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.
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Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (96)
You want to know what Pauillac tastes like, roll up and enjoy this vintage of Batailley. Squid ink, slate, cassis, bilberry, slate, crayon, black chocolate, plenty of tannic grip, a smudge of grilled cedar oak and a squeeze of mint, it's all here. 57% new oak for ageing. Harvest September 12 through to October 5, Axel Marchal consultant, Philippe and Frederic Castéja owners.د.إ4,618.42 -
Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (96)
You want to know what Pauillac tastes like, roll up and enjoy this vintage of Batailley. Squid ink, slate, cassis, bilberry, slate, crayon, black chocolate, plenty of tannic grip, a smudge of grilled cedar oak and a squeeze of mint, it's all here. 57% new oak for ageing. Harvest September 12 through to October 5, Axel Marchal consultant, Philippe and Frederic Castéja owners.د.إ4,618.42 -
Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (96)
You want to know what Pauillac tastes like, roll up and enjoy this vintage of Batailley. Squid ink, slate, cassis, bilberry, slate, crayon, black chocolate, plenty of tannic grip, a smudge of grilled cedar oak and a squeeze of mint, it's all here. 57% new oak for ageing. Harvest September 12 through to October 5, Axel Marchal consultant, Philippe and Frederic Castéja owners.د.إ4,618.42 -
The Wine Cellar Insider (96)
Clearly the best ever produced at Beau-Sejour Becot. You know it from the moment you place your nose in the wealth of flowers, licorice, smoke, black and red plums, dark cherry, espresso, and forest aromatics. Once the wine hits your palate, the wine really takes off with its sensuous textures, silky tannins and long, concentrated layer of perfectly ripe, sweet, fresh fruits. As the wine remains on your palate, the flavors expand and the sensation of crushed stone makes its presence known as well.د.إ2,415.00 -
Wine Advocate (96+)
Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Beau-Sejour Becot sails out of the glass with pronounced black cherries, kirsch, baked plums and boysenberries scents plus nuances of bay leaves, star anise and pencil shavings with a waft of roses. Medium to full-bodied, the palate delivers bags of juicy black fruits with a firm backbone of rounded tannins and bold freshness, finishing with great length and purity.د.إ1,415.00 -
Wine Spectator (96-99)
Juicy and forward in feel, with fresh plum, blackberry and anise notes. Dense, but still silky and refined in feel, revealing a long mineral echo through the finish. This is so pure, it seems almost too easy to drink already, just as you realize how ridiculously long it is.د.إ2,330.00 -
Wine Spectator (96-99)
Juicy and forward in feel, with fresh plum, blackberry and anise notes. Dense, but still silky and refined in feel, revealing a long mineral echo through the finish. This is so pure, it seems almost too easy to drink already, just as you realize how ridiculously long it is.د.إ1,215.00 -
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (96)
The 2019 Beau-Séjour-Bécot is a powerful, explosive wine. Dark fruit, chocolate, cured meats and earthy notes lend quite a bit of depth. Compared with its neighbors, Beau-Séjour-Bécot is dark, broad and broodingly tannic, sometimes more power than finesse. There is plenty of character, though. That much is evident. Beau-Séjour-Bécot speaks with authority as it commands attention.د.إ2,850.00 -
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (96)
The 2019 Beau-Séjour-Bécot is a powerful, explosive wine. Dark fruit, chocolate, cured meats and earthy notes lend quite a bit of depth. Compared with its neighbors, Beau-Séjour-Bécot is dark, broad and broodingly tannic, sometimes more power than finesse. There is plenty of character, though. That much is evident. Beau-Séjour-Bécot speaks with authority as it commands attention.د.إ1,150.00 -
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (97)
The 2020 Beau-Sejour Becot is a dense, powerful wine. A rush of black cherry, plum, chocolate, new leather, licorice, spice and sweet oak builds as this towering, vertically explosive Saint-Émilion opens in the glass. This is an especially broad, expansive Saint-Émilion, much of that attributable to the clay in these soils. The 2020 is magnificent in its intensity and overall volume. Superb.د.إ1,320.00 -
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (97)
The 2020 Beau-Sejour Becot is a dense, powerful wine. A rush of black cherry, plum, chocolate, new leather, licorice, spice and sweet oak builds as this towering, vertically explosive Saint-Émilion opens in the glass. This is an especially broad, expansive Saint-Émilion, much of that attributable to the clay in these soils. The 2020 is magnificent in its intensity and overall volume. Superb.د.إ1,120.00 -
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (95-97)
The 2021 Beau-Séjour-Bécot is one of the most elegant wines I have ever tasted here. Pliant and deep, with striking depth, the 2021 is outrageously beautiful. All the elements come together so effortlessly. Dark fruit, mocha, spice, licorice and incense all build in the glass. The creamy tannins are impossibly refined for the year, while the finish is eternal. The 2021 is a real stunner. Readers won't want to miss it!د.إ1,120.00 -
Vinous - Antonio Galloni (98-100)
The 2022 Beau-Séjour Bécot has a bit more Cabernet Franc than most years, which comes through immediately in the wine's aromatic profile. Dark, rich and expressive., the 2022 is seriously impressive. Crushed flowers, herbs, mint, blood orange and red-toned fruit all build into a sumptuous, majestic finish that just explodes on the back end. The 2022 is one of the very finest editions of Beau-Séjour Bécot I can remember tasting. It is a great, great wine.د.إ1,915.00 -
Wine Advocate (96)
What I think might end up being the best Beaucastel since the 1990 or 2001, the 2012 Châteauneuf du Pape offers a full-bodied, decadent style to go with awesome black and blue fruits, garrigue, licorice, crushed flowers and violets. The purity here is truly something, and it has fabulous mid-palate concentration, building tannin and massive texture. Given all of the fruit and texture here, it will no doubt drink well in its youth, but it should still be alive and kicking after two decades as well.د.إ1,955.00 -
Wine Spectator (97)
A stunner from the get-go, with waves of thoroughly seductive boysenberry, plum, blueberry and raspberry reduction forming the core, while roasted apple wood, rooibos tea, bergamot, and anise notes flash throughout. This has plenty of bass, with a Turkish coffee accent and a hint of alder driving underneath. Everything moves in lockstep through the seriously long finish. Best from 2020 through 2045. 12,500 cases made.د.إ1,985.00 -
James Suckling (99)
This is a stunning Beaucastel. A classic! Has a superb array of fruit, ranging from red, through to blue, darker purple and black. Nuances of dark, stony minerals, spices, wild flowers and herbs. So fleshy. This has impeccable balance, super-silky tannins and an extraordinarily long finish. This has decades ahead of it. Drink or hold.د.إ2,305.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (95-97)
Moving to the two Châteauneuf-du-Pape releases and 35% Mourvèdre, 25% Grenache, 8% Syrah, 12% Counoise, the rest other permitted varieties (Marc calls this a Mourvèdre vintage), the 2017 Châteauneuf-du-Pape sports an inky purple color as well as a textbook Mourvèdre nose of black, black fruits, smoked meats, crushed rocks, charcoal, and pepper. It's deep and full-bodied, with beautiful purity and building structure. Production is down 40%, but this brilliant wine is certainly in the same league as the 2016.د.إ3,730.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (95-97)
Moving to the two Châteauneuf-du-Pape releases and 35% Mourvèdre, 25% Grenache, 8% Syrah, 12% Counoise, the rest other permitted varieties (Marc calls this a Mourvèdre vintage), the 2017 Châteauneuf-du-Pape sports an inky purple color as well as a textbook Mourvèdre nose of black, black fruits, smoked meats, crushed rocks, charcoal, and pepper. It's deep and full-bodied, with beautiful purity and building structure. Production is down 40%, but this brilliant wine is certainly in the same league as the 2016.د.إ1,520.00 -
Wine Advocate (95-97)
Another in a string of top vintages, Beaucastel's 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape was produced from Grenache yields of only eight hectoliters per hectare (normal is about 28 hectoliters per hectare, according to Marc Perrin). The final blend I was shown is almost candied in its fruity intensity of raspberries and cherries, yet it has a potent underpinning of more savory elements, like tapenade, grilled meat and dried spices. Full-bodied, with fine, silky tannins, this shows tremendous length, reverberating with hints of crushed stone on the finish.د.إ1,815.00 -
Jancis Robinson (18)
Cask sample, tasted at the domaine. What a stunning nose! Piercingly fresh and expressive notes of violet, garrigue and black-olive tapenade. Defined tannins support the fresh zesty mid palate and is all beautifully encased in a toasty cape of dark fruit.د.إ5,595.00 -
Jancis Robinson (18)
Cask sample, tasted at the domaine. What a stunning nose! Piercingly fresh and expressive notes of violet, garrigue and black-olive tapenade. Defined tannins support the fresh zesty mid palate and is all beautifully encased in a toasty cape of dark fruit.د.إ1,580.00 -
James Suckling (97)
Very dense black-fruit aromas, but also licorice, an entire microcosm of spice and a whiff of smoked bacon. Very dense and meaty with an incredible tannin structure that enables this to be simultaneously very big and elegant. Super-long finish with enormous mineral freshness. Drink or hold.د.إ1,645.00 -
Jancis Robinson (17.5)
Cask sample. Very inviting nose, liquorice, dark crushed cassis, leather, strawberry jam – earthy dark spice. A supple and ripe palate with good freshness and acidity throughout. Tight and fine, firm tannins, dark fruits, liquorice, thyme and a ripe savoury-tinged finish. Wonderful.د.إ1,815.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (93-95)
The 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape Blanc Roussanne Vieilles Vignes is all Roussanne and comes from a three-hectare parcel of vines planted in 1901. It offers a heavenly bouquet of white currants, white flowers, honeysuckle, and toasted bread that opens up beautifully with time in the glass. Rich, full-bodied, powerful and concentrated, it stays perfectly balanced on the palate and has that rare sense of richness paired with freshness that’s the hallmark of truly great wines.د.إ2,330.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (95)
While the old-vine Roussanne cuvée from this estate gets all the attention from collectors, don’t make the mistake of discounting their classic Châteauneuf du Pape Blanc. The 2019 reveals a lighter gold hue as well as a beautiful and classic bouquet of honeyed citrus, quince, white flowers, bee’s wax, and a touch of flinty minerality. Playing in the medium to full-bodied end of the spectrum, it has flawless balance, nicely integrated acidity, and a great, minerally finish. You can enjoy bottles today with a decant or cellar for two to three decades, if you’re so inclined.د.إ2,330.00 -
د.إ1,680.00
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James Suckling (94-95)
Wonderful nose of orange blossom, melon and ripe stone fruit, then very creamy and silky on the concentrated and refined palate. Very delicious for a dry white of this stature, tasted from the barrel! 100% roussanne from 50 to 60-year-old vines. From organically grown grapes.د.إ2,100.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (100)
Also bottled two weeks ago, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Roussanne Vieilles Vignes is utterly killer and is as good as it gets. Huge notes of orange blossom, peach, tangerine, honeysuckle, and caramelized citrus flow from this insanely good, unctuous, heavenly textured white that possesses full-bodied richness and power, yet stays light, graceful and perfectly balanced on the palate. Drink bottles anytime over the coming 4-6 years, or cellar for a decade or more. Robert Parker once famously called this the Montrachet of the Rhône, and I wholeheartedly agree with him. Don’t miss this wine!د.إ1,635.00 -
Wine Advocate (97-99)
As always, the 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Roussanne Vieilles Vignes comes from a three-hectare parcel planted in 1909. It's richer, creamier and longer than Beaucastel's regular white Châteauneuf-du-Pape but also fresher and brinier. It looks even more impressive than the stunning 2016.د.إ1,915.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (99)
One of my favorite whites in the world is the old vine Roussanne cuvée from Beaucastel, which comes from a single 3-hectare parcel just outside the domaine, in the northern, cooler part of Châteauneuf du Pape. The 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Roussanne Vieilles Vignes is another thrilling example of Roussanne and offers a vivid gold hue as well as gorgeous notes of white currants, honeysuckle, white flowers, crushed stone, and hints of gunpowder. With beautiful freshness, full-bodied richness, and ample power, it’s unquestionably the Montrachet of the Southern Rhône and a magical white. You can safely drink bottles anytime over the coming decade, then it’s best forgotten until around 20 years after the vintage.د.إ2,100.00
