Monbousquet 2001

St Emilion GCC (since '06 - before, GC). Before we lose the plot w too many New World reviews, let's get back to our old favs. Nose is a bit shy but just open enough not to be austere - restrained fruit and oak. Palate, on the other hand, is a powerhouse. Assertive attack w very intense dark fruits, bursting into firework of flavours - berries, floral, scorched earth, everything! V intense and pure elements inter-playing, builds up onto a towering mid-palate. Just when it was about to get too jammy, it pulls back beautifully w some discreet spice and lushness. Satisfying long finish. Been a while since I'm this won over by a wine, it must be Bordeaux (9.2/10). Beg to differ from critics of G Perse that his wines are too modern, too extracted - there're still Old World complexity and class to be found in this wine. Definitely not just a brash fruit bomb.

Beringer 2008

California Napa Cab Sauv. Another middle-of-the road wine. The nose is unrelentingly tight. The bottle should be sufficiently areated since many other guests have poured the bottle and my glass was from the bottom third. Vigourous swirling only yielded a hint of black fruits and tar. The mouth is surprisingly rounded and smooth but again not much fruit - what you might call 'elegant' in Bordeaux-speak. No obtrusive tannins or acid, but neither were there much complexity nor weight to impress. Just a decent dinner wine (7.0/10).

G.H. Mumm

Champagne, non-vintage. This is the stuff that F1 Podium winners splash on each other instead of drinking. Understandably....for me. Never a fan of whites and bubbly, this is just lemonly, fizzy alchoholic soda. Not that enjoyable but the bubbles do send the alcohol to your head pretty quickly. No scoring for whites.

Judas 2006

Argentina Malbec. A beauty! Was sceptical as always w the avante garde label but it proved unfounded. Dark, brooding deep purple colour. The nose was still q tight - only some fruity notes peeking, a pity. In the mouth, excellent mouthfill with its roundness and lush texture. Fruitcake and confectionary flavours interlaced w spice coating your palate. Opulent. The extraction and intensity is superb, although there was some slight bitter tannic notes. Would be a 90 pointer if Nose was as alluring (8.2/10). However, at this price point (S$90, US$75), it's way beyond what I'd be willing to pay for a S American wine no matter how tempting.

Duette 2008

Chile Cab Sauv-Carmenere blend. Fresh cut grass on the nose - green, under riped but not in an off-putting way. Despite the greenness in scent, the entry is strong and the mid-palate throws up good, moderately complex fruits. A v full-bodied, heavy wine which turns bitterly tannic towards the end. A v abrupt finish costing it some points (6.9/10)

Rust en Vrede 2007

South Africa Shiraz. Deep purple hue. Immediately accessible nose - deep dark fruits powering through. Mascular and alcoholic. Likewise on the palate, a textbook New World red - overripe, heavily-oaked and over powering flavours of black fruits and scorched earth. Big, tannic and viscous wine w long, assertive finish. Obvious appeal but overdone for my taste. Where are the finesse and secondary flavours? (7.9/10).

Pasamonte Rebel.lia 2008

Spain. Was offered this - think the grape was garnacha. At first glance, the traditionalist in me was already v sceptical w the upside-down funky label. The colour looked surpisingly aged for 2008, or maybe it's the grape. First whiff was greeted by obvious funk I find common in Spanish and Chateauaneuf wines, dislikable. But the palate was not as bad, q rounded w a bit of spice, but overwhemling astringency kicks in at the end. No go - As the label says, I'm rebeling against this (6.7/10).

Laurel Glen Counterpoint 2005

California Cab Sauv. This comes highly recommended, but for me, it's simply too big, too brash. Extremely dense and spicy, leaves no room for the imagination, just burly New World power at its worst. Some odd medicinal flavours coming in at the tail end. The long finish, is however, enjoyable. Buy this for dinner parties where the subtleties of a great Red will be wasted on the indifferent guests who are happier w fruit and spice bombs....and save your GCCs for a more appreciative audience (7.2/10).

Alter Ego 2006

2nd Wine of Ch Palmer, 3GCC Margaux. Aromatically one of the most generous and seductive wines I've come across - living up to Palmer name. Intense confectionary and floral notes w hint of oak - evolving and complex. Silky mouthfeel going for 'elegance' rather than power or density. Light bodied w a hint of spice and still v tannic. Some complexity to keep it interesting. Short finish. Feminine. Typical Margaux - always impressive on the nose, but too thin on the palate for me (8.0/10).