Wine Fair : Wine for Asia 2010 (Marina Bay Sands)

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This year Wine for Asia 2010 has taken the event up a notch in venue to the Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre. Whilst it is a classy new location, the layout and the appearance within the exhibition hall itself was pretty normal. Also the location was not very easy to find with two levels above ground and Wine for Asia in the basement.

Per tradition, the most sought after booth was the Bordeaux Grand Tasting, 2007 being the featured vintage. After the tasting, it again proved to me that the wines after 2005 were not much to crow about and it would be better putting off further investments in them. However, I must say that the Sauternes were still exceptional and Chateau Climens was intense, full of honey flavour and delivered delicious flora confidence.

Wine style asia awards were given again this year and the "award winning" wines were displayed for open tasting. Whilst there were certainly some impressive aussie wines, but after tasting a couple of Thailand and Russian ones, I really wonder if they should be placed in the same class? Is there gulit of awarding wines just because the vineyards participate? Are we running out of good wines to allocate awards?

I wonder where the next venue for 2011 Wine for Asia will be ?

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Musings for a blue monday

Wine Fair : Wine for Asia 2009 - Tastings

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Managed to get some tastings in during the Wine for Asia 2009, the good and the bad.

Mangosteen Wine from Thailand

Made by Chiang Rai Winery of Thailand, the smell mimiced a normal wine pretty well. But the flavours were so odd and medicinal that I would recommend staying away till it improves in the future.

Terravin Hillside Reserve Pinot Noir 2006

Smell: Sweetish, cherry candy

Taste: Ripen cherry and flora driven flavours, invites the second sip

After taste : Some fruity acidity

Craneford Barossa Valley Shiraz Basket Pressed 2007 Australia

Smell : Fragrant raspberry and mild honey

Taste : Smooth, easy, summer sunshine berry driven

After-taste : Calm mild and easy down the throat

Bushmere Estate 2006 Unoaked Chardonnay from New Zealand

Smell : Daffodils, lily flora scents

Taste : Pleasing and light hearted

After taste : Round and easy on the palate

Wine Fair : Wine for Asia 2008 (Auntsfield Estate Ltd)

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Lorna from Auntsfield Estate was very nice to send me the tasting notes of the various wines at her booth at Wine for Asia 2008.

The number one, numero uno on my list is :

Auntsfield Estate Heritage 2005 Pinot Nior

This wine is only produced in exceptional years when a selection of wine exhibits amazingly defined character.
The resulting Pinot Noir is a pure expression of vineyard character. The aromatics are heady with complex fruit and earthy character. They seem to both tantalize and seduce until the wine is tasted and the journey continues. The palate shows layers of silky texture, dark fruit and savoury flavors that reveal, evolve, express and continue. An expression of place for us all to enjoy.

Tasting Notes

Colour: Deep ruby/crimson, very intense.

Aroma: Black Doris plum, dark cherry, dried spices and Christmas cake with tobacco & cigar box notes. Dry forest floor, with underlying dark chocolate, coffee, vanilla and rich smoky oak.

Palate: Big rich fruit dominated by dark berry fruit, cherry and ripe spiced plums. A rich palate showing great complexly with interwoven spices, fruit and savoury flavours. The wine has a long rich finish with silky, ripe tannins and unbelievable length.

Long Cow 2008 Sauvignon Blanc

Really nice distinct aromatic scents, definitely showcases the best of NZ's Sauvignon Blancs.

Auntsfield Estate produces a distinctive style of Sauvignon Blanc. The style is aimed towards texture, complexity and length, balancing the typical Marlborough fruit spectrum and aromatics with richness and mouth feel. The fruit for this wine was grown on the original "Long Cow" Paddock, land used in colonial times to graze the Auntsfield house-cow.

Colour : Pale straw/gold.

Aroma : Lifted aromas of passionfruit, gooseberry and rich tropical fruits with hints of lemon and lime blossom.

Palate : Full, rich and elegant. This wine shows intense flavours of passionfruit and gooseberry balanced with ripe tropical fruit reminiscent of papaya, banana and wild honey. Underlying minerality balances the generous palate weight and mouth filling texture. A complex wine with a long lingering finish.

Cob Cottage 2007 Chardonnay

Aromatic layers of ripe stone fruit and nuances are integrated with a subtle sweet French Oak influence. The ripe full-bodied palate of pure fruit is balanced by mineral and citrus notes. An elegant wine showing both fresh vibrancy and rich depth. The grapes for this wine were grown near the site of an early Cob Cottage which was the home of Doctor Stewart, Marlborough’s first medical practitioner.

Colour : Rich straw gold

Aroma : Intense and complex. This wine displays aromas of peach, apricot, nectarine, mandarin and lemon blossom with a subtle sweet French Oak influence.

Palate : Intense pure stone fruit with a rich ripe texture and complex nuances. Apricot, nectarine, peach, butterscotch and toffee are balanced with elegant mineral and citrus notes. A wine of seamless length and complexity.

Wine Exhibition : Wine For Asia 2007 (Part V)

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Last installment for Wine for Asia…Look forward to WFA 2008 !

Chateau de Varennes, Loire, Savennieres, Chenin Blanc 2004 (French)
Smell : Deceptively honey-like with some minerals.

Taste : Minerally stone and crisp with dry acidity.

After-taste : Stone-clay minerals permeate through.

Domaine des Chartreux, Pinot Gris, Alsace 2005 (Chile)
Smell : Delicate longan and flora flavours.

Taste : Slight lime acidity followed by light-touch of honey sweetness.

After-taste : Some acidity at the end. Uncomplicated finish.

Wine Exhibition : Wine For Asia 2007 (Part IV)

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These wines were presented at the Decanter Awards exhibition area. As mentioned, we had free-rein to taste and decide on which wines we liked. I have listed the ones I found to be of worthy mentioned. Most of which I do not see often in the wine shops I frequent.

Chateau Le Boscq Saint Estephe 2004 (French)

A silver medal winner.

Smell : Tobacco, cigar box, some warm balckcurrents.

Taste : Classic Bordeaux, well balanced currents and dark fruits with woody oak.

After-taste : A respectable finish of warm oaky tannins.


Chateau Reysson, Reserve du Chateau 2004 (French)
Smell : Warm brown leaves intertwined with soft current scents.

Taste : On the first palate it is some what sweetish in style, but the fruits do come thro’ eventually.

After-taste : Fairly well liked length.


San Simon Curico Valley, Gran Reserva 2005 (Chile)
Smell : Ripen fruits comprising of sweetish apricots scents.

Taste : Sweetish first palate, smooth highly ripen fruits, a little medicinal .

After-taste : A very respectable length of warm fruits.

Wine Exhibition : Wine For Asia 2007 (Part IV)

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The next installment…

Chateau Pontet-Canet 2003 (French) Smell : Sweetish ripe fruit.

Taste : Very ripe fruits. Smooth and easy-drinking, without the intensity or significant complexity.

After-taste : Fast and rushed.

Chateau Giscours 2003 (French)
Smell : Warm sweetish aromas.

Taste : Light-easy drinking, cherry-based but overall weak intensity.

After-taste : Uncomplicated finish.

In a nutshell, the overall impression I had of the 2003 Bordeaux Reds is that of a very summer ripen set of wines, which are pleasant to drink, with smooth tannins and would go well with food. Almost like a New World freshness and fruity forthcoming, however, I would not recommend that they be kept any longer for aging and in fact would drink rather well now. In fact, based on this tastings, I would dare say the 2003s are somewhat overpriced in the shops.

Chateau Suduiraut 2003 (French)
Smell : Sweet honey lemon with no bitterness.

Taste : Smooth on the tongue with medium viscosity, flavourful with orange marmalade .

After-taste : Smooth after-taste with lingering sweetness.

Chateau Guirand 2003 (French)
Smell : Sea-salt and honey lemon.

Taste : Intense honey and well balance, with no orange peel bitterness.

After-taste : Slowly transcends to a nice somewhat attap seed-like finish.

Again I found the Sauternes wines this year exceedingly enjoyable. I introduced the two Sauternes wines to friends I met at the fair and many were enjoying them too.
Hopefully we see more of them next year.

Wine Exhibition : Wine For Asia 2007 (Part III)

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The next Quartet…

Chateau Phelan Segur 2003 (French)

My personal view is that this was the best of the range of wines. Seemingly odd that this wine also out-weighed the super seconds.

Smell :Fierce over-riped fruits with scented roses.

Taste : Well ripen fruits of berries and warm alcohol. Nicely balance and round. Inviting for a second sip.

After-taste : Well-structured tannins with a length that was respectable for a Grand Cru. Impressive.

Chateau Leoville Poyferre 2003 (French)

Smell : A little unpleasant with sulphides and acetone. Fairly warm with the alcohol.

Taste : Fruity round and balanced but with a slight unpleasant acetone layer.

After-taste : Smooth silky tannins with a medium length.

Chateau Beychevelle 2003 (French)

Smell : Nice warm blackcurrent fruits.

Taste : Round and fruity raspberry sweetness. Light and wispy in nature without intensity.

After-taste : Nothing to crow about, uncomplicated length.

Chateau Brane-Cantenac 2003 (French)

Smell : Alcohol, warm blackcurrent with mineral and stones.

Taste : Well-balanced, light cherry, blackcurrent fruits. Somewhat sweetish.

After-taste : Unimpressive, quick and interrupted.

Wine Exhibition : Wine For Asia 2007 (Part II)

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As promised here are the first four tasting notes for the wines I had tried at the Great Wines of Bordeaux 2003 booth. The super seconds (i.e. the Pichons) of the vintage still stood out, but if not lacking in the nose, it was lacking in the after-taste. Personally I did not find them as impressive in terms of length as some previous vintages e.g. 2002. The reason could also be because of the double-decanting method used and perhaps I had tried them after they have been left over night. (I am sure I was the first few in the morning at the booth and some bottles were half empty)

Chateau Branaire-Ducru 2003 (French)


Smell : Fragrant cherry and raspberry aromas

Taste : Warm, uplifting with dark current fruits with some woody oaky tannins. Medium-bodied intensity.

After-taste : Fairly fast finish for a Bordeaux red.

Chateau Lynch Bages 2003 (French)

I had high expectations of this bottle, especially after I had tried the 2002. But personally was disappointed.

Smell : Ribena-like sweetness scents.

Taste : Slight fruitness, good balance and round, but feather-weight for an expected intense body.

After-taste : Vanilla oak flavours present in a quick and un-impressive end.

Chateau Pichon Longueville 2003 (French)


First of the super seconds. I was in great anticipation.

Smell : Somewhat closed, I had difficulty in detecting the aromas, but managed to find a slight taffy sweetish scent.

Taste : An intense blackcurrent fruit and alcohol start. Well-balanced with the oak aromas.

After-taste : Round and very pleasant to ease down the throat. But it did not have an extensive length.

Chateau Pichon Baron 2003 (French)

The next super second.

Smell : Had better luck detecting the aromas this time and found delicate flora scents and some berry undertones.

Taste : Warm and ripe fruits of raspberry/ cherry, which complemented well with the oak.

After-taste : Comforting round silky tannins with a substantially more respectable length.

Wine Exhibition : Wine for Asia 2007

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This is the third time I am blogging about Wine for Asia, how time flies!
It is an annual event for the Wine Trade to meet and network within the region. Wine for Asia 2007 ran from 25th to 27th of Oct this year, first two days for Trade and the last day for Trade and Public. I was not able to make it for the first two trade days so I was thankful I could make it for the last day. Missed the opening cermony though. The turnout was somewhat disappointing, but considering the rain and the early morning, I was actually happy to have the luxury of choosing which booth to go to, without worrying about the crowd. I was rather happy for the Decanter awards which allowed me to taste wines which I have never seen before, and was given the free rein to taste and gauge my palate vs the judges. Interestingly, I did not agree with them on most of the wines ! But there were a few gems and I will posting more pictures up later.
Overall, the exhibition hall size seemed to have been reduced, but there was good representation from France, New Zealand, Australia, Greece, Spain, Italy and other Old World wine making countries. Understandably due to distance, Califonian wines did not have a strong representation. I plonked myself at the Great Wines of Bordeaux 2003 (as I did last year too!) and enjoyed going through most of the 41 bottles of classified growths as well as 2 Sauternes. These are coming up in my upcoming posts...Stay tuned....

Wine for Asia 2006 : Great 2002 Bordeaux Tasting by The Wine Review

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Here is the final installment of the reds for the 2002 Bordeaux Tasting.
The tasting notes are a little bit shorter, but that was the best I could manage after going through so many wines at the WFA 2006. Nose and Palate fatigue in a pleasurable manner :)



Chateau Brown Grand Vin de Graves 2002

Smell : Some nutty and fruit of blackcurrents and plums.

Taste : Some fruit but not prolific, mainly constituent of tannins and oak.

After-Taste : Short compared to the others available.



Chateau Beychevelle Grand Vin 2002

Smell : Nose of oak, dark cherries and blackcurrents.

Taste : Smooth, minimal fruit, primarily oak and wood.

After-Taste : Good structure of tannins but of a medium length.



Chateau Labegurce Margaux 2002

Smell : Nose a little closed, but blackcurrents and plums still exist.

Taste : Blackcurrent, plum fruits with fair amounts of oak, vanilla on a tannic structure.

After-Taste : Medium finish of tannins and oak.

Wine for Asia 2006 : Great 2002 Bordeaux Tasting by The Wine Review

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I’d jump to the Sauternes sweet white wines first before going back to the reds. We found the Sauternes exceedingly nice to drink. They are not as strongly intense as the Hungarian Tokays or the Austrian TBA, but they were very smooth, light viscosity and complex with no/little hints of bitterness.


Chateau de Fargues Lur Saluces (Sauternes) 2002

Smell : Flora, lemon-honey smell weighting on the honey side.

Taste : Smooth, sweet honey with slight bitter lemon. Overall, a lighter style than usual Sauternes.

After-taste : Some light acidity to balance the sweetness.



Chateau Suduiraut (Sauternes) 2002

Smell : Scents of flora, lemon-honey even with a little walnut smell.

Taste : Smooth, honey-lemon with no bitter lemon peel taste balanced with a mild acidity.

After-taste : Sharp citrus and quick finish with a slight nutty end.

=> This was the wife’s favourite..



Chateau Doisy-Vedrines (Sauternes) 2002

Smell : Flora and lemon-honey fragrance.

Taste : Light easy-drinking of lemon citrus honey, slight end of bitterness.

After-taste : Quick finish with a little lemon peel zest bitterness.



Chateau Guiraud (Sauternes) 2002

Smell : Nose in comparison with the other Sauternes was not as intensely lemon-honey.
There was a different mineral stony smell.

Taste : Good sweetness, low viscosity with background of honey-lemon.

After-taste : Short finish with citrus bitter lemon.

Wine for Asia 2006 : Great 2002 Bordeaux Tasting by The Wine Review

As promised more reviews from the Great 2002 Bordeaux Tasting by The Wine Review…


Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 2002 (2nd Growth)

Smell : Intense nose of rose, plum and raspberries.

Taste : Complex taste of oak, cherries, acidity and tannins.

After-Taste : Significant length of well-structured and smooth tannins.



Chateau Pichon Longueville Baron de Pichon 2002 (2nd Growth)

I still got a bottle of this from one of the Carrefour wine sales 1993 vintage for S$78, hope to find the right occasion to open it.

Smell : A little closed, some blackcurrents, raspberries and strawberries.

Taste : Good fruit of raspberry, slight blackcurrents which is followed by balanced tannins.

After-Taste : Fairly good length of tannins which presents a balanced final pull of astringency.



Chateau Petit Village Pomerol 2002

Smell : Nose was a little closed with blackcurrents and plums.

Taste : Good fruit, slightly sweet and easy to drink.
Smooth with some oak before the finish. Mild tannins.

After-Taste : Finishing a little shorter than I would have expected.

Wine for Asia 2006 : The Great Bordeaux 2002 Tasting by The Wine Review A3-01

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The personal highlight of Wine for Asia this year was the Great Bordeaux 2002 Tasting organized by The Wine Review at A3-01. Ch’ng Poh Tiong was there for a short while to talk to the visitors as well on the 25 wines from the 2002 Bordeaux vintage. The Wine Review had obtained these bottles from the Chateaus directly. Personally I feel that these French Wines from Bordeaux still outclass any of the wines present at the exhibition. The complexity, finesse and length of balance silky tannins still make Bordeaux wines the most sought after in the World markets.

Chateau Rauzan-segla Margaux 2002 Grand Cru (2nd Growth)

Smell : Good nose of blackcurrents, raspberry and flora

Taste : Smooth easy-drinking yet good structure of tannins at the end of the palate.

After-Taste : Shorter length of tannins, but still quite substantial.

Chateau La Fleur Saint Emillion Grand Cru 2002

Smell : Rather closed but raspberry scent and a little rose do come through.

Taste : Fruity with raspberry taste and a little cedar.

After-Taste : Significant length with well-built tannin structure.



Chateau Lynch-Bages Pauillac 2002 Grand Vin Grand Cru Classe

Smell : Ripened cherries with a little smokiness.

Taste : Cherry, raspberries which disappears at the end.

After-Taste : Excellent finish of smooth tannins.

Some more reviews in the upcoming entries…appreciate your patience…

Wine Event : Wine for Asia 2006

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This year’s Wine for Asia 2006 is the 4th starting from year 2003 and features close to 180 participant booths with wines from French, Spain, Australia, Italy, New Zealand, India, China, Korea and Germany etc. The whole layout was a lot larger than last year and has a lot more seminar rooms and tasting area. However, what was interesting to me was that some of the participants present last year were absence. This year’s Wine for Asia swung more towards talks and seminars and the mainstay countries exhibiting were from Australia and New Zealand, I found the participation level from the Old World wines like France and Germany diminishing. I was however happy to see the Decanter wine awards tasting area for us to compare our tastebuds with the judges. I am also glad that I met a few like-minded wine enthusiasts there, wine-lovers are friendly folks. My philosophy is that wine is a social drink, the more people to share a bottle of wine, the more joyous the occasion. (provided that there is enough to go around!)

The crowd was pretty thin on the second day of the trade day, however it did pick up on the public day which was a Saturday. I went down in the evening at 5pm almost close to finishing time and many booths were already packing up. There were group of friends enjoying themselves and looking for good bargains as most of the importers were not keen to lug back unfinished bottles of wines they had intended to serve for tastings.

Adam from Le Raisin http://www.le-raisin.com/ had a large open booth with 5 tasting points with friendly ladies helping out with the tastings. He had 2 series from Chile, 2 series from Australia and 1 series from Spain. Here are my recommendations for the wines that I tasted (I tasted the whole range! And the ladies were impressed I was still standing on my feet). Thanks Adam!

- Spain Digma Rioja 2003 Castillo de sajazarra : Intense with good length
- Australian Hunter Valley Pyramid Hill Merlot and Shiraz 2005 : Easy drinking
smooth and very pleasant
- Australian Mount Eyre Double Cabernet : Intense inky fruit with some acidity
- Chilean Carta Vieja Organic Pinot Noir 2004 : Intriguing delicate seductive perfume of
blueberries/grappa. Very different from the non-organic Pinot Noir.
- Chilean House of Morande : Heavy blackcurrents with serious structure of tannins

I am already looking forward to next year’s Wine for Asia!