Shangri La, Yunnan (China)

750ml

Cabernet Sauvignon | Cabernet Franc | Syrah | Petit Verdot

99 JS | 96 RP | 96 D | 96 JA | 96 V

Moet Hennessy’s Ao Yun, which is a blend of some of the greatest terroirs near the fabled city of Shangri-La in Yunnan province, in southwestern China. Nothing can stop the Ao Yun team from making great wines at the most extreme altitudes.

The 2019 Ao Yun is more refined and layered than ever, and according to Ao Yun winemaker and estate manager Maxence Dulou, it also came from their smallest crop ever – about 800 grams per plant for cabernet sauvignon, or one-third the average yield of a Medoc grand cru. 2019 was their most extended and latest harvest, with the picking window for their elevated mosaic of vineyards stretching from Sept. 9 to Nov. 21 – 72 days in total!

The Ao Yun, though, is a complex blend of 67 percent cabernet sauvignon, 17 percent cabernet franc, 10 percent syrah and 6 percent petit verdot. 30% Chinese stoneware jars, 35% oak barrels, 35% new oak barrels for ageing, final blend done at sea level in Hong Kong. The introduction of the village crus last year to the Ao Yun range has helped finesse the selection from the four villages, and you feel the impact here - 53% of production is in this wine from 28ha of vines set across 727 plots.

The final result is a bottle that is just as great as the exciting 2018 vintage, if not even better. It is already approachable at this early stage, with incredibly complex layers, pedigree and restraint on the nose, followed by a full but super-polished palate and a persistent finish.

"Very scented, complex and layered with a classy nose full of ripe currants, smoke and sweet tobacco leaves. Graphite, charcoal, exotic herbs and cigar box. A hint of black truffle and tapenade, too. Full body with fine, silky tannins that highlight the juicy aspect of this wine. Dusty tannins gradually build up on the palate in a crescendo, following through to a juicy, precise and lengthy finish. Super-polished and refined. There is still cabernet verticality on the palate. The finest Ao Yun so far? It has a finish that lasts almost two minutes. 67% cabernet sauvignon, 17% cabernet franc, 10% syrah and 6% petit verdot. This is a blend of 23% of Xidang village, 21% Sinong, 32% Shuori and 24% Adong. Already drinkable now, but should hold until 2026"