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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Inc. GSTSG$25,428.04
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Vinous (94)
The 2017 Echézeaux Grand Cru is similarly lifted, with a bit darker fruit and more structure than the Corton. A deceptive, beguiling Burgundy, the 2017 shows the mid-weight structure of the year. Here too, time in the glass brings out the wine’s vertical feel and overall intensity. The 2017 needs time to soften, but it is incredibly persistent and impeccable in its balance. Readers should expect an especially austere Echézeaux that is going to require cellaring. The fruit was brought in on September 13 and 15, with a day’s break in between because of rain.Inc. GSTSG$9,512.60 -
Vinous (92-94)
The 2018 Echézeaux Grand Cru has a very deep hue. The extraordinarily pure bouquet features black cherries intermingling with blueberry and oyster shell, and later a hint of potpourri. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, edgy and stony, with dark berry fruit and a little spicier than I recall apropos of previous Echézeaux at this stage. It might just need a little length, but otherwise it is a wine determined not to be outshone by its Grand Cru siblings.Inc. GSTSG$10,238.17 -
Vinous (91)
The 2020 Echézeaux Grand Cru was picked on 30 August and 1 September at 28.2hL/ha. The floral aspect of the vineyard is nicely accentuated on the nose. There's a mélange of red and black fruit, a slight creaminess coming through with time and then this ebbs to offer light sous-bois scents. The palate is medium-bodied with a vivid entry of wild strawberry and blackcurrant. A polished Echézeaux, nicely proportioned, not the most complex in recent years (I suspect the 2020 might surpass it in that respect), though there is ample weight and dimension. It gains delineation in the glass, though the Corton has a little more persistence at the moment. 1,280 cases produced. Tasted at Corney & Barrow’s annual in bottle tasting in London.Inc. GSTSG$9,856.67 -
Inc. GSTSG$7,324.58
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Vinous (94)
I have been fortunate to taste the 1971 Grands Echézeaux four times now (always a privilege when it is your birth year). This 1971 bottle is as good as the best I have come across despite some turbidity in the glass. Yet the bouquet is divine and ethereal with vestiges of red cherry and strawberry, wild heather (again - just like previous bottles) and pressed flowers. The palate is fully mature with tart red fruit, brown spice and that telltale sense of transparency towards the finish. It is not a dense or powerful wine and I suspect it was better around 20 years of age. But it has aged gracefully and maintained such exceptional balance and poise that you cannot help surrendering to its charms. Tasted at a private lunch at Howard's Gourmet.Inc. GSTSG$14,611.23 -
Vinous (98)
The 2009 La Tâche Grand Cru is the most ethereal of the three wines in this flight. Whole cluster influence is especially marked here. A whole range of spice, dried flower, mint and savory overtones infuse the 2009 with layers of nuance. Next to the other wines in this flight, La Tâche is ethereal and harder to fully capture with words, an attribute many, if not most, of the world’s greatest wines share.Inc. GSTSG$18,620.27 -
Vinous (98+)
The 2005 Richebourg makes a strong argument that the answer to that question might be a resounding ‘yes!’ Huge beams of tannin are present but nearly covered by the sheer intensity the fruit. Black cherry, plum, mint, lavender and graphite give the 2005 much of its gravitas. Tonight, the 2005 is insanely beautiful and absolutely stellar, and I say that never having truly fallen for the domaine’s Richebourg. The 2005, though, well, it simply will not be denied.Inc. GSTSG$17,872.90 -
Inc. GSTSG$582.93
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Inc. GSTSG$906.66
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Vinous (95-98)
Deep bright ruby. Pungent, brilliant aromas of blackberry, cocoa powder, minerals and Oriental spices. Painfully intense flavors of incredible purity; thick but brilliantly delineated. Finishes with great palate-staining length and lift; firm tannins are buried in fruit. A knockout in the making.Inc. GSTSG$27,969.18 -
Wine Advocate (86)
In decline, the 1983 Ducru-Beaucaillou is showing notes of asphalt, earth, compost, and peppery, herb-tinged black fruits. The aromas in the attack exhibit good complexity, but then the wine becomes attenuated, even desiccated in the finish. The wine is medium-bodied and needs to be drunk up. Anticipated maturity: Now-2006. Last tasted, 5/02.Inc. GSTSG$821.64 -
Wine Spectator (92)
Youthful and vigorous beneath a polished surface, offering beautifully modulated currant, blackberry and chocolate flavors that resonate on the finish. The tannins are not obtrusive, allowing the flavors to ring true. Should develop well with cellaring through 1996 to '98.Inc. GSTSG$969.18 -
Vinous (91-93)
The 2020 Puligny-Montrachet Les Combettes 1er Cru, which undergoes partial maturation in concrete and stainless steel eggs has a bright and more malic bouquet than the Folatières. The palate is tensile on the entry, fine acidity and salinity, touches of Clementine and bitter lemon enlivening the finish. Whilst not immensely persistent but this is full of vitality and terroir expression.Inc. GSTSG$1,362.28 -
Vinous (98)
The 2016 Sancerre Clos La Néore is almost Riesling-like in its firm yet fine personality, its unswerving purity and its clear translation of place. Don't expect a seductive Sancerre, this is dry and steely with an appealing bitterness making for a very grown up white wine. It's starting to show early signs of development in its light almond/lanolin character alongside lemon tea. It offers exceptional concentration while being light bodied and provides a steely core of acidity, keeping the wine together and powering on. If you have any in your cellar, I can make myself available for dinner.Inc. GSTSG$1,370.30 -
Vinous (94)
The 2006 Millésime Grand Cru is sourced from old vines in Ambonnay. Vinification and aging in oak shape the wine to a considerable degree, but Ambonnay has the natural breadth and shoulders to handle the oak. Brioche, spice, vanillin, dried orchard fruit and herbs all develop nicely in the glass. The 2006 is rich and resonant to the core, yet also impeccable in its overall balance. Dosage is 2 grams per liter. Disgorged: July 2015.Inc. GSTSG$1,718.39 -
Inc. GSTSG$772.59
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Inc. GSTSG$714.82
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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. GSTSG$5,496.67 -
Inc. GSTSG$1,242.38
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Wine Advocate (90-92)
The 2018 Vosne-Romanée Village is showing beautifully, wafting from the glass with aromas of raspberries, exotic spices, orange rind and smoked duck, deftly framed by the subtle imprint of some 30% new oak. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, textural, and enveloping, with a ripe but succulent core of fruit, supple tannins and a fragrant finish. It's a blend derived from lieux-dits Aux Ravioles, Aux Ormes, Les Jacquines, Aux Réas, Vigneux and Barraux.Inc. GSTSG$1,393.54 -
Esprit Leflaive Pommard 1er Cru Les Arvelets 2018 is one of the finest vintages from Burgundy's renowned Leflaive family. Drawing on over three centuries of winemaking expertise, it is produced through painstakingly meticulous viticulture and traditional vinification in oak casks. Earthy yet refined, this silky Burgundian beauty manifests notes of ripe cherry, currant, and earth spice, characteristic to its origin in the internationally-respected Pommard commune vineyards. Aged for 15 months in French oak barrels, it achieves a perfect balance between fruit to oak ratio, lending it a complexity relished by connoisseurs worldwide. Produced in limited quantities, Esprit Leflaive Pommard 1er Cru Les Arvelets 2018 simultaneously embodies elegance and strength, revealing a remarkable ageing potential. This exceptional Pinot Noir reaffirms the Leflaive family’s reputation for peerlessly capturing the essence of terroir and transcending it into wines of inimitable depth and character.
Inc. GSTSG$829.27 -
Vinous (92-94)
The 2021 Chambertin Clos-de-Bèze Grand Cru bides its time opening up, revealing raspberry and cranberry fruit, autumn leaves, touches of orange pith. Cohesive and focused, it gains vigour in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, brown spices and white pepper that are liberally sprinkled over the finish that has a very small attenuation. But this is still well-crafted.Inc. GSTSG$1,683.83 -
Inc. GSTSG$3,873.29
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Vinous - Neal Martin (92-94)
The 2021 Chambertin Clos-de-Bèze Grand Cru bides its time opening up, revealing raspberry and cranberry fruit, autumn leaves, touches of orange pith. Cohesive and focused, it gains vigour in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, brown spices and white pepper that are liberally sprinkled over the finish that has a very small attenuation. But this is still well-crafted.Inc. GSTSG$2,970.03 -
Inc. GSTSG$588.38
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Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (93-96)
Pale but pretty colour. Light fruit on the nose. Spared from the frost, and as is typical of such cuvees in 2021, the wine feels more complete – in fact, displaying a particularly long finish. This avoids also the blocky side of Clos Vougeot, showing instead a rather fine fresh but light strawberry fruit. One could almost suggest that it is ethereal for this appellation! Drink from 2030-2038.Inc. GSTSG$977.51 -
Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (92-95)
A pretty fresh ruby crimson. The nose is elegant for Corton, fruit enhanced by a floral top note. Very good. Crisp, mineral, vertical, somewhat raw but with a fine quality of fruit, reasonable persistence. The new wood is not marking in flavour but does help to make the structure. Drink from 2028-2036.Inc. GSTSG$860.88 -
Vinous (90-92)
The 2021 Echézeaux En Orveau Grand Cru comes from a parcel on the south-facing slope and includes some stem addition. It is fragrant on the nose with hints of white pepper and bay leaf embroidered into the lifted red fruit. Quite complex and focused. The palate is medium-bodied with a fresh, almost citrus-like entry, a little bony towards the finish but with more persistence than the Clos Vougeot.Inc. GSTSG$1,015.66 -
Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (92-94)
Fairly dense crimson in colour. There is a solid weight of fruit on the nose, dark raspberry with some strawberry too. Some depth to this. A mix of mineral and floral for Jérôme while I find something earthier. Firm tannins at the finish but plenty of fruit to surround them. Drink from 2028-2036.Inc. GSTSG$1,160.63
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In BondSG$23,310.00
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Vinous (94)
The 2017 Echézeaux Grand Cru is similarly lifted, with a bit darker fruit and more structure than the Corton. A deceptive, beguiling Burgundy, the 2017 shows the mid-weight structure of the year. Here too, time in the glass brings out the wine’s vertical feel and overall intensity. The 2017 needs time to soften, but it is incredibly persistent and impeccable in its balance. Readers should expect an especially austere Echézeaux that is going to require cellaring. The fruit was brought in on September 13 and 15, with a day’s break in between because of rain.In BondSG$8,710.00 -
Vinous (92-94)
The 2018 Echézeaux Grand Cru has a very deep hue. The extraordinarily pure bouquet features black cherries intermingling with blueberry and oyster shell, and later a hint of potpourri. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, edgy and stony, with dark berry fruit and a little spicier than I recall apropos of previous Echézeaux at this stage. It might just need a little length, but otherwise it is a wine determined not to be outshone by its Grand Cru siblings.In BondSG$9,375.00 -
Vinous (91)
The 2020 Echézeaux Grand Cru was picked on 30 August and 1 September at 28.2hL/ha. The floral aspect of the vineyard is nicely accentuated on the nose. There's a mélange of red and black fruit, a slight creaminess coming through with time and then this ebbs to offer light sous-bois scents. The palate is medium-bodied with a vivid entry of wild strawberry and blackcurrant. A polished Echézeaux, nicely proportioned, not the most complex in recent years (I suspect the 2020 might surpass it in that respect), though there is ample weight and dimension. It gains delineation in the glass, though the Corton has a little more persistence at the moment. 1,280 cases produced. Tasted at Corney & Barrow’s annual in bottle tasting in London.In BondSG$9,025.00 -
In BondSG$6,700.00
-
Vinous (94)
I have been fortunate to taste the 1971 Grands Echézeaux four times now (always a privilege when it is your birth year). This 1971 bottle is as good as the best I have come across despite some turbidity in the glass. Yet the bouquet is divine and ethereal with vestiges of red cherry and strawberry, wild heather (again - just like previous bottles) and pressed flowers. The palate is fully mature with tart red fruit, brown spice and that telltale sense of transparency towards the finish. It is not a dense or powerful wine and I suspect it was better around 20 years of age. But it has aged gracefully and maintained such exceptional balance and poise that you cannot help surrendering to its charms. Tasted at a private lunch at Howard's Gourmet.In BondSG$13,385.00 -
Vinous (98)
The 2009 La Tâche Grand Cru is the most ethereal of the three wines in this flight. Whole cluster influence is especially marked here. A whole range of spice, dried flower, mint and savory overtones infuse the 2009 with layers of nuance. Next to the other wines in this flight, La Tâche is ethereal and harder to fully capture with words, an attribute many, if not most, of the world’s greatest wines share.In BondSG$17,065.00 -
Vinous (98+)
The 2005 Richebourg makes a strong argument that the answer to that question might be a resounding ‘yes!’ Huge beams of tannin are present but nearly covered by the sheer intensity the fruit. Black cherry, plum, mint, lavender and graphite give the 2005 much of its gravitas. Tonight, the 2005 is insanely beautiful and absolutely stellar, and I say that never having truly fallen for the domaine’s Richebourg. The 2005, though, well, it simply will not be denied.In BondSG$16,380.00 -
In BondSG$515.00
-
In BondSG$812.00
-
Vinous (95-98)
Deep bright ruby. Pungent, brilliant aromas of blackberry, cocoa powder, minerals and Oriental spices. Painfully intense flavors of incredible purity; thick but brilliantly delineated. Finishes with great palate-staining length and lift; firm tannins are buried in fruit. A knockout in the making.In BondSG$25,640.00 -
Wine Advocate (86)
In decline, the 1983 Ducru-Beaucaillou is showing notes of asphalt, earth, compost, and peppery, herb-tinged black fruits. The aromas in the attack exhibit good complexity, but then the wine becomes attenuated, even desiccated in the finish. The wine is medium-bodied and needs to be drunk up. Anticipated maturity: Now-2006. Last tasted, 5/02.In BondSG$734.00 -
Wine Spectator (92)
Youthful and vigorous beneath a polished surface, offering beautifully modulated currant, blackberry and chocolate flavors that resonate on the finish. The tannins are not obtrusive, allowing the flavors to ring true. Should develop well with cellaring through 1996 to '98.In BondSG$872.00 -
Vinous (91-93)
The 2020 Puligny-Montrachet Les Combettes 1er Cru, which undergoes partial maturation in concrete and stainless steel eggs has a bright and more malic bouquet than the Folatières. The palate is tensile on the entry, fine acidity and salinity, touches of Clementine and bitter lemon enlivening the finish. Whilst not immensely persistent but this is full of vitality and terroir expression.In BondSG$1,230.00 -
Vinous (98)
The 2016 Sancerre Clos La Néore is almost Riesling-like in its firm yet fine personality, its unswerving purity and its clear translation of place. Don't expect a seductive Sancerre, this is dry and steely with an appealing bitterness making for a very grown up white wine. It's starting to show early signs of development in its light almond/lanolin character alongside lemon tea. It offers exceptional concentration while being light bodied and provides a steely core of acidity, keeping the wine together and powering on. If you have any in your cellar, I can make myself available for dinner.In BondSG$1,240.00 -
Vinous (94)
The 2006 Millésime Grand Cru is sourced from old vines in Ambonnay. Vinification and aging in oak shape the wine to a considerable degree, but Ambonnay has the natural breadth and shoulders to handle the oak. Brioche, spice, vanillin, dried orchard fruit and herbs all develop nicely in the glass. The 2006 is rich and resonant to the core, yet also impeccable in its overall balance. Dosage is 2 grams per liter. Disgorged: July 2015.In BondSG$1,560.00 -
In BondSG$689.00
-
In BondSG$636.00
-
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 BondSG$5,025.00 -
In BondSG$1,120.00
-
Wine Advocate (90-92)
The 2018 Vosne-Romanée Village is showing beautifully, wafting from the glass with aromas of raspberries, exotic spices, orange rind and smoked duck, deftly framed by the subtle imprint of some 30% new oak. On the palate, the wine is medium to full-bodied, textural, and enveloping, with a ripe but succulent core of fruit, supple tannins and a fragrant finish. It's a blend derived from lieux-dits Aux Ravioles, Aux Ormes, Les Jacquines, Aux Réas, Vigneux and Barraux.In BondSG$1,260.00 -
Esprit Leflaive Pommard 1er Cru Les Arvelets 2018 is one of the finest vintages from Burgundy's renowned Leflaive family. Drawing on over three centuries of winemaking expertise, it is produced through painstakingly meticulous viticulture and traditional vinification in oak casks. Earthy yet refined, this silky Burgundian beauty manifests notes of ripe cherry, currant, and earth spice, characteristic to its origin in the internationally-respected Pommard commune vineyards. Aged for 15 months in French oak barrels, it achieves a perfect balance between fruit to oak ratio, lending it a complexity relished by connoisseurs worldwide. Produced in limited quantities, Esprit Leflaive Pommard 1er Cru Les Arvelets 2018 simultaneously embodies elegance and strength, revealing a remarkable ageing potential. This exceptional Pinot Noir reaffirms the Leflaive family’s reputation for peerlessly capturing the essence of terroir and transcending it into wines of inimitable depth and character.
In BondSG$741.00 -
Vinous (92-94)
The 2021 Chambertin Clos-de-Bèze Grand Cru bides its time opening up, revealing raspberry and cranberry fruit, autumn leaves, touches of orange pith. Cohesive and focused, it gains vigour in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, brown spices and white pepper that are liberally sprinkled over the finish that has a very small attenuation. But this is still well-crafted.In BondSG$1,525.00 -
In BondSG$3,535.00
-
Vinous - Neal Martin (92-94)
The 2021 Chambertin Clos-de-Bèze Grand Cru bides its time opening up, revealing raspberry and cranberry fruit, autumn leaves, touches of orange pith. Cohesive and focused, it gains vigour in the glass. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, brown spices and white pepper that are liberally sprinkled over the finish that has a very small attenuation. But this is still well-crafted.In BondSG$2,705.00 -
In BondSG$520.00
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Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (93-96)
Pale but pretty colour. Light fruit on the nose. Spared from the frost, and as is typical of such cuvees in 2021, the wine feels more complete – in fact, displaying a particularly long finish. This avoids also the blocky side of Clos Vougeot, showing instead a rather fine fresh but light strawberry fruit. One could almost suggest that it is ethereal for this appellation! Drink from 2030-2038.In BondSG$877.00 -
Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (92-95)
A pretty fresh ruby crimson. The nose is elegant for Corton, fruit enhanced by a floral top note. Very good. Crisp, mineral, vertical, somewhat raw but with a fine quality of fruit, reasonable persistence. The new wood is not marking in flavour but does help to make the structure. Drink from 2028-2036.In BondSG$770.00 -
Vinous (90-92)
The 2021 Echézeaux En Orveau Grand Cru comes from a parcel on the south-facing slope and includes some stem addition. It is fragrant on the nose with hints of white pepper and bay leaf embroidered into the lifted red fruit. Quite complex and focused. The palate is medium-bodied with a fresh, almost citrus-like entry, a little bony towards the finish but with more persistence than the Clos Vougeot.In BondSG$912.00 -
Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (92-94)
Fairly dense crimson in colour. There is a solid weight of fruit on the nose, dark raspberry with some strawberry too. Some depth to this. A mix of mineral and floral for Jérôme while I find something earthier. Firm tannins at the finish but plenty of fruit to surround them. Drink from 2028-2036.In BondSG$1,045.00