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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Bordeaux | 13 | 92 (JD) | HK$2,290.00 | |||||
Jeb Dunnuck (92)The grand vin, the 2017 Chateau Clos de Bouard is all Merlot brought up in a mix of new and French oak. Its ruby hue is followed by a medium-bodied, delicious, juicy effort that has beautiful elegance, medium-bodied richness and depth, fine tannins, and great aromatics. It's not a blockbuster, but it’s straight-up classy. Drink it over the coming 10-15 years. |
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Bordeaux | 7 | 91 (VN (NM)) | HK$2,470.00 | |||||
Vinous - Neal Martin (91)The 2018 Clos de Boüard has a generous, ripe bouquet of blackberry, boysenberry and light violet aromas that all gain intensity with aeration. The palate is ripe and quite extracted on the entry. A powerful Montagne Saint-Émilion with grippy tannins, though it needs a little more amplitude toward the finish, which feels strict and linear. It does open up with aeration and should come around with 2–3 years in bottle. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 91 (VN (NM)) | HK$2,840.00 | |||||
Vinous - Neal Martin (91)The 2018 Clos de Boüard has a generous, ripe bouquet of blackberry, boysenberry and light violet aromas that all gain intensity with aeration. The palate is ripe and quite extracted on the entry. A powerful Montagne Saint-Émilion with grippy tannins, though it needs a little more amplitude toward the finish, which feels strict and linear. It does open up with aeration and should come around with 2–3 years in bottle. |
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Bordeaux | 5 | 91 (VN (NM)) | HK$1,365.00 | |||||
Vinous - Neal Martin (91)The 2018 Clos de Boüard has a generous, ripe bouquet of blackberry, boysenberry and light violet aromas that all gain intensity with aeration. The palate is ripe and quite extracted on the entry. A powerful Montagne Saint-Émilion with grippy tannins, though it needs a little more amplitude toward the finish, which feels strict and linear. It does open up with aeration and should come around with 2–3 years in bottle. |
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Bordeaux | 2 | 90-92 (VN (AG)) | HK$2,060.00 | |||||
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (90-92)A powerful, imposing wine, the 2020 Clos de Boüard possesses tremendous density as well as energy. Dark cherry, plum, gravel, dried herbs and menthol are all amplified. This rich, heady Montagne Saint-Émilion packs a serious punch. All the elements are very nicely put together. |
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Bordeaux | 100 | 91-92 (JS) | HK$1,365.00 | |||||
James Suckling (91-92)A solid red with berry, cherry and hints of chocolate. Medium body. Firm tannins. |
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Bordeaux | 4 | - | HK$2,060.00 | |||||
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Emanating distinguished elegance, the Clos de Bouard 2022 is a revelation in the world of fine wines. Accentuated by meticulously managed vineyard techniques, this remarkable libation stems from the renowned Montagne Saint-Émilion appellation in Bordeaux, France. The ingenious involvement of the de Bouard family, known for their exquisite winemaking mastery, results in an admirable creation of unique complexity and harmony. Traditional winemaking methods, combined with avant-garde viticultural technology, highlight the exceptional quality of the terroir. Handpicked Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes undergo a scrupulous selection process, ensuring only impeccable berries contribute to Clos de Bouard 2022. By blending immense respect for ancestral winemaking traditions with a progressive approach to viticulture, each bottle seals in sophisticated notes of black and red fruit, refreshingly balanced with velvety tannins. The captivating allure of the Clos de Bouard 2022 offers an authentic, unforgettable journey into classical French winemaking. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 94 (WA) | HK$7,765.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (94)From the Comte von Neipperg, his wines from this over-achieving estate always deliver an aromatic fireworks display of cedar wood, Christmas fruitcake, roasted herbs, black olive, cassis and sweet kirsch. The 2005 has all that as well as ripe, well-integrated, velvety tannin, and full body in a sexy, luscious, heady style to drink now and over the next 10-15 years. |
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Bordeaux | 3 | 93 (JS) | HK$3,475.00 | |||||
James Suckling (93)This is already really delicious. The black-fruit aromas are really ripe, but there’s no hint of jammy stuff. Tastes simultaneously juicy and creamy, and the tannins are so graceful: The wine glides across the palate. If it were more subtle, the score would go even higher. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 93+ (VN (AG)) | HK$3,525.00 | |||||
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (93+)The 2017 Clos de l'Oratoire has closed down since its bottling, but that is not a bad thing. All of the depth and energy the 2017 showed from barrel are present, but not quite as evident. Dark plum, savory herbs, sage, menthol, spice and licorice add attractive overtones to this deep, dense Saint-Émilion. The 2017 is an absolutely gorgeous wine with a ton of upside potential; it is one of the most pleasant surprises of the year - a wine of class and persistence. Tasted two times. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 94-97 (WS) | HK$4,010.00 | |||||
Wine Spectator (94-97)Features seamlessly layered dark currant, fig and boysenberry fruit, infused liberally with a tobacco note and backed by a long, smoldering finish. Latent energy keeps this going. An impressive young wine. |
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Bordeaux | 46 | 94-97 (WS) | HK$1,770.00 | |||||
Wine Spectator (94-97)Features seamlessly layered dark currant, fig and boysenberry fruit, infused liberally with a tobacco note and backed by a long, smoldering finish. Latent energy keeps this going. An impressive young wine. |
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Bordeaux | 100 | 96 (JD) | HK$1,470.00 | |||||
Jeb Dunnuck (96)Ripe black fruit (there's some red fruit as well), tobacco leaf, damp earth, exotic flowers, and some chocolaty notes all emerge from the 2019 Clos De L'Oratoire, another beautiful wine from the Neipperg family and team. Rich, medium to full-bodied, and seamless on the palate, I love its mid-palate, it has gorgeous tannins, no hard edges, and a great finish. This is clearly a great vintage for this cuvée. Hide bottles for 4-5 years, and it's going to have 2-3 decades of longevity, and probably a gradual decline after that as well. It's beautiful. |
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Bordeaux | 100 | 93-95 (JD) | HK$1,555.00 | |||||
Jeb Dunnuck (93-95)This wine seems to always deliver, and I loved the 2020 Clos De L'Oratoire. Lots of black cherries, subtle cassis, notes of lead pencil and violets, medium to full-bodied richness, and a balanced, elegant texture all make for a beautiful Saint-Emilion. It picks up more minerality with time in the glass, and its purity of fruit is top-notch. It will keep for at least two decades. |
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Bordeaux | 100 | 92-94 (VN (AG)) | HK$1,470.00 | |||||
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (92-94)The 2021 Clos de l'Oratoire is terrific. It offers a striking mix of dark blue/purplish fruit, chocolate, lavender, spice, menthol and crushed rocks. Dynamic and vibrant in the glass, impresses for its finely cut, somewhat nervous personality. The 2021 represents a pretty big stylistic shift. Some of that is the vintage and some is an evolution in style. The combined effects of those two factors make for a compelling Clos de L'Oratoire. |
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Bordeaux | 67 | 96 (JD) | HK$1,670.00 | |||||
Jeb Dunnuck (96)The 2022 Clos De L'Oratoire is 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc, and you can expect the quantity of the Cabernet Franc to increase here as the younger vines move into the Grand Vin. Black raspberries, crunchy black cherries, spice, flowers, and a gorgeous sense of minerality all define this beauty. It's medium to full-bodied, has a concentrated, layered mouthfeel, velvety tannins, and a great finish. It might be the finest vintage of this cuvée I've tasted. |
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