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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Wine Advocate (97)
At the top end of Chapoutier's Southern Rhône hierarchy are the two sélections parcellaires from Châteauneuf du Pape. I had a slight preference for the 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape Croix de Bois, which comes from the Bédarrides (eastern) side of the appellation, a site with galets roulés over clay, which Chapoutier says resists drought. This is a full-bodied, dense, plummy wine, but it retains ample freshness and offers loads of spicy complexity, including exotic notes like cumin and coriander that linger enticingly on the finish.Inc. VAT£85.73 -
Vinous (94)
Bright ruby. Powerful aromas of raspberry liqueur, cherry pie, incense and succulent flowers, along with a smoky mineral element that builds in the glass. Vibrant red and dark berry liqueur and candied licorice flavors stain the palate and display superb clarity and spicy lift. Silky tannins frame the wine’s sweet fruit on an impressively long, precise finish that leaves candied lavender and cherry notes behind.Inc. VAT£101.47 -
Inc. VAT£371.83 -
(3x75cl) 2021Inc. VAT£278.80 -
Inc. VAT£263.52 -
(6x75cl) 2021Inc. VAT£330.29 -
(6x75cl) 2018Inc. VAT£758.41 -
Inc. VAT£708.80 -
(6x75cl) 2017Wine Advocate (97)
From a rocky, mica-schist lieu-dit that's only recently been showing up on single-vineyard wines, Chapoutier's 2017 Cote Rotie Neve is a bold, full-bodied and powerful example of the appellation. Blueberry and boysenberry fruit is couched in rich, velvety tannins, followed by a long, lingering finish. Impressive.Inc. VAT£1,093.55 -
Jeb Dunnuck (96+)
Coming from more mica-schist soils, the 2018 Côte Rôtie Nève was all destemmed and spent 18 months in 30% new French oak. Incredible notes of black raspberries, incense, acacia flowers, camphor, and a marine-like minerality all emerge from the glass of this beauty, and it turns more earthy, darker, and even more mineral-laced as it sits in the glass. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has a seamless, weightless texture, ripe yet firm tannins, nicely integrated acidity, and just a classy, elegant, age-worthy style. I'd give bottles 3-5 years in a cold cellar and it should evolve for 20+.Inc. VAT£681.12 -
Jeb Dunnuck (95-97+)
The 2019 Côte Rotie Nève isn't far off the 2018 in style and might even be a bigger, richer wine. Black raspberries, candied violets, flowers, and a kiss of classy oak all emerge from the glass, and it's medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced, and elegant. This floral, mineral-laced, structured Côte Rôtie is going to need 2-4 years of bottle age and will drink brilliantly for 20 years or more.Inc. VAT£199.60 -
Jeb Dunnuck (95-97+)
The 2019 Côte Rotie Nève isn't far off the 2018 in style and might even be a bigger, richer wine. Black raspberries, candied violets, flowers, and a kiss of classy oak all emerge from the glass, and it's medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced, and elegant. This floral, mineral-laced, structured Côte Rôtie is going to need 2-4 years of bottle age and will drink brilliantly for 20 years or more.Inc. VAT£701.98 -
Inc. VAT£159.44 -
Vinous (91)
Dark red. Very ripe but somewhat stunted aromas of blackcurrant, plum, nuts and woodsmoke. Concentrated, ripe and full; very rich but rather uncompromisingly dry. The slightly roasted red fruit and nut flavors show more breadth than personality now, but this young Cote-Rotie is unusually fat and persistent, finishing with dusty, ripe tannins.Inc. VAT£1,324.32 -
(12x75cl) 2007Vinous (91-94)
Bright red. Powerfully scented, textbook Cote-Rotie aromas of red and dark berries, violet, bacon fat, tobacco and minerals. Extremely fresh, with sweet black raspberry and cassis flavors, velvety texture and mounting smokiness. Finishes with an echo of violet and lingering olive and mineral traces.Inc. VAT£1,663.61 -
Wine Advocate (94)
Showing beautifully from barrel and now from bottle, the 2013 Côte Rôtie la Mordorée comes from schist soils, was completely destemmed and spent 18 months in 25% new French oak. Its deep purple color is accompanied by classic notes of raspberries, bay leaf, olive tapenade and violets. Possessing beautiful minerality, a full, layered mid-palate and building tannin, drink this beautiful wine anytime over the coming 15 or more years.Inc. VAT£608.29 -
Jeb Dunnuck (98-100)
The flagship La Mordorée cuvée is always destemmed and vinified in concrete tanks before spending 18 months in 30% new French oak. Flamboyant, sexy, and pure, the 2017 Côte Rôtie La Mordorée knocks it out of the park with its crazy good bouquet of black raspberries, flowers, olives, bacon fat, and gamey, meaty nuances. Insanely complex, elegant and seamless, with a pure silk-like texture, this beauty has no hard edges, ultra-fine tannins, and a great, great finish. It has perfection written all over it and is quite possibly the wine of the vintage!Inc. VAT£147.86 -
Jeb Dunnuck (98-100)
The flagship La Mordorée cuvée is always destemmed and vinified in concrete tanks before spending 18 months in 30% new French oak. Flamboyant, sexy, and pure, the 2017 Côte Rôtie La Mordorée knocks it out of the park with its crazy good bouquet of black raspberries, flowers, olives, bacon fat, and gamey, meaty nuances. Insanely complex, elegant and seamless, with a pure silk-like texture, this beauty has no hard edges, ultra-fine tannins, and a great, great finish. It has perfection written all over it and is quite possibly the wine of the vintage!Inc. VAT£696.35 -
Jeb Dunnuck (97-99)
The 2018 Côte Rôtie La Mordorée comes from the La Côte Brune and the Côte Blonde lieux-dits and is brought up in demi-muids, roughly 35% being new. Black raspberries, currants, cured meats, new leather, and Asian spice notes all define the bouquet. Full-bodied, powerful, and opulent on the palate, it has lots of tannins, loads of fruit, and a great finish.Inc. VAT£597.35 -
Inc. VAT£639.80 -
Inc. VAT£438.06 -
(6x75cl) 2012Vinous (92)
Vivid ruby. Highly aromatic cherry and red berry scents are complicated by licorice, Indian spices and cola. Deeply concentrated dark fruit flavors show a suave blend of sweet and tangy, with a mineral nuance adding lift. Gains weight and sweetness on the clinging finish, which features a cherry-cola quality and fine-grained tannins that come on late.Inc. VAT£361.24 -
(1x75cl) 2016Wine Advocate (94)
Grown on the western-facing portion of the Hermitage hill, on the same underlying granite as les Bessards, the 2016 Crozes Hermitage les Varonniers makes a mockery of most Crozes-Hermitages, coming across more like Hermitage itself. Aged in a mix of barriques and demi-muids, it frames cassis fruit with hints of pencil shavings and crushed stone. Full-bodied and concentrated, it shows granite-like reserve in its powerful expression and long, dusty finish.Inc. VAT£110.93 -
Jeb Dunnuck (98)
Always one of the top Crozes-Hermitage out there (although the case could be made that it's more Hermitage than Crozes), the 2018 Crozes-Ermitage Les Varonniers has a liqueur of rocks-like character as well as gorgeous blue fruits, violets, earth, and bouquet garni aromas and flavors. I'd unquestionably guess Hermitage in a blind lineup. This full-bodied beauty has a seamless texture, ample tannins, and a great finish. It's pure class and the finest Crozes Hermitage out there in 2018. It's a stunning value that readers should snatch up!Inc. VAT£382.78 -
Jeb Dunnuck (97-99)
Not yet bottled, the 2019 Crozes-Ermitage Les Varonniers comes from the Varogne lieu-dit located just to the west of Hermitage. This is a cooler, more shaded vineyard of pure granite soils, and I always find an Hermitage-like character in this wine. Lots of blackberry, cassis, crushed stone, leather, and violet notes emerge from the glass, and it's rich, full-bodied, and powerful on the palate, with lots of structure yet more than enough fruit. The quality of this cuvée has soared recently and the 2019 will be another gem readers will love.Inc. VAT£371.98 -
(6x75cl) 2022Jancis Robinson (16.5)
An appealing nose that shows vivid and expressive dark fruits. An olive-tapenade note as well as fig spice and slight bacon fat beneath. Lots of freshness here as well. Bizarrely the nose is rich and ripe and the palate is not showing as much alcohol as you would expect. Expressive. (AC)Inc. VAT£264.80 -
Jeb Dunnuck (94+)
Coming from a site on the western side of Hermitage that's really more Hermitage than Crozes-Hermitage, the 2023 Crozes-Ermitage Les Varonniers sports a deep purple hue as well as cassis, juicy plum, graphite, ground black pepper, and some iron and mineral notes. This beauty is medium to full-bodied, has a pure, layered, elegant mouthfeel, good acidity, and outstanding length. It's probably the Crozes of the vintage. Drink 2026-2046.Inc. VAT£293.69 -
Vinous (90+)
Perfumed aromas of apple, pear, white flowers and herbs. Concentrated, rich and still quite primary; really dense with material. Flavors of apple, hay and nut skin. Tastes like a barrel sample. Finishes with a dusty, minerally quality and excellent persistence.Inc. VAT£1,536.29 -
Wine Advocate (99)
The awesome 1999 Ermitage Cuvee de l'Oree flirts with perfection. It is full-bodied, with an incredible bouquet of liquid minerals, licorice, honeysuckle, citrus, and a hint of tropical fruits. One-hundred percent new oak aging has been completely absorbed by the wine's fruit and glycerin. This is a winemaking tour de force, made from exceedingly low yields of 12-15 hectoliters per hectare (less than one ton of fruit per acre). However, readers should understand that these are often unusual wines to drink because they tend to show exceptionally well for 4-5 years after bottling, then close up until about age 12. They can last for 4-5 decades. Anticipated maturity: now-2006; 2012-2050. Along with Gerard and Jean-Louis Chave, Chapoutier is producing the finest expressions of white Hermitage. His single vineyard cuvees are to die for if you like these eccentric, idiosyncratic, mammoth dry whites.Inc. VAT£1,210.84 -
Wine Advocate (100)
These wines usually flirt with perfection, which is the case with the 2000 Ermitage Cuvee de l’Oree. It boasts an amazing nose of licorice, minerals, acacia flowers, honeysuckle, and a hint of butter. Unctuously-textured and full-bodied, with great intensity and purity, yet remarkably light on its feet, it can be drunk over the next 3-4 years, then forgotten for a decade, after which it will last for 40-50 years.Inc. VAT£1,257.58
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Wine Advocate (97)
At the top end of Chapoutier's Southern Rhône hierarchy are the two sélections parcellaires from Châteauneuf du Pape. I had a slight preference for the 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape Croix de Bois, which comes from the Bédarrides (eastern) side of the appellation, a site with galets roulés over clay, which Chapoutier says resists drought. This is a full-bodied, dense, plummy wine, but it retains ample freshness and offers loads of spicy complexity, including exotic notes like cumin and coriander that linger enticingly on the finish.In Bond£68.00 -
Vinous (94)
Bright ruby. Powerful aromas of raspberry liqueur, cherry pie, incense and succulent flowers, along with a smoky mineral element that builds in the glass. Vibrant red and dark berry liqueur and candied licorice flavors stain the palate and display superb clarity and spicy lift. Silky tannins frame the wine’s sweet fruit on an impressively long, precise finish that leaves candied lavender and cherry notes behind.In Bond£81.00 -
In Bond£288.50 -
(3x75cl) 2021In Bond£222.68 -
In Bond£201.00 -
(6x75cl) 2021In Bond£256.00 -
(6x75cl) 2018In Bond£611.34 -
In Bond£570.00 -
(6x75cl) 2017Wine Advocate (97)
From a rocky, mica-schist lieu-dit that's only recently been showing up on single-vineyard wines, Chapoutier's 2017 Cote Rotie Neve is a bold, full-bodied and powerful example of the appellation. Blueberry and boysenberry fruit is couched in rich, velvety tannins, followed by a long, lingering finish. Impressive.In Bond£892.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (96+)
Coming from more mica-schist soils, the 2018 Côte Rôtie Nève was all destemmed and spent 18 months in 30% new French oak. Incredible notes of black raspberries, incense, acacia flowers, camphor, and a marine-like minerality all emerge from the glass of this beauty, and it turns more earthy, darker, and even more mineral-laced as it sits in the glass. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has a seamless, weightless texture, ripe yet firm tannins, nicely integrated acidity, and just a classy, elegant, age-worthy style. I'd give bottles 3-5 years in a cold cellar and it should evolve for 20+.In Bond£549.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (95-97+)
The 2019 Côte Rotie Nève isn't far off the 2018 in style and might even be a bigger, richer wine. Black raspberries, candied violets, flowers, and a kiss of classy oak all emerge from the glass, and it's medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced, and elegant. This floral, mineral-laced, structured Côte Rôtie is going to need 2-4 years of bottle age and will drink brilliantly for 20 years or more.In Bond£163.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (95-97+)
The 2019 Côte Rotie Nève isn't far off the 2018 in style and might even be a bigger, richer wine. Black raspberries, candied violets, flowers, and a kiss of classy oak all emerge from the glass, and it's medium to full-bodied, beautifully balanced, and elegant. This floral, mineral-laced, structured Côte Rôtie is going to need 2-4 years of bottle age and will drink brilliantly for 20 years or more.In Bond£565.00 -
In Bond£130.00 -
Vinous (91)
Dark red. Very ripe but somewhat stunted aromas of blackcurrant, plum, nuts and woodsmoke. Concentrated, ripe and full; very rich but rather uncompromisingly dry. The slightly roasted red fruit and nut flavors show more breadth than personality now, but this young Cote-Rotie is unusually fat and persistent, finishing with dusty, ripe tannins.In Bond£1,085.00 -
(12x75cl) 2007Vinous (91-94)
Bright red. Powerfully scented, textbook Cote-Rotie aromas of red and dark berries, violet, bacon fat, tobacco and minerals. Extremely fresh, with sweet black raspberry and cassis flavors, velvety texture and mounting smokiness. Finishes with an echo of violet and lingering olive and mineral traces.In Bond£1,345.00 -
Wine Advocate (94)
Showing beautifully from barrel and now from bottle, the 2013 Côte Rôtie la Mordorée comes from schist soils, was completely destemmed and spent 18 months in 25% new French oak. Its deep purple color is accompanied by classic notes of raspberries, bay leaf, olive tapenade and violets. Possessing beautiful minerality, a full, layered mid-palate and building tannin, drink this beautiful wine anytime over the coming 15 or more years.In Bond£489.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (98-100)
The flagship La Mordorée cuvée is always destemmed and vinified in concrete tanks before spending 18 months in 30% new French oak. Flamboyant, sexy, and pure, the 2017 Côte Rôtie La Mordorée knocks it out of the park with its crazy good bouquet of black raspberries, flowers, olives, bacon fat, and gamey, meaty nuances. Insanely complex, elegant and seamless, with a pure silk-like texture, this beauty has no hard edges, ultra-fine tannins, and a great, great finish. It has perfection written all over it and is quite possibly the wine of the vintage!In Bond£120.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (98-100)
The flagship La Mordorée cuvée is always destemmed and vinified in concrete tanks before spending 18 months in 30% new French oak. Flamboyant, sexy, and pure, the 2017 Côte Rôtie La Mordorée knocks it out of the park with its crazy good bouquet of black raspberries, flowers, olives, bacon fat, and gamey, meaty nuances. Insanely complex, elegant and seamless, with a pure silk-like texture, this beauty has no hard edges, ultra-fine tannins, and a great, great finish. It has perfection written all over it and is quite possibly the wine of the vintage!In Bond£561.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (97-99)
The 2018 Côte Rôtie La Mordorée comes from the La Côte Brune and the Côte Blonde lieux-dits and is brought up in demi-muids, roughly 35% being new. Black raspberries, currants, cured meats, new leather, and Asian spice notes all define the bouquet. Full-bodied, powerful, and opulent on the palate, it has lots of tannins, loads of fruit, and a great finish.In Bond£478.50 -
In Bond£512.50 -
In Bond£323.71 -
(6x75cl) 2012Vinous (92)
Vivid ruby. Highly aromatic cherry and red berry scents are complicated by licorice, Indian spices and cola. Deeply concentrated dark fruit flavors show a suave blend of sweet and tangy, with a mineral nuance adding lift. Gains weight and sweetness on the clinging finish, which features a cherry-cola quality and fine-grained tannins that come on late.In Bond£285.00 -
(1x75cl) 2016Wine Advocate (94)
Grown on the western-facing portion of the Hermitage hill, on the same underlying granite as les Bessards, the 2016 Crozes Hermitage les Varonniers makes a mockery of most Crozes-Hermitages, coming across more like Hermitage itself. Aged in a mix of barriques and demi-muids, it frames cassis fruit with hints of pencil shavings and crushed stone. Full-bodied and concentrated, it shows granite-like reserve in its powerful expression and long, dusty finish.In Bond£89.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (98)
Always one of the top Crozes-Hermitage out there (although the case could be made that it's more Hermitage than Crozes), the 2018 Crozes-Ermitage Les Varonniers has a liqueur of rocks-like character as well as gorgeous blue fruits, violets, earth, and bouquet garni aromas and flavors. I'd unquestionably guess Hermitage in a blind lineup. This full-bodied beauty has a seamless texture, ample tannins, and a great finish. It's pure class and the finest Crozes Hermitage out there in 2018. It's a stunning value that readers should snatch up!In Bond£299.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (97-99)
Not yet bottled, the 2019 Crozes-Ermitage Les Varonniers comes from the Varogne lieu-dit located just to the west of Hermitage. This is a cooler, more shaded vineyard of pure granite soils, and I always find an Hermitage-like character in this wine. Lots of blackberry, cassis, crushed stone, leather, and violet notes emerge from the glass, and it's rich, full-bodied, and powerful on the palate, with lots of structure yet more than enough fruit. The quality of this cuvée has soared recently and the 2019 will be another gem readers will love.In Bond£290.00 -
(6x75cl) 2022Jancis Robinson (16.5)
An appealing nose that shows vivid and expressive dark fruits. An olive-tapenade note as well as fig spice and slight bacon fat beneath. Lots of freshness here as well. Bizarrely the nose is rich and ripe and the palate is not showing as much alcohol as you would expect. Expressive. (AC)In Bond£200.00 -
Jeb Dunnuck (94+)
Coming from a site on the western side of Hermitage that's really more Hermitage than Crozes-Hermitage, the 2023 Crozes-Ermitage Les Varonniers sports a deep purple hue as well as cassis, juicy plum, graphite, ground black pepper, and some iron and mineral notes. This beauty is medium to full-bodied, has a pure, layered, elegant mouthfeel, good acidity, and outstanding length. It's probably the Crozes of the vintage. Drink 2026-2046.In Bond£225.50 -
Vinous (90+)
Perfumed aromas of apple, pear, white flowers and herbs. Concentrated, rich and still quite primary; really dense with material. Flavors of apple, hay and nut skin. Tastes like a barrel sample. Finishes with a dusty, minerally quality and excellent persistence.In Bond£1,261.00 -
Wine Advocate (99)
The awesome 1999 Ermitage Cuvee de l'Oree flirts with perfection. It is full-bodied, with an incredible bouquet of liquid minerals, licorice, honeysuckle, citrus, and a hint of tropical fruits. One-hundred percent new oak aging has been completely absorbed by the wine's fruit and glycerin. This is a winemaking tour de force, made from exceedingly low yields of 12-15 hectoliters per hectare (less than one ton of fruit per acre). However, readers should understand that these are often unusual wines to drink because they tend to show exceptionally well for 4-5 years after bottling, then close up until about age 12. They can last for 4-5 decades. Anticipated maturity: now-2006; 2012-2050. Along with Gerard and Jean-Louis Chave, Chapoutier is producing the finest expressions of white Hermitage. His single vineyard cuvees are to die for if you like these eccentric, idiosyncratic, mammoth dry whites.In Bond£993.00 -
Wine Advocate (100)
These wines usually flirt with perfection, which is the case with the 2000 Ermitage Cuvee de l’Oree. It boasts an amazing nose of licorice, minerals, acacia flowers, honeysuckle, and a hint of butter. Unctuously-textured and full-bodied, with great intensity and purity, yet remarkably light on its feet, it can be drunk over the next 3-4 years, then forgotten for a decade, after which it will last for 40-50 years.In Bond£1,028.00

