Inside the Glass: Mary’s Top 3 Wines on the Menu at MAD Wine Bar Saigon

3 Favourite Wines on the Menu (and Why) – Mary's Picks

At MAD Wine Bar, our wine list is personal. It’s shaped by what we love to drink, what we love to share — and the stories behind each bottle.
This week, our house sommelier Mary shares her top 3 favourites on the list right now — and why they deserve a spot in your glass.

Champagne
N.V. Bollinger Special Cuvée

Grapes: ~60% Pinot Noir, ~25% Chardonnay, ~15% Meunier
Region: Champagne, France

There are a few good reasons I picked this Champagne.
First — Bollinger is still family-owned and independently run..
That integrity shows in the wine.
Second — yes, James Bond. He doesn’t just drink martinis. His Champagne of choice? Bollinger.
And third — it’s a Royal Warrant Holder. Bollinger has supplied the British Royal Family since 1884. If it’s good enough for them, it’s good enough for me.

The wine is aged a minimum of 3 years on lees and Bollinger is one of the few houses that prints the disgorgement date — a level of transparency sommeliers love.

Tasting Notes
• Nose: Toasted brioche, roasted nuts, baked apple, spice
• Palate: Creamy mousse, bold structure, citrus peel, honey, a whisper of chalk

Pairing:
Perfect with our seafood platter or the French oysters on our menu — the crisp, creamy texture and depth of this Champagne goes very will with the seafood

2020 Domaine Paul Pernot
Puligny-Montrachet Villages

Grapes: 100% Chardonnay
Region: Burgundy, France

If you know me, you know I love Burgundy.
This bottle from Paul Pernot is a quiet icon — no flashy branding, no hype. Just serious vineyard-driven white Burgundy from one of Puligny’s old-school masters.

Old vines, low oak (10–20%), no bâtonnage. It’s all about purity and mineral tension.

Vineyard Age: 40–60+ years

Tasting Notes
• Color: Pale gold with a glint of green
• Nose: Citrus blossom, white peach, pear, hazelnut, flint
• Palate: Laser-sharp acidity, silky texture, lifted and long

Pairing:
I love this solo on a sunny afternoon, but our seabass filet with brown butter and capers would go very will with this

2018 Nervi-Conterno Gattinara

Grapes: 100% Nebbiolo (Spanna)
Region: Alto Piemonte, Italy

Why not Barolo? Fair question. But this Nebbiolo from Gattinara — grown in volcanic soils at altitude — brings something different: more lift, more iron, more elegance.

Made by Roberto Conterno (yes, that Conterno), it smells like roses, pine needles, wet stones, and summer forest air. There’s red cherry, dried strawberry, crushed flower petals… but also an earthy tension that makes the wine feel alive.

Aging: 30+ months in large neutral oak, unfined and unfiltered.

Tasting Notes
• Nose: Roses, alpine herbs, iron, smoke
• Palate: Juicy red fruit, fine tannins, savory and slightly smoky with mineral depth

Pairing:
A great match with some of the cheeses from our weekly selection — or one of your steaks, if you’re in the mood for something bolder. Either way, don’t rush the bottle.

Want to try one of Mary’s favourites?
Book a table or visit us at MAD Wine Bar in Thao Dien and let our team guide you through the list.