Sitting in a wine bar in Tokyo, I had only visited once before, when I noticed a young couple take the seats beside us. The gentleman immediately caught my attention, he was carefully studying the wine list, clearly searching for a serious bottle of Burgundy. It was obvious he was not a casual drinker but someone with genuine interest and curiosity.

I considered leaning over and asking whether he might like to share a bottle, but I hesitated. He was on a date, or it seemed, and I did not want to interrupt or embarrass him. Besides, the wines he was considering were substantial commitments, and I wasn’t sure whether he was truly prepared to pull the trigger. A few minutes later, to my surprise, he looked over at me, stood up, walked across, and said, “would you like to share a bottle?”

Without hesitation, I replied that I would be delighted, and still a little unsure as to the direction he intended, I insisted the 1995 Leroy, a wine I know all too well, and its these classical Burgundies crafted at a time when wines were of a different type of genre. (old school)

What followed was one of those unexpected moments that wine occasionally provides; The Cathiard was a killer, an “iron fist in a silk glove”, its top league and I scored it 96 Points, a depth of intensity and finesse the 2009 is drinking now and shows its potential.

The stunning black cherries, 2009 from Domaine Mugneret-Gibourg Echezeaux was drinking perfectly; superb strawberry purity and stunning length on the finish, I scored 97 Points, a wine to remember.

The Jadot a wine well powered with elegance and fruit, and the 2005 Jadot was simply one of the Jacques Lardieres well crafted vintages, I scored 94+ Points and I find these wines from Jacques are always worthy of buying to drink.

It was a reminder that some of the finest experiences in wine are never planned. They arrive unexpectedly, brought together by a shared passion, a little courage, and the willingness of strangers to become companions for an evening. It proves, a simple conversation turned into an evening of generosity, discovery. Bottle after bottle appeared, each more impressive than the last, and before long we were sharing not only remarkable Burgundies but also stories, and geeky wine opinions – just the way it is.