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 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Burgundy | 1 | - | HK$10,520.00 | |||||
|
|
Burgundy | 5 | 91-93 (VN) | HK$1,670.00 | |||||
Vinous (91-93)The 2017 Echézeaux Grand Cru comes courtesy of the domaine’s 1.32-hectare parcel in the lieu-dit of Les Champs Traversins. The pretty bouquet of vivacious red fruit, infused with touches of crushed violet, is not powerful or multifaceted compared to the previous two vintages. The palate is very well balanced with seamlessly integrated new oak, fleshy on the midpalate, and displays gentle but insistent grip toward the finish. I admire the gradual build in this Echézeaux, which should drink perfectly well after four or five years. Very fine. |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 5 | 93-97 (IB) | HK$1,575.00 | |||||
Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (93-97)The Lamarches are fortunate to have as much as 1.32ha in all, over three plots which are vinified together. Pretty pink purple. The nose offers a little more depth than the 1ers crus without changing register. Fresh red fruits, nicely ripe but not heavy. Alpine strawberry, full red cherry and light raspberry. Beautifully balanced on the palate with the requisite lacy quality and a light touch to the acidity. Fine length. |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 1 | 93-97 (IB) | HK$9,130.00 | |||||
Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (93-97)The Lamarches are fortunate to have as much as 1.32ha in all, over three plots which are vinified together. Pretty pink purple. The nose offers a little more depth than the 1ers crus without changing register. Fresh red fruits, nicely ripe but not heavy. Alpine strawberry, full red cherry and light raspberry. Beautifully balanced on the palate with the requisite lacy quality and a light touch to the acidity. Fine length. |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 1 | 93-95 (IB) | HK$12,000.00 | |||||
Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (93-95)A vibrant crimson and ruby colour. There is more intensity of fruit on the nose than detail. A fractional reduction too. Very intense lifted red fruit up front, gentler behind where the nuances start to come out. Built on balanced acidity rather than tannins. Quite long. |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 1 | 92-94 (IB) | HK$4,815.00 | |||||
Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (92-94)A little more depth of cherry red colour here and a delicate but charming bouquet. Builds to the back, a little smokiness and a touch of pepper, a gracious and quite delicate Echezeaux of middling intensity but some length. |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 1 | 92-94 (IB) | HK$9,495.00 | |||||
Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (92-94)A little more depth of cherry red colour here and a delicate but charming bouquet. Builds to the back, a little smokiness and a touch of pepper, a gracious and quite delicate Echezeaux of middling intensity but some length. |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 2 | 92-94 (VN) | HK$3,060.00 | |||||
Vinous (92-94)The 2018 Grands Echézeaux Grand Cru comes from Lamarche’s 0.30 hectares of vine. It has a little more horsepower than the Echézeaux, scents of orange peel and a light ash-like aroma infusing the red fruit. Fine definition here, if not profound complexity. The palate is medium-bodied with supple, lithe tannins. This is a sleek and silky smooth Grands Echézeaux with a lovely touch of spice that bursts through on the finish. Give this two to three years in bottle, as it is will be early-drinking for a Grand Cru, though I suspect it will drink well for many years. |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 1 | 97 (TA) | HK$23,000.00 | |||||
Tim Atkin MW (97)One of only five Grands Crus monopoles in Burgundy, this is sometimes regarded as being of lesser quality than the other four, but that’s unfair. The wine is improving with every vintage since it was elevated in 1992 and this is particularly fine. Delicate, sweet and stylish, it's a nunaced, fragrant Pinot with lacy tannins, effortlessly integrated oak and a bright, refreshing finish. |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 1 | 97 (WA) | HK$7,420.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (97)Tasted blind at the Burgfest tasting in Beaune, the 2013 La Grande Rue Grand Cru has a backward and broody bouquet, very complex with hints of woodland, damp earth and fern filtering through the tightly wound red fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with supple and very fine, almost filigree tannins. The acidity is beautifully judged here -- very focused and refined, seamless towards the sophisticated finish. This is one of the best vintages of La Grand Rue that I have tasted, which is a considerable achievement given that this was not an exemplary growing season. Tasted September 2016. |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 1 | 95 (VN) | HK$23,360.00 | |||||
Vinous (95)The 2015 La Grand Rue Grand Cru has a concentrated bouquet, very pure but more introspective than its peers. It demands a lot of coaxing from the glass, eventually unfolding to reveal gorgeous, seductive scents of wild strawberry, raspberry, orange blossom and sous-bois. The palate is medium-bodied, offering supple tannin, crisp acidity and symmetrical focus, but I would have liked more substance on the finish. At the moment, this Grand Cru is holding its breath. It needs to exhale! There is a great wine here, but at present, it is indifferent to being loved. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting. |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 1 | 95 (VN) | HK$68,575.00 | |||||
Vinous (95)The 2016 La Grande Rue Grand Cru has a very pure, almost pastille-like bouquet with copious red cherry fruit mixed with crushed strawberry and a little cassis. La Grande Rue? [Post script: Bingo!] The palate is very pretty with fine-grain tannin. This is surfeit with freshness and vitality, although it does not quite have the depth and structure of other Grand Crus from the appellation. It does fan out towards the finish. The persistence, and the saline aftertaste are very appealing. Excellent. Tasted blind at the 2016 Burgfest tasting. |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 2 | 95 (VN) | HK$20,205.00 | |||||
Vinous (95)The 2016 La Grande Rue Grand Cru has a very pure, almost pastille-like bouquet with copious red cherry fruit mixed with crushed strawberry and a little cassis. La Grande Rue? [Post script: Bingo!] The palate is very pretty with fine-grain tannin. This is surfeit with freshness and vitality, although it does not quite have the depth and structure of other Grand Crus from the appellation. It does fan out towards the finish. The persistence, and the saline aftertaste are very appealing. Excellent. Tasted blind at the 2016 Burgfest tasting. |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 1 | 96 (VN) | HK$3,925.00 | |||||
Vinous (96)The 2017 La Grande Rue has a deep, introspective bouquet, offering more black fruit than red; touches of oyster shell and seaweed percolate through with time. The palate is where the quality shines through, in the filigreed tannins and the wonderful sense of symmetry. Fresh as a daisy without compromising intensity, especially on the pixelated finish, which seems to go on forever. Brilliant. This far exceeded my expectations. Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2017 tasting. |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 1 | 96 (VN) | HK$16,050.00 | |||||
Vinous (96)The 2017 La Grande Rue has a deep, introspective bouquet, offering more black fruit than red; touches of oyster shell and seaweed percolate through with time. The palate is where the quality shines through, in the filigreed tannins and the wonderful sense of symmetry. Fresh as a daisy without compromising intensity, especially on the pixelated finish, which seems to go on forever. Brilliant. This far exceeded my expectations. Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2017 tasting. |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 1 | 96 (VN) | HK$19,575.00 | |||||
Vinous (96)The 2017 La Grande Rue has a deep, introspective bouquet, offering more black fruit than red; touches of oyster shell and seaweed percolate through with time. The palate is where the quality shines through, in the filigreed tannins and the wonderful sense of symmetry. Fresh as a daisy without compromising intensity, especially on the pixelated finish, which seems to go on forever. Brilliant. This far exceeded my expectations. Tasted blind at the Burgfest 2017 tasting. |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 3 | 93-95 (VN) | HK$5,415.00 | |||||
Vinous (93-95)The 2018 La Grande Rue Grand Cru is the famous 1.65-hectare monopole of the domaine that runs parallel to Romanée-Conti and La Romanée on the other side of the road. It has a well-defined bouquet of dark cherries, raspberry, wild hedgerow and traces of Chinese tea, developing tertiary notes after a couple of minutes in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins, a satin-like texture and just the right amount of acidity. The caressing, slightly gourmand finish displays hints of meat juices and a subtle savory aspect lends complexity. Very fine. |
|||||||||
