Short notes from Tuesday's lunch at the venerable Tivoli Restaurant at the Mandarin Oriental. Jojo insisted that he provide all the wines. Of course, we're always happy to give in to his request!
Champagne Billecart Salmon Blanc de Blancs NV - Although Jojo arrived late, he phoned ahead and insisted we open a bottle before he arrived. Medium to rich mouthfeel. A little biscuity but a little clipped in the finish. Crisp and refreshing. To my taste, and I prefer more mature Champagne, this bottle needed a bit more age. Still, a good way to start.
Jean Marc Brocard Chablis 1er Cru Montee de Tonnerre 2004 - Lovely, sweet and honeyed nose. Almost like a dessert wine. Silky at first then revealing more mineral character as it warms up. Citrussy finish. Very attractive, excellent wine.
We had 3 magnums of Chateau Siran to choose from, all sourced directly from the Chateau's cellar and shipped to Manila about 3 or 4 months ago.. We settled on the 1998 and 1994; leaving the 2000 for another time.
Chateau Siran 1998 - Earth and sweet berries on the nose. Lightish. Very dry, classic Bordeaux graphite. The earthiness carries on to the palate. Good depth of flavor. Quite soft tannins make this wine ready to drink. Good.
Chateau Siran 1994 - Comparatively lighter and more lifter than the 1998, with a bit more acid. I think this has better balance than the 1998. On the palate, bittersweet chocolate. Already soft on the finish. I think this wine (from magnum, anyway) is at its peak now. I thought this was very good and preferred it to the 1998.
Philip Togni Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 - Chocolate and caramel. A bit oaky. Soft tannins. Not really giving too much now. Needs more time to hopefully integrate the oak a bit more and perhaps add to the complexity. Seems like a rather easy wine. Quite good.
Alois Kracher Scheurebe Trockenbeerenauslese Zwischen den Seen #10 2002 - Deep gold. My immediate impression on the palate was fresh sugarcane juice. Silky and absolutely precise balance between sweetness and acidity. Apricots, peaches and other yellow fruits. Very fresh and so easy to drink. Not cloying at all. Wonderful, outstanding wine.
Although we were done with dessert, Jojo asked if we were up to another Champagne. I'm a sucker for Champagne so, of course, we had to end with one.
Nicolas Feuillatte Palme d'Or 1996 - Presented in a rather tacky golf ball or grenade-like bottle with lots of dimples. Mature-looking, medium-gold. Lightly nutty and yeasty. The acidity is a bit too sharp for me. I think this needs a couple of more years to gain depth and complexity. Not too interesting at this stage. Try again in 3 years or so. Fortunately, I kept a bit of the Kracher so I was able to end on a high note.
Many thanks to Jojo for suggesting the lunch and supplying the wines.