2010 Casual Dinner Series X : Rescuing Kenneth thirsty Soul

Kenneth has not join us for a drink for long time due to busy learning and handling his new born lovely Karina ^^ And at last, he got a slot to have this dinner. All in all the food are average standard. The highlight are the 'big Garoupa' fish soup and salted egg york sri lanka crab which really a MUST-TRY standard.

The Dishes:

Garlic Steam Bamboo Clam

This is rather over cooked as well as not HOT when served to the table. So So. Disappointed

Deep Fried Calamari

This is really not bad. Quite a good pair with both Chablis.

'big Garoupa' fish soup

This is really tasty with great depth of flavor! Recommended

Honey glazed Pork Rib

Very normal, the meat is a little bit hard.

Assorted Mushroom with Spinach

This is quite delicious.

Salted Egg York Sri Lanka Crab

WOW! One of the best I have tried. Highly Recommended.

The Wines:

Flight : The 2005 Grand Cru Chablis

Really looking forward to taste them as I'm less exp in here. Sadly, the Les Clos is really forward drinking with alcohol notes showed at the finish. We suspected this is Pre-Mox, well, we can only proved it was after we tasted another one!

The Valmur is pretty much showing the Grand Cru status for a great 2005 vintage for its completeness, though it will be even better if the complexity and depth could be a little bit more.

2005 Domaine Christian Moreau Père et Fils Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru

Alcohol :: 13%

Vibrant light gold. Quite unyielding and tad simple with its status, due to 05? Steely, with aromas of ripe white fruits, white floral with slight greenish note. The palate is very forward with creamy texture that more toward puligny style than a classic Chablis, along with good ripeness and underlying round acidity, silky mouth feel with good weight and lengthy finish linger with citrus, honey toasted oak but interrupted by the alcohol notes. We suspected this is pre-mox. Re-taste is needed. Buy - No, at least not with this exp.

2005 Domaine Christian Moreau Père et Fils Chablis Grand Cru Valmur - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru

Alcohol :: 13%

More precise aromas, cooling nose of honey ripe fruits, floral and nut that is very focus and perfumy. The palate is rich and creamy texture, with spicy tones that balance with green herb, that linger seamlessly toward the long finish. Though the oak is still noticeable, but the wine remain very fine and pure with huge mineral backbone and bright lively acidity giving a good lift. A wine with good complexity and complete though not necessary with great depth. Lovely. Buy - Yes.

Quaffer of the month, 2007 Willi Schaefer Riesling GDR Spat

2007 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

Alcohol : 8%

Second bottle and this is clearly a step up from previous bottle wihch is drinking beautifully now and could only get better with age. Deep and focus nose that is highly perfume and complex with bee wax, almond, honey citrus, apricot with hint of mango, mineral that is cold and the complex flavor continue to explode on the palate which is rich, ripe, powerful but also remarkably fresh, precise and lively with its crisp and ripe acidity. Good mid palate sap of high tone mangoes, citrus fruits and added more complexity with touch of honey and petroleum notes that keep resonant in the super long subtle, complex juicy finish with mineral, citrus and haw undertones. Incredible. Buy - Definitely YES.

This is our first encountered with Christian Moreau Chablis, and to be honest, I found his wine is rather modern, round acidity and creamy texture compare to the old school steely, slight sharp edge Chablis in young stage (Well, it is 5yrs old but with great vintage 2005, a Grand Cru Les Clos and Valmur, should have taste more backward than what it is for today). Hmm.. Conclusion, need to explore more Chablis!

Tasting Event : Dom Perignon Masterclass @ Crystal Wines

A glass of champagne after work is very good. A masterclass from a world famous champagne house Dom Perignon with few glasses for its Oenotheque, Rose is even better!

Was lucky enough to get in this masterclass which sold out its ticket in a very short time. Having tasted their basic Cuvee Dom Perignon, and Oenothque, I was always wanted to try their Rose, but yet the price keep me away.

The masterclass was conducted by Mr...... (really sorry, I forgot the name). Generally very informative and masterclass:

Points:
1. Dom Perignon Blanc is aged on crown-sealed bottle for at least 7yrs before release to the market

2 .Dom Perignon Oenotheque is aged even longer with cork enclosure, after disgorged, slightly lower dosage was added compare to the basic Dom Perignon Blanc.

3. Dom Perignon Rose is aged on its lees for 9yrs

4. Dom Perignon is at its drinking stage when released, and it will certainly developed in the bottle. But how would the style or flavor change in the bottle, thats remain unknown, but one can be confirmed is, it will still be the best DOM.

* You may like it when it release
* You may like it after release and age for few years
* You may / may not like with more than 5 / 10yrs aged after released.

5 There are too many ppl asking: when is the best time to drink it after release?

* It has no correct ans, please refer back to point no 4.

6. The only question I have and loved to ask: Is using white wine glass better express for the aromas of champagne as w/o the bubble, the champagne is, in fact, a still white wine! (which I didn't bother to use flute to taste with my champagne, instead chardonnay glass with Champagne Blanc, and pinot glass with Champagne Rose.

* Yes, certainly. You'll be able to get full expression, such as aromas and mouth feel with using white and red wine glass. Sometime, I did, use them as well! But depend on the venue, you won't request a white / red white glass for your champagne in a CLUB or a PUB, right? (Haha, I saw his talent of humorous)

Well, let's have some pictures with the tasting note, sigh, thirsty again!

The Trio - DOM Blanc, DOM Rose, DOM Oenotheque

The Trio - DOM Blanc, DOM Rose, DOM Oenotheque

Very fine beads dancing in the flute

2000 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon (France, Champagne)

Alcohol 12.5%
The regular cuvee of Dom Perignon. Tight on the nose, display focus and intense aromas of white fruits and floral with hint of brioche and mineral undertone. Clean on the palate, the fine beads gently explode which caressing the palate along with its crystalline, pure texture with acidic finish that linger on the palate. Still young an I believe another 3-5yrs will do the justice. While this is good, I wont pay for the price.

With times, this came rounder and more balance, with dry finish and hint of bitter lemon peel undertone. Buy - No.

1995 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon Oenothèque (France, Champagne)

Alcohol 12.5%

Second released to date, disgorged in 2005? This is clearly a step up from the straight Dom Perignon, also painfully tight, honeysuckle, light toasted brioche, licorice, and some white and green fruits with touch of honey and nutty aromas that added complexity and depth. Some fine beads present and disappear rather quickly in the flute. Fresh, very rich yet light on the palate, good transparency with its lively acidity, lots of white and green fruits, spices with mineral infuse to a very long acidic finish. This is polish, classy, and elegant with tons of power but perfectly balance. Need lots of time to come around as I sense that all of its components having fall apart, perhaps another 5-7yrs? Buy - Hmm, if $$ isn't an issue.

1998 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon Rosé (France, Champagne)

Alcohol 12.5%

WOW! This is wild and exotic! Light salmon pink color. Not as tight as Oenotheque, possessed stunning complex aromatic of floral, red Pinot fruits and some wild scents. Vigorous fine beads giving a big explosion on the palate but quickly round up and turn to gentle touch, almost creamy texture that giving pleasure and showing earth, soil, juicy red cherry fruits, spicy finish with nuances of earth and oak resonant to a very dry acidic finish. This is a big wine with mouth coating concentration and extraction, but also immensely balance, with great precision and finesse. This also more integrated compare to the Oenotheque

Drinking from a Burgundy glass, more expressive, more florals with rounder mouth feel and great depth, It did really taste better with Burg glass! Buy - Sure if $$ isn't an issue.

2nd Round - DIM SUM
Heading for supper - DIM SUM afterward. Not bad but nothing special, but, where could you still find reasonable price vs quality DIM SUM at night? Hmm... this is one of them.

Crispy Pan Cake with pork floss stuffing with sesame on top

The relaxing Saturday in Dempsey

A rare Saturday outing with ZQ as she usually will not be around in Singapore for the weekend.

Dempsey Hill:
Formerly known as the British army barracks and the old CMPB national service enlistment centre, where charming conservation buildings still stand proudly.

Hot enough for you to let down your hair on a Friday night out. Cool enough to saunter in with the family for Sunday brunch. Dine and savour fine wine in a private cellar or at your favourite gourmet restaurant. Take your pick from exqusite antique furniture, fine teak works, handcrafted carpets and exotic art pieces sourced globally. Whistling trees and balmy breeze are just the perfect antidote for claustrophobic souls and little hyperactive legs.

Let the lush greenery and old world charm of Dempsey Hill captivate you once again.

Content above copy from http://www.dempseyhill.com/main.htmDempsey Hill:

In deed, Dempsey hill is such a nice place that provide tranquil environment for you to relax, shop and dine. I decided to dine in one of the restaurant -> Culina.

Culina, combined retail store, supermarket and restaurant that located in Dempsey Hill offer top class Oyster, Wagyu beef as well as 70 leading fine foods & wines brands from America, Australia, Europe and New Zealand. The reason that I'm here today is all about their Oyster and Beef!

Starter :

Bread with olive oil and vinegar

I love just love to dip the bread the combination of olive oil and vinegar!

Oyster:

2pcs each for Fines de Claire, Fines de Marennes and St Michel, all #2

Too bad I forgot to put the Oyster name on my notes, so no particular Oyster flavor posted here. But one thing is sure, all tasted sweet and fresh! Good reason to re-visit and create another new post huh? Hehe.

Sparking that recommended by the staff in Culina to pair with the Oysters.

NV Pierre Ferraud Cremant de Bourgogne

Straw yellow. Light brioche aromas with yeast along with cirus and mineral that show good acidity with green apply flavor again, with yeasty flavor that end with slight bitter orange peel finish. A mineral with touch of citrus fruits driven wines that marriage well with the oyster.

Main Course: Kobe 400 Days Grain Fed Wagyu - Queensland

Striploin MBS 5

This has less Mabling aka less fat which is chewy with firm but not hard meat that also very juicy!

Ribeye MBS4

Nice and tender with the rich mabling that slowly melt in my mouth!

Sea salt that serve together with beef

2008 Torbreck Juveniles GSM

Med ruby with slight brownish hue (open for days or heat?) that display typical grenache and mouvedre aromas of burn rubber (in a good sense), red cherry fruits, smoke spices and vanilla. Med body, this soft and subtle wine have good acidity that cut thru the fat of the beef along with sweet ripe cherry fruits, silky creamy texture and end with spicy toasted oak. Quite straight forward but really not bad, especially when pair with the beef.

Dessert:

Creme Brulee served with fresh berries

Silky smooth texture with not too heavy flavor. Delicious

White wine that recommended by the staff in Culina to pair with the Creme Brulee

Inniskillin Late Autumn Riesling

Even lighter than the cremant de Bourgogne, high acidity, clean mineral and floral flavor that give a clear cut and precision of the wine finished with citrus aftertaste. Clean and fresh. This is a nightmare to pair with the Cremem Brulee as it bring out the fishiness of the egg....

Short story:

I asked why would you recommended me this wine to go with the Creme Brulee and replied was Creme Brulee is sweet, so didn't recommend the DESSERT wine which could be too many sweet for my last course so she recommended the late harvest Riesling...... She showed a doubtful emotion when I told her it is not matching.........

In short, I have a really relaxing and fabulous Sat noon with ZQ!

2010 Simple Wine Dinner Series No.6 - "Dry" (Grosses Gewachs) Dinner (Part 4/4)

Flight 8 ::

Chilled Black Glutinous Rice with Ice-Cream in Young Coconut

Another Dessert, this is also yummy with thicker taste compare to the royal jelly version.

Chilled Royal Jelly in Young Coconut

I think the dessert this time is not as excellent as the one I had (maybe after the 1st time I have had expected too much?) but still very good and refreshing. A must try!

15. 2007 Schäfer-Fröhlich Monzinger Halenberg Riesling Spätlese - Germany, Nahe

A very shy and soft aromas of ripe peach citrus fruits, hint of green and mineral. It is rather straight forward and boring for its light lemony sprite like fizzy mouth feel with relevantly small scale and hint of petroleum and sweet flabby finish. A disappointment of so-called rising start in Nahe. Hopefully their GG deliver the expectation. Buy - No.

16. 2002 Klein Constantia Vin de Constance - South Africa, Coastal Region, Constantia

Alcohol :: 13%
Very deep golden color that display thick ripe Tropicana fruits aromas of mangoes, passion fruits, with fresh green grass and herb which is quite deep and lovely. While the palate is not as expressive as the last one we had but also possessed deep flavors of very pure sweet ripe Tropicana fruits with just enough of underlying acidity that remain it with good transparency and added some depth with spicy oak with juicy long finish.

17. N.V. Chambers Rosewood Muscadelle (Tokay) Special - Australia, Victoria, North East, Rutherglen

Alcohol :: 18%
Deep dark toffee color. The nose is deep and focus, dominant by toffee, with caramelize dark fruits, pungent spices and hint of alcohol notes. Very thick, viscous but remain silky smooth with deep flavor of again, toffee, dark fruits, spices, herb and this is especially powerful, though sweet and not enough acidity, but the concentration is incredible and well-balanced that you wont feel cloying of it. Powerful attack then round off with soft persistent long finish. Still drinking good even after open for 7days. A wine that should drink by a small sip each day and this has no problem to last in the fridge for two weeks. Surely a rebuy with its price.

Tonight Line Up, 17bottles!

Results:
Donnhoff did a clean sweep for #1 - #3 with Felsenberg suprisingly great with almost everyone voted their #1 of the night. Hope I got the wine ranking right for #2 & #3
Group #1, mine #1 - 07 Donnhoff Felsenberg
Group #2, mine no - 08 Donnhoff NH
Group #3, mine #3 - 07 Donnhoff Dellchen
Group #4, mine #2 - 07 Robert Weil

After this comprehensive and impressive GG tasting of 07 & 08, conclusion is 07 has better balance for its ripeness - minerality and dry extract and the 08 is powerful, mineral driven wine while some of them may not have enough ripeness to balance with its high acidity and dry extract which tend to be more bony.

All the wines having similar super aromatic nose, good precision, focus, tension and delineation, the only different is the scaling, depth, complexity and finesse in great GG and average GG. Nevetherless, all are first rate GG in their own way, the only matter is which style you prefer:
1. Fruits driven wine posses ripe - round - creamy texture with great balance. Not bone dry
2. Mineral driven wines which display tons of dry extract, clean, pure, sharp with tons of power, bone dry
3. The best for me is the style in between 1 & 2 which is perfectly balance of its fruits - mineral - dry extract - high acidity with good finesse and class.

Bordeaux flight is outstanding with its quality despite from unknown producer (Montviel) / lesser known in its region (Phelan Segur). Both are very classic Bordeaux which respect to its terroir, drinking beautifully now and has no problem to age and improve in the bottle for another 5yrs. Great to know that there are still affordable and quaffer-able classic Claret in great vintage, provided you're willing to find and try.

While Schaefer Frolich spat is rather simple, straight forward sweet juice, the Klein Constantia is clearly a better wine (though different category) with pure, ripe elegant fresh fruits flavor with good underlying acidity and pure juicy finish, the Chamber display a lots of power, depth, persistently long finish.

What a fantastic night!

2010 Simple Wine Dinner Series No.6 - "Dry" (Grosses Gewachs) Dinner (Part 3/4)

Flight 5 ::

Pan Fried Chicken with Black Pepper Sauce

The blk pepper chicken is for a friend who doesn't take beef, but I did try a bit and it does taste v

Pan-fried Beef Tenderloin with Marmite Sauce

The tenderloin is seriously juicy and tender, Yummy! Though the sauce is slightly on the heavier side which make the pairing not really working with the lush, and med body Pomerol, and work slightly better with Phelan Segur, the tenderloin become juicy and sweeter, and highlighted the secondary note such as Tobacco and Cigar box, and soil of Phelan Segur and notice that the fruits flavor is gone.

09. 2000 Château Montviel - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol

Alcohol :: 13%
Tasted Blind. Unmistakably a right bank, focus aromas of ripe plum, blackberry, new saddle leather with deep savory tones that showing more right bank Merlot based wine like lushness with med-body, opulent ripe dark fruits well-balance by the good underlying acidity with spicy attack, slight austere carry on to the dark chocolate flavor framed by refine tannins enter into the long fresh juicy finish with lots of earthy tones (wood when first pop and poured). A lovely good quality wines and enjoyable now (though still primary), I especially like the balance of its lushness and ripeness with Bordeaux slight austere and eathy mouth feel which considerably good depth too. Buy - Definitely with its price.

10. 2005 Château Phélan Ségur - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, St. Estèphe

Alcohol :: 13%
Beautiful vibrant dark ruby color. High tone of gravel soil, tobacco and cigar box, with hint of mint. This is still quite reserved on the nose. Silky smooth palate with noticeable polish tannins with blackberry, dark chocolate and roasted coffee bean flavors leads to slight austere finish. A well balance wine with some upside potential. This is also very Bordeaux and good QPR at great vintage. Buy - No as I more fond to the Montviel 2000 at slightly lower in price.

Flight 6 ::

Fried Rice with Assorted Seafood and XO Sauce

Very good fried rice.

11. 2007 Dönnhoff Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Großes Gewächs - Germany, Nahe

Alcohol :: 13.5%
Tasted Blind. WOW! What a nose. Another wine that display precise, fine and focus, highly aromatic nose of floral, ripe white fruits, added extra dimension with wet stone and mineral. The nose is superb! The palate is good, but lack of a bit depth and dimension compare to the nose which showing spicy, mineral driven with ripe white fruits, balance and juicy persistent finish. Very clean and precise, more complete and elegant wine with lots of liveliness. Slightly prefer this compare to the Hubacker 2007 in the same flight. Buy - Yes

12. 2007 Weingut Keller Dalsheimer Hubacker Riesling Großes Gewächs trocken - Germany, Rheinhessen
Alcohol :: 13%
Tasted blind. Very ripe Tropicana fruits of pineapple, peaches which is precise and aromatic along with crushed rock and mineral. Perfectly ripe entry that showing intense and good vibrancy and balance with green and red apple, citrus stone fruits and spicy flavors that deliver a long juicy finish. A more fruits driven wines well balance by its acidity, minerality and dry extract. Very good too. Would be even better with another 5-10yrs bottle age. Buy - Maybe

Flight 7 ::

13. 2007 Dönnhoff Norheimer Dellchen Riesling Großes Gewächs - Germany, Nahe

Alcohol :: 13.5%
Tasted Blind. Very ripe tones with fresh pink grapefruits and pink guava, with high tone of mineral. Still very reserved but with good core of stuffing. The palate is definitely showing better than the nose with great balance of its ripe entry attack by the underlying lively acidity add extra dimension and depth with the huge mineral backbone along with intense prink grapefruits flavors which is complex and polish in the mouth that continue to explode into long persistent finished with hint of spiciness. Very good! A complete, elegant wine with richness, and remain light on the palate. Buy - Yes.

14. 2008 Weingut Keller Westhofener Kirchspiel Riesling Großes Gewächs trocken - Germany, Rheinhessen

Alcohol :: 13%
Tasted Blind. Very reticent that display some spicy and pink fruits notes. Full body, powerful and tight with spicy acidic finish. Certainly there are lots of stuffing underneath the huge mineral backbone structure and will be promising in long run. Just not showing for the night. Hard to access at the moment. Another 5-7yrs? Buy - No.