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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Wine Advocate (94)
The 2017 Echezeaux Grand Cru is also showing very well, having gained in depth and precision in the year since I last tasted it. Opening in the glass with aromas of red berries, cherries, orange rind, sweet soil tones, spices and peonies, it's medium to full-bodied, with a broader, more textural attack than the Malconsorts, underpinned by similarly powdery tannins and lively acids. This looks to be a longer-haul proposition than I had imagined, and at least a modicum of patience will be in order.Inc. TAX€6,166.54 -
Inc. TAX€2,419.50
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Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (90-93)
Full red-ruby color. Cool, lively aromas of currant and tobacco. Lovely sweetness and volume in the mouth; suaver than the Beaumonts, with more flesh and perhaps lower acidity. Seamless and stylish, but with solid underlying backbone. Finishes with smooth tannins and excellent persistence. Showing well today.Inc. TAX€4,699.45 -
Inc. TAX€46,898.77
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Inc. TAX€28,166.77
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Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (90-92)
Good deep red-ruby. Complex aromas of red berry liqueur, minerals, coffee, cocoa and spices. Fat, dense and deep, with a captivating sweetness verging on confectionery. Finishes with superb length.Inc. TAX€26,060.77 -
Inc. TAX€31,286.77
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Burghound (91-94)
A ripe, expressive and airy nose that combines both upper and mid-level register fruit notes that include red pinot, black berry and violet notes trimmed in moderate wood spice as well as natural spice notes of clove and anise that can also be found on the round, rich and beautifully balanced big-bodied flavors that are powerful, long and more stylish than usual. This is a terrific Ech that should be capable of at least a decade's worth of improvement.Inc. TAX€33,992.77 -
Burghound (91-94)
A ripe, expressive and airy nose that combines both upper and mid-level register fruit notes that include red pinot, black berry and violet notes trimmed in moderate wood spice as well as natural spice notes of clove and anise that can also be found on the round, rich and beautifully balanced big-bodied flavors that are powerful, long and more stylish than usual. This is a terrific Ech that should be capable of at least a decade's worth of improvement.Inc. TAX€17,002.38 -
Wine Advocate (93-94)
A sweet, spicy profusion of cinnamon, ginger, cocoa powder, lily perfume, maraschino, and kirsch soars from the glass of Rouget 2006 Echezeaux, which comes to the palate with unexpected depth and richness of roasted meats, chalk, and saline savor, though to be sure, the bright red fruits and spices never flag. This is positively vibratory as well as riveting in its dynamic, oscillating finishing complexity. I'd give it 3-4 years head start and then plan to follow it for another decade.Inc. TAX€30,002.77 -
Wine Advocate (93-94)
A sweet, spicy profusion of cinnamon, ginger, cocoa powder, lily perfume, maraschino, and kirsch soars from the glass of Rouget 2006 Echezeaux, which comes to the palate with unexpected depth and richness of roasted meats, chalk, and saline savor, though to be sure, the bright red fruits and spices never flag. This is positively vibratory as well as riveting in its dynamic, oscillating finishing complexity. I'd give it 3-4 years head start and then plan to follow it for another decade.Inc. TAX€24,074.77 -
Vinous (92+)
Good full red. Deep, sappy aromas of kirsch, violet and minerals, with a medicinal cast. Sweet on entry, then taut and penetrating in the middle, with superb energy to the flavors of tangy, crunchy red fruits. At once dense and light on its feet, finishing with a saline nuance and lingering cherry flavor. This serious, structured wine really lifts the palate and stimulates the taste buds.Inc. TAX€25,676.77 -
Wine Advocate (95)
The 2015 Echézeaux Grand Cru is very fine, offering up a dramatic nose of ripe red fruit, bonfire, espresso roast and sweet loamy soil. On the palate, the wine is rich and powerful, evidently structurally firmer and more masculine than the Beaumonts, although its tannins are similarly cloaked in a deep core of succulent fruit. There's also good freshness here despite the considerable power and amplitude.Inc. TAX€1,863.76 -
Vinous (93-95)
The 2017 Echézeaux Grand Cru, matured in 100% new oak, has a very perfumed and floral bouquet of shimmering black cherry and cassis fruit infused with iris and peony. The harmonious palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, beautifully pitched acidity and a silky-smooth, precise finish. One of the best Echézeaux that I have found in barrel this vintage.Inc. TAX€1,647.73 -
Inc. TAX€1,647.76
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Vinous (92-94)
The 2018 Echézeaux Grand Cru is matured entirely in new oak. It soaks up that wood nicely thanks to the ample fruit concentration of black cherries and cassis, here joined by attractive pine/cedar aromas that gain intensity with every swirl of the glass. The palate is a little woody at the moment and needs more fruit on the midpalate, to the extent that I wager Rouget's Vosne-Romanée Beaumonts might ultimately show better. We will see.Inc. TAX€1,257.74 -
Vinous (92-94)
The 2018 Echézeaux Grand Cru is matured entirely in new oak. It soaks up that wood nicely thanks to the ample fruit concentration of black cherries and cassis, here joined by attractive pine/cedar aromas that gain intensity with every swirl of the glass. The palate is a little woody at the moment and needs more fruit on the midpalate, to the extent that I wager Rouget's Vosne-Romanée Beaumonts might ultimately show better. We will see.Inc. TAX€5,518.60 -
Vinous (92-94)
The 2018 Echézeaux Grand Cru is matured entirely in new oak. It soaks up that wood nicely thanks to the ample fruit concentration of black cherries and cassis, here joined by attractive pine/cedar aromas that gain intensity with every swirl of the glass. The palate is a little woody at the moment and needs more fruit on the midpalate, to the extent that I wager Rouget's Vosne-Romanée Beaumonts might ultimately show better. We will see.Inc. TAX€11,019.18 -
Inc. TAX€20,051.74
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Inc. TAX€1,408.49
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Inc. TAX€947.69
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Inc. TAX€8,696.87
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Inc. TAX€8,166.10
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Vinous (92-94)
The 2020 Echézeaux Grand Cru has a "big", quite ostentatious bouquet with dark cherries, crème de cassis, tinned prune and blueberries. It augurs for a top-heavy palate, though actually I find this better balanced than expected, certainly more so than the Les Beaumonts with veins of blood orange enlivening the quite persistent finish. This should age well in bottle although I would like to see more restraint on the nose.Inc. TAX€6,107.92 -
Inc. TAX€8,165.82
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Vinous (91-93)
The 2021 Echézeaux Grand Cru, aged in 100% new oak, is tasted from two barrels as one is heavily reduced, while the other shows fine delineation: crushed strawberry, wild mint and loam. The palate is heavily reduced at first, quite dense and broad-shouldered, black cherries mixed with cassis, a little chocolaty towards the finish.Inc. TAX€1,683.74 -
Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (91-93)
Ruby-red. Perfumed, inviting aromas of bitter chocolate, blood orange and Moroccan spices. Round, concentrated and ripe, with sappy density to the flavors of dark fruits and spices. This is much easier to taste today than the Brulees. Finishes with sweet, ripe, even tannins and excellent length. Should be superb.Inc. TAX€3,520.19 -
Vinous (93+)
(the crop level in these north-facing vines in Combe d'Orveaux was just 22 hectoliters per hectare): Bright dark red. Pungent, sappy aromas of raspberry and smoky minerality. Dense, sweet and tactile, with its highly concentrated berry flavors enriched by salty mineral extract. Offers terrific inner-mouth tension and lift. Still a baby, but its very long, firmly tannic finish avoids dryness. As youthful as this is, it's more expressive in the middle palate than the 2015 Grands-Echézeaux or Clos Vougeot.Inc. TAX€3,033.12 -
Vinous (94-96)
The 2020 Echézeaux Grand Cru includes 70% whole bunch and matured in 80% new oak. This is very refined on the nose with brambly red berry fruit, crushed stone, wilted rose petal and a touch of spice. The palate is tensile on the entry with a slightly granular texture, fine depth, real precision and poise on the finish. This really is a top-notch Echézeaux.Inc. TAX€3,164.92 -
Vinous (92-94)
The 2021 Echézeaux Grand Cru, which was protected by the frost with candles, hence there are seven barrels this year compared to the five barrels of the previous year. Red and black fruit on the nose, graphite coming through with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins. The partial whole clusters lend a discrete pepperiness, very nicely focused with sour cherry and clove towards quite a structured finish that will require time to absorb the new oak. Quite serious. Patience required.Inc. TAX€1,736.96
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Wine Advocate (94)
The 2017 Echezeaux Grand Cru is also showing very well, having gained in depth and precision in the year since I last tasted it. Opening in the glass with aromas of red berries, cherries, orange rind, sweet soil tones, spices and peonies, it's medium to full-bodied, with a broader, more textural attack than the Malconsorts, underpinned by similarly powdery tannins and lively acids. This looks to be a longer-haul proposition than I had imagined, and at least a modicum of patience will be in order.In Bond€5,120.00 -
In Bond€2,005.00
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Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (90-93)
Full red-ruby color. Cool, lively aromas of currant and tobacco. Lovely sweetness and volume in the mouth; suaver than the Beaumonts, with more flesh and perhaps lower acidity. Seamless and stylish, but with solid underlying backbone. Finishes with smooth tannins and excellent persistence. Showing well today.In Bond€3,910.00 -
In Bond€39,045.00
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In Bond€23,435.00
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Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (90-92)
Good deep red-ruby. Complex aromas of red berry liqueur, minerals, coffee, cocoa and spices. Fat, dense and deep, with a captivating sweetness verging on confectionery. Finishes with superb length.In Bond€21,680.00 -
In Bond€26,035.00
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Burghound (91-94)
A ripe, expressive and airy nose that combines both upper and mid-level register fruit notes that include red pinot, black berry and violet notes trimmed in moderate wood spice as well as natural spice notes of clove and anise that can also be found on the round, rich and beautifully balanced big-bodied flavors that are powerful, long and more stylish than usual. This is a terrific Ech that should be capable of at least a decade's worth of improvement.In Bond€28,290.00 -
Burghound (91-94)
A ripe, expressive and airy nose that combines both upper and mid-level register fruit notes that include red pinot, black berry and violet notes trimmed in moderate wood spice as well as natural spice notes of clove and anise that can also be found on the round, rich and beautifully balanced big-bodied flavors that are powerful, long and more stylish than usual. This is a terrific Ech that should be capable of at least a decade's worth of improvement.In Bond€14,150.00 -
Wine Advocate (93-94)
A sweet, spicy profusion of cinnamon, ginger, cocoa powder, lily perfume, maraschino, and kirsch soars from the glass of Rouget 2006 Echezeaux, which comes to the palate with unexpected depth and richness of roasted meats, chalk, and saline savor, though to be sure, the bright red fruits and spices never flag. This is positively vibratory as well as riveting in its dynamic, oscillating finishing complexity. I'd give it 3-4 years head start and then plan to follow it for another decade.In Bond€24,965.00 -
Wine Advocate (93-94)
A sweet, spicy profusion of cinnamon, ginger, cocoa powder, lily perfume, maraschino, and kirsch soars from the glass of Rouget 2006 Echezeaux, which comes to the palate with unexpected depth and richness of roasted meats, chalk, and saline savor, though to be sure, the bright red fruits and spices never flag. This is positively vibratory as well as riveting in its dynamic, oscillating finishing complexity. I'd give it 3-4 years head start and then plan to follow it for another decade.In Bond€20,025.00 -
Vinous (92+)
Good full red. Deep, sappy aromas of kirsch, violet and minerals, with a medicinal cast. Sweet on entry, then taut and penetrating in the middle, with superb energy to the flavors of tangy, crunchy red fruits. At once dense and light on its feet, finishing with a saline nuance and lingering cherry flavor. This serious, structured wine really lifts the palate and stimulates the taste buds.In Bond€21,360.00 -
Wine Advocate (95)
The 2015 Echézeaux Grand Cru is very fine, offering up a dramatic nose of ripe red fruit, bonfire, espresso roast and sweet loamy soil. On the palate, the wine is rich and powerful, evidently structurally firmer and more masculine than the Beaumonts, although its tannins are similarly cloaked in a deep core of succulent fruit. There's also good freshness here despite the considerable power and amplitude.In Bond€1,550.00 -
Vinous (93-95)
The 2017 Echézeaux Grand Cru, matured in 100% new oak, has a very perfumed and floral bouquet of shimmering black cherry and cassis fruit infused with iris and peony. The harmonious palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin, beautifully pitched acidity and a silky-smooth, precise finish. One of the best Echézeaux that I have found in barrel this vintage.In Bond€1,370.00 -
In Bond€1,370.00
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Vinous (92-94)
The 2018 Echézeaux Grand Cru is matured entirely in new oak. It soaks up that wood nicely thanks to the ample fruit concentration of black cherries and cassis, here joined by attractive pine/cedar aromas that gain intensity with every swirl of the glass. The palate is a little woody at the moment and needs more fruit on the midpalate, to the extent that I wager Rouget's Vosne-Romanée Beaumonts might ultimately show better. We will see.In Bond€1,045.00 -
Vinous (92-94)
The 2018 Echézeaux Grand Cru is matured entirely in new oak. It soaks up that wood nicely thanks to the ample fruit concentration of black cherries and cassis, here joined by attractive pine/cedar aromas that gain intensity with every swirl of the glass. The palate is a little woody at the moment and needs more fruit on the midpalate, to the extent that I wager Rouget's Vosne-Romanée Beaumonts might ultimately show better. We will see.In Bond€4,580.00 -
Vinous (92-94)
The 2018 Echézeaux Grand Cru is matured entirely in new oak. It soaks up that wood nicely thanks to the ample fruit concentration of black cherries and cassis, here joined by attractive pine/cedar aromas that gain intensity with every swirl of the glass. The palate is a little woody at the moment and needs more fruit on the midpalate, to the extent that I wager Rouget's Vosne-Romanée Beaumonts might ultimately show better. We will see.In Bond€9,145.00 -
In Bond€16,665.00
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In Bond€1,170.00
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In Bond€786.00
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In Bond€7,225.00
-
In Bond€6,760.00
-
Vinous (92-94)
The 2020 Echézeaux Grand Cru has a "big", quite ostentatious bouquet with dark cherries, crème de cassis, tinned prune and blueberries. It augurs for a top-heavy palate, though actually I find this better balanced than expected, certainly more so than the Les Beaumonts with veins of blood orange enlivening the quite persistent finish. This should age well in bottle although I would like to see more restraint on the nose.In Bond€5,075.00 -
In Bond€6,760.00
-
Vinous (91-93)
The 2021 Echézeaux Grand Cru, aged in 100% new oak, is tasted from two barrels as one is heavily reduced, while the other shows fine delineation: crushed strawberry, wild mint and loam. The palate is heavily reduced at first, quite dense and broad-shouldered, black cherries mixed with cassis, a little chocolaty towards the finish.In Bond€1,400.00 -
Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (91-93)
Ruby-red. Perfumed, inviting aromas of bitter chocolate, blood orange and Moroccan spices. Round, concentrated and ripe, with sappy density to the flavors of dark fruits and spices. This is much easier to taste today than the Brulees. Finishes with sweet, ripe, even tannins and excellent length. Should be superb.In Bond€2,915.00 -
Vinous (93+)
(the crop level in these north-facing vines in Combe d'Orveaux was just 22 hectoliters per hectare): Bright dark red. Pungent, sappy aromas of raspberry and smoky minerality. Dense, sweet and tactile, with its highly concentrated berry flavors enriched by salty mineral extract. Offers terrific inner-mouth tension and lift. Still a baby, but its very long, firmly tannic finish avoids dryness. As youthful as this is, it's more expressive in the middle palate than the 2015 Grands-Echézeaux or Clos Vougeot.In Bond€2,505.00 -
Vinous (94-96)
The 2020 Echézeaux Grand Cru includes 70% whole bunch and matured in 80% new oak. This is very refined on the nose with brambly red berry fruit, crushed stone, wilted rose petal and a touch of spice. The palate is tensile on the entry with a slightly granular texture, fine depth, real precision and poise on the finish. This really is a top-notch Echézeaux.In Bond€2,615.00 -
Vinous (92-94)
The 2021 Echézeaux Grand Cru, which was protected by the frost with candles, hence there are seven barrels this year compared to the five barrels of the previous year. Red and black fruit on the nose, graphite coming through with aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins. The partial whole clusters lend a discrete pepperiness, very nicely focused with sour cherry and clove towards quite a structured finish that will require time to absorb the new oak. Quite serious. Patience required.In Bond€1,440.00