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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Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94)
The 2023 Le Clarence de Haut-Brion is quite the powerhouse. Ample and potent to the core, Le Clarence is a standout. Black cherry fruit, mocha, gravel, incense, licorice and chocolate fill out the wine's ample, full-bodied frame. Even with all of its natural intensity, Le Clarence is quite polished in its tannin profile.د.إ2,665.00 -
Wine Advocate (97-99)
Le Dome is from the JCP Maltus portfolio of skillfully crafted Saint-Émilion wines. Neil White is the head winemaker and Thomas Duclos is a consultant here. The 2018 Le Dome is composed of 80% Cabernet Franc and 20% Merlot, with a 3.82 pH and 14.3% alcohol. Deep garnet-purple colored, it is a little coy in the beginning, requiring considerable coaxing to allow fragrant earth, rose hip tea, preserved plums and raspberry pie notions to emerge, giving way to notes of pencil shavings, woodsmoke and camphor. Full-bodied, firm and finely grained, the profound palate is sparked by energetic mineral and red fruit notes, framed by firm, fine-grained tannins and just enough acidity to lift the very long, very fragrant finish.د.إ2,065.00 -
Wine Enthusiast (93)
Dominated by Merlot, this is a richly perfumed, ripe and spicy wine. Soft tannins are balanced by plenty of acidity and blackberry fruit. It's full in structure, but still allows plenty of room for the fruit.د.إ659.00 -
James Suckling (92-93)
A soft, round red with blackberry, chocolate and hints of spice and cedar. It’s medium-bodied with silky tannins and a juicy finish.د.إ677.00 -
(3x150cl) 2023Vinous - Antonio Galloni (92)
The 2023 Le Dragon de Quintus is a succulent, fleshy second wine. Plush contours frame a core of dark cherry fruit, lavender, rose petal, chocolate and mocha. This builds nicely through the creamy mid-palate and into the long, resonant finish. Drink this racy Saint-Émilion over the next decade or so.د.إ594.00 -
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (92)
The 2023 Le Dragon de Quintus is a succulent, fleshy second wine. Plush contours frame a core of dark cherry fruit, lavender, rose petal, chocolate and mocha. This builds nicely through the creamy mid-palate and into the long, resonant finish. Drink this racy Saint-Émilion over the next decade or so.د.إ697.00 -
Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (94)
Touch of reduction, with flint and gunsmoke adding focus and interest. Stands out for its grip and tension and a feeling of depth to the stone and citrus fruit. Touches of green apple and gooseberry also.د.إ563.00 -
James Suckling (97-98)
A tight and dense red with depth of fruit and polished tannins that really impress at this stage. It’s naturally refined and complex with so much dark-berry, chocolate, cedar and hazelnut character. Great wine.د.إ2,065.00 -
James Suckling (98-99)
This is a young red with great intensity and vision that starts off slowly and builds with energy and verve. It’s so minerally with salty, chalky and spice undertones to the cool and vibrant, purple and subtle-fruit flavors. The tannins are wonderfully toned and polished and build on the palate to deliver something very special.د.إ1,480.00 -
د.إ469.00 -
Vinous - Neal Martin (90)
The 2017 Le Marquis de Calon-Ségur, bottled in May 2019, offers attractive blackberry, raspberry coulis and light briary aromas on the nose, which is well defined. The palate is very Pauillac in style with graphite-tinged black fruit, reflecting the higher percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon now used in the blend. This will form delightful drinking over the next 5 to 8 years.د.إ1,410.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (93-95)
Another second wine from this brilliant vintage that tastes more like a grand vin, the 2018 Le Marquis de Calon Segur offers a full-bodied, ripe, incredibly sexy profile that carries terrific amounts of currants, plums, graphite, and leafy herb-like aromas and flavors. A blend of 53% Merlot and 47% Cabernet Sauvignon brought up in 30% new French oak, it’s a head turner that’s going to drink spectacularly well right out of the gate.د.إ574.00 -
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94)
The 2019 Le Marquis de Calon Ségur is a terrific second wine. Ample, bold and dramatic, the 2019 packs a huge punch. Black cherry, plum, new leather, graphite and incense build as this flamboyant, opulent Saint-Estèphe shows off its considerable allure. The 2019 is a big wine, but the 15.1% alcohol is not especially evident.د.إ659.00 -
(6x150cl) 2023Vinous - Antonio Galloni (93)
The 2023 Le Marquis de Calon Ségur is a joyous, inviting wine to drink now and over the next decade or so. Plump and juicy, the 2023 is quite the extrovert, yet it remains very much medium in body. Grilled herbs, menthol, new leather, licorice and sage are front and center. This Merlot-driven Marquis is quite the looker.د.إ4,693.98 -
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (93)
The 2023 Le Marquis de Calon Ségur is a joyous, inviting wine to drink now and over the next decade or so. Plump and juicy, the 2023 is quite the extrovert, yet it remains very much medium in body. Grilled herbs, menthol, new leather, licorice and sage are front and center. This Merlot-driven Marquis is quite the looker.د.إ653.00 -
(3x150cl) 2013A gem within the fine wine collection is the Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru 2013. Hailing from Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, a prime Champagne region, this well-crafted wine bears the signature of Champagne Le Mesnil, a revered cooperative with unmatched commitment to quality. The vintage 2013 is 100% Chardonnay, meticulously hand-picked and vinified to produce a Blanc de Blancs of unparalleled strength and finesse.
Matured on lees for a noteworthy period, the wine showcases the unique terroir of Côte des Blancs, offering a mesmerising dance of creamy mousse, lush ripe fruit with hints of toasted almonds and brioche. The taste evolves on the palate, culminating in a long and magnificent finish.
If seeking a companion for a delicate entrée or a delightful standalone drink, the Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru 2013 exemplifies the best of Champagne. It's a sublime testimony to the producer's mastery over the grape and terrain.
د.إ1,140.00 -
A gem within the fine wine collection is the Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru 2013. Hailing from Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, a prime Champagne region, this well-crafted wine bears the signature of Champagne Le Mesnil, a revered cooperative with unmatched commitment to quality. The vintage 2013 is 100% Chardonnay, meticulously hand-picked and vinified to produce a Blanc de Blancs of unparalleled strength and finesse.
Matured on lees for a noteworthy period, the wine showcases the unique terroir of Côte des Blancs, offering a mesmerising dance of creamy mousse, lush ripe fruit with hints of toasted almonds and brioche. The taste evolves on the palate, culminating in a long and magnificent finish.
If seeking a companion for a delicate entrée or a delightful standalone drink, the Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru 2013 exemplifies the best of Champagne. It's a sublime testimony to the producer's mastery over the grape and terrain.
د.إ1,140.00 -
Jancis Robinson (17)
Very vibrant, a bit of a brisk wake-up call. A cold shower of a wine! But very good zestiness. Very, very clean. Lovely aperitif, lots of character. Not that long though.د.إ2,815.00 -
Wine Advocate (93)
The best Pauillac I ever tasted (and this wine has been a revelation ever since they first introduced it), the 2010 from Latour represents 24% of their production. It is a blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44.5% Merlot and .5% Cabernet Franc. An amazingly opulent, round, delicious wine, and a great buy when they finally release it – assuming it comes in under a three-digit price – it possesses wonderfully silky tannins, classic black currant, cedar wood and forest floor notes, and rich, full-bodied opulence as well as a terrific purity and palate presence. It should drink well for 10-15+ years.د.إ2,300.00 -
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (93)
The 2016 Pauillac de Château Latour is just as delicious as it was from barrel. Pliant, silky and open-knit, the Pauillac is absolutely striking. Bright floral notes lift the red and purplish berry fruit in a mid-weight, classy wine endowed with tremendous polish. There is so much to like and admire in this beautifully perfumed, nuanced wine from Latour. In 2016, the Pauillac is a wine of total precision and class.د.إ2,015.00 -
(6x75cl) 2000د.إ1,070.00 -
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94)
The 2019 Petit Cheval is a stunning second wine - if it can even be called that. In 2019, Petit Cheval is a blend of four parcels that were in the Grand Vin in 2018. Dark, supple and expressive, the 2019 offers up an exotic mélange of black cherry, spice, new leather and graphite, all of which build effortlessly in the glass. The Petit represents 5.5% of the château's production in 2019, but it is more of a second selection, as 12% of the wine that year was sold in bulk.د.إ3,990.00 -
Wine Advocate (95)
Cheval Blanc's relatively new white wine, the 2018 Le Petit Cheval Blanc, is a blend of 74% Sauvignon Blanc and 26% Sémillon. This is the first vintage that the Sémillon plantings have come online to make the blend. Profound notions of ripe pineapple, passion fruit and white peaches explode from the glass, followed by fragrant notes of lemongrass, lime blossoms and yuzu zest with a waft of sea spray. The palate is full-bodied with an alluring oiliness to the texture and layer upon layer of tropical fruits, citrus peel and minerals, marked by a refreshing line and finishing with loads of mineral sparks. Put aside all your preconceptions of "Bordeaux Blanc" and don't even try to compare it to Pessac-Leognan. This has its own gorgeous expression of these grapes, defying regional tradition. Give yourself over to the rich decadence of this flamboyant white that is at once without peers, but is also quintessentially Cheval Blanc.د.إ1,280.00 -
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (95)
The 2019 Blanc is a powerful deep wine. Low yields in the field resulted in a Blanc of unusual concentration and almost phenolic intensity. Citrus confit, marzipan, chamomile, dried herbs and a touch of new oak flesh out. The Blanc emerges from the former La Tour du Moulin Figeac estate, which is just across the road from Cheval Blanc property. It spent 22-23 months in large format oak, both of which are outside the norm in Bordeaux.د.إ1,365.00 -
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (92)
Bruno Borie's Merlot-based Saint-Julien Lalande-Borie is plump, juicy and inviting in 2017. Inky dark blue and purplish berry fruit, spice, licorice, menthol and chocolate are all pushed forward in an easygoing, racy Saint-Julien that will drink well right out of the gate. The 2017 spent 12 months in French oak, 40% of which was new. This is very nicely done and delicious.د.إ845.00 -
(6x75cl) 2015James Suckling (94)
Beautiful aromas of blackcurrants, blackberries and dark chocolate. Some hot stones. Full-bodied, dense and chewy yet polished and juicy. Shows pretty length and density. Very clean and focused. Precise. Better in 2021.د.إ910.00 -
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94)
The 2016 Le Petit Haut Lafitte is a fabulous second wine from Smith Haut Lafitte. Inky blue/purplish berry fruit, lavender, menthol, licorice and cloves give the Petit Haut Lafitte its striking aromatic complexity. Deep, resonant and exquisitely layered, the 2016 is a real joy to taste. I would cellar it for another year or two. The 2016 has enough depth and pedigree to develop beautifully for the next 10-15 years.د.إ2,330.00 -
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94)
The 2016 Le Petit Haut Lafitte is a fabulous second wine from Smith Haut Lafitte. Inky blue/purplish berry fruit, lavender, menthol, licorice and cloves give the Petit Haut Lafitte its striking aromatic complexity. Deep, resonant and exquisitely layered, the 2016 is a real joy to taste. I would cellar it for another year or two. The 2016 has enough depth and pedigree to develop beautifully for the next 10-15 years.د.إ741.00 -
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (93)
Cabernet Sauvignon takes center stage in the 2018 Le Petit Haut Lafitte. A powerful, deep wine, the 2018 possesses terrific energy as well as a good deal of Cabernet savoriness. I would prefer to cellar it for at least a few years as it is tightly wound today. Black cherry, blackberry jam, cloves, licorice and chocolate give this imposing red a real feeling of somber intensity.د.إ762.00 -
James Suckling (93-94)
This is very fresh and crunchy with blackberries, dark cherries and hints of crushed stones. It’s medium-bodied with impressive acidity and fine, silky tannins. Shows depth and structure, too. Bright and vivid on the finish. Lightly chunky. Second wine of Leoville Las Cases. 61% cabernet sauvignon, 31% merlot and 8% cabernet franc.د.إ1,055.00
