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 (95)
Good medium red. Headspinning, expressive nose combines candied red fruits, chocolate, minerals, pepper, smoked meat, five-spice powder, underbrush and flowers; this incorporates all the Chambertin food groups. Hugely thick, sappy and sweet, with outstanding volume and breadth. Wonderfully dense flavors of raspberry, menthol, five-spice powder and underbrush. Finishes with broad, noble tannins and unflagging persistence. This captures the essence of the 2003 vintage, and is showing spectacularly today. A no-brainer for those lucky enough to find a bottle: I thought I was drinking an old-style Burgundy from the '40s.Inc. VAT£397.73 -
(6x75cl) 2001Inc. VAT£1,138.40 -
Vinous (91-94)
Good dark red. Sweet, complex aromas of raspberry, minerals, spices and faded rose. Sexy and fine-grained in the mouth, with sweet flavors of kirsch, violet and minerals. Sappy, expressive wine with terrific intensity and lovely length. This has real finesse.Inc. VAT£1,430.00 -
Vinous (91-94)
Deep red. Wild, complex nose melds raspberry, leather and game. Silky and round but with lively mineral pungency giving definition and grip to the flavors of raspberry and gibier Finishes with substantial tannic power, a subtle saline character and superb length. This is all real Charmes, notes Potel, who told me that he made 100 barrels of grand cru red wine in 2006.Inc. VAT£258.53 -
Vinous (92-94)
Saturated ruby-red. Aromas of blackberry, black cherry, licorice, bitter chocolate and pungent spices. Offers a penetrating, sappy kirsch flavor on the palate, in a rather dense, powerful style. This is powerful without coming across as heavy. Finishes very long and spicy, with terrific freshness.Inc. VAT£297.72 -
Vinous (91-94)
Medium red. Perfumed, slightly high-toned aromas of black raspberry, black cherry and minerals. The flavors of small wild red fruits display an almost confectionery sweetness along with superb intensity and sappiness. Very stylish and showy, with terrific floral cut adding to the wine's early appeal. Quite high-toned, and sure to be accessible early.Inc. VAT£304.80 -
Inc. VAT£437.33 -
Vinous (87-89)
Good red-ruby. Cooler aromas of wild black fruits and menthol. Sweet, fat and round, but with harmonious acidity and attractive spice giving firmness to the lingering finish.Inc. VAT£1,343.21 -
Inc. VAT£132.53 -
Vinous (91)
Medium red. Enticing bouquet of black raspberry, minerals, smoke, fresh herbs and incense. The palate offers lovely intensity and sweetness without weight, with a sappy edge of acidity framing and lifting the black fruit and spice flavors. This really shows the dark fruit side of the vintage. Finishes with lush tannins and excellent persistence.Inc. VAT£155.05 -
(6x75cl) 2005Wine Advocate (93-94)
The Potel 2005 Vosne-Romanee Les Gaudichots offers a nose of cherry, red raspberry and spice box. Cinnamon and white pepper are among those that hitch a ride on the creamy palate, where intensely ripe, sweet red fruits, raw meat, and suggestions of caramelized root vegetables expand to fill all recesses of the mouth. Concentrated and complex manifestations of meat, roasted root vegetables, and mineral along with distilled red fruit suggestions inform the superbly long, multi-registered finish. Amazingly, there are three whole barrels of this.Inc. VAT£7,026.72 -
(6x75cl) 2007Jancis Robinson (17.5)
Nicolas Potel's négociant wine. 'No chaptalisation and no filtration therefore the most natural wines we've made for years. Some winemakers make a comparison with 2003 – but there were more than 100 days between flowering and picking in 2007 and 2008. 2007 was less delicate than we thought; I was tempted to bottle in September but found the wines were not ready.' Much more delicate than the Clos St-Denis. Wild strawberry fruit aromas plus delicate spice, and then more marked spice on the palate. All in a restrained and scented style and leading to a lingering finish and very fine tannins.Inc. VAT£3,435.20 -
Inc. VAT£547.61 -
Wine Advocate (91-93)
The 2019 Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru Les Fichots reveals aromas of sweet red berries, plums, raw cocoa and forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, layered and velvety, with beautifully refined tannins and a long, penetrating finish, this is another of the most charming wines in the Rossignol range this year.Inc. VAT£575.21 -
Inc. VAT£1,270.01 -
Inc. VAT£1,092.41 -
Vinous (91-93)
(100% destemmed): Good deep red. Aromas of black raspberry and bitter chocolate are accented by menthol and fresh herbs; more peppery than the Fremiers. Then juicy and dense but youthfully imploded on the palate. Shows a seamless, weightless, rather refined texture but comes across as less open and chewy than the Fremiers today. Finishes with suave tannins and a light touch. Rossignol eschews vinifying this wine with stems as it's naturally taut and he's afraid of hardening it.Inc. VAT£868.40 -
Inc. VAT£617.21 -
Inc. VAT£686.81 -
Wine Advocate (92-94)
The 2019 Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Les Lavières opens in the glass with pretty aromas of peonies, rose petals, sweet wild berries, orange rind, raw cocoa and forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, supple and perfumed, it's sumptuous and melting, with lively acids and a charming, enveloping profile. This is one of the most seductive wines in the range.Inc. VAT£744.24 -
Wine Advocate (92-94)
The 2019 Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Les Lavières opens in the glass with pretty aromas of peonies, rose petals, sweet wild berries, orange rind, raw cocoa and forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, supple and perfumed, it's sumptuous and melting, with lively acids and a charming, enveloping profile. This is one of the most seductive wines in the range.Inc. VAT£354.72 -
Vinous (90)
The 2017 Volnay Clos des Angles 1er Cru was the only Premier Cru that Rossignol had bottled in August 2018. It has an open, expressive crushed strawberry and raspberry bouquet, not the most complex on the block. The palate is medium-bodied with a supple opening, the 50% whole cluster fruit beautifully assimilated, leading to a poised and quite sustained finish. Worth seeking out. Drink over the next decade.Inc. VAT£464.29 -
Inc. VAT£913.61 -
Wine Advocate (92-94)
The 2017 Volnay 1er Cru Les Caillerets is one of the purest, most fragrant wines in the cellar, unfurling in the glass with aromas of rose petals and potpourri that mingles with sweet fruit tones of cherry and raspberry. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, satiny and supple, with a lovely line of acidity, a fine-grained chassis of tannin and a beautifully defined finish.Inc. VAT£554.29 -
Inc. VAT£776.81 -
(12x75cl) 2019Inc. VAT£1,021.02 -
Inc. VAT£1,229.21 -
Inc. VAT£1,243.61 -
Inc. VAT£1,024.01 -
Burghound (93-95)
Very ripe aromas of cassis, black berry liqueur, violet and anise precede the equally broad-shouldered flavors that also coat the palate with dry extract on the powerful, hugely long and very serious finish that is shaped by a markedly firm tannic spine. This is a buy and forget you own it wine as I would suggest not touching a bottle for at least 10 years. With that said, this is most impressive.Inc. VAT£579.12
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Vinous (95)
Good medium red. Headspinning, expressive nose combines candied red fruits, chocolate, minerals, pepper, smoked meat, five-spice powder, underbrush and flowers; this incorporates all the Chambertin food groups. Hugely thick, sappy and sweet, with outstanding volume and breadth. Wonderfully dense flavors of raspberry, menthol, five-spice powder and underbrush. Finishes with broad, noble tannins and unflagging persistence. This captures the essence of the 2003 vintage, and is showing spectacularly today. A no-brainer for those lucky enough to find a bottle: I thought I was drinking an old-style Burgundy from the '40s.In Bond£328.00 -
(6x75cl) 2001In Bond£928.00 -
Vinous (91-94)
Good dark red. Sweet, complex aromas of raspberry, minerals, spices and faded rose. Sexy and fine-grained in the mouth, with sweet flavors of kirsch, violet and minerals. Sappy, expressive wine with terrific intensity and lovely length. This has real finesse.In Bond£1,171.00 -
Vinous (91-94)
Deep red. Wild, complex nose melds raspberry, leather and game. Silky and round but with lively mineral pungency giving definition and grip to the flavors of raspberry and gibier Finishes with substantial tannic power, a subtle saline character and superb length. This is all real Charmes, notes Potel, who told me that he made 100 barrels of grand cru red wine in 2006.In Bond£212.00 -
Vinous (92-94)
Saturated ruby-red. Aromas of blackberry, black cherry, licorice, bitter chocolate and pungent spices. Offers a penetrating, sappy kirsch flavor on the palate, in a rather dense, powerful style. This is powerful without coming across as heavy. Finishes very long and spicy, with terrific freshness.In Bond£245.00 -
Vinous (91-94)
Medium red. Perfumed, slightly high-toned aromas of black raspberry, black cherry and minerals. The flavors of small wild red fruits display an almost confectionery sweetness along with superb intensity and sappiness. Very stylish and showy, with terrific floral cut adding to the wine's early appeal. Quite high-toned, and sure to be accessible early.Inc. VAT£304.80 -
In Bond£361.00 -
Vinous (87-89)
Good red-ruby. Cooler aromas of wild black fruits and menthol. Sweet, fat and round, but with harmonious acidity and attractive spice giving firmness to the lingering finish.In Bond£1,078.00 -
In Bond£107.00 -
Vinous (91)
Medium red. Enticing bouquet of black raspberry, minerals, smoke, fresh herbs and incense. The palate offers lovely intensity and sweetness without weight, with a sappy edge of acidity framing and lifting the black fruit and spice flavors. This really shows the dark fruit side of the vintage. Finishes with lush tannins and excellent persistence.In Bond£126.00 -
(6x75cl) 2005Wine Advocate (93-94)
The Potel 2005 Vosne-Romanee Les Gaudichots offers a nose of cherry, red raspberry and spice box. Cinnamon and white pepper are among those that hitch a ride on the creamy palate, where intensely ripe, sweet red fruits, raw meat, and suggestions of caramelized root vegetables expand to fill all recesses of the mouth. Concentrated and complex manifestations of meat, roasted root vegetables, and mineral along with distilled red fruit suggestions inform the superbly long, multi-registered finish. Amazingly, there are three whole barrels of this.In Bond£5,837.00 -
(6x75cl) 2007Jancis Robinson (17.5)
Nicolas Potel's négociant wine. 'No chaptalisation and no filtration therefore the most natural wines we've made for years. Some winemakers make a comparison with 2003 – but there were more than 100 days between flowering and picking in 2007 and 2008. 2007 was less delicate than we thought; I was tempted to bottle in September but found the wines were not ready.' Much more delicate than the Clos St-Denis. Wild strawberry fruit aromas plus delicate spice, and then more marked spice on the palate. All in a restrained and scented style and leading to a lingering finish and very fine tannins.In Bond£2,842.00 -
In Bond£415.00 -
Wine Advocate (91-93)
The 2019 Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru Les Fichots reveals aromas of sweet red berries, plums, raw cocoa and forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, layered and velvety, with beautifully refined tannins and a long, penetrating finish, this is another of the most charming wines in the Rossignol range this year.In Bond£438.00 -
In Bond£1,017.00 -
In Bond£869.00 -
Vinous (91-93)
(100% destemmed): Good deep red. Aromas of black raspberry and bitter chocolate are accented by menthol and fresh herbs; more peppery than the Fremiers. Then juicy and dense but youthfully imploded on the palate. Shows a seamless, weightless, rather refined texture but comes across as less open and chewy than the Fremiers today. Finishes with suave tannins and a light touch. Rossignol eschews vinifying this wine with stems as it's naturally taut and he's afraid of hardening it.In Bond£703.00 -
In Bond£473.00 -
In Bond£531.00 -
Wine Advocate (92-94)
The 2019 Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Les Lavières opens in the glass with pretty aromas of peonies, rose petals, sweet wild berries, orange rind, raw cocoa and forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, supple and perfumed, it's sumptuous and melting, with lively acids and a charming, enveloping profile. This is one of the most seductive wines in the range.In Bond£583.00 -
Wine Advocate (92-94)
The 2019 Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Les Lavières opens in the glass with pretty aromas of peonies, rose petals, sweet wild berries, orange rind, raw cocoa and forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, supple and perfumed, it's sumptuous and melting, with lively acids and a charming, enveloping profile. This is one of the most seductive wines in the range.In Bond£277.00 -
Vinous (90)
The 2017 Volnay Clos des Angles 1er Cru was the only Premier Cru that Rossignol had bottled in August 2018. It has an open, expressive crushed strawberry and raspberry bouquet, not the most complex on the block. The palate is medium-bodied with a supple opening, the 50% whole cluster fruit beautifully assimilated, leading to a poised and quite sustained finish. Worth seeking out. Drink over the next decade.In Bond£369.00 -
In Bond£720.00 -
Wine Advocate (92-94)
The 2017 Volnay 1er Cru Les Caillerets is one of the purest, most fragrant wines in the cellar, unfurling in the glass with aromas of rose petals and potpourri that mingles with sweet fruit tones of cherry and raspberry. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, satiny and supple, with a lovely line of acidity, a fine-grained chassis of tannin and a beautifully defined finish.In Bond£444.00 -
In Bond£606.00 -
(12x75cl) 2019In Bond£812.37 -
In Bond£983.00 -
In Bond£995.00 -
In Bond£812.00 -
Burghound (93-95)
Very ripe aromas of cassis, black berry liqueur, violet and anise precede the equally broad-shouldered flavors that also coat the palate with dry extract on the powerful, hugely long and very serious finish that is shaped by a markedly firm tannic spine. This is a buy and forget you own it wine as I would suggest not touching a bottle for at least 10 years. With that said, this is most impressive.In Bond£464.00

