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$43,730.00 | |||||
Vinous (92+)Pale, green-tinged yellow. Reticent aromas of mirabelle and iodine. Then tight but sappy in the mouth, with lovely inner-mouth perfume and lift to the lemon, wet stone and mineral flavors. This tactile, classic wine demonstrates the terroir more than it does the vintage. Colder, clay-rich soils, as is the case here and in Montee de Tonnerre, did very well in 2006, noted Raveneau. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 91+ (VN (ST)) | HK$3,200.00 | |||||
Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (91+)Quite closed on the nose, hinting at menthol and wet stone. Then juicy and tight in the mouth, more taut and incisive than silky today, and showing superb precision for the vintage. Solid mineral grip extends the finish and gives this premier cru excellent tension, but it will need five or six years to unwind. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 95 (WA) | HK$34,955.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (95)I ordered a bottle of the 2010 Chablis 1er Cru les Butteaux at the impeccable Au Fil du Zinc restaurant in Chablis and immediately grabbed my pen to scribble a tasting note. This is such a scintillating Chablis, one that encapsulates everything great about the 2010 vintage. The nose is mineral through and through--imagine getting down on your hands and knees and just inhaling limestone after a shower. The palate continues that tensile, mineral-driven theme. It is incredibly tense, perhaps benefiting from a slight, but pleasant reduction towards the finish, with awesome length and precision. What a fantastic Butteaux from Domaine Raveneau. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 93 (VN) | HK$26,555.00 | |||||
Vinous (93)The 2011 Chablis Butteaux is subtle, gracious and utterly impeccable in its elegance. All the elements are simply in the right place. Articulate, energetic and nuanced, the 2011 captures all the qualities of this 1er Cru site, in miniature. This is another of the more approachable 2011s from Raveneau. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 93 (WA) | HK$4,170.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (93)The 2013 Chablis 1er Cru Butteaux has a sensual nose with subtle hazelnut, smoke and almost resinous scents, verging on Riesling scents, that are beautifully defined. The palate is fresh and vibrant on the entry with pleasing, mouth-watering salinity, easing back toward the finish with Granny Smith apples and a healthy dash of lemongrass. I can imagine this changing a lot in bottle – it comes across as a mercurial Chablis Butteaux. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 94 (VN) | HK$31,125.00 | |||||
Vinous (94)The 2014 Chablis Butteaux 1er Cru from Domaine François Raveneau is drinking beautifully, even though I am fully aware of committing infanticide. It is one of my favorite vineyards – and in my view, an underrated one – from a benchmark Chablis growing season. A stunning, razor-sharp bouquet offers limestone and petrichor aromas, and hints of walnut and shucked oyster shells develop with aeration. That fresh marine influence translates into a palate that displays exquisite balance and just a hint of toffee apple, closing in slightly toward the finish. There is so much tension and grace here. Brilliant. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 95 (WA) | HK$3,810.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (95)The 2015 Chablis 1er Cru les Butteaux escaped any damage by hail and is, in Isabelle’s opinion, the most classical and Chablis-like, whereas other wines express the growing season. It has a pretty, perfumed, perhaps exotic bouquet compared to the other cuvées this year and is very expressive, with apricot blossom emerging with time. The palate is very well balanced with a precise line of acidity and, again, is very expressive with a shimmering, quite captivating finish that exudes both mineralité and fruit intensity. This has turned into an outstanding Butteaux that punches above my prediction from barrel. |
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Burgundy | 2 | 95 (VN (AG)) | HK$28,255.00 | |||||
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (95)The 2017 Raveneau Chablis Butteaux 1er Cru is in fine shape. A touch of decanting, which I always do for younger Chablis, really allows the aromas, flavors and textures to shine. The 2017 is in the perfect spot today, as it offers a good deal of complexity yet remains quite vibrant. Citrus confit, marzipan, white pepper and floral overtones show the textural resonance of a fine Chablis with bottle age. Clean, bracing mineral notes start to appear over time. Superb. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 93+ (WA) | HK$43,480.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (93+)My favorite premier cru in the range this year is the 2018 Chablis 1er Cru Butteaux, a lovely wine that wafts from the glass with aromas of citrus oil, green apple, pear, oyster shell and pastry cream. Medium to full-bodied, taut and structured, with fine concentration and chalky extract, it concludes with a mouthwateringly saline finish. |
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Burgundy | 3 | 95 (IB) | HK$36,240.00 | |||||
Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (95)(5 Star Wine) Pale colour I instantly fall in love with this nose. An explosion of fresh white peaches on the nose, really gorgeous, with a massive concentration without heat or being clumsy. What else to say? |
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Burgundy | 2 | 93 (BH) | HK$19,870.00 | |||||
Burghound (93)An overtly floral nose speaks of elegant and admirably pure aromas of quinine, white-fleshed fruit and a plethora of classic Chablis elements and in particular, iodine. There is excellent volume to the concentrated and powerful medium weight plus flavors that flash evident minerality on the markedly dry, youthfully austere and highly complex finale. This is quite tightly wrapped and as is usually the case, it should prove to be long-lived. Excellent. |
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Burgundy | 2 | - | HK$24,245.00 | |||||
