Loire Valley
Spanning from the Central Vineyards in the east to Nantes in the west, passing through Torraine and Anjou-Samur, the Loire Valley is a vast and varied wine region shaped by the river's influence. The region's diverse terroir is characterized by a continental climate in the east and a maritime climate in the west.
Renowned for its exceptional dry white wines made from Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc, the Loire Valley offers a captivating selection with crisp acidity, expressive fruit flavours, and mineral notes. Notable white wine appellations in the Loire Valley include Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, Vouvray, and Savennières. Leading producers of white wine in the region include Domaine Vacheron, Domaine Huet, and Domaine Didier Dagueneau.
In addition to its white wines, the Loire Valley produces charming red wines made from Cabernet Franc. Ranging from light and fruity to more complex and age-worthy, these red wines are known for their vibrant acidity, subtle tannins, and bright red fruit flavours. Key appellations for red wines in the Loire Valley include Chinon, Bourgueil, and Saumur-Champigny. Notable producers of red wine in the region include Domaine Bernard Baudry, Catherine & Pierre Breton, and Domaine Charles Joguet.
The Loire Valley also produces excellent sweet wines and sparkling wines. Sweet wines are made from Chenin Blanc grapes affected by botrytis, a fungus that concentrates the sugars in the grapes, resulting in luscious sweetness, honeyed flavors, and vibrant acidity. The most famous sweet wine appellations in the Loire Valley include Coteaux du Layon and Quarts de Chaume. Sparkling wines, known as Crémant de Loire, are made using the traditional method and offer excellent value for money with finesse, delicate bubbles, and refreshing character.
Loire Valley
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Vinous (92)
Just 400 bottles of Pouilly Fumé Asteroide were made in 2019 from the same vineyard as Pur Sang, but the winemaking is different: half of the wine goes in a glass wine globe (a bit like a bonbonne), the other half in a barrel. This is a more varietal expression of the grape and the vineyard with nettle tea, dill and boxwood. Winemaker Jean-Philippe Agisson suggests this varietal character might be down to the influence of the wine globe. There's a firm, tangy finish and a touch of savory, nuttiness on the length. The Pur Sang is a more complete wine than the Asteroide despite the latter having the rarity X factor due to being ungrafted. Certainly doesn't represent good value!HK$13,790.00 -
HK$16,080.00 -
HK$16,080.00 -
Vinous (93)
Returning in 2018 after 2017 was wiped out by frosts, this is an intense, wild 2018 Buisson Renard, like an untamed head of curls. In clear evidence at this early stage, it has floral and boxwood characters and a nutty oak-derived influence. There's even an intriguing note of peppermint on the sinewy, lengthy finish. In a mid-weight, linear style with a firm, phenolic finish that almost requires knife and fork. This needs more time in bottle to shed its austere frame, but if you're not in a hurry...HK$5,310.00 -
Vinous (92)
The Buisson Renard tends to be a more supple, more aromatically restrained cuvée in the Dagueneau stable, and the 2019 is no different. It's probably the richer clay soils on this section of the domaine. There's a delicate savory, herbal and oak-derived nutty character. It is fine and fresh with a supple texture that holds the mouth like a gentle embrace.HK$5,310.00 -
Vinous (95)
Perhaps the most Sauvignon-esque of all the vintage, the 2020 Buisson Renard is richly aromatic with distinctive lime, elderflower, ginger and honeysuckle aromas. It is currently most appealing for its tension as if a strong muscle is being stretched taut. It has masses of concentration and curves in the right places with an attractive sense of bitterness on the long finish. This is even better than when I tasted it from tank last year.HK$6,165.00 -
Vinous (95)
I'm a bit of a fan of the Buisson Renard. At the bottom of the hill below the winery in the village of Saint-Andelain, there's a greater proportion of clay to flint, giving a broadness to the wine's shape that envelops the whole mouth. In 2022, you can smell the warmth of the vintage and experience its richness and yet its sense of lightness. There's an appealing chew to the wine, and on the finish, a salty residue that makes you want to continue drinking. It retains acidity, line and length and provides precision. Its maker, Jean-Philippe Agisson, believes 8-10 months in stainless steel after being in barrel plus filtration gives the wine this tightening belt.HK$4,675.00 -
Introducing the Didier Dagueneau Pouilly-Fume Intouchables 2019, a formidable vintage from one of the most venerated producers in the Loire Valley. Precision, intensity and finesse are the hallmarks of Didier Dagueneau's commitment to expressing the true essence of his terroir. Famed for its flinty soil, the vineyards yield an extraordinary Sauvignon Blanc, infused with complex mineral character.
This 2019 vintage is the product of meticulous winemaking and an exceptional growing season. Hand-harvested grapes, low-yield vines, and a temperature-controlled fermentation process contribute to the wine's unique complexity and richness. The resulting wine encapsulates impeccable balance, with vibrant acidity complementing ripe fruit notes and a luxurious mouthfeel.
With limited bottles available, the Didier Dagueneau Pouilly-Fume Intouchables 2019 represents an excellent opportunity to savour a sensation from an iconic winemaker known for his relentless pursuit of purity and perfection. A truly unrepeatable experience for the discerning palate.
HK$18,220.00 -
HK$7,125.00 -
(1x150cl) 2018Vinous (94)
Sourced from a south-facing single vineyard on flint and clay over chalk, the 2018 Pur Sang is all white flowers and spiced apple pastry. Seemingly effortless and silken, its Sauvignon edges rounded out in barrels. It offers excellent concentration on the mid-palate, a line of acidity acting like a thread and holding the core together like a ball. Delectably textured, with a hint of tannic sensation holding the mouth gently on a lengthy conclusion that's drawn-out and precise. A complex, multifaceted wine.HK$2,935.00 -
Vinous (94)
Sourced from a south-facing single vineyard on flint and clay over chalk, the 2018 Pur Sang is all white flowers and spiced apple pastry. Seemingly effortless and silken, its Sauvignon edges rounded out in barrels. It offers excellent concentration on the mid-palate, a line of acidity acting like a thread and holding the core together like a ball. Delectably textured, with a hint of tannic sensation holding the mouth gently on a lengthy conclusion that's drawn-out and precise. A complex, multifaceted wine.HK$6,510.00 -
Vinous (96)
What I love most about the 2019 Pur Sang is its focus and precision; the compact, light bodied core carries masses of fragrance across the palate and beyond on the long finish. There's clarity and freshness, with a thread of acidity and minerality pulling the wine through like a needle and thread. It is starting to show the very first hints of time in bottle with a hint of almond alongside the ripe melon notes and nettle tea character. Impressive stuff from this three-hectare parcel in the village of Saint Laurent l'Abbaye, about 5km northeast of the Dagueneau domaine.HK$5,850.00 -
Vinous (94-95)
The 2020 Pur Sang is a compact and focused style with excellent concentration. It is as pure as glacial water. While tender and charming at first, it offers excellent precision, which is not a word you'd normally associate with the warm 2020 season. There is fine tension and structure with an integrated use of nutty oak combining with a fresh nectarine fragrance on the finish. Tasted as a tank sample, this is a 3-ha vineyard that's about 5km away from Dagueneau HQ, sitting on flint over a bedrock of chalk.HK$6,330.00 -
Vinous (94-95)
The 2020 Pur Sang is a compact and focused style with excellent concentration. It is as pure as glacial water. While tender and charming at first, it offers excellent precision, which is not a word you'd normally associate with the warm 2020 season. There is fine tension and structure with an integrated use of nutty oak combining with a fresh nectarine fragrance on the finish. Tasted as a tank sample, this is a 3-ha vineyard that's about 5km away from Dagueneau HQ, sitting on flint over a bedrock of chalk.HK$5,985.00 -
Vinous (93)
The 2022 Pur Sang is done in a really sophisticated style. Despite its long élevage, it needs a little more time for its oak (demi-muids and cigar-shaped barrels) to integrate fully and for its sense of strictness to mellow. But this isn't a wine you'd crack open on release anyway. It is pure and clear, with fine texture and a tenderness to its core. The 2022 shows fine lines and length, with tangy green flavors like cornichons and dill meeting green orange on the finish.HK$6,795.00 -
Vinous (92)
Pale gold. Vivid aromas of lime zest, quince and anise, with suave floral qualities adding another dimension. Opulent but finely etched, offering zesty citrus fruits, dusty minerals and an exotic note of green cardamom. Heady and fleshy but with a strikingly long finish that's focused and pure.HK$18,425.00 -
Wine Advocate (93-94+)
From an enclave just outside the cuverie in Saint Andelain, the Dagueneau 2009 Blanc Fume de Pouilly Silex delivers an almost inordinate diversity of floral, herbal, citrus (predominately grapefruit), and pit-fruit (predominately nectarine) elements, with the bitterness of fruit pits, smoky pungency of red currant and crushed stone, as well as notes of shrimp shell reduction and iodine inflecting a long, bittersweet, yet at the same time vibrant, buoyant finish. This silken textured seducer should gain with time in bottle and be worth following for ten or a dozen years.HK$17,420.00 -
(6x75cl) 2018Jancis Robinson (17+)
Cool and without obvious richness. Really refreshing and with great substance and density. More approachable in youth than I remember some Silex bottlings. You could happily enjoy this layered wine now but it should age well too. It really does taste flinty!!HK$8,330.00 -
Vinous (93)
The 2019 Pouilly Fumé Silex shows an initial tenderness, sitting quietly and not shouting that it's made it into your glass. This is a wine that has its act together, feeling integrated and balanced with plentiful concentration and a savory long finish. A delicate dill note, which is a characteristic of oaked Sauvignon peeks out amid the hush.HK$2,660.00 -
Vinous (93)
The 2019 Pouilly Fumé Silex shows an initial tenderness, sitting quietly and not shouting that it's made it into your glass. This is a wine that has its act together, feeling integrated and balanced with plentiful concentration and a savory long finish. A delicate dill note, which is a characteristic of oaked Sauvignon peeks out amid the hush.HK$11,680.00 -
(6x75cl) 2020Vinous (93-94)
While this was a warm season leading to richness in many wines from the region, the Silex 2020 shows ripe fruit, but there's no sense of being overblown. The fine line that races through many wines relying on flint-based parcels is there, carrying the nectarine and oak-derived vanilla flavors, but its influence never tips into austerity nor firmness. There's a sense of tenderness that runs through its core while remaining light in body.HK$9,810.00 -
Vinous (94)
The 2022 Silex is not a lot of fun upon release; dry and tense, it really needs time to mellow. There's flesh from the clay element of its clay-flint soils, which is felt on entry but tightens up as it moves through the mouth. This remains a wine of drive, firmness and upright structure; it speaks of the place it comes from rather than its variety. Aromatics are almost a forgotten element; this is a wine about structure and texture. There is a lemony, wild goat cheese-like note and a distinct flinty whiff. SIlex, after all, means flint in French.HK$7,990.00 -
Wine Advocate (94)
Grown about 40 kilometers north of Tours on silex clay soils over tuff limestone Eric Nicolas's 2019 Jasnières Les Rosiers is a medium-dry Chenin Blanc from 10- to 40-year-old biodynamically cultivated vines that have been planted in a high density of 10,000 vines per hectare since 2010. Picked by hand and fermented with indigenous yeasts, the 2019 was aged on the fine lees for 10 months in oak barrels. The result is another fascinating expression of Chenin with perfectly ripe and intense fruit aromas intertwined with flint stone notes, which combine purity and terroir character with richness and perfect ripeness. On the palate, the wine is round, refined and elegant as well as intense and juicy and carried by a delicate yet piercing mineral acidity to a long and sustainable aromatic as well as tensioned and very promising finish. This is a mouthful of fluid delicacy, and I absolutely adore this wine. It should have great aging potential, yet it already tastes highly seductive. Bottled with 13% alcohol and 17 grams per liter of unfermented sugar.HK$1,565.00 -
(6x75cl) 2020Step back in time as you savour the Domaine des Closiers Saumur-Champigny Les Closiers 2020, a fine wine that harmoniously combines contemporary viticulture with a reverence for tradition. Nestled in the heart of Loire Valley, France, the Domaine des Closiers winery meticulously produces this exquisite wine. Renowned for their sustainable approach, grapes are hand-harvested to achieve the purest concentration of flavour. Highly-praised for its intensity and balance, the Domaine des Closiers Saumur-Champigny Les Closiers 2020 delivers aromatic complexities of red and black fruits, elegantly crafted tannins and an eloquent minerality. This fine wine is barrel-aged, further enriching its character. Consuming this vintage is a captivating journey – a testament to the winemaker's precision and dedication to the art of winemaking. The Domaine des Closiers Saumur-Champigny Les Closiers 2020 embodies the epitome of fine wine – a superb gift to the palate from one of France's most prestigious terroirs.
HK$2,110.00 -
(6x75cl) 2023Domaine des Sables Verts, Saumur, Blanc 2023 exemplifies the finesse of Loire Valley craftsmanship. Grown in the heart of Saumur, the vineyards benefit from limestone-rich soils and a temperate climate, ideal for cultivating premium Chenin Blanc grapes. Meticulously handpicked, the grapes undergo gentle pressing to preserve their vibrant acidity and expressive fruit flavours. Fermentation is carried out in stainless steel tanks, ensuring the wine retains its fresh, mineral-driven character. Matured briefly in French oak barrels, Domaine des Sables Verts achieves a harmonious balance between complexity and elegance. The 2023 vintage presents a pale gold hue with enticing aromas of white peaches, quince, and subtle floral notes. On the palate, it delivers a lively acidity, complemented by nuanced citrus and honeyed undertones, culminating in a crisp, lingering finish. Perfectly suited to pair with seafood, poultry, or fine cheeses, this Saumur Blanc is a testament to the domaine’s dedication to quality and tradition.
HK$2,585.00 -
(6x75cl) 2022Domaine des Sables Verts, Saumur, Les Roueres 2022 exemplifies the finesse and elegance characteristic of Saumur's esteemed vineyards. Crafted from meticulously selected Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc grapes, cultivated in the domaine's limestone-rich terroir, this wine reflects the harmonious balance between tradition and modern viticultural practices. Under the expert guidance of the family-owned estate, the grapes undergo gentle hand harvesting, followed by precise fermentation in stainless steel tanks to preserve their vibrant acidity and aromatic complexity. The Les Roueres 2022 is then aged for twelve months in French oak barrels, imparting subtle notes of vanilla and spice without overpowering the wine's inherent fruitiness. The result is a refined expression with layers of red berries, floral nuances, and a lingering mineral finish, making it a superb choice for connoisseurs seeking both depth and elegance in their fine wine selection.
HK$3,350.00 -
Vinous (92)
True to its vintage, the 2022 Les Poyeux offers massive concentration. This is an impressive style with the structure for longevity. It is silken and round with plenty of chalky, fine-grained tannins that coat the palate. The fruit is appetizing with black and red cherry flavors, plus there's lovely refreshment on the finish. It could be approached with food starting in 2026, but this will be delectable with more bottle age. The 2022 underwent 28 days of maceration and maturation in amphora and barrel.HK$1,120.00 -
Domaine Famille Bourgeois Sancerre Le Graveron 2016 epitomises the elegance of the Sancerre terroir, meticulously cultivated in the heart of the Loire Valley. Hand-harvested Sauvignon Blanc grapes from the esteemed Le Graveron vineyard reflect the family's dedication to sustainable viticulture and traditional winemaking techniques. Fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, this vintage showcases a pristine expression of minerality and finesse. The 2016 harvest benefited from optimal weather conditions, enhancing the wine's vibrant acidity and nuanced flavour profile. Famille Bourgeois, a respected producer with generations of expertise, ensures each bottle embodies both the uniqueness of its origin and the family's unwavering commitment to excellence. The result is a refined wine with notes of citrus zest, subtle herbaceous undertones, and a lingering mineral finish, perfect for discerning connoisseurs seeking authentic Sancerre craftsmanship.
HK$1,870.00 -
The Domaine Famille Bourgeois Sancerre Le Graveron 2018 epitomises the finesse of the Loire Valley’s renowned Sancerre appellation. Cultivated in the esteemed Le Graveron vineyard, each Sauvignon Blanc grape is meticulously hand-harvested, reflecting the region’s unique chalk and flint terroir. Domaine Famille Bourgeois, a family-run estate with a heritage spanning generations, employs sustainable viticultural practices to preserve soil integrity and grape quality. Fermentation occurs in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, ensuring the preservation of the wine’s vibrant acidity and aromatic purity. The 2018 vintage showcases a brilliant pale gold hue, with nose notes of citrus zest, white blossoms, and subtle mineral nuances. On the palate, it delivers a harmonious balance of crisp freshness and elegant complexity, culminating in a persistent, refreshing finish. Perfectly suited to complement seafood, goat cheese, and light poultry dishes, Domaine Famille Bourgeois Sancerre Le Graveron 2018 is a distinguished choice for discerning wine enthusiasts.
HK$1,870.00 -
James Suckling (98)
Stare into the abyss and it will stare back at you! This has such an incredible depth of dried-flower and fresh-herb notes that you could get lost in the bouquet, before reaching the sleek and enormously mineral palate. So pristine and dazzling at the super long finish. Drink or hold.HK$2,380.00
