How time flies. It is now twenty years since Justerini & Brooks first became involved in supplying and developing the Singaporean fine wine market, and over those years it has become increasingly filled with very serious connoisseurs and some genuinely world-class cellars. Though we meet with our customers in restaurants and private houses all over the city, the private dining room within the Jiang-Nan Chun Restaurant at the Four Seasons Hotel has been J&B's prime venue of choice for entertaining throughout this whole time. There have been many spectacular dinners held here over the years, and a few days ago we added another. Sylvain Pitiot, from the Burgundy Domaine Clos de Tart, flew out to join us for two dinners focused on the vintages made under his stewardship of this Grand Cru monopole estate. It is no longer a secret that since his debut in 1996 this ancient estate has been producing its finest flight of vintages in decades, and the dinners more than proved that point.The 1996 was drinking beautifully , with mature wild plum and cherry flavours and silky tannins giving the wine a wonderful complex finish.
The 1999 was still very youthful and firm , but packed with ripe, luxurious and explosive fruits.
The 2001 had a beautiful pinot noir definition; fresh, seductive aromas and a perfect balance of fruit and minerals. A real star.
The 2002 was still a baby. Tight, concentrated, intense and pure. It is waiting to show its real colours.
The 2003 was big textured, rich and sweet, and seduced with damsons and black cherry, yet had that Pinot Noir structure to counter the wonderful bold ripeness.
The 2005 was glorious; that simple. Full of rich, ripe, dark fruits, yet balanced by a powerful minerality. A truly complete and grand Clos de Tart.
2006 is a vintage Sylvain rates particularly highly. Youthful yet harmonious and refined; a terroir-dominated vintage. Subtle , complex berry fruits, fine tannins and a haunting sweet yet mineral finish.
2007 is lovely, seductive, ripe Pinot. Fleshy and sweet black cherry and sloe fruits follow through. A real charmer.
The 2008 was cool, refined and with a purity of fruit that would be hard to match outside the best Grand Crus. Quite simply it is a great wine and even in its youth reflecting the best of a grand terroir.
What was so special about this flight was that without exception each wine was true to the conditions experienced during the growing season and harvest, and to its unique Grand Cru terroir. What is evidently clear to us is the talent of Sylvain Pitiot in both the vineyard and cellar in guiding Domaine Clos de Tart through a new golden age.
