Impromptu dinner @ Kheam Hock

Life is good with impromptu get-togethers. And life is VERY good when these impromptus feature lovely burgundies.

Ming San invited a few of us to his place and hours later we arrived at his cosy abode. The evening started with an Egly Ouriet NV VP (Vieillissement Prolonge) Grand Cru, a Champagne made out of mostly, if not entirely, Pinot Noir. This was disgorged in May 2005 and the nose was had a pain grille element to it. High pitched and crisp berries with very ripe grapefruits dominated the palate. Plenty of acidity, this bubbly was crisp, bone-dry and lip-smackingly crying for food. (It paired wonderfully well with the pasta later on.)

A white followed on later. At once buttery, generous with gunflints and toast on the nose. In fact this smelled oily. Similarly plump and round on the palate but still fresh despite clearly somewhat aged, I thought of Meursault in mid-90s. And if it's ever a Puligny (which is the only other possibility, it could only be from les Combettes). Turned out to be Robert Ampeau's Puligny-Montrachet les Combettes 1979! Okay, so I still have L.O.T.S. to learn about white burgundies. Whether I got it right or wrong, it was a very pleasureable drink. Surprisingly lively and its origin would not be masked despite its age.

The next wine came out of decanter and served into a Bordeaux glass. I know I'm in the right company when a bordeaux is served outright before the burgundies! Knowing that the host is always particular about details like stemwares, even prior to sniffing this wine, I guessed it would not be a burgundy. Well, sniff it still I must. And what I found is a bordeaux which was merlot dominated, with redcurrants, some earth and later on, hints of sweet tobacco. Already gentle and drinking gracefully now, this came through mildly sweet and honest in its flavours. Again I was lost here. I thought left -- turned out right. I took a shot at St. Emilion -- turned out to be Pomerol. I thought mid '80s, maybe '85 -- turned out '81. Given a multiple choice for its producer -- got it mistaken too. Hmmm... I think I got the hint that I should really stick to burgundies (but I'd gladly obey). Nonetheless it's a lovely drink, tireless to come back to and holding out nicely over time in the glass. La Conseillante 1981 Pomerol.

The nose of the next wine was serious -- black raspberries, slightly meaty with stemmy nuances behind a huge fruits. In the palate this went across pretty much like the nose, with spicy black cherries and crushed dark raspberries and the Chambolle typicity peeked through. Dense and fairly extracted, with a generous yet well-handled wood treatment. What this fell short was the midpalate, coming across as earnest but still a little lacking. Domaine Leroy Chambolle-Musigny les Fremieres 2002 -- a superb villages wine.

If the Leroy hinted at Chambolle, the next wine almost screamed of it. Lighter yet brighter raspberries with a creamy element on the nose. Candied and crunchy in the mouth, this hinted at some minerality and immediately displayed brighter acid spine. Linear and persistent, this was surprisingly approachable for what it was (probably due to the impression of roundness and polish in the finish). Everyone guessed it's a Cote de Nuits, only that this was Marquis d'Angerville Volnay Champans 2002. A southern Chambolle dead-ringer on all counts which further ratified my admiration for this domaine.

The next wine was a showstopper. Drop dead gorgeous Chambolle fruits and intense minerality in the core, with enormously sappy palate impression and complicating nuances of very ripe yet very high-pitched fruits and intriguing scents of spices contributed possibly by the inclusion of some stems. The finish just wouldn't quit and minutes after I swallowed this, I found myself still constantly salivating and replicating the haunting red-fruited flavours of the wine in the mouth! Totally linear, clear, clean and mercilessly arresting in the midpalate with a huge volume yet utter weightlessness. Mind-boggling and unequivocally a great, great wine. Louis Jadot le Musigny 2000. This, along with Georges et Henri Jayer's Echezeaux are the two most emotionally thrilling wines I've tasted from the 2000 vintage. Those who are skeptical about 2000 Burgundies should drink these and may they hold their peace forever.

Ming San pulled another bottle out of his cellar. This had the tell-tale meaty, bacon-fatty aromas and a structured frame of cool-weather fruits encased in endless bright acids which could only (well, almost always) come from vintage 1996. This wine displayed a wealth of pure crushed red fruits and tinge of steely minerality. While not decidedly Gevrey, given the choice, I had to think along the lines of Gevrey due to its elegance and somewhat imposing yet aloof structure. Very stony, very long and very impressive especially so for a Volnay les Caillerets 60 Ouvrees 1996 from Domaine Pousse d'Or. This came from the last vintage Gerard Potel made and wow, did it really confound me, this one.

The night ended. And I was completely stupefied... What a great experience!