France
The vast and diverse wine regions of France, each with its own unique terroirs, grape varieties, and winemaking techniques, are a treasure trove.
In Bordeaux, the birthplace of some of the world's most iconic wines, esteemed vineyards such as Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Margaux, Château Latour, and Château Haut-Brion produce exceptional red wines, showcasing the art of blending Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec. The region is also renowned for its exquisite white wines, with vineyards like Château d'Yquem and Domaine de Chevalier producing legendary sweet wines.
Moving to Burgundy, the vineyards of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Domaine Leroy, and Domaine Armand Rousseau capture the essence of the region's revered terroir, crafting exquisite red wines from the Pinot Noir grape. Meanwhile, Domaine Leflaive and Domaine Coche-Dury are celebrated for their world-class white wines, predominantly made from Chardonnay.
The Champagne region, known for its sparkling wines, boasts illustrious houses such as Krug, Dom Pérignon, and Moët & Chandon, as well as grower-producers like Pierre Péters and Jacques Selosse. These vineyards create exceptional sparkling wines using the traditional method, offering a symphony of delicate bubbles, elegant flavors, and vibrant acidity.
In the Rhône Valley, iconic vineyards like Chapoutier, E. Guigal, and Château de Beaucastel produce remarkable red wines in the northern appellations of Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie, and Cornas, showcasing the elegance and power of Syrah. Further south, Châteauneuf-du-Pape is celebrated for its rich and full-bodied red blends, with Château Rayas and Clos des Papes leading the way.
In Alsace, vineyards such as Domaine Zind-Humbrecht and omaine Trimbach craft exquisite white wines, including Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and Pinot Gris, expressing the region's unique terroir and varietal character.
These are just a few highlights among the diverse array of wines that France offers. From the Loire Valley's crisp whites and elegant reds to the Languedoc-Roussillon's bold and robust wines, each region presents its own vinous treasures.
France
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(6x75cl) 2010Wine Enthusiast (99)
In this great year for white Burgundy, Bâtard-Montrachet shines out as the epitome of balance between superb fruit and intense mineral and terroir characters. Its subtle touch of wood highlights the unctuous surface texture while just hinting at the steel sharpness of the structure beneath. Age this superb wine for at least 10 years.HK$56,960.00 -
Wine Advocate (95)
Tasted blind at the Burgundy 2011 horizontal tasting in Beaune. The Bâtard-Montrachet 2011 from Anne-Claude Leflaive is slightly deeper in color than its peers. The nose is a little austere at first, but it unfolds nicely with impressive mineral (slate and flint) scents, well defined and poised. The palate is well balanced with a keen thread of acidity. There is a bright citric heart to this Bâtard-Montrachet with fleeting touches of nectarine and citrus lemon joining the edgy mineral finish. This is a classy Grand Cru – regal but not imposing.HK$10,205.00 -
(3x150cl) 2011Wine Advocate (95)
Tasted blind at the Burgundy 2011 horizontal tasting in Beaune. The Bâtard-Montrachet 2011 from Anne-Claude Leflaive is slightly deeper in color than its peers. The nose is a little austere at first, but it unfolds nicely with impressive mineral (slate and flint) scents, well defined and poised. The palate is well balanced with a keen thread of acidity. There is a bright citric heart to this Bâtard-Montrachet with fleeting touches of nectarine and citrus lemon joining the edgy mineral finish. This is a classy Grand Cru – regal but not imposing.HK$61,115.00 -
(1x150cl) 2012Vinous (96+)
(bottled in mid-May): Bright lemon-yellow. Deeper-pitched than the Pucelles, with nectarine and spice flavors complicated by leesy and smoky nuances. Big, rich and sweet, with peach and smoke flavors lifted by high notes of grapefruit and jasmine and enlivened by bracing acidity. Best today on the penetrating, rising finish, where the wine's grapefruit cut leaves the mouth refreshed. Great potential here, but in need of at least eight years of aging.HK$19,705.00 -
Burghound (93-96)
Here the nose is restrained to the point of being all but mute and only aggressive swirling coaxes the grudging aromas of pear, white peach, apricot, acacia blossom and discreet menthol nuances. As is usually the case there is more size, weight and muscle to the medium weight plus flavors that possess a hint of bitter lemon on the massively long finish. What I find interesting about the 2013 Bâtard is not only that it is more elegant then usual but also that it manages to deliver so much volume and power without any appreciable weight. In a word, brilliant.HK$30,080.00 -
(3x75cl) 2014Wine Spectator (97)
This intense white exhibits lemon, apple and honeydew melon flavors over a backbone of crackling acidity. Linear and persistent, this has an extra dimension, resonating on the long aftertaste of spice and mineral. Best from 2020 through 2032.HK$31,855.00 -
(1x150cl) 2016Wine Advocate (93-95)
The 2016 Batard Montrachet Grand Cru was vinified together rather than in four different parcels due to the frost (in fact one plot was pulled out). It has a much more involving and expressive bouquet compared to the Bienvenues. The palate is slightly viscous on the entry countered by a keen thread of acidity, not as tensile as the Bienvenues but surprisingly richer than one would have expected, with traces of wild honey toward the caressing finish. This may well turn out to be the pick of Leflaive's 2016s.HK$15,720.00 -
(1x150cl) 2019Vinous (96)
The 2019 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru shows a little more clarity, a touch more crystalline on the nose compared to the Bienvenue, scents of Granny Smith apples, petrichor and gunflint. It is controlled and penetrating. The palate is extremely well balanced with a fine silver bead of acidity that cuts through the concentrated malic fruit, a dash of pepper towards the finish that fans out gloriously, sour lemon and grapefruit lingering on the aftertaste. Wonderful. Closure: Diam 30HK$26,950.00 -
Vinous (96)
The 2019 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru shows a little more clarity, a touch more crystalline on the nose compared to the Bienvenue, scents of Granny Smith apples, petrichor and gunflint. It is controlled and penetrating. The palate is extremely well balanced with a fine silver bead of acidity that cuts through the concentrated malic fruit, a dash of pepper towards the finish that fans out gloriously, sour lemon and grapefruit lingering on the aftertaste. Wonderful. Closure: Diam 30HK$11,715.00 -
(3x75cl) 2019Vinous (96)
The 2019 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru shows a little more clarity, a touch more crystalline on the nose compared to the Bienvenue, scents of Granny Smith apples, petrichor and gunflint. It is controlled and penetrating. The palate is extremely well balanced with a fine silver bead of acidity that cuts through the concentrated malic fruit, a dash of pepper towards the finish that fans out gloriously, sour lemon and grapefruit lingering on the aftertaste. Wonderful. Closure: Diam 30HK$39,935.00 -
(1x150cl) 2020Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (96-98)
5-Star Wine Mid lemon yellow. The bouquet also takes time to emerge, then shows a little more power than the Bienvenues. The oak is a fraction more present but still superbly integrated. The taffeta texture could not possibly have more tensile strength, with an exemplary purity of fruit. To have so much power (not in an alcoholic sense) and yet so much grape. Little light fresh apple notes to finish. Tasted: May 2022HK$31,935.00 -
(1x75cl) 2020Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (96-98)
5-Star Wine Mid lemon yellow. The bouquet also takes time to emerge, then shows a little more power than the Bienvenues. The oak is a fraction more present but still superbly integrated. The taffeta texture could not possibly have more tensile strength, with an exemplary purity of fruit. To have so much power (not in an alcoholic sense) and yet so much grape. Little light fresh apple notes to finish. Tasted: May 2022HK$8,940.00 -
Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (96-98)
5-Star Wine Mid lemon yellow. The bouquet also takes time to emerge, then shows a little more power than the Bienvenues. The oak is a fraction more present but still superbly integrated. The taffeta texture could not possibly have more tensile strength, with an exemplary purity of fruit. To have so much power (not in an alcoholic sense) and yet so much grape. Little light fresh apple notes to finish. Tasted: May 2022HK$29,140.00 -
(6x75cl) 2020Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (96-98)
5-Star Wine Mid lemon yellow. The bouquet also takes time to emerge, then shows a little more power than the Bienvenues. The oak is a fraction more present but still superbly integrated. The taffeta texture could not possibly have more tensile strength, with an exemplary purity of fruit. To have so much power (not in an alcoholic sense) and yet so much grape. Little light fresh apple notes to finish. Tasted: May 2022HK$55,330.00 -
Burghound (95-98)
(Don't Miss!) Once again a subtle but not invisible application of wood frames cool and ripe aromas of green apple, acacia blossom, petrol and airy zest-tinged nuances. Interestingly, the middleweight flavors aren't quite as dense as those of the Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet yet the intensity is even higher, indeed it's almost painful, while flashing impressive power on the gorgeously complex, sneaky long and equally well-balanced finale. This is also stunning but patience required.HK$28,435.00 -
(6x75cl) 2022Wine Advocate (96)
The 2022 Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru is more muscular than the Bienvenues, exhibiting notes of sweet orchard fruit and peach mingled with clear honey, toasted nuts and flowers. Full-bodied, satiny and textural, with good depth and grip, it's more layered and powerful.HK$9,587.60 -
(12x75cl) 2002Vinous (96)
The most interesting of the wines in our first flight was the 2002 Domaine Leflaive Bienvenue-Bâtard-Montrachet, which remained bright, layered and beautifully focused throughout the course of the evening. The Leflaive was even better when I came back to it at the end of the evening. Although still young, it embodied all of the qualities Burgundy lovers seek in age worthy whites. I loved it.HK$116,950.00 -
(1x75cl) 2004HK$7,515.00 -
(1x75cl) 2006Vinous (93+)
(bottled one month ago) Subtly complex nose combines peach, apple, pear, minerals, hazelnut and smoke. Explosively fruity in the mouth, with firm acidity and brisk citrus flavors giving the mid-palate terrific focus and lift. As rich as this is, it conveys a lovely light touch. Finishes firmly structured, vibrant and very long. A very good year for this style.HK$7,580.00 -
(2x75cl) 2008Wine Enthusiast (97)
A marvelously intense wine, the Chardonnay singing with light toast and acidity. The wine has layers of green apple, spice, a tight texture and orange zest highlights. Age for at least seven years.HK$19,420.00 -
Tim Atkin MW (97)
A class act in every way, this benefits from the lower alchols of the vintage, as it did in 2007. It's a powerful wine, but it's harmonious at the same time. Smoky and richly textured, with attractive cinnamon oak, sappy acidity and a nuanced minerally finish.HK$36,550.00 -
(1x150cl) 2014Wine Advocate (93-95)
The 2014 Bienvenue Bâtard Montrachet Grand Cru has a come-hither bouquet that is very immediate: passion fruit, apricot blossom, cold stone and even a faint touch of strawberry winegums. The palate is well balanced with a keen line of acidity, good weight in the mouth with a touch of citrus lemon and lime, but perhaps just needing more complexity and terroir expression to come through on the finish. This is one of the best 2014 Bienvenues that I have come across -- an absolute delight.HK$18,345.00 -
(1x75cl) 2014Wine Advocate (93-95)
The 2014 Bienvenue Bâtard Montrachet Grand Cru has a come-hither bouquet that is very immediate: passion fruit, apricot blossom, cold stone and even a faint touch of strawberry winegums. The palate is well balanced with a keen line of acidity, good weight in the mouth with a touch of citrus lemon and lime, but perhaps just needing more complexity and terroir expression to come through on the finish. This is one of the best 2014 Bienvenues that I have come across -- an absolute delight.HK$8,970.00 -
(1x150cl) 2015Wine Advocate (94+)
The 2015 Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru is showing very well, opening in the glass with a reticent but detailed bouquet of fresh pear, white peach, tangerine oil, spring flowers, pastry cream and a delicate framing of new oak. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, multidimensional and effortlessly complete, with succulent acids, elegantly glossy textural impact and understated persistence on the finish. This cuvée is beautifully balanced and full of energy, but it has definitely closed down after bottling and will demand five years in the cellar at the very minimum before it begins to expatiate. Matured in 20% new oak and bottled under Diam 30.HK$27,585.00 -
(1x150cl) 2018Vinous (95-97)
The 2018 Bienvenue-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru has a terse, stoic, delineated bouquet with scents of wet limestone and sea spray, just a slight menthol note developing with aeration. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity. A very pretty, elegant Bienvenue that reveals hints of blood orange and sour lemon on the precise, persistent finish. This is a gorgeous Bienvenue.HK$16,290.00 -
Vinous (95-97)
The 2018 Bienvenue-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru has a terse, stoic, delineated bouquet with scents of wet limestone and sea spray, just a slight menthol note developing with aeration. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity. A very pretty, elegant Bienvenue that reveals hints of blood orange and sour lemon on the precise, persistent finish. This is a gorgeous Bienvenue.HK$8,800.00 -
Vinous (95-97)
The 2018 Bienvenue-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru has a terse, stoic, delineated bouquet with scents of wet limestone and sea spray, just a slight menthol note developing with aeration. The palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity. A very pretty, elegant Bienvenue that reveals hints of blood orange and sour lemon on the precise, persistent finish. This is a gorgeous Bienvenue.HK$23,875.00 -
Vinous (94)
The 2019 Bienvenue-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru is cut from a similar cloth to the Les Pucelles on the nose: reserved, mineral-driven with hints of orange blossom emerging with time, later more Granny Smith apples. The palate is strict and precise, demonstrating impressive weight, especially towards the back end. Maybe not quite as complex as the best of Leflaive’s Premier Cru, though it is extremely pesistent with a long ginger-tinged aftertaste. Closure: Diam 30HK$8,835.00 -
(1x150cl) 2020Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (94-97)
5-Star Wine An elegant lemon and lime colour. The nose is very precise, a masterpiece of elegance, not giving too much up front. The oak is entirely integrated. A little bit of fresh fennel, otherwise pure white fruit. Then the concentration builds to the back, a slight youthful bitterness, all in all a discreet wine with enormous power to build subsequently. Tasted: May 2022HK$31,935.00 -
(3x75cl) 2020Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (94-97)
5-Star Wine An elegant lemon and lime colour. The nose is very precise, a masterpiece of elegance, not giving too much up front. The oak is entirely integrated. A little bit of fresh fennel, otherwise pure white fruit. Then the concentration builds to the back, a slight youthful bitterness, all in all a discreet wine with enormous power to build subsequently. Tasted: May 2022HK$35,295.00

