Wine of the Month - April 2015

There are occasions where I come across wines which I feel either deliver immense pleasure, or represent something off the beaten track that is worth trying out. As a new service to readers of this blog, I have decided to add a section to Éclaircissage that will highlight a different wine each month, along with my own tasting note. Where possible, I will also list the Singapore distributor for this wine. If you feel that this is useful to you, or if you have suggestions on how this section can be improved, please feel free to leave a comment or use the "Contact Me" form.

Wine: Lucien Le Moine Corton Blanc 2008

Tasting note: Medium gold with a saline intensity and pronounced lemon, custard apple and yoghurt notes. Grippy acids balance the rich, exceptionally layered fruit flavours. At seven years this wine is still going strong and has the stuffing to gloriously evolve further. For wine lovers who have been disappointed by the inconsistency of white Burgundy, this wine serves as a reminder of the heights that region can attain.

Distributor: Wine Culture

Revealing Another Side of Bordeaux

Hubert de Boüard (left) sharing his opinions at a dinner organised by Crystal Wines

Mention Bordeaux, and what may come to mind is the image of grand châteaux presided over by aristocratic French millionaires who sell their wares to even richer collectors. For the latter group, who accumulate liquid treasures much as a dragon might hoard gold, the words Latour, Lafite, Margaux, Haut-Brion and Mouton may be the only vocabulary they need in the language of wine. But what about less exalted estates, those who did not have the fortune of being founded in appellations such as Pauillac or Margaux? Similarly, not everyone has the means to afford a cru classé, yet this should not be a barrier to enjoying what Bordeaux can offer.