GrapeVine

Bordeaux 2020

WELCOME TO EDITION 814 of GRAPEVINE Left, Managing Director and Proprietor of Chateau Leoville Poyferre Sara Lecompte Cuvelier and Brand Ambassador Claire Ridley The tasting of Bordeaux 2020 started last Friday 23 April 2021 for me. It was a Zoom encounter with Managing Director and Proprietor of Saint-Julien Second Growth Chateau Leoville Poyferre Sara Lecompte Cuvelier. …

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Capital of Fake Wine

WELCOME TO EDITION 813 of GRAPEVINE China produces, sells, and buys more fake wine than any other country in the world. Not just wine but also fake Moutai, Cognac, Whisky, Bourbon, Vodka, Pu-erh tea, branded handbags, shoes, watches, dresses, jackets, perfumes, baby milk powder, medicine, eggs (no chicken required), French branded oysters such …

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Disciples of Auguste Escoffier (1846 – 1935)

WELCOME TO EDITION 812 of GRAPEVINE I am honoured to inform I have been appointed Wine Advisor to Disciples of Escoffier Singapore by Edmund Toh, their president. Based in Villeneuve-Loubet, France, Disciples of Escoffier was created in 1954. I accepted the role because the organization is primarily dedicated to transmission, including of expertise, knowledge, and skills, particularly to the …

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Chinese Art • 7 Dinners

WELCOME TO EDITION 811 of GRAPEVINE In 2009, I signed up for the postgraduate Chinese Art course at SOAS – School of Oriental & African Studies – University of London. It is a 3-month course which I divided into 6 weeks over two years as I could not afford to put a stop to my work for …

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One More Set!

WELCOME TO EDITION 810 of GRAPEVINE The cliff-hanging vineyards of Alavaro Palacios in Bierzo. The Mencia grapes for Petalos come from 40- to 90-year old vines! Last week, when we offered 3 sets of 6 bottles per set of Petalos 2018, they SOLD OUT very quickly. We have since managed to secure another set of 6 …

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Covid Vaccination Side Effects

WELCOME TO EDITION 809 of GRAPEVINE Major Side-Effect Last week – Wednesday 10 March 2021 – I received a letter from the Ministry of Health to inform I could vaccinate against Covid. I went into vaccine.gov.sg and registered for my two appointments. The following evening, I was given the first dose of Pfizer-BioNTech. Between registration …

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Scotland Celebrates

WELCOME TO EDITION 808 of GRAPEVINE “This is fabulous news, and our industry is delighted,” Chief Executive of the Scotch Whisky Association Karen Betts. Last Thursday 4 March 2021 brought spirited relief to Scotland’s whisky distilleries up and down the country. The Biden Administration suspended a punitive 25% tariff imposed by Donald Trump in October …

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Covid Passport

WELCOME TO EDITION 807 of GRAPEVINE The writing is getting clearer by the passing week. In fact, the writing is fast becoming set in stone. DENMARK On 3 February 2021, Denmark announced it was developing a digital passport that will show whether the holder has been vaccinated against Covid. “It will be …

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Ox Year Tragedy

WELCOME TO EDITION 806 of GRAPEVINE No one survived in this BMW Lunar New Year of the Ox started badly in Singapore. Five young men lost their lives in a horrific crash when their speeding BMW slammed into a vacant shop-house shortly before 5.40 am Saturday 13 February (this was the time the Singapore Civil Defence Force was …

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One Year After

WELCOME TO EDITION 805 of GRAPEVINE I finally finished reading The Plague last night. Written by Albert Camus, it was published in 1947 Now that I use the mobile phone more, I find myself reading fewer books. This is not good and I hope the Year of the Ox will bring about a reversal of this unhealthy …

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