GrapeVine

WELCOME TO EDITION 825 of GRAPEVINE Singapore Health Minister ONG Ye Kung, the snow-white, most innocent, trusting politician in the world When restrictions were eased 11 days ago on Monday 12 July 2021 to allow for up to 5 people to dine together in Singapore, this is what Minister of Health ONG Ye …

WELCOME TO EDITION 824 of GRAPEVINE Singapore Finance Minister Lawrence Wong is in Venice today Friday 9 to Sunday 11 July 2021 to take part in meetings of the Group of 20. Other countries in the G20 include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, Japan, India, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Turkey, the United …

WELCOME TO EDITION 823 of GRAPEVINE We have all been labouring under Covid restrictions for more than 16 months! Half of 2021 has gone by. Since late 2020, we have been planning our Great Bordeaux Tour 1 – 4 November 2021. Preceding that is the Great Champagne Tour 27 – 29 October 2021. If you …

WELCOME TO EDITION 822 of GRAPEVINE Lunch – Friday 29 October 2021 – will be at Chateau de Louvois, the spiritual home of Champagne Laurent Perrier Last week, we announced our Great Bordeaux Tour 2021 will take place 1 to 4 November. I am equally delighted to now inform, a few days before that, there will …

WELCOME TO EDITION 821 of GRAPEVINE Chateau d’Yquem Chateau Petrus This coming 1, 2, 3 & 4 November 2021, we will be conducting our second public tour to Bordeaux. The trip has been a year in the planning. There are only 8 places. Participants must be vaccinated. You will be visiting: Yquem Petrus Haut-Brion Lafite …

WELCOME TO EDITION 820 of GRAPEVINE This is the part I don’t get. After their incredulous decision in allowing visitors from the sub-continent into the country – bringing the Indian variant to Singapore – the Multi-Ministry Task Force is now all cautious and postponing dining-in for another week – and, only possibly – to 21 …

WELCOME TO EDITION 819 of GRAPEVINE He finds the taste of oak unbearable too  “To add oak to the Japanese variety Koshu – whether to ferment in or/and elevage into – is tantamount to cooking a fatty, juicy slice of toro tuna instead of serving it raw. The chef, not the fish, …

WELCOME TO EDITION 818 of GRAPEVINE About 1 in 3 new cases  of Covid infection in the world now takes place in India For your amazing response to last week’s “Stop Blaming Us • Start Owning Up” GrapeVine. An overwhelming 96% who wrote to us agreed with the views expressed. There was a singular detractor. …

WELCOME TO EDITION 817 of GRAPEVINE Not owning up to our mistake is irresponsible. To apologise is to display honesty and show accountability. To apologise and resign is to reveal unusual but exemplary honour. To divert blame or find a scapegoat is to sink into a subterranean abyss. The world’s most expensive, highest-paid …

WELCOME TO EDITION 816 of GRAPEVINE We produce cotton The reason your ears get itchy is because we come from sheep Tomorrow – 15 May 2021 – Singapore gets a new Minister of Education. “Cotton comes from sheep,” CHAN Chun Sing once informed. Since the man was a former President’s Scholar and Major-General who …