paired with food. My in-laws had a hearty time pairing this wine with most of the food items.

3/31/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Brought this wine to New Ubin Seafood (Stevens) for dinner with my in-laws to celebrate a birthday tonight. We ordered the green dragon vegetables, prawn paste chicken, spam fries, oyster omelet, ribeye steak with wedges, garlic baked crab, salted egg crab, carbonara, fried hokkien mee and kaya toast.

Fresh ripe plums, with juicy black berries and a rounded mouthfeel. What a lovely wine this was! No doubt it has the potential to age and improve further, but this wine is drinking well this evening and singing at the top of the barn at this moment.

3/28/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Brought this to my ex-colleague's place for a gathering.

Beautiful aromatics on the nose, wild floral bouquet and vibrant violets and mushrooms. The Grenache feels so light and elegant on the nose and palate, like the gentle spring breeze caressing the sides of the cheeks.

Wine got better and better and better as the evening went by. Do give your bottle some breathing space because it will do your wine a lot of good.

My last bottle in the collection; this has been one of my favorites when I started wine appreciate eons ago. My knowledge of wines has since grown by leaps and bounds, and my palate more receptive to different grape varietals and wines from different terriors. Perhaps will keep a respectable distance from this wine for the foreseeable future.

3/25/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Brought this wine to Lao Beijing for a wine dinner. Theme of the evening: Super Tuscan wines with no Sangiovese, 2010 or older, $120 and above.

Decanted for an hour. Brickish-purple, with a nose that presented youthful notes. Sweet, powerful attack with a mellow midpalate.

A little disjointed at this point. May need more time in the bottle for the elements to come together nicely.

3/25/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Opened this at New Ubin Seafood over lunch with my best friend from the University days today. We had the foie gras with half boiled eggs, har cheong kai, and ribeye with fried rice and wedges.

Deep inky purple with a beautiful aromatic on the nose. Some flint, lead, ink, followed by generous plums and ripe berries. Good intensity and energy.

3/23/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Tasted this wine at the Walkabout Tasting at Crystal Wines - Valley Point Chilean Extraordinaire.

This wine tasted better than the previous experience. Very rounded and smooth. Taking the middle of the road approach, the energy, acidity, fruits and alcohol are all hanging in perfect balance.

A very well made and crafted wine. A wine reserved for special occasions and events.

3/23/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Tasted this wine at the Walkabout Tasting at Crystal Wines - Valley Point Chilean Extraordinaire.

Ripe raisins, earthy notes with a smooth, rounded finish. Has a little of everything, but not too much of something.

Already drinking very nicely now, no doubt this bottle will improve with proper storage and ageing. A wine to keep for the future.

3/23/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Tasted this wine at the Walkabout Tasting at Crystal Wines - Valley Point Chilean Extraordinaire.

Deep purple with a beautiful brickish red hue. Rich with sun-ripen sweetness. On the nose the plums overwhelm the other elements, giving it a very fragrant, sweet, and juicy outlook. Like most of the other great wines in the lineup today, avoid opening the next bottle for the next 3 years at least.

3/23/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Tasted this wine at the Walkabout Tasting at Crystal Wines - Valley Point Chilean Extraordinaire.

Ash on the nose followed by ripe cherries and a smooth palate. In the glass, the wine shines bright like a ray of sunshine in early summer, providing good warmth, comfort without the scorching heat and sunburnt.

Keep for the next 3 to 5 years before even thinking about opening the next bottle.

3/23/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Tasted this wine at the Walkabout Tasting at Crystal Wines - Valley Point Chilean Extraordinaire.

Notes of burnt ash on the nose. Ripe sweet berries makes this a tasty and delicious wine. Formidable fumes on the nose. After 15 mins in the glass the haw and red dates notes become more prominent to the extend of dominant.

Like all the great wines in the world, this one takes time in the bottle to mature. Don't rush to open the next bottle.

3/23/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Tasted this wine at the Walkabout Tasting at Crystal Wines - Valley Point Chilean Extraordinaire.

Deep, inky, with a sweet and long finish. The wine dances around the palate effortlessly like a happy, spoilt little kid.

One of my favourite Shiraz from Chile, keep this one is for the years to come.

3/23/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Tasted this wine at the Walkabout Tasting at Crystal Wines - Valley Point Chilean Extraordinaire.

The only Pinot Noir in the lineup. Medium bodied with rip cherries. Dry on the palate, which was rather unexpected, with a smooth and crisp finish.

Quite an unordinary New World Pinot Noir; do not expect the usual Old World charm and grace, neither does the New World fruits present itself either. If there's a version of US Pinot Noir on steroids, this is probably it.

3/23/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Opened a bottle at Crystal Wines (Valley Point) to celebrate a birthday.

Cream in colour, with a nice crisp mouthfeel. Green apples, fresh lime and toasted bread.

An ideal wine for celebrations and sharing.

3/22/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Brought this to a colleague's place for a Wine and Cheese Party.

Brick red in colour with notes of cheddar, bright red berries and fruit tart.

Wine feels tired and almost worn out. Drink up soon if you still have this in your collection.

3/22/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Brought this to a colleague's place for a Wine and Cheese Party.

Dark purple in colour with aromatic notes of berries, plums, oak, herbs and milk chocolate. Medium energy, power and acidity in balance and harmony.

Overall a nice wine to savour and share at parties.

3/21/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Tasted this wine at the Maximilian Riedel Wine Experience at Marina Bay Sands hosted by Cellarmaster Wines.

Rich and well structured. Spices, dark fruits, dark chocolate peppered with black berries.

3/21/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Tasted this wine at the Maximilian Riedel Wine Experience at Marina Bay Sands hosted by Cellarmaster Wines.

Beautiful red fruit with cherries and strawberries. A touch of spice, followed by vanilla, chocolate, with soft juicy tannins. Towards the finish the spice showed up again.

A very interesting and complex wine.

3/21/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Tasted this wine at the Maximilian Riedel Wine Experience at Marina Bay Sands hosted by Cellarmaster Wines.

Beautiful gold in colour. On the nose the citrus, lime, and orange peel stood out beautifully. On the palate the minerality and citrus were in harmonious balance. Smooth texture, rich with a touch of honey.

This is a fruit driven wine with a beautiful structure and a long aftertaste.

3/21/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Tasted this wine at the Maximilian Riedel Wine Experience at Marina Bay Sands hosted by Cellarmaster Wines.

Rich aroma on the nose, coupled with complex fruit, supported by dark Indian spices and white stone fruits. On the palate there is viscosity and a oily texture.

3/19/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Drank this at a wine dinner with my wine mates at Kam Boat Teochew Restaurant. Theme of the evening: Wines that start with the letter Y.

Another highlight of the dinner. Gold in colour with amazing balance and acidity. Sweetness countered by fruits, body in harmony with the elements. Apricot, peaches, nectar, honey wax.

What more can one ask from the wine? Amazing. Simply amazing.

3/19/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Drank this at a wine dinner with my wine mates at Kam Boat Teochew Restaurant. Theme of the evening: Wines that start with the letter Y.

Beautiful wine bloomed and blossomed throughout the evening. Drinking wonderfully through the dinner. Kept this as the last red wine as a special highlight.

3/19/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Brought this to a wine dinner with my wine mates at Kam Boat Teochew Restaurant. Theme of the evening: Wines that start with the letter Y.

Reddish brown in colour, with tame ripe berries, apricot and a touch of oak. Wine feels past its prime and a little tired.

Do drink up if you have in the collection.

3/19/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Drank this at a wine dinner with my wine mates at Kam Boat Teochew Restaurant. Theme of the evening: Wines that start with the letter Y.

Dark brooding purple with complex notes of dark spices, ripe berries, cedar, solid timber, and fresh plums, with a lingering finish. Almost Bordeaux-like on the nose, despite this being a Cabernet Sauvignon - Shiraz blend. After an hour or so that mocha, milk chocolate and red fruits become more pronounced. Yummy!

Always favour wines that presents layers and dimensions, and this wine is exactly that. Fantastic!

3/12/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Tasted this at Misha's Vineyard Food and Wine Pairing Dinner organised by That Wine Place. The Speaker of the evening was Ms Misha Wilkinson.

Classy red wine with succulent notes of serious dark red fruits. Fresh wild mushrooms.

3/12/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Tasted this at Misha's Vineyard Food and Wine Pairing Dinner organised by That Wine Place. The Speaker of the evening was Ms Misha Wilkinson.

Deep purple, with fresh strawberries on the nose backed by cherries. Savoury notes of plum, anise and Indian black spices. Finish resembles a dried fruits tart.

3/12/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Tasted this at Misha's Vineyard Food and Wine Pairing Dinner organised by That Wine Place. The Speaker of the evening was Ms Misha Wilkinson.

Straw green, with notes of fried banana fritters. Very aromatic but not much going on anywhere else. Resembles an Alsatian Gewürztraminer in style.

3/12/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Tasted this at Misha's Vineyard Food and Wine Pairing Dinner organised by That Wine Place. The Speaker of the evening was Ms Misha Wilkinson.

Straw green in colour with cut pear. Good balance between the sweetness and spicyness. Perfectly matched and balanced the Chili Crab Bao we had. Good finesse and acidity with excellent salinity.

3/12/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Tasted this at Misha's Vineyard Food and Wine Pairing Dinner organised by That Wine Place. The Speaker of the evening was Ms Misha Wilkinson.

Straw green in colour with a very fresh grapefruit on the nose. Beautiful flint with earthy notes. Creamy on the palate with a very pronounced guava. Presence of kaffir lime and fresh acidity makes this a very refreshing wine. The wine moves slowly but surely around the palate. Was told that the wine is 50% naturally fermented, giving it access to wild yeast and tangy notes.

3/12/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Tasted this at Misha's Vineyard Food and Wine Pairing Dinner organised by That Wine Place. The Speaker of the evening was Ms Misha Wilkinson.

Clear, gold in colour. Crisp, clean with astonishing and refreshing finish. Burst of flavours, including green apples, unripe mangoes and starfruits.

My first experience with this label. Quite impressed, and looking forward to tasting the rest of the portfolio.

3/10/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Opened this at Tunglok Teahouse (Square 2) over dinner with my family and in-laws. We ordered Steamed BBQ Pork Bun, Steamed Xiao Long Bao, Seafood Treasure Bowl, Sweet and Sour Pork Rib, Roast Irish Duck, Poached Chinese Spinach with 3 Kinds of Egg, Mapo Beancurd in Claypot, Braised Ee-fu Noodles with Shredded Mushrooms and Chives, Egg Fried Rice, Almond Cream and Chilled Mango Cream, Pomelo and Sago topped with Ice-Cream.

Deep gold in colour. Rich almonds, beeswax, walnut and cream on the nose. On the palate the wine is lush, delivering pleasure, comfort and moderate sweetness. Was pleasantly surprised how restrained this Auslese is (in terms of sweetness), given our past experience with Kracher has always delivered wines which were on the sweeter side.

Perhaps age has tamed the wine. Perhaps it was made to pair with food rather than to overwhelm. Perhaps this bottle belonged to its more mass market entry level wine which is not meant to fall on the side of the sweet divide.

Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps..

3/10/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Opened this at Tunglok Teahouse (Square 2) over dinner with my family and in-laws. We ordered Steamed BBQ Pork Bun, Steamed Xiao Long Bao, Seafood Treasure Bowl, Sweet and Sour Pork Rib, Roast Irish Duck, Poached Chinese Spinach with 3 Kinds of Egg, Mapo Beancurd in Claypot, Braised Ee-fu Noodles with Shredded Mushrooms and Chives, Egg Fried Rice, Almond Cream and Chilled Mango Cream, Pomelo and Sago topped with Ice-Cream.

Fizzy, with a lazy salmon pink. Refreshing, with moderate berries and is an excellent choice when having Chinese food. While not big on taste or flavours, this wine serves well with steamed, stirred fried and deep fried food, complementing the nuances and texture of the food we ordered.

3/8/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Tasted this at the Chateau Lagrange Wine Dinner with Mattieu Borders at Famous Treasure hosted by Infinite Supply.

A vibrant wine. Exciting and has lots of potential.

Consider to revisit in 10 years time.

3/8/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Tasted this at the Chateau Lagrange Wine Dinner with Mattieu Borders at Famous Treasure hosted by Infinite Supply.

A full nose, packed with dark red fruits, black coffee and tobacco.

A voloptous wine.

3/8/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Tasted this at the Chateau Lagrange Wine Dinner with Mattieu Borders at Famous Treasure hosted by Infinite Supply.

An uplifting nose. Delivers pleasure on the nose and palate. Some oily brick wall notes. Ends with a tinge of mocha with caramel.

3/8/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Tasted this at the Chateau Lagrange Wine Dinner with Mattieu Borders at Famous Treasure hosted by Infinite Supply.

Purple in colour. On the palate the wine is creamy, with viscosity, and tension. The notes and flavours behave like sea waves: rising before subsiding before rising again.

Good level of acidity at 15 years of age. Great finesse, density and ends off with a seductive nose.

3/8/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Tasted this at the Chateau Lagrange Wine Dinner with Mattieu Borders at Famous Treasure hosted by Infinite Supply.

Dark purple with enchanting fumes on the nose and a captivating palate. Though young at this point, the wine show great potential to be a shining star in the years to come.

Give it more time in the bottle.

3/8/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Tasted this at the Chateau Lagrange Wine Dinner with Mattieu Borders at Famous Treasure hosted by Infinite Supply.

Everything was going right for this wine this evening. Captivating nose that makes the taster go wow. Simply wow. Fresh and lively with fresh notes that jumps up and down in the palate. Despite being a 20 year old wine, it carries enough weight and class to present a formidable and harmonious finish.

3/8/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Tasted this at the Chateau Lagrange Wine Dinner with Mattieu Borders at Famous Treasure hosted by Infinite Supply.

Dark brooding purple. A basic wine with harsh tannins with some ash, burnt notes. A food friendly wine that can be served at parties and large gatherings.

3/8/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Tasted this at the Chateau Lagrange Wine Dinner with Mattieu Borders at Famous Treasure hosted by Infinite Supply.

Straw, light cream in colour. On the palate the creaminess is astounding, followed by a clean and clear mid-palate and a crisp finish. An excellent palate cleanser without much depth or finesse.

Went well with the crispy fish skin, deep fried mushroom, steamed barramundi fillet and stir-fried crunchy vegetables.

3/6/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Opened this at Summer Hill over lunch to celebrate a birthday with my best friend. We had the Zucchini Conserva, Porcini & Chicken Liver Paté, Classic Roast Chicken and Brussels Sprouts Amandine.

Decanted for an hour before consuming. Dark brooding purplish red in colour. Dark red fruits on the nose and palate: cherries, berries, black coffee, pepper, licorice, tobacco.

Like the white, this bottle will benefit from further aging in the bottle (or cellar) for the elements to integrate further to present a more wholesome wine.

3/6/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Opened this at Summer Hill over lunch to celebrate a birthday with my best friend. We had the Zucchini Conserva, Porcini & Chicken Liver Paté, Classic Roast Chicken and Brussels Sprouts Amandine.

Straw with a tinge of green. White stone fruits on the nose and palate. Some apricot, fresh peach, crisp green apples, fresh minerals and a touch of herbs.

Had expected more from this wine. May need a bit more time in the bottle and cellar for the elements to come together. Not fully integrated affecting the overall experience of the wine.

3/1/2024 - stayhappy21 wrote:

Brought this to my University Best Friend's new home for lunch today.

Dark purple in colour. A very likeable Grenache which combines energy and grace rather effortlessly. Charming and delightful too!