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
| Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Rhone | 1 | 98 (DC) | HK$11,300.00 | |||||
Decanter (98)Jean-Paul Jamet said '2019 gave wines in the style that I like to make'. A step up from the 2018 vintage, the 2019 is more vibrant and intense. A blend of 25 parcels, amounting to 17ha, almost exclusively on schist soils. No destemming. A tasting of nine different barrels across a variety of lieux-dits suggest that the 2019 Côte-Rôtie is very special indeed. This is vibrant and intense, but not as sunny as the 2018 in style - sugars and phenolics progressed at the same gradual rate in 2019, making for a more harmonious and balanced wine. You feel the hot vintage in the wine, but it's represented more as power and intensity than hot alcohol. Vivid and highly impressive. |
|||||||||
|
|
Rhone | 1 | 97 (VN) | HK$15,400.00 | |||||
Vinous (97)Opaque ruby. Vibrant blackberry, cherry, incense, Moroccan spice, potpourri and smoky mineral qualities on the expansive, seductively perfumed nose. Offers vibrant black and blue fruit, spicecake, olive and floral pastille flavors that show bright detail and energetic mineral lift. The floral and spice notes recur strongly on the youthfully gripping finish, which features mounting tannins and lingering smokiness. |
|||||||||
|
|
Rhone | 1 | 97 (VN) | HK$7,200.00 | |||||
Vinous (97)Opaque ruby. Vibrant blackberry, cherry, incense, Moroccan spice, potpourri and smoky mineral qualities on the expansive, seductively perfumed nose. Offers vibrant black and blue fruit, spicecake, olive and floral pastille flavors that show bright detail and energetic mineral lift. The floral and spice notes recur strongly on the youthfully gripping finish, which features mounting tannins and lingering smokiness. |
|||||||||
|
|
Rhone | 1 | 98-100 (WA) | HK$35,870.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (98-100)Lovers of Côte Rôtie shouldn't bother waiting for reviews of this bottling—just try to get as much as you can every year. The 2017 Cote Rotie Cote Brune should be bottled by the time you read this, but at the time of my visit, it was still in barrel. Aromatically, this has it all—violets, stems, cracked pepper, amazing fruit. It's full-bodied, dense and absolutely packed, yet it comes across as silky, lithe and engaging, with tremendous length and complexity on the finish. Always a thrill to taste out of barrel, it does firm up after bottling, so try to resist the urge to pop a cork before 2025 or so. |
|||||||||
|
|
Rhone | 1 | 98-100 (WA) | HK$23,265.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (98-100)Year after year, this is one of the top wines in the appellation. Jamet's 2018 Cote Rotie Cote Brune combines intense violet notes with mixed berries in a full-bodied wine that boasts incredible concentration yet never seems overly rich or heavy. Briny, fresh, silky and long, it's another tour de force from the talented Jamet family. |
|||||||||
|
|
30 | - | HK$1,040.00 | ||||||
|
Domaine Joel Delaunay Casca Vin Orange Sauvignon Blanc 2022 exemplifies artisanal craftsmanship from the esteemed Loire Valley. Handcrafted using biodynamic practices, this orange wine is produced through extended skin contact, allowing the Sauvignon Blanc grapes to develop complex flavours and a distinctive amber hue. Joel Delaunay, a respected name in fine winemaking, meticulously selects grapes from premier vineyards, ensuring optimal expression of terroir. Fermented in stainless steel and aged on lees to enhance texture and depth, the 2022 vintage presents an exquisite balance of citrus zest, dried apricot, and subtle herbal nuances. Its vibrant acidity is complemented by a lingering minerality, making it a versatile companion to diverse culinary delights. This wine not only reflects the passion and precision of Domaine Joel Delaunay but also offers connoisseurs a unique sensory experience rooted in tradition and innovation. |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 1 | - | HK$254,975.00 | |||||
|
|
Burgundy | 1 | 89 (VN) | HK$213,125.00 | |||||
Vinous (89)(a blend of Lalou Bize-Leroy's village holdings, owing to the small size of the harvest): Good deep red. Redcurrant, black cherry and a whiff of leather on the nose, plus a touch of violet. Juicy and nicely delineated, showing good inner-mouth energy and harmonious acidity. Finishes with firm but ripe tannins. |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 1 | 92 (VN) | HK$89,835.00 | |||||
Vinous (92)Translucent red cherry fruit and lifted aromatics make a strong first impression in the 2014 Nuits-Saint-Georges Aux Allots. Beams of supporting tannin and a burst of saline-infused energy give the 2014 its shape. The 2014 is clearly still recovering from its bottling. Still, the wine's focus is admirable. In many ways, the Aux Allots encapsulates the nervous yet precise, sinewy personality of the year. Next to the other village-level wines the Aux Allots is a bit compact. |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 1 | 96 (VN) | HK$78,420.00 | |||||
Vinous (96)Bright ruby-red. Extravagant, multifacted aromas of raspberry, strawberry, underbrush, cocoa powder, smoke and earth. Lush, suave and very deep, with a spherical shape that perfectly fills the mouth. Offers compelling fat and a seamless texture, but also superb delineation of flavor. More refined than the Corton that preceded it. A wine of compelling sweetness, with its tannins perfectly buffered by lush fruit. |
|||||||||
