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 | 2 | 98.3 | HK$12,565.00 | |||||
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Burgundy | 4 | 95 (DC) | HK$15,840.00 | |||||
Decanter (95)Bouchard have some of the biggest holdings of Corton-Charlemagne, at 3.9ha, all of them east-facing and high on the slope. This is perfumed and intense, with citrus rind and tangerine notes, chalky freshness and old-vine concentration. The oak is assertive but well integrated. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 17.5 (JR) | HK$8,095.00 | |||||
Jancis Robinson (17.5)Naughty heavy bottle. Lovely intensity of chalk, stone fruit and almond, with a chalky, chewy palate-weight, and very good, creamy, nutty length. |
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Burgundy | 2 | 96 (JS) | HK$10,100.00 | |||||
James Suckling (96)This has quite pronounced vanilla oak, but has only just been bottled. As it aerates, notes of ripe pear, citrus and pineapple develop. Rich and creamy, this makes a bold statement, but also has lovely freshness that complements the generous body. Keeps pumping out the flavors for a long time at the finish. |
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Burgundy | 2 | 96.0 | HK$11,067.00 | |||||
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Burgundy | 19 | 96.0 | HK$4,906.00 | |||||
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Burgundy | 1 | 96.0 | HK$9,495.00 | |||||
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Scoring a massive 95-98 points from locally-based critic Jasper Morris MW from Inside Burgundy, he also gives it a rare and coveted 5 star status.
More Info
A Grand Cru receiving 5 star status is a truly special occasion and there is no doubt that this is a “majestic Corton-Charlemagne in the making”. A truly stunning Chardonnay, it is the highest scoring wine from Corton in 2020, even topping greats like Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey and Henri Boillot. The well-defined, tightly-packed bouquet has “considerable concentration” but will need many years before it shows its full glory. There is a “really impressive wealth of fruit here” and although it is dominating the main characteristics of the terroir currently, this will settle and there is “so much still to come” shown by the “really very long” finish. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 93-97 (IB) | HK$5,265.00 | |||||
Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (93-97)A low key lemon and lime colour. Clean fresh and classic on the nose. A very typical fresh stony palate, lightly washed in citrus, with enough flesh to provide the body necessary for ageing, and a fine, long, persistently mineral finish. Drink from 2027-2035. Tasted: November 2022 |
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Burgundy | 1 | 93-97 (IB) | HK$9,360.00 | |||||
Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (93-97)A low key lemon and lime colour. Clean fresh and classic on the nose. A very typical fresh stony palate, lightly washed in citrus, with enough flesh to provide the body necessary for ageing, and a fine, long, persistently mineral finish. Drink from 2027-2035. Tasted: November 2022 |
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Bouchard Pere & Fils Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
(3x75cl)
2023
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Burgundy | - | 93-95 (VN (NM)) |
HK$5,165 - HK$6,310 |
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Vinous - Neal Martin (93-95)The 2023 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru has a complex bouquet with citrus fruit, light peppermint notes and hints of honeysuckle and brioche. The palate is well balanced with a satisfying, slightly honeyed texture counterbalanced by the keen line of acidity. This is very harmonious and very poised, with a dash of spice toward the finish. Excellent. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 90-92 (VN) | HK$9,245.00 | |||||
Vinous (90-92)(as Bouchard lost 90% of their fruit in En Orveaux, this year's wine was made almost entirely from purchased fruit from vines worked by the Bouchard team, located below the premier cru Vosne-Romanée Les Rouges): Good red-ruby color. Sexy, inviting scents of candied dark berries, raspberry, mocha and licorice. Then fat, plush and fine-grained but not as sweet as the nose suggests; there's even something a bit roasted here. Finishes with decent acidity and solid structure but comes across as rather disjointed today and hard to assess. Winemaker Weber says he may have used too high a percentage of whole clusters and gotten too much stem tannins as a result. (Incidentally, in 2017 Bouchard will have two different bottlings of Echézeaux, one domain and one négoce.) |
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Burgundy | 1 | 98 (J) | HK$13,760.00 | |||||
j (98)Wow. A stunning combination of perfectly ripe fruit with strawberries and plums that turn to dried flowers and spices. Some decadent notes. Full-bodied, yet so tight and formed with fruit and tannins that intertwine and spread across the palate. This represents the definition of controlled plushness. Drink in 2024 and onwards. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 92-94 (VN) | HK$20,775.00 | |||||
Vinous (92-94)There is just one new 400-liter barrel of the 2021 Echézeaux Grand Cru and is 100% whole bunch. It has a nicely detailed bouquet, though I feel there is maybe a little too much stemminess at the moment, not that Frédéric Weber had ample choice given the depleted volume. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grain tannins, very harmonious and pure. The stems are more enmeshed towards the lightly spiced finish. Lovely. But it will need time. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 91 (VN) | HK$92,600.00 | |||||
Vinous (91)A dark, rich wine, the 1985 La Romanée opens with a rich, soy-infused mélange of aromas and flavors to match its demi-glace-like richness. Brown spices, licorice and worn-in leather add further shades of nuance. The 1985 is fully mature and exquisite, especially in the way layer after layer unfolds in the glass. This is a very beautiful, mature Burgundy that has reached its peak. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 94.0 | HK$83,740.00 | |||||
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Burgundy | 1 | 96 (BH) | HK$44,660.00 | |||||
Burghound (96)The brilliantly perfumed and still very fresh, smoky and spicy red and dark berry fruit aromas are trimmed in subtle wood and menthol nuances. The vibrant and velvety broad-scaled flavors exude a fine bead of minerality on the pure, balanced, focused and harmonious finish that delivers flat out stunning length. The depth here is nothing short of mind blowing and this is clearly a big step up from the 2000. Moreover this stunningly beautiful wine is still on the way up and should indisputably make for a great vintage of La Romanée in time. Drink: 2021+. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 94-97 (VN) | HK$100,480.00 | |||||
Vinous (94-97)Deep ruby-red. Superripe yet almost magically vibrant aromas of black fruits, chocolate liqueur and mint. Hugely concentrated, powerful and thick, with fruit of steel and great class. Finishes with uncanny breadth of tannins and persistence. An obvious knockout. Like the top grand crus from Bouchard, this will benefit from six to eight years of cellaring. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 17+ (JR) | HK$5,195.00 | |||||
Jancis Robinson (17+)Confected, candied red fruit on the nose, with rich spices too. Tight tannin, long fruit concentration on the finish. Should unfurl in due course and develop secondary flavours from that intense core fruit. |
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Burgundy | 3 | 17.5 (JR) | HK$4,760.00 | |||||
Jancis Robinson (17.5)Naughty heavy bottle. Focused, dusty and earthy cranberry fruit. Precise and chiselled palate, with lovely fluidity and a long, floral finish. Likely to be ready earlier, but to give lots of pleasure. Elegant burgundy. |
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