France - All Sparkling Wines
Several regions in France are renowned for producing sparkling wine, but the most famous and prestigious are Champagne, Alsace, and the Loire Valley.
Champagne is the most well-known region for producing sparkling wine, and the name "Champagne" is protected by law to designate only the sparkling wines made in that region. The climate and soil of the Champagne region, located in northeastern France, are ideal for growing the grapes used to make sparkling wine, including Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. Some notable Champagne houses include Moët & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot, and Dom Pérignon.
Alsace, located in northeastern France, is also known for producing high-quality sparkling wine, primarily made from Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Riesling grapes. The wines from Alsace are typically drier and crisper than Champagne, with a more pronounced fruitiness. Notable producers include Domaine Bruno Sorg, Domaine Mittnacht Frères, and Domaine Weinbach.
The Loire Valley, located in central France, is another region known for producing excellent sparkling wine, made primarily from Chenin Blanc grapes. The wines from the Loire Valley tend to be lighter and fresher than those from Champagne, with a more pronounced acidity and minerality. Notable producers include Bouvet Ladubay, Langlois-Château, and Domaine des Baumard.
Other regions in France that produce sparkling wine include Burgundy, which produces Crémant de Bourgogne; Limoux in Languedoc-Roussillon, which is known for its Blanquette de Limoux; and the Jura region, which produces sparkling wine made from the Savagnin grape. However, Champagne, Alsace, and the Loire Valley remain the most well-known and respected regions for producing sparkling wine in France.
France - All Sparkling Wines
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Champagne | 1 | 96 (DC) | HK$7,860.00 | |||||
Decanter (96)Lemon peel and wet chalk notes grow to include ripe apricot, flowers, marzipan and spice. Although the wine never loses its elegance, it shows impressive intensity and concentration and has the substance to linger almost indefinitely. It is from the oldest vines of the domaine, particularly the lieu-dit Les Buzons, fermented in cask without malolactic fermentation, and bottled unfined and unfiltered. One of the greats, this will age for decades to come. |
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Champagne | 3 | 99 (JS) | HK$3,285.00 | |||||
James Suckling (99)This is really incredible with orange peel, dried pineapple and flan. Exotic. Full body, round and savory. Crazy character at the finish of cooked pineapple and tart tartine. Gorgeous; can't believe it. |
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Champagne | 1 | 99 (JS) | HK$22,990.00 | |||||
James Suckling (99)This is really incredible with orange peel, dried pineapple and flan. Exotic. Full body, round and savory. Crazy character at the finish of cooked pineapple and tart tartine. Gorgeous; can't believe it. |
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Champagne | 1 | 99 (JS) | HK$33,690.00 | |||||
James Suckling (99)This is really incredible with orange peel, dried pineapple and flan. Exotic. Full body, round and savory. Crazy character at the finish of cooked pineapple and tart tartine. Gorgeous; can't believe it. |
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Champagne | 1 | 98 (WA) | HK$5,055.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (98)The brilliant 1996 Dom Perignon, which has largely disappeared from the marketplace, may be the finest young example of DP I have ever tasted. Notes of crushed rocks, honeysuckle, lemon oil, orange marmalade, and white pear provide a stunning aromatic display as well as palate impression. Great acidity and huge flavor intensity backed up by vibrant acidity make this an exquisite Champagne. It should drink well for 20-25 years, possibly longer. Readers should remember that the 1971 Dom Perignon Rose is still drinking exquisitely. I recently had the 1969 and 1970 Dom Perignons (from magnum), and both were drinking brilliantly. It makes one realize just how long-lived these wines can be. Production is confidential, but there must be hundreds of thousands of cases of Dom Perignon since it available in most of the world’s luxury hotels and restaurants. |
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Champagne | 2 | 18.5 (JR) | HK$14,710.00 | |||||
Jancis Robinson (18.5)Served not blind immediately after 2002 through to 2006 (which were all served blind), so of course it seemed particularly beautiful. Pale creamy minerally savoury nose. Really lively and punchy. Some smokiness. A hint of honey. Very good bottle. |
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Champagne | 1 | 94 (VN) | HK$4,370.00 | |||||
Vinous (94)The 2000 Dom Pérignon is a gorgeous wine to drink now, as it is already showing quite a bit of aromatic and flavor complexity. Although the 2000 doesn’t have the multi-dimensional personality or structure of the very best DPs, it does offer tremendous drinking pleasure today. Hints of pastry, baked apple and mint add nuance, with a touch of reduction that lends an added kick of freshness. Ultimately, the 2000 is a very drinkable and delicious Dom Pérignon. |
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Champagne | 1 | 94 (VN) | HK$2,205.00 | |||||
Vinous (94)The 2000 Dom Pérignon is a gorgeous wine to drink now, as it is already showing quite a bit of aromatic and flavor complexity. Although the 2000 doesn’t have the multi-dimensional personality or structure of the very best DPs, it does offer tremendous drinking pleasure today. Hints of pastry, baked apple and mint add nuance, with a touch of reduction that lends an added kick of freshness. Ultimately, the 2000 is a very drinkable and delicious Dom Pérignon. |
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Champagne | 1 | 94 (VN) | HK$12,630.00 | |||||
Vinous (94)The 2000 Dom Pérignon is a gorgeous wine to drink now, as it is already showing quite a bit of aromatic and flavor complexity. Although the 2000 doesn’t have the multi-dimensional personality or structure of the very best DPs, it does offer tremendous drinking pleasure today. Hints of pastry, baked apple and mint add nuance, with a touch of reduction that lends an added kick of freshness. Ultimately, the 2000 is a very drinkable and delicious Dom Pérignon. |
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Champagne | 1 | 98 (VN) | HK$2,915.00 | |||||
Vinous (98)I remember the first time I tasted the 2002 Dom Pérignon with then-Chef de Caves Richard Geoffroy at Hautvillers. It was the upcoming release at the time. As was his custom, Geoffroy served the 2002 in a flight that included a number of previous releases. The bouquet was immediately stunning for its audacity. I had never tasted anything like it. Two thousand-two was a year marked by extreme ripeness in the Chardonnays, and that opulence has always been a big part of the wine’s profile. Today, what strikes me most about the 2002 is its timelessness. That youthful opulence remains, yet the 2002 is still vibrant, almost shocking in its freshness. Apricot, ripe peach, tangerine oil, butter and dried flowers all build towards a captivating crescendo of aromas and flavors that saturates the finish. Readers can look forward to another two decades of exceptional drinking. |
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Champagne | 1 | 98 (VN) | HK$10,975.00 | |||||
Vinous (98)I remember the first time I tasted the 2002 Dom Pérignon with then-Chef de Caves Richard Geoffroy at Hautvillers. It was the upcoming release at the time. As was his custom, Geoffroy served the 2002 in a flight that included a number of previous releases. The bouquet was immediately stunning for its audacity. I had never tasted anything like it. Two thousand-two was a year marked by extreme ripeness in the Chardonnays, and that opulence has always been a big part of the wine’s profile. Today, what strikes me most about the 2002 is its timelessness. That youthful opulence remains, yet the 2002 is still vibrant, almost shocking in its freshness. Apricot, ripe peach, tangerine oil, butter and dried flowers all build towards a captivating crescendo of aromas and flavors that saturates the finish. Readers can look forward to another two decades of exceptional drinking. |
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Champagne | 1 | 98 (VN) | HK$8,665.00 | |||||
Vinous (98)The 2004 Dom Pérignon is a totally different beast. It is the product of a very long and cool growing season marked by heavy summer rains in some sectors of the region and then ideal conditions through to harvest. After a brutally torrid 2003, the vines responded by setting a huge crop. In fact, 2004 remains the most abundant vintage in the history of Champagne. The best wines, though, well, they have always impressed with their laser-like cut and focus. That’s exactly what comes through in the 2004 Dom Pérignon. Tasted from magnum, the 2004 shows all the linear energy and crystalline precision of the year, but with that extra magic that comes from fermentation and longer aging in the big bottle. The 2004 has long been one of my favorite Dom Pérignons. From magnum, it is especially captivating. |
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Champagne | 1 | 96 (VN) | HK$9,000.00 | |||||
Vinous (96)Powerful, dense and tightly wound, the 2006 Dom Pérignon is fabulous today. To be sure, the 2006 is a broad, virile Champagne, but I find it compelling because of its phenolic depth and overall intensity. Chef de Caves Richard Geoffroy adds that August was quite cold and wet, and that ripening only happened at the very end of the growing season. Although numbers alone can never explain a wine, I find it interesting that the 2006 has more phenolics than the 2003. Readers will have to be patient, as the 2006 is easily the most reticent Dom Pérignon in the years spanning 2002 and 2009. I am confident the 2006 will have its day, but in its youth, it is not especially charming or easy to drink. |
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Champagne | 1 | 100 (FS) | HK$7,660.00 | |||||
Falstaff (100)Light golden yellow, silver reflections, fine, persistent mousse. Touches of brioche underneath nuances of yellow tropical fruit, notes of peach and pineapple, citrus zest, discreet blossom honey, also toasted nut nuances and floral-mineral notes. Complex, pleasant fruit expression, juicy fruit notes, savoury nuances, taut acidity, rich but with finesse and so perfectly balanced, salty-smoky finish. Has super length and great development potential, world class. |
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Champagne | 1 | 100 (FS) | HK$12,250.00 | |||||
Falstaff (100)Light golden yellow, silver reflections, fine, persistent mousse. Touches of brioche underneath nuances of yellow tropical fruit, notes of peach and pineapple, citrus zest, discreet blossom honey, also toasted nut nuances and floral-mineral notes. Complex, pleasant fruit expression, juicy fruit notes, savoury nuances, taut acidity, rich but with finesse and so perfectly balanced, salty-smoky finish. Has super length and great development potential, world class. |
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Champagne | 1 | 100 (FS) | HK$10,290.00 | |||||
Falstaff (100)Light golden yellow, silver reflections, fine, persistent mousse. Touches of brioche underneath nuances of yellow tropical fruit, notes of peach and pineapple, citrus zest, discreet blossom honey, also toasted nut nuances and floral-mineral notes. Complex, pleasant fruit expression, juicy fruit notes, savoury nuances, taut acidity, rich but with finesse and so perfectly balanced, salty-smoky finish. Has super length and great development potential, world class. |
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