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 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Bordeaux | 52 | 98-100 (WCI) | د.إ9,285.00 | |||||
The Wine Cellar Insider (98-100)Deeply colored, the wine is all about its elegance in the texture. The fruits offer a level of purity and refinement that was not present in older vintages. Perfectly balanced, vibrant, long and intense, the wine is incredibly sensuous, velvety, and silky. The level of concentration remains, but the sensation here is now one of sensuality, balance, and sophistication. The silky, pure, red and black pit fruits with a cool touch of orange rind remain with you for close to 60 seconds. Fermentation at cooler temperatures and no sulfur during the fermentations helped maintain the wines elegance and purity. The wine blends 60% Merlot, and 40% Cabernet Franc, 14.5% ABV, 3.65 pH. Harvesting took place, September 6 - September 28. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 35 | 97-98 (JS) | د.إ7,100.00 | |||||
James Suckling (97-98)The transparency of fruit and the finesse is really something here. There’s depth and beauty to the pristine, fresh fruit. Full-bodied and muscular with wonderful tannins that provide tension and form. Subtle and weightless, this is a thought-provoking young wine. 60% merlot and 40% cabernet franc. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 6 | 100 (JD) | د.إ4,970.00 | |||||
Jeb Dunnuck (100)Only the second release of this cuvée (it was first produced in 2016 and will be produced in 2019 as well), the 2018 Château Angelus Hommage A Elisabeth Bouchet is 100% Cabernet Franc coming from a single parcel of vines averaging between 60-80 years in age. It was vinified in stainless steel and the aging spanned 18 months in new French oak. It's another magical wine from this château that somehow manages to marry serious power and richness with a sense of purity and elegance, as well as complexity, that's something to behold. Deep purple-hued, it offers a sensational array of blackcurrant and cassis fruits intermixed with truffle, spring flowers, and a subtle meaty, baking spice character that develops with time in the glass. Full-bodied on the palate, it's flawlessly balanced, has ultra-fine tannins, and an expansive, seamless, heavenly mouthfeel. Everything is in the right place, and it has perfectly integrated oak along with a gorgeous finish. There are just 849 bottles produced, with a few larger formats, so I expect this to be just about impossible to find in the marketplace (nor will it be cheap), but it's as fine a Saint-Emilion as has ever been made. It needs a decade of cellaring, and I suspect it will have 40-50 years of overall longevity. |
|||||||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 6 | - | د.إ5,410.00 | |||||
|
|
Burgundy | 1 | - | د.إ5,560.00 | |||||
|
Presenting the illustrious Anne Boisson Meursault Blanc 2016, a wine that bears the hallmark of refined viticulture. It originates from the revered chalky soils of the Meursault appellation in Burgundy, France. Anne Boisson, a pioneer in bio-dynamic farming, and winemaker extraordinaire, is the master behind this natural white gem. The grapes underwent meticulous handpicking before vinification followed by 18 months of maturing in French oak barrels. You're granted a sensation of powerful minerality with a tantalising white floral overtone. Pear and apple notes align elegantly with buttery undertones, assuring an enjoyable complexity. The Anne Boisson Meursault Blanc 2016 delights with a robust body and lengthy finish, indicative of its acceptable ageing potential. Its low-intervention winemaking ensures a wine that speaks truth to its terroir, whilst maintaining the quintessential charm of Burgundian chardonnay. Truly a testament to Anne Boisson's impressive artisanal skills in the wine-making realm. |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 1 | - | د.إ2,210.00 | |||||
|
The 'Anne et Herve Sigaut Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Fuees 2016' is a sophisticated red Bordeaux wine, embodying the expertise of French winemaking. This masterpiece originates from the small village of Chambolle-Musigny in the Côte de Nuits, Burgundy, a region acclaimed for crafting world-class Pinot Noir. Produced by Anne et Herve Sigaut, a husband-wife team renowned for their organic vineyard practices since 1990, their craft imprints the narrative of their terroir in every bottle. Only mature vines, aged 40-60 years, are deemed suitable for yielding the nuanced grapes for this Premier Cru. The 2016 vintage, marked by its assertive tannins and striking acidity, presents an opulent bouquet of red and black fruits and a touch of spice. It exudes an enviable longevity, testament to careful ageing in oak barrels. A treasure among wine enthusiasts, Anne et Herve Sigaut Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Fuees 2016 promises an exquisite experience. |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 1 | 94-96 (IB) | د.إ7,360.00 | |||||
Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (94-96)A fresh mid ruby with glycerol legs. Very elegant with a welcome crispness too. Fluid in a very good way. Liquid raspberries and alpine strawberries which flow across the palate. A few refined tannins to finish. Drink from 2029-2035. Tasted Nov 2024. |
|||||||||
|
|
Beaujolais | 1 | 92 (VN) | د.إ1,180.00 | |||||
Vinous (92)Deep magenta. Expressive red and dark berry aromas pick up floral and smoky mineral accents with air. Appealingly sweet and nicely concentrated, offering pliant black raspberry and cherry flavors braced by a spine of juicy acidity. Closes with mineral cut, a hint of fine-grained tannins and strong persistence. |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 1 | - | د.إ19,535.00 | |||||
|
|
Bordeaux | 26 | 97 (DC) | د.إ1,135.00 | |||||
Decanter (97)The vines of Belair-Monange are split between limestone on the plateau and clay limestone on the slopes. This is a stand-out wine, poised and silky but still in the Moueix muscular house style in 2015. Tannins are fully present and fully committed. In the glass, the floral side opens up, and there's impressive salinity on the finish where you can practically lick the limestone. Excellent; one to put away for eight to ten years. |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 1 | 90+ (VN) | د.إ2,945.00 | |||||
Vinous (90+)(Jobard lost 40% of the crop here as both his lowest and highest vines were affected by frost; he described this as the worst frost year in this cru since 1981): Ripe yellow fruits and spices on the nose; a bit less floral than the Blagny. Sappier than the Blagny, showing good citrussy energy and a savory quality. Nicely concentrated but less refined and elegant than the Blagny. Finishes a tad spiky and phenolic, in need of time to find its ultimate harmony. |
|||||||||
|
|
Beaujolais | 1 | 94 (VN) | د.إ1,725.00 | |||||
Vinous (94)Vivid red. A highly perfumed bouquet evokes ripe, spice-accented red berries and cherry liqueur, smoky minerals and a hint of incense. Energetic, mineral-laced blueberry and bitter cherry flavors show very good depth and take on a hint of candied licorice with air. Smooth, harmonious tannins add framework to the impressively long, floral-tinged finish, which leaves behind a sweet touch of red fruit preserves. |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 1 | - | د.إ1,080.00 | |||||
|
|
Burgundy | 1 | 95-98 (IB) | د.إ9,690.00 | |||||
Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (95-98)A bright fresh mid purple. The bouquet is superb, in a really lush and almost creamy red berry fruit, not as wild as some until a little savoury touch at the finish. Complex, a fine weave to the texture, with pure red berry fruit coming out at the finish. Despite its location I tend to think of Bonnes Mares as a Morey style Grand Cru, but you can certainly see the touch of Chambolle in this. Drink from 2032-2040. Tasted: November 2023. |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 1 | 95-97 (IB) | د.إ8,705.00 | |||||
Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (95-97)Bright and even purple. An ever-increasing depth of ripe raspberry on the nose, yet with some stricter savoury qualities too. Seamless on the palate, unsure of which commune it lies in, close to giving the best of both. A cousin to Chambolle yet with marked Morey tendencies. The complexity continues across the palate (Morey) while the finish has additional sensuality (Chambolle). Drink from 2032-2038. Tasted Dec 2024. |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 2 | 87-89 (IB) | د.إ658.00 | |||||
Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (87-89)A fine even purple. A nose of charm and delicious, adequately ripe, dark red fruit. Energetic fruit, with a touch of sandalwood, tightly wound with quite high acidity. Just slightly dry at the finish, though compensated by surprising length. Drink from 2024-2026. |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 2 | 86-89 (BH) | د.إ736.00 | |||||
Burghound (86-89)Outstanding Top Value. A wonderfully fresh and ripe nose combines notes of red currant, plum and a whisper of earth. The sleek, delicious and vibrant middleweight flavors terminate in an inviting and refreshing if lightly rustic finish. This is very good for its level plus it offers short to mid-term aging potential. |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 1 | 93 (DC) | د.إ633.00 | |||||
Decanter (93)This deeply satisfying Bourgogne boasts a deep ruby colour and forward aromas of ripe cherry and wild strawberry. The structure is supple, with firmish tannins, good freshness and concentration on the palate that suggest this could also age. The vines are all in the Gevrey village limits, east of the Route Nationale. The domaine owns 5ha here that were purchased in the 1960s; some of the vines were planted then. The grapes are mostly destemmed before a gentle fermentation and aged in mainly used casks to produce this exemplary wine. |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 1 | 94-96 (VN) | د.إ4,140.00 | |||||
Vinous (94-96)The 2021 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru is a little more "gourmand" on the nose, cohering with time in the glass, loamy, almost peaty aromas emerge with time. The palate is medium-bodied with finely-honed tannins. Lovely symmetry here, with a slight creaminess in texture towards the finish, where it feels very persistent. This is a lovely Charmes-Chambertin that should evolve wonderfully in bottle. |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 1 | 93-95 (VN) | د.إ7,235.00 | |||||
Vinous (93-95)The 2022 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru, one of the last to be picked over three different passes, has a plush and expressive bouquet with dark cherries, raspberry coulis and light violet petal aromas that recede and reveal orange rind and yuzu scents. The palate is medium-bodied with firm grip on the entry. It’s a solid Charmes-Chambertin that is Mazoyères in style because, well, that's where it's from! A serious Charmes-Chambertin that will age well in bottle. |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 1 | 94-96 (IB) | د.إ7,235.00 | |||||
Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (94-96)Bright fresh purple. The nose has just a suggestion of chocolate on top of the raspberries. There is plenty of energy here on the palate, now some ripe cherries, not the most concentrated but with a fine long aftertaste. Has me reaching for another taste! Drink from 2033-2040. Tasted Dec 2024. |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 1 | 95-97 (VN (NM)) | د.إ7,235.00 | |||||
Vinous - Neal Martin (95-97)The 2023 Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru seems more detailed and articulates its terroir with more aplomb than the Clos de la Roche at the moment. There is brightness and energy, combined with complexity. After a few swirls, touches of bay leaf and tea leaves emerge. The palate is medium-bodied with sapid black fruit and fine grip, slightly more viscous in texture than the Clos de la Roche, with a pinch of black pepper and graphite on the long finish. Superb. |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 1 | 92-94 (IB) | د.إ2,330.00 | |||||
Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (92-94)Fresh dark purple, a mild reduction, a wine of elegance and charm on the palate with a surprisingly peppery finish. Almost exotic Asian spices. The fruit itself spreads beautifully across the palate, a mix of red and black. Tasted: December 2021 |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 1 | 91-94 (BH) | د.إ2,355.00 | |||||
Burghound (91-94)A discreet application of wood sets off the softly spicy and earthy aromas of violet, lavender plum and red currant. The powerful and markedly more concentrated broad-shouldered flavors exude a subtle minerality on the succulent yet very firmly structured finale that exhibits excellent length. Patience will be necessary but it should be well-rewarded in time as this is packed with development potential. |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 1 | 92-94 (IB) | د.إ2,340.00 | |||||
Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (92-94)Not too deep in colour, an even crimson ruby. Very much a red fruit nose as well, actually this is quite striking and very well poised. Fills the mouth, discreetly, then develops further depth of fruit at the back of the palate, as well as showing a little oak. I think this will emerge as a very successful 2023. Drink from 2030-2036. Tasted Dec 2024. |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 2 | 93-95 (VN) | د.إ3,030.00 | |||||
Vinous (93-95)The 2022 Morey-Saint-Denis Les Ruchots 1er Cru has a classic Morey-Saint-Denis bouquet with mineral-driven black fruit and touches of melted tar and tobacco. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, well-balanced and grippy, with perhaps the most saline finish amongst Arlaud's Morey Premier Crus. This will need more time than the Aux Chesaux, but it will be worth the wait. |
|||||||||
|
|
Burgundy | 1 | 92-95 (IB) | د.إ4,390.00 | |||||
Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy (92-95)A fine even purple. The bouquet is beautifully, florally, perfumed. This seems to be one of the riper wines but still has the quintessential cool balance of an Arlaud wine. Heady roses, with a ripe raspberry underlay. The acidity is sufficiently present and the tannins refined A long, supple finish. Drink from 2031-2038. Tasted Dec 2024. |
|||||||||
