The Vintry Cellar

It was with great interest and anticipation that I attended the Primum Familiae Vini (“PFV”) dinner at The Raffles Hotel Singapore. PFV stands for the first families of wines and was formed in 1993, aimed at pooling all the strengths of world-class producers in promoting the traditions and values of high quality, family owned wineries in the modern world of big corporations. Each year, members of PFV travel around the world, organizing press conferences, wine dinners and tastings to promote their which are stylistically varied and are the benchmarks of their respective styles. This was the 2^nd such dinner that was organized in Singapore and the first at Raffles Hotel.

Whilst this grouping of wineries may not be entirely novel in concept, what makes these 11 wineries stand out is simply the sheer pedigree of the members. Every single one of these member wineries have been household names in the wine world for decades if not centuries. The members of the 11 families (Robert Mondavi left the PFV upon its acquisition by Constellation wines) consist of the following representatives in Singapore, a literal who’s who of the wine world:

-Hubert de Billy
-Pol Roger -Frédéric J. Drouhin
-Joseph Drouhin
-Marc & Pierre Perrin
-Château de Beaucastel
-Alessia Antinori
-Antinori
-Miguel Torres JR
-Torres
-Priscilla Incisa della Rocchetta
-Sassicaia
-Pablo Alvarez
-Vega Sicilia
-Philippine de Rothschild
-Château Mouton Rothschild
-Egon Müller
-Etienne Huge
-Hugel Pere e Fils
-Paul Symington -Graham

Cocktails started with free flow Pol Roger Winston Churchill 1995 champagne, who is to complain about such a beginning? I had the opportunity to speak with Miguel Torres who was modest and friendly yet naturally full of pride in the Torres empire, sharing the exciting new plans around new wine regions around Spain, far removed from their traditional base of Penedes in Catalunya. After that I had a chance to chat with Paul Symington, all urbane and courteous with a great love of the Douro Valley where his wineries are situated.

When dinner commenced I was seated with Mr. Etienne Hugel and I must say that I certainly enjoyed his unique company of infectious French charm and dry humour. He regaled my table with tales of his trade as well as constantly referring to himself as a humble “grape grower.” Quite an understatement considering how his Hugel wines are regarded as the finest from the appellation of Alsace. However, behind this modesty I could still detect a fierce pride in the quality of his own wines, and certainly he is entitled to after I tasted his Hugel Selection de Grain Nobles “S” 1997.

Dinner was scrumptious and presented impeccably by Raffles Hotel and while of course due compliments should be paid to the whole team, the night really was all aimed to provide a backdrop with regards to the atmosphere, food pairing and setting for the appreciation of some of the greatest wines in the world. I have focused on setting out my tasting notes on the wines of the night below. Do forgive me if my notes get progressively more brief as a result of a sensory overload and a gentle if increasing buzz as the night progressed. =)

Pol Roger Cuvee Winston Churchill 1995
Hubert de Billy told us a brief story that this wine was named in honour of the great wartime PM of Great Britain because he used to partake of a bottle of this wine every day, including through all the times that he held the highest office in the land!

This wine is still fresh with a rich lemon rind nose married with a yeasty rich note. On the palate the wine had a full rounded initial mouth feel with a crisp smooth lemony finish lingering with hint of nuttiness. I feel this is still a young pup of a wine I felt, with its many components still coming together. This will be even better in about 3-4 years time.

Joseph Drouhin Clos De Mouche Blanc 2002
I have had the red counterpart of this wine before and have always been impressed. This is the first time I have tried the Blanc. What a pleasant surprise. Frederick Drouhin told me that whilst this is only a premier cru wine, the vineyards that the grapes are sourced lies right next to the fabled Montrachet and Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru vineyards. He is particularly proud of this little gem and I must say I understand why perfectly.

The wine has a marzipan and cinnamon scented nose with a floral limey fragrance in the background. The palate is youthful and is supremely well integrated for a 2002 wine. There are flavours of butterscotch, peaches and crisp acidity with a lingering savoury finish hinting of honey. The finish is suitably long and lingering.

Chateau Beaucastel Roussane Vielles Vignes 2001

Yet again the red Chateauneuf du Pape from the Perrin family is the more illustrious wine and I have had no experience with this white wine which is made from the Roussane grape. The Perrin brothers spoke with great passion on not just the quality of this wine but also on its potential longevity. I agree fully.

On the nose, this wine gives away an ethereal and complex spectrum of wonderful roasted almonds, sweet turklish delights and a flintly, mineral finish. There is also a savoury lift but constantly and alluringly, there is a scent of delicate rosewater and lilacs. To the taste, this wine is soft and textured. There is moderate acidity that keeps the wine sufficiently light and fresh but there is more of that Turkish delight flavours with ripe apricots and peaches predominate. The wine has outstanding length. Superb.

Antinori Tignanello 2001

One of the first of the Super Tuscan phenomenon just after Sassicaia. I have had this wine various times and it never fails to impress. The Tignanello is predominantly made from the Sangiovese grape with the two Cabernets added in for greater structure and depth of colour.

Undeniably the Tignanello 2001is still years from maturity. Nevertheless, it is starting to drink really well. The wine has a typical leathery and savoury mouthfeel, with a mélange of earthy ripe cherry flavours combined with dried roasted herbs. The tannins are fine grained and the wine is dry with moderate acidity. The finish is long and lingering ending with iodine accented cherry flavours. There was also a touch of black fruits on the palate, probably imparted by the cabernet components of the wine. Wonderful.

Torres Gran Murales 2000
Torres has always been a trendsetting winery in Spain even though it has been producing wine since the 17^th century. It’s heart lies in the Catalan region of Penedes which is also famous for producing Cava.

Made from a unique blend of Monastrell, Garnacha Tinta, Garró, Samsó and Cariñena. The wine is aged in american oak. On the nose this wine has a smoky vanillin lift, with ripe red currants flavours and some darker fruit flavours of sweet plum. The wine tastes of redcurrants and dried herbs with a mocha finish. The tannins are very soft but still prevalent and there is refreshing acidity on the finish. This wine for me is drinking very well now and should keep for another 5 years at the least.

Vega Sicilia Unico 1994
Vega Sicilia is a name that conjured up awe within Spanish wine circles. It was true pioneer of a high quality wine dedicated to low yields, limited production and an utter commitment to quality. This winery rose from the ashes of the phylloxera that devastated much of European vineyards early in the 20^th century. It pioneered the blending of the classic Tenmpranillo with imported varietals of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Alone amongst any other Spanish wines, and indeed matched by few wines in the world, the base wine is so intense that it can soak up exposure to 7 years in oak.

This is my second Unico 1994 and the first was about 4 years ago. The wine has hardly aged. It still looks a vibrant and youthful blush of red. On the palate the wine has an amazing pure an intense dried sour plum flavour and hazelnuts. Following on closely there is a gentle cascade of cedary blackcurrant framed by very fine grained tannins. This wine is still so young, balanced.

Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia 1999

Just like Vega Sicilia, the founder of this winery pioneered the planting of Cabernet Sauvignon in Italy with the aim of producing a world class wine to rival the highly admired wines of Bordeaux. The birth of Sassicaia can be traced to the marriage of Marquis Mario Incisa della Rocchetta to Clarice della Gherardesca, heiress to the tuscan estate of Tenuta San Guido in Bolgheri. The Marquis saw the suitability of the coastal land around his estate for the planting of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and the rest as they say is history.

The wine has a dark ruby colour still. On the nose there is a heady savoury combination of dark cherries and plums. On the palate, the wine is superbly well integrated dark cassis flavours with a finely oaked and savoury undertow of roasted chestnuts and thyme accented finish. Perhaps this wine is more backward because it was served from a Magnum bottle.

Chateau Mouton Rothschild 1989

Chateau Mouton Rothschild is in the hallowed company of the other 4 First Growth wines of the Medoc and Graves. It is also unique in that it was the only winery whose sustained excellence led to its upgrading from 2^nd growth status and remains until now the only significant change to the 1855 classification of the top wines of the Medoc and Graves.

When I smelt the wine, there was a soaring bouquet of exotic kirsch, cassis, minerals and dark fruits. On the palate the wine was dominated by ripe cherry, raspberries and blackcurrants allied with undergrowth, pencil lead, wet earth and leather. The tannins are now moderate with balanced acidity but this is a classic Mouton, showing the exoticism in aromas that it is justly famous for.

Egon Muller Scharzhofberger Auslese Goldkapsel 2003

One of the rarest of rare wines from a legendary estate in Germany. Wine has been made for centuries at this estate. Quality control is very strict.

What an ethereal nose of apricots, hay, honey and intense bortrytis characters. The wine has refreshing acidity which was higher than the Hugel. There are flavours of orange peel and tangerines on the finish. Truly one of the best sweet wines I have tasted managing to be both delicate yet intense, sweet yet not cloying. A real keeper.

Hugel & Fils (and sons) is one of the premier estates in the region of Alsace bordering the Black Forest region of Germany. This region which lies in the shadow of the Vosges mountains has come to be regarded as one of the premier white wine growing places in the world. The dessert wines from there are also justifiably one of the most sought after (with prices accordingly high) in the world.

This sweet wine had an intense crème brulee, caramel and dried apricots nose. When I tasted this wine, it had an intense caramel and ripe apricot and honey palate. The finish went on for minutes and I just let the lingering orange peel and honey finish carry on.

Graham Vintage Port 1970
Paul Symington spoke glowingly of this 1970 Graham VP. He said that this was possibly the best VP produced by this esteemed Port house in the past few decades.

This wine did not look like it was 36 years old. The wine still tasted amazingly youthful with sweet blueberries and plums coating the tongue with hints of exotic heavy spice. This wine will keep for 50 years or more.

This dinner also auctioned off a very rare case of wines donated from each winery and cased in a unique collectors box. The winning bid came in at USD38,944.00 for 12 wines and will be donated to Singapore School for the Visually handicapped and the Canossian School. A truly commendable and charitable end to the night showing that amidst the glitz there was heart as well.

I must say that what was truly refreshing about every single member of this truly exclusive club is how each and everyone of them feel the weight of and responsibility of carrying on century old traditions and standards of each respective winery. This is reflected in an air of modesty behind the undoubted old world style and charm of each member. I feel that I was truly privileged to have been in the midst of such august company, drinking such wonderfully crafted wines reflecting the respective unique terroir and winemaking philosophies and sharing in the stories and enthusiasm of each personality at the dinner. I feel that it may be rare if ever that I attend a dinner that surpasses this in sheer vinuous pleasure, warmth, genial company and the sheer occasion of a dinner graced by the royalty of the wine world……”grape growers” they may claim be but each branch of these 11 families are custodians of the pinnacle of winemaking, aristocrats in their own right.

Set in the neighbourhood of DamansaraHeights is The Vintry wine shop and wine bar. ‘Vintry’ is an old English word which means a place where wine is sold. As such, we embrace traditional values of service and our friendly and knowledgeable team here is always ready to assist you in recommending wines from our extensive cellar. We stock over 800 different labels in the cool confines of our cellar set out in a unique gallery style for your browsing pleasure.

The Vintry also features an in-house menu, with an emphasis on finger food together with a delicious selection of burgers and sandwiches. Uniquely, we also welcome outside food within our shop to complement our fine wines, subject to the Management’s discretion. We can host private functions as well, with the use of our exclusive first floor. Finally, we frequently conduct a variety of theme wine tastings and masterclasses, so do come and “Experience wine” with us.

Just got back from the Argiano wine dinner at Senses KL Hilton. The food was prepared by the executive chef and not the normal sense chef. The Italian touch was evident and the food was largely enjoyable except for a rather carbohydrate heavy first two courses of pasta and risotto leaving very little space for the main of venison.

Rosso 05
This wine had a rich cherry and dusty nose with hints of fennel and a top-note of fragrant violets. On the palate, the acidity is medium to high, with fine grained ripe tannins and more of the classic cherry and red fruit flavours of Sangiovese. The only gripe I have is the short finish but then again this is the entry level Rosso wine. 88 points

Brunello 99
On the nose, this had mulberry, earthy and minty aromas. With time this wine evolved more to reveal caramel and stemmy notes all at once. The Palate is less fruit driven with earthy flavours of mushrooms and earth matched with sour cherry and red fruits. 91 points

Brunello 01
A powerful wine which is still young and unevolved. The increased toast is evident with a sweet vanillin note on the nose followed by ripe red fruits. The tannins and very rounded and the flavours tend towards ripe plum and black cherries with a lingering cinnamon note. A Long finish to top it all. 93 points.

Suolo 03
The flagship wine from Argiano. I got a very ripe sur maturite and licorice infused nose. The wine tasted of ripe stewed plums and seemed to be made from slightly overripe fruit. The palate is very Vanillin oak derived which for me submerged the fruit in this wine. The finish was also dominated with alcohol, which masked the fruit that was lurking underneath. Perhaps may resolve with time but still a product of a hot drought year. 88 points.

Solengo 01
This wine is a blend of Syrah, cabernet and Merlot. The influence of the syrah is evident on the nose, with plum dominating as well as a sweet toffee note. The body is structured with firm tannins and flavours of plum and blackcurrants with a familiar oaky finish. Good but perhaps better with less oak exposure. 90 points

All in all a very good dinner. The main conclusion I could draw was that this winery is moving away from the more traditional style of the 1999 towards a more modern oaked version of Brunello with more modern winemaking techniques. I feel that the 1999 alludes to the more secondary earthy flavours of an old style Brunello. The 2001 has potential and I would be interested to revisit this wine in 2009 to see how much of the secondary flavours would have evolved. If they do as I suspect they will, this wine may merit a higher score. Whilst there is undoubtedly greater sweetness on the palate and a brooding muscular frame in the 2001, it is a step in a new direction, one that only time will tell if it adds rather than changes the basic allure of the Sangiovese grape from Brunello. A few bottles lie in my cellar awaiting its time in 2 or 3 years to show if it has shed its layer of tannin and primary fruit to reveal the exotic core of aged Sangiovese fruit of sour cherries, tobacco and earth……

Calera Reed vineyard Pinot Noir 2001
One of the pioneer top quality Pinot Noir producers in the Central Coast of California which has more conducive cooler weather for the production of Pinot. This wine has a pale red core and a watery rim. The nose consists of 5 spice and cinnamon and sprightly delicate cherry aromas as well as a dried herbs and mint. The palate is light and soft. Light cherries dominate again followed by characteristic leafiness and a lightly spicy and herbal finish. 90 points

Chateau Sociando Mallet 1994
This wine is the 1st growth of cru bourgeois wines. 1994 was a lighter year for Bordeaux with wines for medium term drinking. On appearance, the wine was ruby red with some browning on the edges. I got stemmy undergrowth aromas and medicinal notes on the nose which is to be expected from a 13 year old wine. Cherry,red fruits and blackcurrant leaf dominated on the palate. There was a sense that the tannins prominent subsuming some fading fruit. A good 1994 Bordeaux but drink up now. 90 points

Chateau Talbot 1996
This wine was still a dark ruby colour. One of the classic St. Julien grand crus although a little overshadowed by the trio of Leovilles. Initially, a quite intense farmyard, earth and mushroom aromas wafted. “Good shit” said Jeff authoritatively. I definitely agreed as the gamey earthy element was right to the fore. On tasting, the wine had leather and cassis followed by secondary flavours damp wet earth. 91 points

Chateau La’Conseillante 1995
Wow, what a contrast to the Talbot, this wine smelt rich, plump and voluptuous. Typical Pomerol exuberance. This flashy feminine wine revealed knockout notes of licorice, mocha and prune aromas. On the palate, there is a similar core redolent of ripe plums, dried blackfruits, wet minerals and stones finishing with cloves and cinnamon. 94 points

Artadi Pagos Viejos Rioja 2000
I always feel that Spanish wine by virtue of its preference for American oak provides a bridge between the new and old world style of wines. This wine is no different. On the nose there is the signature sweet vanillin and cedar one associates with American oak but it is amply sour plum. On the palate there is plum and a crisp acidity with fine grained and smooth tannins. The crisp finish indicates that the impact of the cool conditions. The finish is of cedar and vanilla but is warm and long. 93 points

Kaeslar Old Bastard Shiraz 2002
A real dense opaque purple colour with noticeable legs indicating of a high glycerol level and a pup of a wine. The nose is very lifted with apparent alcohol followed by intense aromas of fruit cake, prunes and espresso and char. Flavours of dark fruits, toast, more prunes and a slightly hot finish. The wine is still tightly wound and sinewy but with undeniable potential and a showcase for old vine Barossa Shiraz. I still find the 1998 vintage to be the best still for its superior balance. Needs time...a lot more. 93 points

Had dinner with some good friends, post Chinese New Year in a way though the emphasis should be on the word post seeing that we are well and truly in the year of the pig. Decided to try the new chef, Carlos Checa in Lafite who has been receiving raves reviews from the press. His cooking philosophy is derived from the influences of Ferran Adria, El Bulli and Arzak in Spain. Molecular cuisine was a term that was bandied around to describe the style of food. What I can say is that the meal was largely enjoyable with some unique dishes like the pearl of oyster which was an essence of oyster served in the guise of a pearl, which dissolves the moment you eat it, though some pearls dissolved on the spoon before its intended consumption. For me the highlights were the curried foie gras which my fiancee had, which sounded rather strange but in fact was a success, with curried foam on perfectly seared pieces of foie gras. I opined that it incorporated elements of nasi kandar, in the blend of savoury curry and the sweetness of grapes as an accompaniment. The ultimate dish for me was the main course of grilled beef cubes and foie gras. The beef miraclously was cooked yet utterly tender to the bite, akin to the texture of tuna sashimi yet providing all the rich flavours of a nice grilled steak. Unique. Anyway, on to the wines now.....

Veuve Cliquot Rich Reserve 1998
A nice effervescent mousse. The aromas was citrus and lime accented with some honeyed notes. The palate was light and crisp though off dry with flavours of tangerines and lemon ending with the slight bitterness akin to grapefruits. I have never had this wine but it tasted somewhere between a brut and demi-sec, not too dry. A refreshing aperitif with lively acidity. 91 points

Chateau Puligny Montrachet Chevalier Montrachet Grand Cru 01
Clear yellow colour with a watery rim. On the nose there was an initial scent of cedar and vanilla though the initial impression was the fruit was still rather subdued. After 30 minutes and throughout the next 2 hours the wine revealed more layers of grape fruit, green apples followed by a gentle cascade of flint and minerals. 93 points

Domaine Comte Georges de Vogue Bonnes Mares 1998
A bright ruby red. This is one of the flagship Chambolle Musigny Grand Crus and from the most esteemed estate in that appellation. The nose soared out of the glass, with ripe cherries, kirsch and earthy forestry notes and damp soil and perhaps a hint of soy. On the palate there was a sublime interplay of power on the entry, a fresh and defined mid palate consisting of a melange of rich liquered cherries, tar, hints of sour plums and a long mineral accented finish ending on a haunting note of roses, kirsch and violets. This was the wine that elicited expressions of delight from us all at the table and I cannot disagree. It is a great Burgundy wine like this that affirms the sublime and paradoxical balance of elegance with power that only the Pinot Noir grape can provide from Burgundy. 94 points

Ch Mouton Rothschild 1975
Browning on the edges but still a healthy dark red colour. The nose was developed with a leathery undertow mixed with stemmy notes, red fruits and a hint of cinnamon and cloves as a top note. The palate was medium bodied but still very much showing nice blackcurrant and tobacco, with soft forest accented flavours of stems and undergrowth. One gets the feeling that this fine wine is right at the apex of its development, soft and revealing but certainly to be enjoyed now and up to 5 more years or so. 92 points

Chateau d’Yquem 1990
A vibrant golden colour. On the nose there was a rich, crème caramel nose, with ripe apricots and marmalade and a wafting citrus blossom scent. To the taste, the wine was unctuously sweet yet noy cloying, with a luxurious and syrupy texture that was akin to liquid honey, with flavours of dried apricots and peaches, honey, toast and more sweet marmalade flavours dominating. The finished echoed the scents of orange peels with still fresh acidity. The finish was outstanding and lingering as befitting this outstanding grand dame of all Sauternes. 96 points

Ornellaia together with Sassicaia can be considered the aristocrats of the Italian wine scene, unique in being pioneers of French based varietal wines in the previously unheralded region of Bolgheri on the Tuscan coast. For me, these two wines were instrumental in showing the benefits of breaking away from the static model of DOC and DOCG wines with its strict regulations of grapes, yields and winemaking methods. This was my first opportunity to sample a comprehensive range of wines from this winery which is predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon based with some Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

The key to Ornellaia is the water retention attributes of the clay soil and the moderate meditarranean coupled with strict yield control, grape selection and high class winemaking.

04 - Dark cherries sour plum coffee note. furry mouthfeel malo milky influenced. Young but firm enveloping tannins. Cream of cassis sweet milky texture. Minty. Intense finish.....unending but primary toasted oak still prevalent. 93 points

03 - Sour plum fivespice lifted red fruits and alcohol. Hint of bitterness couple. Dense voluptous cassis laden flavours and glycerol with kirsch. Milk chocolate, oak and ripe tannins which feel energetic and enveloping on the palate. Raisiny. 90 points

01 - Integrated plummy dark fruit nose. Cedar liquered cherry. Some leather and damp earthy characters. Grippy tannins still massive and stronger than 03. Still young and a pup. More dry but impeccably balanced almost perfect. Some tobacco leafiness ..ntermixed with licorice ripe blackcurrant and hint of wet stones.monumental! 98 points

98 - Hint of browning. More pronounced leather and autumnal forest characters. More chunky and prevalent tannins. Cedar and tobacco with red fruits and grilled bacon. Some sweet stewed herbal nuances. Truffly note at the end. 95 points

97 - Browning on the edges again. Obvious spirity legs! Leathery savoury aromas muted red fruits and cedar and leafy pencil lead. Raspberry note herbal. Soft palate fully integrated red currant palate. Fine powdery tannins. First mature Ornellaia in the lineup. 94 point

96 - Soft raspberry note. Spices and cedar. Dry yet ripe red fruit. Truffle leather to the fore. Mature now. Tannins resolved. Drink now up to 8 more years. 93 points

95 - Mushroom game muted cherries raspberry fruit. Truffle mushrooms some metallic pencil lead characters. Shorter finish green character with more airing. Drink now. 92 point

90 - Fully resolved sweaty leather and game aromas. Animal tertiary aromas and hints of brine. Bitter cherry aromas. Stemmy truffly flavours and red currants. Dr. NK Yong noted the umami derived savoury influences on the palate and noticeable acidity. Drink now. 95 points

What makes Ornellaia unique for me is the coming together of 3 critical elements. On the nose, there is the touch of truffles akin to piedmont barolos, on the palate there is the signature tuscan game and dried herbs. Allied to these first two elements is the classic leather and tobacco derived from bordeaux as well as lead pencil and ripe cassis. My only gripe is the stylistic change that Ornellaia has clearly gone through from around the 97/98 vintage with greater emphasis on ripeness as well as a noticeable glycerol dominated mouthfeel. The pre 97 vintages were a lot more classically Italian with the gamey savoury flavours coming to the fore. There is also the presence of some brine in the earlier vintages. From 1998 the switch to a higher alcohol and fruit dominated style detracts from what makes Ornellaia unique with the stellar exception of the 2001 vintage. From what I heard however, there does not seem to be any indication of a move back towards the traditional style and if this is the case, I hope that the 2001 remains the point of reference for the current day Ornellaia rather than the 2003.

Dark ruby colour with a reddish rim. The nose is lifted with minty and ripe rich red fruits dominated with black cherries. There is a hint of cigar box, surprising given the youth of the wine. The palate is medium to full bodied, with some alcohlic heat, a product of the vintage perhaps. Nevertheless intense flavours of ripe cherries followed by dried roasted herbs and chestnuts follow. The texture is leathery and the finish lingers. A riper version of Tignanello. 91 points