Tasting the right bank wines of Bordeaux at VinExpo Asia on Thursday, a couple of things become clear. 2009 is a truly magical vintage and you get what you pay for, most times. My best wine of the morning was a Clos des Jacobins 2009, but at €50 a bottle, it needs to be. For half the price you can get the Fonroque 2009 from Alain Moueix (below) which is awesome and biodynamic to boot.

Alain is no stranger to SA and still owns a vineyard in Somerset West. His Ingwe blends were way ahead of their time. Let’s hope this supremely talented and modest winemaker revisits the project. On the subject of modesty, I was almost run down by US wino James Suckling with a Chinese dragon lady bobbing in his wake, while tasting Almaviva in the main hall. “Who’s that guy with the funny hair?” asked my friend.  Who indeed.