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 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Burgundy | 1 | 99 (BH) |
Inc. TAX
€20,388.84 |
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Burghound (99)This is unusually cool and airy in the context of what is typical in 2018 with its restrained and beautifully layered nose of rose petal, violet, lavender, lilac, sandalwood and soy nuances that add incredible breadth to the mostly red berry-suffused aromas, all of which is trimmed in very subtle oak influence. There is outstanding volume to the big, muscular and robust flavors that also possess focused power where the intensity does a slow build from the mid-palate to the explosively long and decidedly austere finish that just lasts and lasts. This is somewhat less 2018 in style than the prior wines though it is clearly quite ripe. It is also a bit less refined than it usually is, at least at this early stage, though to be fair it is still in its formative stages so we will see how it comes along with more aging. I would observe though that it is already abundantly clear that this is a stunningly great LT; indeed it may well rival the 1999 in time, is going to develop quite slowly over a very long period. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 99+ (WA) |
Inc. TAX
€7,288.28 |
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Wine Advocate (99+)The 2019 La Tâche Grand Cru is sublime. Mingling aromas of wild berries and bergamot with notions of rose petals, exotic spices, violets, clove and cinnamon, it's full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a multidimensional palate of breathtaking plenitude. Elegantly muscular, this is a vibrant, pristinely balanced wine that concludes with a long, resonant finish. More structured and broader shouldered than the ethereal Romanée-Conti itself, this will demand and richly reward bottle age. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 99 (WA) |
Inc. TAX
€6,418.49 |
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Wine Advocate (99)The 2020 La Tâche Grand Cru is magical, mingling notions of mulberries, cherries and cassis with scents of bergamot, black tea, licorice, exotic spices and peonies. Full-bodied, rich and resonant, with a broad attack, huge mid-palate amplitude and a supple, seamless, elegantly muscular profile, this is a remarkably powerful but also profoundly complex, intellectually and sensually thrilling young wine. |
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Burgundy | 2 | 98 (DC) |
Inc. TAX
€7,234.50 |
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Decanter (98)A recent tasting of the 2021 La Tâche confirms it as among the top wines of the vintage. The colour is a deep, saturated ruby, and hints of violets, spice, and smoke deftly accent the ripe aromas of plum and mulberry fruit. The fruit balances the influence of the cask ageing, giving the wine a seamless integration. The texture is denser than most from this vintage, and the tannins are firm but not astringent - just lush, balanced elegance that places this wine above its peers. Picked 24 – 27 September; 6,947 bottles produced. |
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Burgundy | 1 | - |
Inc. TAX
€3,302.92 |
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Burgundy | 1 | 98 (BH) |
Inc. TAX
€10,419.73 |
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Burghound (98)Not much time has passed between my last tasting of this wine that appeared in Issue 31 and this most recent bottle so my note is essentially unchanged: An opulent, ripe and moderately oaked in-your-face nose explodes from the glass, bringing incredibly complex and layered aromas that run from floral, citrus, spice and a full range of white and yellow fruit notes that complement to perfection the lush, rich and amazingly concentrated broad-scaled flavors that are underpinned by an intense minerality and a palate staining finish of simply unbelievable length. At this young stage, this is a massive Montrachet that is long on power and muscle and while it's not as elegant as say the 2000, 2002 or 2004 versions, I believe that the refinement one typically finds in this wine will come in time. In sum, for sheer vinous fireworks, this is hard to beat and to call it a "wow" wine would be a considerable understatement. However, note that plenty of time will be required and it will be one of the longest-lived vintages in recent memory. A great, great effort. Note however that I have recently had three bottles (twice in November 2016 and again in April 2018) that did evidence slight notes of premature oxidation; they were drinkable but not what they should have been. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 97 (VN) |
Inc. TAX
€33,691.46 |
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Vinous (97)Bright full yellow. Knockout, soil-inflected nose combines menthol, honey, wild herbs, crushed stone, minerals and a whiff of caramel. Wonderfully ripe and sweet but with a light touch, thanks to its powerful stony character. The flavors of pineapple and pungent iodiney minerality saturate the palate and build slowly and inexorably. A white Burgundy of extraordinary texture and nuance. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 99 (VN) |
Inc. TAX
€26,621.20 |
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Vinous (99)The 2008 Montrachet from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti ranks amongst not only the best vintages that I have tasted from the domaine, but possibly the greatest white Burgundy I have ever tasted. The nose is breathtaking in terms of its precision and mineralité. There are not overt, easily definable aromas in situ, more an articulation of the vineyard that translates every single atom where it came from. The palate is bewitching in terms of its perfect bead of acidity, laser-like focus and the vein of salinité that leaves you begging for more. This is close to perfection. Tasted at the mature white Burgundy dinner in Hong Kong. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 97 (VN) |
Inc. TAX
€28,099.32 |
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Vinous (97)Soft contours and silky fruit give the 2009 Montrachet much of its undeniable appeal. The 2009 has always been radiant, alluring and arrestingly beautiful. Tonight, it is all that, and more. Even with all of its open-knit richness, the 2009 retains terrific freshness as well as nuance. Tasted at the DRC Montrachet charity event in New York. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 98+ (VN) |
Inc. TAX
€10,954.13 |
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Vinous (98+)Bright yellow-straw. Knockout soil-driven aromas and flavors of crushed rock, menthol, mint, ginger, white flowers, hazelnut and iodiney minerality, with a hint of fresh pear emerging with time in the glass: it would be easier to list what I didn't find in this wine! As tactile as a solid but with extraordinary mineral energy--and a bit of unabsorbed CO2--giving the middle palate astounding lift and a light touch. In a very pure, airy style but with great richness and some very ripe suggestions of marzipan and candied stone fruits. Finishes with outstanding gingery thrust and rising length, and the tannic structure of a red wine. A legend in the making. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 97 (VN (AG)) |
Inc. TAX
€10,173.73 |
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Vinous - Antonio Galloni (97)The 2015 Montrachet Grand Cru is, once again, stunning. I have had the good fortune of tasting the 2015 multiple times. It has never been anything less than stellar. Bright and focused, with tons of energy, the 2015 exudes class. At ten years of age, it is also very young, not to mention exceptionally polished in every way. |
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Burgundy | 1 | - |
Inc. TAX
€8,806.44 |
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| Product Name | Region | Qty | Score | Price | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Burgundy | 1 | 99 (BH) |
In Bond
€16,980.00 |
|||||
Burghound (99)This is unusually cool and airy in the context of what is typical in 2018 with its restrained and beautifully layered nose of rose petal, violet, lavender, lilac, sandalwood and soy nuances that add incredible breadth to the mostly red berry-suffused aromas, all of which is trimmed in very subtle oak influence. There is outstanding volume to the big, muscular and robust flavors that also possess focused power where the intensity does a slow build from the mid-palate to the explosively long and decidedly austere finish that just lasts and lasts. This is somewhat less 2018 in style than the prior wines though it is clearly quite ripe. It is also a bit less refined than it usually is, at least at this early stage, though to be fair it is still in its formative stages so we will see how it comes along with more aging. I would observe though that it is already abundantly clear that this is a stunningly great LT; indeed it may well rival the 1999 in time, is going to develop quite slowly over a very long period. |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 1 | 99+ (WA) |
In Bond
€6,070.00 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (99+)The 2019 La Tâche Grand Cru is sublime. Mingling aromas of wild berries and bergamot with notions of rose petals, exotic spices, violets, clove and cinnamon, it's full-bodied, deep and concentrated, with a multidimensional palate of breathtaking plenitude. Elegantly muscular, this is a vibrant, pristinely balanced wine that concludes with a long, resonant finish. More structured and broader shouldered than the ethereal Romanée-Conti itself, this will demand and richly reward bottle age. |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 1 | 99 (WA) |
In Bond
€5,345.00 |
|||||
Wine Advocate (99)The 2020 La Tâche Grand Cru is magical, mingling notions of mulberries, cherries and cassis with scents of bergamot, black tea, licorice, exotic spices and peonies. Full-bodied, rich and resonant, with a broad attack, huge mid-palate amplitude and a supple, seamless, elegantly muscular profile, this is a remarkably powerful but also profoundly complex, intellectually and sensually thrilling young wine. |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 2 | 98 (DC) |
In Bond
€6,025.00 |
|||||
Decanter (98)A recent tasting of the 2021 La Tâche confirms it as among the top wines of the vintage. The colour is a deep, saturated ruby, and hints of violets, spice, and smoke deftly accent the ripe aromas of plum and mulberry fruit. The fruit balances the influence of the cask ageing, giving the wine a seamless integration. The texture is denser than most from this vintage, and the tannins are firm but not astringent - just lush, balanced elegance that places this wine above its peers. Picked 24 – 27 September; 6,947 bottles produced. |
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|
|
Burgundy | 1 | - |
In Bond
€2,740.00 |
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|
|
Burgundy | 1 | 98 (BH) |
In Bond
€8,680.00 |
|||||
Burghound (98)Not much time has passed between my last tasting of this wine that appeared in Issue 31 and this most recent bottle so my note is essentially unchanged: An opulent, ripe and moderately oaked in-your-face nose explodes from the glass, bringing incredibly complex and layered aromas that run from floral, citrus, spice and a full range of white and yellow fruit notes that complement to perfection the lush, rich and amazingly concentrated broad-scaled flavors that are underpinned by an intense minerality and a palate staining finish of simply unbelievable length. At this young stage, this is a massive Montrachet that is long on power and muscle and while it's not as elegant as say the 2000, 2002 or 2004 versions, I believe that the refinement one typically finds in this wine will come in time. In sum, for sheer vinous fireworks, this is hard to beat and to call it a "wow" wine would be a considerable understatement. However, note that plenty of time will be required and it will be one of the longest-lived vintages in recent memory. A great, great effort. Note however that I have recently had three bottles (twice in November 2016 and again in April 2018) that did evidence slight notes of premature oxidation; they were drinkable but not what they should have been. |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 1 | 97 (VN) |
In Bond
€28,070.00 |
|||||
Vinous (97)Bright full yellow. Knockout, soil-inflected nose combines menthol, honey, wild herbs, crushed stone, minerals and a whiff of caramel. Wonderfully ripe and sweet but with a light touch, thanks to its powerful stony character. The flavors of pineapple and pungent iodiney minerality saturate the palate and build slowly and inexorably. A white Burgundy of extraordinary texture and nuance. |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 1 | 99 (VN) |
In Bond
€22,175.00 |
|||||
Vinous (99)The 2008 Montrachet from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti ranks amongst not only the best vintages that I have tasted from the domaine, but possibly the greatest white Burgundy I have ever tasted. The nose is breathtaking in terms of its precision and mineralité. There are not overt, easily definable aromas in situ, more an articulation of the vineyard that translates every single atom where it came from. The palate is bewitching in terms of its perfect bead of acidity, laser-like focus and the vein of salinité that leaves you begging for more. This is close to perfection. Tasted at the mature white Burgundy dinner in Hong Kong. |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 1 | 97 (VN) |
In Bond
€23,405.00 |
|||||
Vinous (97)Soft contours and silky fruit give the 2009 Montrachet much of its undeniable appeal. The 2009 has always been radiant, alluring and arrestingly beautiful. Tonight, it is all that, and more. Even with all of its open-knit richness, the 2009 retains terrific freshness as well as nuance. Tasted at the DRC Montrachet charity event in New York. |
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|
|
Burgundy | 1 | 98+ (VN) |
In Bond
€9,125.00 |
|||||
Vinous (98+)Bright yellow-straw. Knockout soil-driven aromas and flavors of crushed rock, menthol, mint, ginger, white flowers, hazelnut and iodiney minerality, with a hint of fresh pear emerging with time in the glass: it would be easier to list what I didn't find in this wine! As tactile as a solid but with extraordinary mineral energy--and a bit of unabsorbed CO2--giving the middle palate astounding lift and a light touch. In a very pure, airy style but with great richness and some very ripe suggestions of marzipan and candied stone fruits. Finishes with outstanding gingery thrust and rising length, and the tannic structure of a red wine. A legend in the making. |
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|
|
Burgundy | 1 | 97 (VN (AG)) |
In Bond
€8,475.00 |
|||||
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (97)The 2015 Montrachet Grand Cru is, once again, stunning. I have had the good fortune of tasting the 2015 multiple times. It has never been anything less than stellar. Bright and focused, with tons of energy, the 2015 exudes class. At ten years of age, it is also very young, not to mention exceptionally polished in every way. |
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|
|
Burgundy | 1 | - |
In Bond
€7,335.00 |
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