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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Delight in the mesmerising elegance of Jean-Claude Bessin Chablis VV 2021. Hailing from the esteemed, family-owned winery in the heart of Chablis, this captivating offering exemplifies the regional terroir brimming with mineral complexity and vivacity. A product of old vineyards, some originating as far back as 1934, this distinguished vintage was intentionally harvested on the cusp of ripeness to reflect the exceptional quality on which Bessin's reputation rests. Painstakingly vinified using indigenous yeasts, the wine lumbers in old French oak barrels for a year, embracing a balance of freshness and softness. The final result is nothing short of spectacular: Jean-Claude Bessin Chablis VV 2021 entices with vibrant lemon, apple notes, nuanced by creamy richness and finishing with an echo of flint-like minerality. An unrivalled addition to any discerning collection, this wine is an ode to Chablis’ traditional winemaking heritage, bringing forth a sublime sensory experience.
保税价格￥ 2,270.00 -
Jancis Robinson (17.5)
Bottled. Especially pale rim. Very floral and hedonistic. Sweet start and surely just what burgundy lovers currently seek. Really rather gorgeous fruit and precision with just a little dry finish so probably worth waiting a while. Very long.保税价格￥ 8,835.00 -
Jancis Robinson (18)
Cask sample. Meaty, orange-peel nose with lots of edge and energy. Like essence of Morey. Really exciting but with a flourish rather than concentration. Great balance and refinement as well as depth. So well done! Oddly appealing already but certainly not simple.保税价格￥ 8,970.00 -
Jancis Robinson (16.5)
Tank sample. Hint of liquorice and impressive substance on the palate. Not as savoury as the southern Côte d'Or but very pleasing.保税价格￥ 2,600.00 -
Jancis Robinson (16.5+)
Cask sample. Bright, light crimson. Quite a meaty nose but the fruit is bright and energetic. Pure, fresh fruit – lighter than the average Gevrey from another vintage but a very approachable, lively wine. Lots of ripe-tomato perfume.保税价格￥ 4,770.00 -
(6x75cl) 2016Wine Advocate (91)
The 2016 Brouilly Cuvee Vieilles Vignes has a perfumed, floral bouquet with delightful wilted violet and blackcurrant scents, very harmonious and cohesive. The palate is well balanced with succulent tannin; there is a fine backbone here with impressive focus toward the finish. There is just a prickle of white pepper right on the finish. Tighter, more backward than the 2015, this should nevertheless age with style.保税价格￥ 1,795.00 -
Vinous (91)
Opaque ruby. Primary cherry, cassis, peony and olive qualities on the perfumed nose, along with hints of cracked pepper and licorice in the background. Sweet and seamless in texture, offering concentrated black and blue fruit flavors that unfold slowly and turn spicier with air. The long, velvety finish features supple tannins and leaves behind a sweet dark berry note.保税价格￥ 2,175.00 -
Inspired by the old world allure of Burgundy, Jean-Claude Ramonet Monthelie 1er Cru 2020 captivates the senses. From the renowned producer Ramonet, this remarkable wine reflects the essence of the premier cru vineyards in Monthelie. Regarded for their delicate balance, it is crafted with attention to traditional methods and employing meticulous cultivation standards. The result is a striking blend of elegance and complexity.
Year 2020 was particularly favourable, endowing the wine with exquisite intensity of flavour. This French beauty enchants the palate with sophisticated minerality and smooth tannins. On the nose, it bears the signature fragrance of cherries, along with compelling earthy undertones.
Whether you are an avid oenophile or an occasional wine lover, the Jean-Claude Ramonet Monthelie 1er Cru 2020 sets the benchmark for a classy drinking experience. Its alluring subtlety and characteristic intensity truly represent the high-quality commitment of Maison Ramonet. A true masterpiece that graces the world of fine wine.
保税价格￥ 2,270.00 -
Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (90-92)
(tasted from tank): Good medium red. Cool perfume of blackberry and violet. Lush, sweet and charming, especially for Clos Vougeot, offering a rather soft texture to its dark fruit, floral and mineral flavors. This seamless wine builds nicely on the finish, which features fine-grained tannins and lingering sweetness of fruit.保税价格￥ 16,455.00 -
保税价格￥ 6,490.00 -
Decanter (96)
Planted way back in 1926, this 0.5ha parcel is always the most complex wine at the domaine. Violet and aniseed scents segue into a palate that's smooth, glossy and textured with bramble and black cherry fruit, some chalky undertones, stylish oak and subtle reduction. Supple, refined winemaking with appealing underlying precision and freshness. One of the best examples of the Grand Cru in 2018.保税价格￥ 22,155.00 -
Vintage Tastings (95)
. Next up was a superb wine that most were convinced was a Guigal La La wine. There was so much menthol, bacon and violety fruit it had to be! The palate was meaty, fine and long with great purity保税价格￥ 33,770.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (100)
I’ve rated the 2003 Hermitage perfect on numerous occasions, and while sound bottles are still as good as it gets, I’ve also had some tired bottles here in the States, so provenance is critical with this vintage. Still youthfully colored yet just starting to show some maturity in its aromatics of blackberries, dark currants, licorice, spice box, and leather, this fabulously textured, opulent 2003 hits the palate with full-bodied richness, a wealth of sweet tannins, and a monster of a finish. Clearing 15% alcohol (and I think the pH is probably around 4), it should be a required tasting for all those touting the low alcohol nonsense. This singular beauty can be drunk today with incredible pleasure or cellared for another two decades, if you’re so inclined.保税价格￥ 27,185.00 -
Wine Advocate (100)
The greatest wines Chave has produced since 2003 are the two cuvees of 2009 Hermitage. The 2009 Hermitage exhibits a black/purple color along with a sumptuous nose of roasted meats, ground pepper, black currants, blackberry jam, and subtle smoke and licorice. The extraordinary bouquet is followed by a wine of extravagant intensity as well as tremendous focus and precision. While not as powerful as the blockbuster 2003, the amazing 2009 may turn out to be a modern day version of their magnificent 1990 (which is drinking incredibly well at present). Anyone who loves Hermitage and has a cold cellar should be lining up to get a few bottles of this beauty.保税价格￥ 4,335.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (98)
Just an incredible Hermitage in every sense, the 2017 Hermitage reminds me of the 2016 yet on steroids (or maybe a more finesse-driven example of the 2015?). Revealing a deep, saturated purple color as well as a stunning nose of red and black currants, kirsch, Asian spices, cured meats, ground pepper, and Acacia flowers, it shows more classic Chave minerality with time in the glass, and if this doesn't put a smile on your face, I don't know what will. These all carry to a full-bodied, powerful, yet seamless wine that has the sunny, extroverted style of the vintage yet still packs incredible mid-palate depth, ripe, polished tannins, no hard edges, and one hell of an incredible finish. It's going to be relatively accessible by this cuvée’s standards and offer considerable pleasure in its youth, yet also have 30-40 years of longevity.保税价格￥ 31,580.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (100)
I was blown away by the 2018 Hermitage from barrel, and it unquestionably doesn't disappoint from bottle. Reminding me slightly of the 2009, it possesses off-the-charts richness and depth, but like all great wines, stays pure, balanced, and light on its feel. Extraordinary notes of cassis, blue fruits, graphite, violets, and flowers define the bouquet, and this full-bodied, layered, multi-dimensional beauty has ripe tannins, flawless balance, and a great finish. This is pure Hermitage magic. Given its extravagant richness and texture, it should be relatively accessible in just a handful of years yet evolve for three decades or more.保税价格￥ 14,860.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (98+)
A powerhouse of a wine that flirts with perfection, the 2019 Hermitage reveals a dense purple hue as well as an extraordinary bouquet of sweet blue fruits supported by notes of crushed stone, lead pencil, leather, and ground pepper, with hints of flowers in the background. Full-bodied, stunningly pure, and massively concentrated, yet with riveting precision and elegance, it needs to be hidden in the back of the cellar for a decade and will evolve for 30, 40, if not 50 years. Tasting the trilogy of the 2018, 2019, and 2020 over the coming decades will be the equivalent of wine nirvana.保税价格￥ 17,790.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (100)
Pure gold, the 2018 Hermitage Blanc is another heavenly Hermitage Blanc from this estate that could not be any better. More in the style of the 2009 with its ripe, sexy, yet still pure and seamless profile, it offers quintessential notes of quince, honeyed lemons, white flowers, marzipan, and buttered toast. Full-bodied, deep, unctuous, and blockbuster styled on the palate, it has a level of purity that's off the charts. It offers incredible pleasure today, and you should unquestionably try a bottle over the coming year or two, then it will need a decade of cellaring. Hermitage Blanc – or white wine, for that matter – simply doesn't get any better.保税价格￥ 15,405.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (98+)
Another incredible white from this family is the 2019 Hermitage Blanc, a powerful, concentrated, and remarkably pure Hermitage that has laser-like focus as well as textbook Marsanne notes of quince, green almond, powdered rock, licorice, and spice. It’s still tight, focused, and inward at present, yet it reminds me of the 2018 with its purity and rare mix of power and elegance. It’s worth trying a bottle any time over the coming 3-5 years, but after that, I’d recommend waiting until after 2031.保税价格￥ 11,380.00 -
Vinous (96)
Vinified from grapes that were harvested as late as the 26th of September, the 2021 L'Hermitage Blanc was cropped at 38 hL/ha, above the levels of 2022. It dazzles with vivid spring blossom, honeysuckle, lemon peel, white peach, quince, apricot and discrete cedar aromas. Medium-bodied and immaculately balanced by bright acidity, this is an athletic L'Hermitage Blanc with marked freshness and energy. A saline aftertaste wraps up the sapid finish. Outstanding.保税价格￥ 9,025.00 -
John Livingstone-Learmonth (5)
The bouquet is bold, on beef stock, iron, dense black berries, has a poised, integral sweetness, airs of raspberry liqueur, oak smoke. It’s a solid start. The palate has the theme of mineral well placed through it, a lot of mountain of matter, thickening towards the finish. It holds sparkling and dense fruits – cassis, soaked cherries. It is vibrant and very full; there is real flair off its sun-dialled deck. It has great juice; it’s a treat to taste this. Decanting advised. It has a lot of black fruits, a belle freshness to underpin it; it’s very long.保税价格￥ 3,085.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (96)
The star of the show is the 2019 Côte Rôtie Terrasses, which can thought of as a hypothetical mix of the 2017 and 2018, with perhaps a nod to the 2017. Both red and black fruits, peppery herbs, dried flowers, graphite, and a beautiful sense of minerality define the bulk of the aromatics, and it's medium to full-bodied on the palate, with fine, building tannins, terrific overall balance, and a great finish. From a vintage that produced ripe, tannic wines, this stays balanced and pure and is loaded with potential.保税价格￥ 2,945.00 -
The Jean-Marc Blain-Gagnard Montrachet Grand Cru 2021 is a spellbinding testament to the expertise of this revered Burgundy producer. Hailing from the prestigious Montrachet appellation, the domaine is distinguished by its meticulous vinification process based on handpicked Chardonnay grapes, precision parcellaire, and slow-paced fermentation in oak barrels. Aromatic opulence and textual finesse epitomise this stellar vintage.
Under the watchful eye of Jean-Marc Blain and Claudine Gagnard, strict yield control and practiced viticulture have underpinned the wine's profound balance of opulence and elegance. Remarkably, the wine reflects the nuance of its terroir, a kiss of limestone minerality underscoring a symphony of orchard fruit, honey, and buttery brioche. A rounded palate and a lingering finish, spiked with fresh acidity, complete the captivating profile of Jean-Marc Blain-Gagnard Montrachet Grand Cru 2021. A bottle of this vintage will elevate any occasion, truly capturing the essence of world-class Burgundian winemaking.
保税价格￥ 38,055.00 -
Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (95)
Delicious pale lemon colour with a few green reflexes. Power in a chiselled rather than a fat style. There is nonetheless huge opulence on the palate, luxurious white fruit, ripe pears, not going as far as peach, yet still managing a certain elegance. All in place here. Long and ripely scented finish. Tasted: November 2021保税价格￥ 11,145.00 -
Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (95)
Only down 40% thanks to general protection. Delicious pale lemon colour with a few green reflexes. Power in a chiselled rather than a fat style. Huge opulence on the palate, luxurious white fruit, ripe pears, not going as far as peach, and still managing a certain elegance. All in place here. A long and ripely scented finish. All one would hope for. Drink from 2027-2030. Tasted: November 2022保税价格￥ 9,290.00 -
Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (96)
A pale colour with a lime tint. Backward but powerful, as it should be. Taking time to build on the palate, with a mineral thread of acidity, pure white fruit, expertly poised. There may be weightier examples around, but this is certainly very fine. Drink from 2030-2040. Tasted: October 2023.保税价格￥ 10,085.00 -
保税价格￥ 2,810.00 -
保税价格￥ 2,910.00 -
Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (87)
This is a significant 45,000 bottle cuvée. A fresh pale lemon colour. Not too much nose, a fraction of crushed oyster, a little sweetness of fruit, not quite cohesive.保税价格￥ 2,760.00 -
Vinous (91)
The 2017 Puligny-Montrachet Champ Canet 1er Cru offers fine intensity on the nose of orchard fruit, touches of orange blossom and crushed stone scents, all quite intense while maintaining delineation. The palate is well defined with a fine line of acidity, and maybe just a little oaky at the moment, although that should be absorbed with time. It just feels conservative on the finish. Tasted blind at the annual Burgfest tasting in Savigny-lès-Beaune.保税价格￥ 6,935.00
