2010 Simple Dinner Series No 6 :: German 1st Growth Dinner

Venue :: Peach Garden, OCBC Building, Raffles Place

Date :: 16-JuL-2010

Theme:: The great German Riesling 1st Growth >> GG (Grosses Gewachs)

What is Grosses Gewachs (also name Erstes Gewachs in Rheingau)? To make GG, there are law which all the producer need to be follow with:

- Maximum fixed residual sugar level at 9gms/l

- Choice of grape variety is restricted and harvested by hand

- The grape ripeness has to be at least a Spatlese level

- Traditional Winemaking methods

- Specific best designated vineyard

My first GG was in Wine for Asia 2009. A relatively new style for me, and my curiosity of GG started after saw the fantastic tasting note for two re-known producers, Hermann Donnhoff from Nahe and Robert Weil from Rheingau from my wine buddy.

Was lucky enough to participate for the GG tasting at Wine for Asia 2009, having tasted 15 (er... if not wrong) GG with different varieties, such as Riesling (the best showing IMO), Silvaner, gewuztraminer etc..... To be honest, I was being impressed by the style but not by the quality of wines that they serving at the event, some good, some so so, just not great.

So I keep searching, looking around for better (or best?) GG producer, such as Hermann Donnhoff, Robert Weil, keller, Schaefer Frolich etc..... The only thing I could find locally was Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle & Dellchen GG, with a hefty price.

This phenomenon is mainly due to German Riesling, the sweet version (Kabinett, Spalese, Auslese, Eiswein, Beerenauslese "BA" and Trockenbeerenauslese "TBA") are fashion and popular in Singapore and the dry version, especially the GG, is hardly seen in local due to the demand and interest of local wine connoisseur and I hope this will be improve and change in the near future.

Millions Thanks to Ed, to make this happened. Tonight we going to have a great GG tasting with all famous or world acclaimed best Riesling producer, the extraordinary line up:

01. 2007 Donnhoff Felsenberg GG, Nahe

02. 2007 Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle GG, Nahe

03. 2008 Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle GG, Nahe

04. 2007 Donnhoff Dellchen GG, Nahe

05. 2008 Donnhoff Dellchen GG, Nahe

06. 2007 Keller Westhofener Kirchspiel GG, Rheinhessen

07. 2008 Keller Westhofener Kirchspiel GG, Rheinhessen

08. 2007 Keller Dalsheimer Hubacker GG, Rheinhessen

09. 2008 Keller Dalsheimer Hubacker GG, Rheinhessen

10. 2007 Robert Weil Kiedricher Grafenberg (KG) EG (Erstes Gewachs), Rheingau

11. 2008 Robert Weil Kiedricher Grafenberg (KG) EG (Erstes Gewachs), Rheingau

12. 2007 Schlossgut Diel Goldloch GG, Nahe

Serving:

- 6flight, each flight 2wines, single blind.

- At the end of the night, everyone vote for their best 3wines of the night.

- Reveal the best 3wines of the night and its identidt ^^

Food Menu:

01. Wasabi Mayonnaise Prawn

02. Double-boiled Shark's Bone Cartilage Soup with Fish Maw

03. Deep-fried Fillet of Sea Perch with Superior Soya Sauce

04. Braised Homemade Beancurd with Stuffed Golden Mushroom, Local Spinach and Crab Meat

05. Pan-fried Beef Tenderloin with Marmite Sauce

06. Fried Rice with Assorted Seafood and XO Sauce

07. Royal Jelly in Young Coconut / Chilled Black Glutinous Rice with Ice-Cream in Young Coconut

08. Chinese Pancake

Let's Rock!

2010 Simple Wine Dinner Series No 5 :: Gary's Birthday Dinner (Part 4/4)

Flight 5 ::

The only cult from Washington state? Another pair of monster with long life ahead. The 2003 which rated at WA100pts, is hard to access with mouth coating and palate staining tanninc, structure upfront. The 1991 (alcohol: 13%) still surprisingly young, showing very well compare to its younger brother which has whopping 14.9% alcohol, changing in style or effect of global warming? Hope it is the latter.

Mee Pok with Mince Peking Duck Meat

11. 1991 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, Washington State, USA
Alcohol: 13%
Dark ruby red with brownish rim. Sweet ripe blackcurrant, crème de cassis, the nose is still very reserved with some oak spices. Huge on the palate, succulent and exotic sweet dark fruits, mineral balance by bright acidity and carry all the way through to the very long finish. Good delineation and complexity. Though this is still tannic, the tannins is polish, fine and ripe. Very good. But, this is 91? The nose and palate seems not much developed, how long will this need? Hmm…..

12. 2003 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, Washington State, USA
Alcohol: 14.9%
Very dark purplish opaque color, almost black. Aromas of tightly reserve crème de cassis, dark fruits. Nothing much here but the nose is intense and focus. Huge tannins, oak dominant the palate with no fruits showing. What a monster, mouth coating and palate staining, I can't swallow at all. Need 20years? Only time will tell.

Flight 6 :: The not so sweet and sweet. My first willi schaefer and it is still a baby after few hours of aeration, it did show more balance with good backbone compared to what others comments (drank in the beginning of the dinner) which is oily texture and not so clean. Raymond Lafon is quite good but not great.

Fruits platter

Longeveity Bun & Malay Cake (Ma Laii Gou)

13. 2007 Willi Schaefer Graacher Domprobst Spatlese Goldkapsel, Mosel Saar Ruwer, Germany

Alcohol: 8%

Light golden color with green hue. Light petroleum nose with grapefruits, citrus, mineral and wet stone. Very sweet and slight oily texture at beginning. The piercing acidity and intense mineral kicking in after awhile in the glass to balance with the sweetness for a rounder and intense mouth feel. This is remarkably fresh, concentrated but light on the palate and already showing some level of complexity. Long citrus and slight oily finish with intense grapefruit. I believe this will gain weight and depth after some years in the bottle, and more balance and vibrancy after shed off some fat.

14. 1998 Chateau Raymond Lafon, Sauternes, France
Alcohol: ?
My palate getting tiring when I reached here. Nose of coconut and ripe mangoes. Intense with lots of botrytis spiciness. Thick, viscous, with broad flavor of tropical fruits, long light finish.

Tonight Line Up ^^

2010 Simple Wine Dinner Series No 5 :: Gary's Birthday Dinner (Part 3/4)

Flight 4 ::

Pio Cesare Barolo in 4decades! I have got to know the longevity and age-ability of great Barolo. The 1957 is fully mature, still fresh and very much alive, just a little bit light on the palate. 1964 is an off bottle IMO. 1971 not showing and everyone think it could be an off bottle at first, with some air, it started to show. Personal Preference is the 1982, IMO it has the greatest balance, complex, silky texture, fresh and vigorous.

Sea Cucumber with mushroom and vegetable

Roasted Salted Chicken

The 4decades of great Barolo!

The 4decades of great Barolo - All corks in good condition

1957 Pio Cesare Barolo

1964 Pio Cesare Barolo - This look older and paler than the 1957

1957 Pio Cesare Barolo, Langhe, Piedmont, Italy

Alcohol: 13%
The oldest bottle to date. The wine is still very much alive! Surprisingly the color is darker than the 1964, Orangey with light ruby core. The nose is very very age and old! Dried tea leaf, earth along with bright red fruits, dark cherry and sweaty smell (errr…). This is how a 50s smell like. Some caramelize fruits, slight fizzy and hint of alcohol on the palate along with seaweed flavor. Med finish. Though fully mature but no problem to drink for the next few years thanks to the structure and tannins remain in it.

1964 Pio Cesare Barolo, Langhe, Piedmont, Italy
Alcohol: 13.5%
Sherry likes nose with alcohol, mineral and slight herbish. The palate has good acidity with caramelized fruits flavors and weird taste like chinese herbal tea / medicine with medium finish. This is the weakest in the flight, off-bottle?

1971 Pio Cesare Barolo, Langhe, Piedmont, Italy
Alcohol: 13.5%
Dark port like color. Slight sweaty fish market smell (blew off after sometime in the glass), dark fruits and earth, this is not showing much at the moment and the palate is acidic. I put this aside and continue with 82, when I re-visit in another 20mins, WOW! Getting better and better in the glass. Intense ripe sweet palate of blackberry, spices, hint of rubber, with slight tannic giving good grip to the palate leads to long lingering finish. This is still very structure with good complexity and has plenty of life ahead.

1982 Pio Cesare Barolo, Langhe, Piedmont, Italy
Alcohol: 13.5%
Bright caramelize port color. Tight nose of blackberries, mineral, mint and earth. This has the best balance of acidity and sweetness amongst the flight, fresh, concentrated, decadent, silky smooth long finish. Complex and firm structure. Drinking very well due to its great balance and silky tannins but has no problem to age! Great! I like this a lot.

2010 Simple Wine Dinner Series No 5 :: Gary's Birthday Dinner (Part 2/4)

Flight 3 :: Domaine Robert Arnoux Vosne Romanee 1er Cru Les Suchots, 3decades, showing off why Arnoux Suchots having the benchmark standard for this plot. Eye opening experienced! The 1978 was soooooo fantastic while I have almost neglected both 1995 & 2001 and my all time favorite Peking Duck

Roasted Peking Duck

4. 1978 Domaine Robert Arnoux Les Suchots, Vosne Romanee 1er Cru, Côte de Nuits, Burgundy, France
Alcohol: ??
Perfect condition. Showed fully mature age sign of brownish and slight brick red core, almost age Sauternes like. Wow! The nose is to die for, highly aromatic of very ripe dark fruits, earth, floral, spices, fresh and deep. Seductive! U will get suck into it. Dry fig, black berry, tea leave etc. Very complex. The palate is not disappointing either, in fact, better than the nose! Sweet, ripe, spicy, silky smooth mouth feel, multi-faceted, complex, decadent of flavors linger all the way thru to the tremendous finishing with its hall mark intense Vosne spice. This is already my WOTN and what burgundy can show. This is so complete. Still going strong after two hours in the glass, even better on the palate with more acidity kicking in to break thru the ripe dark fruits with very intense mid palate sap to long long lingering spicy finish. Perfect Harmony. Finesse and elegant, classy!

5. 1995 Domaine Robert Arnoux Les Suchots, Vosne Romanee 1er Cru, Côte de Nuits, Burgundy, France

Alcohol: 13.5%
Very dark ruby core with slight brownish hue. Soft intense nose of dark berry fruits, Vosne spice, mineral and slight barnyard. (this did disappear after sitting in the glass for sometime) Slight rustic palate due to the vintage? Still very tannic with tons of dark ripe fruits such as plum, dark cherry and berry, dried tea leaf, with acidity came at the back to round up the complex flavor. Finished is long and sweet with hint of rubbery tones. While this is good, this is not at the same class as the 78 and 81, also lack of the elegant and pure factor.

6. 2001 Domaine Robert Arnoux Les Suchots, Vosne Romanee 1er Cru, Côte de Nuits, Burgundy, France

Alcohol: 13.5%

Lovely bright med ruby red with slight yellowish edge. The nose is quite expressive and perfumy violet, roses with earth, dark berry fruit and hint of spices, The palate is still tight, fresh, with round silky mouth feel and very fine silky tannins, with umami, light mineral spices finishing. Good mid palate sap but the finish is not showing what it got at the moment. Lots of upside potential, hope this will gain more depth and complexity in the bottle.

2010 Simple Wine Dinner Series No 4 :: My Birthday Dinner (Part 3/4)

5th Flight :: At last! The duo 1984s! Perfect marriage for Suckling Pig with Mouline & The Angus beef with Dominus ^^ Yum!

鸿运乳猪全体 Roasted Whole Suckling Pig

1984 E.Guigal Cote Rotie La Mouline, Northern Rhone, France
At last, a 1984. This has signs of leakage on the cork, but my worry was gone immediately when I pulled out the cork. Cork remained in good condition. Finely focus complex and highly aromatic bouquet of roasted herbs, animal, dried fig, blackberry with lots of spices. Finely texture. Good weight and depth in the mid palate, which remain fresh. The balance between the sweetness and acidity is impeccable. Silky smooth mouthfeel, not the powerful type, but with soft long elegantly persistent finish. I especially like the orangey flavor. A complete wine in a total harmony with lots of finesse. This is at its peak and I really enjoyed it. My RWOTN. In such a disaster year with such quality, I wonder how does the great vintage of Lalas tastes like. Kudos to Guigal!

Pan Fried Angus Beef / Charcoal Grilled Lamb Chop

1984 Dominus, Napa Valley, California
Another birth year wine! 2nd vintage of Dominus. Leaking sign when I opened the foil, and the corked was broken when I first pulled it. Please, don’t tell me this is off btl or corked! Luckily, I managed to remove the other half cork from the btl and poured into the decanter. The bouquet of crème de cassis immediately rose from the decanter, yes, this is still alive! Good deep focused nose with liveliness, the palate is lush, fresh, medium body, with good depth and complexity as well as purity of fruits. Very right bank. Still surprisingly young and no problem to age further more. Slight alcohol showed at the very end but disappeared after sitting in the glass for 30mins or more. Great work Mouiex!


6th Flight :: The Rhone! The 1995 M.Chapoutier Barbe Rac was excellent. The 1998 Pegau Reserve wasn't so friendly.

豉椒炒猪件 Stir-fried Meat w/ Black Bean & Pepper Sauce

1998 Domaine Pegau Cuvee Reserve CDP, Southern Rhone, France
Stinky, funky banyardy nose with roasted meat and herbs, underlying blackberry acid in the core complex with dried fig paste and hint of American bubble gum. Palate is young and didn't show much yet. Very sweet and juicy long finish. Need times. Er.... this is not old enough to fit the theme! haha...


1995 M.Chapoutier Barbe Rac CDP, Southern Rhone, France
WOW! This is brilliant! Very CDP. While this hasn't hit its peak yet, it already presented itself very well with its complex, opulent, fine texture and liveliness. Still some tannins to shed and long long finish with good purity and vibrancy. This is far more elegant and finesse in style compared to the 2001 I popped last year which is more firmly structured and musculine. No problem to age for another 5yrs or even more!