"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times"

So begins Dickens' story of two cities (Paris and London) caught-up in the political turmoil of the French Revolution.  Of course the metropolises of SE Asia are no strangers to political unrest.  Living amongst revolutionary uprisings and governmental see-sawing has more or less become a way of life in Jakarta and Bangkok.  For the most part life goes on, yet transitional times can have a depressing affect on lifestyles and local economies.  Tourism for example is very important to both Indonesia and Thailand and with Jakarta and Bangkok acting as the major gateways into these countries, times of political change can equate to some very difficult circumstances for local businesses.

Wine appreciation can be especially tricky in Jakarta and Bangkok.  For a start, taxes in both countries are currently knocking on around 400%.  Indonesia can be a notoriously difficult country for alcohol importation, with the government often nominating "red-light" periods where absolutely nothing moves through customs (without a back-hander anyway).

Having said all this, I have come to appreciate and respect both cities.  Jakarta and Bangkok host an incredible array of foods and cultures not to mention play home to some of the world's most ardent lovers of wine - enduring aspects that never fail to draw me.

Jakarta

My first visit to Jakarta was a disaster.  It was 2003 and my husband and I were en-route to a highly anticipated tropical paradise holiday in Bali.  Our travel book of Indonesia revealed absolutely nothing in Jakarta that may have been remotely of interest to me and it appeared in fact to be more of a survival guide section listing all the dos and don'ts in this city plus a whole manner of tips that might relinquish us from otherwise certain doom.  If I'd had my way we'd have touched down in Jakarta just long enough to stretch our legs during the swift jaunt between aircraft to make our connection to Denpasar.  But no, my husband's intrepid nature sentenced us to one night in Indonesia's much derided capital.  This was just after the Bali bombings so my own fearful-of-an-excruciatingly-painful-death nature was swollen to a state of barely concealed hysteria. 

We arrived at our hotel just as it was growing dusk.  While I usually prefer to stay in small, locally owned hotels, in an effort to minimise any and all risk I'd booked us into a "reliable" luxury chain name.  It was a best-laid-plan that was to prove deeply flawed by that overriding natural order that governs all my holidays: Sod's Law. 

The exterior of the hotel was of course heavily guarded (as Jakarta hotels remain today) - I wasn't complaining.  But once inside I began to wonder if the guards weren't in fact there merely to contain the scene of utter chaos that was unfolding.  The lobby was overflowing with angry guests and no one seemed to be able to get a room.  After about an hour of fighting our way to the front of the queue we managed to ascertain that the hotel had been flooded and that only a few rooms were habitable.  Lucky for us, they could offer us one.  After hauling our luggage up six flights of stairs (the lifts were out) and a labyrinth of water sodden halls, my hope was fading.  Rightfully so – the floor of our luxury room was beneath four inches of water.  Five minutes into a heated discussion with the porter about the meaning of habitable, the lights flickered and we were plunged into pitch blackness with only a few working emergency lights to guide us back to the lobby and into a taxi out of there.

Back in 2003 I was seriously ticked about giving up one night of my glorious Bali nights for an evening of squalor in Jakarta.  But recently the promise of a dinner featuring some very fine and rare wines tempted me back and I'm pleased that it did because it was an opportunity to experience a little of what Jakarta really has to offer.

A couple of days in the company of some locals demonstrated Jakarta as a capital in the truest sense, where the many diverse cultures of Indonesia come together.  The city offers a wonderfully diverse range of local and far-flung foods coming from Indonesia's many islands and some incredibly remote areas.  Rice (nasi) is a staple ingredient of many of the cuisines though noodles are also very popular.  One of my lunches consisted of some deliciously spicy noodles with dried chicken taken in one of the city's many cafes.  The next day we had a lunch of delicacies from Manado, the capital of Sulawesi Utara (an island peninsula).  The food from this region can be blisteringly spicy (I've a high chilli tolerance), tending to focus on piquantly prepared fresh fish, although it also incorporates some unorthodox meats such as fruit bat (paniki), which I sampled (wings and all) and found, well, intriguing.

The main-event wine dinner offered a less exotic though perhaps more wine-friendly Asian-European fusion menu, expertly prepared.  It was attended by a group of around thirty avid local wine collectors and I found myself sat next to what has to be one of Jakarta's most passionate and generous.  After the event had finished he invited the hosts and I to join him at his home to sample a few bottles from his cellar.

Blankets were handed round as we descended the stairs to the man's cellar – nothing less than a truly extraordinary collection.  Gathered on stools round a tasting table, a bottle of Krug Clos d'Ambonnay 1995 was fetched and placed before our small crowd, sparking as you can imagine considerable excitement.  It was agreed that we couldn't just stampede into such a privilege, so a very elegantly styled De Sousa Brut NV Rose led us gently into what transpired to be a very late night of wine abandon.  The pink fizz gave way to an earthy and profound bottle of 1964 Paul Etienne Hermitage followed by the Ambonnay – savoury, intense and full-of-itself – and then onto an invigoratingly vibrant 1985 Henri Gouges Nuits Saint Georges Les Vaucrains.  And there were a couple of mishaps along the way:  a very disappointing prem-oxed 1996 Leroy Puligny Montrachet Les Folatieres and a 1993 Frederic Mugnier Chambolle Musigny Les Amoreuses (that we all agree was just wrong). 

At around three a.m., about the time that appendages started going blue from the twelve degree cold, we emerged from the cellar for a last blinded bottle – Henri Jayer's 1993 Vosne-Romanee Beaumonts – another incredible example of this late producer's complex, seamless work.  Then homemade chicken soup was ladled steaming into bowls and handed round the table.  It may have been the company of my new friends, the warmth, the lingering remnants of those awesome wines or just being in Jakarta, but man that soup tasted good.

Bangkok

Unless you're completely oblivious to world news, you may have noticed that Bangkok has played scene to a spot of political upheaval in recent months.  Which for me at least has been a little difficult to imagine since Thailand and its people appear incredibly welcoming and friendly.  Nonetheless, for much of December 2008 Bangkok airport was overtaken by protestors and out-of-action causing a lot of visiting winemakers to cancel or divert Bangkok trips during that period.  The recent troubles have had a devastating effect on tourism in Thailand with the ripples stubbornly remaining.

So when I recently landed in Bangkok, the airport was nearly deserted and I managed to clear the ordinary onerous immigration queue in an unheard of matter of around ten minutes.  This was a bonus for me since I was only in Bangkok for one night, on a mission to lay the ground-work for a special wine event to occur in a few weeks time, and I wanted to spend any spare moments enjoying this steamy, frenetic city that so aptly straddles the old and the new.

As it transpired, spare moments were in short supply.  But I did manage an early evening constitutional before meetings and dinner along the eastern side of the Mae Nam Phraya River (rivalling the Thames for murkiness), watching the busy water briskly carry the local ferries full of passengers from side to side and out of sight.

My evening was spent at the beautifully historic Oriental Hotel (now rebranded as a Mandarin Oriental) and kicked-off with an aperitif at the manager's weekly cocktail party, where I was persuaded to try the house cocktail.  I'm not normally much of a cocktail person but this was a "Tom Yum Cocktail" and being a big fan of this aromatic, spicy soup, I was curious to see how if could be developed into a drink.  In fact it worked very well with just the right amount of citrusy sweetness, lemongrass as a stirrer and a real kick of fresh chilli.

Dinner was taken at the hotel's Lord Jim's Restaurant offering a wide choice of fresh Thai and international seafood.  I was joined by a local wine importer and a couple of fellow Singaporean residents.  As with many wine importers, this man's business had sprung from a passion for wine, much inspired he confessed by the first edition of Parker's guide to Bordeaux.  And his love of Bordeaux was reflected in his selection of wines that he provided for the dinner.

Our introductory chatter and amuse bouche were accompanied by a bottle of Gosset Grand Millesime 1999, with plenty of conversation-inciting toast, nut and kaya jam (a Singaporean coconut and egg bread-spread) flavours.  We then had an impressively matured bottle of Patz & Hall 2001 Alder Springs Vineyard Chardonnay, which was evolving into a truly delicious honeyed / dried pineapple character.  Next onto Bordeaux:  Chateau Mouton Rothschild 1998, a wine we all agreed was not quite living up to its 1973 promotional status on this occasion.  Yet the subsequent trio of 2003s did not disappoint:  Chateaux Pape-Clement, Montrose and Troplong-Mondot.   

Towards the end of our meal a boat stopped directly in front of our window looking out onto the river and let off an impressive firework display in honour of some lucky person perhaps seated somewhere close-by to us or across the river.  Call me a dreamer but I like to fancy these things as auspicious signs of fortuitous connections, heralding the best of times to come.

Tasting Notes       

Krug Clos d'Ambonnay 1995
98 points
The nose begins savoury providing complex earthy / meaty aromas with a touch of truffles and smoked game, complimented by pronounced autolytic influence and giving way to classic notes of toasted hazelnuts, honeycomb and strawberry shortcake.  The intense, concentrated palate issues a razor sharp backbone of acid and an incredibly long, layered finish of praline and minerals, making for a vibrant powerhouse now and promising further balance and complex evolution in years to come.  Drink now to 2035.  Tasted December 2008.  

Champagne De Sousa Brut NV Rose
94 points
Very pretty, floral nose displaying notes of jasmine and wild strawberries with clotted cream.  The palate is refreshingly dry, exposing a very crisp, racy character that is perfectly balanced by plenty of juicy strawberry and buttery brioche concentration.  Long, red berry and white pepper finish.  Drink now.  Tasted December 2008.

Paul Etienne Hermitage 1964
89 points
Pale tawny colour.  The nose has matured into notes of leather, Chinese five-spice, mushrooms and forest floor.  The acid is a little forward and tart on the palate with just a few scraps of fruit hanging onto it, nonetheless providing some interesting earthy / spicy flavours with hints of black pepper and game.  Tannins have nearly departed and this wine is approaching the edge of its drinking window but still gives a lot of pleasure.  Long finish.  Tasted December 2008.

Domaine Henri Gouges Nuits Saint Georges 1er Cru Les Vaucrains 1985
93 points
Very pale garnet-brick colour.  Incredibly vibrant nose of macerated cherries, violets, tobacco leaf, musk and moss.  The palate is elegantly styled with the softest caress of silken tannins and a tang of medium to high acidity supporting the complex mix of earth and warmed red berry fruit.  Very long finish giving a suggestion of dried herbs.  Drink now.  Tasted December 2008.    

Henri Jayer Vosne-Romanee 1er Cru Les Beaumonts 1993
95 points
Medium ruby-brick colour.  Intoxicating red berry compote, spearmint, cinnamon and violet aromas provide one of those noses that you never want to stop inhaling.  The palate is pure decadence with tons of minted cherry fruit, a medium level of velvety tannins and seamlessly refreshing medium to high acidity.  Very, very long pepper and spice finish.  Drink now.  Tasted December 2008.

Champagne Gosset Grand Millesime 1999
92 points
Very toasty nose with notes of roasted nuts, kaya (coconut and egg) jam and toffee pie.  Given the rich appearance of the nose, the palate is surprisingly elegant with some warm apple flavours coming though plus a nice touch of minerality.  Crisp backbone of acid and a long, chalky finish.  Drink now to 2019.  Tasted February 2009. 

Patz & Hall 2001 Alder Springs Vineyard Chardonnay, Mendocino
92 points
The nose of this chardonnay is extraordinarily aromatic, with evolved honeyed scents blending with preserved mandarin peel and spice.  The palate fills the mouth with wonderful dried fruit flavours, pineapple and mango, complimented by medium to high acidity and a silky texture.  Medium to full body and a long fruity finish.  Drink now to 2011.  Tasted February 2009.

Chateau Mouton Rothschild 1998
89 points
Deep garnet-black.  The nose is a little mute even given this wine’s youth, providing a moderate intensity of evolving aromas: game, earth, blackcurrant jam and a whiff of dried herbs.  The medium+ bodied palate is gently styled with a medium+ level of finely grained tannins and medium+ acidity.  Mid-palate is a bit hollow and the finish perhaps not as long as I’d expect.  Good wine but not exactly living up to its first growth status.  Drink now to 2025.  Tasted February 2009. 

Chateau Pape-Clement 2003
93 points
Deep garnet.  Some cedar is still apparent on the very youthful nose, slightly masking the otherwise attractive cranberry, plums and cassis fruit aromas with a whiff of cloves.  The palate is well balanced with medium to high acidity and medium to firm, ripe, velvety tannins.  Long finish.  Drink now to 2025.  Tasted February 2009.

Chateau Montrose 2003
94 points
Deep garnet-black.  Barnyard and sweaty saddle aromas grapple with the warm cassis and cigar box notes at this formative stage.  The palate provides firm, finely grained tannins just the right amount of medium to high acid to support this dense, rich style.  Long, minerally finish with interesting nuances of iron ore.  Drink now to 2028.  Tasted February 2009.

Chateau Troplong-Mondot 2003
94 points
Very deep garnet-black.  Warm plum, cedar, tobacco and mocha make for a very alluring if somewhat contrasting nose on this young wine.  The palate is very tight, with firm, slightly astringent tannins and the faintest touch of bitterness hinting over zealous extraction.  This is however a minor point as the wine is wonderfully rich, full bodied and concentrated, and aptly balanced by medium+ acidity.  Very long finish.  Drink now to 2028.  Tasted February 2009.