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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Bordeaux | 6 | 93-94 (JS) | د.إ1,225.00 | |||||
James Suckling (93-94)A rich and dense second wine of Pichon Lalande with a full body, round and juicy tannins and a fruit-driven finish. Chewy, too. |
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Bordeaux | 2 | 94 (VN (AG)) | د.إ981.00 | |||||
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (94)The 2019 Réserve de la Comtesse is elegant, silky and nuanced, with terrific presence and tons of pure class. Crushed red berry fruit, mint, blood orange, rose petal and spice all build with a bit of aeration. I am so impressed with the wine's breadth and textural intensity. The 2019 Réserve is without a doubt one of the best recent editions here. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 90 (VN (AG)) | د.إ423.00 | |||||
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (90)The 2018 Reynon is an absolute delight. Plump, juicy and so inviting, the 2018 checks all the right boxes. Succulent red cherry fruit, cedar, spice, new leather and tobacco wrap around the palate. Fleshy and harmonious, Reynon is superb. It is also one of the very finest values readers will find anywhere in the world. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 97 (JS) | د.إ1,290.00 | |||||
James Suckling (97)So much botrytis on the nose with spice, dried mushrooms and nutmeg. Dried lemons and mangoes. Full-bodied and medium sweet with density and, at the same time, lightness. I like that it is full of botrytis on the palate at the beginning and then turns fruity and very pretty at the end with citrus and fruit. Balanced, creamy and rich. Try after 2024, but already gorgeous. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 97 (DC) | د.إ1,010.00 | |||||
Decanter (97)An exceptional wine, this is just stuffed full of exotic fruits, layers of apricot, saffron, truffle and citrus, all powering through the palate with a mouthwatering finish. An early harvest - they finished picking in 2017 the same day that they started in 2018, and the crop showed unusually pure botrytis, needing less sorting than usual. Absolutely one to look out for. |
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Bordeaux | 4 | 97 (VN (AG)) | د.إ829.00 | |||||
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (97)The 2019 Rieussec is absolutely gorgeous. Gracious and supremely elegant in feel, the 2019 is immediately impressive. An exotic melange of lemon confit, marzipan, white flowers, passionfruit and tangerine oil opens effortlessly. The 2019 is compelling from start to finish. Harvest took place from October 8 to 15, in three passes. The 2019 is the first vintage that will be offered in a stylish new bottle. It is no secret Sauternes has struggled of late. I must say I really liked the new and very modern presentation, which shows a more playful side of Sauternes that might just work in creating a bit more excitement around these wines. |
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Bordeaux | 1 | 94-96 (JD) | د.إ833.00 | |||||
Jeb Dunnuck (94-96)An estate that’s on an upward trajectory, having just completed work on a new cellar, the 2018 Château Ripeau comes from just over 12 hectares of vines situated near the likes of Cheval Blanc, Figeac, and La Dominique, and is a rough blend of 67% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon that will spend 16-18 months in new French oak. It offers a deep purple color as well as terrific purity and precision in its vibrant cassis and black raspberry fruits and notes of spring flowers, spice box, and earth. Medium to full-bodied, silky, and seamless on the palate, it has building tannins, ample mid-palate depth, and good concentration, and stays light on its feet and incredibly elegant. This estate is managed by Julien Salles and gets consulting advice from Claude Gros. My money is on this 2018 being the best to date, and I suspect the best is still to come! |
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Burgundy | 1 | - | د.إ9,195.00 | |||||
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Robert Ampeau Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Combettes 1997 offers an unforgettable journey to the heart of fine winemaking, embodying the renowned tradition of French viticulture. This exquisite white wine, crafted under the watchful eye of the esteemed Robert Ampeau, hails from Puligny-Montrachet in Burgundy and is part of the premier cru, denoting its exceptional quality. The wine is famed for its elegant vibrancy and subtle complexity, a testament to Robert Ampeau's meticulous approach. Spared from invasive modern techniques, Ampeau tends his vineyards with care, allowing the authentic terroir of Montrachet to your glass. The Robert Ampeau Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Combettes 1997 showcases rich character, nuanced with pear, citrus, almond and stony mineral notes. The palate is robust yet impeccably balanced, carrying through to a lingering, sophisticated finish. Let this vintage transport you, an emblem of time, passion, and the indomitable spirit of French winemaking tradition. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 89-92 (BH) | د.إ1,155.00 | |||||
Burghound (89-92)Outstanding Top value. An ultra-fresh nose speaks of ripe red and dark berries plus an abundance of earth character. There is better volume and density to the energetic medium weight flavors where the supporting tannins are unusually fine in the context of what is typical for a Nuits villages. Excellent and worth your interest. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 96 (VN (NM)) | د.إ9,305.00 | |||||
Vinous - Neal Martin (96)The 2017 Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru was bottled just before Christmas 2018. It has an engaging, almost beguiling bouquet of brambly red berry fruit, sous-bois, light tobacco aromas and a discreet marine influence. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins and slightly ferrous red berry fruit. More broody and introspective than the nascent 2018, with a subtly spicy pinch of cracked black pepper on the fresh finish. Excellent. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 96 (VN (NM)) | د.إ14,240.00 | |||||
Vinous - Neal Martin (96)The 2019 Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoureuses 1er Cru has a wonderful bouquet—beautifully defined with intense yet controlled red berry fruit, briar, minerals, and seamlessly-integrated oak. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grained tannins. This is a very gifted, heart-warming Pinot Noir, showing great focus and a hint of pain d'epices on the finish. Everything is dialed down at the moment, but it will unfurl over the next two decades. Tasted blind at the Burgfest tasting. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 95-97 (VN) | د.إ13,680.00 | |||||
Vinous (95-97)The 2020 Chambolle-Musigny Les Amoureuses 1er Cru comes from 80-years old vines that was harvest over five morning, one hour each day and vinified in the same vat of course. Blended with 50% whole bunch and matured in 25% new oak, it has a well-defined bouquet with rose petals, red berry fruit, just a very faint hints of menthol in the far distance. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grain tannins, fresh and vibrant, lightly spiced towards the finish that feels linear and strict. This Amoureuses does not want to give too much away at the moment but the length in the mouth cannot be denied and augurs well for the future. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 93 (VN) | د.إ5,405.00 | |||||
Vinous (93)The 2016 Chambolle-Musigny Les Sentiers 1er Cru has an outstanding bouquet - exquisitely defined red berry fruit with subtle earthy tones. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, plenty of tightly coiled red fruit with a citrus-fresh finish that revivified the senses and leaves you urging for the next sip. Superb and classy. Tasted blind at the 2016 Burgfest tasting. |
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Burgundy | 2 | - | د.إ5,795.00 | |||||
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Delight in the unrivalled sophistication of the Robert Sirugue Vosne-Romanee 1er Cru Les Petits Monts 2018. This epitome of fine wine basks in the legacy of the Sirugue family, ardently cultivated in the premium vineyards of Vosne-Romanee, France. Unveiling a stunning array of scents, evocative of ripe berries, dark cherries and delicate spices, it introduces the palate to an exhilarating exploration of authentic Burgundian terroir. Crafted with rigorous attention to detail, incorporating traditional vinification methods along with restrained oak maturation, it captures an exquisite balance of power and finesse, while expressing an impressive minerality. The producer's dedication renders this expressive Pinot Noir wine an enriching symphony of depth, elegance, and longevity. A distinguished addition to any collection, the Robert Sirugue Vosne-Romanee 1er Cru Les Petits Monts 2018 is a testament to the artistry of French winemaking. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 92-94 (WA) | د.إ1,230.00 | |||||
Wine Advocate (92-94)The 2012 Pouilly Fuissé la Croix Vieilles Vignes comes from schist soils and even in nascent form it boasts a vibrant, energetic stony nose that shimmers in the glass. The palate is extremely well-balanced and complex: citrus peel and orange rind at first and then subtle mandarin and spice notes flowing through later. This is quite a mercurial Pouilly-Fuissé, coquettishly showing a different side of its face each time you come back. Superb. |
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1 | 92 (WA) | د.إ1,295.00 | ||||||
Wine Advocate (92)The 2022 Chardonnay has turned out beautifully, bursting with aromas of pear, white flowers, bread dough and hazelnuts, followed by a medium to full-bodied, fleshy palate with a satiny attack that segues into a charming, lively mid-palate, with good cut and a saline finish. Dancer sold off two-thirds of his crop in 2021, but the quality of his raw materials in 2022 should permit a less draconian selection. |
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1 | 92 (WA) | د.إ1,265.00 | ||||||
Wine Advocate (92)Théo Dancer's 2022 Pinot Noir is rather deep and muscular this year, opening in the glass with aromas of plumy fruit and sweet spices, followed by a medium to full-bodied, deep and primary palate framed by sweet, powdery tannins. It's matured in used 500-liter barrels. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 93-96 (VN) | د.إ4,650.00 | |||||
Vinous (93-96)Good bright, deep red. Aromas of black raspberry, rose petal and menthol show an almost liqueur-like ripeness. Then wonderfully sappy and vinous in the mouth, with a powerful crushed stone element giving punch to the creamy mid-palate. This is in the style of Potel's Lavaux Saint-Jaques, offering outstanding precision and class and a powerful impression of energy. Can't quite match the Chambertin for sheer grip but this wine is like a wake-up call to the taste buds. (The Griottes-Chambertin, which finished its malo later, was quite youthfully clenched and oaky, and impossible to assess with confidence.) |
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Burgundy | 1 | - | د.إ2,935.00 | |||||
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Burgundy | 1 | - | د.إ1,765.00 | |||||
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Burgundy | 1 | - | د.إ3,685.00 | |||||
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Burgundy | 1 | 92-94 (VN) | د.إ3,660.00 | |||||
Vinous (92-94)Good deep red-ruby. Mocha, spices and earth on the nose, with suggestions of very ripe fruit; lower-toned than the Clos Saint-Denis. Round, layered and broad in the mouth, showing impressive volume leavened by a strong cardamom spiciness. Can't match the Clos Saint-Denis today for lift but this sexy wine is still a baby. Tannins are thoroughly buffered by mid-palate stuffing. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 17.5 (JR) | د.إ4,380.00 | |||||
Jancis Robinson (17.5)Barrel sample. Mid cherry red. Intense aroma of perfectly ripe and generous cherry and damson fruit. Smells of luxury. Tastes luxurious, too. Fills the mouth with perfectly ripe dark fruit, lightly peppery, a hint of chocolate from the oak. Deep, smooth, the epitome of luxury and still keeping its shape and freshness. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 18 (JR) | د.إ5,255.00 | |||||
Jancis Robinson (18)Barrel sample. Greyish deep crimson. Like the Échezeaux, this smells of luxury but here it is darker and a little more oaky on the nose, very dark fruit profile. On the palate, dark, dense and savoury, a little charry, peppery, spiced, but the tannins are unexpectedly fine and supple even if the oak has thickened them slightly. Long, savoury aftertaste. Needs a lot of time. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 91-94 (BH) | د.إ2,945.00 | |||||
Burghound (91-94)(Outstanding) Like the Amoureuses this is highly restrained and also requires considerable swirling to coax the otherwise superbly fresh and spicy aromas of various wild red berries, anise, sandalwood, clove and pekoe tea nuances. Out of all of the 1ers in the range this is easily the biggest and most muscular; indeed this possesses grand cru size and weight, all wrapped in an intensely mineral-driven and explosively long finish. Note that here too this is not going to make for a good early drinker as ample patience will be required. |
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Burgundy | 1 | 91-93 (VN) | د.إ1,970.00 | |||||
Vinous (91-93)The 2019 Vosne-Romanée Les Rouges 1er Cru is nicely focused on the elegant, pure nose, which features perfumed black cherries, raspberry and incense aromas - quintessential Vosne-Romanée aromatics. The palate is well balanced with a silky entry, fine weight in the mouth and a succulent, high-toned but not excessive finish. The opulence is pitched just right. Superb. This benefits from being located at high altitude in a warm growing season. |
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Bordeaux | 10 | 98 (JS) | د.إ1,195.00 | |||||
James Suckling (98)Super complexity of bright fruit with bark, spice, orange peel and minerals. Medium to full body. Racy and fine tannins. Mushroom, cedar and black tea undertones. 80% merlot and 20% cabernet franc. From organically grown grapes. Hard not to drink now but better in three to five years and will age beautifully. |
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Champagne | 1 | 18 (JR) | د.إ1,365.00 | |||||
Jancis Robinson (18)Another deep, sonorous nose. Edgy, but not for the sake of edgy. The depth to these Coulon wines is remarkable. Yes, it's toast and layers and fruit and spice and minerals in abundance, but the flavours are almost secondary to the anima of the wine. This is a wine that slams into your whole body; one sip; feel the reverberations. These wines are all about the energy, the resonance, the sheer life force of life. Like copper wires pulsing with electricity. Like a cello solo in the Carnegie Hall. You feel it more than you drink it. |
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Rhone | 1 | 94-96 (JD) | د.إ859.00 | |||||
Jeb Dunnuck (94-96)The same blend as the 2016, the 2017 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Prestige is another inky colored wine from this estate that has an elegant, mineral-laced, balanced profile that’s very much in the style of the 2017 vintage. Blackberries, raspberries, crushed rocks, ground pepper, and violet notes all give way to a full-bodied 2017 that has terrific purity, no hard edges, building tannin, and a great finish. It's going to hit the ground running and cruise in good cellars for two decades. It has slightly more freshness and minerality than the Reserve cuvée. |
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