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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Burgundy | 1 | 92-95 (IB) | HK$14,130.00 | |||||
Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (92-95)More ruby than crimson. The fruit is a little more restrained, but perhaps fresher than the Thorey, more in raspberry and cherry. This continues on a well-rounded palate with just a little youthful bitterness to add a level of tension. Will take a little longer to come round. Drink from 2031-2038. Tasted Nov 2024. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 89-92 (VN) | HK$3,125.00 | |||||
Vinous (89-92)Good full red. Reticent aromas of red- and blackcurrant, leather and dark chocolate; less floral and expressive on the nose. Then densely packed, sappy and tight, with a fine-grained texture for Nuits-Saint-Georges. Finishes with strong but ripe tannins and very good juicy persistence. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 90 (WA) | HK$13,845.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (90)Tasted blind at the Burgundy 2011 horizontal tasting in Beaune. Initially, the Nuits Saint Georges 1er Cru Aux Thorey from Cathiard seems to have a lot of oak smothering the sappy black fruit, although with aeration it coalesces nicely and develops attractive floral scents. The palate is well balanced with crisp acidity cutting through the thickset fruit. This feels a little primal and flirts with over-extraction but I think it does not step over the mark. Give this 5-6 years and this could turn into a fine Nuits Saint Georges. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 94 (TA) | HK$15,270.00 | |||||
Tim Atkin MW (94)The style is still evolving at this domaine since Sébastian Cathiard took over with the 2011 vintage, but some of the wines seem denser and more oaky in their youth. This is an impressive, even explosive Pinot, which will see less oak in 2013. The underlying fruit concentration is balanced by a breezy freshness on the finish. |
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Burgundy | 4 | 91-93 (VN) | HK$3,465.00 | |||||
Vinous (91-93)Cathiard's 2013 Nuits St. Georges Aux Thorey is packed with implosive energy. Dark blue and black stone fruits, smoke, spice and new leather come through, but the 2013 remains tightly wound, with imposing tannins and notable concentration. I expect the 2013 is going to need a good decade to start strutting its stuff. Still, there is plenty to look forward to. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 91-93 (WA) | HK$8,275.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (91-93)The 2017 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Aux Thorey offers up a lovely bouquet of cassis, blackberries, warm spices, licorice and peony. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, ample and layered, with superb concentration and an earthier, chewier profile than the Murgers this year—despite the finesse of its tannins. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 91-93 (WA) | HK$13,170.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (91-93)The 2017 Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Aux Thorey offers up a lovely bouquet of cassis, blackberries, warm spices, licorice and peony. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, ample and layered, with superb concentration and an earthier, chewier profile than the Murgers this year—despite the finesse of its tannins. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 92-94 (VN) | HK$10,270.00 | |||||
Vinous (92-94)The 2018 Nuits Saint-Georges Aux Thorey 1er Cru felt a little subdued when I tasted it from barrel; perhaps it is closing down more quickly than its siblings as the winter cold settles in the cellar. The palate is medium-bodied with chalky tannins and a little angular at the moment, but there is ample freshness on the graphite-tinged finish. A more aloof and serious Aux Thorey than in the past. It will be fascinating to see how this shows once in bottle. |
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Burgundy | 1 | - | HK$9,130.00 | |||||
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Burgundy | 1 | - | HK$16,705.00 | |||||
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Burgundy | 1 | 93-95 (VN) | HK$2,110.00 | |||||
Vinous (93-95)The 2021 Nuits Saint-Georges Aux Thorey 1er Cru is expressive on the nose: wild strawberry, sous-bois and touches of crushed violet gradually unfold and seduce. The palate is silky smooth on the entry, candied orange peel filtering through the shimmering red fruit with a refreshing and precise finish that urges you back for more. Wonderful. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 89-91 (VN) | HK$11,175.00 | |||||
Vinous (89-91)(two-thirds new oak; from 70-year-old vines in a parcel next to Vosne-Romanée): Good dark red. Crushed blackberry and blueberry aromas convey a sweet oak quality. Dense, sappy wine with intense dark fruit and spice flavors. The tannins are a bit aggressive today but there's plenty of buffering fruit. This seriously structured, persistent village wine has the structure for aging. |
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Burgundy | 2 | 91-93 (VN) | HK$9,415.00 | |||||
Vinous (91-93)The 2018 Nuits Saint-Georges Village, courtesy of the lieu-dit of Aux Athets, has a pure bouquet of black cherry, blueberry and light violet aromas that convey a Vosne-like allure. The palate is, again, very pure, with a disarmingly silky texture, a fine bead of acidity and great precision and length on the finish. This is an outstanding village cru. |
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Burgundy | 2 | - | HK$9,645.00 | |||||
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Burgundy | 2 | 90-91 (IB) | HK$6,860.00 | |||||
Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (90-91)One new barrel out of the three. A bright pale ruby. The Nuits offers a slightly darker fruit of medium density, soon overcoming the new oak content which has its usual Cathiard creamy character. A fine balance across the palate with fair length. Drink from 2029-2033. Tasted Nov 2024. |
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Burgundy | 3 | 93-96 (VN) | HK$34,260.00 | |||||
Vinous (93-96)Good full medium red. Slightly reduced nose offers sexy scents of dark cherry, cocoa powder, flowers and summer garrigue. Sweet, silky and fine-grained, with superb lift to its fruit and mineral flavors. This coats the palate in a completely different way from the previous samples. Finishes very long, with noble tannins and lovely finesse. Cathiard does look for big extraction here. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 93-96 (VN) | HK$48,060.00 | |||||
Vinous (93-96)Good full red. Superripe, musky aromas of strawberry liqueur, roasted meat and smoky, stony minerality. Like a liquid confection in the mouth; thick and highly concentrated yet somehow lively and delineated, with terrific minerality and verve to its explosive flavors of sappy crushed berries and crushed rock. This impressively opulent and very ripe grand cru finishes extremely minerally and very long, with terrific grip and ineffable building perfume. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 96-98 (WA) | HK$21,895.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (96-98)The 2014 Romanée St Vivant Grand Cru, matured in two-thirds new oak, has an incredibly powerful and pure bouquet that already possesses dizzying, seductive intensity. Wow. The palate has a satin-like texture, perfect acidity and filigree tannin. However, it is the purity of this wine and the shimmering tension on the finish that is totally entrancing. One of the wines of the vintage? Most certainly. Bravo Sebastien. |
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