Most people think that the Côte d'Or is so named because of its slopes (Côte) of Gold (d'Or).  Makes sense, particularly when cruising the Burgundy aisles trying to lay your hands on a reasonably priced bottle from this lucrative strip of real estate.  My former apparent misconception of the meaning of the region's name was once corrected by a Gevrey vigneron who pointed out that before this goose was even laying golden eggs, locals so called it the Côte d'Or because her slopes faced east.  So Côte d'Or may have originally been short for "Côte d'Orient”, though in recent years it has taken on a wholly appropriate double meaning.

These days a lot of European wine regions are staring fixedly at the Orient, wondering where their next market will come from.  Beyond optimal vine exposure, I believe the red producers of the Côte d'Or at least have just cause to face east due to the cracking compatibility of Bourgogne Rouge and a number of Asian foods.  And one the best matches has to be top-flight Côte de Nuits Pinot and Cantonese cuisine.

Cantonese cuisine originates from Guangzhou in the Guangdong Province of Southern China.  The dishes of this area are remarkably varied, incorporating every kind of animal and organ imaginable including duck tongue, chicken feet, jellyfish and snake along with more pedestrian staples such as pork, beef, shellfish and chicken.  Like great wine, the key to superlative Cantonese cuisine is balance.  The use of spice in most dishes is modest compared to say Sichuan cuisine, which is generally fierier.  Freshness and quality of raw materials are emphasised with relatively delicate sauces and flavourings used to enhance vegetables, seafood and meats rather than overpower.

Twice I've been invited to private wine dinners at the Cantonese-influenced Jiang-Nan Chun Restaurant in Singapore's Four Seasons Hotel and both times I've come away with my hedonistic food and wine cravings seamlessly satiated.  The restaurant's name means, "south of the Yang Zi River during springtime", harking back to a place and time where Chinese emperors and aristocrats would bask on the river's edge, reading poetry whilst dining in fine fashion.  The manager at Jiang-Nan Chun, Matthew Ng, is one of Singapore's most inspired when it comes to artfully creating wine and Cantonese food experiences fit for nobility.  Beyond the restauran's very tasteful and serene private dining rooms, Matthew is a master at arranging special menus to help showcase fine wines.

So it was a particular treat to kick-start my Lunar New Year revelries this year at Jiang-Nan Chun with wines from my one of my favourite communes in the Côte de Nuits: Vosne-Romanée.  It was this sub-region's wine that first seduced me to Pinot Noir during my palate's formative years, often at great expense I hasten to add.  But worth every penny - Vosne-Romanée is for me the Yin of Chambolle-Musigny uniting with the Yang of Nuits-St-Georges, shrouded in a silken veil of earthy complexity.  Sadly, its extraordinary nature is far from a well-kept secret.  On the contrary, Vosne-Romanée has become the Forbidden City of Grand Crus, home to a venerable collection of regional leaders: Romanée-Conti, Meo-Camuzet, Leroy, Robert Arnoux, Jean Grivot and Emmanuel Rouget.  Although there's not much room amongst all the vying for highness for emerging nobility to develop, there has been at least one noteworthy newcomer in recent years:  Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair.

Regaining control of vineyards that had been in his family since Napoleonic times, Louis-Michel Liger-Belair started producing wines in Vosne-Romanée as recently as 2000.  He now manages more than three hectares of family owned vineyards in prime locations including, Vosne-Romanée La Colombiere, Clos du Chateau, 1er Cru Les Chaumes, 1er Cru Aux Reignots and La Romanée.  In 2006 he began renting another 5.5 hectares of vineyards in Vosne-Romanée and Nuits-Saints-Georges, providing enough raw materials to demonstrate what this talented artist is truly capable of.

I'll confess I was just a little dismayed when I learned that this first real introduction to Comte Liger-Belair's range would be his 2004s.  Yet I'm pleased to report that while 2004 was a difficult year for Pinots throughout much of the Côte d'Or, Comte Liger-Belair's wines admirably managed to side-step most of the vintage's blights: dilution, rot, greenness and bitter tannins.  Louis-Michel's 2004s are pure, elegant and supple, providing good balance, if a little on the light side.  Jiang-Nan Chun made for a perfectly decadent introduction to this line-up, not least of all because the wines showed so well with the food.  Most superbly were the "Clos du Chateau" with Braised Homemade Spinach Beancurd and Monkey Head Mushrooms with Oyster Sauce and the "Aux Reignots 1er Cru" alongside Deep-fried Spare Ribs with Minced Garlic – truly a Comte's feast fit for Yang Zi supping emperors.

Menu

Barbequed Whole Suckling Pig
with
De Sousa Blanc de Blancs Reserve Brut NV, Grand Cru

Deep-fried 'Soon Hock' with Soy Sauce
with
2004 Vosne-Romanée "La Colombiere"

Braised Homemade Spinach Beancurd and Monkey Head Mushrooms with Oyster Sauce
with
2004 Vosne-Romanée "Clos du Chateau"

Stir-fried Scallops and Honey Beans with Sunflower Seeds
with
2004 Vosne-Romanée "Les Chaumes", Premier Cru

Deep-fried Spare Ribs with Minced Garlic
with
2004 Vosne-Romanée "Aux Reignots", Premier Cru

Fried Rice with Sliced Abalone, Crabmeat and Egg White
with
2004 La Romanée, Grand Cru

De Sousa Blanc de Blancs Reserve Brut NV, Grand Cru
92 points
Very toasty, predominately nutty nose with complimentary aromas of honeycomb, bread-dough and chalk dust.  The palate confirms that this is a rich, voluptuous style of Champagne with generous amounts of brioche and toasted hazelnut flavours beautifully balanced by crisp acidity.  Long minerally finish.  Tasted January 2009.

2004 Vosne-Romanée "La Colombiere"
90 points
Very pale ruby-brick colour.  Pretty, fruity nose of pure raspberry and red cherry with a whiff of Provence herbs.  The palate has refreshingly crisp acidity with the vaguest suggestion of silky tannins.  Long finish with nuances of iron-ore.  Drink now to 2012.  Tasted January 2009.

2004 Vosne-Romanée "Clos du Chateau"
91 points
Very pale ruby / tawny colour.  Earthy, meaty aromas emanate from the glass conjuring an image of truffle laced game with a raspberry sauce served on a bed of damp moss.  A firm backbone of acid supports the soft, supple tannins and delicate red berry fruit.  Long earthy finish.  Drink now to 2012.  Tasted January 2009.

2004 Vosne-Romanée "Les Chaumes", Premier Cru
94 points
Pale ruby-brick colour.  Very enticing ripe cherry, violet and cinnamon aromas on the nose with a hint of bacon fat.  This is quite a structured style with a medium+ level of finely grained tannins and high level of acidity balancing the good concentration of spiced berry fruit.  Very long finish with lingering notes of minerals and cloves.  Drink now to 2015.  Tasted January 2009.

2004 Vosne-Romanée "Aux Reignots", Premier Cru
92 points
Medium ruby colour.  Complex aromas of hung meat, warm strawberry, white pepper, tobacco leaf and a little leather.  The palate appears fruitier than the nose with a medium level of slightly chewy tannins and a crisp backbone of acid supporting a good amount of flesh.  Long finish.  Drink now to 2014.  Tasted January 2009.

2004 La Romanée, Grand Cru
91 points
Pale ruby to garnet colour.  Subtle, notably earthy notes of forest floor, mushrooms and moist loam on the nose with a delicate spiciness / smokiness and a gentle whiff of cigar box.  The palate is elegantly styled with crisp acidity and moderate tannins balancing restrained fruit.  Long finish.  Drink now to 2015.  Tasted January 2009.