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 (VN) | HK$3,105.00 | |||||
Vinous (92)The 2017 Volnay Les Fremiets 1er Cru has a perfumed bouquet of rose petal, morello cherries and light sous-bois aromas. The palate is well balanced and lightly spiced, with fine delineation. The sour cherry finish has its bitterness under firm control. This should drink well over 10–15 years. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 90-93 (IB) | HK$4,245.00 | |||||
Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (90-93)Very intense mid purple, very floral, like dried cherries, a bouncing energy up at the front, continues through to the back, good acidity, some slightly dry tannins, but overall a very good prospect. I could believe there were whole bunches here, which there are not. Amazing persistence. Tasted: 10/1/2021 |
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Burgundy | 1 | 91 (VN (NM)) | HK$5,170.00 | |||||
Vinous - Neal Martin (91)The 2021 Volnay Les Fremiets 1er Cru has a focused and detailed nose with a mixture of red and black fruit, quite tight and a little more marine-driven than its peers. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins, pastille-like purity, raspberry and blackcurrant and a touch of spice. Fine and cohesive with just the right amount of grip on the finish, this Volnay should give a decade of drinking pleasure. Tasted blind at the Burgfest tasting. |
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Burgundy | 5 | - | HK$3,940.00 | |||||
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Burgundy | 1 | - | HK$845.00 | |||||
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Burgundy | 4 | - | HK$3,750.00 | |||||
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Rhone | 1 | 95 (WA) | HK$33,500.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (95)A great showing, Bonneau's 1998 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Marie Beurrier has lots of garrigue, kirsch, truffle and spice to go with the classic gamy, bloody meaty-like quality that's always present in his wines. Medium to full-bodied, nicely concentrated, and sweetly fruited, it has fine tannin and a beautiful elegance that keeps you coming back to the glass. There's no baby fat here and it's at full maturity, but will certainly hold for a decade. |
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Rhone | 1 | 89-91 (VN) | HK$3,580.00 | |||||
Vinous (89-91)Deep red. Tightly wound cherry and red berry aromas are slow to unfold, eventually picking up hints of garrigue and cracked pepper. Tangy and focused on the palate, showing good depth to its bitter cherry and rhubarb flavors. Dusty tannins firm the finish, which features notes of succulent herbs and cherry pit. |
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Rhone | 1 | 92-94 (WA) | HK$11,640.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (92-94)Apparently, there's no Les Celestins in 2013, which was a challenging vintage in the Southern Rhône. That said, the barrel we tasted of the 2013 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Marie Beurrier was a bit light but elegant and silky in texture, with pomegranate-like red fruit and gentle spice. |
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Rhone | 2 | 91-93 (JD) | HK$8,810.00 | |||||
Jeb Dunnuck (91-93)A vintage vinified by Marcel Bonneau, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Marie Beurrier sports a healthy purple color as well as terrific aromas and flavors. Garrigue, kirsch liqueur, pepper, and gamey notes all emerge from this charming, balanced, medium to full-bodied barrel sample. It’s early days for the 2016s in this cellar, but it a good start. |
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Rhone | 1 | - | HK$16,775.00 | |||||
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The Henri Bonneau Chateauneuf-du-Pape Marie Beurrier 2018 hails from the illustrious Rhône Valley, crafted by the legendary winemaker, Henri Bonneau. Known for meticulous, artisanal winemaking, Bonneau only releases his wines when they reach maturity. Produced from old vine Grenache, the Châteauneuf-du-Pape Marie Beurrier 2018 showcases captivating complexity and depth. Ripened under the Provençal sun, the 2018 vintage flaunts seductive aromatics of red and black fruits, intermingled with notes of spice, earth, and leather. On the palate, it exhibits superb structure enhanced by precision, balance, and a lingering finish. Bonneau's commitment to traditional viticultural techniques guarantees the maintenance of natural acidity and a picturesque representation of the terroir. His methodology includes manually harvesting, whole cluster fermentation, and aging in ancient oak casks for a minimum of 36 months. Each bottle serves as a testimony to Bonneau's reputation as a venerated wine custodian. Revelling in beauty and elegance, the Henri Bonneau Chateauneuf-du-Pape Marie Beurrier 2018 is a beacon of excellent Southern Rhône winemaking. |
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Rhone | 1 | - | HK$8,695.00 | |||||
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The Henri Bonneau Chateauneuf-du-Pape Marie Beurrier 2018 hails from the illustrious Rhône Valley, crafted by the legendary winemaker, Henri Bonneau. Known for meticulous, artisanal winemaking, Bonneau only releases his wines when they reach maturity. Produced from old vine Grenache, the Châteauneuf-du-Pape Marie Beurrier 2018 showcases captivating complexity and depth. Ripened under the Provençal sun, the 2018 vintage flaunts seductive aromatics of red and black fruits, intermingled with notes of spice, earth, and leather. On the palate, it exhibits superb structure enhanced by precision, balance, and a lingering finish. Bonneau's commitment to traditional viticultural techniques guarantees the maintenance of natural acidity and a picturesque representation of the terroir. His methodology includes manually harvesting, whole cluster fermentation, and aging in ancient oak casks for a minimum of 36 months. Each bottle serves as a testimony to Bonneau's reputation as a venerated wine custodian. Revelling in beauty and elegance, the Henri Bonneau Chateauneuf-du-Pape Marie Beurrier 2018 is a beacon of excellent Southern Rhône winemaking. |
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Rhone | 1 | 96 (JD) | HK$45,365.00 | |||||
Jeb Dunnuck (96)The 2009 Châteauneuf Du Pape Reserve Des Celestins is certainly mature, yet it still has at least another decade of prime drinking followed by a gradual decline thereafter. A semi-opaque ruby hue with just a kiss of bricking at the rim, it has an essence of Provence-like perfume of sweet black cherries, roasted garrigue, licorice, and herbes de Provence. With full-bodied richness, a supple, layered, seamless mouthfeel, integrated tannins, and beautiful overall balance, it's not in the massive, concentrated style of the 2010 and shows the sun-kissed, complex, incredibly seductive style of the 2009 vintage beautifully. I followed this bottle over the course of an evening, and it needs about an hour of air to show at its best. Drink: 2025-2039. |
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Rhone | 1 | 93-95 (VN) | HK$44,860.00 | |||||
Vinous (93-95)Bright ruby-red. Far more expressive than the Marie Beurrier, displaying a wild array of candied red fruits, flowers and Asian spices, along with an intense mineral overtone. Silky, sweet and pure on the palate, offering intense raspberry preserve and spicecake flavors and a jolt of lavender pastille. Closes long and sweet, with building spiciness and smooth, harmonious tannins that sneak up late. |
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Rhone | 1 | 94-96 (WA) | HK$18,645.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (94-96)According to Marcel Bonneau on this visit, all of the 2012 wine will be bottled as Reserve des Celestins. Tasted from barrel, the 2012 Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve des Celestins flirts with that fine line between deep, chocolaty richness and raisiny over-ripeness. This is full-bodied and powerful but silky at the same time. If it's bottled soon, it should be amazing. |
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